468 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



manent in the air. Almost insoluble in water ; soluble in 10 

 parts of alcohol ; also soluble in 0.3 part of ether, and 

 readily in chloroform and in fixed or volatile oils. 



SALICYLIC ACID, SALICIN, SODIUM SALICYLATE AND SALOL. 



Action External. — Salicylic acid, salicin and salol are 

 powerful antiseptics. A solution of salicylic acid (1-60) is 

 equivalent to a solution of carbolic acid (1-22) in destroying 

 some bacteria, but is not generally as useful. Salicylic acid, 

 sodium salicylate and salicin are irritating to the unbroken 

 skin or raw surfaces. Salol is not. The salicylates are not 

 antiseptic, but actually favor fermentation. 



Action Internal. — Salicylic acid is an irritant in the 

 digestive tract and in large doses causes nausea and vomit- 

 ing in dogs. It is converted into salicylates by the alkaline 

 intestinal juices, and is absorbed in this form, chiefly as 

 sodium salicylate. For this reason, and because the latter 

 salt is less irritating than salicylic acid, sodium salicylate is 

 preferred to the acid when a constitutional action is desired. 

 Salicin splits up in the bowels into salicylic acid, salicylous 

 acid (HC;H502), salicyluric acid (HCgH^NOJ, and glucose. 

 Salol is decomposed by the pancreatic juice into salicylic 

 acid (64 per cent.) and carbolic acid (36 per cent.) After 

 large doses the urine takes on the characteristic smoky color 

 produced in poisoning by phenol. Salol is an intestinal 

 antiseptic. * 



Circulation. — The circulation is not preceptibly influ- 

 enced by moderate doses cf sodium salicylate, or salicylic 

 acid, but large doses depress the heart force, blood pressure 

 and nervous system. The artificial acid is said to be more 

 depressant than natural salicylic acid obtained from plants, 

 because of orthocreosotic and metacreosotic acids existing as 

 impurities in the former. 



Nervous System. — The action of salicylic acid on the 

 nervous system is unknown. Therapeutic quantities often 

 cause, in man (salicylism), ringing in the ears and headache. 



Respiration. —The respiratory movements are primarily 



