MEL. 381 



yellow colour, which gradually becomes partially crystalline 

 and opaque. Has a peculiar heavy odour, and very sweet 

 taste. 



Impurity. Starch. 



Composition. Honey is a complex mixture of several kinds 

 of sugar (cane and grape sugar, levulose or inverted sugar, 

 derived by fermentation from the cane sugar) ; wax, pollen, 

 colouring and odorous matters, etc. 



Preparations. 



Mel Depuratum. Made by melting and straining. 

 From Mel Depuratum is prepared : 



OxymeL 8, with Acetic Acid, 1, and Water, 1. Dose, 1 

 to 2 fl.dr. 



Honey is also contained in Mel Boracis, Oxymel ScillaB, Con- 

 fectio Piperis, Confectio Scammonii, and Confectio Tere- 

 binthinae. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Honey increases the secretions of the mouth and throat, 

 and thus acts as an emollient, relieving dryness, pain, cough 

 and dysphagia. It is a popular ingredient of gargles, linctuses 

 and cough mixtures, but to be useful must be properly employed 

 as the oxymel, or in combination with lemon, which has a 

 similar action on the mouth and pharynx. As a vehicle for 

 borax it is used in aphthae of the mouth, but is inferior to 

 glycerine because fermentable. Honey is also laxative and 

 nutritive. 



Cera Alba WHITE WAX. Yellow wax bleached 

 by exposure to moisture, air, and light. 



Characters. Hard, nearly white, translucent. Not unctu- 

 ous to the touch ; does not melt under 150. 



Cera Flava YELLOW WAX. The prepared 

 honeycomb of the Hive Bee, Apis mellifica. 



Characters. Firm, breaking with a granular fracture, 

 yellowish, having an agreeable honey-like odour. Not unctuous 

 to the touch; does not melt under 140 ; yields nothing to cold 

 rectified spirit, but is entirely soluble in oil of turpentine. 



Impurity. Starch. 



