ACTION OF BORIC ACID AND BORAX 309 



Dose. — H., 3ii-iv, (8-15); foals and calves, gr.xx-xxx, (1.3-2); D., gr.v-xv, 

 (.8-1). 



FREFAEATIOX 



Glyceritum Boroglycerini. Glycerlte of Boroglycerin. (U. S. P.) 

 Synonym. — Glycerinum acidi borici, B. P.; glycerlte of glyceryl borate, solu- 

 tion of boroglyceride. Boric acid, 310; glycerin to make 1,000. Solution prepared 

 by heat (802° F.). 



Unguentum Aeidi Borici. (10 per cent.) (U. S. & B. P.) 



SoDii BoHAS. Sodium Borate. NajBjO,. (U. S. P.) 

 Synonym. — Borax, B. P., P. G.; natrum biboricum, boras, boras sodicus, E.; 

 borate de soudre, Fr.; natrium pyroborat, G. 



Derivation, — Natural deposits of the crude article occur as incrustations on 

 the shores of lakes in Nevada and California, which are purified by calcination 

 and crystallization. Borax is also made by boiling boric acid with sodium carbo- 

 nate. 4 HsBOa-f-Na^COs = NajB.C-J-CO^-f 6 H^O. 



Properties. — Colorless, transparent, monoclinic prisms, or a white powder, in- 

 odorous and having a sweetish, alkaline taste. Slightly efflorescent in warm, dry 

 air. Soluble in 20.4 parts of water at 77° F., and in 0.5 part of boiling water; 

 insoluble in alcohol. At 176° F. it is soluble: inf one part of glycerin. Borax is 

 slightly alkaline. 



Action of Boric Acid and Borax 



Boric acid and borax are essentially mild, non-irritating" antisep- 

 tics but not germicides. These agents are practically harmless, as ordi- 

 narily employedj yet death in man has been reported from absorption 

 of a 4 per cent, solution of boric acid used for irrigation of the large 

 cavities of the body, and fatalities have resulted from its external use 

 and from the ingestion of quantities of boric acid. 



Three drams of boric acid may be given daily to dogs, without 

 causing any untoward effect. In man, boric acid poisoning has been 

 exhibited by feeble pulse, subnormal temperature, vomiting, erythema 

 and swelling of superficial parts, muscular weakness, involuntary evacu- 

 ations, coma, and disordered respiration. Boric acid is eliminated by 

 the urine, sweat, saliva and feces. Borax tends to alkalize the urine, 

 but neither borax nor boric acid are diuretics. 



Boric acid and borax, like other antiseptics, relieve itching and, de- 

 stroy parasites upon the skin. Boric acid exerts an antiseptic action 

 upon the contents of the digestive tract and upon the urine. It is thought 

 to possess some emmenagogue action. Outside the body it has been 

 shown (Post & NicoU, Bernstein, 1907-10) that a saturated solution of 

 boric acid neither kills, nor materially checks, the growth of pathogenic 

 bacteria after 24 hours. It does inhibit saprophytic bacteria and fungi 

 to some extent. The suppositious germicidal action of boric acid on the 

 body has not been demonstrated experimentally. 



The value of boric acid and borax is chiefly surgical. They are 

 employed more commonly upon the mucous membranes of the eyelids, 

 mouth, nose, vagina, urethra and bladder, for their non-irritating, anti- 

 septic properties, and also to relieve itching and to destroy parasites 

 upon the skin. Boric acid is in more frequent use than any other agent 

 in simple catarrhal conjunctivitis, and may be combined to advantage 

 with cocaine as follows: 



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