262 INORGANIC AGENTS 



Ammonii chloridi 3iss. 



Syrupl scillae co Si- 



Syrupi pruni virginianae ad giv. 



M. 



Sig. One teaspoonful for dogs for cough and bron- 

 chitis. Repeat every 2 or 3 hours. 



Petrolatum. (U. S. P.) 



(Three varieties.) 

 1. — Petrolatum. Petrolatum. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Vaseline, cosmoline. 



Derivation. — A purified mixture of semi-solid hydrocarbons, obtained from 

 petroleum. 



Properties. — An unctuous mass, varying in color from yellowish to light am- 

 ber, having not more than a slight fluorescence, even after being melted; trans- 

 parent in thin layers, completely amorphous, free or nearly free from odor or 

 taste. 



The melting point of petrolatum ranges between 38° C. and 54° C. Spec, 

 gr. 0.820-0.865. In other respects soft petrolatum has the solubility of liquid 

 petrolatum. 



2. — Petbolatum LiauiDUM. Liquid Petrolatum. (U. S. P.) 

 (2 varieties, heavy and light.) 



Synonym. — Liquid paraffine, paraffine oil, E.; paraffinum Uquidum, B. P.; P. 

 G. ; parafiine liquide, huile de parafBne, Fr. 



Derivation. — A mixture of liquid hydrocarbons, obtained from petroleum. 



Properties. — A colorless, oily, transparent liquid, without odor or taste when 

 cold; or giving off, when heated, a faint odor of petroleum. Spec. gr. 0.828 to 

 0.905. Insoluble in water; scarcely soluble in cold or hot alcohol, or cold dehyd- 

 rated alcohol; but soluble in boiling absolute alcohol, and readily soluble in etlier, 

 chloroform, carbon disulphide, oil of turpentine, petroleum, benzin, benzene, and 

 fixed and volatile oils. 



S.^Petrolatum Album. White Petrolatum. 



Petrolatum wholly or nearly decolorized. White or faintly yellowish unctu- 

 ous mass, transparent in thin layers even after cooling to 0° C. ; completely 

 amorphous. 



Otherwise it resembles, in solubility, petrolatum. 



Action and Uses. — Petrolatum is a valuable emollient. It soothes, 

 protects and softens parts to which it is applied, and is superior to ani- 

 mal and vegetable fats and oils in not becoming rancid, and therefore 

 irritant and malodorous. Petrolatum may be used alone, or as an ex- 

 cipient in the preparation of ointments, but does not aid the absorption 

 of drugs (as do alcohol, glycerin, chloroform, and animal oils and fats), 

 for it is not itself absorbed even when administered internally. Petro- 

 latum exerts a demulcent action upon the mucous membrane of the ali- 

 mentary tract, and may be prescribed in electuary or capsule in inflamma- 

 tion thereof. Liquid petrolatum is useful given internally in constipa- 

 tion and in piles (Dogs and cats, 3ii-iv b. i. d.) to soften the feces. 

 It is also very serviceable with menthol and camphor (aa gr.xv. to §i.) 

 dropped in the nostrils (vrith a medicine dropper) for dogs with coryza. 

 Petrolatum is sold universally under the proprietary names of vaseline 

 and cosmoline, and is often combined with antiseptics for medicinal and 

 surgical purposes in skin diseases and upon inflamed mucous membranes, 

 blistered and abraded surfaces and sores. It is one of the most useful 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



