492 VEGETABLE DEUGS 



having a faintly aromatic odor, and almost tasteless. Per- 

 manent in the air. Almost insoluble in water ; soluble in 15 

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

 readily in chloroform and in fixed or volatile oils. 



SALICYLIC ACID, SALICIW, SODIUM SALICYLATE AND PHENYL 

 SALICYLATE OB SALOL. 



Action External. — Salicylic acid, sodium salicylate, 

 salicin and salol are powerful antiseptics resembling carbolic 

 acid in action but less toxic and irritant. 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. 



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 (HCyHgOg), salicyluric acid (HC9Hg]Sr04), and glu- 

 cose. Salol is decomposed by the pandreatic juice into sali- 

 cylic 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. The salicylic group are slight cholagogues. 



Circulation. — The circulation is not perceptibly influ- 

 enced by moderate doses of sodium salicylic, 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 



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