— i2 5 — 



at Meran, gives the following summary as to the chemical composition 

 of the principal balsams: 





ill 



.S-S 



6 



.5 







ft 



'o 

 U 





6 



S 6 



0^3 



11 



ei — T 

 C/3'o 



c 

 c/rg 



'0 

 







°/o 



°/ 

 ;o 



/o 



/o 



°/o 



/ 



10 



/o 



/o 



/o 



/o 



Terpenes, or sesquiterpenes 



IOO 



— 



— 



55 



65 



70 



6 



35 



80 



90 



Terpene alcohols 



— 



IOO 



— 



— 



— 



— 



94 



65 



20 



10 



Resinic acids 



— 



— 



90 



40 



30 



5 



•— 



— 



— 



— 



Resins 



— 



— 



10 



5 



5 



25 



— 



— 



— 



— 



Now it has been found that from the composition of a balsam, 

 a conclusion can be drawn as to its pharmacological action. Balsams 

 rich in terpenes, although otherwise of good therapeutic value, are 

 said to produce comparatively readily irritation; resinic acids ad- 

 ministered in larger doses cause diarrhoea. The urine acquires albumin- 

 coagulating properties after the administration of balsams. The products 

 of assimilation of the four different classes of bodies in the organism 

 are the same; this explains why they have the same therapeutic effect. 

 The resins show no disagreeable secondary actions. By conversion of 

 the terpene alcohols and resinic acids in ester-like compounds, it is 

 hoped to do away with the secondary actions of the balsams on the 

 stomach and intestine. 



For the treatment of catarrhs of the respiratory passages and the 

 lungs with medicated vapours, Dr. M. Saenger 1 ) recommends a medicinal 

 vaporising apparatus constructed by Gentsch according to his directions. 

 It consists chiefly of a small steam boiler of about 300 cc. capacity 

 into which is built a flat receptacle, not communicating with the boiler, 

 for receiving the inhalation remedies. The boiler (which is provided 

 with a spring safety valve), and the open receptacle for the medicine, 

 both end in a system of narrow tubes, which in the manner of the 

 well-known vaporisers, are arranged at right angles. When the boiler 

 is heated with a spirit lamp, the medicine is heated at the same time, 

 and the vapour issuing from the horizontal member of the vaporiser 

 draws out of the receptacle a warm current of air laden with the vapours 

 of the medicament, with which it combines. The vapour is received 

 in a funnel, at the narrow end of which the patient inhales it. 



This handy little apparatus, which is specially intended for the 

 inhalation of essential oils (01. tereb., 01. cupress., eucalyptol, menthol etc.), 



*) Reprint from Wien. Klin. Rundschau, 1904-, No. 34/35. Publ. by Gentsch, 

 Magdeburg. 



