NAT. ORDER.— CONIFERiE. 
41 
heated, the oil readily combines with it, but will be separated again 
as soon as the spirit cools. A stream of oxymuriatic gas passed 
through it, converts it into a yellow resin. Distilled with four times 
its volume of water, it becomes lighter and brighter. 
Medical Pi-operties and Uses. Canada balsam possesses similar 
medicinal properties to the other turpentines, which are more fully 
described under the head of Pinus sylvestris, Pinus ahies, Piniis 
picea, and Pinus larix, in the present and other vols, of this work ; 
consequently, we shall only make a few observations regarding the 
use of turpentine as a remedial agent, and more especially for the 
expulsion of taenia. It was first recommended by Dr. Fenwick as 
an anthelmintic of extraordinary powers. The Dr. prescribed it 
in doses of two ounces, and repeated it in ounce doses until it had 
the desired effect ; purging is in general produced, and the worm 
is usually evacuated lifeless. Turpentine, when given in large 
doses, by acting as a cathartic, seems to prevent its absorption, 
hence its action on the urinary organs becomes obviated, and 
stranguary, which so frequently accompanies the internal use of 
small doses of turpentine, is not to be apprehended ; not only for 
the expulsion of taenia, but for other worms, (especially the lumhrici^ 
it has been administered with equal success. Dr. Copeland 
strongly recommends the oil in the hoemorrhagise, particularly in 
atonic epistaxis, also in epilepsy, in the last stages puerperal fever, 
and in the convulsions of infants, when arising from a disordered 
state of the alimentaiy canal. It is also a powerful emmenagogue, 
thence useless in chlorosis. We are told by Dr. Copeland, that in 
some cases of ovarian dropsy, its effects were such as to recommend 
its employment in the incipient stages of that disease, and also in 
other dropsies. Externally, the oil is used with much advantage as 
a primary application to scalds and burns. Dr. Kentish was the 
first who introduced its use, and subsequently his practice has been 
confirmed and adopted by many surgeons of skill and eminence. 
It is also topically applied as a discutientto indolent tumors, &c. 
