16 
Salacetolum is a salicylic acid ester of acetol which is an alcohol 
(CHgCOCHgOH) derived from acetone; proposed as an antirheiimatic. 
Acetoacetic acid, also called diacetic acid (CHgCOCHoCOOII), 
which may be looked upon as acetone in which a hydrogen atom has 
been replaced by the acid group (COOH), is found in the urine in 
many cases of diabetes mellitus. It is thought that one source of ace- 
tone found in diabetic urine is the decomposition of diacetic acid. 
ACETPHE> ETIDI> UM. 
Acetphenetidin. 
{Phenacetin . ) 
C H 
This substance is generally known by the trade name 2)henacet{n ; 
official in the British, German, and Swiss Pharmacopoeias as Phenacet- 
inum; also called para-acetphenetidin. 
Chemistry. — The derivation of acetphenetidin is shown b}^ the fol- 
lowing formulas: 
^OH 
Phenol 
CeH. 
^OH (1) 
Para-amidophenol 
.. H ,0C,H5 ,0C.H5 
^ ^»“‘'^nh(coch3) 
Para-phenetidin (Pa- Acet-paraphenetidin {phe- . 
ra-amido-phenetol) nacetin) 
H 
in which one 
It ma}^ be regarded as acetanilide (COCH ) 
hy drogen atom is replaced by the ethoxy group (OC3H5). 
Character. — ‘AYhite, glistening, crystalline scales, or line crystalline 
powder, odorless, and tasteless.'’ 
Solubility. — Slighth" soluble in water (1:9:^5), much more so in boil- 
ing water (1:70), and still more in alcohol (1:12). 
Purity. — Occasionally adulterated with acetanilide, which may be 
recognized by the following Pharmacopoeial test: 
“If 0.1 Gm. of Acetphenetidin be boiled with 10 Cc. of water it 
should 3ueld a solution which, when cooled and filtered, should not 
become turbid upon the addition of bromine T. S. [1 per cent solution] 
in slight excess (absence of acetanilide).” 
For other tests, see the Pharmacopoeia and Kebler, L}unan F. : 
Adulterated drugs and chemicals, U. S. Dept. Agric.,Bur. Chemistry, 
Bull. No. 80, 1904. 
Incompatibility. — Incompatible with phenol, chloral hydrate, iodine, 
salicylic acid, and oxidizing agents. 
Dose. — “Average dose: 0.500 Gm. =500 milligrammes (7i grains).” 
(U. S. P.) 
Caution. — The German Pharmacopoeia states that not more than 
3 Gm. (45 grains) should be given in the course of a day. Special 
caution should be observed when acetphenetidin is prescribed in com- 
bination with other drugs of similar physiological action; thus, ace- 
tanilide and acetphenetidin should not be combined in full dose of each. 
