OINTMENTS OF THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
287 
Simple Ointment . — The official preparation is too soft for this 
climate. If white wax 2 and benzoated lard 8 were used, it would 
answer better, and the ointments prepared with this base would then 
need no alteration. 
Zinc Ointment . — The remarks I have to make on preparing this 
ointment will apply to those other ointments that contain powders, such 
as ammoniatcd mercury and carbonate of lead. Even after making 
this ointment very carefully, and it has appeared to be quite smooth, 
I have often noticed that when a small portion was taken out and 
spread on a slab, the ointment had small lumps of zinc oxide all through 
it. Mixing the oxide with a small quantity of the melted base in a 
warm mortar before adding to the remainder is an improvement on 
simply adding the oxide made very fine to the whole lot; but even this 
way it is necessary to strain the mixture, and rub down again that 
which does not go through the muslin. This is the only way I have 
been able to get an ointment quite free from lumps. Some time ago 
I had a pot of zinc ointment returned with the remark that they thought 
there must be some mistake about it, as they had had pounds of it at a 
time and it had, if anything, a rather unpleasant smell, whereas mine 
was quite nice. So I let them have a whilf of rancid lard, and asked 
them if that was it. “Yes,” they answered, “that is how it should 
be”; and it was not very easy to persuade them that I was in the 
right. At any rate, I overcame their prejudice to such an extent 
that they took it on trial ; the result was they were quite satisfied to 
have it repeated. 
The directions for making ointments in the Pharmacopoeia cannot 
very well be found fault with, except in one or two instances, as in the 
majority they are simply orderod to be mixed thoroughly. You can 
hardly improve on such instructions, and why the directions given for 
zinc ointment arc not the same I do not know. There are only one or 
two cases where it is necessary to give instructions for mixing, for the 
object of the Pharmacojxeia is not to teach us our business, but to let 
us know of what we are to make the preparations ; and if we have the 
proportions, the making might very well be left in our hands, for, if we 
make a thorough mixture of the ingredients, what does it matter in 
which way we do it ? 
Just a word or two about making ointments without heat. There 
are a good many that are very seldom kept ready prepared, as they are 
not often required. 
In mixing these ointments without heat, the powder (often lumpy) 
is sometimes placed on the "whole of the base and rubbed down, with 
the result that it is with difficulty, if at all, that a smooth ointment 
is made. This takes just about three times as long as to do it 
the right way, which I think is this: Make sure the powder is not 
granular by rubbing it down in a mortar, then mix with a little of the 
base, and when this is quite smooth add the remainder gradually. In 
making these small quantities of ointments I always prefer using a 
slab and spatula to a mortar and pestle, as it is then much easier to see 
whether the ointment is smooth or not. 
To repeat, then, the alterations that I think would be improve- 
ments on the preparations now official, speaking only for this climate, 
are : The addition of 2 to 4 oz. of yellow wax to the pound of those 
ointments made with benzoated lard ; omission of the oil in simple 
