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OIL OF AMBER AS A REMEDY FOR HAEMORRHOIDS. 
LOCAL ANAESTHESIA. 
Several communications have recently appeared in the medical journals on this sub¬ 
ject, by Dr. Richardson. The details are too exclusively medical for our pages, but we 
may observe that anesthesia has been produced by the employment of ether in the 
form of a very fine spray; and this is effected by the use of a modification of Bergson’s 
hand-ball spray producer. The ether used by Dr. Richardson, in his experiments, is a 
pure rectified ether of 0720 specific gravity, made by Mr. Robbins, of Oxford Street. 
Various other agents, such as methylic ether, amylene, monochloretted chloride of 
ethyle, pure chloric ether, nitrite of ethyle, chloroform, rectified turpentine, and nume¬ 
rous compounds and mixtures have been tried by Dr. Richardson, but we believe that 
better results have been obtained by the use of pure ether. 
NOTE ON RECTIFIED OIL OF AMBER AS A REMEDY FOR HAEMORRHOIDS. 
BY WILLIAM PROCTER, JUNIOR. 
Of the large number of persons who suffer from this annoying complaint, very many 
never consult a physician, and many others after renewed treatment give up the idea of 
becoming cured, viewing the affliction like some do old ulcers, as a burden to be borne 
while life continues. Various external applications are constantly prescribed, as an 
ointment of acetate of lead, tannin or nutgall, and opium, which is often successful in 
affording relief. Numerous secret nostrums have, from time to time, attracted attention, 
indicating the prevalence of the disease. Several years ago my curiosity was excited by 
the repeated calls for rectified oil of amber by a person who was not in any way con¬ 
nected with medicine, and he was asked the use to which it was applied. He said it 
was for piles, and that he rarely knew it to fail, the numerous calls that had been made 
being for friends and acquaintances who were sufferers from the complaint. After that, 
on several occasions where opportunity offered, it was suggested and tried with success, 
in many cases of piles where the tumours were external and annoying. The manner 
of its curative action I am not aware of. The oil is applied as a lotion to the tumours, 
and around the anus where the swellings exist. It occasions a smarting sensation at 
first, but after several applications the sensitiveness disappears, and the tumours are 
dissipated. So far as is known to the writer the influence is entirely local, and does not 
extend beyond the parts to which it is applied. I am not aware that it has been applied 
beyond the sphincter ani to the internal tumours, but know of a case wherein both inter¬ 
nal and external piles existed, the latter disappearing, and the others continuing to give 
annoyance. The object of this note is to ask the attention of medical men to the sub¬ 
ject, that the actual value of the oil of amber as a remedy for piles may be satisfactorily 
tested. It may be that in some cases admixture with lard or cerate would be prefer¬ 
able, and in the form of an emulsion, or associated with glycerin or olive oil, it might 
be applied in the rectum by injection or by a bougie. These are mere suggestions to 
the physician. 
It is to be regretted that so little genuine oil of amber is to be obtained, as has been 
conclusively shown by Mr. Ebert, of Chicago, who finds that it costs as much per ounce 
to make the oil as it sells for in commerce per pound. Failures may be attributed to 
the spurious oil made from turpentine and coal oil, shaken with oil of tar and some oil of 
amber .—American Journal of Pharmacy. 
PIMENTO. 
All the pimento which arrives in Great Britain comes from Jamaica, and is the pro¬ 
duce of Eugenia pimentci, Dec., Pimenta vulgaris , Lindl. An inferior species (E. acris) 
with larger berries, grows in the island of Tobago, and is occasionally imported into 
France. Jamaica enjoys a monopoly of this product. Every attempt to carry the seed 
to St. Domingo and Cuba, and to propagate it there, has failed, and though the tree is 
found in Yucatan, the fruit is not exported thence. 
The small, dry, reddish-brown berry is sometimes called Jamaica pepper, and often 
