42 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[July 20, 1872. 
The acid is dissolved in the melted beeswax. In 
this solution the silk is then placed, and when 
thoroughly steeped, it is drawn through a cloth to 
remove the supertliious wax. 
It is always to be remembered that the action of 
the antiseptic is itself injurious, so far as its direct 
influence upon the tissues is concerned. If carbolic 
dressings be used they retard cicatrization; they 
also operate with especial energy on the cuticle; 
and even when far too dilute to produce excoriation, 
that is to say, to destroy the perfect epidermis, they 
will, if applied direct to a wound often entirely pre¬ 
vent the production of young epithelial cells. It is 
therefore necessary to protect the cicatrizing part by 
interposing between it and the gauze a layer of some 
impermeable material. But carbolic acid is a re¬ 
markably penetrating substance, passing through, by 
a kind of endosmose action, gutta-perclia and india- 
rubber with the utmost facility, though not dissolving 
them ; it has thus been difficult to devise an efficient 
protective. That now used is the protective oiled 
silk. Oiled silk is first coated on both sides with 
copal varnish, and when dry brushed over with a 
mixture of 
Dextrine .1 part. 
Starch, in powder .2 parts. 
Aqueous solution of carbolic acid 
(1 in 20).16 parts. 
The granular starch enables the dextrine solution 
to apply itself better to the varnished surface, and 
the solution of carbolic acid is used rather than mere 
water for the same purpose. When used, a piece 
slightly larger than the open wound is previously 
dipped in the aqueous solution of carbolic acid to 
free it from any septic poison and applied as a “ pro¬ 
tective” of the parts from the irritation of the exterior 
carbolized dressings. The dextrine mixture recon¬ 
ciles the varnished surface of the oiled silk to the 
aqueous solution of carbolic acid, so that when im¬ 
mersed in the latter before application to the wound, 
it has an even superficial aqueous layer ; tills pre¬ 
vents any danger of the varnished oiled silk adher¬ 
ing to the margin of the wound. 
4 Carbolized Oil. 
Take of 
Carbolic Acid, in crystals . . 1 part. 
Olive Oil.from 4 to 19 pts 
Heat the carbolic acid till liquefied, and add it to 
lie olive oil. It is used of various strengths for 
different purposes. The surgical instruments, pre¬ 
vious to use, are generally wiped with a piece of lint 
dipped in carbolized oil. 
Carbolized Collodion. 
Take of 
Carbolic Acid, in crystals, 
Collodion, of each equal parts. 
Liquefy the crystals by a gentle heat, add the 
collodion and agitate till a jelly is formed. This is 
a useful application to an aching carious tooth. 
Injection of Chloride of Zinc for Sinuses. 
Take of 
Chloride of Zinc .... 40 grains. 
Distilled Water .... 1 fluid ounce. 
Dissolve. 
Mr. Campbell de Morgan, of Middlesex Hospital, 
introduced the above, which has the peculiarity of 
producing a persistent antiseptic action upon a cut 
surface, the effect of a single application prevents the 
occurrence of putrefaction for clays together, in spite 
of the immediate vicinity of active septic agency. 
This is most strikingly exemplified by its effects on 
wounds resulting from the removal of tumours of the 
jaw. It is used by Professor Lister to inject the 
sinuses which may be left in the unhealthy parts 
after an operation; the carbolic dressings are ap¬ 
plied externally in conjunction with it. 
Oakum .—It was this substance employed at a 
surgical dressing during the American War which 
suggested to Professor Lister the more refined 
application, ‘ antiseptic gauze.’ The commercial 
oakum—that prepared from old tarred ropes—has 
been found generally not sufficiently antiseptic in its 
action. The article known as marine lint —tow 
impregnated with wood-tar—is more efficacious, but 
not so agreeable or manageable a dressing as the 
‘ antiseptic gauze,’ although it is often useful as a 
padding in conjunction with the latter. These pre¬ 
parations containing wood-tar will of course owe 
their antiseptic properties principally to the creasote 
this contains. 
Among the other antiseptic remedies the sulpho- 
carbolates of soda, potash, lime, ammonia and zinc 
have been noticed in the columns of this Journal. 
Of others, again, such as boracic acid, oil of juniper 
and thymic acid, the applications have not yet come 
into such general use as to merit notice. 
THE MICROSCOPE IN PHARMACY. 
BY HENRY POCKLINGTON. 
(■Continued from page 2.) 
Gentian.® Radix. —On a cursory glance the root 
of Gentian is seen to consist of two portions sepa¬ 
rated from each other by a tolerably well-marked 
brownish-yellow ring. The tissues within this ring 
consist of parenchyma cells and vascular tissues; 
without it, of parenchyma cells, a few ligneous cells, 
and the usual cells of the cortical layers. The 
cells of the centre vary considerably in size and 
shape. Those forming in some specimens the false 
medulla are very large, sinuous in transverse section, 
and thin-walled. Those cells more intimately inter¬ 
mingled with the vascular tissues have thicker 
walls, but wholly free from secondary deposits, and 
are much more globular in shape. The distribution 
of the vessels is in irregular wedges, whose bases 
form the yellowish brown ring already spoken of, 
but isolated vessels occur in what would otherwise 
be entitled to be called the medulla. The vessels 
are rarely accompanied by the ligneous cells com¬ 
monly found as components of vascular tissues. 
The vessels themselves are very interesting, but it 
is somewhat difficult to give them a distinctive 
name. They may perhaps be regarded as transi¬ 
tional between the ordinarily well-marked pitted 
vessel and the “ spiral,” as there are in many of them 
as it were attempts on the part of the sclerogenous 
deposit to break away and form the true spiral, 
which, however, I have not found to occur in any of 
the very numerous sections I have examined. The 
“ pitting ” or reticulations in many of the vessels is 
complicated by sudden breaks and the commence¬ 
ment of an entirely different pattern for some dis¬ 
tance, when the former is recurred to or a third 
entirely new pattern commenced, but there is little 
