902 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[May 17, 1873. 
American lard, at least that imported into this 
country, contains less stearin than English lard, so 
that they may find the need of a firmer basis than 
pure lard, else I am of opinion that lard, when 
carefully prepared, is not surpassed by any factitious 
mixture of fatty substances as a general basis for 
ointments. Ceratum cantharidis corresponds to our 
emplastrum cantharidis , but it contains no suet. In 
preparing it, it is directed that on the addition of the 
cantharides, in very fine powder, to the melted basis, 
by the heat of a water-bath the mixture is to be kept 
in a liquid state for half-an-hour, stirring it occasionally 
while digesting, and afterwards constantly, until cool. 
This is an undoubted advantage, and will assist in 
the absorption of the cantharidin by the cerate; but, 
as cantharidin is a volatile principle, I think the 
temperature of the water-bath should have been 
limited. There is also ceratum extracti cantharidis: 
an alcoholic extract of the flies is first made, and 
mixed with a similar basis to the ordinary cerate—it 
is slightly weaker than this preparation. For 
Goulard’s cerate we have two processes; we have 
the old London Pharmacopoeia formula and an alter¬ 
native one, in which, by using liniment of camphor 
and simple cerate, we get the same product by mere 
admixture. This is also an advantage, as it is an oint¬ 
ment very prone to become rancid,—it can thus be 
prepared extemporaneously without any difficulty. 
There are cerates —but not ointments —of both sper¬ 
maceti and resin (synonym for the latter — u Basilicon 
ointment ”), and also a compound resin cerate , which 
contains crude turpentine and flax-seed (linseed) oil. 
Ceratum saponis is a mixture of soap-plaster, yellow 
wax, and olive oil. Ceratum sabince is a mixture of 
the fluid extract of savine and resin cerate, heat being 
applied to drive off the spirit from the extract after 
its admixture with the melted cerate. Ceratum zinci 
carbonatis is precipitated carbonate of zinc and simple 
ointment, mixed thoroughly. 
Charta.—Charta cantharidis corresponds to our 
charta epispastica. The whole of the ingredients 
are directed to be boiled gently , not digested merely, 
before straining and coating the paper with its layer 
of the basis. Charta sinapis has been referred to by 
Professor Redwood. Ninety grains of black mustard 
seed in powder are mixed with a solution of gutta 
percha in chloroform (1^ in 17 by weight), and 
painted on a piece of paper four inches square. It is 
sufficient for a much larger piece. Dr. Squibb states 
that it is probably an imitation of Mr. Crew’s pre¬ 
paration (and Mr. Crew’s most likely of Rigollot’s). 
Benzine is used as a solvent of the gutta percha in 
the preparation of M. Rigollot’s paper, as the odour 
of it is very evident on opening a new packet. 
Collodium. — Simple collodion is prepared with 
stronger alcohol (sp. gr. 817) and stronger ether (sp. 
gr. 728), and contains about one-third more pyro- 
xylon than the B. P. preparation. My experience 
with the preparation, when required for surgical pur¬ 
poses, has been that one-third less than the B. P., not 
more, should be added of the pyroxylon if this latter 
be the right kind of nitrocellvdin. It is stated that 
by long standing it deposits a layer of fibrous matter 
and becomes more transparent, and that this layer 
should be incorporated by agitation before the collo¬ 
dion is used. Collodium flexile has been borrowed 
from us ; it is almost exactly the same as that in the 
British Pharmacopoeia. Collodium cum cantharide 
is made by percolating cantharides with stronger 
ether and then with stronger alcohol: having re¬ 
served the ethereal product, the alcoholic percolate 
is concentrated to a small bulk by spontaneous 
evaporation ; this is then mixed with the ethereal 
tincture, and pyroxylon added, with Canada balsam 
and Castor oil, to render its film flexible when ap¬ 
plied. 
Confectiones. —Of these there are five. Confectio 
aromatica is a mixture of aromatic powder (cinna¬ 
mon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg) with clarified 
honey. Confectio opii is the same, with the addition 
of one part of powdered opium in about thirty-six of 
the product. Confectio rosce is prepared with red rose 
petals in fine powder, sugar, clarified honey, and rose¬ 
water. Confectio senna is much the same as the Bri¬ 
tish Pharmacopoeia preparation without the extract 
of liquorice, but the figs and prunes are merely di¬ 
gested along with the purging cassia and tamarind, 
not boiled previously, as it is directed they should be 
in our process. 
Decoda. —The general process of making these is 
to take one troy ounce of the bruised drug and boil 
“in a pint of water for fifteen minutes, strain, and add 
sufficient water through the strainer to make the de¬ 
coction measure a pint.” In decoction of logwood the 
fluid is boiled down to one-half its bulk, and in the 
compound decoction of sarsaparilla the ingredients 
are boiled for fifteen minutes, and digested for two 
hours more at 200° F. after ebullition, not before as 
in the British Pharmacopoeia. 
Emplastra.—Emplastrum plumbi is the basis of 
eleven out of the seventeen official plasters. This 
lead plaster contains less oil than ours; more minute 
directions are given for its manufacture than in B. P., 
but we are not told how, or when to separate, or what 
to do with, the glycerine that is formed during the 
process. Emplastrum resina is a mixture of lead 
plaster and resin,— emplastrum saponis, of lead plaster 
and sliced soap, the soap being previously brought to 
a semi-liquid state with water, then added to the 
melted lead plaster and boiled to a proper consistence. 
Emplastrum aconiti is prepared by mixing an alco¬ 
holic extract of aconite root with resin plaster,— em¬ 
plastrum arnicce, with an alcoholic extract of the 
flowers and the same basis,— emplastrum belladonna , 
by mixing resin plaster with an alcoholic extract of 
the dried leaves of belladonna. This latter is made 
by maceration and percolation, and the subsequent dis¬ 
tillation and evaporation of the product thus obtained. 
Emplastrum assafatida is directed to be prepared by 
dissolving assafoetida and galbanum in alcohol, strain¬ 
ing, adding lead plaster and yellow wax, and evapo¬ 
rating to a proper consistence. Emplastrum galbani 
contains galbanum, crude turpentine, Burgundy pitch, 
and lead plaster. Emplastrum picis Burgundica and 
emplastrum picis Canadensis are merely these resins 
with the addition of yellow wax ; emplastrum picis 
cum cantharide, a mixture ot Burgundy pitch and 
cerate of cantharides. Emplastrum opii is made with 
the extract of opium, Burgundy pitch, and lead plaster. 
Emplastrum ferri is the same as ours—the so-called 
subcarbonate of iron being used in its preparation. 
Emplastrum hydrargyri and emplastrum ammoniaci 
cum hydrargyro are also much the same as B. P. A 
mixture of Burgundy pitch and powdered tartar 
emetic forms antimonial plaster, and ammoniacuin 
dissolved in diluted acetic acid, strained and evapo¬ 
rated to a proper consistence, makes the ammoniac 
plaster. 
(To be continued.) 
