52 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
[July 16, 1870. 
ON SULPHOCAEBOLIO ACID AND THE SULPHO- 
CARBOLATES. 
BY T. OMAR GUY'. 
These chemical combinations have quite recently come 
before the medical world as new therapeutical agents, 
but have not been thoroughly investigated. There having- 
been no satisfactory process given for their manufacture, 
the subject was presented to me several months ago for 
investigation; since which time I have experimented 
with various combinations, and find the following to give 
the most satisfactory results: — 
Sulphocarbolic Acid .—This is first formed by com¬ 
bining, by aid of heat, sulphuric and carbolic acids, in 
the proportion of 49 parts by weight of the former to 94 
parts by weight of the latter, or one equivalent of each. 
The mixture is put into a glass flask with a narrow 
top, into which is inserted a thermometer, and covered 
over by means of a paper diaphragm, in order to keep 
the fumes from escaping. It is then placed on a sand- 
bath, and heat gradually applied, until the acid is raised 
to the temperature of 290° F., and kept at this point for 
ten or fifteen minutes, and then allowed to gradually cool. 
At first this forms a thick syrupy liquid of a rich wine 
colour, which, in time, passes into a crystalline mass, 
composed of small rhomboidal crystals, having a reddish- 
brown appearance. These again become liquid at or 
about 80° F. 
"When the two acids are first mixed, heat is evolved, 
the temperature being raised to 190° F. Fumes are 
green off, which are again condensed on the sides of the 
vessel. These have an odour similar to carbolic acid, 
though differing in some respects. 
Sulphocarbolic acid reddens litmus; with the sesqui- 
chloride of iron, also, with the solution of the pernitrate 
of iron, it produces a beautiful purple colour, which 
fades when exposed to the sunlight for a short time. 
"With chloride of barium, nitrate of baryta, and the ace¬ 
tate of lead, it produces a slight opalescence, which is 
probably owing to a little free sulphuric acid. 
Its taste is at first strongly acid, leaving a slight empy- 
reumatic taste upon the tongue. It also has a strong 
empyreumatic odour, resembling, to some extent, carbolic 
acid. Its sp. gr. is 1-288; boils at 540° F., and is de¬ 
composed at 560° F. into a black, shiny, amorphous mass, 
having lost all of its odour; soluble in water and alcohol, 
and gives a decided reaction with the soluble barium and 
lead salts. 
The acid is soluble in any proportion of water, alcohol, 
and ether. It dissolves iodine, and the solution will 
combine with water without throwing the iodine out of 
solution. 
When heated to 400/ F. it becomes of a bright red 
colour, and when cooled forms an almost semi-solid mass. 
If nitric acid is added to a portion of sulphocarbolic 
acid, it is immediately decomposed with violence, nitro- 
phenic acid being formed—a black, oily liquid, giving off 
a peculiarly disagreeable odour, entirely different from 
that of carbolic acid. 
In forming the sulphocarbolic acid, I used the chemi¬ 
cally pure sulphuric acid, sp. gr. 1-823, and Calvert’s 
No. 2 carbolic acid. 
The interchange of elements which takes place when 
sulphocarbolic acid is formed may be represented by the 
following reactions:—one equivalent of carbolic acid 
— CjoHgOj = 94; one equivalent of sulphuric acid = 
SO s HO = 49; then C 12 H 6 0 2 + S0 3 HO = C 12 H 6 0 2 
S0 3 HO = C 12 II 5 O, S 0 3 , 2IIO, which might be consi¬ 
dered sulphophenic acid, or a hydrated sulphate of the 
oxide of phenyl.* 
Sulphocarbolic acid has been experimented with 'in 
regard to its disinfectant properties, and found to be 
much more efficient than carbolic acid alone.f 
* These formula; are somewhat doubtful and antiquated.— 
Ed. Pn. J. J 
f Vide ‘ Pharmacist/ Chicago, September, 1869. 
With salifiable bases it combines and forms salts, 
which have been called sulphocarbolates. These have a 
faint odour of carbolic acid, and are supposed to have its 
therapeutical properties combined with its respective 
bases, without its causticity, rendering it suitable for 
internal administration. 
In heating the acid great care should be used not to 
heat it too suddenly. There is apt to form at the bottom 
of the vessel a black liquid, caused by too great a tempe¬ 
rature, resulting in the decomposition of the acid. 
Sulphocarbolate of Soda. —This salt is at present con¬ 
sidered the most important of the series. It may be 
produced by taking one volume of sulphocarbolic acid, 
adding six volumes of water, and completely saturating 
with carbonate of soda in crystals. The solution is then 
filtered and evaporated slowly over a sand or water bath 
until a slight pellicle is formed, when it is set aside to 
crystallize. When the crystals are all formed, the 
mother-water may be still further evaporated, and a new 
crop of crystals obtained. 
Should they contain colouring matter, or the crystals 
not be well-formed, a re-solution and crystallization will 
produce a beautiful salt, free from colouring matter, and 
of well-defined rhomboidal prisms, soluble in five parts 
of cold water at 60° F., and in two-thirds its weight of 
boiling water; soluble to a slight extent in alcohol, but 
insoluble in ether. 
Sulphocarbolate of soda is a nearly colourless salt, 
possessing a slight pinkish tinge. It has a somewhat 
saline, bitterish taste, and a faint odour of carbolic acid; 
neutral to test paper; produces no precipitate with chlor¬ 
ide of barium, nitrate of baryta, or the acetate of lead. 
With the sesquichloride of iron and the liquor ferri 
nitratis, it produces a beautiful purple colour, charac¬ 
teristic of the sulphocarbolic acid. 
The crystals should be well dried by exposing them to 
the air in a warm place on filtering or porous paper. 
The reactions which take place when the salt is formed 
maybe represented by the following equation:—NaO, 
C0 2 + C 12 H 5 O, S 0 3 2 H O = Na0,C 12 H 5 0S0 3 H0 + 
GO,. / 
In heating this salt to a high degree, it loses thirty per 
cent, of its weight, and falls into a greyish-white powder, 
giving a white precipitate with chloride of barium, nitrate 
of baryta, and acetate of lead; with the sesquichloride 
of iron and the solution of ternitrate of iron, it produces 
a deep reddish colour. If the heat is continued to red¬ 
ness, it takes fire and burns without flame. Nitric acid, 
added to a solution of the salt, gradually acquires a red¬ 
dish-brown colour. 
The therapeutical properties of sulphocarbolate of soda 
have not been thoroughly investigated. It has been 
used in phthisis with marked success; also in zymotic 
diseases with favourable results. It has been given in 
doses ranging from ten to sixty grains.* 
Several physicians of this city have used the sulpho¬ 
carbolate of soda in the treatment of disease. Among 
the number the following have been reported. One case 
was that of Anna E-, having suffered from ozena for 
several years. The sulphocarbolate of soda was used, 
varying the strength from two to eight grains to the 
fluid ounce of water. It was used twice daily, with 
Thudichum’s nasary douche, with the most flattering 
success. 
It was also used as a topical application in a case of 
syphilitic sore-mouth with good results. In this case 
the strength of the solution used was 5i to f§fv of water.f 
As a dressing for fetid leg ulcers the solution of the 
sulphocarbolates possesses one advantage over the car¬ 
bolic acid; the acid in oil or paste is at first generally 
too stimulating, but soon volatilizes, leaving the oil or 
paste inert. The sulphocarbolates being less volatile, 
but at the same time possessing the antiseptic qualities, 
a more uniform application is obtained. 
* ‘London Practitioner/ July, 1869. 
f Cases reported by Dr. Collins. 
