626 THE VETERINARY COLLEGE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
Right glad am I to find a blistering ointment still retained in the 
College Pharmacopoeia, for I am well assured that a good blister, 
perhaps occasionally followed up by a second, or even a third, is 
worth a thousand setons, for splent, spavin, curb, windgall, old 
strains, and inflamed lungs. The ointment that is retained must, 
however, be somewhat reformed. We must consign the turpen¬ 
tine and the euphorbium to the v uneducated farrier, as uselessly 
torturing instead of vesicating, and too often seriously blemish¬ 
ing. If lard were substituted for the turpentine ointment, and 
the euphorbium omitted, there would result an ointment which 
would rarely fail to rise, and would never blemish. 
Blistering or Cantharides Ointment (mild). 
i 
Lard.......four ounces 
Melt, and add 
Oil of turpentine, and Cantharides in powder, each one ounce; 
stir till cold. 
It is a great pity that the writer or copyer of this pharmacopoeia 
could not take a little care and not blunder so egregiously. 
Erratum, for mild read stronger or blemishing! ay, although the 
euphorbium is omitted : for if this ointment with the oil of tur¬ 
pentine is but rubbed well enough in, there will be as pretty a 
place, totally devoid of hair, as ever farrier would like to see. 
Let us leave the turpentine and the euphorbium to those from 
among whom we are emerging. 
Quicksilver Ointment (strong ). 
A 
Quicksilver - - _ __ -----_-------- one pound 
Balsam of sulphur__ ........... one ounce and a half 
Rub well together, and add lard-- one pound. 
I have no objection to this recipe, except the recommendation 
of the balsam of sulphur. If, however, its use in the veterinary 
pharmacopoeia be confined to the oxydizing of mercury, I will 
not say much about it, except that it gives an unnecessary black 
hue to the ointment, and a strong smell of sulphur, which might 
as well be avoided. A small quantity of rancid lard would be 
much preferable for the first rubbing down of the mercury. 
Quicksilver Ointment (nitrate). 
Quicksilver ...-.. three ounces 
Nitric acid.six ounces 
Dissolve: 
Lard.eight ounces 
Olive oil.... - - twelve ounces 
Melt together, add the acid, &c., and stir till cold. 
