AmM0ay'iS8arm'}    Liquor  Cresolis  Compositus,  U.S. P.  213. 
by  a  soap  of  this  kind  does  not  materially  affect  its  value,  especially 
as  it  does  not  remain  as  free  KOH  in  the  finished  product,  but  com- 
bines with  some  of  the  cresol,  forming  potassium  cresolate.  Any 
amount  of  free  alkali  will  cause  the  preparation  to  become  thick,  1 
per  cent,  of  KOH  in  excess  producing  a  syrupy  consistence,  3  per 
cent,  a  soft  jelly,  and  5  per  cent,  a  very  firm  jelly,  the  germicidal 
value  being  slightly  reduced. 
The  substitution  of  oleic  acid,  cotton  seed,  castor  and  other  oils, 
for  the  linseed  oil  called  for  by  the  Pharmacopoeia,  has  been  sug- 
gested, but  no  advantage  is  to  be  gained  thereby.  Linseed  oil  soap 
gives  a  product  somewhat  darker  than  that  obtained  with  a  soap 
made  from  other  oils.  But  the  color  is  not  uniform,  as  the  prepara- 
tion darkens  with  age.  Cresol  varies  in  color,  and  old  linseed  oil 
gives  a  darker  product  than  fresh  oil;  otherwise,  old  linseed  oil 
will  not  alter  the  preparation,  as  the  unsaponifiable  matter  in  it  is 
not  increased  by  aging,  oxidation  or  boiling  (Dr.  Fendler,  Proc. 
A.  P.  A.,  vol.  52,  p.  911-912),  nor  is  its  saponification  number 
changed  by  age  (Lewkowitsch,  "Anal,  of  Fats  and  Oils,"  vol.  II, 
P-  457> 
Much  has  been  said  in  regard  to  the  amount  of  soap  called  for  in 
the  Pharmacopceial  formula.  Charles  H.  La  Wall  and  E.  Fullerton 
Cook,  in  a  paper  on  Liquor  Cresolis  Compositus  (Am.  Journal  of 
Ph.,  April,  1 906),  state  that  there  is  more  soap  than  necessary  in 
the  preparation,  this  is  also  claimed  by  quite  a  number  of  pharma- 
cists.   This  is  true  from  a  purely  pharmaceutical  standpoint. 
It  is  possible  to  make  a  perfectly  water  soluble  product  contain- 
ing : 
Per  Cent. 
Soap  (free  from  water)  16 -o 
Glycerin  (formed  in  the  process)  1-4 
Water  32-6 
Cresol  TJ.  S.  P.  .  50  o 
or 
Soap  (free  from  water)  22 -o 
Glycerin  (formed  in  the  process)  1-9 
Water  (necessary  for  the  process)  -  6"i 
Cresol  U.  S.  P.  .  70-0 
For  comparison  I  will  state  that  the  U.  S.P.  product  contains  : 
Per  Cent. 
Soap  (free  from  water)  39-5 
Glycerin  (formed  in  the  process)  3-5 
Water  7-0 
Cresol  50*0 
