CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  PHARMACY. 
67 
adopted  several  new  methods  of  preparing  some  of  the  articles  of 
the  materia  medica,  and  have  satisfied  myself,  by  repeated  practi- 
cal trials,  that  these  preparations  possessed  superior  efficacy  to 
those  generally  employed. 
Many  years  ago  I  prepared  an  acetous  infusion  of  cantharides,* 
for  blistering  purposes.    This  infusion  was  first  designed  for  vesi- 
cating the  scalps  of  infants,  without  removing  the  hair  ;  and  its 
action  was  very  satisfactory.    It  was  applied  simply  by  wetting 
the  surface  of  the  head,  and  the  hair  .nearest  its  roots,  and  then 
carefully  covering  the  parts  with  a  cabbage  leaf,  or  oiled  silk,  to 
prevent  the  too  sudden  evaporation  of  the  blistering  fluid.  When 
other  parts  of  the  body  were  to  be  blistered,  a  thin  compress  of 
bibulous  paper,  or  cloth  saturated  with  the  infusion,  was  applied 
to  them,  and  carefully  covered  with  oiled  silk.    To  insure  speedy 
and  effective  vesication,  I  usually  re-applied  the  tincture  two  or 
three  times,  after  intervals  of  half  an  hour.    I  found  this  agent 
equally  as  efficient  and  certain  in  its  action  with  adults  as  with  in- 
fants.   It  rendered  the  removal  of  the  hair  unnecessary,  as  it  blis- 
tered every  part  of  the  surface,  even  when  a  very  thick  head  of 
hair  existed.    This  preparation  has  been  used  by  many  of  my  medi- 
cal friends,  and  with  entire  satisfaction.    Within  the  last  ten  years, 
I  was  induced  to  prepare  an  ethereous  solution  of  cantharidesf 
as  a  vesicant,  and  have  found  it  far  more  prompt  and  certain  in  its 
operation  than  the  acetous  infusion.    It  may  be  applied  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  latter.     Frequently,  merely  wetting  the  skin 
with  the  solution,  without  covering  the  part,  will  blister;  especi- 
ally in  infants.    When  adults  are  to  be  blistered,  the  preparation 
should  generally  be  applied  with  a  thin  compress,  and  carefully 
covered,  as  already  suggested, — moistening  the  compress  from 
time  to  time,  until  the  skin  is  decidedly  reddened.    I  have  found 
this  by  far  the  most  convenient  and  reliable  means  of  blistering  that 
I  have  ever  employed.    This  ethereal  tincture  of  cantharides  is 
also  an  efficient  internal  remedy.    As  an  emmenagogue  and  diu- 
retic it  has  greatly  exceeded  my  expectation.    The  ethereous  men- 
struum seems  not  only  to  promote  the  operation  of  the  cantharidin 
Canth.  contus.,  giiss. ;  Acid  acet.,  Oij.    Digest  for  14  days,  and 
filter. 
fjjfc.    Cantharid.  contus.,  giij. ;  Spirit.  93th.  nitric,  Oiiss.    Digest  for  8 
days,  and  filter. 
