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ON  GLYCERIN  LOTIONS  OP  MORPHIA,  ETC. 
ON  GLYCERIN  LOTIONS  OF  MORPHIA,  STRYCHNIA,  VERATRIA 
AND  ATROPIA. 
The  importance  of  applying  active  medicines  externally  until 
absorption  occurs  sufficiently  to  cause  their  peculiar  effects  on 
the  patient,  has  often  been  resorted  to  with  great  propriety  in 
cases  where  their  internal  administration  was  rendered  unad- 
visable  from  gastric  derangement.  Quite  recently  M.  Soubeiran 
has  proposed  glycerin  as  a  vehicle  for  morphia,  in  lieu  of  the 
"  oil  of  morphia  "  of  M.  St.  Lager,  and  a  writer  in  the  Bulletin 
Gfeneral  takes  advantage  of  this  suggestion,  and  brings  forward 
formulae  for  similar  preparations  of  strychnia,  veratria  and 
atropia,  under  the  generic  title  of  "Glyceroles,"  or  glycerin  lotions. 
M.  Soubeiran's  formula  is  as  follows : 
Take  of  Acetate  of  morphia,  three  grains. 
Glycerin,  five  drachms,  troy. 
Dissolve. 
The  Lotion  of  Strychnia  is  made  thus : 
Take  of  Sulphate  of  strychnia,  six  grains. 
Glycerin,  five  drachms,  troy. 
Dissolve  the  salt  in  the  glycerin  in  a  porcelain  mortar. 
A  teaspoonful  of  this  lotion  is  applied  by  friction  in  paralysis 
of  the  limbs, — on  the  vertebral  column  in  chorea, — on  the  temples 
in  certain  cases  of  amaurosis.  It  is  necessary  to  remember  that 
it  is  not  the  alkaloids  but  their  salts  that  are  soluble  in  glycerin, 
and  when  only  the  free  alkaloids  are  officinal  in  the  materia 
medica,  as  veratria  or  atropia,  it  is  necessary  to  dissolve  the 
organic  base  in  a  little  diluted  chlorohydric  acid. 
Lotion  of  Veratria. 
Take  of  Veratria,  fifteen  grains. 
Diluted  muriatic  acid,  q.  s. 
Glycerin,  five  drachms. 
Dissolve  and  mix. 
A  teaspoonful  applied  by  friction  in  chronic  rheumatic  pains 
of  the  joints,  or  in  the  sacro-lumbar  region  to  relieve  painful 
menstruation. 
Lotion  of  Atropia. 
Take  of  Atropia,  six  grains. 
Diluted  muriatic  acid,       q.  s. 
Glycerin,  two  and  a  half  drachms. 
Dissolve  and  mix. 
