576 
Official  Lead  Preparations, 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1  November,  1897. 
To  prevent  this  discoloration,  the  addition  of  acetic  acid  to  the 
the  fresh  cerate  is  recommended,  but  it  must  be  considered  that  this 
addition  is  liable  to  change  the  chemical  character  of  the  lead  so- 
lution. 
The  writer  has  employed  various  ointment  bases  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  Goulard's  cerate. 
Petrolatum,  either  yellow  or  white,  will  not  answer  on  therapeu- 
tical grounds. 
The  substitution  of  olive,  almond,  lard  or  cotton-seed  oil  in  place 
of  lard  in  camphor  cerate,  similar  to  one  of  the  1870  Pharmacopoeia 
methods,  appears  to  furnish  no  improvement  concerning  preserva- 
tion. 
Some  months  ago  the  writer  suggested  to  several  physicians  the 
substitution  of  hydrated  wool  fat  for  the  camphor  cerate,  but  invari- 
ably recommended  recent  preparation. 
The  results  have,  as  far  as  known,  been  satisfactory,  both  from 
the  standpoint  of  preservation  as  well  as  therapeutic  action. 
More  recently  anhydrous  wool  fat  has  been  substituted,  with  the 
object  of  doing  away  with  the  excess  of  aqueous  liquid. 
Eighty  grammes  of  the  wool  fat,  commercially  known  as  Adeps 
Lanae,  were  melted  at  a  low  heat,  and  20-0  grammes  of  lead  sub- 
acetate  solution  incorporated  by  stirring  until  cool. 
The  finished  ointment  closely  resembles  lanolin  in  appearance, 
has  a  satisfactory  therapeutic  action,  and  does  not  show  any  signs 
of  deterioration  on  two  months'  standing.  This  time  is,  however, 
too  brief  to  draw  any  definite  conclusions. 
The  disadvantage  of  the  lanolin  substitute  for  Goulard's  cerate 
may  be  found  in  the  ropy  consistence  of  the  ointment  base. 
Unless  warmed,  satisfactory  inunction  cannot  be  accomplished. 
Finally,  the  writer  would  suggest  the  following  rough  valuation  of 
the  quality  of  Goulard's  cerate : 
Two  grammes  are  introduced  into  a  wide-mouthed  vial,  holding 
about  15  c.c. — a  half-ounce  homoeopathic  bottle  will  answer — and  10 
c.c.  of  chloroform  added. 
The  mixture  is  shaken  occasionally,  until  the  fat  is  dissolved  by 
the  chloroform. 
If  the  cerate  is  of  recent  preparation  or  of  good  quality,  the 
milky  mixture  will  separate  into  two  layers  on  standing,  the  lower 
but  slightly  milky,  and  no  precipitation  will  be  found  on  the  bottom 
of  the  vial. 
