ADecimbe^hi902m'}    New  Preparations  Containing  Soap.  587 
SOME  NEW  PREPARATIONS  CONTAINING  SOAP. 
By  M.  I.  Wii,BERT, 
Apothecary  at  the  German  Hospital,  Philadelphia. 
Formic  aldehyde  has  attracted  the  attention  of  surgeons,  gynecolo- 
gists and  medical  practitioners  generally,  for  several  years,  and  quite 
a  number  of  preparations  have  been  placed  on  the  market,  the 
medicinal  properties  of  which  are,  or  are  supposed  to  be,  due  to  this 
chemical  substance. 
Among  the  more  recent  and  apparently  more  popular  prepara- 
tions of  this  class,  is  a  formic  aldehyde  soap  solution.  This,  or  a 
modification  containing  some  additional  antiseptic,  has  been  sold  in 
Europe,  especially  in  Germany,  under  various  trade-names.  The 
representative  preparation,  and  the  one  that  in  Germany  at  least 
appears  to  have  met  with  considerable  success,  is  known  as  lysoform. 
Lysoform,  a  trademark  name  for  a  preparation,  the  composition  of 
which  is  a  secret  of  the  manufacturer,  is  advertised  as  a  safe  and 
efficient  antiseptic  and  disinfectant. 
The  Pharmaceutische  Zeitung  recently  (1902,  page  749)  published 
a  formula  for  a  preparation  closely  resembling  lysoform  in  its  phy- 
sical characteristics.    This  formula  is  as  follows  : 
Cocoanut  oil   .  30  c.c. 
Potassium  hydrate  t   8  gm. 
Alcohol    ................    10  c.c. 
Distilled  water   20  c.c. 
are  mixed  together  and  subsequently  heated  on  a  waterbath,  with 
constant  stirring,  until  saponification  has  been  effected.  When  per- 
fectly clear,  and  while  still  warm,  sufficient  of  a  40  per  cent,  formic 
aldehyde  solution  is  to  be  added  to  make  the  finished  product  weigh 
100-  grammes. 
The  possible  objections  to  this  formula  are,  that  it  is  rather  diffi- 
cult to  get  an  oil  of  cocoanut  that  is  readily  and  completely  saponi- 
fied, and  in  addition  to  this,  the  making  of  this  solution  requires  the 
application  of  heat — something  to  be  avoided  if  possible.  It  also 
entails  the  subsequent  loss  of  considerable  formic  aldehyde,  if  the 
latter  be  mixed  with  warm  soap.  If  the  soap  is  allowed  to  get  cold 
it  will  be  found  to  dissolve  but  slowly  in  the  solution  of  formic 
aldehyde,  j 
A  solution  that  answers  the  purpose  as  well,  and  is  more  readily 
made,  is  the  following: 
