PARAFFIN — ITS  SUBSTITUTION  FOR  WAX  IN  CERATES.  73 
I  have  made  several  experiments  to  test  the  availability  of 
parafiSn  as  a  substitute  for  wax  and  also  spermaceti  in  cerates, 
and  am  led  to  form  the  opinion  that  it  is,  to  a  eertain  degree, 
valuable  as  a  substitute.  The  temperature  at  which  paraffin  soli- 
difies after  being  melted,  is  so  much  greater  than  some  other 
substances  used  in  the  manufacture  of  cerates  and  ointments, 
that  this  substance  cannot  be  substituted  in  all  cases  for  both 
wax  and  spermaceti,  when  those  two  are  combined  in  ointments 
or  cerates,  but  in  many  of  these  preparations  that  are  compara- 
tively solid  at  ordinary  temperatures,  my  experiments  would 
lead  me  to  form  the  opinion  that  it  may  be  used  very  conve- 
niently and  to  advantage. 
I  submit  herewith  a  sample  of  the  Officinal  Ung.  Simplex,  with 
an  entire  substitution  of  paraffin  for  white  wax. 
It  will  be  seen  that  it  forms  quite  a  fair  looking  ointment. 
For  preparations  of  this  kind,  or  those  ointments  that  are 
colored  by  reason  of  their  peculiar  constituents,  I  should  judge 
paraffin  could  readily  take  the  place  of  wax. 
I  also  submit  specimens  of  Ung.  Aquse  Rosae  made  with  cer- 
tain amounts  of  paraffin  in  the  place  of  wax  or  spermaceti.  All 
these  specimens  differ  from  the  officinal  formula  in  containing 
glycerin  in  place  of  one  half  the  quantity  ordered  of  Aqua 
Rosae  ;  but  a  formula  of  precise  composition  accompanies  each 
specimen,  as  to  other  ingredients. 
Specimen  No.  1. — Contains  paraffin  in  place  of  wax  and 
spermaceti. 
Specimen  No.  2. — Contains  paraffin  in  place  of  spermaceti, 
with  regular  amount  of  wax. 
Specimen  No.  3. — Contains  an  increased  amount  of  paraffin 
and  decreased  amount  of  Oil  of  Almonds. 
Specimen  No.  4  Contains  a  large  increase  of  paraffin, 
and  Oil  of  Almonds  decreased  one  half. 
It  will  be  seen  that  No.  1  forms  a  fair  ointment ;  No.  2,  in 
which  white  wax  forms  a  part,  is  perhaps  rather  better  ;  No.  3, 
containing  a  larger  proportion  of  paraffin,  with  the  regular 
amount  of  white  wax,  gives  a  very  fair  ointment,  and  I  do  not 
think  the  paraffin  would  be  noticed,  or  be  objected  to,  even  when 
present  in  this  quantity ;  an  ointment  made  in  this  way  would 
