210 
OLEUM  GOSSYPII. 
it  is  a  very  poor  one.    Last  summer,  we  retailed  a  large  quan- 
tity of  it  to  the  planters,  for  the  purpose  of  oiling  their  gins, 
and  they  found  it  to  answer  admirably.    We  also  used  it  in 
place  of  lard  oil  for  lighting  the  store,  and  found  it  to  give 
equally  as  clear  and  brilliant  a  light.    The  low  price  at  which 
this  oil  can  be  procured,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  immense  amount 
of  seed  (now  put  to  so  little  purpose,)  which  might  be  bought 
up  and  manufactured  into  oil,  are  the  inducements  which  led 
me  to  choose  it  as  a  subject  for  my  thesis.    The  following  expe- 
riments were  conducted,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  how  far  it 
is  capable  of  substitution  for  the  more  expensive  oils  in  our 
pharmaceutical  preparations.     The  first  made  with  it  was  un- 
guentura  aquae  rosae,  substituting  it  for  oil  of  almonds  ;  it  made 
a  perfectly  smooth,  white  ointment,  no  way  inferior  to  the  offi- 
cinal, and  keeping  equally  as  well.     The  second  was  ceratum 
plumbi  subacetatis,  substituting  it  for  olive  oil ;  the  result  was 
quite  as  satisfactory  as  the  first.    It  made  a  much  whiter  cerate 
than  the  officinal,  which  generally  has  a  greenish  cast.    I  kept 
a  specimen  of  this  on  hand  several  months  without  its  under- 
going any  perceptible  change.    The    third  was  unguentum 
hydrargyri  nitratis,  substituting  it  for  neatsfoot  oil ;  the  result 
was  a  perfectly  smooth,  uniform  ointment,  of  a  rich  orange 
color  and  of  proper  consistence.  In  making  the  ointment  it  was 
found  necessary  not  to  heat  the  oil  and  lard  too  hot,  else,  upon 
adding  the  nitrate  of  mercury,  a  deposit  of  a  soft  resinous  con- 
sistence will  be  thrown  down,  evidently  containing  a  portion  of 
the  mercury.     Then,  again,  if  the  oil  be  too  cold,  no  efferves- 
cence will  occur  upon  adding  the  nitrate  of  mercury,  and  it 
will  be  found  to  remain  too  soft,  almost  liquid.    I  think  citrine 
ointment,  carefully  made  from  this  oil,  will  be  found  to  keep  its 
original  color  and  consistence  a  great  length  of  time.    The  fourth 
preparation  made  with  it  was  emplastrum  plumbi  ;  for  this  some 
very  pure  litharge  was  procured,  and  the  operation  conduct- 
ed with  a  great  amount  of  care,  but  (though  the  result  was  a 
perfectly  uniform  plaster,  in  which  every  particle  of  the  litharge 
was  combined,)  it  would  not  acquire  the  proper  consistence. 
It  was  also  substituted  for  olive  oil  in  ceratum  cetacei,  lini- 
mefitum  ammonite,  and  1.  camphorse,  making  in  each  instance  a 
preparation  quite  equal  to  the  officinal.    I  learn  from  a  reliable 
