io8 
Emplastrum  Picis  Liquids. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t      Mar.,  1878. 
parts  each  of  tar  and  yellow  wax,  and  1  of  Burgundy  pitch,  and 
dispensed  an  unsatisfactory  plaster. 
Subsequent  trials  with  resin,  Burgundy  pitch,  yellow  wax  and  offici- 
nal lead  plaster  as  "  bodies,"  in  various  proportions,  gave  the  follow- 
ing results  : 
Lead  plaster  an  unsightly  result,  and  objectionable  because  of  the 
different  medicinal  effect  of  the  u  body."  Yellow  wax,  in  any  con- 
siderable proportion,  gave  unsightly  plasters,  with  diminished  adhesive- 
ness. Pitch,  in  the  proportion  of  2  parts  to  1  of  tar,  gave  a  nice  look- 
ing plaster,  but  it  was  rather  too  adhesive  and  did  not  contain  enough 
tar  j  it  was  better  replaced  by  tar's  nearest  relative,  resin.  An  excel- 
lent plaster,  and  one  containing  the  greatest  amount  of  tar,  was  made 
of  equal  parts  of  tar  and  resin.  The  most  satisfactory  result  was 
obtained  from  2  parts  each  of  tar  and  resin  and  1  of  pitch.  Melt  the 
resin  and  pitch  together,  remove  from  the  fire,  add  the  tar  and  stir  rapidly. 
Spread  on  chamois  or  cloth  when  it  cools  to  the  consistence  of  honey. 
Two-fifths  of  this  is  the  remedial  agent  ;  it  is  adhesive  and  elegant. 
Philadelphia,  Feb.  nth,  1878. 
Note  by  the  Editor. — The  former  Pharmacopoeia  of  Hannover 
directed  this  plaster  to  be  prepared  from  Burgundy  pitch  1  part,  yellow 
wax  8  parts,  and  tar  16  parts.  Dorvault's  l'Officine  credits  the  fol- 
lowing formula  to  Van  Mons  :  Burgundy  pitch  8,  yellow  wax  90,  and 
tar  125  parts. 
SOLUBLE  MEDICATED  BOUGIES. 
By  C.  L.  Mitchell. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  February  19,  1878. 
During  the  last  year  considerable  attention  has  been  directed  to  the 
treatment  of  urethral  diseases  by  means  of  soluble  medicated  bougies. 
These  are,  in  fact,  long,  thin  suppositories,  made  of  soluble  materials 
and  variously  medicated,  and  offer  to  the  physician  a  ready  and  conve- 
nient method  of  local  medication. 
The  idea  of  these  bougies  is  not  by  any  means  a  new  one.  Its  his- 
tory is  a  little  obscure,  but,  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  they  were  first 
used  by  Sir  Jas.  Simpson,  of  Edinburgh,  about  twenty  years  ago,  in 
his  practice,  and  met  with  success.  They  were  soon  afterwards  intro- 
duced into  this  country  by  several  of  our  prominent  pharmacists,  and 
