Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
Dec,  1878. 
Unguentum  Aqua?  Rosa. 
573 
carbolic  acid  could  easily  be  incorporated  into  the  first-named  prepara- 
tion. From  the  fact  that  the  carbolic  acid  is  easier  taken  up  by  a  basic 
alumina  solution  than  by  water,  it  may  be  possible  that  it  exists  in  the 
same  as  carbolate  of  alumina,  which,  however,  is  to  be  proved  by 
further  experiments.  Carbolized  solution  of  alumnia  may  be  used  in 
the  same  way  and  mode  as  the  benzoinated  preparation.  It  is  a  clear 
liquid  of  1*25  to  1*27  sp.  gr.  ;  the  odor  of  carbolic  acid  is  but  slight, 
it  being  overpowered  by  that  of  benzoin.  If  exposed  to  cold  it 
becomes  slightly  turbid,  but  will  clear  again  on  elevation  of  temperature. 
Chemical  Laboratory,  Black  Diamond  Steel  Works,  Pittsburgh,  Nov.  15,  1878. 
UNGUENTUM  AQU^E  ROS-/E. 
By  George  W.  Kennedy,  Ph.G. 
During  the  past  few  years,  quite  a  number  of  articles  have  appeared1 
in  the  various  pharmaceutical  journals  on  the  preparation  of  cold 
cream,  recommending  a  change  in  the  present  formula.  Some  of  the 
writers  favored  the  addition  of  borax,  the  intent  and  purpose  of  which 
I  believe  is  to  whiten  and  improve  the  appearance  of  the  ointment. 
The  refrigerant  properties  of  borax  would  make  it  an  excellent  addition,, 
when  applied  to  chapped  hands  or  lips,  and  for  all  other  purposes  for 
which  cold  cream  is  generally  used,  were  it  not  for  the  many  things 
which  are  often  prescribed  with  the  ointment,  such  as  calomel,  I  can- 
not see  that  there  would  be  any  serious  objections  or  reasons  of  a 
persuasive  character  to  prevent  its  entering  as  one  of  the  constituents 
of  cold  cream  ;  but  it  is  chemically  incompatible  with  the  mild  chloride 
of  mercury,  reducing  it  to  mercurous  oxide,  and,  instead  of  dispensing 
an  elegant-looking  ointment,  a  dirty  lead-colored  salve  is  furnished,, 
quite  different  in  appearance  from  what  it  is  expected  to  be. 
On  account  of  the  ointment  as  now  prepared  being  liable  to  become 
rancid  when  kept  for  some  time,  and  on  account  of  the  separation  of 
the  rose  water,  some  propose  glycerin  as  a  substitute  for  the  water, 
with  an  increase  of  either  wax  or  spermaceti,  or  both.  This  I  con- 
sider a  decided  improvement,  although  some  objections  are  made  to  it, 
owing  to  the  increased  quantity  of  solid  material  which  is  not  absorbed 
by  the  skin  and  produces  an  unpleasant  sensation  of  stickiness. 
Some  authors  favor  the  substitution  of  olive  oil  for  the  sweet  oil  of 
