Am'jui7ri«Ji4arm' }  Liquid  Petrolatum.  327 
liquid  paraffin  is  valuable,  precisely  because  it  is  inert ;  moreover, 
it  might  some  day,  perhaps,  be  made  the  vehicle  for  effective  topical 
remedies." 
A.  D.  Schmidt 5  quotes  Stubenrath  as  having  given  liquid  paraffin 
in  the  treatment  of  chronic  constipation,  and  he  himself  gave  as 
much  as  20  gm,  of  liquid  paraffin  to  adults  without  observing  any 
injurious  effect  whatever.  He  says,  "  As  a  result  of  the  administra- 
tion of  liquid  paraffin,  the  faeces  are  softened  considerably  and  are 
found  under  the  microscope  to  contain  numerous  minute  globules 
of  paraffin."  He  was,  however,  unable  to  recover  from  the  faeces 
the  entire  quantity  of  paraffin  administered  and  believes  that  a 
certain  portion  of  it,  probably  the  fractions  with  a  low  boiling-point, 
are  absorbed  or  possibly  oxidized  in  the  organism. 
Maurice  Vejux  Tyrode  0  also  refers  to  the  use  of  liquid  petroleum 
in  the  treatment  of  constipation. 
Sir  F.  Arbuthnot  Lane  in  his  recommendations  of  liquid  petrola- 
tum calls  it  an  ideal  remedy  for  stasis,  but  cautions  against  the  use 
of  the  lighter  oil  as  extensively  prescribed  in  this  country  as  a 
vehicle  for  sprays  in  nose  and  throat  work. 
Paraffin  oil  is  not  absorbed  from  the  alimentary  tract  and  so  far 
as  known  exerts  no  deleterious  influence.  It  is  usually  given  in 
quantities  of  from  10  to  20  c.c.  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  before  meals 
or  in  larger  doses,  from  30  to  50  c.c,  at  one  time  on  retiring.  From 
available  evidence  it  appears  that  comparatively  huge  doses  may  be 
administered  without  the  production  of  any  untoward  results.  Ac- 
cording to  many  observers,  liquid  paraffin  should  not  be  given  with 
or  after  meals  because  of  the  inhibiting  influence  that  it  may  have 
on  the  digestion  of  food.  It  is  not  soluble  in  water  or  the  ordinary 
solvents  and  therefore  cannot  be  diluted.  The  denser  oils  are  pref- 
erably slightly  warmed  or  drunk  with  warm  water  so  as  to  obviate 
the  disagreeable  slimy  sensation  that  persists  when  taken  cold. 
Volatile  oils  may  be  used  in  moderate  amounts  to  give  a  dis- 
tinctive taste  to  the  otherwise  rather  insipidly  tasteless  paraffin  oil. 
Among  the  more  desirable  oils  to  be  used  for  this  purpose  would  be 
oil  of  nepnermint,  oil  of  cinnamon,  oil  of  betula  or  methyl  salicylate 
and  oil  of  cloves.  From  2  to  10  drops  of  any  of  these  oils  can  be 
added  to  a  pint  of  the  oil.    When  larger  doses  of  the  oil  are  to  be 
5  Schmidt,  A.  D. :  Milnchcn.  mcd.  Wchnschr.,  1005,  Hi,  T907. 
8  Tyrode,  Maurice  Vejux:  Boston  Mcd.  and  Surg,  Jour.,  1010,  clxii,  673, 
