234 
Base  for  Mustard  Oil. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1920. 
that  by  increasing  the  sensible  watery  vapor  the  cataplasm  causes 
an  increased  flow  of  water  to  the  superficial  tissues,  and  the  serous 
soaking  causes  their  softening.  This  may  be,  but  he  has  overlooked 
the  power  of  adsorption  possessed  by  the  kaolin  in  addition  to  the 
extraordinary  power  for  absorbing  water,  it  may  be  supposed  to 
have  great  selective  action  in  absorbing  the  secretions  of  the  tis- 
sues. It  is  well  known  that  clays  are  capable  by  adsorption  of  re- 
moving solid  substances  from  solutions  with  which  they  come  in 
contact,  these  bases  and  substances  being  held  so  that  they  can 
not  be  washed  out  again;"  for  this  reason  Prof.  Fantus  of  Chicago, 
asserts  that  it  is  an  effective  antidote  in  strychnine  poisoning.  For 
pharmaceutical  purposes  kaolin  should  be  treated  with  5%  of  hydro- 
chloric acid  to  remove  lime,  and  afterwards  levigated  to  remove 
sand.  As  it  is  free  from  organic  matter  it  is  an  excellent  excipient 
for  making  pills  of  potassium  permanganate  and  silver  nitrate. 
The  Cataplasm  of  Kaolin  is  a  better  preparation  than  originally 
introduced  because  both  kaolin  and  glycerin  are  thoroughly  heated 
to  expel  moisture. 
According  to  the  U.  S.  P.,  "clay  has  been  used  internally  as  a 
remedy  in  Asiatic  Cholera,  gastro-enteritis  and  dysentery,  its 
effects  in  the  latter  condition  are  largely  those  of  a  protective." 
According  to  Dr.  Hess  it  surpasses  either  bismuth  or  chalk  in 
lessening  diarrhoea. 
A  MORE  EFFECTIVE  AND  ECONOMICAL  BASE  FOR  THE 
APPLICATION   OF   MUSTARD   OIL    THAN  THE 
OLEAGINOUS  BASES   HERETOFORE  EM- 
PLOYED. 
By  Geiorge  E).  E)we, 
PHI1.ADELPHIA,  Pa. 
Dr.  Torald  Sollman,  of  the  Pharmacological  Laboratory  of  the 
School  of  Medicine,  Western  Reserve  University,  recently  pub- 
lished an  article  in  the  Journal  of  Pharmacology  and  Experimental 
Therapeutics  (Volume  XI,  191 8,  pages  229  and  30),  entitled  "Cutan- 
eous Irritation  by  Mustard  Oil  as  Influenced  by  Various  Solvents." 
In  that  article.  Dr.  Sollman  reported  that  the  various  vehicles 
for  the  mustard  oil,  which  he  tried,  possessed  irritant  efficiencies  in 
I  per, cent,  solutions  or  suspensions  in  the  following  order: 
