Am.  Jour  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1884. 
Vegetable  Talioio  from  Singapore. 
19 
fluids  within,  to  effect  the  general  economy.  As  local  agents  for  the 
treatment  of  external  and  local  affections,  such  as  diseases  of  the  skin, 
the  question  of  the  most  prompt  and  rapid  absorption  is  of  compara- 
tively little  consequence.  But  when  quinia,  morphia,  mercury,  etc., 
are  to  be  introduced  into  the  blood  for  general  therapeutic  effect,  the 
most  prompt  and  rapid  absorption  is  very  important.  And,  from  this 
point  of  view,  if  the  oleates  are  even  moderately  successful,  as  they 
now  appear  to  be,  their  utility  has  as  yet  only  begun  to  be  realized  in 
medicine. 
The  rapidity  with  which  they  are  absorbed  from  the  surface  of  the 
body  is  certainly  very  remarkable,  and  seems  to  vary  very  little  in 
different  portions  of  the  skin,  but  varies  very  much  in  different  con- 
ditions of  health  and  disease.  A  moist  skin,  and  especially  the  leaky 
skin  of  collapse,  or  of  low  vitality,  and  a  sweating  surface,  absorb 
oleates  badly  or  not  at  all ;  and  from  this  condition  to  that  of  the  very 
prompt  absorption  of  health,  there  are,  of  course,  all  possible  degrees 
of  activity  and  inactivity. — Ephemeris  I,  p.  399-405. 
VEGETABLE  TALLOW  FROM  SINGAPORE. 
By  E.  M.  Holmes,  F.L.S., 
Curator  of  the  Museum  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society. 
Mr.  R.  Jamie  of  Singapore,  in  a  letter  accompanying  some  inter- 
esting donations  lately  presented  by  him  to  the  Museum,  has  called 
my  attention  to  this  substance  as  possessing  the  valuable  property  of 
not  readily  turning  rancid.  He  remarks  concerning  it :  "  The  vegeta- 
ble tallow  never  turns  acid,  and  when  the  white  kind  is  got,  which  is 
seldom,  it  makes  very  good  ointment,  simply  with  the  addition  of  olive 
oil."  At  the  ordinary  temperature  this  tallow  is  a  white  friable  solid, 
softening  into  a  pasty  condition  when  rubbed  between  the  fingers  and 
ultimately  melting  sufficiently  to  be  rubbed  in  without  leaving  the 
hand  very  greasy.  It  has  a  very  slight  nutty  odor  and  taste.  It 
would  seem  therefore  to  be  peculiarly  suitable  for  camphor  balls,  sup- 
positories and  pessaries ;  for  the  latter  its  slowness  in  melting  seems  to 
peculiarly  fit  it. 
Mr.  E.  Fielding  at  my  request  has  made  a  few  preliminary  experi- 
ments as  to  its  melting  point  and  solubility  in  various  solvents.  He 
reports  as  follows  :  "  At  65°  F.  it  remains  a  little  solid  ;  between  82° 
and  104°  F.  it  has  the  consistence  of  flour  paste ;  it  fuses  at  about 
