BENZOINATED  OINTMENTS  AND  CERATES. 
319 
surfaces,  &c.  &c,  in  all  cases  exhibiting  remarkable  soothing 
and  healing  properties. 
The  perfect  blandness  of  cocoa  butter,  its  solidity  yet  ready 
fusibility  at  the  temperature  of  the  body,  its  tendency  to  keep 
well,  especially  when  combined  as  above,  and  its  unusual  healing 
power,  all  recommend  it  as  worthy  of  a  more  general  use. —  The 
Report  of  the  Alumni  Assoc.  of  the  Phila.  Col.  JPharm.,  1867. 
Wilmington,  Del. 
OBSERVATIONS  ON  BENZOIN  ATE  D  OINTMENTS  AND 
CERATES. 
By  Ohas.  L.  Eberle. 
Since  the  introduction  of  benzoinated  populinated  and  similarly 
treated  cerates  and  ointments,  their  application  has  met  with 
wide-spread  favor,  and  it  became  desirable  to  determine  in  how 
far  they  might  be  therapeutically  affected  by  the  admixture. 
Our  Pharmaceutical  Association  proposed  the  subject  in  a 
query,  which  was  accepted,  and  commented  upon  by  Mr.  Doliber, 
of  Boston,  at  the  last  annual  meeting  of  that  body. 
During  the  past  year  my  attention  was  considerably  directed 
to  the  determination  of  the  query,  and  the  subjoined  remarks 
are  offered  in  support  of  the  assertion  that,  while  rancidity  in 
an  unguent  may  defeat  the  purpose  of  its  creation,  and  often  do 
harm  by  the  irritation  it  produces  upon  sensitive  surfaces,  the 
benzoinating  process,  under  proper  restriction,  prevents  the  sen- 
sible properties  of  the  same  from  modification  or  change,  with- 
out in  the  least  affecting  its  therapeutic  action. 
Where  the  unguents  containing  lard  were  prepared  extempora- 
neously, that  benzoinated,  by  furnishing  the  hog  butcher  with  a 
quantity  of  tincture  of  benzoin,  of  the  strength  of  four  troy- 
ounces  to  one  pint  of  stronger  alcohol,  to  be  incorporated  in  the 
proportion  of  one  fluidounce  to  each  pound,  while  the  fat  was 
still  fluid  and  warm,  and  well  stirred  to  expel  the  spirit,  was 
used. 
In  other  instances  myroxylon  was  added,  in  the  proportion  of 
six  drops  to  each  ounce  of  dark  colored,  and  three  drops  to  the 
same  quantity  of  those  of  light  hue.    This  addition  can  best 
