214 
Petrox  Preparations. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1911. 
been  made  to  make  this  class  satisfactory  and  pleasant  and  the  dis- 
agreeable rancidity  of  the  oleic  acid  in  such  excess  has  no  doubt 
deterred  physicians  from  prescribing  them,  and  statistics,  as  well  as 
our  personal  experience,  show  that  despite  official  recognition  of  a 
number  of  these  oleates,  their  use  is  exceedingly  rare. 
Subsequent  investigations  proved  that  it  was  not  necessary  to 
use  oleic  acid  in  full  strength  as  a  vehicle  for  medication.  Also 
that  absorbability  of  oleic  acid  is  really  increased  when  it  is  more 
or  less  saponified  by  ammonia.  Further  that  such  an  ammoniacal 
soap  was  miscible  with  fixed  oils,  notably  paraffin  oil,  to  produce 
a  basic  preparation  which  possessed  most  valuable  properties  and 
as  a  medium  promised  most  extensive  application. 
It  forms  with  water  an  emulsion,  and  when  in  practice  it  is 
rubbed  into  the  surface  it  penetrates  the  pores  of  the  skin  and 
emulsionizes  with  the  moisture  and  secretion  present  in  the  tissues 
and  thus  becomes  even  more  rapidly  absorbed  and  distributed  than 
is  pure  oleic  acid. 
This  basic  preparation,  which  we  call  petrox,  is  an  excellent 
solvent  for  many  of  the  substances  applicable  externally  as  remedial 
agents  in  inflammations,  congestions,  rheumatic  or  other  pains,  skin 
affections,  etc.  Its  solvent  and  penetrating  properties  certainly  make 
it  a  most  valuable  vehicle  and  medium  for  topical  medications. 
Certain  of  the  medicated  forms,  such  as  the  iodine,  methyl 
salicylate,  guaiacol  and  creosote  petrox  preparations  have  also  been 
recommended  for  internal  administration  in  gelatin  capsules  or  in 
suspension  in  milk  or  wine  or  other  diluent. 
While  the  names  of  eminent  specialists  have  been  associated  with 
the  introduction  and  endorsement  of  many  of  the  medicated  forms 
of  petrox,  their  extensive  use  is  no  doubt  largely  due  to  the  com- 
mercial exploitations  of  certain  pharmaceutical  manufacturers. 
These  manufacturers  have  commonly  adopted  proprietary  titles  for 
their  products  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  some  should  attempt  to 
becloud  the  real  composition  and  formula  by  the  introduction  of 
such  vagaries  and  misleading  statements  in  their  literature  as  "  an 
oxygenated  hydrocarbon,"  "  partly  oxydized  hydrocarbon  "  and  that 
the  "  solid  form,"  recommended  as  an  ointment  base,  is  an  "  in- 
spissated form  of  the  liquid." 
The  British  Pharmaceutical  Codex  and  the  Erganzungsbuch  zum 
Deutschen  Arzneibuch  each  contain  a  series  of  formulas  for  this 
class  of  preparations.    The  latter  uses  as  a  title  "  Vasolimentum/' 
