THE 
AMERICAN  JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY, 
APRIL,  1871. 
ON  BENZOATING  OINTMENTS  EXTEMPORANEOUSLY. 
By  Charles  F.  Bolton. 
An  Inaugural  Essay.  • 
The  subject  of  benzoin  in  ointments  has  for  some  time  past  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  profession,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the 
whole  range  of  Pharmacy  that  gives  more  satisfaction  than  a  perfect 
ointment,  not  only  to  the  druggist  who  dispenses  it,  but  also  to  the 
physician  who  prescribes,  and  the  patient  who  uses  it.  There  is  noth- 
ing that  reflects  more  credit  on  the  Pharmacist  than  an  elegant  and 
well  dispensed  ointment.  To  accomplish  this  requires  not  only  expe- 
rienced manipulation,  but  something  more  ;  it  needs  that  the  unctuous 
matter  should  be  fresh  and  free  from  the  least  trace  of  rancidity  ;  it 
should  not  only  be  this  way  when  dispensed,  but  if  possible  should  be 
made  in  such  a  manner  that  it  would  remain  in  a  perfectly  sweet 
condition  for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  thus  affording  the  patient 
an  opportunity  of  using  the  whole  of  the  ointment  in  a  sweet  state. 
This  can  be  effected  in  many  instances  by  using  the  officinal  unguen- 
tum  benzoini  as  the  base  of  the  ointment,  but  often  the  physician 
directs  the  ointment  to  be  prepared  and  benzoated  extemporaneously. 
To  benzoate  the  ointment  by  the  officinal  process  involves  time,  but  by 
the  plan  that  I  suggest  it  can  be  accomplished  in  a  very  short  time 
without  the  aid  of  heat,  thus  saving  a  great  deal  of  time  and  trouble. 
In  many  instances  time  is  quite  an  important  object.  The  formula 
that  I  have  decided  upon,  after  making  several  experiments,  is  as 
follows  : 
R    Benzoin  pulv.  (select.)  ^ij. 
Ether  sulphuric  ^iv. 
01.  Ricini  ^j. 
Introduce  the  benzoin  into  an  eight  ounce  bottle,  add  the  ether, 
