Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  "I 
April  1, 1871.  / 
Castor- Oil  Soap. 
165 
possessing  authentic  specimens  of  the  oil  under  notice.  A  very  old 
specimen  of  an  originally  excellent  English  oil,  however,  was  n® 
longer  colored. 
The  color  which  peppermint  oil  thus  acquires  is  remarkable  on  ac- 
count of  its  persistency,  for  it  lasts  a  week  or  two,  at  least  in  cold. 
Yet,  unfortunately,  it  appears  not  capable  of  being  applied  as  a  true 
test ;  an  admixture  of  5  per  cent,  of  oil  of  turpentine,  for  instance, 
does  not  at  all  prevent  peppermint  oil  from  assuming  the  blue  or 
green  color  ;  on  the  other  hand,  I  have  not  as  yet  met  with  any  other 
oil  partaking  of  the  same  behavior  ;  carven,  the  more  volatile  portion 
of  caraway-oil,  also  acquires  a  slight  similar  fluorescence,  but  by  no 
means  comparable  to  the  above-described  as  regards  purity  and  inten- 
sity of  color. 
Peppermint  oil,  which  has  become  colored  in  this  way,  is  quickly 
decolorized  if  shaken  with  carbonate  of  calcium  ;  granulated  zinc 
likewise  causes  it  slowly  to  turn  brownish.  Spectroscopic  examina- 
tion of  the  colored  oil  furnishes  no  phenomena  of  particular  interest. 
Chromic  acid,  dissolved  in  chloroform,  does  not  perform  the  same  re- 
action as  nitric  acid. — London  Pharm.  Journ.^  February  23th,  1871. 
CASTOR-OIL  SOAP. 
By  F.  M.  RiMMINGTON. 
It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  our  present  English  pharmacy  has 
no  pure  medicinal  soap  possessing  any  characteristic  property  or 
medicinal  activity.  The  ordinary  Castile  soap,  being  that  which  is 
commonly  used  for  that  ordered  by  the  Pharmacopoeia,  can  scarcely 
be  considered  a  satisfactory  article  when  we  consider  its  composition 
and  the  mode  of  its  manufacture.  Having  recently  had  occasion  to 
direct  my  attention  to  this  subject,  it  occurred  to  me  that  castor-oil 
offered  some  advantages,  and  would  yield  a  soap  possessing  qualities 
very  desirable  in  an  article  which  so  frequently  formed  the  medium 
or  adjunct  for  administering  other  active  remedies.  On  putting  this 
idea  into  practice,  I  found  that  a  soap  prepared  from  this  oil  has 
rather  marked  qualities,  but  my  opportunities  do  not  afford  me  the  "* 
means  of  properly  testing  its  medicinal  properties.  I  believe  it  will 
be  found  that  it  has  sufficient  aperient  power  to  relax  the  bowels 
when  taken  consecutively  for  several  days,  but  I  believe  its  greatest 
value  will  be  found  as  an  adjunct  to  other  aperients.    This  at  least 
