AmM™%87h9am'}        Thymol  and  Thymol-Camphor,  139 
state  of  decomposition.  A  fluidounce  was  separated,  and  to  it  two- 
drops  of  the  thymol  compound  were  added  :  putrefaction  was  at  once 
arrested,  and  at  the  present  time  the  liquid  has  merely  the  odor  of 
thymol,  whilst  the  bulk  of  the  urine  from  which  it  was  separated 
became  quite  offensive  in  twenty- four  hours. 
Further  experiments  showed  thymol  and  camphor,  when  rubbed 
together  in  the  absence  of  chloral  hydrate,  also  became  liquid,  and  that 
the  proportions  could  be  varied  from  two  parts  thymol  and  one  of  cam- 
phor to  one  part  of  the  former  and  ten  of  the  latter,  the  result  being  a 
colorless  syrupy  liquid  ;  equal  parts  of  each  give  very  satisfactory 
results. 
The  solubility  of  thymol  in  water  is  not  greatly  increased  by  this 
combination,  but  it  is  a  very  convenient  form  from  which  to  prepare 
the  ointment.  It  was  stated  in  the  paper  already  referred  to  that  when 
dissolved  in  warm  vaseline,  so  as  to  form  a  five  per  cent,  solution,  and 
set  aside  for  a  few  days,  the  thymol  separated  in  small  crystals,  which 
were  highly  objectionable,  whilst  Dr.  Balmanno  Squire  has  pointed  out 
("  Pharm.  Journ.,"  vol.  viii,  p.  602)  that  an  ointment  of  greater 
strength  than  this  will  be  required  in  the  treatment  of  certain  skin  dis- 
eases. Now,  thymol-camphor  can  be  mixed  with  vaseline,  unguentum 
petrolei  or  ozokerine,  in  almost  any  proportion. 
An  ointment  prepared  with  twenty  per  cent.,  equal  to  ten  per  cent, 
thymol,  has  been  kept  for  some  weeks  without  any  separation  whatever. 
A  saturated  solution  of  thymol  in  water  (1  in  1,000)  is  found  to  be 
sufficiently  strong  for  the  spray  during  surgical  operations,  but  for  the 
throat  and  various  other  purposes  it  is  often  required  stronger,  and  in 
such  cases  I  know  of  no  better  aqueous  solvent  than  milk,  which  takes 
it  up  readily  in  almost  any  proportion  up  to  nearly  ten  per  cent,  of  its- 
weight  ;  but  it  will  rarely  be  required  of  such  strength.  Solution  of 
borax  is  not  a  good  solvent,  but  glacial  acetic  acid  dissolves  it  most 
readily ;  a  large  proportion,  however,  separates  on  dilution.  The 
acidum  aceticum  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  dissolves  two  grains  in  the  fluid- 
ounce.  There  appears  to  be  some  difference  in  the  sp.  g.  of  thymol,, 
arising  probably  from  the  source  from  whence  derived  ;  that  described 
by  Mr.  Gerrard  had  a  sp.  g.  1*028,  hence  was  heavier  than  water, 
whilst  the  specimens  I  have  met  with  have  only  a  sp.  g.  of  0*980  tc* 
0*990,  and  float  on  or  near  the  surface. 
