Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
Nov.,  1888.  S 
Guaiacol. 
579 
guaiacol,  which  has  advantages  over  creasote  in  that  it  is  of  definite 
composition,  and  has  a  less  unpleasant  taste  and  odor.  Sahli  prescribed 
it  thus : — 
R.  Guaiacol  puriss   15  to  30  minims. 
Aq.  destill     6  ounces. 
Sp.  vin.  rect   6  drachms. 
A  teaspoonful  to  a  tablespoonful,  two  to  three  times  a  day  after  food, 
in  some  water. 
The  solution  should  be  kept  in  a  colored  bottle,  as  exposure  to  light 
causes  the  deposition  of  a  resinous  substance. 
H.  Sahli  {Cor.-BL  f.  Schweiz.  Aerzte,  1887,  XVII.,  616,  622,)  like- 
wise administered  the  guaiacol  in  cod  liver  oil.  He  found  it  improve 
appetite,  loosen  and  diminish  expectoration,  besides  ameliorating  gen- 
eral discomfort  and  relieving  pain. 
M.  Schiiller  (Wien.  med.  Fresse,  1887,  No.  50,)  caused  his  phthisical 
patients  to  inhale  the  vapor  of  a  watery  solution  of  guaiacol,  and  gave, 
in  addition,  extract  of  guaiacum  wood  in  pills.  He  states  that  his 
patients  improved  under  this  treatment. 
Fraentzel  {Deutsche  med.  Woch,,  1888,  No.  7,  p.  138)  has  used 
guaiacol  in  more  than  a  dozen  cases.  He  considers  it  the  active  con- 
stituent of  creasote,  and  recommends  the  following  formula : 
R.  Guaiacol   3 J  dr. 
Tr.  gent   1  oz. 
Sp.  vin.  rect   8  oz. 
Vin.  Xerici  q.  s.  ad  0  i. 
One  tablespoonful,  two  or  three  times  daily,  in  a  wineglassful  of 
water,    fie  strongly  advocates  its  use. 
J.  Horner  {Frag.  med.  Woch.,  1888,  No.  17)  says  he  has  employed 
guaiacol  for  four  years  at  the  General  Hospital  at  Zwickau  in  the 
treatment  of  tuberculosis.  He  gives  it  in  pills  containing  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  minim,  commencing  with  one  thrice  daily  after  food,  and 
gradually  increasing  the  number  of  pills  to  ten  in  a  day.  Under  this 
treatment,  combined  with  careful  diet  and  hygienic  precautions,  he 
thinks  he  has  seen  complete  cures  of  cases  of  phthisis  when  far  ad- 
vanced, and  improvement  even  in  those  of  long  standing.  In  many 
cases  the  appetite  improves,  the  bacilli  decrease,  the  cough  and  fever 
and  expectoration  diminish  ;  night  sweats  disappear,  and  the  patients 
improve  in  strength.  In  some  cases  no  distinct  effect  follows,  but  the 
drug  never  produces  any  untoward  results.  Most  patients  take  it  very 
well,  and  only  a  few  object  to  it. — Med.  Chronicle,  Sptb.,  1888. 
