286  Current  Literature.  { Amjm1e'i9isarm" 
seed  oil  with  turpentine  oil,  while  fully  recognized  abroad,  is  dis- 
puted here.  Three  prominent  brands,  typical,  if  not  of  Haarlem 
oil,  then  of  what  is  offered  for  sale  in  this  country  as  Haarlem  oil, 
have  been  examined.  The  importers  of  each  of  the  three  brands 
stoutly  maintain  that  their  article  is  the  only  original  Haarlem  oil 
and  adduce  documentary  evidence  which  apparently  supports  their 
claims.  The  prototype  is  probably  lost  in  antiquity.  All  that  is 
certain  now  is  that  the  oil  all  comes  from  Holland.  It  is  not  even 
all  made  in  Haarlem,  its  reputed  birthplace.  Amsterdam  does  a 
thriving  business  in  its  manufacture  and  exportation.  The  extra- 
ordinary literature  formerly  wrapped  around  the  familiar  skin- 
capped  vial  has  been  interdicted  by  the  authorities.  Withal,  the 
remedy  is  certainly  the  oldest  and  probably  the  most  widely  em- 
ployed of  all  "  patent "  medicines  in  the  world.  It  is  surprising 
how  often  one  meets  a  layman  who  professes  the  utmost  faith  in 
the  curative  properties  of  the  oil. 
Under  the  general  title  "  Oleum  Terebinthinae  sulfuratum " 
Hager 1  gives  the  following  synonyms  of  this  ancient  remedy : 
"  Balsamum  sulfuris  terebinthinatum ;  Balsamum  Sulfuris  Rulandi; 
Oleum  Harlemense ;  Geschwef  eltes  Terpentinol ;  Schwef  elbalsam ; 
Harlemer  Balsam ;  Silberbalsam ;  Silbertropfen  ;  Balsamsilbertrop- 
fen;  Tillytropfen ;  Dutch  trops  [drops?]."  To  the  remedy  itself, 
which  has  appeared  in  the  market  under  each  of  the  above  designa- 
tions, the  author  assigns  the  formula : 
Sulphurated  linseed  oil    i  part. 
Oil  of  turpentine    3  parts. 
According  to  the  same  author,2  sulphurated  linseed  oil  is  pre- 
pared by  dissolving,  with  the  aid  of  heat,  100  parts  of  sulphur  in 
600  parts  of  linseed  oil.  Dieterich 3  confirms  the  above  facts. 
Buchheister 4  states  that  "  Oleum  Terebinthinae  sulfuratum,  Har- 
lemer Balsam,  H.  Oel  "  is'  prepared  by  dissolving,  with  the  aid  of 
heat,  1  part  of  sulphur  in  6  parts  of  linseed  oil,  subsequently  add- 
ing 7  parts  linseed  oil  and  21  parts  of  turpentine  oil.  Merck,5  under 
the  title  and  subtitles,  "  Oleum  Terebinthinae  sulfuratum,  Balsamum 
1Handbuch  der  Pharmaceutischen  Praxis.  1907,  ii,  p.  1023. 
2  Ibidem,  p.  297. 
3  Pharmaceutisches  Manual,  1904,  pp.  313,  316. 
4  Vorschriftenbuch  fur  Drogisten,  1891,  p.  15. 
5  Index,  1902,  p.  188. 
» 
