Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
August,  19 19.  ' 
Current  Literature. 
555 
out  that  the  oil  is  very  heavy  and  resistant  to  changes  in  tempera- 
ture: thus  it  withstands  heating  better  than  most  oils,  and  only 
solidifies  when  a  very  low  temperature  is  reached.  Some  features 
of  importance  to  dermatologists  are :  ( 1 )  Its  solubility  in  alcohol. 
Various  medicated  alcoholic  lotions  are  frequently  employed  in  the 
treatment  of  the  scalp,  and  without  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity 
of  oil  the  spirit  would  in  a  dry  scalp  dissolve  out  an  excessive  quan- 
tity of  sebum.  For  this  purpose  castor  oil  is  the  oil  which  is 
usually  chosen.  (2)  This  oil  also  facilitates  the  solution  of  salicylic 
acid  in  oils  and  ointments,  and  thus  renders  it  less  irritating  to  the 
skin.  The  salicylic  acid  must  first  be  mixed  with  a  little  hot  castor 
oil,  and  then  added  to  the  other  ingredients.  (3)  Lastly,  the  in- 
ternal administration  of  the  oil  acts  particularly  on  the  ascending 
colon,  and  as  many  of  the  more  active  skin  reactions  are  caused  by 
poisons  generated  in  the  caput  coli,  a  favorite  localization  for  the 
anaerobic  proteolytic  bacteria,  it  thus  produces  a  clean  alimentary 
canal,  which  in  turn  conduces  to  a  clean  cutaneous  surface.  (The 
Prescriber,  April,  1919.) 
Arsenobenzol  :  Value  of  Adrenalin  (Paris  med.,  1918,  8,  81 ; 
Feb.  2). — G.  Milian  thinks  that  adrenalin,  if  properly  administered, 
has  the  power  to  prevent  the  disagreeable  by-effects  of  arsenobenzol. 
He  recommends  the  administration  of  2  mg.  (2  Cc.  of  a  1  : 1,000 
solution)  by  mouth,  one  hour  before  an  injection,  repeating  the  dose 
five  minutes  before  and  one  hour  after  the  injection.  When  a 
patient  is  intolerant  of  arsenobenzol,  he  advises  the  administration 
of  one  Mg.  by  mouth,  morning  and  evening,  for  four  days.  To 
prevent  crisis,  congestion  of  face,  vomiting,  etc.,  a  subcutaneous  in- 
jection of  one  Mg.  and  an  intramuscular  injection  of  0.5  Mg.  should 
be  given  five  minutes  prior  to  the  arsenobenzol.  (See  also  Pre- 
scriber, 1918,  p.  78.)  O.  Nageli  (Corresp.-Bl.  f.  Schw.  Aerzte, 
1917,  97,  1291,  per  Endocrinology,  1918,  2,  467;  Oct.-Dec.)  has  re- 
ported a  case  in  which  adrenalin  proved  useful  in  combating  a 
marked  exanthema,  which  appeared  after  administration  of  a  small 
dose  of  novarsenobenzol.  A  hypodermic  dose  of  adrenalin  (0.5  Cc. 
of  solution  for  0.3  Gm.  of  novarsenobenzol)  given  a  few  minutes 
before  the  arsenical  injection,  entirely  prevented  the  cutaneous 
reaction. 
B.  B.  Beeson  (Amer.  Jour.  Syph.,  1919,  3,  129;  Jan.)  believes 
