338 
A  New  Burn-mixture. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      Aug.,  1875. 
acid  in  100  parts  flexible  collodion — as  recommended  by  Prof.  Billroth, 
and  also  by  Dr.  E.  R.  Squibb.  Applied  upon  small  burns,  it  produces 
momentary  pain,  proportionate  to  the  extent  of  the  burn,  but  as  soon 
as  the  air  is  excluded,  all  pain  ceases.  It  is  of  its  nature  only  of  lim- 
ited application. 
Buck's  Burn-mixture. — This  mixture,  which  was  introduced  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago  at  the  former  New  York  Hospital,  by  Dr.  Gordon 
Buck,  is  prepared  after  the  following  formula  :  Powdered  gum  arable 
4  oz.,  powdered  gum  tragacanth  2  oz.,  molasses  i  pint,  boiling  water 
q.  s.  to  make  a  mixture  of  the  consistence  of  honey.  When  dry,  it 
forms  a  tough,  dark-colored  skin,  but  it  requires  a  considerable  time  to 
get  dry,  and  stains  the  dressings  and  bed-clothes.  It  has  been  used  ex- 
tensively in  hospitals. 
Lead  Paint. — This  old  application,  which  had  almost  fallen  out  of 
practice,  has  of  late  years  again  come  into  vogue.  It  forms  a  very 
good  dressing  in  simple  burns  or  scalds,  where  the  true  skin  has  not  been 
destroyed  (in  which  case  suppuration  generally  ensues,  necessitating  the 
removal  of  the  application),  dries  within  a  reasonable  time  and  forms 
a  tough  skin.  It  is  also  a  singular  but  well-established  fact,  that  no 
ill-efFects,  such  as  colic  or  palsy,  follow  its  employment.  I  have  had 
a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  this  dressing  than  I  would  have  de- 
sired. In  February,  1872,  the  explosion  of  a  tube  in  an  oil-bath,  badly 
placed,  projected  into  my  face  and  upon  my  head  nearly  a  gallon  of 
oil,  at  a  temperature  of  about  400°  F.  The  surgeon  being  happily 
within  call,  the  burnt  parts  were  immediately  dressed  with  lead- paint, 
the  good  services  of  which  I  shall  always  remember.  It  occasions, 
however,  serious  inconvenience,  especially  to  adults,  when  applied  to 
the  face,  or  any  portion  of  the  head  ;  in  fact,  if  applied  to  any  surface 
where  hairs  are  apt  to  grow,  it  causes  excruciating  pain  by  not  yielding 
to  the  tension  and  traction  of  the  growing  hairs.  It  should  be  made 
of  perfectly  pure  ground  white  lead,  mixed  with  raw  and  boiled  lin- 
seed oil,  and  patent  dryer,  but  without  spirits  of  turpentine. 
Being  requested  to  search  for  an  application  which  would  combine 
transparency^  cleanliness^  body^  rapidity  of  drying  and  flexibility.^  I  finally 
succeeded  in  finding  a  combination  possessing  all  these  properties,  and 
which  has  been  used  for  more  than  a  year  in  hospitals  of  this  city.  Its 
preparation  requires  a  somewhat  longer  time  than  most  of  the  above 
mentioned,  but  it  can  be  kept  ready-made,  and  requires  but  a  few  min- 
utes' time  to  prepare  it  for  use. 
