COLLODION. 
145 
COLLODION. 
By  Frederick  C.  Mussgiller,  of  Brooklyn, 
The  officinal  collodion  is  liable  to  at  least  two  practical  objec- 
tions. The  first  is  that  it  contains  too  little  gun-cotton.  And 
the  second  is  that  for  surgical  purposes,  whether  used  of  the 
present  strength  or  stronger,  the  film  contracts  strongly,  and  is 
very  liable  to  crack  and  present  sharp  edges,  which  irritate  the 
parts  to  which  it  is  applied,  and  favor  the  separation  of  the  film 
at  an  earlier  period  than  that  at  which  it  separates  by  reason  of 
the  cutaneous  transpiration  beneath  it.  The  cantharidal  col- 
lodion is  also  liable  to  the  same  objections,  besides  not  contain- 
ing cantharides  enough  to  secure  the  effect  for  which  it  is  used. 
The  addition  of  more  gun-cotton,  of  course,  remedies  the  first 
objection ;  and  the  addition  of  a  small  proportion  of  castor  oil 
or  glycerin,  or  other  non  drying  substances,  as  is  well  known, 
render  the  film  flexible  and  tough ;  but  how  much  of  either  is 
proper  or  necessary,  and  how  they  are  to  be  used,  has  not  been 
well  or  accurately  determined.  In  view  of  the  approaching  re- 
vision of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  a  series  of  experiments  upon  the 
points  here  raised  were  undertaken,  and  the  writer  oiFers  the 
following  formula  to  the  Association  as  a  voluntary  contribution  : 
Collodion  is  applied  to  two  distinol  uses  in  surgery.  In  one, 
its  contractile  force  is  rendered  available  in  the  compression  of 
small  tumors,  etc. ;  in  the  other,  it  is  used  as  a  protecting  coat 
or  covering  to  prevent  mechanical  irritation  and  access  of  the 
air.  The  first  use  of  course  requires  that  the  film  should  con- 
tract as  much  as  possible,  whilst  in  the  second,  and  by  far  the 
most  general  use,  the  contraction  is  objectionable.  The  recent 
British  Pharmacopoeia  meets  this  difficulty  by  providing  two 
kinds,  one  called  simply  "  Collodium,"  the  other  "  Collodium 
Flexile,''  the  latter  containing  Canada  balsam  and  castor  oil. 
The  Paris  Codex  has  only  one  kind,  and  uses  castor  oil  alone. 
Glycerin,  where  properly  used,  is  considered  by  some  writers 
better  than  either,  but  it  cannot  be  used  as  quoted  in  the  U.  S. 
Dispensatory,  from  MM.  Cap  and  Garot.  It  is  suggested  that 
the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  supply  two  kinds,  the  flexible  to  be 
called  simply  collodium,  but  the  old  kind,  which  is  comparatively 
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