ON  THE  GELATINIZATION  OF  ETHER. 
517 
The  reason  of  this  separation  is  evidently  the  greater  affinity  of  the  chlo- 
roform for  the  fatty  matter  than  for  the  alcohol,  weakened  as  it  is  by  the 
solution  of  ammonia,  and  hence  the  lard  and  chloroform  act  mechanically 
as  if  they  were  a  homogeneous  heavy  oil. 
3d.  After  having  thus  endeavored  to  answer  "Lino's"  query,  it  may  not 
be  out  of  place  to  suggest  a  modification  of  the  above  prescription  which 
overcomes  the  difficulty  completely. 
R.    Olei  Kicini,        .        .        .  cjij 
Chloroformi 
Spiritus  Ammonias 
Tiucturas  Aconiti  Radicis     aa.        f.  3*j 
Tincturae  Saponis  Camphoratae         f.  Misce. 
In  combining  these  ingredients  but  little  care  is  needed,  but  perhaps  the 
better  method  is  to  weigh  the  oil  in  the  vial,  add  the  chloroform  (by  mea- 
sure) and  mix  them,  then  measure  the  other  ingredients,  mix  them  and  add 
the  mixture  to  the  oil  and  chloroform.  If  a  perfectly  homogeneous  solution 
is  not  obtained  at  once,  a  few  moments  heating  in  a  water  bath  will  effect  it. 
As  both  castor  oil  and  its  ammonia  soap  are  soluble  in  the  tinctures,  the 
rationale  is  self-evident.  By  thus  using  castor  oil,  the  trouble  attending  the 
employment  of  a  mortar  is  avoided,  and  a  much  more  scientific  compound 
obtained.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  suggest  to  physicians,  in  all 
prescriptions  of  this  class,  where  it  is  desirable  to  unite  a  fatty  vehicle  with 
chloroform  or  ammonia,  (or  both,)  and  tinctures,  that  castor  oil  from  its  solu- 
bility in  alcohol  offers  advantages  over  any  other  equally  bland  fixed  oil. 
ON  THE  GELATINIZATION  OF  ETHER. 
By  M.  Grunault. 
At  a  time  when  the  question  of  local  anaesthesia  attracts  more 
and  more  attention,  I  think  it  may  be  useful  to  make  known  to 
practitioners  a  very  simple  method  of  gelatinizing  ether,  which 
avoids  the  numerous  inconveniences  resulting  from  its  great 
volatility,  allows  of  its  action  being  localized,  as  well  as  prolonged 
as  much  as  may  be  desirable,  without  requiring  constant  surveil- 
lance. By  the  use  of  the  new  preparation,  we  may  more  easily 
judge  of  the  anaesthetic  action  of  ether  apart  from  its  refrigerant 
effect,  this  latter  being  almost  null  even  when  the  jelly  is  em- 
ployed in  the  free  air. 
If  we  put  together  into  a  stoppered  bottle,  four  measures  of 
ether  with  one  measure  of  white  of  egg,  and  briskly  agitate  them 
together,  the  albumen  will  be  soon  seen  to  swell  considerably, 
and  by  degrees  to  absorb  the  entire  quantity  of  ether,  forming 
