PARTURITION-. - COtt011-TOOt bark is mild and certain in action, and does not produce the well-known, rapid con vulsive action of ergot; but, on the con trary, seems to greatly stimulate the uterus to normal function. It acts not alone upon the uterine muscles, but also upon the secretory function.
Gossypin represents the emmenagogic and parturient principle of cotton-root bark; but, unfortunately, as generally found in shops, owing to improper methods of manufacture, is seldom to be relied upon.
CREASOTE.—Commercial creasote is obtained during the dry distillation of wood-tar, or from crude pyroligneous acid. Medicinal creasote is, or should be, obtained from the distillation of the tar of the beech (Fagus sylvatica). The substance is exceedingly complex, being a mixture of phenols, chiefly guaiacol and cresol.
Pure creasote is a colorless, oleaginous liquid of burning taste and possessed of a disagreeable penetrating, smoky odor that is most characteristic. Its specific gravity is LOSO, but much of that sold as pure creasote will be found to vary from 1.035 to 1.085. With age it ac quires a yellowish hue, and if continu ously exposed to light and air it becomes of a deep-reddish brown, ivhen it is unfit for medicinal use. It is but sparingly miscible with water, perhaps 1 to 130 up to 150, but is soluble in all proportions in alcohol, ether, petroleum-spirit, and glacial acetic acid. It is often substi tuted for by crude phenol, to which it is intimately related, both chemically and therapeutically. The fraud may be de tected by the simple fact that the latter is soluble in glycerin, while creasote is not. Again, creasote does precipitate ni trocellulose from collodion, and gives a ()Teen reaction with a weak alcoholic so lution of ferric chloride; phenol gela tinizes collodion and, with the iron test, yields a brown reaction.
Creasote is incompatible with strong mineral acids, and reduces some of the metallic salts,—silver nitrate, for in stance. With silver oxide, explosion and deflagration result.
Preparations and Doses. — Creasote
(pure beech-wood), 1 to 3 minims.
Creasote benzoate, topical usc only.
Creasote carbonate (cresalol), 5 to 20 minims.
Creasote - calcium chlorohydrophos phate, 3 to 8 grains in emulsion.
Creasote codliver-oil (creasote, 15; cod liver-oil, 1000 parts), 1 to 4 drachms.
Creasote elixir (creasote, 15; rum, 1000 parts), 1 to -1 drachms.
Creasote ointment, simple (creasote, 1; simple cerate or other fat base, 8 parts).
Creasote ointment, fortior: used for psoriasis and skin diseases of like char acter only (creasote, 60 grains; yellow wax, 30 grains).
Creasote oleate (oleocreasote), 20 to 120 minims).
Creasote pills (creasote and curd-soap, of each, 120 grains; make 2-g-rain pills), 1 to 3.
Creasote valerianate, 2 to 10 minims.
Creasote-water (creasote, 10; distilled or flavored water, 990 parts), 1 to 4 drachms.
Creasol, 5 to 10 grains.
Cresol, external use solely.
Creasol iodide (losophan), external use. Cresol-salicylate (cresalol), 2 to 10 grains.
Cresotic acid, disinfectant only. Guaiacol (liquid), 2 to 5 minims. See G UAIACOL.
Guaiaeol benzoate (benzosal; benzoyl guaiacol), 4 to 10 grains.
Guaiacol biniodide (deuto-iodide), 1 to 3 grains.
Guaiacol-carbonate, 3 to 8 grains. Guaiacol-phosphate, 2 to 8 grains. Guaiacol-salol, 5 to 15 grains.
Cresol, meta-, ortho-, para-, are disin fectants only.
Paracreasotate of sodium, 1 to 15 grains. See SODIUM.
Paracreasotic (creasotinic) acid, 10 to 40 grains.
Creasote carbonate, or cresolal, is a light-brown, viscous liquid, almost odor less and tasteless, insoluble in water, but soluble in oils; it contains carbonates, guaiacol and cresol, and is employed as a substitute for creasote proper. It is generally stated that, it may be adminis tered in large doses for a lengthened period without untoward result—that it will not in any way disturb the economy, no matter what the amount ingested; but this must be taken c-um grana, since it is based solely upon the dicta of inter ested manufacturers and purveyors. Be sides, it is contrary to the rules of evi dence.