UNOFFICIAL PREPARATIONS. - Aqua picis, G. P. (tar, 1 part; water, 4 parts), 1 to 2 pints daily.
Liquor picis alkalinus, Bulkley (tar, 2 parts; caustic potash, 1 part; water, 5 parts).
Fix saccharatum (saccharated tar; tar, 4 per cent.).
Vinum picis, N. F. (tar, 1 pint; glyc erin, white wine, and honey, of each, pint; dilute acetic acid, 1 oz.; boiling water, 3 quarts), 1 to 4 ounces.
Physiological Action and Poisoning by Pig Liquida.—By reason of its irri tant properties, tar may produce a papu lar, erythematous, rubeolous, urticarial, or acneiform eruption; the last has been called acne picealis (tar-acne) by Hebra. Tar is absorbed readily, and, if a considerable area is exposed to its ac tion, poisonous symptoms similar to those of poisoning by phenol will ap pear: fever, foul tongue, eructations, vomiting and diarrhoea, with epigastric pain, tarry evacuations, and severe head ache or a sensation of heaviness or op pression; strangury and ischuria, with darkish urine turning almost black in color and emitting, like the stools, the odor of tar. When taken internally, tar may give rise to erythema,livesicles, or papules, accompanied by severe itching. Long-continued or large doses of tar give rise to anorexia and indigestion, de press the heart's action, and cause nerv ous exhaustion. A fatal case is reported by Taylor, where death was caused by the ingestion of oil of tar. Large quan tities of tar have sometimes been taken with no apparent ill effect. Children and young persons, as a rule, are most susceptible.
Lysol., a derivative of tar, caused toxic symptoms in a case reported by Reich. The application of pure Lysol to a large part of the body of a young man was followed by loss of consciousness and convulsions, violent dermatitis, and the presence of albumin in the urine for two days. Per contra, Potjan reports a case where a drachm of lysol was lowed without causing untoward results.
Treatment of Poisoning by Fix Liq uida.—The treatment of poisoning by pix liquids is similar to that advised for poisoning by phenol. If the poisoning result from the external application of the drug, suspension of the applications may cause an abatement of the symp toms, with copious diaphoresis and more or less diuresis, the urine turning from black to olive-green and becoming lighter in color until the normal is reached.
Therapeutics. — DISORDERS OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT.—The vapor of tar is used largely for inhalations in dis eases of the respiratory tract. In ozwna Moire recommends the following: Pow dered camphor, drachms; tincture of iodine, 3 drachms; iodide of potas sium, 30 grains; tar, 3 V, drachms; alcohol (90°), 3 ounces; water, 6 ounces. This mixture is placed in a vessel over a water-bath, and the fumes are inhaled for two or three minutes. The nares are then cleansed by spraying with a 1-per cent.-carbolized solution.
For use in pulmonary disorders with excessive secretions the tar, mixed with carbonate of potassium (24 to 1) to neu tralize the pyroligneous acid, is placed in a cup over a water-bath heated by a spirit-lamp; the fumes of hot tar water or wine of tar may be inhaled by means of a steam-atomizer; oil of tar diluted with some other oil or fluid cos molin may be used in an atomizer; the vapor from heated tar may be inhaled. Inhalations, in any of these forms, are of value in bronchitis, especially in the subacute and chronic stages, and in winter coughs. In the bronchorrhcea of phthisis it is often useful. In connec tion with these inhalations tar may be given internally in the form of pills or capsules (2 grains), in milk or beer drachm to V, ounce daily), or tar-water (1 to 2 pints daily), or wine of tar (1 to 4 ounces).