TURPENTINES, Medical Uses of Common turpentine, or Reeina liquids (Terebinthina rulgaris), as the natural combination is termed, yields two distinct articles to the 3lateria Medics, namely,—l. Oleum terebinthinte, obtained by the distillation of the liquid resin ; 2. Resins, or simply resin or rosin, which is resin with a little water, remaining after nearly all the oil has been distilled off but if the process of distillation be carried as far as possible without causing new oombinas tions of the elements, all the water is driven oft; and the residuum becomes black, and is termed colophony, and sometimes fiddler's rosin. The resin is used merely to make cerates, ointments, and plasters, which are more or less stimulant.
As turpentines have a very disagreeable taste, it is customary to form them into pills or boluses; but since this is rather difficult., it is well to be aware that magnesia affords a convenient means of accom plishing it, as in the case of the oleo-resin of copaiba. The kind of magnesia and the quantity to be used vary in the different kinds of turpentine. Bordeaux turpentine (from P. maritime, or P. pinaster) requires one twenty-one part of magnesia usta to form a pill-mass. Venice turpentine (from Lari.a Earopcea), called also turpentine of Briancon, requires a quantity equal to its own weight of carbonate of magnesia to form a pill-maks. But the quantity of magnesia must vary with the age of the turpentine, more being required when it is very fresh than when the turpentine is Old and more solid. The dura bility of the mass also varies with the proportion of magnesia used.
One ounce of Venice turpentine united with one ounce of hydrated carbonate of magnesia formed a mass which was slow of consolidating, and the pills soon lost their globular form : but three ounces of the magnesia formed a persistent mass. One ounce of turpentine and one ounce of Bordeaux turpentine, with six drachms one scruple of carbonate of magnesia, fundalied a slowly hardening mass, which at last resolved itself into powder ; while one ounce of the same turpen tine with eight grains of magnesia formed a soft mass, which, after thirty-six hours, was sufficiently consistent to form pills. Some days afterwards it became herder, and did not for a long space become friable. With a yet smaller quantity 'of magnesia these changes take
place more slowly, so that it is requisite in magistral formula; never to order less magnesia than the one-fiftieth part of the turpentine. Tide proportion forms in a few minntea a transparent pill-mass with a vitreous fracture. But the finer sorts of turpentine may be adminis tered in the liquid form; the coarser must be in pills.
Oleum Terebinthinu, Oil or Spirits of Turpentine, as it occurs in commerce is never pure, but contains more or less resin formed by the action of the air ; and to obtain it pure, it is ordered to be distilled a second time, and then called Oleum Terebentlainas purificatum, and sometimes Oleum Pini purissimum. The commercial oil of turpentine has an acid reaction, the purified has not.
Oil of turpentine is one of the most energetic of the volatile oils : the vapour is quickly destructive to plants, and in large doses it acts as a poison to both vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Like all volatile oils it acts powerfully on insects which respire by the whole surface, hence it instantly kills wasps, lice, fleas, and worms. It has a more potent action on the lower animals than on man, both exter• pally and internally. Applied to the skin of horses, it blisters it more rapidly than the skin of man; and two drachms administered to a dog (Schubert, in Christiaon) caused death in three minutes, while human beings have taken three ounces without any serious con sequences. Indeed Dr. Chrietison states that he is not aware that it has ever proved fatal. Horses also have taken for some days as much as ten or twelve ounces.
In moderate doses it acts as a stimulant to the stomach and whole intestinal canal ; manifested by a grateful feeling of warmth, with greater activity in the mucous membrane of the intestines, and of the liver. The increasing secretions of these organs, particularly of the bile, ceases more frequent evacuations ; further, it promotes the secretion of the kidneys, and likewise, but less evidently, of the skin, the pulmonary surface, and also of the uterus. It communicates the terebinthaceoua odour to the cutaneous perspiration, and sometimes even causes an eruption on the skin.