Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The American dispensatory / by John King. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![Properties ani Uses.—Carbolic Acid is an antiseptic and azymotic, being a violent poison for vegetables and inferior organic bodies; it checks fermentation, prevents the formation of mold in vegetable infu- sions or juices, and preserves animal tissues from decomposition. It exerts an escharotic influence upon animal tissues when applied, undi- luted, producing considerable pain, followed after a time by a white appearance of the part, severe inflammation, and after fifteen or twenty days, by an exfoliation of the epidermis. It should never be employed in an undiluted state for ordinary use. But as a caustic, acting super- ficially, it may be used in indolent or gangrenous ulceration, hemor- rhoids, fistula in ano, S3q:>hilitic and other warts, soft chancre, carbuncle, diphtheria, and malignant sore throat. Its antiseptic power renders it, very valuable as a local application in surgical cases accompanied with purulent, offensive, or other discharges; it is also said to facilitate the healing of wounds by the first intention. Two to three parts of car- bolic acid to 100 parts of water, applied to necrosis, gangrenous, and other ulcers, modifies the suppuration and favors cicatrization. Its principal use, however, has been in the treatment of certain cutaneous affections, especially those due to, or accompanied with, animal or vege- table parasitical formations, as in pediculi, scabies, eczema, lepra, im- ])etigo, tetter, pityriasis, etc., in which cases it is used in combination with glycerin, one part of acid to four, six, eight, or more parts of gly- cerin. A very excellent application for several cutaneous affections is one part of carbolic acid to four parts of acetic acid, and fifteen parts of water. A dilute aqueous solution of carbolic acid employed as an injection will destroy worms in the rectum; and injected into the vagina has proved beneficial in leucorrhea, gonorrhea, fetid discharges, and ulceration of the os uteri. A solution of from two to five grains to a fluidounce of water, injected into the urethra, has cured gonorrhea. It has proved decidedly useful in boils, whitlows, and abscesses, injecting it into the cavity of these after the pus had been discharged. In chronic pustular conjunctivitis, a solution of equal parts of carbolic acid and glycerin, applied to the palpebral conjunctiva, has promptly arrested the disease. A solution of the acid in water, used as a wash immedi- ately following coition, is supposed by many physicians to effectually prevent any consequent chancre. One part of carbolic acid to one hun- dred parts of water, injected into the bladder, has been successful in cystitis, in which from prostatic hypertrophy or urethral stricture the urine putrefies in the bladder with formation of Zoophytes, penicillium glaucum, etc. In burns and scalds carbolic acid affords immediate re- lief, also in bites and stings of insects. One part of the acid to six or seven parts of olive-oil, applied with lint, and covered with tin-foil or oil-silk, will be found useful in cases of severe burns or scalds. Inter- nally, pure, crystallized carbolic acid has been advantageously employed in obstinate vomiting, in sarcinas ventriculi, gastric pain following meals, flatulency, diarrhea from eating articles causing fermentation, scarla- tina anginosa, offensive breath, etc. One drop, largely diluted, is the usual dose. Or, five grains of the acid to five fluidounces of water, in two fluidrachm doses, repeated two or three times a day. One drachm of carbolic acid dissolved in one fluidrachm of alcohol, and two fluidounces of water, and sprinkled around a sick chamber by means of a spray instrument or otherwise, will be found a valuable dis- infectant. Still further diluted, the spray will be found useful in nasal catarrh, ozoena, ulcerated sore throat, chronic pharyngitis, chronic bron- chitis, pertussis, foul breath, and has even been recommended in phthisis](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21061920_0040.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
