, 1875-11-06
SALTCYLIC ACID.
From the British Medical Lurnaz.y

Attention has been directed recently to the
an,issptio qualities of this product. which can
now be produced by synthetic chemical process.
es. Salicylic acid is slightly yellow in colour,
taking he form Of very fine crystals, which
are readily soluble in alcohol and ether, and ia
hot water, but not in cold water. The melt
ing point is 3IS dogs, Fair. If heated rapid
IL, it is resolved into c4rbouic and carbolic
acids. Under slow heat, it sublimates without
decomposition. Tho composition and the
qualities of this acid led Professor Kobe to IN
fer, what has since been found true by PROBES.
sors Knapp, Neugebauer, ard others, that ~saljcylic
acid possesses valuable antiseptic qualities as. q
preventive Of fermentation and putrefaction.
La many respects s~lIicylic acid is, it is stated,
preferable to carbolic acid, from its absence Of
smell and its MT unpleasant taste. It is
appicable for either external or internal use,
in rather large doses, without injurious effects
and it has boon employed beneGcially in surgi-
cal cases. The great value of the acid will be
its pres9rvative effects on provisions Of every
description "a purpose to which carbolic acid .is
unsuitei. Professor Neugebauer's experiments
showed that a small quantity of s~alioylio acid
was not only sutl ,lout to prevent the second
after-fermentation of wine and consequent
muddiness which this produced, but that it also
prevented fungi growing in the casks. Another
important uso which Professor Kobe suggests
is its application to the prevention of decomp6-
siti9n Of water on board ship, by the addition
of the acid in the proportion of l to 100000 by
covering the bung hcle of the casks with cation
wool stepped IN ~salicylic acid the preservation
would be effected by the filtration of the air.
Provisions could also be preserved by the
application of the acid on the surface. It was
found that the process of ourdling in milk was
retarded for t~hirty-six hours, by the addition of
Goa per cent. Of s~alicylic acid. These effects
wore obtained from free s~alicylic acid, and not
from any of its salts. Professor Kobe suggests.
also, that the acid is peculiarly adapted for use,
as a toilet requisite for dentifrices, and as q
preventive Of the disagreable odour caused by
fntil perspiration, without producing any
injurious effects. For the still more Important
purposes of surgical dressing, Professor Thiersch,
and DR. Fehling, who have used it somewhat
extensively, report that it arrests the smell of
putrefaOtion wi. shout producing any tappreCiable
in%flmmation and that a solution of | part sa-
licyIic acid, 3 Of phosphate of soda, and SO Of
water will promote the growth of skin over
graduating surfaces. In surgical operations, o
spray af acid and water in the proportion of |
to 800, has been used, and the wound dressed
with wadding soaked in the solution. In the
lying-in hospital at L4ipSic, s~alicylic acid is
used instead of carbolic, in vaginal diseases, and
for dressing p~uerperai ulcers. AS the acid is
soluble in fatty oils, it eau be used like carbolic
acid for Listers blndages. Its use internally
has been suggested for those diseases which are
contracted from contagion. Further expert
mants are being made in Germany as to the
properties of ~salicylio acid and its combine
tons. a 5TGl49t