New remedies : the method of preparing and administering them : their effects on the healthy and diseased economy, &c. / by Robley Dunglison.

  • Dunglison, Robley, 1798-1869.
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: New remedies : the method of preparing and administering them : their effects on the healthy and diseased economy, &c. / by Robley Dunglison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    NEW REMEDIES. ACIDUM ACETICUM EMPYREUMATICUM. Synonymes. Acidiim Pyro-aceticum, A. Ligni pyro-oleosum, A. pyrolignosum Acetum ligneum, Pyroligneous, and Pyrolignic acid. French. Acide pyro-acetique, A. pyrolignique, A. pyroligneux, Vinaigre de bois. German. Brenzliche oder brandige Holssaure ; Holzs&ure; Holzessig. The pyroligneous acid, although brought much into notice— revived as it were—in recent times, is by no means the product of those times exclusively. The cedria, with which the Egyptians embalmed the bodies of the dead, it is presumed, was identical with it. Pliny recommends cedria, or the oil of tar, got from the cedar, in toothach,* and Galen unites with him.f The virtues of fhe pyroligneous acid are often also referred to by Boerhaavc.t METHOD OF PREPARING. The pyroligneous acid is prepared in chemical laboratories by the dry distillation of wood, especially of hard wood, which is placed in an iron retort heated to redness. First of all, there passes over a light brown or greenish fluid, which contains some empy- reumatic oil; to this succeeds the pyroligneous acid, which 'is formed during distillation. If the distillation be continued, more empyreumatic oil passes over, and lastly tar. The chief constituent of the pyroligneous acid is vinegar, which can be deprived of its empyreumatic constituents by rectification with fine porous animal charcoal. Besides the vinegar, it con- * Hist. Nat. xxxiv. 11. f De Simpl. Medic. Facult. lib. vii. See Cormack on Creosote, p. 59. Edinb. 1836; or the American edit, in Dunglison's American Medical Library. t Riecke, Die rieuern Arzneirnittel. u. s. w. S. 6. Stuttgart, 1837. 2