Chemical and medical researches on kreosote : its preparation, properties, and use / by E. Miguet ; translated from the French by William Wetherill.

  • Miguet, E.
Date:
1835
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemical and medical researches on kreosote : its preparation, properties, and use / by E. Miguet ; translated from the French by William Wetherill. 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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    ©ftcroical utti* JHefcical Jfceseawfies ON KREOSOTE. The name of Kreosote is derived from two Greek words, (xpa'aj, flesh, and a^u, I save, or preserve,) signifying a preserver of flesh, being a substance recently discovered by M. Reichembach, first in pyroligneous acid, and more lately in all kinds of tar. This well informed man, whose works deserve an honourable place among those of the chemists of Germany, obtained, some time be- fore, by dry distillation of organic bodies, parafine, eupione and picamore substances, which until this time, excited but little inter- est. But Kreosote seems destined to enjoy much greater notoriety, not owing so much to its chemical properties, as to the number of t rapeutic cases to which it is applicable, and its use in domestic economy. As to its virtues in this double capacity, we have the testimony of the highest authorities in Germany. At the time M. Reichembach first commenced the discovery of Kreosote, his fingers were deprived by it of their epidermis. This energetic action on organic matter, having made him believe that this was the preserving principle in pyroligneous acid, experiments with it confirmed his conjectures. The antisceptic action which it exercised on dead animal matter, made him presume, that placed in contact with living tissue, against which we are often exercised to counteract mortification, it would be of much service as a therapeu- tic agent. He says the water of Benelli was unknown to him, and that his experiments were entirely independent; also, that they were not directed towards the suppressions of haemorrhages, which constitutes a special property of this preparation. At this time, he was not aware that Kreosote possessed the property of arresting