Part 170

Odonter.—

XII.—Soap bark, powder 2 ounces Cudbear, powder 4 drachms Glycerine 4 ounces Alcohol 14 ounces Water sufficient to make 32 ounces

Mix, and let macerate with frequent agitation, for several days; filter; add flavor; if necessary filter again through magnesium carbonate or paper pulp.

Sweet Anise.—

XIII.—Soap bark 2 ounces Aniseed 4 drachms Cloves 4 drachms Cinnamon 4 drachms Cochineal 60 grains Vanilla 60 grains Oil of peppermint 1 drachm Alcohol 16 ounces Water sufficient to make 32 ounces

Reduce the drugs to coarse powder, dissolve the oil of peppermint in the alcohol, add equal parts of water, and macerate therein the powders for 5 to 6 days, with frequent agitation; place in percolator and percolate until 32 fluidounces have been obtained. Let stand for a week and filter through paper; if necessary to make it perfectly bright and clear, shake up with some magnesia, and again filter.

Saponaceous.—

XIV.—White castile soap 2 ounces Glycerine 2 ounces Alcohol 8 ounces Water 4 ounces Oil peppermint 20 drops Oil wintergreen 30 drops Solution of carmine N. F. sufficient to color.

Dissolve the soap in the alcohol and water, add the other ingredients, and filter.

XV.—Crystallized carbolic acid 4 parts Eucalyptol 1 part Salol 2 parts Menthol 0.25 parts Thymol 0.1 part Alcohol 100 parts

Dye with cochineal (1 1⁠/⁠2 per cent).

«Jackson’s Mouth Wash.»—Fresh lemon peel, 10 parts; fresh sweet orange peel, 10 parts; angelica root, 10 parts; guaiacum wood, 30 parts; balsam of Tolu, 12 parts; benzoin, 12 parts; Peruvian balsam, 4 parts; myrrh, 3 parts; alcohol (90 per cent), 500 parts.

«Tablets for Antiseptic Mouth Wash.»—Heliotropine, 0.01 part; saccharine, 0.01 part; salicylic acid, 0.01 part; menthol, 1 part; milk sugar, 5 parts. These tablets may be dyed green, red, or blue, with chlorophyll, eosine, and indigo carmine, respectively.

«Depilatories»

«Depilatory Cream.»—The depilatory cream largely used in New York hospitals for the removal of hair from the skin previous to operations:

I.—Barium sulphide 3 parts Starch 1 part Water, sufficient quantity.

The mixed powders are to be made into a paste with water, and applied in a moderately thick layer to the parts to be denuded of hair, the excess of the latter having been previously trimmed off with a pair of scissors. From time to time a small part of the surface should be examined, and when it is seen that the hair can be removed, the mass should be washed off. The barium sulphide should be quite fresh. It can be prepared by making barium sulphate and its own weight of charcoal into a paste with linseed oil, rolling the paste into the shape of a sausage, and placing it upon a bright fire to incinerate. When it has ceased to burn, and is a white hot mass, remove from the fire, cool, and powder.

The formula is given with some reserve, for preparations of this kind are usually unsafe unless used with great care. It should be removed promptly when the skin begins to burn.

II.—Barium sulphide 25 parts Soap 5 parts Talc 35 parts Starch 35 parts Benzaldehyde sufficient to make 120 parts

Powder the solids and mix. To use, to a part of this mixture add 3 parts of water, at the time of its application, and with a camel’s-hair pencil paint the mixture evenly over the spot to be freed of hair. Let remain in contact with the {260} skin for 5 minutes, then wash off with a sponge, and in the course of 5 minutes longer the hair will come off on slight friction with the sponge.

Strontium sulphide is an efficient depilatory. A convenient form of applying it is as follows:

III.—Strontium sulphide 2 parts Zinc oxide 3 parts Powdered starch 3 parts

Mix well and keep in the dry state until wanted for use, taking then a sufficient quantity, forming into a paste with warm water and applying to the surface to be deprived of hair. Allow to remain from 1 to 5 minutes, according to the nature of the hair and skin; it is not advisable to continue the application longer than the last named period. Remove in all cases at once when any caustic action is felt. After the removal of the paste, scrape the skin gently but firmly with a blunt-edged blade (a paper knife, for instance) until the loosened hair is removed. Then immediately wash the denuded surface well with warm water, and apply cold cream or some similar emollient as a dressing.

By weight IV.—Alcohol 12 parts Collodion 35 parts Iodine 0.75 parts Essence of turpentine 1.5 parts Castor oil 2 parts

Apply with a brush on the affected parts for 3 or 4 days in thick coats. When the collodion plaster thus formed is pulled off, the hairs adhere to its inner surface.

V.—Rosin sticks are intended for the removal of hairs and are made from colophony with an admixture of 10 per cent of yellow wax. The sticks are heated like a stick of sealing wax until soft or semi-liquid (142° F.), and lightly applied on the place from which the hair is to be removed, and the mass is allowed to cool. These rosin sticks are said to give good satisfaction.

DEPTHINGS, VERIFICATION OF: See Watchmakers’ Formulas.

DESILVERING: See Plating.