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ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

insoluble in alcohol, ether, the oils both volatile and fixed, and alkalinesolutions.

Characteristics and Purity. — The resins copal and animi aresometimes substituted for amber. They may be distinguished by thedilference in their colour and fracture, and by their not emitting thepeculiar odour of amber when thrown upon hot iron ( United States Dispensatory). Copal during its combustion is constantly falling in drops;and by this character may be distinguished from amber [Kidd's Mineralogy .)

Physiological Effects. —Amber was formerly celebrated as a stimu-lant and antispasmodic.

Uses. —(«.) Medicinal. —it is not employed as a medicine in this coun-try. It was formerly used in chronic catarrhs, amenorrhoea, hysteria, &c.,and was given either in the form of powder, in doses of from ten grains to adrachm, or in that of tincture, a formula for which is contained both inthe French Codex and Prussian Pharmacopoeia.

(b.) Phamaceutical. —Amher is used for the preparation of the oil andacid. The oil obtained by the destructive distillation of amber, whenrectified by three distillations, constitutes the oleum succini of the Phar-macopoeia .

Oleum Succini .— This oil, prepared as above mentioned, is a localirritant, and when rubbed on the skin acts as a rubefacient. Takeninternally it operates, like most other empyreumatic oils, on the nervoussystem, and is used as a stimulant and antispasmodic. Its dose is fromfive to fifteen drops. In the former edition of the London Pharmacopoeiathere was contained a formula for the preparation of the spiritus ammonitesuccinatus, made in imitation of the celebrated eau de luce (the history ofwhich has been fully detailed by Beckmann, in his History of Inventions,vol. iv. p. 595). Its active ingredient is ammonia, but the oils of amber andlavender, and mastich, entered into its composition. Itis a powerful stimu-lant, and was employed as an application to the nostrils in fainting andhysteria; and also internally, in doses of from ten to thirty drops.

Acidum Succinum .— This, though contained in the Dublin Pharma-copoeia, is, I believe, never used in medicine. It was supposed to be,like the oil, antispasmodic, and was exhibited in doses of from five totwenty grains.

O'leum Anima'le. — An'imal Oil.

This perhaps is the most convenient place for noticing the empyreu-matic oil obtained by the decomposition of animal substances by heat.It is obtained in considerable quantities in the manufacture of ivory-black (see p. 178), and is sold under the name of animal or DippeTs oil. Itis identical in its nature with the oleum cornu cervi, or oil of hartshorn,formerly used in medicine. As usually met with, it is a thick, brown,viscid oil, having a most repulsive odour. By distillation, however, itmay be rendered colourless and limpid, but is soon altered by the actionof air and light. Its ultimate constituents are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen,and oxygen. From its alkaline reaction it doubtless contains ammonia.Unverdorben alleges that it contains four oily salifiable bases, to whichhe has given the names of odorine, animine, olanine, and ammoline.Reichenbach has obtained creasote from it, and ascribes to this principle