SPHERE OF ACTION
Through the cerebro-spinal nervous system, it acts directly upon the nervous centres, causing headache, giddiness, trembling, convulsions, insensibility, stertorous breathing, contracted or dilated pupils, rapid, intermittent pulse, excessive prostration, body bathed in cold perspiration, and death.-DR. J.G. PINKHAM.
We now possess quite extensive provings of Carbolic acid, (see American Journal of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, vol. v., page 329.) which indicate that this will be a remedy of great value, but so far, we do not know its CHARACTERISTICS, hence will only give its local action.
Its great sphere of usefulness so far has been as a local remedy for the surgeon.
Three preparations of Carbolic acid are used by surgeons.
1. Carbolic acid and boiled linseed, or other fixed oil, in the proportion of one to five.
2. Carbolic acid and water, in proportion of one to thirty.
3. Carbolic oil and whitening, in the proportions requisite for the consistence of soft putty.
Also the dentists prepare a collodion of Carbolic acid, and use it locally in odontalgia, with remarkable curative effect.
The result of the employment of these preparations in surgery are almost to be called wonderful, and promise to remove and prevent an immense amount of human suffering.
In all amputations, the cut surfaces are bathed with the Carbolic acid lotion, the edges coaptated, and a paste of the acid applied, so as to prevent the air from coming in contract with the wound, and it all unites by the first intention.
In all forms of abscess, after opening it and evacuating all the pus, wash with the lotion, and then seal it up with the carbolic paste. The antiseptic properties of the acid destroy and exclude those atmospheric germs or infusori, which keep up putrefaction.
In putrefactive sloughing wounds, the lotion destroys all fetor, facilitates the separation of the slough, and causes healthy granulations to spring up.
It has the power of arresting fermentation produced by organized matter.
DR. LEMAR says that the vapor of Carbolic acid proves fatal to flies, ants and their eggs, lice, bugs, ticks, centipedes, acari, butterflies, earwigs, wood-lice, cockchafers, and other insects of their size, and their bodies resist putrefaction for a long time.
For the extermination of mosquitoes and flies, a small piece of cloth, saturated with the acid and hung up in the room.
Fish or infusori can be killed by dropping a little of the acid into the water which contains them.
Worms and larvae in wood are killed by this acid; and all insects are also kept away from dead animals and vegetables, as grain in barns.
Animal parasites on the human body, such as lice, acari, fleas, chigo, harvest-bugs, &c., may be destroyed by the lotion.
Many cases of itch have been cured by the carbolic acid lotion.
Its powerful antiseptic properties make it a valued agent for disinfection.
It does not act on putrid gases, but kills the living germs developed in the process of putrefaction, striking directly at the cause, and not the effect.
(1836-1897)
Characteristic materia medica Published 1873
Physiological materia medica, containing all that is known of the physiological action of our remedies; together with their characteristic indications and pharmacology. Published 1881