2. (Wholesale.) Good fresh lard, 1 cwt.; fresh elder leaves, 56 lbs.; boil till crisp, strain off the oil, put it over a slow fire, add hard prepared mutton suet, 14 lbs., and gently stir it until it acquires a bright green colour.
Obs. The above ointment is reputed to be emollient and cooling, and has always been a great favourite with the common people. Both elder-flower and elder-leaf ointment are, however, unnecessary preparations. “They are vestiges of the redundant practice of former times.” (A. T. Thomson.) The above formulæ are those now almost exclusively employed in trade. The ointment should be allowed to cool very slowly, and after its temperature has fallen a little, and it begins to thicken, it should not be stirred, in order that it may ‘grain’ well, as a granular appearance
is much admired. It is a common practice to add powdered verdigris to deepen the colour, but then the ointment does not keep well. This dangerous fraud may be detected in the manner noticed under Cerate, Savine.
Ointment of Elecampane. Syn. Unguentum Inulæ. Prep. Fresh elecampane root (boiled till soft and pulped), 11⁄2 oz.; lard, 1 oz. Mix.
Ointment of El′emi. Syn. Balsam of arcæus†, Unguentum elemi (B. P., Ph. L. & D.), L. Prep. 1. (Ph. L.) Elemi, 3 oz.; suet, 6 oz.; melt them together, remove the vessel from the fire, and stir in of common turpentine, 21⁄2 oz.; olive oil, 1⁄2 fl. oz.; lastly, strain the whole through a linen cloth.
2. (Ph. D.) Resin of elemi, 4 oz.; ointment of white wax, 1 lb; melt them together, strain through flannel, and stir the mixture constantly until it concretes.
3. (B. P.) Elemi, 1; simple ointment, 4; melt and strain.
Uses, &c. Stimulant and digestive. It is frequently employed to keep open issues and setons, and as a dressing for old and ill-conditioned sores. The ‘UNG. ELEMI CUM ÆRURINE’ of St George’s Hospital is made by adding 1 dr. of finely powdered verdigris to every 6 oz. of the ointment.
Ointment of Emetina. (Dr Turnbull.) Syn. Unguentum emetinæ. Prep. Emetine, 15 gr.; rectified spirit, q. s.; lard, 1⁄2 oz. Used as a rubefacient.
Ointment Escharot′ic. Syn. Unguentum escharoticum, L. Prep. 1. (Sir B. Brodie.) Corrosive sublimate, 1 dr.; nitric oxide of mercury, sulphate of copper, and verdigris, of each 2 dr. (all in very fine powder); lard, q. s. See Ointment, and Cerate, Arsenical.