Pommade, Soubeiran’s. Prep. From beef marrow, 11⁄2 oz.; oil of almonds, 1⁄2 oz.; disulphate of quinine, 1 dr. Recommended for strengthening and restoring the hair.
Pommade, Transparent. Prep. Spermaceti, 2 oz.; castor oil, 5 oz.; alcohol, 5 oz.; oil of bergamot, 1⁄2 dr.; oil of Portugal, 1⁄2 dr.
Pommade, Vanilla. Syn. Roman pommade, Pommade à la vanille, Pommade Romain. From plain pommade and pommade à la rose, of each 12 lbs.; powdered vanilla, 1 lb.; heat them together in a water bath, stir constantly for 1 hour, let it settle for another hour,
decant the clear, and add, oil à la rose, 21⁄2 lbs.; bergamot, 4 oz.
POPPY. Syn. White poppy; Papaver somniferum, L. The capsules or fruit (“mature”—Ph. L.; “not quite ripe”—Ph. E.) form the poppies or poppy-heads of the shops (PAPAVERIS CAPSULÆ; PAPAVER—Ph. L., E., & D.). They are anodyne and narcotic, similar to opium, but in only a very slight degree. The seeds (MAW SEED), which are sweet, oleaginous, and nutritious, are used as a substitute for almonds in confectionery and mixtures, and are pressed for their oil. See Extract, Opium, and Syrup.
Poppy, Red. Syn. Corn poppy, Corn rose; Papaver rhœas, L. The fresh petals or flowers (RHŒADOS PETALA; RHŒAS—Ph. L., E., & D.) are reputed pectoral, but are chiefly employed on account of their rich colour. See Syrup.
POP′ULIN. Syn. Populinum, L. A peculiar neutral, crystallisable substance, formerly supposed to be an alkaloid, found, associated with SALICIN, in the root-bark of the Populus tremula (Linn.), or aspen.
Prep. Concentrate the decoction by a gentle heat, and set it aside in a cool situation to crystallise; dissolve the crystals which are deposited in rectified spirit, decolour them by digestion with animal charcoal, filter, and again crystallise. To render them still purer they may be redissolved and crystallised a second and a third time, if necessary.
Prop., &c. It resembles salicin in appearance and solubility, but, unlike that substance, has a penetrating sweet taste. Dilute acids convert it into benzoic acid, grape sugar, and saliretin; and with a mixture of sulphuric acid and bichromate of potassa it yields a large quantity of salicylous acid. It appears to be tonic, stomachic, and febrifuge.
POR′CELAIN. See Pottery.