CERELENE NOT ADMITTED TO N. N. R.
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
The Council has authorized publication of the following report declaring Cerelene inadmissible to New and Nonofficial Remedies.
W. A. Puckner, Secretary.
Cerelene, a paraffin preparation for the treatment of burns, was submitted to the Council by the Holliday Laboratories, with the statement that it was composed of 84 per cent. paraffin, 15 per cent. myricyl palmitate, and 1 per cent. purified elemi gum to which is added oil of eucalyptus 2 per cent. and betanaphthol 0.25 per cent. It was explained:
“Myricyl Palmitate is a purified form of Beeswax, free from all impurities, acids, etc., which is solely manufactured by this Company....”
It was also stated that on “special order” Cerelene has been made containing oil of eucalyptus and resorcin, oil of eucalyptus and picric acid, and picric acid alone. The following report on the preparation was presented to the Council by the referee to whom Cerelene had been assigned:
Cerelene is another compound wax for the treatment of burns. According to the work of Sollmann (J. A. M. A., 68:1799, 1917) it is highly improbable that compound mixtures have any advantage over simple paraffin of low melting point. Cerelene must therefore be considered as an unessential modification of paraffin, and as in conflict with Rule 10; unless definite evidence of superiority is submitted. Cerelene mixtures containing medicinal ingredients also appear unscientific since the evidence that the ingredients do not leave the wax has not been successfully contradicted. Finally, the claims made for Cerelene are rather extreme, and would need some revision before they could be accepted.
The A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory reports: