“Treatment: Provide a box or other chamber with shelves upon which the articles to be treated may be placed. Within the chamber, properly closed, I burn a suitable quantity of the compound, allowing the fumes to bathe the articles to be treated. The compound is of a quality that will burn slowly by reason of its peculiar composition, and it may be burned with fuel other than it contains.”
Salicylic Acid as a Preservative.
Salicylic acid, aside from its remedial value, is used largely as a preservative, either in a dry state or in the form of a solution in water or alcohol. Salicylic acid is a white, dry, crystalline powder, devoid of smell or taste, undergoes no change when kept in store, and is neither inflammable nor volatile. It can be procured in almost any drug store, and since 1874 a new process in its manufacture has cheapened it in price and placed it within the reach of all.
Medical authorities agree in considering the daily consumption of 1 gramme as being not only perfectly inoffensive, but decidedly beneficial to health. An individual living on a salicylated diet would not absorb so much of the salicylic acid per diem as that which is prescribed to be taken for the prevention of epidemics and other ailments, such as gout, rheumatism, catarrhal affections, etc.
The proportions in which salicylic acid dissolves are:
One part by weight in 300 to 500 parts of cold water.
One part by weight in 18 to 20 parts of hot water.
One part by weight in 50 parts of glycerine.
One part by weight in 3 parts of absolute alcohol.
In rum, brandy, wine, cider, etc., it dissolves according to their respective strengths and temperatures.
Note.—By contact with iron in any form salicylic acid takes a violet color.
This must be noted, especially when treating milk, etc., if contained in metallic vessels. The only bad effects will be simply slight discoloration.