Sodii Sulphocarbolas. Sulphocarbolate of sodium.

Potassii Sulphocarbolas; Calcii Sulphocarbolas; Magnesii Sulphocarbolas.

Of these salts, the first-named is the most important, and is the only one official. The first step in the formation of these salts consists in the production of sulphocarbolic acid, obtained by dissolving one part of crystallized carbolic acid in an equal weight of strong sulphuric acid. The next step consists in the formation of sulphocarbolate of barium, from which the other salts are obtained by double decomposition.

Sulphocarbolate of sodium occurs in transparent rhombic prisms, which are permanent in the air, dissolve in about five parts of water, and are also soluble in glycerin and alcohol. Most of the sulphocar-bolates have a faint pinkish tint, and are, like the soda-salts, soluble in water, alcohol, and glycerin. The dose for internal administration ranges from ten to thirty grains. Saturated or weaker solutions may be employed topically.

These preparations, devised by Dr. Sansom, were intended to secure the antiseptic and antipyretic action of carbolic acid without any of the caustic and depressing action of the latter. In such septic diseases as diphtheria, the eruptive fevers, puerperal fever, they may be used freely. There seems little ground for the assumption that the carbolic acid is freed from its associates in passing through the organism, for the sulphocarbolates do not have the effects of carbolic acid, and the urine does not have the greenish, blackish, or smoky hue characteristic of the latter remedy. There can be little doubt that the sulphocarbolates are excellent topical applications to the inflamed mucous membrane, wherever accessible. The author has had good results from their use in acute inflammation of the fauces, in tonsillitis, in catarrh of the nares, in otorrhoea, and also in gonorrhoea. These salts are useful as deodorant and antiseptic applications to unhealthy wounds and ulcerated surfaces, to aphthae in children, etc. Although the sulphocarbolate of sodium has been added to the new pharmacopoeia list, it must be admitted that the sulphocarbolates do not maintain the position to which they were first introduced.