Terebinthinae Oleum. Oil of Turpentine. Oil distilled from the Turpentine of Pinus palustris, Pinus taeda, and sometimes Pinus pinaster; Lin. Syst., Monoecia monadelphia; imported from America and France.

Resina. Resin. The residue of the distillation of the turpentines from various species of Pinus and Abies.

Description. American turpentine, as it flows from the trunks of the above-named trees, has the consistence of treacle, altering much with heat and exposure; of a pale yellow colour; with a peculiar characteristic pungent odour and taste. When distilled the oil of turpentine passes over, the resin remaining in the retort.

Oil of Turpentine, called also Spirits of Turpentine or Camphine, is a limpid colourless fluid, of the same odour and taste as the above.

Besin or Rosin is a solid semi-transparent yellowish substance, with but a little odour and taste.

Prop. & Comp. Common turpentine consists of a mixture of the resin dissolved in the volatile oil, and separable by distillation.

The Oil of Turpentine (C20 H16), sp. gr. 0.864, is inflammable, it mixes with other oils fixed or volatile, is soluble in alcohol and ether, and dissolves many bodies, as fats, resins, etc.; it partly resinifies, partly volatilizes, on exposure, and forms an artificial camphor (C20 H16 H Cl..) with hydrochloric acid gas.

The Resin (HO, C40 H29 O3) consists of three isomeric acids, Pimaric, Pinic, and Sylvic, differing in their solubility in alcohol. Pinic acid is soluble in cold alcohol; sylvic in warm alcohol; pimaric requires boiling spirit. By heat Colophonic acid is formed.

Off. Prep. Of Oil of Turpentine. Confectio Terebinthinae. Confection of Turpentine. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Oil of turpentine, one fluid ounce; liquorice root, in powder, one ounce; clarified honey, two ounces.)

Enema Terebinthinae. Enema of Turpentine. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] Oil of turpentine, one fluid ounce; mucilage of starch, fifteen fluid ounces.)

Linimentum Terebinthinae. Liniment of Turpentine. (Oil of turpentine, five fluid ounces; ointment of resin, eight ounces). [Resin cerate, twelve troy ounces; oil of turpentine, half a pint. U. S.]

Linimentum Terebinthinae Aceticum. Liniment of Turpentine and Acetic Acid. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Oil of turpentine acetic acid, and liniment of camphor, each a fluid ounce.)

Unguentum Terebinthinae. Ointment of Turpentine. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Oil of turpentine, one fluid ounce, resin in coarse powder, sixty grains; yellow wax and prepared lard, each half an ounce.)

Of the Resin:

Emplastrum Resinae. Resin Plaster. (Resin, in powder, four ounces; litharge plaster, two pounds; hard soap, in powder, two ounces.) [Resin, in powder, six troy ounces; plaster of lead, thirty-six troy ounces. U. S.]

Unguentum Resinae. Ointment of Resin. (Resin, in coarse powder, eight ounces; yellow wax, four ounces; simple ointment sixteen ounces.) [Ceratum Resinae. U. S. Basilicon Ointment. Resin, ten troy ounces; yellow wax, four troy ounces; lard, sixteen troy ounces.]

Therapeutics. In small doses, oil of turpentine becomes absorbed, and acts as a stimulant, antispasmodic, and astringent; its effects are especially directed to the kidneys, it causes diuresis, with a peculiar violet odour of the urine, from the oil passing through in an altered condition; it also influences the mucous membrane of the genito-urinary organs in a manner similar to copaiba, and in large doses produces strangury; its astringent property upon the capillary vessels is seen in its power of arresting haemorrhage, and controlling some forms of inflammation.

In large doses, turpentine acts as a purgative, and possesses besides great power in destroying entozoa in the alimentary canal; its purgative operation is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, and a species of intoxication.

Oil of turpentine is given occasionally as an antispasmodic in hysterical affections, but, for the most part, as an enema; it is also used in passive forms of intestinal and urinary hemorrhage, in purpura, and in some forms of iritis; its most frequent internal use is, however, as an anthelmintic, in cases where taenia or tapeworm and other entozoa are present in the intestines.

Oil of turpentine, when externally applied, produces powerful rubefacient effects, and when the vapour is confined, even vesication: administered as an enema, both the purgative and stimulant effects may result. Externally it is used in the form of liniment over chronically inflamed and painful parts, and sprinkled on hot flannel as a fomentation in tympanitic conditions of the abdomen from peritoneal inflammation.

Resin and Common Turpentine are seldom used, except as external stimulant applications: the former in the form of ointment or plaster; the latter, not now officinal, was until lately employed either alone or in combination with other resins, as elemi, galbanum, etc.

Dose. Of oil of turpentine, as a stimulant, antispasmodic or diuretic, 10 min. to 30 min., as an anthelmintic purgative, 2 fl. drm. to 6 fl. drm.; of resin, 10 gr. to 30 gr.

Terebinthina Canadensis. Canada Balsam. The turpentine obtained in Canada from the stem of Abies Balsamea, or Balm of Gilead Fir, by incision.

Description. A pale oleo-resin, ductile, consistence of thin honey, drying very slowly by exposure in the air into a transparent adhesive varnish. It has a peculiar agreeable odour and bitter taste; mixed with one-sixth of its weight of magnesia it solidifies.

Therapeutics. Canada balsam resembles the turpentine in its action. It is not often given as a medicine, but is chiefly used for mounting objects for the microscope and other optical purposes.

Thus Americanum. Common Frankincense. [Terebinthina. Turpentine. U. S.] The turpentine exuding from the bark (hardened in the air) of Pinus taeda and Pinus palustris, from the Southern States of North America.