Its use has been extended to gleet, leucorrhoea, and chronic cystir-rhoea, in all of which it is occasionally serviceable. it may also be employed, like oil of turpentine, in chronic pyelitis, especially when there is reason to suspect the existence of ulceration.

As a stimulant and alterative to the bronchial mucous membrane, copaiba may sometimes be used with advantage in the advanced and suppurative stage of bronchitis, and in the chronic conditions of that affection, attended with copious mucous, or muco-puruloid expectoration. it is inappropriate to phthisis; for, though it might relieve the attendant bronchial disease, it would be likely to do injury by disturbing the digestive organs, which should be maintained in as sound a condition as possible in that complaint.

In chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucous membrane, especially when attended with ulcers, or supposed to be so, it would appear to be clearly indicated; and it has, in fact, been employed with decided advantage, associated with opiates, in chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. in these affections, it is applicable under the same circumstances as those already pointed out, as requiring the use of oil of turpentine (i. 556-7). it has been substituted, in typhoid fever, for the oil of turpentine, in the treatment of the ulcerative affection of the bowels attendant on the advanced stage of that complaint. Hemorrhoids are said to have been occasionally benefited by the internal use of copaiba.

In diphtheria and pseudomembranous croup, it has been employed, with great asserted success, by M. Tridau, who gives it in connection with storax; each of these medicines being preliminarily formed into a syrup, containing one part of the medicine in 16 parts; and the two syrups given mixed in the dose for an adult of a tablespoonful, for children from four to six, a teaspoonful, repeated every two hours Out of 40 cases of diphtheric angina, and 5 of croup, M. Tridau lost only one. (Am. Journ. of Pharm., May, 1863, p. 278; from Rep. de Pharm., Mars, 1863.) it has also been employed internally in eruptive affections of the skin, especially psoriasis, with supposed advantage.

Locally, the medicine has been applied as a stimulant to chilblains and indolent ulcers, but is in no respect superior to the terebinthinate substances.

Administration

The dose of copaiba is from twenty minims to a fluidrachm, which may be repeated three times a day. But this dose is more especially applicable to affections of the urinary organs. When the medicine is given in pectoral affections, or those of the bowels, I prefer small doses more frequently repeated; as ten or fifteen minims every two hours; and, under these circumstances, it generally acts better when associated with small doses of laudanum. The medicine is sometimes taken simply dropped on sugar; but this mode of exhibition is generally too offensive to the taste and stomach to be tolerated. Another method is to administer it suspended in some aromatic water; and, mixed in equal measure with the spirit of nitric ether, it is often conveniently given in this way. On the whole, however, the preferable mode of exhibition is that of emulsion, in which the copaiba is rubbed up with the yolk of an egg, or mucilage of gum arabic and loaf sugar, and then mixed with one of the aromatic waters. The proportions should be such, that a tablespoonful of the emulsion may contain a dose of the medicine. This is preferable to the other forms; because the particles of the oleoresin are thus divided, and consequently rendered less irritating; and, being more diffused through the stomach, would be likely to undergo a more ready absorption.

Another method, adapted to cases in which the taste is very squeamish, but the stomach strong, is that of the gelatin capsules, each one of which may contain ten or twelve drops. (See U. S. Dispensatory.)

Pills of Copaiba (Pilula Copaiba, U. S.) are directed, in our national Pharmacopoeia, to be made by incorporating copaiba with one-sixteenth of its weight of magnesia, and setting by the mixture until it concretes sufficiently to be made into pills. Each pill contains about five grains, and from two to six may be given at a dose. it is, however, often necessary, in their preparation, to use a much larger proportion of magnesia, when the juice is fresh, and abounds in oil. Copaiba may also be made into pills by incorporating the liquid with sufficient absorbent powder, such as liquorice root, to bring it to the proper consistence.

Oil of Copaiba (Oleum Copaiba, U. S., Br.) is an eligible preparation, bearing to the copaiba the same relation that oil of turpentine does to the turpentines. it is prepared by a double distillation of the oleo-resin with water. When pure, it is colourless, of the odour and taste of copaiba, soluble in alcohol and ether, and composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen; being isomeric with pure oil of turpentine. On exposure, however, it absorbs oxygen, and is ultimately converted into resin. it may be taken in large doses with impunity, having no positively poisonous properties, in this respect also resembling oil of turpentine. The dose of it is from eight to thirty minims, which may be taken in any of the different modes above indicated for copaiba itself.