Page 299 - My FlipBook

ARISTOL. 297

in aristol has been estimated by Carius at 45.80 per cent. Aris-
tol is insoluble in water and glycerine, slightly soluble in alcohol,
but readily soluble in chloroform, ether, and in the essential
oils ; but the solution must be made by friction without heat,
as the aristol is decomposed by heat and also by the light. It
possesses but a slight odor, like that of thymol, and is not un-
pleasant.
Medical Properties and Therapeutic Uses.—Aristol possesses no
irritant action upon the unbroken skin, and when applied to mu-
cous membrane it promotes absorption. Not being absorbed, it
has no toxic effect, and for such reason, together with its freedom
from disagreeable odor, it possesses a great advantage over iodo-
form. It produces rapid healing, and has been employed with
benefit in varicose ulcers as a dusting powder; also in cutaneous
diseases, gonorrhoea, gleet, in operations of anal fistula, abscess,
lymphadentitis, periostitis, psoriasis, ulcers, etc., etc. It is chiefly
employed as a dusting powder, or in ethereal solutions or oint-
ments, for epithelioma, burns and scalds. Aristol is considered to
be an excellent and prompt antiseptic, but the name is merely an
assumed one for dithymoldic iodine. Impurities in aristol would
be all the by-products derived from unskillful treatment ; it might
contain potassium, or sodium iodide, or free iodine ; it might be
adulterated even, for, as a patented article, it is above control, as
patents have been granted by the U. S. Patent Office for its con-
trol, manufacture and sale under the name of " aristol," being a
compound of thymol with iodine. The virtue of aristol over
iodoform, etc., has not as yet been so pronounced as to exclude it
from the general class of patented medicines.
Dental Use.— Aristol has been used as a substitute for iodo-
form, iodol, carbolic acid, etc., etc., in all cases when the ordinary
antiseptics are indicated, as in gangrenous pulps, antisepticizing
of root-canals, disinfection of cavities before the introduction of
fillings, in the form of a 10 per cent, solution in sulphuric ether
for disinfecting purposes; for gangrenous pulps, the aristol in
powdered form may be applied with a small brush. Sticks made of
cacao butter 10 parts, and aristol i part, may be used to promote
granulation and healing, Aristol has the advantage of being