Thymolum

Volume I — Appendix

Description. — -Thymol is obtained from Thyme oil by fractional distillation, at 225°. It forms about one-half of Thyme oil. The more volatile parts of Thyme oil (Thymene and Cymene) likewise contain a considerable quantity of Thymol, which may be obtained by agitating the liquid with soda-lye, separating the undissolved oil, diluting the alkaline solution with water. Supersaturate this with Hydrochloric acid and Thymol will be precipitated. Thymol is purified by crystallization from an alcoholic solution. The crystals are transparent rhomboid tables. It has a mild odor and an aromatic, peppery taste. Somewhat heavier than water. It dissolves in about 300 parts water, and is easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Water does not precipitate it from the alcoholic solution.

Preparation. — Thymol, 1 part ; alcohol, 10 parts ; glycerin, 20 parts ; water, 1000 parts. Used as an antiseptic.

See '• Therapeutics of New Remedies."

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

The following account of the chemistry of this new disinfectant I copy from a paper by Professor A. B. Prescott, of the University of Michigan.

Among the new chemicals of the last twelve or fifteen years, no therapeutic agents have taken a more prominent place than certain antiseptics, few in number, but each quickly adopted in general practice and even in non-professional use. First came Carbolic acid, well-established in time for the “ Pharmacopoeia” of 1870. Then, in 1875, Salicylic acid was admitted to a permanent place as a rival and companion to the former article, from which it was manufactured. Meantime, the use of Sulphites, Hyposulphites, and Sulphurous acid has received a fresh impetus, and antiseptic treatment in surgery and in medicine has been a matter of constant attention. And now, beginning about a year ago, Thymol is another article of general interest in medicine and pharmacy, and is already officially proposed for the United States Phamacopoeia of 1880.

In 1875 the writer mentioned the noticeable fact that Thymol is the one member of the Carbolic acid family — the monatomic phenols — known to exist

ready-formed in plants,* but this was with no thought of its use as an antiseptic. Its value had been suggested by Bouillon, a French pharmacien; but the experiments which brought the article into continued public notice were made, it is claimed, in Professor Liebreich’s laboratory, in Berlin, in May, 1875, and noted, shortly afterward, with numerous additional testimonies, all over the world. f Early last year, Dr. Crocker, of London University College Hospital, gave a favorable report, generally copied.

The results in Liebreich’s laboratory claimed for Thymol, in arresting the fermentation of sugar and the decomposition of albumen and milk, a power ten times greater than that of Salicylic acid. Others claim only four times greater preservative power for Thymol than for Carbolic acid. But the distinctive advantage of Thymol over Carbolic acid is due to its being far less corrosive in concentrated form, and much less irritant in the dilute mixtures suitable for its use. Being volatile, like Carbolic acid, it is more penetrating than Salicylic acid. It is an antiseptic, not itself a septic, at least in external use. Also, it is of an agreeable odor.

Its administration, internally, has not received much attention. Applied to animals subcutaneously, it acts as a poison. — Husemann.

Thymol is a crystalline solid, nearly colorless, with a pleasant aromatic odor, and a burning aromatic taste, melting at about 44° C. (110° F.), and boiling at about 230° C., with specific gravity of 1.028. It dissolves freely in Alcohol, Ether, Chloroform, Benzol, Chloral hydrate, in water solutions, and in Oils and Vaseline, but is very slightly soluble in water and Glycerin. The caustic Alkalies, in water, dissolve it freely, but without chemical union. Four grains in an ounce of Alcohol can be diluted with water to any extent without turbidity. It is soluble in ten parts of milk. — Symes.

A good solution is that of one part of Thymol, 10 of Alcohol, 20 of Glycerin, and Water to 1000 parts. Dr. Crocker uses a lotion of Thymol five grains ; Alcohol and Glycerin, each one fluid ounce ; and Water to make eight fluid ounces. Likewise, an alkaline solution, five to eighty grains Thymol, with solution of Potassa enough to dissolve it, and Water to eight fluid ounces. As an ointment, five to thirty grains of Thymol may be mixed with one ounce of Vaseline. Gauze dressings, in antiseptic surgery, are saturated with a mixture of 16 of Thymol, 50 of Resin, and 500 of Spermaceti. Thymol and Camphor, in proportions from two of the former with one of the latter, to one of the former with ten of the latter, form a colorless liquid. This liquid is miscible with Chloral hydrate. — Symes.

For carious teeth, and other uses of dental surgery, Thymol has decided advantages over Carbolic acid in its agreeable odor.

In price Thymol now costs ten to fifteen times as much as Carbolic acid, but in view of its greater potency, it is but little more expensive.

Chemically, Thymol is one of the phenols, the group to which the Carbolic acid bodies belong. Phenol proper (pure crystallized Carbolic acid) is a six-carbon

• The Aromatic Group in the Chemistry of Plants. London Phar. Jour. (3), vii, 164.

f Jahrbucher b. gesammt. Med., Bd. 168 (1875), 81 ; Am. Jour. Phar., xlvii (1875), 346; Phar. Jour. (London), (3), viii, 45, 706.

Phenol ; Cresol, the chief constituent of the “ Cresylic acid ” of commerce, and more potent than crystallized Carbolic acid, is a seven-carbon Phenol ; Xylenol, an eightcarbon Phenol, and Thymol a ten-carbon Phenol. In structure, Thymol is Prophylm ethyl-phenol. These bodies are not acids. The common term Carbolic acid is accepted by the Pharmacopoeia, and its alkali solutions are often termed Carbolates, but it may be hoped that the name of Thymic acid will not gain adoption. The alkaline solutions of Thymol are mixtures, not chemical compounds.

Carvacrol, a product of Carraway oil, and sometimes used in dental surgery, is isomeric with Thymol.

Thymol, by contact with Sulphuric acid, forms Thymol-sulphuric acid, exactly analogous to Plienyl-sulphuric acid, the acid of the well-known Sulpho-carbolates in medicinal use. Whether the Thymol-sulphates have any claims in medicine or not remains to be ascertained. The metallic Thymol-sulphates all dissolve in water.

Thymol forms about one-half of Oil of thyme, from Thymus vulgaris. The Oil of origanum of commerce is really Oil of thyme, and as true Origanum oil has no advantage over Oil of thyme, the former name has been dropped from the Pharmacopoeia. Thymol is also found in the Horsemint, or Monarda punctata, and in an East Indian aromatic fruit, Ptychotis ajowan, or “ Ajava seeds.” The Thymol of commerce is at present obtained from Ajava fruit. Thymol can be separated from the other constituents of Oil of thyme (chiefly Cymene, a hydrocarbon) by dissolving in a Potassa solution (five per cent.), separating the undissolved oil, and adding to the solution enough acid to neutralize, when the Thymol precipitates. The hydrocarbon of Thyme oil, Cymene, is a ten-carbon compound, closely allied to Thymols, and likewise found in the Oil of cummin. Thymol is stated to be one of the constituents of Terebene, an aromatic liquid obtained by the action of Sulphuric acid upon Turpentine oil, and used as an antiseptic and promoter of Ozone.

Dr. Ch. Adams, Professor of Surgery in the Chicago Homoeopathic College, writes of its use in a paper entitled the Antiseptic Treatment of Wounds.

Thymol or Thymic acid, a derivation of the Thymus vulgaris, has been recently reported on by Ranke (for Volkmann, of Halle). It is preferred by him to the Carbolic acid for its lack of irritant qualities, its easy use and less expense. A decided advantage possessed by the Thymol is that a solution of uniform strength (1-1000) is used for lotion,* sponges, instruments, and spray. As the agent is perfectly unirritating the protective is dispensed with — the wound being dressed with Thymol gauze, f as in the Carbolic treatment. From the clinic of

• Thymol solution. — Thymol, 1 part; Alcohol, 10 parts ; Glycerin, 20 parts ; Water, 1000 parts.

t Thymol gauze. — Prepared by saturating gauze, by weight, 1000 parts with Thymol; 10 parts; Resin, 50 parts; Spermaceti, 500 parts.

Volkmann, Ranke reports fifty-nine cases of operation in which Thymol was used, formation of pus taking place in only two. As far as my own experience with it has gone the results have been perfectly satisfactory, the only objection to it being its odor, which to patients with sensitive olfactories is occasionally annoying.

I have used the spray in the treatment of chronic catarrh of the nose and air-passages. In many cases it acts better than Carbolic acid.

Internally , Thymol has not been used to any extent. Dr. Volkmann, of Halle, has given it in the diarrhoea of children, five drops of a one per cent, solution. I have found it useful in the offensive stools of children, due to fermentation of the contents of the stomach and intestines, and, attended by large quantities of offensive flatus and colic. It ought to be useful in tympanites, especially when occurring in typhoid.

TEILLIUM.

This important remedy has not been subjected to physiological experimentation by our school. I believe it will prove a valuable agent when its pathogenetic properties are fully understood.

Our limited knowledge of its curative powers will not enable us to correctly define its sphere of action or fix upon its analogues.

It seems to me to have a near affinity for Hamamelis and Sanguinaria. I have given other analogues in Vol. I, but not with such precision as I should like.

Like all an ti-heemorrh agios it doubtless possesses some influence over the vasomotor system of nerves. It may be primarily homoeopathic to vasomotor spasm, and secondarily to vasomotor paresis. In large doses it checks nearly all haemorrhages. In small doses it checks passive haemorrhages. In attenuated doses it cures the results of suppressed discharges of blood (perhaps of mucus).

I will quote some testimony from physicians of other schools, that you may see how they estimate it. Professor Lee says :

From all I have observed, and can gather from others, I am led to believe that the Trillium is one of our most valuable tonics, astringents, alteratives, and especially beneficial in most cases of passive, atonic haemorrhages, as menorrhagia,