AN ABSTRACT 
FROM A PAPER 
READ BEFORE 
THE 
Albany County Medical Society 
January iith, 1809, 
BY 
DR L. E. BLAIR. A NEW THROAT REMEDY 
Benzoinol and Resorcin 
Compound. 
Under the above title I have recently 
devised a formula which I think has 
many good properties which will readily 
commend themselves to the physician 
and throat specialist. For a number of 
years I have used watery solutions of 
resorcin and glycerine for acute and 
chronic catarrhal conditions of mucous 
membrane, and was especially pleased 
with the anesthetic, antiseptic and as- 
tringent qualities of the drug resorcin. 
The only serious objection to the watery 
sprays in the head is that, very fre- 
quently after their use there is left a 
disagreeable effect similar to an acute 
attack of cold, and then the watery 
solutions provoking temporarily an in- 
crease of mucous secretions, the remedy 
is soon washed away and its effect is lost .... I desire to call attention 
here especially to the very valuable 
quality possessed by resorcin, namely, the 
anesthetic effect to a very marked de- 
gree when applied to mucous membrane. 
I do not think that resorcin has had 
any wide use in throat practice and I am 
not familiar with any formula on the 
market that combines an oily menstruum 
with it Having had 
uniformily good results and complete 
satisfaction with the petroleum fluid 
known to the trade as “ Benzoinol,” 
which is free from the disagreeable kero- 
sene taste and odor peculiar to the other 
oils which have also been damaged in 
their treatment by sulphurous and sul- 
phuric acids. I suggested to the Ben- 
zoinol Mfg. Co. to make for me samples 
of different strengths containing resorcin. 
I found that by adding menthol and 
eucalyptol the amount of resorcin could 
be increased and no irritating effect would be produced. ... In practice 
this formula has a wide application. I 
have used it very successfully in whoop- 
ing cough; with a suitable atomizer large 
quantities will reach the throat and lungs 
when sprayed through the nose, which 
the child will not resist. It is very 
efficacious in all the acute catarrhal 
cases of the upper breathing tract; in 
hay fever and asthma especially, the 
relief exerted upon the hypersensitive 
terminal nerve distribution is remark- 
able ; in acute laryngitis with hoarseness 
and aphonia the relief is rapid and the 
effect of the oil is sustained for hours, 
and easily displaces the use of cocaine so 
popular with and so injurious to public 
speakers. 
The formula is free from the perni- 
cious secondary effects of cocaine; is 
non-poisonous in the dosage used; no 
dangerous drug habit can be formed; 
mucous membrane is strengthened and repaired by a reliable healing and an- 
tiseptic astringent Benzoinol 
and Resorcin has a very important and 
valuable place in the medication of the 
naso-pharynx. It will cause a marked 
contraction of the posterior hypertrophied 
ends of the turbinal bones and will 
produce a positive shrinkage of the 
pharyngeal opening of the eustachian 
tube when the contraction and closure 
are due to a spongy catarrhal condition. 
In its use it is pleasant, 
agreeable, cooling mildly astringent and 
fulfills all the requirements of a reliable 
and non-irritating antiseptic. It leaves 
the breath fragrant, the gum benzoin 
and eucalyptol contributing to it; in the 
nose it is bland and does not leave any 
disagreeable smells and the patient is 
not labelled by its use that “he has been 
to the doctors,” as is so often suggested 
by the use of the iodine and carbolic 
preparations. To sum up briefly the claims for 
Benzoinol and Resorcin Compound, I 
should say; 
First. That it is markedly anesthetic 
and analgesic. 
Second. Antiseptic, astringent, non. 
poisonous, non-irritating and healing. 
Third. Not suggestive of the drug 
shop as iodine, iodoform and carbolic acid. 
Fourth. It has a wider range of 
effective application, not covered by any 
other formula for use in an atomizer 
that I am familiar with. 
204 State Street, Albany, A. Y.