glycerin (glis'er-in)

Syn.: glycerol. The trihydrated alcohol containing three carbon atoms, CH2OH.CHOH.CH2OH. A sweetish, viscous, colorle , odorle liquid, easily soluble in water and alcohol. Specific gravity 1.267, and boiling point 2400 C. It is obtained in the saponification of fats. It has considerable solvent power and forms a series of compounds, the glycerids. Pure g. has a great affinity for water which determines many of its uses in chemistry and in medicine. Undiluted it is a mild irritant; properly diluted it is a cleansing and emollient application. Taken by the stomach it is laxative. G. is official in all the pharmacopeias. It always contains a little water, absolute g. G. absolutely free from water, creosoted g. A preparation composed of 125 grams of g. and 12 drops of creosote. g. aldehyd. CH2OH.CHOH, a substance formed by the oxidation of g. with bromin water. It is one of the two constituents of glycerose. g. gelatin. A clear gelatinous substance which solidifies on standing, but melts on exposure to heat. It consists of g. mixed with a solution of gelatin. It is much used as a preservative material for microscopical preparations and also as a material for the preparation of bougies and other gelatinous vehicles for drugs employed externally. A cosmetic sold as g. jelly consists of soap di olved in glycerin and water, g. lymph. A mixture of vaccine lymph and g. g. tampon. A tampon made of wads of absorbent cotton or similar material saturated with g. iodized g. Hebra's iodin caustic, sup posit or i a glycerin i. Suppositories, each of which contains 45 grains of g., gelatinized by sodium stearate" [U. S. Ph.] or 70 per cent, of glycerin [Br. Ph.]. [Gr., glykeros, glukus, sweet]