CE′RATE

Syn. Cera′tum , L. A thick species of ointment containing wax. Cerates are intermediate in consistence between ointments and plasters; but are le frequently employed than either of those preparations. The medicinal ingredients which enter into the cerates are very numerous; indeed, almost every kind of medicine capable of exercising a topical effect may be prescribed in this form. It is a general custom with the druggists to use a le quantity of wax for their cerates than that which is nece ary to give them a proper consistence, and in many cases it is omitted altogether, and its place supplied by hard suet, or stearine, and frequently by common resin. Lard is also very generally substituted for olive oil. Indeed, in no cla of pharmaceutical preparations are the instructions of practitioners and the colleges more commonly disregarded. The operation of melting the ingredients should be performed in a water bath or steam bath, and the liquid ma should be a iduously stirred until cold. All the medicated cerates may be prepared by adding the active ingredients, in the form of fine powder, soft extract, solution, ., as the case may be, to either simple cerate or spermaceti cerate, in the proportions indicated under the head of “Doses” appended to every article of importance noticed in this work. The mixture, which must be complete, may be effected by working the articles together on a marble or gla slab or tile, or, still better, by trituration in a clean wedgwood mortar. In some cases the simple cerate is melted by a gentle heat, and the whole stirred or triturated until nearly solid; in others, digestion with heat is employed.