bject in view in local medication.#

To hasten the maturation and disappearance of the existing lesions, and
to stimulate the skin and glands to healthy action.

If slight irritation or scaliness results, the application is to be
intermitted one or two nights; in the meantime nothing except the
hot-water sponging, with or without the application of a mild soothing
ointment, is to be employed.

#Is it usually necessary to change from one external remedy to another in
the course of treatment?#

Yes. After a certain time one remedy, as a rule, loses its effect, and a
change from lotion to ointment or the reverse, and from one lotion or
ointment to another, will often be found necessary in order to bring
about continuous improvement.

#Name the various important remedies and combinations employed in the
external treatment of acne.#

Sulphur is the most valuable. It may often be applied with benefit as a
simple ointment:--

[Rx] Sulphur, praecip., .................... [dram]ss-[dram]j
Adipis benz.
Lanolin, ............ [=a][=a] ....... [dram]ij.

Or it may be used as a lotion, as in the annexed formula:--

[Rx] Sulphur, praecip., .................... [dram]iss
Pulv. tragacanthae, ................... gr. x1
Pulv. camphorae, ...................... gr. xx
Liq. calcis, ........ q.s. ad ........ f[Oz]iv. M.

Another lotion, especially useful in those cases in which an oily
condition of the skin is present, is the following:--

[Rx] Sulphur, praecip., .................... [dram]iss
Etheris, ............................. f[dram]iv
Alcoholis, ........................... f[Oz]iijss. M.

A compound lotion containing sulphur in one of its combinations is also
valuable in many cases:--

[Rx] Zinci sulphatis,
Potassii sulphureti, .... [=a][=a] ... [dram]ss-[dram]iv
Aquae, ................................ [Oz]iv. M.

(The salts should be dissolved separately and then mixed; reaction takes
place and the resulting lotion, when shaken, is milky in appearance, and
free from odor; allowed to stand the particles settle, the sediment
constituting about one-fourth to three-fourths of the whole bulk).

At times the addition to this formula of several drachms of alcohol and
of five to ten minims of glycerin is of advantage.

An external remedy, often valuable, is ichthyol. It is thus
prescribed:--

[Rx] Ichthyol, ......................