Paraffinum Album, White Paraffin.
Preparations:
White paraffin (Petrolatum Album, U.S.P.; White Petrolatum) is a colourless mixture of hydrocarbons, chiefly of the methane series, obtained by distilling off the lighter and more volatile portions from petroleum, and purifying the residue (see Paraffinum Molle). It occurs as a white, unctuous mass, transparent in thin layers, and without odour or taste. In other respects, it possesses the characters of Paraffinum Molle. White paraffin is preferred when white ointments are required, but does not possess any other advantage over the yellow variety. It can be obtained with a melting-point of 46°, and such a preparation is preferable to a mixture of soft and hard paraffin with the same melting-point.
