15 Facts About Creosote

Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood or fossil fuel.

Creosote was first discovered in its wood-tar form in 1832, by Carl Reichenbach, when he found it both in the tar and in pyroligneous acids obtained by a dry distillation of beechwood.

Creosote found that the meat was dried without undergoing putrefaction and had attained a smoky flavor.

Creosote recommends cedria to ease the pain in a toothache, as an injection in the ear in case of hardness of hearing, to kill parasitic worms, as a preventive for infusion, as a treatment for phthiriasis and porrigo, as an antidote for the poison of the sea hare, as a liniment for elephantiasis, and as an ointment to treat ulcers both on the skin and in the lungs.

Creosote further speaks of cedria being used as the embalming agent for preparing mummies.

Creosote was suggested as a treatment for tuberculosis by Reichenbach as early as 1833.

Creosote suggested it for epilepsy, neuralgia, diabetes, and chronic glanders.

Creosote began a series of trials with Gimbert to convince the scientific community, and claimed a promising cure rate.

Creosote argued it had the active chemical of creosote and had the advantage of being of definite composition and having a less unpleasant taste and odor.

Creosote's data showed that both drugs were effective in increasing secretions into the airways in laboratory animals, when high enough doses were given.

Creosote is the ingredient that gives liquid smoke its function; guaicol lends to the taste and the creosote oils help act as the preservative.

Creosote can be destroyed by treatment with chlorine, either sodium hypochlorite, or calcium hypochlorite solutions.

Creosote was processed into gas and used for lighting that way.

Creosote is considered a restricted-use pesticide and is only available to licensed pesticide applicators.

Creosote is mostly insoluble in water, but the lower-molecular-weight compounds will become soluble the longer the broken wood is exposed to the water.