Chaulmoogra oil has been known since earliest times as a remedy for leprosy. According to Perrot and other authors, its effect depends on the oily acids and their ethyl ethers. Chaulmoogra oil is a yellowish liquid with a faint aromatic scent ; it hardens quickly on cooling and has some bactericidal power. Dr. Delanoe, in 1926, was the first to suggest the treatment of trachoma with chaulmoogra oil. She had used this medicament successfully for eight years on 25,000 patients in Morocco, but, owing to the conditions of her work, she had not been able to trace the final results.1
After the appearance of Dr. Delanoe's papers certain authors reported successful results with this drug (Gabriélidès,2 Foa) ; others obtained good results, but did not consider chaulmoogra oil a specific remedy for trachoma.
Orlov,3 Murzin,4 Beljaev5 and Sherman6 referred favorably to it. At different stages