Liquid Parrafin?

[josie_s]

What is it and what is it really for?
Sorry but its one of them things that has quite a few different uses and I just wondered exactly what it was designed for? AND was it designed or is it actually a natural product?

 

[Cahill]

it smells and you can put it in greenhouse heaters and it burns with a wick to keep the frost out.also parafin lights like sailors used to use?????is it also a laxative??????

 

[Natch]

Please somebody confirm or correct me, but I think its used as a drench for colic in an emergency to shift things and try to get them to poo (as it can't be digested and is slippery? I think!!?

) - I think some people also use it like vaseline, to grease heels against mud fever and that sort of thing. Definately don't think its natural, you can get it from B&Q, I think its a by-product of the oil industry?

(watches as someone comes in and tells me I'm talking a load of rubbish but I'm curious too now!)

 

[marieE]

yes excellent laxative, and lubrication, and flamable. can get it from your local pharmacy, stinks.

 

[Cahill]

so dont drink some,go for a poo and have a fag while on the bog!!!!!booooooooom

 

[josie_s]

Yeah, it was as a drench the first time I remember seeing it being used. Then a vet rhas ecommended it to soften mud fever scabs and it got me thinking

 

[josie_s]

didn't realise it was flamable (though the name does suggest it I guess)

 

[mandy4727]

We used to use it years and years ago for rain rash/scald. Rub it in and it loosens the scabs and you can comb them out. Also used to use it on mud rash.

 

[dufffy]

its used in parrafin burining lamps as fuel not heard of it used to do with horses before tho i guess you would say its natural substance its one of the products that comes off when you distill(heat) oil along with various gases etc. thats what i remember from higher chemistry anyway prob wrong forgotten most stuff lol

 

[YorksG]

Parrafin for heaters and liquid parrafin are not the same thing. One you get from DIY storesetc and the other from a chemist. It is very useful for mild impacted colic.

 

[machannah]

yep good for mud fever scabs, havent used it in about 10 years though (pony had mud fever), didnt know it was still recommended

 

[flyingfeet]

Ditto that - do not feed heating paraffin to a horse !!

Liquid paraffin you get from a chemist is colourless and odourless. It doesn't taste of much (I drank a bottle after a nasty spell in hospital left me with errr problems)

Here's a good explanation:
Liquid paraffin (medicinal) is used to aid bowel movement in persons suffering chronic constipation; it passes through the alimentary canal without itself being taken into the body, but it limits the amount of water removed from the stool. In the food industry, where it may be called "wax", it can be used as a lubricant in mechanical mixing, applied to baking tins to ensure that loaves are easily released when cooked and as a coating for fruit or other items requiring a "shiny" appearance for sale

 

[laura05]

yes i also use it to soften mud fever scabs put it on leave over night and they rub off the next morning great stuff

 

[kbsaff]

Yup, My pony had colic and a tube was put up her nose into her stomach, and about 5 litres of parafin was poured into a warmish bucket of water and pumped into her tummy. it's supposed to clear impactions in a colic. When they do poo it comes out with an oily film over it and that's how you know they have passed the parrafin. Nice huh?

 

[ladyt25]

Yep, we have used paraffin to help our donkey when he had colic (much to his disgust!). Sister also used on her horse for his sore heels one winter and they cleared up briliantly.