Sarkany, I., Meara, R.H., & Everall, J. 1961 Cheilitis due to carmine in lip salve.. Transactions of the St. John's Hospital Dermatological Society 48: 39-40.

Notes: This is a report of three cases of allergic sensitivity to carmine used as a coloring matter in lip salves. Carmine is the aluminium lake of the pigment from cochineal, obtained by precipitation with inorganic salts and albumin. Cochineal consists of the dried female insects, Coccus cacti Linne, enclosing the young larvae. The B.P. definition gives the name of this insect as Dactylopius coccus Costa and specifies that it contains eggs as well as larvae. The cochineal insect is indigenous to Mexico, Peru and Central America and in general appearance resembles a wood louse. The red dye found in the remains of the female insect has been long esteemed by the old races in these subtropical countries. They appreciated their value and in order to increase supplies, they successfully cultivated the cacti with the insects many years before Cortez landed in Mexico in the early part of the sixteenth century. At one time, cochineal was thought to possess medicinal properties and was used in whooping cough and neuralgia. At present it is used as coloring material in rouge and lip salves, as a dye in inks and food products and for making stains in microscopy.