VfLJ THE ECLECTIC AND GENERAL DISPENSATORY: COMPREHENDING A SYSTEM OF PHARMACY, MATERIA MEDICA, THE FORMULJE- OF THE LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND DUBLIN PHARMACOPOEIAS, PRESCRIPTIONS OF MANY EMINENT PHYSICIANS, and RECEIPTS FOR THE MOST COMMON EMPIRICAL MEDICINES: COLLATED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES, BY dJV AMERICAN FI1VSICMJV. M PHILADELPHIA: TOWAR AND HOGAN, 255 MARKET STREET MIFFLIN AND PARHY, PRlNTEn.S. 1827. Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to -wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-ninth day of September, in the fifty-second year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1827, Towar and Hogan, of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit: " The Eclectic and General Dispensatory: comprehending a System of Pharmacy, Materia Medica, the Formula: of the London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Pharmacopoeias, Prescriptions of many eminent Physicians, and Receipts for the most common Empirical Medicines: collated from the best authorities, by an American Physician." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intituled " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." And also to the Act en- titled, " An Act supplementary to an act, entitled, ' An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. PREFACE. THE object of this work is to give to the Student a quantity of valuable matter, in an elementary form as far as regards the department of Pharmacy, and to combine materials of a highly useful nature for the benefit of the Physician, in the history of the Articles of the Materia Medica, both foreign and domestic. Whilst the Formulae of regular practice, as detailed in the Dispensatories of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, furnish an extended view of the legitimate Implements used in our art, those of the empiric are also given, in order to divest of mystery those pernicious engines, by which so much mischief is done, and thus limit the extension of a species of crime, which unites in itself both robbery and murder, and which now more than ever threatens the greatest injury to the people. All the materials from foreign sources which could add to its usefulness, have been freely used in compiling the Work. THE ECLECTIC AND GENERAL DISPENSATORY. PART I. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. PH ARMACY is that branch of the science of chemistry which relates to the combina- tion and mixture of different substances for the purposes of medicine. Its practice presupposes a knowledge of the ultimate principles of the substances employed in its operations, and of their chemical agencies ; and hence, of the gene- ral doctrines of Chemical Science. The elements, therefore, of Pharmacy, proper- ly speaking, are those of Chemistry; and without a knowledge of these, it cannot be either theoretically understood, or advanta- geously practised as an art. As, however, it would be impossible in 1. EACH of the kingdoms of nature fur- nishes articles which are employed in medi- cine, either in their natural state, or after they have been prepared by the art of pharmacy. 2. In collecting these, attention must be paid to select such as are most sound and perfect, to separate from them whatever is injured or decayed, and to free them from all foreign matters adhering to them. 5. Those precautions must be taken which are best fitted for preserving them. They must in general be defended from the effects of moisture, too great heat, or cold, and confined air. 4. When their activity depends on vola- tile principles, they must be preserved from the contact of the air as much as pos- sible. 1 this place to give more than an outline or epitome of the elements of Chemistry, and as the second part of this work is intended to contain the analysis as well as the history and uses of the different articles of the Ma- teria Medica which constitute the subjects of Pharmacy, 1 shall confine the term Ele- ments of Pharmacy to comprehend those general principles of chemical action which enable us to reason on, and perceive the proximate causes of the results of pharma- ceutical combinations ; and to the explana- tion of the operations of Pharmacy, with a description of the apparatus. 5. As the vegetable kingdom presents us with the greatest number of simples, and the substances belonging to it are the least constant in their properties, and most sub- ject to decay, it becomes necessary to give a few general rules for their collection and preservation. 6. Vegetable matters should be collected in the countries where they areindigenousj and those which grow wild, in dry soils, and high situations, fully exposed to the air and sun, are in general to be preferred to those which are cultivated, or which grow in moist, low, shady, or confined places. 7. Roots which are annual, should be col- lected before they shoot out their stalks or flowers ; biennial roots in the harvest of the first, or spring of the second year ; peren- PHARMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS. COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF SIMPLES. 2 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. nial roots either in spring before the sap has begun to mount, or in harvest, after it has returned. 8. Those which are worm-eaten, (except some resinous roots,) or which are decay- ed, are to be rejected. The others are im- mediately to be cleaned with a brush and cold water, letting them lie in it as short time as possible ; and the fibres and little roots, when not essential, are to be cut away. 9. Roots which consist principally of fi- bres, and have but a small tap, may be im- mediately dried. If they be juicy, and not aromatic, this may be done by heat, not ex- ceeding 100° of Fahrenheit; but if aroma- tic, by simply exposing them, and frequent- ly turning them in a current of cold dry air; if very thick and strong, they are to be split or cut into slices, and strung upon threads ; if covered with a tough bark, they may be peeled fresh, and then dried. Such as lose their virtues by drying, or are directed to be preserved in a fresh state, are to be kept buried in dry sand. 10. No very general rule can be given for the collection of herbs and leaves, some of them acquiring activity from their age, and others, as the mucilaginous leaves, from the same cause, losing the property for which they are officinal. Aromatics are to be collected after the flower-buds are form- ed ; annuals, not aromatic, when they are about to flower, or when in flower; bien- nials, before they shoot; and perennials, before they flower, especially if their fibres become woody. 11. They are to be gathered in dry wea- ther, after the dew is off them, or in the evening before it falls, and are to be freed from decayed, withered, or foreign leaves. They are usually tied in bundles, and hung up in a shady, warm, and airy pLce ; or spread upon the floor, and frequently turn- ed. If very juicy, they are laid upon a sieve, and dried by a gentle degree of ar- tificial warmth. 12. Sprouts are collected before the buds open ; and stalks are gathered in autumn. 13. Barks and woods are collected when the most active part of the vegetables are concentrated in them, which happens in spring and in autumn. Spring is preferred for resinous barks, and autumn for the oth- ers which are not resinous, but rather gum- my. Barks should be taken from young trees, and freed from decayed parts, and all impurities. 14. The same rules direct the collection nf woods ; but they must not be taken from very young trees. Among the resinous woods, the heaviest, which sink in water, are selected. The alburnum is to be re- jected. 15. Flowers are collected in clear dry weather, before noon, but alter the dew is off: either when they are just about to open, or immediately after they have open- ed. Of some the petals only are preserved, and the colourless claws are even cut away ; of others whose calyx is odorous, the whole flower is kept. Flowers which are too small to be pulled singly, are dried with part of the stalk ; these are called heads or tops. 16. Flowers and herbs are to be dried by the gentle heat of a stove or common fire, in such quantities at a time, that the pro- cess may be finished as quickly as possible; for by this means their powers are best pre- served ; the test of which is the perfect preservation of their natural colour. When they lose their colour and smell they are unfit for use. 17. Seeds and fruits, unless when other- wise directed, are to be gathered when ripe, but before they fall spontaneously. Some pulpy fruits are freed from their core and seeds, strung upon thread, and dried artificially. They are in general best pre- served in their natural coverings, although some, as the colocynth, are peeled, and others, as" the tamarind, preserved fresh. Many of these are apt to spoil, or become rancid; and as they are then no longer fit for medical use, no very large quantity of them should be collected at a time. 18. The proper drying of vegetable sub- stances is of the greatest importance. It is often directed to be done in the shade, and slowly, that the volatile and active particlea may not be dissipated by too great heat; but this is an error, for they always lose in- finitely more by slow than by quick drying. When, on account of the colour, they can- not be exposed to the sun, and the warmth of the atmosphere is insufficient,they should be dried by an artificial warmth, less than 100° Fahrenheit, and well exposed to a cur- rent of air. When perfectly dry and friable, they have little smell; but after being kept some time, they attract moisture from the air, and regain their prtfper odour. 19. The boxes and drawers in which ve- getable matters are kept, should not impart to them any smell or taste ; and more cer- tainly to avoid this, they should be lined with paper. Such as are volatile, of a deli- cate texture, or subject to suffer from in- sects, must be kept in well covered glasses. Fruits and oily seeds, which are apt to be- come rancid, must be kept in a cool, and dry, but by no means in a warm, or moist place. 20. Oily seeds, odorous plants, and those containing volatile principles, must be col- lected fresh every year. Others, whose properties are more permanent, and not subject to decay, will keep for several years. 21. Vegetables collected in a moist and rainy season, are in general more water) and apt to spoil. In a dry season, on the contrary, they contain more oily and resin- ous particles, and keep much better. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY OF THE MORE GENERAL A( MACEUTICAL C The agents which more generally influ- ence chemical, and thence pharmaceutical combinations, are Attraction and Repulsion. I. ATTRACTION. Atthaction is the term employed to de- note that power which causes bodies to ap- proach towards each other, and which pre- serves them in a state of union after they come into contact. We are ignorant of the cause of this power, but some of the laws respecting it are sufficiently evident; and from observing the different phenomena to which these give rise, we are inclined to be- lieve that there are different species of at- tractions, although, perhaps, the difference is more in degree than in kind. When this power is exerted on masses of matter, at sensible distances, and in the direct ratio of the quantity of matter, and the inverse one of the square of the dis- tance, it is named gravitation,- but when its operation is confined to the minute atoms of bodies, and is exerted only when these are near to each other, or in apparent con- tact, it is denominated contiguous attraction. The former preserves the planets in their orbits, and sustains in their places all the parts of the magnificent frame of the uni- verse : the second is the cause of the regu- lar figures of natural bodies, and of the va- rious combinations of matter, which take place in and on the surface of our globe. It is this variety that we are here to exa- mine. Contiguous attraction, operating on particles of the same kind, forms an aggre- gate or mass ; and hence, the power in this instance is named the attraction of aggre- gation or cohesion: but acting on dissimilar particles, and producing bodies possessed of new properties, different from those of their components, it constitutes chemical attraction or affinity. a. OF COHESION. The attraction of cohesion is that force which retains together the particles of bo- dies at insensible distances. According to the degree of force which it exerts, sub- stances assume the solid, the fluid, or the aeriform state. 1. In solid bodies this force is sufficiently powerful to prevent their component par- ticles from being moved with regard to each other, except in a very small degree ; and to oppose a considerable resistance to any mechanical power applied to separate them. In the same kinds of bodies, all the circumstances being equal, it is always the ENTS INFLUENCING PHAR- same ; but in dissimilar bodies it is exceed" ingly various: from which, and the pecu- liar arrangement of the particles, arise the different qualities of solids, denominated hardness, softness, malleability, ductility, and elasticity. The attraction of cohesion in solids is ex- erted at insensible distances only, and may be weakened or altogether overcome by ca- loric, or that matter which produces the sensation of heat. If a piece of ice, for ex- ample, be brought near a fire, the cohe- sion of its particles is weakened as the ca- loric flows into it, till it is changed from from the solid state to the fluid, or water; and by continuing and increasing the heat, the particles are still further separated from each other, until the fluid passes into the gaseous form, or becomes steam. This pow- er is also weakened by chemical affinity; for when a solid body is put into a fluid, the affinity betwen the particles of the fluid and those of the solid is often sufficient to overcome the aggregation of the solid; and its detached particles being uniformly dif- fused through the fluid, now form a part of it, without altering either its fluidity or transparency. This constitutes the ordina- ry chemical or pharmaceutical process of solution, which is always favoured by the application of heat, owing to the assistance it affords in overcoming the cohesive at- traction, as has been already noticed. 2. In liquid bodies this force also ope- rates, but in a less degree than in solids, their particles being at greater relative dis- tances, and moveable with regard to each other by a very small force ; but as their mobility does not change their relative distances, they remain within the sphere of this attraction, and are kept together. The exertion of this power varies in diffe- rent liquids : it is greater in mercury than in water, and in this than in alcohol. It offers, however, scarcely any resistance to the combination of fluids with other bo- dies : and thence the mutual affinity of two bodies is always favoured when one of them is in the liquid state. 3. This attraction is not exerted over ae'riform substances; for while these remain at the temperature necessary for the pre- servation of their aerial state, their parti- cles mutually repel each other, and would recede to an indefinite distance, were they not prevented by the pressure of the sur- rounding bodies. Thus, a portion of air which can be contained in a vessel of 1 cubical inch of capacity, will fill a vessel 4 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. of 100 cubical inches of capacity, if the pressure which confines it within the smal- ler vessel be removed. One of tiie most important results of this variety of contiguous attraction, in a phar- maceutical point of view, is the formation of crystals, or the regular and determinate figures assumed by many bodies in passing from the fluid to the solid state, when no- thing opposes the union of their particles according to the laws of aggregation. The process of crystallization requires that the particles of the substance to be crystallized become moveable ; and, conse- quently, in order to obtain any body in a crystalline state, it must first be rendered fluid, either by solution in a liquid, or by fusion. The crystallization of salts is usually ef- fected in the first method. When a salt is much more soluble in hot water than in cold, as is the case, for example, with sul- phate of soda, nothing more is required for its crystallization, than to saturate boiling water with the salt, and set the solution aside to cool. As the caloric is dissipated, the saline particles gradually approach each other, and uniting, form solids of that reg- ular shape which characterizes the crystals of this peculiar salt. But when the salt is almost equally soluble in hot and in cold water, as muriate of soda, for instance, its crystallization can be effected only by eva- porating a part of the fluid ; and the more slowly this takes place, the mutual attrac- tion of the particles is more regularly ef- fected, and the more regular is the shape of the crystals which are obtained. In both cases, however, the affinity of the saline par- ticles at length ceases to act, while the fluid still retains as much saline matter as it can hold dissolved at the temperature of the at- mosphere, or is a saturated solution ; but, by a greater reduction of temperature in the one case, and a further evaporation in the other, it will again yield crystals. By fusion bodieswhich are not soluble in water, as glass, sulphur, &c. are enabled to assume the crystalline form. In this case the body is, as it were, dissolved in caloric; and the particles being separated from each other, these, when the cooling is gradual, assume, in aggregating again, the regular arrangements which take place in crystal- lization. This mode of crystallizing sub- stances is never used for pharmaceutical purposes. Crystallization is promoted or retarded by various circumstances, to be afterwards noticed. (See Section hi.) Its theory is still obscure ; but some light has been thrown upon it by the experiments of Haiiy. He found that crystals may be mechanically divided, and reduced to certain primitive forms, which are always the same in the same kind of substances, and depend upon the figure and the mode of combination of the integrant particles composing the crys- tals. The varieties of figure of these par- ticles, notwithstanding the great diversity of crystalline forms, are reducible to three: namely, 1. the parallelopiped, the faces of whicli are six, parallel two and two; 2. the triangular prism ; and 3. tetrahedron, or four-sided pyramid: and these particles, therefore, according to the mode in which they unite, which may be either by their faces or their edges, form primitive crys- tals, which are the nuclei of the secondary crystals. The forms of primitive crystals may be reduced to the following six: 1. the parallelopiped, including the cube, the rhomboid, and all solids terminated by six faces, parallel two and two ; 2. the regular tetrahedron; 3. the octahedron with tri- angular faces; 4. the six-sided prism ; 5. the dodecahedron, terminated by rhombs; and 6. the dodecahedron, with isosceles triangular faces. The variations of the forms of secondary crystals are considerable in the same salt, and depend, in general, ei- ther on variations in the proportions of the ingredients which compose the integrant particles, or on the properties of the sol- vent in which the crystals are formed.- thus alum crystallizes in octahedrons, but the addition of a little alumina produces cubes; and an excess of this earth prevents crys- tallization altogether : thus also, muriate of soda, which crystallizes in cubes, when dis- solved in water, assumes the regular octa- hedral form when it is crystallized in urine. Independent, however, of these causes, a variety of secondary forms make their ap« pearance ; which the theory of Haiiy ex- plains, by supposing that, as the matter which envelopes the primitive nucleus to form a secondary crystal is attracted in thin layers, each layer decreasing in size in con- sequence of one or more rows of integrant particles being abstracted from its primi- tive edges or angles. The decrements may be on the edges of the. slices, which cor- respond with the edges of the primitive nucleus; or on the angles, that is, parallel to the diagonals of the faces of the primi- tive nucleus ; or the decrements may be intermediate, parallel to lines situated ob- liquely between the diagonals and edges of the faces of the primitive nucleus. It would be impossible, however, to give a satisfactory view of this ingenious theorv in the narrow compass of this epitome; and therefore I must refer the reader to Haiiy's Trai'e' de *\linerulogie, tomes 1 and 2; to the Annates de Chimie, torn. 17 ; and the 3d volume of the fifth edition of Thomson's System of Chemistry. Such is the attraction of aggregation, and its general effects. It is frequently con- cerned in modifying pharmaceutical re- sults; but it is a power of much less im- ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. * portance than the next variety of contigu- ous attraction. b. OF CHEMICAL ATTRACTION, OB AFFI- NITY.* Chemical attraction, or affinity, is that power by which dissimilar substances, pla- ced under certain circumstances, are ena- bled to unite, and form new aggregates, in which the properties of the component particles are lost or changed. Its action is confined to the minute atoms or particles of bodies, and is exerted only at insensible distances : not indifferently, however, be- tween the particles of all bodies, but elec- tively. The result of its operation is a combination of the constituent particles of the substances, so intimate that the compo- nents cannot be recognized nor separated by any mechanical force. Thus, lime acts as a powerful caustic when applied to ani- mal matter, and is partially soluble in wa- ter; phosphoric acid has an acid taste, and is very soluble in water; but phosphate of lime, the compound, produced by the che- mical combination of these substances, is inert when applied to animal matter, insir pid, and insoluble in water; and cannot be again resolved into lime and phosphoric acid by any mechanical power. Chemical combination, therefore, is the result of the affinity of two or more sub- stances for each other. It differs from mix- ture, in which the substances are only blended without acquiring any new pro- perties, and in which the dissimilar parts arc easdy discovered, and may be separa- ted by mechanical powers. Chemical com- pounds can, however, be decomposed, either by exposure to a high temperature, which weakens the force of attraction ex- isting between their principles; or, by mixture, under favourable circumstances, with some other chemical agent, which has a more powerful affinity for one of the components than these have for each oth- er : and by such means, which constitute chemical analysis, the principles of a com- pound may be ascertained. As analysis separates compounds into their constituent principles, so synthesis may reproduce them by recombining these principles ; and when this can be effected, it is the surest proof of the accuracy of any analysis. In many instances, however, this is impossible: and the evidence of the truth of an analysis is to be drawn from oth- er sources. It is an acknowledged law of chemical affinity, that a compound " does not possess properties merely intermediate between those of its component parts, but has ac- • For many of the following observations on affi- nity, I am indebted to the remarks of my late res- pected friend, Dr. Murray : see his System nf Chemit- try, vol. i. quired others more or less new." One of the most general changes is that of form. The combination of two gases, for exam- ple, may produce a fluid or a solid: that of two fluids may form a solid ; and the com- mon process of solution presents to us the fact, that by the combination of a solid with a fluid, the solid assumes the fluid form. In the last-mentioned instance the fluid is generally regarded as the active substance; but, nevertheless, the attraction of affinity is reciprocal; and hence, the general mode of expressing the fact, that the fluid dis- solves the solid, or is the solvent or men- struum, is, in strict language, erroneous. These terms, however, are more correctly applied, when the properties of the solid, except form, are scarcely sensibly altered ; as, for example, when common salt, muri- ate of soda, is dissolved in water. Chemical combination produces an al- teration of density—that of the compound not being the mean of the components, but often different. In the greater number of cases the density is increased ; and there is a diminution of volume, owing probably to the compound atom being of a form admit- ting a more compact aggregation than the component atoms in their separate state; but the specific gravity of a compound can- not be determined by calculation from the specific gravity of its ingredients. There are cases of combination, however, in which the density is diminished: and there is an in- crease of volume in the resulting com- pound ; for instance, when a solid is dis- solved by a liquid, the increase of volume acquired by the solid in passing into the fluid state may be greater than the con- densation resulting from its union in that state with the liquid; and this happens from the solution of a considerable number of the salts in water. " The exertion of chemical attraction is accompanied by a change of temperature." Thus, if four parts of sulphuric acid and one part of water, both at the temperature of 32°, be mixed together, the temperature of the mixture rises to 300°; and the den- sity of the compound is much greater than the mean of the densities of the components. The heat also which is evolved.by combus- tion, and in fermentation, is the direct con- sequence of chemical combination. In all cases the increase of temperature is accom- panied with an increase of density, to which, and the change of form suffered by one or both of the components, its produc- tion may be ascribed. Thus water which is solidified by being mixed with quicklime, parts with a large portion of caloric. The contrary effect, however, or an absorption of caloric, is also produced by chemical combination, when the density of the com- pound is less than the mean; as, for in- stance, when, by solutions of salts in water, 6 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. or in some other fluids, very intense colds, greater than any natural cold, are artificial- ly produced.* The exertion of chemical affinity is influ- enced by various circumstances : these, ac- cording to Berthollet, are mass, cohesion, insolubility, specific gravity, elasticity, and inflorescence. 1. That mass has a considerable share in influencing chemical affinity was first sug- gested by Berthollet, who states it as a ca- non, that combinations do not depend alto- gether on the attraction of affinity, but on the proportions also of the substances brought into action. Thus, if a and b form a compound, and c be a substance which has a stronger affinity for a than b has, it should be able when mixed with the com- pound, to withdraw a altogether from b, if combination was regulated by affinity only : but this, he affirms, is not the case in fact; for c does not entirely combine with a, but is shared between it and b, according to the force of the affinity, and the bulk of each. This view of the subject affords a reason why, in pharmaceutical composi- tions, a small quantity of a substance may be added to a compound, without produ- cing any sensible effect, although if added in large quantity, decomposition would di- rectly ensue. It follows, also, from it, 1st. that " the chemical action of one substance on another, must diminish as it advances to saturation :" and, 2dly, that a decomposing substance " must oppose a stronger resist- ance to the decomposing agent, in propor- tion as the decomposition proceeds, from the increase in the relative quantity of one x>{ its ingredients to the other, which is ab- stracted :" and, lastly, " that in estimating the relative forces of affinity in bodies, the quantities of them must be taken into ac- count, and ought to be equal." Objections of considerable weight have been advanc- ed to the opinions of Berthollet on this sub- ject, by Pfaff, Sir H. Davy, and others : but it is unnecessary to enter into an examina- tion of them at the present moment; and we may only observe, that the theory of Berthollet, however plausible, is not unob- jectionable : so that it is, perhaps, better for the student to regard affinityas truly elective, and that the constituents of all compound bodies are constant. 2. Cohesion has an evident influence in opposing chemical action, and counteract- ing the exertion of chemical affinity. Thus all aggregates are more slowly acted on by liquids, in which they are soluble.than when their parts are mechanically divided; and this does not happen altogether from the mere circumstance of a larger surface being presented to the fluid; for a native oxide * See Appendix to Part I. No. I. of tin, which in the aggregate resists com- pletely the action of any acid, becomes so- luble when its aggregation is overcome by mechanical operations; and some other substances are similarly affected. Hence trituration, levigalion, and granulation are ranked among pharmaceutical operations, and are of importance "in facilitating che- mical action, partly by diminishing aggre- gation, and partly by increasing the sur- face on which affinity is exerted." In some instances mechanical division is not suffi- cient, and recourse must be had to pre- cipitation. Thus liquid potash will not dis- solve silica in powder, as it can be obtained by trituration ; but when the silica is preci- pitated from a state of chemical solution, it is readily dissolved in liquid potash. Owing to the force of cohesion, also, so- lid bodies seldom act chemically on solids; while fluids readily combine with fluids, and likewise act with energy on solids for which they have an affinity. Fluidity, how- ever, is not indispensable to chemical ac- tion ; there being many cases in which two solids, in a state of minute mechanical divi- sion, act chemically on each other.f (See Section Hi.) When, however, the specific gravities of even two fluids are very mate- rially different, their chemical combination is opposed, to a certain extent, by the force of cohesion of the heavier fluid ; and thence, agitation is frequently necessary for aiding the operation of affinity. Cohesion has sometimes a considerable influence in determining the proportion of combinations formed in consequence of new affinities. Thus, if its intensity be suf- ficient to counterbalance the affinity of the fluid in which the integrant particles re- sulting from a new combination are form- ed, it will combine these, and produce crys- tallizations or precipitations, which, with- drawing the substance thus formed in part from the sphere of action, and opposing a resistance to any further exertion of chemi- cal power, will consequently determine the proportions of the combination. . 3. Insolubility must necessarily modify chemical action. If an insoluble compound substance be acted on by any substance tending to combine with one of its princi- ples, this is protected in some degree by the insolubility of the compound withdraw- ing it from the action of the decomposing substance ; and if a compound which is pro- duced in the progress of combination be in- soluble, it will be directly precipitated, and thus fixed in its proportions. In decompo- sition this is extremely useful; for the inso- luble product, being immediately separated, t Thence the axiom Corpora non agunt nisi si/if solum, which was formerly established in chemistry, is not generally true. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 7 cannot oppose the further action of the de-' composing substance, which would be the case were it to remain in solution. 4. Specific gravity influences considerably the exertion of affinity, particularly if the substance be of little solubility, by withdraw- ing it from the sphere of action, and hence retarding its combinations ; and in many in- stances this can be but imperfectly coun- teracted by agitation. 5. Chemical attraction, as far as the aeri- form substances are concerned, is opposed by elasticity. Thus, when two gases, hav- ing mutual affinities, are mixed together, they very seldom combine, which is ascri- bed to the distances between the particles of substances existing in the gaseous state: for, as chemical attraction is exerted at in- sensible distances only, the particles of the two gases, although mingled together, are yet without the sphere of attraction. That this is owing to elasticity, is evident from the circumstance that the vapours which are not elastic more readily combine. Hence, whatever gives density to highly elastic substances, as, for example, mechani- cal pressure, or cold to a certain degree, must favour their chemical combination. 6. Efflorescence may also influence chemi- cal affinity ; a fact which was first observed by Scheele, who ascertained, that if in a paste composed of several saline substances decomposition is going on, one of the re- sulting compounds often rises through the mass, and forms an efflorescence on its sur- face, and its being thus withdrawn from the sphere of action contributes towards for- warding the decomposition. 7. The influence of temperature in modi- fying chemical action is very considerable. An increased temperature, by promoting fusion, and in other respects weakening the attraction of cohesion in solids, favours com- bination ; but opposes it in some cases, as much as it augments elasticity. In both in- stances its effects are much modified by the degree of its intensity; combinations effected at a lowei, being often dissolved at a higher temperature, owing to one or more of the components having its affinity weakened hyan increased elasticity. Thus, mercury exposed to air for some time at a temperature equal to its boiling point, com- bines with the oxygen of the air, and is converted into red oxide of mercury ; but if the fire be raised so as to make the retort red-hot, this oxide is again decomposed, and running mercury and oxygen gas obtained. From the influence of the above circum- stances on chemical combination, the utili- ty of these pharmaceutical and chemical operations, which diminish aggregation, overcome the effect of specific gravity, di- minish elasticity, and regulate tamperature, such as pulverization, trituration, granula- I tion, agitation, and compression, with the | proper management of furnaces, is suffi- ciently obvious. v In that department of pharmacy, also, which regards extemporaneous composi- tions, it is of importance to attend to the slowness with which chemical action is in many instances produced ; for substances, which have mutual affinities for each other, may give no indication of any change when newly mixed, but yet, after some time, may act, and produce even complete changes. Such compounds, therefore, when they are intended to act medicinally should be ex- hibited as soon as possible after they are made. Chemical attraction may be exerted be- tween more than two bodies, so as to bring three or four into one combination; and such compounds are named ternary, guater~ nary, &c. according to the number of their components. Several examples of these are to be found among the saline prepara- tions (Part iii.) ; and almost all the vege- table substances are compounds of three or more principles. The forces with which chemical attrac- tion is exerted are different in different bo- dies. In cases where this attraction is ex- erted in a superior degree by a third body to either of the components of a compound of two bodies, so as to decompose it, and form a new compound, while at the same time one of the components of the previous compound is set free, the affinity thus ex- erted has been termed single elective attrac- tion. To represent the relative forces of affinity, tables were first constructed by Geoffroy ; and afterwards much improved and extended by other chemists, particular- ly Bergman. The opinions of Berthollet on this subject may have tended to lessen their value in the opinions of some ; but their utility to a certain extent must un- doubtedly be acknowledged.* When the elective attractions are more complicated, or when two elective affinities are exerted, and two new compounds formed, this is termed double elective attraction. In such cases, Mr. Kirwan denominated the attrac- tions which tend to preserve a compound in its original state quiescent; while the others, which tend to separate the princi- ples of a compound from each other, he termed divellent attractions. As an exam- ple of double elective attraction, let it be supposed that two compounds, one con- sisting of potash and sulphuric acid, or sul- phate of potash, and the other consisting of muriatic acid and lime, or muriate of lime, be mixed together, a double decomposition will take place, and two new compounds, * See Appendix to Part 1. No. II. 8 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. tulphate of time and muriate of potash, will be formed. In this case, if the attraction between potash and sulphuric acid be 62, and that between lime and muriatic acid be 20, the sum of the quiescent attractions will be 82; but if the attraction between potash and muriatic acid be 32, and that be- tween sulphuric acid and lime be 54, the sum of the divellent attractions will be 86: which exceeding the former sum of the qui- escent, will operate and produce the above stated decompositions and resulting com- pounds.* According to the opinions of Bergman, the relative force of the affinities which produce these effects is capable of being measured, and the changes are altogether to be ascribed to the predominance of the affinities of one set of substances over ano- ther. But the changes produced by the pre- dominance of certain affinities over others, are ascribed by Berthollet to those circum- stances which influence attraction, and limit combination. If four substances, for exam- ple, be presented to each other, two of which have a greater tendency to cohesion than the other two have, so as to form by their union an insoluble compound, instead of'one compound being formed by the union of the four, in which the affinities are ba- lanced, this will be averted by the force of cohesion, and the two which form the inso- luble compound will unite, and be separa- ted by precipitation or crystallization, leav- ing the other two in combination in the fluid which has been the medium of action. " If even these four substances were pre- viously in the reverse binary combinations, on presenting them to each other, the affi- nities within the sphere of action must be reciprocally exerted ; and the same extra- neous forces will cause an exchange of prin- ciples, or the phenomena which have.been ascribed to elective affinities will be pro- duced." To avoid the term elective at- traction, Berthollet denominates cases of this kind complex affinity. The explanation of a single elective attraction, or where three substances are presented to each other, is precisely the same; the union which takes place between two of them be- ing determined by the tendency to cohe- sion, or the disposition of the combination of two of them to form a compound of little solubility. . Elasticity likewise has a considerable in- fluence in determining decompositions where the application of heat is necessa- rv; and, according to Berthollet, the de- composition of a compound body, of which one of the ingredients has a great tenden- cy to assume the elastic form, is to be as- cribed to the disposition it has to escape from its combination, when aided by the intervention of even a weaker affinity. In complex affinities the same cause de- termines the union of substances disposed to assume the elastic form, and separates them as a volatile compound. " If, there- fore," says he, " it be desired to know the result of the exposure of two salts to the action of heat, it is only necessary to consider which of the two bases and which of the two acids have the greater volatili- ty, if there be a difference : for the more volatile base and acid will escape and en- ter into combination, and the fixed base and fixed acid will remain behind, and com- bine with one another."-j- Tables repre- senting the forces of affinity have been con- structed ; but, as Dr. Henry has justly re- marked, " one great obstacle to the con- struction of such tables, is the difficulty of ascertaining, with precision, the quantities of bodies required for neutralization."* A knowledge of the doctrines of affini- ty is of the utmost importance in pharma- cy ; and, as the foregoing sketch presents little more than an outline, I must refer those who would wish to investigate the subject to Thomson's and Murray's Systems of Chemistry, Bergman's Dissertation on Elective Attraction, Berthollet's Research- es into the Laws of Chemical Affinity, Rich- ter's Foundation of Slochiometry, and Sir Humphrey Davy's Elements of Chemical Philosophy. II. REPULSION. Repulsion is that force which separates the particles of bodies from each other, and consequently counteracts or modifies the attractions by which they are combined and preserved together in masses. It is sup- posed to depend on the operation of one • To represent this effect ofdoiible elective affinity more clearly, diagrams are used, the idea of which first occurred to Dr. Cullen. Thus the above operations would be represented in the following manner. The inverted triangle in the centre denotes water, or that the decompositiou was effected in the humid way. Muriate of potash. Sulphate of potash. { Potash 62 Sulphuric acid 32 A 54 TS Muriatic ac 20 = Lime Sulphate of lime. ' t Rrsearches, p. S. quoted by Murray, System of Chemistry, i. 120. t Henry's Elements of Experimental Chemistry, 7th ed, vol. i. p. 57. •id 1 = 82 I Muriate of lime. ELEMENTS o F PHARMACY. 9 or more of the three following powers; Ca- loric, Light, Electricity. a. CALORIC. The cause of the sensation of heat is denominated caloric. Philosophers are not completely agreed whether it is a proper- ty only of bodies, such as a vibration of their particles,* or a peculiar substance; but the latter opinion is the one more ge- nerally adopted. Under this opinion caloric is regarded as a very subtile elastic fluid, which pene- trates more or less all bodies, passing read- ily from one to another ; and is every where diffused. Its particles are supposed mu- tually to repel each other ; and bodies in- to which it enters in any sensible quantity are increased in bulk, and undergo other changes of form, while their density is di- minished. It is radiated in the same man- ner as light, and in this state forms a part of the solar ray.f The rays are refrangi- ble, and capable of reflection and of polari- zation, like those of light. It has no ascer- tainable gravity ; and neither the addition nor the abstraction of it alters sensibly the weight of bodies.* It exists in two diffe- rent states; in a. free state, in which it is merely loosely mingled, as it were, with other bodies ; and, in a latent state, or one of intimate combination. Regarding it as matter, the sources whence it may be obtained, the laws which regulate its motion and distribution, and its effects require to be noticed. Sources of Caloric. The known sources of caloric are the sun, combustion, percussion, friction, and mix- ture. a. The sun is an apparent source of ca- loric ; but the direct action of the sun's rays upon bodies seldom produces a tem- perature exceeding 160°. When these, however, are concentrated by means of a concave mirror, or a lens ; or when means are taken to prevent the communicated heat from being carried off by the sur- rounding bodies, a much higher tempera- ture can be produced. This source of ca- loric is not resorted to for pharmaceutical purposes. b. Combustion is a source of caloric high- ly interesting on account of its utility. When a combustible is heated to a cer- tain degree, it becomes still hotter of it- self, and is consumed, emitting rapidly light and caloric, until the whole substance has suffered a change of properties. The true nature of this process was first explained by Lavoisier, who laid it down as * The idea of caloric being motion or vibration, originated with Lord Bacon. t Philosophical Trans. 1807. t lb. 1779, p. 179. a chemical axiom, that " in every case of combustion, oxygen combines with the burning body." His explanation of com- bustion depends on two laws: 1st. That when a combustible body is heated to a certain temperature, it immediately begins to attract and combine with the oxygen of the atmospheric air. 2d. This oxygen be- ing in a state of gas and combined with light and caloric, is decomposed during its union with the combustible, and its caloric and light are set free in a sensible form ; while the oxygen itself remains combined with the combustible. The truth of this theory is generally supposed to be proved by the following facts: 1. combustion does not go on unless oxygen be present; and it is more brilliant in oxygen gas than in common air; 2. the products of combustion are always heavier than the body consumed; and, 3. this increase of weight is exactly equal to the quantity of oxygen which the air loses. Every combination of oxygen, however, with bodies does not produce the phenomena of combustion. Brugnatelli has endeavoured to explain this by supposing that oxygen combines with bodies in two states: " 1. Retaining the greater part of the caloric and light with which it is com- bined when in the state of gas ; and, 2. After having let go all the caloric and light with which it was combined." The above theory of combustion is, how- ever, liable to some objections; for in- stance, the emission of caloric and light is not proportional to the quantity of oxygen that combines with the combustible: and the quantity of light that appears depends altogether upon the combustible. Under the supposition, therefore, that the caloric is obtained from the oxygen of the sub- stances supporting combustion, while the light is derived from the combustibles, the process has been regarded as a case of " double decomposition ; the oxygen and combustible dividing themselves into two portions, which combine in pairs ; the one compound is the product," or the combusti- ble base united with oxygen, " the other is the fire," or the caloric and light, " which escapes."* The caloric set free by the burning or combustion of coal, charcoal, carbonated hy- drogen gas, oil, wax, and tallow, is applied to the purposes of life, and is of the first importance in the practice of pharmacy: thence endeavours have been made to as- certain the quantity of caloric evolved du- ring the burning of different combustibles, and several experiments have been insti- tuted by the most able chemists at diffe- rent times for this purpose. The following table exhibits the quantity of caloric evolved • Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. i. 607. •-•> 10 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY by the combustion of different substances, when all the circumstances are equal; the estimate being formed from the quantity of ice melted during the burning of one pound of each of the substances.* Substances burnt, 1 lb. Hydrogen - - - - Garburetted hydrogen Olefiant gas - - - - Carbonic oxide - - - Olive oil..... Rape oil - - - - - Wax...... Tallow..... Oil of turpentine - - Alcohol - - - - - Sulphuric-sether - - Naphtha..... Phosphorus - - - - Charcoal - - - - - Sulphur - - - - - Camphor..... Caoutchouc - - - - Oxygen consumed in lbs. 4 3.5 0.58 3.5 3.5 3.5 3. 1.5 2.8 1.36 Ice melted in lbs. Lavoisier. Crawford. Dalton. Rumford 295 148 133 100 96.5 480 89 97 69 320 85 88 25 104 104 104 60 58 62 60 40 20 70 42 93.073 124.097 126.242 111.582 67.470 107.027 97.834 From this table it appears that hydrogen gas would form the best fuel, where a high temperature is required. c. Percussion, as far as it applies to solid bodies, is another source of caloric. Smiths, for instance, are in the habit of kindling their fires by means of an iron rod, which is smartly and quickly hammered until it becomes red hot; and sparks are produced by the collision of hard bodies, particularly of flint with steel. This effect appears to arise from condensation, or forcing the inte- gral particles of the bodies closer together, so as to dislodge the latent caloric they con- tain, and give it out in the form of sensible caloric. The specific gravity of iron is in- creased .052 by being hammered ; and it becomes so hard and brittle that it cannot again be heated by percussion, until it has been exposed for some time to a red heat in the forge. By the collision of flint and steel the oxidizement of the steel is also effected, the sparks being small incandes- cent pieces of oxidized iron. d. Friction is also a source of caloric. It is a well-known fact, that a considerable quantity of free caloric is disengaged when two substances are smartly rubbed togeth- er; but the real source of the caloric thus evolved, still remains undetermined. e. Finally, mixture, or the chemical union of two substances, in many cases evolves caloric. This always takes place when the density or specific gravity of the mixture is greater than the mean of the substances mixed; as in the mixture of alcohol and water, or of sulphuric acid and water; and much caloric is also evolved when water is thrown upon quicklime, owing to the solidi- fication of the water when it unites with the lime. The caloric which is evolved in these, and other instances of mixture, is the latent caloric, which is the cause of the flu- idity of the components; for as the com- pound is less fluid, and consequently re- quires the presence of a smaller quantity of combined caloric, the superabundance which the more fluid components contained must be necessarily set free. Such are the sources from which caloric is obtained : combustion is the most impor- tant of these; and the knowledge of the laws by which it is regulated, and the modes of conducting it, is of the first consequence in the practice of pharmacy. (See Furna- ces.) Distribution mid Effects of free Caloric. From whatever source caloric is obtained, it passes from bodies in which it is accumu- lated in a free state into bodies which con- tain less of it, until both are brought to an equilibrium. " The state of a body, with re- gard to its power of producing the differ- ent effects arising from the presence of ca- loric, is termed its temperature ." and this depends on the quantity of sensible caloric contained in it. Thus, when a vessel con- taining water is placed on the fire, a quan- tity of caloric passing from the fire into the water, the temperature of the water is rais- ed, or it is made sensibly hotter ; and if the water thus heated be taken from the fire and placed in a cold place, the sensible ca- loric accumulated in it, passes from it into the air and surrounding bodies, until it be- * Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. i. 610. ELEMENTS of pharmacy. 11 comes as cold as they are, or until its tem- perature be lowered to an equilibrium with theirs. The caloric which passes from hot bodies during their cooling is carried off; 1st, by the conducting power of the sur- rounding medium, which " diminishes as the temperature of the hot body approaches to that of the medium;" 2dly, by radiation ; 3dly, by currents, or the repeated change of the portion of medium immediately in contact with the hot body ; produced by the change of density occasioned by the caloric it receives from the hot body, en- abling it to rise and give place to a new portion, which being heated, is also displa- ced in its turn, and so on till the tempera- ture of the hot body approaches to that of the medium. By accelerating these changes the rate of cooling is proportionably quick- ened ; and hence the cooling effect of winds, and artificial currents of air. The temperatures of bodies can be com- paratively ascertained, to a certain extent, by the sensations they induce. Thus, a body containing much sensible caloric feels warm or hot to the touch, owing to its ca- loric flowing into the hand ; and one con- taining less than the human body, gives the sensation of cold, owing to the abstraction of caloric from the hand. But this mode of judging of temperature is very limited, and depends on the state of the sentient organ, and many other external circumstances, which prevent confidence from being placed on it as a comparative measure of tempera- ture: and therefore instruments have been invented to measure the degrees of tem- perature of different bodies; the properties of which depend on the expansion or in- crease of bulk which bodies suffer when caloric enters into them. The thermometer is a most useful and im- portant instrument of this kind. It is a hol- low glass tube, having at one end a hollow globe or bulb ; the hollow of the tube being perfectly cylindrical, and of a small bore, and the bulb of a proportional size. The bulb, and a portion of the tube, after the air is expelled, by holding the bulb over the flame of a lamp, are filled with mercury or coloured alcohol, by immersing the open end of the tube in either of these fluids, and the tube is then hermetically sealed at the extremity. When the bulb of this in- strument is applied to a hot body, the mer- cury, or the fluid it contains, rises in the tube, and continues to do so until the ther- mometer acquires the same degree of tem- perature as the hot body, when the mercu- becomes stationary, and the point to which it rises indicates the relative tem- perature of the hot body. In the same manner, when the bulb is applied to a cold body, the mercury contracts and falls in the tube. The quantity which thus rises or falls, indicating the proportion of increase or diminution of temperature, is ascertained by a scale which divides the tube into a number of equal parts or degrees.* For ordinary purposes, mercury is the fluid best adapted for thermometers; its expansion being most equable ; but alcohol is used when great degrees of cold are to be measured. The thermometer commonly employed in this country is that of Fahrenheit f: but as three other thermometers are used on the continent, it may be proper to notice all of them, and point out the circumstances in which their scales differ. Fahrenheit, in forming his thermometer, began the scale at the temperature produc- ed by a mixture of snow and sea-salt acting on each other ; and divided the space be- tween this and the point indicated by the temperature of boiling water into 212 equal parts or degrees: 212° being marked as the boiling point. The part of the scale indi- cated by the freezing of water, he found to be 32 degrees from its beginning; there- fore 32° is marked as the freezing point: and the space between it and the boiling point is equal to 180 degrees. The scale may be extended above this point and also below the commencement of the scale, the descending degrees being marked inversely with the same number as the ascending. The scale of the thermometer of Celsius, which has been used in France since the revolution, begins at the freezing point of water, which is consequently marked 0, and the space between that and the boiling point is divided into 100 equal degrees; hence it has been named the Centigrade Thermometer. Each degree of this scale is fotir ninths more than a degree of Fahren- heit's, or one of the latter is equal to five ninths of a degree of the centigrade scale. To find, therefore, the degrees of Fahren- heit's scale, corresponding to those of the centigrade, the given number of the latter must be multiplied by 9, and divided by 5, adding 32 to the quotient: the sum expres- ses the degree on the scale of Fahrenheit. Reaumur's thermometer, which is still used in Italy and Spain, also commences at the freezing point, which is marked 0: and between this and the boiling point it is divided into 80 degrees. Each degree is, therefore, |-ths more than one of Fahren- heit's ; and to reduce those of Reaumur to Fahrenheit's, the given number of the form- * Thermometers of great accuracy may be purchas ed; but those who may wish to construct them for themselves, will find ample instructions for their guidance, in the third chapter of Henry's Elements of Experimental Chemistry. t Fahrenheit was an artist of Amsterdam, 12 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. er must be multiplied by 9, and divided by 4, adding 32 to the quotient.* In De Lisle's thermometer, which is used only in Russia, the space between the boiling and freezing points is divided into 150 degrees; the gradation beginning at the boiling point, which is marked 0 ; and increasing inversely to the freezing point, which is marked 150°. It is. seldom men- tioned by authors. These instruments are well adapted for determining the variations of temperature which bodies undergo; but a certain de- gree of fallacy attends the observations made by them, which is chiefly owing to the expansion of mercury increasing with the temperature. Thus, the medium de- gree of heat between the freezing and boil- ing points, although marked on the scale 122°, yet is actually 118.8Q 1' only; the temperature which is equal to raise the mercury in the tube 86 degrees in the first instance being sufficient, by increased ex- pansion, to raise it 94 in the second. Expansion, or increase of bulk, is the most general effect of caloric, and, with very few exceptions, may be regarded as a general law of its operation. When caloric flows into a body, it sepa- rates its integrant particles from each oth- er, and hence augments its volume. This change is smallest in solids, more consider- able in liquids, and most considerable in gaseous bodies; or the expansibility is greater in the inverse ratio of the force of aggregation. Thus, the expansion of air is 8 times greater than that of water; and the expansion of this 45 times greater than that of iron. The expansion of solid bodies, is, in gen- eral, so very inconsiderable as not to be easily ascertained by measurement; but, as far as it can be known, it is nearly equa- ble. The degree of expansion, however, is not the same in all solids ; thus, for ex- ample, the metals expand in the following order, commencing with the least expansi- ble ; platina, antimony, iron, bismuth, cop- • TABLE showing the degrees of Reaumur's and Fahrenheit's thermometers corres- ponding with those of the centigrade thermometer. Cent. Reau. Fahr. Cent. lleau. Fahr. Cent. Reau. Fahr. Cent. Reau. Fahr. 100 80. 212. 68 54.4 154.4 36 28.8 96.8 5 4. 41. 99 79.2 210.2 67 53.6 152.6 35 28. 95. 4 3.2 39.2 98 78.4 208.4 66 52.8 150.8 34 27.2 93.2 3 2.4 37.4 97 77.6 206.6 65 52. 149. 33 26.4 91.4 2 1.6 35.6 96 76.8 204.8 64 51.2 147.2 32 25.6 89.6 1 0.8 33.8 95 76. 203. 63 50.4 145.4 31 24.8 87.8 0 0. 32. 94 75.2 201.2 62 49.6 143.6 30 24. 86. 1 0.8 30.2 93 74.4 199.4 61 48.8 141.8 29 23.2 84.2 2 1.6 28.4 92 73.6 197.6 60 48. 140. 28 22.4 82.4 3 2.4 26.6 91 72.8 195.8 59 47.2 138.2 27 21.6 80.6 4 3.2 24.8 90 72. 194. 58 46.4 136.4 26 20.8 78.8 5 4. 23. 89 71.2 192.2 57 45.6 134.6 25 20. 77. 6 4.8 21.2 88 70.4 190.4 56 44.8 132.8 24 19.2 75.2 7 5.6 19.4 87 69.6 188.6 55 44. 131. 23 18.4 73.4 8 6.4 17.6 86 68.8 186.8 54 43.2 129.2 22 17.6 71.6 9 7.2 15.8 85 68. 185. 53 42.4 127.4 21 16.8 69.8 10 8. 14. 84 67.2 183.2 52 41.6 125.6 20 16. 68. 11 8.8 12.2 83 66.4 181.4 51 40.8 123.8 19 15.2 66.2 12 9.6 10.4 82 65.6 179.6 50 40. 122. 18 14.4 64.4 13 10.4 8.6 81 64.8 177.8 49 39.2 120.2 17 13.6 62.6 14 11.2 6.8 80 64. 176. 48 38.4 118.4 16 12.8 60.8 15 12. 5. 79 63.2 174.2 47 37.6 116.6 15 12. 59. 16 12.8 3.2 78 62.4 172.4 46 36.8 114.8 14 11.2 57.2 17 13.6 1.4 77 61.6 170.6 45 36. 113. 13 10.4 55.4 18 14.4 0.4 76 60.8 168.8 44 35.2 111.2 12 9.6 53.6 19 15.2 2.2 75 60. 167. 43 34.4 109.4 11 8.8 51.8 20 16. 4. 74 59.2 165.2 42 33.6 107.6 10 8. 50. 21 16.8 5.8 73 58.4 163.4 41 32.8 105.8 9 7.2 48.2 22 17.6 7.6 72 57.6 1 161.6 40 32. 104. 8 6.4 46.4 23 18.4 9.4 71 56.8 159.8 39 31.2 102.2 7 5.6 44.6 24 19.2 11.2 70 56. 1 158. 38 30.4 100.4 6 4.8 42.8 25 20. 13. 69 55.2 1 156.2 37 29.6 98.6 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 13 per, tin, lead, zinc. Argil is an exception to the law of expansion in solids ; for the bulk of pure clay diminishes, -when heated, in the ratio of the intensity of the heat to which it iB exposed.* ' The cause of this anomaly has not been discovered. The ex- pansion of liquids is more evident than that of solids, but not at all uniform ; the differ- ences apparently depending on the fixity or volatility of the components of the liquids : those expanding the most the boiling point • For measuring higher temperatures than the thermometer can be subjected to, instruments named pyrometers have been employed ; the best of which is that invented by Mr. Wedgewood. It depends on the degrees of contraction which pure argil suffers when exposed to high temperatures • and for this purpose small cylinders of pure clay are made in a mould, flattened on one side, and fitted exactly to the wider end of a guage, consisting of two straight pieces of brass, 24 inches long, fixed on a brass plate so as to converge, and divided into inches and tenths. The length to which the pyroinetricnl pieces can be slid in the converging groove, indicates the heat to of which is lowest; and which, consequent- ly, most readily assume the gaseous form. The degree of their expansion, also, in- creases, with the augmentation of their temperature; or, the nearer a liquid ap- proaches to the boiling point, the greater is the expansion produced by a degree of caloric ; and the further it is from this point, the more equable is the expansion. Li- quids, in the same manner as solids, suffer a difference of expansion from a given which they have been previously exposed ; and as they do not expand again when cold, no fallacy can result from the action of heat on the guage. Each degree of this scale is equal to 130° of Fahrenheit; and the 0, or commencement of it corresponds with 1077.5° of Fahrenheit's scale. The highest temper- ature that has been measured by it is 160° or 21.877° of Fahrenheit, which is 30° above the point at which cast-iron melts. But, as much higher temperatures than this must exist, so also, there are temperatures much lower than tan be measured by any thermome- ter. TABLE exhibiting the degrees of the centigrade and Fahrenheit's thermometers correspond- ing to those of Reaumur's thermometer. Reau. Cent. Fahr. Reau. Cent. Fahr. Reau. Cent. Fahr. 80 100. 212. 46 57.5 135.5 12 15. 59. 79 98.75 209.75 45 56.25 133.25 11 13.75 56.75 78 97.5 207.5 44 55. 131. 10 12.5 54.5 77 96.25 205.25 43 53.75 128.75 9 11.25 52.25 76 95. 203. 42 52.5 126.5 8 10. 50. 75 93.75 200.75 41 51.25 124.25 7 8.75 47.75 74 92.5 198.5 40 50. 122. 6 7.5 45.5 73 91.25 196.25 39 48.75 119.75 5 6.25 43.25 72 90. 194. 38 47.5 117.5 4 5. 41. 71 88.75 191.75 37 46.25 115.25 3 3.75 38.75 70 87.5 189.5 36 45. 113. 2 2.5 36.5 69 86.25 187.25 35 43.75 110.75 1 1.25 34.25 68 85. 185.' 34 42.5 108.5 0 .0 32. 67 83.75 182.75 33 41.25 106.25 1 1.25 29.75 66 82.5 180.5 32 40. 104. 2 2.5 27.5 65 81.25 178.25 31 38.75 101.75 3 3.75 25.25 64 80. 176. 30 37.5 99.5 4 5. 23. 63 78.75 173.75 29 36.25 97.25 5 6.25 20.75 62 77.5 171.5 28 35. 95. 6 7.5 18.5 61 76.25 169.25 27 33.75 92.75 7 8.75 16.25 60 75. 167. 26 32.5 90.5 8 10. 14. 59 73.75 164.75 25 31.25 88.25 9 11.25 11.75 58 72.5 162.5 24 30. 86. 10 12.5 9.5 57 71.25 160.25 23 28.75 83.75 11 13.75 7.25 56 70. 158. 22 27.5 81.5 12 15. 5. 55 68.75 155.75 21 26.25 79.25 13 16.25 2.75 54, 67.5 153.5 20 25. 77. 14 17.5 0.5 53 66.25 151.25 19 23.75 74.75 15 18.75 1.75 > 2 65. 149. 18 22.5 72.5 16 20. 4. i 1 63.75 146.75 17 21.25 70.25 17 21.25 6.25 50 62.5 144.5 i 16 20. 68. 18 22.5 8.5 49 61.25 142.25 15 18.75 65.75 19 23.75 10.75 48 60. 140. 14 17.5 63.5 20 25. 13. 47 58.75 137.75 13 16.25 61.25 14 ELEMENTS OF PHAUMACV. change of temperature. The following ta- ble, by Mr. Dalton, shows the expansion of the more common liquids, from 32° to 212° of Fahrenheit, the volume at 32° being de- noted by 1. .0200=^5- Mercury. .0466=^-5 Water. .0500 =s'o- Water saturated with salt. .0600=^ Sulphuric acid, sp. gr. 1.85. .0600=T'7 Muriatic acid, sp. gr. 1.137. .0700=T'* Oil of turpentine. .0700=TL Ether. .0800=T^-5 Fixed oils. .0110=£ Alcohol. .0110=i Nitric acid. sp.gr. 1.40. To the general law of the expansion of liquids by heat, water furnishes an excep- tion. Thus, from the lowest temperature at which water can remain liquid, to 40Q, heat diminishes the bulk of water, instead of expanding it; but above 40° to 212° it expands it. All gaseous bodies suffer the same ex- pansion by the same additions of caloric, supposing the circumstances to be equal. Their expansion is almost perfectly equa- ble, or the same augmentation takes place by the same addition of caloric at every de- gree of temperature between the freezing and the boiling point of Fahrenheit's ther- mometer. By the experiments of Gay Lussac, 100 parts of atmospheric air, heat- ed from 32° to 212° expand 137.5 parts, or l--480th for every degree of the thermo- meter : and the other gases, the steam of water, and the vapour of ether, undergo the same expansions by the same augmenta- tions of temperature. The cause of the equable expansion of gaseous bodies, ap- pears to be the absence of cohesion ; so that, at a low temperature, there is no more resistance made to the expansive power of the caloric thrown into the gas, than at a high temperature. But, besides the change in bulk produ- ced by the introduction of caloric into sub- stances in different quantities, they are changed in state, assuming the fluid form, and that of vapour,- or, they are ignited. Fluidity is an effect of caloric, arising from the repulsive force of the caloric which enters into any substance fitted to take on the fluid form, separating the par- ticles from each other to such a distance as to render them easily moveable on one another in every direction. All solids, with a very few exceptions, are suscepti- ble of the fluid form, when exposed to a sufficient degree of heat; and all liquids, with the exception of alcohol and ether, be- come solid when exposed to very low tem- peratures. The particular temperatures necessary for the production of these changes, however, are exceedingly various, but for the same bodies they are always the same.* In some cases the change is sudden, or the body instantly passes from the solid to the liquid state ; in other cases it passes through several degrees of soft- ness before it be perfectly liquefied : the conversion of ice into water is an example of the first; the melting of glass, of wax, and other unctuous matters, are instances of the second. There are some bodies, nevertheless, which cannot be melted or fused, owing to their suffering chemical decomposition at a lower temperature than is required for their fusion ,■—a piece of wood, for instance, cannot be melted by the application of any degree of heat. Although the melting point in most cases, is always the same in the same bodies, yet circumstances may vary it; and * Table, showing the degree of temperature, according to Fahrenheit's thermome- ter, at which several solid bodies melt. Lead - - - 612° Bismuth - - 476 Tin - - - 442 Zinc - - -700 Antimony - 809 Mercury - — 39 Copper - ■ - 4587°, Fahr. 27, Wedg Silver • - 4717 ---- 28 Iron - - . - 21637 ----158 Sulphur - ■ - 218 Bees-wax ■ - 142 Lard - - . - 97 Spermaceti 112° Phosphorus 100 Tallow - - 92 Oil of anise 50 Camphor 303 Ice - - 32 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 15 the admixture of other substances may al- ter it very considerably. Thus the melt- ing point of ice, or, what is the same thing, the freezing point of water, is 32° ; but, by exposing water slowly to the action of freezing mixtures, it may be cooled down to 22° before it freezes. The addition of salt renders this point still lower, as may be seen by the following table.* Names of salts. Proportion by weight dissolved in 100 parts of water. Freezing point. Common salt. . . . Sal ammoniac. . . . Rochelle salt. . . . Sulphate of magnesia. Sulphate of iron. . . --------of zinc. . . 25. 20. 50. 41.6 12.5 41.6 33.3 4. 8. 21. 25.5 26. 28. 28.6 When solids pass to the liquid state they receive an additional quantity of caloricj which combines with them, but does not sensibly elevate their temperature, and this caloric of fluidity, or latent heat, as it has been named, is again given out in a sensible form, when the body returns to a solid state. If water, for example, be ex- posed to a great degree of cold, and kept free from agitation, it may be cooled seve- veral degrees below the freezing point, and yet remain fluid ; but if it be then agi- tated, it instantly congeals, and at the mo- ment its temperature rises to 32°. All fluids, therefore, are combinations of solids and certain doses of caloric. Thus, if snow at 32° be mixed with an equal weight of water at 172°, the snow instantly melts, but the temperature of the mixture is only 32° ; so that 140° of caloric have disappear- ed or become latent: hence the quantity of caloric necessary to give fluidity to ice is 140°. These facts were first ascertained by Dr. Black in 1762; and fluidity in general has been proved to depend on a similar cause. Softness, plasticity, malleability, and ductility, probably depend also,upon the re- pulsive force of the latent heat which com- bines with bodies. Vapour, which is another effect of calo- ric, is that state into which all fluids and some solids pass when their temperature is raised to a certain point, or caloric is thrown into them in sufficient quantity to separate their integrant particles to dis- tances beyond the sphere of the attraction of cohesion. The fluid passes to the state of vapour, becoming invisible and elastic, and possessing the other mechani- cal properties of air. Evaporation, however, is also spontane- ously produced, partly by the agency of caloric alone, partly by the solvent power of atmospheric air, forming a solution of the body in the aerial fluid. By spontane- ous evaporation, the fluid is gradually con- verted into the aeriform state at every temperature. Water, alcohol, ether, and volatile oils are susceptible of spontaneous evaporation, so that a portion of any of them exposed to the air in a flat vessel soon altogether disappears; " but sulphuric acid and the fixed oils never assume the form of vapour till they are raised to a certain tem- perature." All fluids have a fixed point of tempera- ture at which their vaporization, or conver- sion into steam, commences, which is de- nominated their boiling point ,• and beyond this point fluids cannot be heated, if freely exposed to the air so as to allow the vapour to escape as it forms. Thus, water at 212° boils, and is progressively converted into steam at the bottom of the vessel, which, rising in bubbles through the-water, pro- duces the ebullition that characterizes boiling; but although the fire be raised ever so much, yet the temperature of the water never exceeds 212°, the vapour car- rying off every additional increment of heat in a latent form. The boiling point varies in different bodies; and in the same body also, if it be placed under different circum- stances, particularly with regard to pres- sure. Thus the boiling point of ether is 96p, of alcohol 173°, of water 212°, of mercury 656°, and so on. In a vacuum all liquids boil at a temperature 124° lower than in the open air; and in Papin's digester, in which water can be heated under a great pressure, the temperature may be raised to 300° without ebullition. Owing to this circumstance, highly volatile substances, as ammonia and ether, cannot be easily manu- factured in elevated situations. "Phil. Trans. 1788,27, quoted by Dr. Thomson.- Syst, Chemistry, 4th edit. i. 530. 16 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. The elasticity of the vapour of liquids boiled in the open air is equal to that of the circumambient atmosphere; but under pressure, so that the temperature of the vapour may be much augmented, the elasticity increases with the temperature. At low temperatures, on the contrary, vapours lose their elasticity, are condens- ed, and return to their fluid state. The conversion, therefore, of liquids into elas- tic fluids depends on the same cause as the conversion of solids into fluids ; namely, "to the combination of a certain dose of caloric with the liquid, without any increase of temperature." * The vapour carries of all the caloric which enters a fluid after it ar- rives at its boiling point; and retains it in a latent form: for the vapour is not hotter than the boiling liquid: thus, steam, the temperature of which is indicated by the thermometer to be 212°, is water combined with 940° of caloric, which remain latent as long as the temperature of the steam is maintained at 212°, but is again given out when a lower temperature changes that va- pour to the state of a liquid. Gases resemble vapours in their constitu- tion but differ from them in the greater re- duction of temperature which is required for their condensation, some of them not being reducible by ordinary pressure, or by any known reduced temperature, to the fluid or solid state. Are they compounds of solid or of liquid substances and caloric ? Ammoniacal gas condenses into a fluid at 45°; but none of the other gases have yet been condensed: the question may be, therefore, regarded as still subjudice. Ignition is another effect of caloric, but differing altogether from expansion, fluidi- ty, and evaporation, which may in some measure be regarded as different degrees of one general effect. It implies an emis- sion of light from bodies which are much heated, or combined with a large portion of caloric, without their suffering any change of composition. It is totally independent of the presence of air, and is a simple effect of caloric. Aeriform substances are not susceptible of ignition. The degree of temperature at which all bodies capable of ignition begin to be ignit- ed, or become red-hot, is nearly the same, about the 800th degree of Fahrenheit; and by raising the temperature the illumi- nation increases, until a perfectly white light is produced, which is the highest point of ignition. Ignition is supposed to arise from the extrication of the light, which is regarded as a constituent of the ignited body, by the repulsive agency of the addi- * The important discovery of the causes which produce the changes of bodies from the solid to the liquid and aeriform state, was made by Dr. Black in 1760. tional caloric: but this explanation of the phenomenon is liable to some objections, and the real cause remains still undetermin- ed. As a pharmaceutical agent, caloric is of the first importance : in the majority of cases it produces decomposition ; but in some it favours combination. The decom- position most easily effected by it, is the separation of the more volatile from the more fixed ingredients of compounds. Thus, in a process of distillation (see Operations) when weak spirits are heated, the alcohol separates from the water, owing to its su- perior volatility, and, by condensation in a different vessel, is obtained as a distinct substance. Almost all compounds into which oxygen has entered without hav- ing occasioned combustion, as nitric acid, hyperoxymuriatic acid, and some metallic oxides, suffer likewise decomposition by caloric. All compound bodies containing combustibles are also decomposable by it; as are also compounds consisting of two or more combustible ingredients, in combina- tion with oxygen, as almost all animal and vegetable matters. On the contrary, the compounds which are little or not at all af- fected by caloric, as far as regards their composition, are those which have been formed by combustion ; such as water, phosphoric acid, and carbonic acid.f The proper application of caloric for the pur- pose of obtaining new combinations by les- sening the force of aggregation, and thus favouring the attraction of affinity; or for producing decompositions by weakening or destroying altogether the force of these at- tractions, so as to obtain the principles of bodies in a distinct state, constitutes the most important feature of operative phar- macy. (See Operations.') 2. Light. Light is a substance consisting of very subtle particles, which are constantly ema- nating in straight lines from luminous bo- dies. Some philosophers, however, fol- lowing Hooke and Huygens, believe that light is merely the state of undulation of a highly rare, elastic substance, which it is supposed fills the whole of the universe : but this hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact, that a ray of light which has suffered ordinary refraction in passing through a crystal in one direction, should suffer ordi- nary refraction in passing through it in ano- ther direction; whilst this fact perfectly ac- cords with the idea that light consists of par- ticles endowed with rectilineal motion. The size of the particles of light is too minute to be appreciated, but their velocity is estimated to be at the rate of 200,000 miles in a second. They appear to repel each other like the particles of caloric. t Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. i. 540. ELEMENTS C A ray of light falling obliquely upon a polished surface is reflected from it at an angle equal to the angle of its incidence. But when a ray of light falls at an angle of 35° 25' on a polished plate of glass ; and in being reflected from it falls upon another plate of glass so placed that its angle of incidence is also 35° 25'; the second plate may be turned round its axis without vary- ing the angle which it makes with the ray that falls upon it. If the two planes of re- flection be parallel to each other, the ray of light is reflected in the same manner from both plates of glass ; but if the se- cond plate be turned round a quadrant of a circle, so as to make the plane of reflec- tion perpendicular, the whole ray will pass through it, and none of it be reflected ; yet if this plate be turned round another quadrant of a circle, so as to make the re- flecting planes again parallel, the ray will be now reflected by it as at first. The light can penetrate through the glass only when the reflecting planes are perpendicular, but is reflected when they are parallel. This property of light has been termed by Ma- lus, by whom it was first discovered, its po- larization. When a ray of light moving in a straight line passes within a certain distance of a body parallel to its direction, it bends to- wards the body, or is inflected; but when the body parallel to its course is at a greater distance, the ray is bent from it, or deflected. When it passes obliquely from one medium toanother^of a different density, it is bent a little from the line of its former direction, and assumes a new one, or is refracted. In passing into a denser medium it is refract- ed towards the perpendicular; but it is re- fracted from the perpendicular when pas- sing into a rarer medium. The refraction is proportional to the density of the me- dium, but in that of a combustible the re- fraction is greater than the ratio of its den- sity ; and when a liquid is converted into vapour, its refractive power diminishes at a greater ratio than its density diminishes.* Every ray of light is resolvable into seven other distinct rays, each possessing a diffe- rent degree of refrangibility; and conse- quently divisible from each other by the prism. The ultimate or component rays are distinguishable by the impression of colours they excite on the eye; and are arranged in the following order, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. The red is the least refrangible, reflexible, and in- flexible ; the violet the most; and that of the others follow in the order in which they are placed. The colour of bodies depends on their transmitting or reflecting those " See the experiments of Arago and rctit, in the Ann. dr. Chem. tt P.'ty.\: toni. i. 1. PHARMACY. 17 rays only which excite the impressions of their colour. The reflection of the whole prismatic rays constitutes white; the ab- sorption or suffocation of all or the greater part of these occasions black, which is the total absence of light. The illuminating power of the rays of light differs. Those towards the middle of the prismatic spectrum, as above arranged, possess the greatest illuminating power; but this diminishes as the rays approach to- wards the extremities. Light enters into combination with bo- dies ; and in some cases is again extricated without any change being produced, as in pyrophori, or substances which absorb light, and emit it again when carried into a dark place. In some cases, however, the ab- sorption of light by bodies occasions very sensible changes in them: the colour of plants, for example, their taste and odour, and the quantity of combustible matter they contain, depend on light: for a plant rear- ed in the dark is nearly colourless, insipid, inodorous, and contains a very small pro- portion of combustible matter. The natural sources of light are the sun and fixed stars; but it is also artificially produced by combustion, chemical combi- nation, heat, and percussion. The sun's rays, the greatest source of light, have been found to be composed of three different species of rays: 1. rays which produce light and colour; 2. rays of mere heat; and, 3. rays which produce neither light nor co- lour, nor affect the thermometer; but which have the power of deoxidizing: and, thus constituted, it produces very important che- mical effects. Light partially deoxidizes metallic ox- ides and salts. Thus it blackens muriate of silver; and as this takes place when the salt is placed beyond the violet ray, or out of the prismatic spectrum, the effect is ap- • parently to be attributed to the action of the third species of rays. It also reduces the nitro-muriatic solution of gold, when it is placed in contact with charcoal, or any other vegetable or animal matter; and the red oxides of mercury and of lead become much paler when exposed to the sun ; the rays that produce these effects are the least refrangible. Dr. Wollaston, however, has pointed out one exception to this effect of these rays, in guaiacum, which becomes green or oxidized in the least refrangible rays; and is again changed to yellow, or deoxidized in the most refrangible. Light has a powerful tendency to decom- pose nitric acid, which it renders red and fuming, even when it is contained in ves- sels accurately closed. Almost all the ve- getable and animal colouring matters have their brilliancy and colour much impaired by long exposure to the sun's rays: and PHARMACY. 18 ELEMENTS 0 the colour and the properties of vegetable powders kept in clear glass bottles are also affected by them. Light even seems to have a strong influence on the process of crystallization; for, if light be only par- tially admitted to a crystallizing solution, the crystals will be larger and more nu- merous on the enlightened side; and of- ten the whole mass will radiate towards this point. Chaptal* found that by using a solution of a metallic salt, and shading the greater part of the vessel, capillary crystals shoot up the uncovered side, and the ex- tent of the exposed part is distinctly mark- ed by the limit of the crystallization.. Such are some of the properties of light, the chemical effects of the operation of which seem to be perfectly independent of its heating power; and there is even rea- son to believe that the greatest chemical changes are produced by the invisible rays: for Ritterf affirms that by transmitting the coloured rays through different prisms, he has separated them from the invisible or chemical rays, and obtained a coloured spectrum devoid of any chemical power. 3. Electbicitt and Galvanism. The phenomena of electricity depend on a very subtile fluid, which is a powerful chemical agent, capable of producing im- mediate decompositions and new combina- tions. Galvanism appears to be essentially the same as electricity, differing, however, in some degree in its effects, and the mode of its production. Both are to be regarded as repulsive powers. a. Electricity may be communicated to all substances: by some it is transmitted without any perceivable obstruction, but by others with much difficulty; hence bo- dies in their relation to electricity are dis- tinguished into two classes, conductors and non-conductors: and as it can be accumu- lated in the latter by friction and other means, these are also denominated elec- trics; while the former are named non-elec- trics, to indicate their incapability of be- ing excited. Metals, plumbago, charcoal, and "most li- quids are conductors: all other substances are non-conductors; although many of these when made very hot become conductors. All electrics or non-conductors when rubbed,' as, for instance, a glass rod with a piece of woollen cloth, attract light substan- ces; and when a conductor is approached to them, exhibit an appearance of light, attended with a peculiar sound and smell. Some electrics can be excited by simple heating or cooling. It is necessury, how- ever, for obtaining any considerable excita- * Journal de Physique, xxiii. 297. t Nicholson's Journ. viii. 210, tion, that the rubber have some communi cation with the earth; from which it ap- pears that the great source of electricity is in the earth, and that excitation consists in the mere transferring of the electrical fluid from one substance to another. By rub- bing electrics on each other, the distribu- tion of the electric fluid they contain is al- tered ; and on separating them more than the natural quantity remains with the one, and less with the other: the one is then said to be electrified plus, and the other minus, or positively and negatively. When two bodies are both electrified positively, or both negatively, they repel each other: but if one of them be electrified positively and the other negatively, they attract each other. Instead of this distribution of the same fluid, the existence of two fluids has been assumed, each of which repels its own particles, but attracts those of the other; and this assumption is more favour- able for the explanation of the chemical agency of this fluid. The chemical effects of electricity seem to depend chiefly on its power of produ- cing a sudden high temperature; and this ap- pears to be proportioned to the resistance opposed to its transmission. It often favours chemical combinations, as that of oxygen with the metals, and promotes the instan- taneous union of gaseous bodies. It also effects chemical decompositions, as those of water, ammonia, alcohol, and metallic oxides. But for neither purpose is it em- ployed as a pharmaceutical agent. b. Galvanism may be regarded as a mo- dification of electricity, in which the fluid is evolved during certain chemical actions. It is transmitted through those substances which are conductors of common electrici- ty, and with the same , degrees of facility and rapidity. The metals, charcoal to a certain extent, plumbago, water, the mine- ral acids, and saline solutions, are perfect conductors; alcohol, ether, sulphur, oils, resins, and metallic oxides, are imperfect conductors: but glass, dried and baked woods, the dry animal cuticle, and dry gas- es, are non-conductors of the galvanic flu- id. Galvanism is generally excited by arrang- ing two different metals, as, for instance, copper and zinc,, and a fluid, as nitric acid, diluted with twenty or thirty parts of wa- ter, in such a manner that the metals touch each other in one part, and have the fluid interposed between them in another.* The * The pile of Volta, which is not now employed, consists of plates of zinc and silver, and pieces of moistened woollen cloth, piled in the order of zinc, sil- ver, cloth ; zinc, silver, cloth, for twenty or more' re- petitions. ELEMENTS 0] metals soldered together in pairs, areplaced transversely in the grooves of a well-season- ed wooden, or an earthenware trough, and fixed in with a cement of resin and wax, to prevent any liquid from passing through; after which, the diluted acid is poured be- tween the pairs, so that it touches the zinc of one pair, and the copper of another, al* ternately, the copper side of each double plate looking towards the same extremity of the trough throughout the arrangement, and the zinc side to the other extremity. This apparatus is named the galvanic bat- tery ; and the distances between the pairs of soldered plates should be from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch, each, according to the width of the trough. The intensity of action of this apparatus, as far as the production of heat is concerned, seems to depend on the size of the plates, or extent of their surfaces, but for producing chemi- cal decomposition, on the number of plates. The more improved apparatus now used, is a trough of earthenware,divided in its length by numerous partition* of the same mate- rial. Into each of the cells thus formed, and filled with the diluted acid, a plate of zinc and of copper are placed, but not so as to touch each other; and a communica- tion is made by a metallic arc between the zinc in one cell, and the copper in the next. As a chemical agent, galvanism is the most powerful of all the repulsive forces, and is capable of producing decompositions which could not otherwise be effected. By its means the chemical constitution of the alkalies and the earths has been established, and their bases discovered td be substances hitherto unknown, which have been added to the list of metals. By placing a compound, one,-for instance, of oxygen and an inflammable body, in con- nexion with the metallic wires proceeding from each end of a galvanic battery, the oxygen is attracted by the wire which is in the positive state, and repelled by that which is negative ; while, at the same time, the inflammable is attracted by the nega- tive wire, and repelled by the other. Hence the components are separated, and obtain- ed in a distinct state. In the decomposi- tions thus effected, substances can be con- veyed to a distance, and even through in- terposed ponderable matter, by the galvanic influence ; a result which, however singu- lar, is well ascertained. Galvanism, like electricity, acts as a stim- ulus to the living system. Its effects on the animal body are a sensation of light to the eye; a sensation of acidity on the tongue, of pain on the muscles, and the excitement of strong muscular action. It would be entering too much into hypo- thetical discussion to attempt an explana- PHARMACY. 19 tion of the phenomena of galvanism ; par- ticularly as philosophers are not agreed upon the subject. Galvanism has not yet been employed as a pharmaceutical agent, except for detecting the presence of oxy- muriate, bichloride of mercury when exhibit- ed as a poison. (See Pab.t 3.) On the forces of attraction and of repulsion every chemical, and consequently every pharmaceutical effect, more or less depends. A knowledge, therefore, of the laws which regulate these powers, is of the greatest importance, and forms the basis of all chem- ical science. Section II.* Eteut substance, whether it be regarded generally as forming a part of the mass of this globe, or particularly as an object of science, may be arranged in one or other of the three following classes; Solids, Fluids, and Gaseous Bodies. We shall now examine each of these classes separately, and endea- vour to describe the constitutions and com- binations of the substances composing them, which are objects of pharmacy. I. SOLIDS. Solid bodies are masses of homogeneous particles combined and held together by the attraction of aggregation or cohesion. The arrangement of the particles with re- gard to each other is often such as to pro- duce regular figures, in which case the solids are said to be crystallized. Cohesion and crystallization have been already consider- ed. A. CONSTITUTIONS OF SOLIDS. Arrangement of the principal Solids accord- ing to their Composition. I. Simjple, or Undecompounded. Sulphur. Carbon. Metals. Phosphorus. Boron. II. Compounds. Oxides of Sulphur. --------Phosphorus. Charcoal. Metallic Oxides. ---------------with Alkalies. Sulphur ets of Metals. -----------fixed Alka lies. -----------Earths. Phosphurets of Carbon. ------------Metals. • In drawing upthis section, I have borrowed very freely from the third book of Thomson's System of Chemistry. ? PHARMACY. 18 ELEMENTS C the colour and the properties of vegetable powders kept in clear glass bottles are also affected by them. Light even seems to have a strong influence on the process of crystallization; for, if iight be only par- tially admitted to a crystallizing solution, the crystals will be larger and more nu- merous on the enlightened side; and of- ten the whole mass will radiate towards this point. Chaptal* found that by using a solution of a metallic salt, and shading the greater part of the vessel, capillary crystals shoot up the uncovered side, and the ex- tent of the exposed part is distinctly mark- ed by the limit of the crystallization.. Such are some of the properties of light, the chemical effects of the operation of which seem to be perfectly independent of its heating power; and there is even rea- son to believe that the greatest chemical changes are produced by the invisible rays: for Ritterf affirms that by transmitting the coloured rays through different prisms, he has separated them from the invisible or chemical rays, and obtained a coloured spectrum devoid of any chemical power. 3. Electiucitt and Galvanism. The phenomena of electricity depend on a very subtile fluid, which is a powerful chemical agent, capable of producing im- mediate decompositions and new combina- tions. Galvanism appears to be essentially the same as electricity, differing, however, in some degree in its effects, and the mode of its production. Both are to be regarded as repulsive powers. a. Electricity may be communicated to all substances: by some it is transmitted without any perceivable obstruction, but by others with much difficulty; hence bo- dies in their relation to electricity are dis- tinguished into two classes, conductors and no7i-conductors: and as it can be accumu- lated in the latter by friction and other means, these are also denominated elec- trics; while the former are named non-elec- trics, to indicate their incapability of be- ing excited. Metals, plumbago, charcoal, and most li- quids are conductors: all other substances are non-conductors; although many of these when made very hot become conductors. All electrics or non-conductors when rubbed,' as, for instance, a glass rod with a piece of woollen cloth, attract light substan- ces; and when a conductor is approached to them, exhibit an appearance of light, attended with a peculiar sound and smell. Some electrics can be excited by simple heating or cooling. It is necessary, how- ever, for obtaining any considerable excita- * Journal de Physique, xxiii. 297. t Nicholson's Journ. viii. 210, tion, that the rubber have some communi- cation with the earth; from which it ap- pears that the great source of electricity is in the earth, and that excitation consists in the mere transferring of the electrical fluid from one substance to another. By rub- bing electrics on each other, the distribu- tion of the electric fluid they contain is al- tered -, and on separating them more than the natural quantity remains with the one, and less with the other: the one is then said to be electrified plus, and the other minus, or positively and negatively. When two bodies are both electrified positively, or both negatively, they repel each other: but if one of them be electrified positively and the other negatively, the)' attract each other. Instead of this distribution of the same fluid, the existence of two fluids has been assumed, each of which repels its own particles, but attracts those of the other; and this assumption is more favour- able for the explanation of the chemical agency of this fluid. The chemical effects of electricity seem to depend chiefly on its power of produ- cing a sudden high temperature; and this ap- pears to be proportioned to the resistance opposed to its transmission. It often favours chemical combinations, as that of oxygen with the metals, and promotes the instan- taneous union of gaseous bodies. It also effects chemical decompositions, as those of water, ammonia, alcohol, and metallic oxides. But for neither purpose is it em- ployed as a pharmaceutical agent. b. Galvanism may be regarded as a mo- dification of electricity, in which the fluid is evolved during certain chemical actions. It is transmitted through those substances which are conductors of common electrici- ty, and with the same , degrees of facility and rapidity. The metals, charcoal to a certain extent, plumbago, water, the mine- ral acids, and saline solutions, are perfect conductors; alcohol, ether, sulphur, oils, resins, and metallic oxides, are imperfect conductors: but glass, dried and baked woods, the dry animal cuticle, and dry gas- es, are non-conductors of the galvanic flu- id. Galvanism is generally excited by arrang- ing two different metals, as, for instance, copper and zinc,.and a fluid, as nitric acid, diluted with twenty or thirty parts of wa- ter, in such a manner that the metals touch each other in one part, and have the fluid interposed between them in another.* The the p.le of Volta, which is not now employed, consists of plates of zinc a„a sjiver, an,i p-ece, „f moistened woollen cloth, piled in the order ufzinc ,j|. ver, cloth ; zinc, silvw, cloth, for twenty or more re- petitions. ELEMENTS 0] metals soldered together in pairs, are placed transversely in the grooves of a well-season- ed wooden, or an earthenware trough, and fixed in with a cement of resin and wax, to prevent any liquid from passing through ; after which, the diluted acid is poured be- tween the pairs, so that it touches the zinc of one pair, and the copper of another, al« ternately, the copper side of each double plate looking towards the same extremity of the trough throughout the arrangement, and the zinc side to the other extremity. This apparatus is named the galvanic bat- tery ; and the distances between the pairs of soldered plates should be from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch each, according to the width of the trough. The intensity of action of this apparatus, as far as the production of heat is concerned, seems to depend on the size of the plates, or extent of their surfaces, but for producing chemi- cal decomposition, on the number of plates. The more improved apparatus now used, is a trough of earthenware,divided in its length by numerous partitions of the same mate- rial. Into each of the cells thus formed, and filled with the diluted acid, a plate of zinc and of copper are placed, but not so as to toiich each other; and a communica- tion is made by a metallic arc between the zinc in one cell, and the copper in the next. As a chemical agent, galvanism is the most powerful of all the repulsive forces, and is capable of producing decompositions which could not otherwise be effected. By its means the chemical constitution of the alkalies and the earths has been established, and their bases discovered t6 be substances hitherto unknown, which have been added to the list of metals. By placing a compound, one, for instance, of oxygeu and an inflammable body, in con- nexion with the metallic wires proceeding from each end of a galvanic battery, the oxygen is attracted by the wire which is in the positive state, and repelled by that which is negative ; while, at the same time, the inflammable is attracted by the nega- tive wire, and repelled by the other. Hence the components are separated, and obtain- ed in a distinct state. In the decomposi- tions thus effected, substances can be con- veyed to a distance, and even through in- terposed ponderable matter, by the galvanic influence ; a result which, however singu- lar, is well ascertained. Galvanism, like electricity, acts as a stim- ulus to the living system. Its effects on the animal body are a sensation of light to the eye; a sensation of acidity on the tongue, of pain on the muscles, and the excitement of strong muscular action. It would be entering too much into hypo- thetical discussion to attempt an explana- PI1ARMACY. 19 tion of the phenomena of galvanism ; par- ticularly as philosophers are not agreed upon the subject. Galvanism has not yet been employed as a pharmaceutical agent, except for detecting the presence of oxy- muriate, bichloride of mercury when exhibit- ed as a poison. (See Pajit 3.) On the forces of attraction and of repulsion every chemical, and consequently every pharmaceutical effect, more or less depends. A knowledge, therefore, of the laws which regulate these powers, is of the greatest importance, and forms the basis of all chem- ical science. -» Section II.* Evem substance, whether it be regarded generally as forming a part of the mass of this globe, or particularly as an object of science, may be arranged in one or other of the three following classes; Solids, Fluids, and Gaseous Bodies. We shall now examine each of these classes separately, and endea- vour to describe the constitutions and com- binations of the substances composing them, which are objects of pharmacy. I. SOLIDS. Solid bodies are masses of homogeneous particles combined and held together by the attraction of aggregation or cohesion. The arrangement of the particles with re- gard to each other is often such as to pro- duce regular figures, in which case the solids are said to be crystallized. Cohesion and crystallization have been already consider- ed. A. CONSTITUTIONS OF SOLIDS. Arrangement of the principal Solids accord- ing to their Composition. I. Simple, or Undecompounded. Sulphur. Carbon. Metals. Phosphorus. Boron. II. Compounds. Oxides of Sulphur. -------Phosphorus. Charcoal. Metallic Oxides. -------------with Alkalies. Sulphurets of Metals. ----------fixed Alka lies. ----------Earths. Phosphurets of Carbon. -----------Metals. * In drawing upthis section, I have borrowed very freely from the third book of Thomson's System of Chemistry. F PHARMACY. 20 ELEMENTS Phosphurets of Earths. Carburets of Iron. Alloys. Earths. -----with Earths. ---------metallic Oxides. ---------fixed Alkalies. Solid Acids. Salts and Hydrosulphurets. Bitumens, solid oils. Soaps. _ Most vegetable Substances. Many animal Substances. SIMPLE SOLIDS. a. Sulphur. Although the experiments of Sir H. Davy* have unequivocally proved that hydrogen is always present in sul- phur as we obtain it; yet, they afford no positive conclusion that it is an essential ingredient of sulphur. I have therefore followed Dr. Thomson in regarding it as a simple solid. For its properties, see part ii. b. Phosphorus is semi-transparent, of a yellowish red colour, and a waxy consist- ence, but when perfectly pure is colour- less and transparent. Its specific gravity is 1'770. It is nearly insoluble in water, but is so soft it may be cut with a knife. It is brittle at a temperature under 32°. Above that point it softens, and under 90° is very ductile. It melts at 90: in close vessels is volatized at 219° ; and boils at 550°. When heated in the air to 148° it inflames, and emits a white smoke, which has an alliaceous odour, and condenses to an acid. It is obtained from urine, bones, and other animal mat- ters. By Sir H. Davy's experiments, there are circumstances which favour the idea that it is a compound ; but it is still generally regarded as an undecom- pounded body.f c. Carbon. The diamond is this substance in a state of purity; and although char- coal, in its ordinary state, almost invaria- bly contains either hydrogen or water, yet, from the experiments of Messrs. Al- len and Pepys, it is probable that char- coal is essentially as pure carbon as the diamond, and that the hydrogen it evolves depends on water, which it al- ways absorbs on the shortest exposure to the air. Carbon is a constituent of al- most all vegetable and animal substan- ces. "Elements of Chem. Phil. p. 283. TFor experiment, the simplest mode of obtaining phosphorus is to mix a solution of phosphate of soda with a solution of acetate of lead, in the proportion of one part of the former salt to one quarter of the latter. This will yield a precipitate of phosphate of lead, from which phosphorus may be obtained by distillation. Henry's Elements of Chemistry, ii. p. 7. d. Metals are simple inflammable bodies, of great specific gravity, density, and opacity; and, as the result of these qualities, possess great brilliancy or lus- tre from their power of reflecting almost all the light which falls upon their sur- face. Their colours are generally shades of white, gray, or yellow; their hardness is considerable, and according to its de- gree they are more or less elastic: one only, mercury, is in a fluid state at the ordinary heat of the air. Many of them possess considerable tenacity, and are consequently malleable and ductile; but some are extremely brittle. Metals are sapid and odorous when heated or rub- bed ; their fracture is generally hackly ; their texture fibrous or foliated; and many of them are sonorous. They are excellent conductors of caloric, electri- city, and galvanism. When exposed to the action of caloric, they expand and are melted; but differ greatly with regard to fusibility; some of them are volatil- ized at known temperatures. When fused, their surface is convex and globu- lar ; and in cooling they generally crys- tallize. They are very susceptible of oxidizement. The following metals are used as phar- maceutical agents. I. Malleable. 1. Silver. (See Part ii.) 2. Mercury. (Ibid.) 3. Copper. (Ibid.) 4. Iron. (Ibid.) 5. Tin. (Ibid.) , 6. Lead. (Ibid.) 7. Zinc. (Ibid.) II. Brittle and easily fused. 1. Bismuth, a reddish white coloured brit- tle metal of a lamellar texture. Its specific gravity is 9-822, but this is in. creased by hammering. It fuses at 476° Fah. and crystallizes cooling: in a higher temperature it volatilizes un- altered ; and on the access of air burns with a blue flame, emitting a yellow smoke, which is an oxide of the metal. The mineral acids act on it; and it readily combines with sulphur and most of the other metals. 2. Antimony. (Part ii.) 3. Arsenic. (Ibid.) III. Brittle and difficultly fused. 1. Manganese. (Part ii.) e. Boron is obtained from the decomposi- tion of boracic acid, in the form of pow- der, of a deep olive colour, insipid, ino- dorous, and insoluble in water. It under- goes no change at any temperature, when heated in close vessels; but takes fire and burns like charcoal, when heated in the air to about 600°. During combus- tion it attracts oxygen, and is converted into boracic acid. It is also converted into the acid by decomposing sulphuric ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 21 and nitric acids when it is treated with them. It combines with the alkalies and sulphur. COMPOUNDS. a. Compounds of sulphur. 1. Oxide of Sulphur is formed on the surface of sulphur, which is kept for some time in a state of fusion. It has a violet colour, and a fibrous texture ; is austere to the taste, tough ; and its specific gravity is 2*325. It contains rather less than 7 per cent, of oxygen. 2. Sulphurets of metals are compounds of sulphur and metals, inodorous, in- sipid, often possessed of metallic bril- liancy, and brittle. They are conduc- tors of electricity. Three of them on- ly are officinal. Table of Officinal Sulphurets of Metals. Sulphurets. Colouts of the Sulphu-rets. Specific Gravity. Sulphur united to 100 metaL Weight of an atom of the sulphuret. Mercury < Iron - j Antimony 1. Black - - 1 2. Red - - 5 1. Yellow 2. Yellow Leaden gray 816 £ 4-518 4-83 4-368 8 16 571 114-2 37-25 27 29 5-5 7-5 3. Sulphurets of fixed alkalies are opaque, solid bodies, of a brownish red or liver colour; decomposable by calo- ric, water, and acids; and which, by exposure to the air, are converted in- to hydrogureted sulphurets. Officinal. Sulphuret of potash, (Part ii.) 4. Sulphurets of earths resemble the al- kaline sulphurets in their properties. 5. Hydrosulphurets are compounds of sul- phureted hydrogen with alkalies and earths. They are soluble in water, crystallizable, and are decomposed by the atmosphere and acids. . Compounds of phosphorus. 1. Oxide of Phosphorus, produced by heating phosphorus in highly rarified air, has the appearance of red flakes, which take fire when slightly heated, and burn with a very vivid flame: by the further exposure to the air they attract moisture, and are converted in- to an aeid. 2. Phosphuret of carbon (the substance which remains in the leather through which new-made phosphorus is strain- ed, purified by exposure to heat in a retort,) is a light flocculent powder of a bright orange, or rather red colour, insipid, and inodorous. It burns rap- idly when heated in the air, and leaves charcoal behind. 3. Phosphurets of metals are generally brittle, and have a metallic lustre. (Vide Annates deChemie, torn. i. & xiii.) 4. Phosphurets of earths have a brown colour; are generally luminous in the dark ; insoluble in water, but decom- pose that fluid, furnishing phosphuret- ed hydrogen gas. c. Charcoal? (Part ii.) d. Metallic compounds. 1. Alloys are compounds of two or more metals. They have generally lustre, hardness, tenacity, ductility, and other properties of the metals; but these properties in alloys differ from those of the metals from which they are formed. The compounds of mercury with other metals are named amal- gams. 2. Metallic oxides are generally in the form of powders, or friable fragments not at ail resembling the metals; sometimes laminated and crystallized ; of various colours, determinate with regard to the metals and their treat- ment ; heavier than the metals; and refractory, or fusible into glass. Some are insipid, others acrid and styptic ; in general they are insoluble in water, and combine with acids, or with alka- lies, or with both at the same time. They are reducible by light, by calo- ric, hydrogen, carbon, oils, &c* * As the same metal is susceptible of different de- grees of oxidizement, it has been found necessary to designate the oxides thus formed by distinct appella- tions, indicative of the comparative quantity of oxy- gen with which the metals thus formed are combi- ned. The terms protoxide, deutoxide, tritoxtde, and peroxide, imply that a metal is in its first, se- cond, third, and ultimate stage of oxidizement.— These terms were proposed by Dr. Thomson. 22 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY, Table of officinal metallic oxides, showing the quantity of oxygen united to 100 of metal by weight in each. Metals. Colour of Oxygen in Oxides. 100 parts. Olive 7-272 Black 4 Red 8 Black 28-75 Red 43-12 Yellow 7-692 Red 11-53 Brown 15-384 Red 12-5 Black 25 Metals. Zinc Bismuth Antimony Arsenic < Manganese < Colour of Oxides. White White Yellow White Do. Green Black Oxygen in' 100 parts. 24-24 11-28 18-60 34-93 52-4 28-75 57-5 3. Carburet of iron (plumbago) is of a dark blue or gray colour ; has some degree of metallic lustre, a greasy feel, is soft and blackens the fingers.* It is a conductor of electricity ; is not altered by water or by air, nor affect- ed by the most violent heat, if air be excluded; the acids do not affect it; it detonates with nitrate of potash, and reduces the metallic oxides. 100 parts appear to consist of 5 of iron, and 95 of carbon ; with, perhaps, a minute pro- portion of hydrogen. 4. Metallic phosphurets. 5, Metallic sulphurets. Metals combine with different quantities of sulphur. The sulphurets are brittle, generally destitute of lustre, and differing in co- lour from the metals that form their basis. 6. Metallic oxides with alkalies. 7. Earths. (Part in.) Earths with earths. ——------metallic oxides. *----------alkalies. e. Solid acids and salts, in a crystallized state, contain a portion of water in their composition. The following are objects of pharmacy, or officinal: 1. Phosphoric acid is solid, colourless, transparent, and resembles glass in ap- pearance, but more usually it is some- what opaque, or resembles enamel; is inodorous, very acid, reddens vegeta- ble blues, and deliquesces when ex- posed to the air. Its specific gravity in a state of dryness is 2-687. It is very soluble in water, dissolving -with a hissing noise ; but nevertheless, not * Pencils made of plumbago were used so early as 1565, being mentioned by Conrad Gesner, in his book on fossils, printed at Zurich in that year. " Sty- lus inferius depictus, ad scribendum factus est, plum- bi cujusdam (factitii puto, quod aliquis stimmi ang- licum vocare audio) genere, in mucronem derasi, in manubrium ligneum inserti," de rerum fossilium figurU, p. 104. quoted by Beckman, History of In- ventions, vol. iv. p. 350. much heat is evolved. It is decompos- ed at a high temperature by hydrogen, charcoal, and several of the metals. Sir H. Davy determined the composi- tion of phosphoric acid to be 100 of phosphorus, and 134-5 of oxygen. Phosphate of lime is found very abund- ant in the native state. It constitutes the basis of bones, from which it i*s procured in the state of a white pow- der, by calcination and solution in muriatic acid, from which it is preci- pitated by ammonia. It is inodorous, insipid, insoluble in water, but is de- composed by several of the acids: exposed to a heat of 378° Wedge- wood, it softens, and changes to an enamel : 100 parts contain about 50'8 of acid, and 40-2 of lime. Subspecies. 2. Bi-phosphate of time.— Acid 100, lime 40-27.f Subspecies. 3. Quadri-phosphateoflime. Subspecies. 4. Sub-phosphate of lime.— Acid 100, lime 118-5. * Phosphate of soda. (Part iii.) . Boracic acid is obtained in the form of white thin irregular hexagonal scales, greasy to the feel. It reddens vegeta- ble blues, is inodorous, but has a sour bitterish taste, leaving a cooling sweet impression in the mouth. Its specific gravity is 1-479. It swells up when exposed to the fire, and melts into a hard transparent glass. Boiling water dissolves only two parts of boracic acid: alcohol dissolves it, and the solution burns with a green flame; and oils also dissolve it with the assistance of heat. It oxidizes only iron, zinc, and perhaps copper. Its components are, according to the experiments of Sir H. Davy, one part by weight of boron, and two of oxygen : but, according to Gay t Rose. t Thomson's Syst. of Chem. 5th edit. vol. ii. p. 468 ; quoted from Vauquelin, Journ. de Min. No. 37. p. 2. ELEMENTS OF Lussac, and Thenard, the proportions are, two of boron, and one of oxygen. Sub-borate of soda. (Part Hi.) 3. Benzoic acid. (Ibid.) 4. Succinic acid. (Ibid.) 5. Oxalic acid, generally obtained by treating sugar with nitric acid, is in the form of white, transparent, shining, four-sided prisms, which have a very acid taste, redden vegetable blues, and are soluble in their own weight of boiling water. The solution of one part of the acid in 3600 parts, by weight, of water, is perceptibly acid to the taste. ^ Exposed to heat in open vessels, it is decomposed. According to Berzelius, 100 parts conta'm fifty-two of real acid, and forty-eight of water; and the dry acid is a compound of hydrogen, 0.244; carbon, 33-222 ; and oxygen, 66.534.» Oxalic acid has been swallowed by mistake for Epsom salts, and has produced fatal effects in many instances. I found, by experiments on dogs and rabbits, that it acts on the stomach like other corrosive poisons ; and that a mixture of chalk and water is the best antidote, f 6. Tartaric acid is obtained in white, ir- regular, hard, semitransparent crystals, the specific gravity of which is 1-5962. It readily dissolves in water ; is capa- ble of oxidizing iron, zinc, and mercu- ry ; and combines with alkalies, earth, and metallic oxides, forming tartrates. The crystallized acid consists of real acid 100 parts, water 13-43; and 100 parts of the acid are composed of 59*882 , of oxygen, 36-167 of carbon, and 3-951 of hydrogen. + Tartrate of Potash. (Part iii.) Variety. Supertartrate of potash. (Part ii.) Tartrate of potash and soda. (Part iii.) 7. Citric acid. (Ibid.) f. Bitumens. (Part ii.) g. Soaps. The true nature of these com- pounds has been illustrated by Chev- ruel. He found that the fatty matter they contain consists of two distinct sub- stances, which he has named Stearin and Ela'in. These, by the action of salifiable bases, are converted into two acids, the margaritic and the oleic ; and soaps are merely combinations of one or both of these.acids, with alkaline, earthy, or metallic bases. The alka- line soaps have a peculiar unpleasant odour and taste, form a milky solution with water, and a transparent one with alcohol ; are powerfully detergent, and are decomposed by the earthy and the metallic salts. 2. The earthy soaps * Annals of Phil. vol. v. p. 99. t S*c London Med. Repository, vol. iii. p. 3S2. } Cerzelius. PHARMACY. 23 are insoluble in water, and not deter- gent. 3. Metallic soaps are likewise insoluble in water, but some of them are soluble in alcohol, and others in oil. 1. Hard Soap. (Part ii.) 2. Soft Soap. (Ibid.) Variety. Liniment of ammonia. (Part iii.) 3. Liniment of lime-water. (Ibid.) h. Solid vegetable substances. It is necessary to notice in this place the solid proximate principles only of the vegetable substances which are offici- nal, or employed as pharmaceutical agents. The constituents of the whole of them are—carbon, hydrogen, oxy- gen, and azote, in different propor- tions. 1. Sugar. (Patt'n.) It is soluble in nitric acid, and yields oxalic acid. Variety, a. Sugar of figs,—found concrete on the outside of the dried fruit. b. Sugar of grapes,—found crystal- lized in some kinds of raisins. When artificially extracted from the juice of the grape, it is white and crystallized, but less sweet than common sugar. c. Sugar from starch:—its crystals are small spherical granules. When dissolved in water, it fer- ments with the addition of yeast. d. Mushroom sugar :—its crystals are four-sided prisms, with square ba- ses ; very crystallizable : digested with nitric acid, it yields abund- ance of oxalic acid. e. Manna ? besides common sugar, contains mucilage, and a nauseous substance to which it owes its pur- gative properties. When digest- ed with nitric acid, it yields saclac- tic as well as oxalic acid. It does not ferment like sugar. 2. Sarcocoll is usually in oblong, semi- transparent, yellow globules, which have a bitter sweet taste, and an odour resembling in some degree that of anise seed. It does not crys- tallize. Soluble in water and alcohol. Treated with nitric acid, yields oxalic acid. Variety. Liquorice ? dissolves in nitric acid, and forms tannin ; and when treated with sulphuric acid, yields about one-fourth of its weight of charcoal. It is not susceptible of fermentation. 3. Gum. (Yart ii.) Officinal. Acacia Gum. Variety, a. Gum Senegal,—in lar- ger masses than gum arabic, and darker coloured. It is often mix- ed with gum arabic. 24 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. b. Gum kuteera,—in loose wrink- led transparent drops, inodor- ous, and insipid ; scarcely solu- ble iu cold water, but complete- ly so in boiling water. c. Mucus.—Inodorous, insipid, so- luble in water, insoluble in alco- hol ; not precipitated by silicat- ed potash, but precipitated by - alcohol in a fibrous state. Officinal. Linseed mucus, quince seed mucus, marsh mallow mucus. 4. Cerasin. This substance, which was formerly confounded with gum, is the produce of the astragalus traga- cantha. For its physical properties, see (Pavtix.) With nitric acid it yields saclactic, malic, and oxalic acids. Officinal. Tragacanth. Variety, a. Cherry-tree gum,—par- tially soluble only in water. When treated with nitric acid, yields saclactic acid. b. Congo gum ? c. Dominica gum,—in large masses like stalactites, brittle, light yel- lowish brown, translucent. Con- tains three parts of cerasin and one of gum. 5. Ulmin. * This is a spontaneous exudation from the elm; but, as Berzelius has hinted, is probably a component of every bark. It is solid, black, hard, shining, and insipid. Soluble in water, but does not f'oi in mucilage ; insoluble in alcohol; pre- cipitated by nitric* and oxymuriatic acids in the state of resin. 6. Inulin is obtained from the Inula he- lenium in the form of a white pow- der, which is iu$oluble in cold water and in alcohol. It is soluble in boil- ing water, forming a mucilaginous solution ; but precipitates as the so- lution cools. Treated with nitric acid it yields malic and oxalic acids. Officinal. Elecampane root. 7. Starch. (Partix.) Variety, a. Potatoe starch has a per- ceptibly crystallized aspect, hea- vier than common starch. b. Indian arrow root has all the pro- perties of common starch. c. Sago, in grey granules. d. Salop? e. Tapioca, in granules. All these varieties of starch are very nutritive, and excellent food for the sick and convalescent. 8. Gluten is of a gray colour, nearly So named by Dr. Thomson. insipid, and inodorous, very tenacious, ductile, and elastic; partially soluble in water, and soluble in acetic and muriatic acid. Insoluble in alcohol and ether. When gluten is rubbed with a spirituous solution of guaiac, a blue colour is evolved. When treated with nitric acid it yields ox- alic acid. 9. Fibrin is tasteless, fibrous, elastic, and resembles gluten. It is insoluble in water, alcohol, and diluted alkali; but is soluble in acids, particularly nitric acid. It soon putrifies. 10. Extractive is obtained by evaporating aqueous vegetable infusions to dryness. It has.a strong taste ; and is soluble in water; but insoluble in alcohol and ether, unless when the extractive is united with resin. It is precipitated from its solutions by oxymuriatic acid, muriate of tin, and muriate of alumina; but not by gelatin. Officinal. Catechu, most barks, &c. 11. Emetin. This substance is obtained from ipecacuanha and some other roots, which have an emetic property. It is in the form of brownish-red transpa- rent scales, inodorous, but having a bit- ter and slightly acrid taste. It is very soluble in water, alcohol, and acetic acid, but insoluble in ether. Nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid. Half a grain, when swallowed, excites full vo- miting.* Officinal. Ipecacuanha root. 12. J\'icotin is obtained from the leaves of several species of nicotiana. It is colourless, acrid, and has the odour of tobacco; is soluble in water and alco- hol ; and approaches the volatile oils i« its properties. It is extremely poi- sonous. Officinal. Tobacco leaves. 13. Tannin has a bitterish astringent taste ; is soluble in water, and in alco- hol of 0.810. It is precipitated by the muriates of tin and of alumina, and by gelatin. Officinal. Galls, uva ursi, tormentil, rhu- barb, cinchona barks, swietenia, sima- rouba, kino, catechu, willow bark. * To obtain Emttin, treat po-wder of Ipecacuan- ha with ether at 60»-, as long as it acts upon it: then boil the powder several times with fresh quantities of alcohol at 40°, and filter the boiling solutions, which will throw down as they cool a white flocculent pre- cipitate : filter again, and evaporate the clear so- lution in a water-bath. Dissolve the reddish residue which will be obtained in cold water, and add magne- sia, which will precipitate the Emetin, that may ha now obtained in a state of purity by dissolving the precipitate in alcohol, and evaporating the solution lodivness. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 25 14. Wax is a fixed oil, saturated with ox- ygen. (Part ii.) 15. Camphor. The ultimate components are probably carbon and hydrogen, the proportion of carbon being greater than in oils. (Part ii.) 16. Scillitin. This substance is procured from the bulb of the squill. It is white transparent, and pulverulent: has an in - tensely bitter taste, leaving a sweetish impression on the palate. It is soluble in water and alcohol, and when heated swellsand exhales the odour of caromel. Officinal. The bulb of the squill. 17. Resins are brittle, semi-transparent, yellowish substances, inodorous, and having an acrid taste. Their specific gravity varies from 1.0452 to 1.2289. They melt when heated, inflame in a higher temperature, and burn with a strong yellow flame, emitting much smoke. They are insoluble in water; but soluble in alcohol, ether, alkalies, and acetic acid. Nitric acid converts them into artificial tannin. Officinal. Amber, copal, pine resins, mas- tiche. 18. Guaiacum differs from resins in be- ing soluble in nitric acid, and, when treated with it, in yielding oxalic acid, and no tannin. (See Part ii.) 19. Hematin is the colouring matter of logwood. It is procured in small bril- liant crystals of a reddish white colour. Their taste is bitter, acrid, and slightly astringent. They form an orange red solution with boiling water; alkalies in excess change them first to purple, then to violet, and, lastly, to brown; and the hematin is decomposed. (See Part ii.) Officinal. Logwood and its extract. 20. Picrotoxine is procured from the fruit of Menispermum coculus, in white, four-sided prismatic crystals; of an in- tensely bitter taste, soluble in twenty- five times their weight of water, and in three times their weight of alcohol and of ether. It is insoluble in oils. Nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid. It is intoxicating and poisonous when swallowed. Officinal. Coculus Indicus. 21. Morphia. This is an alkalme substance procured from opium. It is in white pyramidal crystals, scarcely soluble in boiling water, but very soluble in alco- hol and ether. It combines with the acids, forming neutral salts. It acts with great energy on the animal economy. (See Pantii.) Officinal. Opium, lactucarium. 22. Aconita, an alkaline substance pro- cured from the Aconitum Napellus, on which the poisonous qualities of 4 that plant are supposed to depend. (See Part ii.) Officinal. Aconitum Napellus and its ex- tract. 23. Atropia, an alkaline substance, on which the poisonous and active pro- perties of Belladonna depend. (See Part ii.) Officinal. Atropa Belladonna and its ex- tract. 24. Delphinia, an alkali, the active prin- ciple of Delphinium Stavisdgria. (See Part ii.) 25. Hyosciama, an alkali, the active prin- ciple of Hyosciamus niger. (See Part 26. Veratria, an alkali, the active princi- ple of Veratrum album, and Colchicum autumnale. (See Part ii.) 27. Balsams resemble resins in their ap- pearance ; have a strong aromatic odour; yield benzoic acid when heat- ed, or dissolved in sulphuric acid ; and when treated with nitric acid yield ar- tificial tannin. Officinal. Balsams of tolu, benzoin, sto- rax. 28. Gum resins resemble resins in their appearance ; but they are odorous, and form milky solutions with water, and transparent solutions with, alcohol. They are soluble in alkalies; and are converted into tannin by nitric acid. Officinal. Ammoniacum, galbanum, scam- mony, assafoetida, myrrh, sagapenum, gamboge, aloes. 29. Wood, which forms the support of all vegetables, is composed of taste- less fibres, insoluble in water and alco- hol, but soluble in weak alkaline ley; and in nitric acid yielding oxalic acid. When distilled per.se, at a red heat, it leaves much charcoal. i. Solid animal matters. 1. Gelatin. (Part ii.) 2. Albumen when dried is a brittle, transparent, glassy substance, resem- bling gum in appearance. It is so- luble in cold water, and when the solution consists of one part of dry albumen and 9 of water, heat coagu- lates it into a firm white solid mass: alcohol, ether, the strong acids, ma- ny metallic oxides, and tannin, also coagulate the solution. Officinal. White of egg, hartshorn shav- ings. 3. Solid oils are composed, like the other fixed oils, .of a solid and a fluid sub- stance, which Chevreul has named Stearin and Ela'in. Varieties—a. Spermaceti. (Parti'i.) b. Fat is an odorous, insipid, white crystal- line substance ; grca- sv to the touch ; mella 26 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. at 140° ; vaporized at 400°, the Vapour being inflammable. Insoluble in water, alcohol, and ether; combines with alkalies, and forms soap; and isdecompo- sed by strong acids. Officinal. Lard, mutton suet, fat. 4. Cantharidin is the active principle of Spanish flies. (See Part ii.) Officinal. Lyttse. 5. Cochinilin is the colouring principle of the Cocus Cacti. (See Part ii.) 6. Castor. (Ibid.) 7. Musk. (Ibid.) 8. Bones and Shells. (Ibid.) 9. Horn. (Ibid.) combination of solids with solids. Although solid bodies may be made to enter into combination with each other, yet all do not combine in the same manner, and under similar circumstances. Thus, some unite in any proportion, and some in certain determinate proportions only: while others will not combine with each other under any circumstances. 1. Table of the principal Solids which have been ascertained to be capable of uniting in any Proportion. , Sulphur with phosphorus. Carbon with iron. Metals with most metals. Protoxide of antimony with sulphuret of antimony. Earths with earths. Earths with some metallic oxides. Some earths with fixed alkalies. Solid oils with each other, and with bitumen. All the products are solids, except those resulting from the- union of sulphur and phosphorus, which are liquid. None of these solids combine sponta- neously, even although placed in contact; but require to be mixed, and exposed to a degree of heat capable of melting one or both of them; in which case the caloric breaking the force of the cohesive attrac- tion, which retains the particles of the so- lids in the aggregate state, the atoms of the one substance are brought into imme- diate contact with those of the other, or within the sphere of the attraction of affi- nity, which consequently acts and produ- ces the new compound. The compounds do not very materially differ in their pro perties from their constituents, except the compounds of iron with carbon, and some of the earths with each other. The com- bination is generally accompanied with a change of density. 2. Table of the principal Solids which have been observed to unite only in determinate Proportions. Sulphur with metals. -------------some metallic ox- ides. .-------------earths. -------------fixed alkalies. Phosphorus with carbon. -----------------metals. -----------------some earths. Acids with alkalies. -----------earths. -----------metallic oxides. These enter into more intimate union than the preceding. They, however, do not unite when both bodies remain in the solid state; " except sulphur and the fixed alkaline hydrates,* some acids, and a few hydrates of metallic oxides:" hence they are brought into union, either by fusion, or by solution in water, or some other liquid menstruum. By the first mode, " sulphur is made to combine with metals, earths, and fixed alkalies, and phosphorus with metals:" by the second, the acids are combined with the alkalies, the earths, and the metallic ox- ides. The mode of union resembles that of liquids with solids in every respect. It is important to ascertain the propor- tions in which these bodies unite, and their change of density. Berthollet is of opinion, that sulphur may unite indefinitely with the metals, the proportion of sulphur varying indefinitely in many native sulphurets ; but Dr. Thomson f maintains the contrary opin- ion, owing to the circumstance, " that when sulphur and a metal are fused together, we obtain always the two bodies combined in determinate proportions." The following Table exhibits the compo- sition of the sulphurets of the officinal me- tals. The first column gives the specific gravity of the sulphuret; the second the weight of sulphur united to 100 parts of the metal; the third the colour of the sulphuret. • These are alknlie, in the crystalline form, or con- taining water solidified. ^ *C System of Chemistry, 4th edit. iii. 1S6. ELEMENTS OF FHARMACV, Metals. Specific gravity. Silver . 7.215 Rismuth. J Arsenic . 3.3384 Copper . Mercury <> I 8.16 Tin . . { Lead. . I 7.602 Antimony Iron . . I 4.368 4.518 4.83 The metallic sulphurets are rarer than the mean of their components, owing to the substances expanding during their union sometimes more than one-fifth of the whole. Pyrites, however, is an exception, its speci- fic gravity being greater than the mean. Nothing precise is known of the other combinations of sulphur, or of those of phos- phorus with solid bodies. The combinations of the acids with alka- lies, earths, and metallic oxides are well understood. When an acid and an alkali are mixed together, we find that, after seve- ral small additions of the alkali to the acid, diluted with a little water, the mixture still retains acid properties; but by continuing to add the alkali these disappear, and alka- line properties are acquired by the next addition that is made ; the acid or the alka- line properties of the compound, therefore, predominate according to the proportions of each ; but there are certain proportions, according to which they destroy, by their union, the properties of each other, so that neither predominates. In this case they are said to neutralize each other; the pro- ducts are named neutral salts, and the pro- portions in which the acids and alkalies unite to form neutrals are fixed and deter- minate. All salts, however, are not neutrals ; but in some the proportions of the acid, in others, that of the base, predominate. The former, which are named super-salts, are supposed to be compounds of two or more atoms of the acid with one of the base ; and the latter, which are named sub-salts, of two atoms of the base with one of the acid, -j" Thus supertartrate of potash consists of one atom of potass united to two of tartaric acid ; or by weight, of 5-23 parts of base, * Vauquelin. t For an account of the Atomic Theory, I must re- fer my readers to Mr. Dalton's writings, and Thom- son's Annals «f Philosophy. passim. Weight of sulphur Colour. combined. 14.544 black 22-52 \ blue 45. blue 71.42 red 25. black 8. \ black 16. red 27.1 \ blue 54.2 yellow 15.384 * white 30.768 white 33.333* leaden-grey 57.1 i yellow 114.2 yellow and 100 of acid ; £ while carbonate of potass consists of two atoms of potass and one of carbonic acid ; or by weight, of 2-75 of acid and 6-00 of base. Triple salts, are salts composed of one acid united to two bases at the same time,—as the tartaric acid, for instance, with potass and soda, to form the tartrate of potass and soda. The metalline salts are seldom neutral, having generally an excess either of acid or of base. II. LIQUIDS. It has been already observed, that by throwing caloric into a solid body, or, in other words, heating it, the force of the attraction of cohesion which preserved it in the solid state is gradually weakened, and finally overcome. When the particles of a body, which were at a low temperature immoveable relatively to each other, are separated by interposed caloric, so as to move easily upon each, but are yet within the limits of the sphere of the attraction of aggregation, the body is denominated a li- quid, provided it remain in this state under the medium temperature of the atmosphere- Thus Ice, when brought into a place the temperature of which exceeds 32Q, loses its solidity and becomes a liquid or water, which form it retains in every degree of temperature between 32° and 212° on the scale of Fahrenheit's thermometer. Let us now examine the constitution of liquids ; their combinations with other liquids ; and their combination with solids. 1. or THE CONSTITUTIONS OF LIQ.UIDS. Liquids, as we have explained, are com- pounds of caloric with a solid base. Their parts move easily upon each other, and yield to the smallest impression ; but they 1 Uerzelius. 28 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. are not sensibly elastic. The greater or smaller degree of liquidity of different sub- stances, depends upon a difference of the force of cohesion exerted between their particles, which may be regarded as placed in the limit between attraction and repul- sion : thus the cohesion of mercury is grea- ter than that of water. Liquids differ very much in specific gravity ; and the degree of this bears a relation to their density. " The distances of the atoms are so regulat- ed, that the attraction and repulsion by which they are at once actuated just bal- ance one another: while their form, which is supposed to be spherical, is such, that they can move freely among each other without altering these distances. It is this which seems to constitute the real cause of liquidity." • All liquids may be arranged into two great classes. " The following Table * ex- hibits a list of almost the whole of them, ar- ranged according to their composition :"— I. Simple. Sp. grav. Mercury. (Part ii.) .... 13-6 II. Compound. a. Simple gases combined. Water . . .........1-000 Nitric acid. (Part iii.) . . 1-583 b. Gases with a solid base. Sulphuric acid. (Part ii.) . 1'898 Alcohol. (Part iii.) .... 0-794 Ethers. (Ibid.).....' - 0632 to 0-900 Volatile oils. (Ibid.) . . . .0-792 to 1-094 Fixed oils. (Ibid.) .... 0-913 to 0-968 Petroleum. (Part ii.) . . . ---- Supersulphuret of hydrogen. Oxymuriate, or Bichloride of tin. c. Solids combined. Phosphuret of sulphur . .---- Sulphuret of carbon . . . 1.272 If mercury be excepted, all the known li- quids are compounds ; and the greater num- ber of them contain water as an ingredient. Water. The ordinary appearances and properties of this liquid are too well known to require description. Its maxi- mum of density is at the temperature of 36°. A cubic foot of it, at 30 inches of the barometer, and 55° of the thermome- ter, weighs 998'74 avoirdupoise ounces of 437*5 grains troy each. Its specific gravity is supposed = 1.000, and it is made the standard of unity in the measurement of the gravity of every other liquid. The gravity of ice is less than that of liquid water. In the form of steam, under a pressure of 28 inches of mercury, it occu- pies 1800 times the space which it does in the form of water. It is not decomposed by heat alone ; nor altered by light: but is decomposed by iron, zinc, antimony, and tin, when assisted by heat. It readi- ly absorbs air and gases *, and is a con- stituent of all gases. It is a compound of oxygen and hydrogen, 100 grains con- taining 88-286 of oxygen, and 11*714 of hydrogen, f It liquefies a great number of solid bodies, its solvent power being increased by diminishing the pressure of the atmosphere ; and, as has been already stated, the greater number of liquids con- tain it as an ingredient. Supersulphuret of hydrogen is a transparent, colourless liquid when pure, but more frequently has a greenish yellow tinge. It has a strong peculiar odour, and a pun- gent yet cooling taste. Its specific gra- vity is 1-3. It burns like spirit of wine, and during the combustion emits a sul- phurous odour. It is a compound of 96-75 parts of sulphur, and 3.25 of hydro- gen. .Oxymuriate, or bichloride of tin, is a trans- parent liquid, which exhales a very heavy dense smoke when exposed to the air. Twenty-two parts of it united with seven of water condense into a solid mass. It yields by evaporation smallcrystals, which are deliquescent, and sublime in a moder- ate heat.. Phosphuret of sulphur is of a yellowish white colour, crystallized appearance, and ex- ceedingly inflammable. Its components are 100 parts of sulphur, and 75 of phos- phorus. Sulphuret of carbon is a transparent colour- less liquid, having an acrid pungent, slightly aromatic taste, and foetid odour. It is very inflammable, burning with a blue flame, and emitting fumes of sulphurous acid. It is a compound of 84-83 parts of sulphur, and 15-17 of carbon. 2. COMBINATION OF L1Q.UIDS WITH EACH OTIIEH. When liquids are mixed together they either unite in all proportions, or in cer- tain determinate proportions only, or they cannot be united, but separate how- soever carefully they be mixed together; or they decompose each other. I. Table of Liquids which unite when mixed together in all proportions, and do not af- terwards spontaneously separate. Water with alcohol. ----------nitric acid. ----------sulphuric acid. Thomson's Chemistry, 5th edit. iii. p. 82. * From Mr. Dalton's experiments, it appears that water absorbs its own bulk of carbonic acid gas, of sulpliurettd hydrogen gas, and of nitrous oxide ; one- twenty-seventh of oxygen gas, nitrous gas, and car- bureted hydrogen ; and oiit-tighth of carbonic oxide, uzotic gas, and hydrogen gas. t Biot am! Arago. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 29 Alcohol with ether. Sulphuric acid with nitric acid. Fixed oils with petroleum. ---------------volatile oils. •--------------fixed oils. Volatile oils with petroleum. ----------------volatile oils. When these liquids are mixed together, such a mutual penetration takes place, that every portion of the mixture contains the same proportions of both ingredients ; and this is the case, although there may be the greatest difference in the specific gravity of the individual liquids. Agitation assists the rapidity of this effept very much, but the mixture is never perfect until some time afterwards. If, on the contrary, agi- tation be not employed, the mixture is al- ways more quickly effected when the den- ser liquid is added to the rarer ; for in the opposite case a long period often elap- ses before it be completed. A partial mud- diness occurs when even transparent li quids of different densities are mixed to- gether, and continues until the mixture be perfect; but when it is completed, the com- pound is homogeneous, and the liquids do not afterwards separate from each other. As the density and specific gravity of a compound thus formed are always greater than the mean, caloric is evolved during the mixture. In some cases the quantity is scarcely sensible ; but in other cases it is capable of affecting considerably the ther- mometer; thus, if fixed and volatile oils be mixed, the temperature is not very sensi- bly raised; but if alcohol and water are mixed, the evolution of heat is very sensi- ble ; and if four parts of sulphuric acid and one part of water, both at 32°, be mixed together, the temperature rises to 212°. When equal parts of sulphuric acid and water are mixed, the density is augmented by 13 per cent.; of nitric acid and water, the increase is equal to 1-12; and when water and pure alcohol are mixed, it is ra- ther more than 1-28 of the whole weight. These mixtures are cases of real chemical combination ; the force which holds them combined being that of chemical attraction exerted between the integrant particles of the two liquids. II. Table exhibiting a list of the Liquids that unite with each other only in certain proportions. Water with ether. -----------volatile oils. -----------sulphuret of carbon. Alcohol with volatile oils. -------------petroleum. ------------supersulphureted oxygen ? -------------phosphuret of sulphur. Ether with volatile oils. ----------petroleum. Volatile oils with petroleum. Water dissolves rather less than one-tenth of its bulk of sulphuric ether; and the proportion of volatile oil it takes up is also very minute, being scarcely more than is sufficient to communicate the odour of the oil to the water, without any other of its properties. Although alcohol unites readi- ly with the volatile oils, yet the quantity of each is limited: and the proportion of petroleum which alcohol dissolves is very small. The proportions of volatile oils and petroleum which ether dissolves are consi- derable. The affinity of the compounds of this ta- ble is much weaker than those of the for- mer; which, "with the difference between the cohesion of the particles of the two li- quids, limits the combination to certain pro- portions." They are also more easily de- composed ; for, if a spirituous solution of volatile oil be poured into water, the alco- hol leaves the volatile oil to unite with the water, while the greater part of the sepa- rated oil swims on the surface of the new compound. III. Table exhibiting the principal Liquids which do not sensibly combine in any pro- portion. Water with petroleum. ----:---—fixed oils. ■ ----supersulphureted hydrogen. Fixed oils with alcohol. ---------------ether. Mercury with water. ------------alcohol. ------------ether. -------------volatile oils. -------------petroleum. In these cases the affinity between the two liquids is not sufficient to overcome the cohesion between the particles of each liquid. The spreading of oil, however, upon the surface of water, and adhering to it, is supposed to depend on the exertion of some degree of affinity, although less than is requisite to produce a combination of the two liquids. If a liquid' have an affinity for one of the constituents of another liquid, although not for the liquid itself, it frequently decompo- ses it, and forms new compounds. IV. Table of the principal Liquids which decompose each other. Water is decomposed by phosphuret of sulphur. Nitric acid by all liquids, except wa- ter and sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid by all liquids, except nitric acid and water. During the first case of decomposition, which is facilitated by a high temperature, sulphureted and phospliureted hydrogen exhale, and sulphuric and phosphoric acids arc formed. PHARMACY. 30 ELEMENTS 0 The combinations of solids, reduced to the liquid state, are regulated by the very same laws as those of proper liquids. 3. or THE COMBINATION OF L1Q.UIDS WITH SOLIDS. __ The principal liquids, the action of which upon solids has been examined, are water, alcohol, ether, petroleum, volatile oils, fixed oils, mercury, and the acids which have been already noticed. a. Water enters into combination with so- lid bodies in two states. In the first, the proportion of solid matter exceeds that of water, and the liquid becomes a part of the solid body without rendering it liquid; in the second, the solid is much exceeded by the quantity of fluid, which liquefies it, and imposes its peculiar form upon the compound. The products of the first state are denominated hydrates,- the second con- stitutes solutions. I. Table of hydrates or compounds of solid bodies and water, still retaining the solid form. 1. Sulphur is found native in the state of a hydrate; but the hydrate most ge- nerally known is precipitated sulphur. (Part iii. p. 389.) 2. Metallic oxides, when in the state of hydrates, are powders possessed of very intense colour, having usually a strong taste, and being easily acted upon by acid or alkaline solutions. 3. Earthy hydrates are powders, and in some cases crystals. 4. Alkaline hydrates are what are com- monly termed the crystals of alkalies. 5. Acid hydrates are those acids which are generally procured in a solid state, and known under the name of crys- tallized acids. 6. Saline hydrates comprehend the whole class of saline preparations, whether assuming the form of crystals, powders, or solid masses. 7. Hydrates of hydrosulphurets are the crystallized hydrosulphurets. 8. Soaps are hydrates, water being al- ways present in them as a constituent. 9. Tannin and many animal and vegeta- ble solids. In the two last classes the proportion of combined water does not appear to be determinate, although this is the case with all the others. Solution.—During solution, both bodies, or the solid and the liquid, act mutually upon each other at the same time ; and the force exerted by each is equal to its mass. The action goes on at the point of contact only : hence as far as the mass is concern- ed, the quantity of liquid has no effect in hastening the solution. When a solid bo- dy is plunged into a liquid, if the affinity between them be weak, the combination of the two goes on as long only as the force of the affinity is able to overcome the force of cohesion of the particles of the solid; when it stops, the compound remains solid and is consequently a hydrate. But if the affinity be strong, the cohesion of the solid is gradually destroyed, and its particles be- ing united with those of the liquid, are dis- persed equally through it, forming a solu- tion. By the addition, however, of new portions of the solid, the action of the li- quid is gradually weakened; and at length, being unable to overcome the cohesion of the solid, no more of it is dissolved. In this case, the sums of the force of the at- traction of affinity exerted between the so- lid and the liquid, and of the force of the cohesive attraction of the particles of the solid for each other, are balanced ; and the liquid is said to be saturated. The union of the two bodies is accompanied by the usual phenomena of chemical combination. If a portion of the liquid be now abstract- ed, (as for example by evaporation,) the force of the cohesive attraction of the par- ticles of the solid becomes again superior to the force of the affinity which separated them, so that the solid is reproduced. When this is slowly accomplished, it proAices crystallization, the phenomena of which have been already noticed. In the formation of hydrates the increase of density is often very great, and much ca- loric is evolved. Thus, hydrate of lime is specifically heavier than pure lime. Hy- drate of alum, which is simply crystallized alum, has a specific gravity of 1.7065; but when its water is driven off by calcination, the gravity is reduced to 0.4229 : and crys- tallized nitrate of potash, or hydrate of ni- tre, is of the specific gravity 1.9639; but nitre deprived of its water of crystalliza- tion is only 1.7269. The density of solutions is greater than the mean, when pure solids are employed ; but when it is the hydrates which are dis- solved,the specific gravity is more generally less than the mean. The following useful tables, drawn up by Hassenfratz, show the specific gravity of saline solutions contain- ing different proportions of salt, at 55°.* By consulting them we can readily know the exact quantity of salt contained in any saline solution of a specific gravity corres- ponding with the numbers marked in the tables; and when the gravity of the solu- tion is not found in the tables, its saline con- tents can still be found by calculation. •The salts were generally i„ the trjstallized state. The column belonging to each salt termi- nates at the point of saturation, at the temperature ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 31 TABLE OF SALINE SOLUTIONS. Weight of Sul- Sul- Weight of Sul- Sul- Sul- Sul- Salt in 100 phate phate Alum. Salt in 100 phate phate phate phate parts of the of of parts of the of Mag- of of of Solution. Soda. Potash. Solution. nesia. Iron. Zinc. Copper. 1 1.0039 1.0086 1.0047 2 1.0096 1.0096 1.0080 1.0141 2 1.0078 1.0171 1.0094 4 1.0192 1.0203 1.0165 1.0280 3 1.0116 1.0257 1.0142 6 1.0286 1.0314 1.0255 1.0413 4 1.0154 1.0343 1.0189 8 1.0379 1.0436 1.0345 1.0539 5 1.0192 1.0429 1.0236 10 1.0470 1.0560 1.0440 1.0660 6 1.0230 1.0515 12 1.0555 1.0696 1.0540 1.0795 7 1.0268 14 1.0646 1.0829 1.0665 1.0938 8 1.0306 16 1.0711 1.0961 1-0790 1.1083 9 1.0344 18 1.0771 1.1095 1.0915 1.1230 10 1.0381 20 1.0860 1.1220 1.1040 1.1380 11 1.0418 22 1.0976 1.1358 1.1165 1.1513 12 1.0455 24 1.1092 1.1498 1.1290 1.1747 13 1.0492 26 1.1178 1.1638 1.1420 14 1.0528 28 1.1324 1.1781 1.1550 i 15 1.0564 30 1.1440 1.1920 1.1680 16 1 1.0598 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 1.1557 1.1675 1.1789 1.1905 1.2122 1.2262 1.2302 1.2432 1.2562 1.2683 1.2833 1.2031 1.1820 1.1960 1.2100 1.2240 1.2380 1.2525 1.2680 1.2855 1.3045 1.3310 1.3485 54 1.2973 — 1.3565 Muriate of Lime. >n(NOioiooaooio'Nniot..on,')K.MO(»»oioioo OHrtW*U5«5KSOHCN'*^KOCOlOCJlCOK(NOO'OHOt)10(MOHO'*HOll0^lM001CONK'OlOiO>OOOOil OHNNP3<*-*V5(010KOOOOoiO'-IHO)nTfVlVHOKOOOlOHOICHOO !-HrOl»ON'iiiO-00(N'*10«)0(Nil}i r^rHrHr-(rHCNtC^C^C^'>je0C0C0C0C0-^'-«i''^,',*-**0»O»O*0'O'O-O-O 2 " IniONOiOOCHoNOOiiiOiTiiOHMIO «, 2 iN-fHixnonoK^MHHOoooeiioo •C *S >» OrnCJwci^viVHOKCJiocTOKOiNCO* 3 ° C OOOOOOOOOOOr-(T-i1-ii-(r-CNCM(M Muriate of Ammo-nia. OlOlOlMOlOlOlOiOlOOOlO'JCNO'Nci M'noOHTjKowoo'OHNncri^oi OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 1 1 Hyper-oxy muri-ate of Potash. ICVJOMOHIOHK ooooooooo1 • ' ' I 1 1 1 1 1 r-liHfHrHiHrHr-lrHTH Muriate of Potash. NinnwocooscoffloMHrtHOOoo'fifo 'i'Ol'^Ol^OOCICOnOlt-OOOOOiNiO^tM OO-H(MNMni'^OKC00)OOrHNC'5'* OOOOOOOOOOOOOOi->r-(^H-^^ir-l Muriate of Soda. •*MWl0O^00M10O'0O'')(NO(Na)OOO 10(N0l,')Na),*OK'#NHTj'00(N<0O'OWO OHrtWciM^in'nioKoiOHnTinoj^aH qqqooqoqqoqoHHHHHrtH c<> rH !-< r-i r-l ,-H t-i i-H rH rH* i-i r-I r-i i-H t-T i-i i-< i-i i-i r-i tH Weight of Salt in 100 parts of the Solution. i-ICNe0Ti'"r3tOK00Cf>O(NTii«303OCN-J,«2a3O ELEMENTS OF TABLE OF SALINE S «. Weight of Salt in 100 Nitrate Acetate Acetate Tar- parts of the of of of trate of Solution. Potash. Lead. 1.0070 Iron. Soda. 1 1.0063 1.0035 1.0034 2 1.0125 1.0140 1.0075 1.0072 3 1.0186 1.0211 1.0112 1.0108 4 1.0244 1.0283 1.0150 1.0148 5 1.03u2 1.0366 1.0188 1.0191) 6 1.0353 1.0430 1.0225 1.0231 7 1.0408 1.0505 1.0264 1.0272 8 1.0468 1.0580 1.0302 1.0313 9 1.0531 1.0655 1.0341 1.0355 10 1.0595 1.0731 1.0380 1.0397 12 1.0722 1.0891 1.0458 1.0481 14 1.0850 1.1055 1.0537 1.0567 16 1.0984 1.1221 1.0616 1.0655 18 1.1119 1.1330 1.0637 1.0745 20 1.1235 1.1560 1.0780 1.0837 22 1.1389 1.1740 1.0863 1.1032 24 1.1520 1.1928 1.0948 1.1153 26 — — 1.1045 1.1283 28 — — 1.1140 1.1436 30 — — 1.1224 1.1600 32 — — 1.1323 1.1801 34 — — — _ 36 — — — _ 38 — _ _ _ 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 — — — — — — — — — — — — _ , _ __ 54 56 58 — — — — z — — — 60 — 1 — — — It is necessary to keep in view, that the solvent powers of water are augmented by an increase of temperature, and that the proportions in the foregoing Tables are such as take place onlv at a temperature of 55°. If a new substance be added to the sa- turated aqueous solution of another sub- stance, the result is different according to the nature of the matters employed. Sometimes the second substance is not dis- solved : thus a saturated solution of muri- ate of lime at 60° cannot dissolve any com- mon salt. Sometimes the whole, or a part of the new solid, is dissolved without any of the already-dissolved solid being lost or precipitated : thus a saturated solution of nitrate of potash at 51° can dissolve more muriate of soda than can be dissolved by- pure water, and the same is the case with nitrate of soda , but, in the latter case, a 5 PHARMACY. LL Tl ON S—continued. Tar-trate of Phos- Soda phate of Soda. Borax. of Ameri-can Potash. 1.0050 Com-merce. 1.0042 Potash, 1.0040 1.0040 1.0050 1.0102 1.0081 1.0084 1.0086 1.0102 1.0153 1.0120 1.0122 1.0130 1.0156 1.0212 1.0166 — 1.0175 1.0212 1.0258 1.0200 — 1.0220 1.0269 1.0311 1.0237 — 1.0264 1.0327 1.0363 1.0270 — 1.0310 1.0385 1.0417 1.0300 — 1.0356 1.0443 1.0470 — — 1.0403 1.0503 1.0525 — —, 1.0458 1.0563 1.0634 — — 1.0544 1.0684 1.0744 — — 1.0640 1.0807 1.0856 — — 1.0736 1.0930' 1.0968 — — 1.0833 1.1053 1.1080 — — 1.0930 1.1179 1.1196 — — . 1.1031 1.1307 1.1317 — — 1.1135 1.1438 1.1447 — — 1.1241 1.1571 1.1569 - — — 1.1349 1.1724 1.1700 — ■ — 1.1460 1.1840 1.1838 — — — 1.1989 1.1978 — — _ 1.2142 1.2118 — —. — 1.23u4 1.2259 — —: — 1.2478 1.2400 — T- —: 1.2660 1.2547 — — -_ 1.2882 1.2696 1.2861 1.3015 1.3180 1.3351 1.3527 1.3707 1.3902 1.4120 great portion of the nitrate is precipitated. Sometimes the new solid is dissolved at the expense of the whole of the substance al- ready dissolved, which is consequently pre- cipitated : thus, if a sufficient quantity of muriate of soda be added to a saturated solution of muriate of ammonia at 61°, the former salt is dissolved, but the whole of the latter precipitates during its solution. This last result, however, does not take place at every degree of temperature ; for, at a boiling heat, muriate of soda is separa- ted by those very salts which it precipitates at a low temperature. b. Alcohol acts less extensively upon solids than water; and it forms no solid combi- nations similar to the hydrates. Table of the solids which alcohol is capable of dissolving. 1, Sulphur. 2. Phosphorus, and its compounds. 34 ELtMLM'S OF PHARMACY. 3. Fixed alkalies. 4. Some of the alkaline earths in mi- nute portions. 5. Most of the solid acids. 6. Many salts. 7. Alkaline sulphurets. 8. Alkaline soaps. 9. Tannin, and many vegetable sub- stances. A mixture of water and alcohol appears to possess greater energy a9 a solvent in many cases, than is possessed by either of them in a separate state. c. The action of ether upon solids is still more limited than that of alcohol. d. The actions of petroleum, volatile oils, and fixed oils have been too little investi- gated to permit any general deduc- tion. e. The action of mercury as a liquid is alto- gether confined to the metals, for ma- ny of which it has a considerable affi- nity, and forms compounds with them, which are denominated amalgams. None of these are objects of pharma- III. GASES. Gases are aeriform fluids, possessed of very different properties, but all agreeing in that peculiar kind of elasticity which constitutes aerial bodies. CONSTITUTION OP GASES. The particles of gases, like those of li- quids, are moveable upon each other; but gases differ from liquids in possessing elas- ticity, or that power which allows them to be compressed into a smaller bulk; and by which, however large a portion of any gas contained in a vessel be taken away, the small portion which is left is enabled to expand so as to fill the vessel. The bulk of common air may be thus easily reduced or increased 3000 times; and, indeed, there does not appear to be any limit to expan- sion. These properties of airs depend on the repulsion which exists between their component particles; and the force of which, according to Newton, is always inversely, as the distance of their centres from each other. As gases contain a larger propor- tion of combined caloric than any other class of bodies, it is very probable that caloric is the cause of the repulsion which exists be- tween their particles, or of their elasticity; and hence the addition of sensible heat to gases increases their elasticity, while the abstraction of it, or the application of cold, diminishes it. No degree of compression, nor abstraction of caloric, can alter the con- stitution of air; but by compression some of the gases may be reduced to liquids, and by the simple abstraction of caloric all the vapours can be reduced to the liquid, or even the solid state. Arrangement of the known gases according to their composition.* I. SIMPLE BASES. 1. Oxygen. 2. Hydrogen. 3. Azote. . 4. Oxymuriatic acid gas (Chlorine.) 5. Sulphur vapour. 6. Iodine vapour. II. COMPOUND GASES. a. Simple gases combined. 7. Hvdriodic acid. 8. Hyperoxymuriatic acid gas (protox- ide of chlorine.) 9. Nitrous gas (protoxide of azote.) 10. Nitrous oxide (deutoxide of azote.) 11. Muriatic acid gas. 12. Ammonia. b. Oxygen and a solid base. 13 Carbonic oxide. 14. Carbonic acid gas. 15. Sulphurous acid gas. 16. Sulphuric acid vapour. c. Hydrogen and a solid base, 17. Cyanogen. 18. Olefiant gas. 19. Carbureted hydrogen. 20. Sulphureted hydrogen. 21. Phosphureted hydrogen gas, hydro- guret of phosphorus. 22. Bihydroguret of phosphorus. d. Fluorine, chlorine, cyanogen, with a base. 23. Fluoboric acid. 24. Chlorocyanic acid. 25. Hydrocyanic (Prussic) acid. 26. Chlorocarbonic acid. e. Two solid bases. 27. Sulphuret of carbon. • /. Triple or quadruple compound gases, 28. Hydriodic ether. 29. Chloric ether. 30. Sulphuric ether. 31. Muriatic ether. 32. Vapour of alcohol. 33.-------of oil of turpentine. All these gases are invisible, except chlo- rine and the protoxide of chlorine, which have a yellowish green colour ; but when gases of very different specific gravity are mixed together, they become in a certain degree visible. With respect to the speci- fic gravity of gases, there is a greater dif- ference between them under the same pressure, and at an equal temperature, than ; exists between liquid substances; a circumstance which must depend either on a difference of the repulsive force, or of the weight of the atoms in different gases. • Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. iii. 437. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 35 A table of the density and weight of 100 cubic inches of the gases at the temperature of 60°, and a barometric pressure of 30°. Air . . . . • Oxygen .... Hydrogen . . . Azote .... Chlorine . . . Sulphur Vapour Vapour of Iodine Hydriodic Acid Protoxide of Chlorine Protoxide of Azote Deutoxide of Azote Muriatic Acid Steam .... Ammonia . . . Carbonic oxide Carbonic Acid Sulphurous Acid Sulphuric acid Cyanogen . . . Specific Gravity. 1.000 1.111 0.0694 0.9722 2.500 1.111 8.678 4.375 2.440 1.5278 1.0416 1.284 0.625 0.590 0.9722 1.527 2.222 2-777 1.804 Weight of 100 cubic Inches. 30.5 33.888 2.117 29.652 76.250 33.888 264.679 133.434 74.420 46.598 31.769 39.162 19.062 18.000 29.652 46.373 67.771 84.698 55.028 a-" OS-"> Olefiant Gas Carbureted hydrogen Hydroguret of Phos phorus . . . Bihydroguret of Phosphorus . . Fluoboric Acid . \ Chlorocyanic Acid vapour .... Hydrocyanic Acid vapour .... Chlorocarbonic Acid Hydriodic Ether Chloric Ether . . Sulphuric ether vapour Muriatic Ether . Alcohol vapour. Oil of Turpentine vapour .... Specific Gravity. 0.974 0.555 0.9022 0.9716 2.3709 2.152 0.9368 3.472 5.475 3.474 2.586 2.219 1.6133 5.013 Weight of 100 cubic Inches. 29.720 16.99 27.517 29.634 72.312 65.636 28.572 105.896 166 987 105.957 78.873 67.679 49.206 152.896 Water is a constituent of almost every gaseous body •, and the quantity of it con- tained in each depends upon the bulk, not the density, of the gas. It also appears probable, that the weight of it contained in 100 inches of all gases under the same pressure, and at the same temperature, is very nearly the same. It can be separated, in a great degree, by sulphuric acid, very dry alkalies, lime, and other matters which have a powerful attraction for water; but the whole of the moisture cannot be ab- sorbed by these substances ; and it is there- fore undetermined whether gases can exist independent of the presence of water. The quantity present in any gas is regulated, in a great degree, by the temperature : for, if this be high, a much larger proportion of moisture can be retained in the elastic form ; but in a low temperature it is depo- sited. Vapours differ from gases in several par- ticulars. Their "elasticity does not in- crease as tb0 pressure, like that of gases ; they can btf condensed by pressure, and by the abstraction of caloric, into liquids ; and even some of those bodies which are re- garded as real gases, such as ammonia and chlorine, are reduced by pressure at a low temperature to the liquid form. The elas- ticity of the majority of vapours is sensible at a high temperature only ; but some be- come sensibly elastic at the common tem- perature. 1. OF THE MIXTURE OF OASES WITH GASES. 1, Gases may be mixed together in the same manner as liquids, and with nearly similar results. Some never intimately combine, or are merely mechanically mingled, while others unite closely, and form new chemical compounds, possessing properties very different from those of their components. Table of gases which may be mixed together without any apparent change in their state. i. Gases that may be mixed, but which do not combine. Oxygen with fluoboric, fluosilic, and carbonic acid gases. Hydrogen with muriatic acid, fluoboric acid, and fluo- silic acid ; carbonic oxide, olefiant gas, carbureted hydrogen, phosphureted hydrogen, sulphureted hydrogen, and ammoniacal gas. Azote, with almost all the other gases. Fluoboric acid and fluosilic acid, with al- most all the other gases. ii. Gases which mix without any change, but may be made to combine. Oxygen with chlorine, iodine, hydro- gen, azote, carbonic oxide, sulphu- rous acid, and nitrous oxide. Hydrogen with oxymuriatic acid, io- dine, and azote. iii. Gases which mix without change, but may be made to decompose each other. Oxygen with carbureted hydrogen, bihydroguret of phosphorus, olefiant gas, sulphureted hydrogen, cyanogen, and ammonia. Hydrogen with carbonic acid, nitrous gas, nitrous oxide, and sulphurous acid. Although these gases, when simply mix- ed, do not chemically combine, or act on 66 ELEMENTS 01' PHARMACY. each other, yet the mixtures, even inde- pendent of agitation, are homogeneous compounds, or the gases do not arrange themselves according to their gravities, but are all equally diffused in the mixture, ev- ery portion of it containing exactly the same proportion of each of the mixed gases, and when once mixed they never after- wards separate. The bulk also, after mix- ture, is exactly equal to the sum of the bulks of the gases which have been mixed; Or each gas occupies the same space as when separate; and the specific gravity of the mixture is exactly the mean of that of the gases mixed. Hence, the mixtures of these gases appears to be a species of com- bination, similar to that which takes place in mixing together vinegar and water, or similar liquids; and that this is actually the case appears from the experiments of Mr. Dalton, *who found that two gases of dif- ferent specific gravity, when merely brought into contact, the lightest being placed uppermost and the heaviest under- TabIe of some of the gases which unite by simple mlxturr, and form pharmaceutical products. JVames and proportions of the gases. Volumes. OW" ^1^+200^ Nitrous g:,s Ammoniacal gas with vapour --------------100-j-lOO muriatic acid gas 100-J-100 carbonic acid most, will mix together spontaneously, if left at rest; and the same effect will take place if the gases be put in separate vessels communicating with each other by a tube only, as in the experiments of M. Bcrthol- let,+ who supposes that the gases dissolve each other, while Mr. Dalton conceives that they are merely mechanically com- bined. . Vapours and gases unite in nearly the same manner as gases and gases; and this combination enables the vapour to sustain the pressure of the incumbent atmosphere, which it could not otherwise support, with- out being condensed. They are also re- tained together by a species of affinity, suf- ficient to cause their intimate and uniform mixture, but not strong enough to pro- duce chemical combination. 2. Of the gaseous bodies which chemi- cally unite when they are mixed, " some combine in all circumstances by mere mix- ture ; others unite only in particular states." Products. C Nitric acid. ( Nitrous acid. Liquid ammonia. Muriate of ammonia. Carbonate of ammonia. --------------100-flOO sulphureted hydrogen ^H-vdrosu,Phuret of C ammonia. The two first of these products are vapours, the third is a liquid, and the rest are solid bodies. a. Oxygen and nitrous acid unite in two different proportions ; or 100 volumes of oxygen gas is capable of uniting with 133, and also with 200 volumes of nitrous gas. The first proportions pro- duce nitric acid, which, as nitrous gas is a compound of 66 2-3ds volumes of azote, and 66 2-3ds of oxygen, there- fore, appears to be a compound of 166 2-3ds volumes of oxygen combined with 66 2-3ds of azote ; the second produce nitrous acid, or nitric acid sat- urated with nitrous gas, which appears on the same principles to be a com- pound of 200 volumes of oxygen uni- ted to 100 of azote. It is, however, probable that these gases will com- bine in different proportions from the above, and produce nitric acid, con- taining various proportions of nitrous gas in solution. The immediate effect of their combination is the formation of a yellow-coloured vapour. b. Ammoniacal gas and aqueous vapour combine the moment they are brought into contact, and are condensed to a liquid; but the exact proportions are unknown. . Ammoniacal gas and muriatic acid gas unite when equal volumes of each are brought into contact; and the result of the mixture is a mutual condensation into a white powder, or muriate ofam- monia. If 100 cubic inches of muriatic acid gas, therefore, weigh 59-80, and the same bulk of ammoniacal gas 18-67 grains troy, muriate of ammonia must be a compound of 3 parts of muriatic acid by weight, united to 1 part of am- monia. . Ammoniacal gas and carbonic acid unite in equal volumes, and condense into a solid salt, which is carbonate of ammonia. . The combination of ammoniacal gas with sulphureted hydrogen in equal volumes, forms also a solid compound. Phil. Mag. xxiv. 8. t Statiquc Chimiqve^ i. 274. 487 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 37 Tab lb of some of the gases which mix without chemically combining, but may be made to combine ; and of the pharmaceutical products formed by the combinations. Names and proportions of the gases Oxygen 100 + 200 hydrogen Products. .............. Water. 50+ 100 carbonic oxide............ Carbonic acid 250 + 100 azotic gas............... ------ 50 + 100 sulphurous acid • • • •..... ------ 200 + 100 nitrous oxide ............ „ , 7 100 + 100 C chlorine ............ Hydrogen £ 1QQ £ 1QQ J cyanogen ........... Nitric acid. Sulphuric acid. Nitric acid. C Muriatic acid. (_ Hydrocyanic acid. . The two first combinations may be ef- fected by combustion, and the third by electricity. It has been supposed that the heat in these cases acts indirectly only, and produces the combination by forcibly expanding one portion of the gas, and thence producing a sudden compression in the neighbouring por- tions, so that some of the atoms of the two gases, being brought within the sphere of action of the attraction of af- finity, combine; while the caloric evolv- ed by this union occasioning the same expansion to be constantly renewed, the whole gaseous mixture is by de- grees combined. This theory is con- firmed by the experiments of Biot, which proved that oxygen and hydro- gen gases can be made to combine by simple pressure. . Oxygen gas and sulphurous acid gas probably combine when simply mixed together, but the fact has not been as- certained in a decisive manner. They undoubtedly combine in a red heat: it is, however, probable that the combi- nation is not direct, but that a portion of the sulphur is first separated, and then enters into combustion. All these gases suffer condensation when they combine, as displayed in the following table.* Constituents. Volumes of ditto. | Volumes Products. 1 of Products. Volumes condensed. Hydrogen . . Oxygen . . . 1 2 Water 9 1 Oxygen . . Carbonic acid . 1 2 Carbonic acid 2 1 Oxygen ... Azote .... 2.5 1 Nitric 1 , , acid 2.5? Oxygen . . . Sulphurous acid 1 2 Sulphuric j - 2 acid 1 1.8 Oxygen . . . Nitrous oxide . 2 1 Nitric | j f acid | 2' Hydrogen . . Chlorine. . . 1 1 Muriatic j ~ acid | 0 Hydrogen . Cyanogen . . 1 1 Hydrocy- j 2 anic acid 1 0 Table of the principal gases which mutually decompose each other when mixed together. Oxygen with Phosphureted hydrogen. Chiorine with Ammonia. ________.----Phosphureted hydrogen. ____________Carbureted hydrogen. ____________Olefiant gas. ____________Sulphureted hydrogen. ____________Nitrous gas. Sulphureted hydrogen with Nitrous gas. --------------" ' ---- Sulphurous acid. The three first decompositions are at- tended with combustion. a. Phosphureted hydrogen with oxygen. • Thi» Table is copied from that drawn up by Dr. Thomson (Si/st. of Chemistry, 5th edit. iii. 47.) 38 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY The first of these gases ma) be regard- ed as phosphorus dissolved in hydro- gen ; and consequently in that state which enables oxygen to act upon it at the ordinary temperature of the atmos- phere. When the proportion of phos- phorus is considerable, the combustion is extremely brilliant, and the caloric evolved is sufficient to set fire to the hydrogen. The products, when the combustion is incomplete, are water, phosphorous acid, and hydrophospho- rous acid; but when it is complete, they are water and phosphoric acid. b. Chlorine and ammonia, when brought into contact, excite spontaneous com- bustion ; one-fourth of the ammonia is decomposed; the hydrogen of that portion uniting with the chlorine, and forming muriatic acid, which enters in- to combination with the remaining am- monia, whilst the azote is dissipated. c. Phosphureted hydrogen gas, when mix- ed with chlorine, burns, and exhibits a lively combustion. The products are bichloride of phosphorus and common muriatic acid. d. Chlorine, when mixed with the heavy inflammable gases, does not occasion combustion, but slow and impercepti- ble decomposition takes place. e. Chlorine with nitrous gas has no reci- procal action : it is brought to the state of common muriatic acid; while the nitrous gas is converted into nitric acid. The requisite proportions, according to Humboldt,* are equal bulks of each gas. / Sulphureted hydrogen gas and nitrous gas mixed together in a dry state suffer spontaneous decomposition ; sulphur is deposited, and protoxide of azote, ammonia, and water, are produced. Table of gases which mix without sponta- neous decomposition, but which may be made to decompose each other by peculiar treatment. Oxygen with sulphureted hydrogen. ------------carbureted hydrogen. ------------olefiant gas. Oxygen with vapour of ether. ---------------------alcohol. Nitrous oxide with hydrogen. ----------------phosphureted hydrogen. ----------------sulphureted hydrogen. ----------------carbonic oxide. ----------------carbureted hydrogen. --------------—olefiant gas. ■----------vapour of ether. ____________.------------alcohol. Nitrous oxide with sulphurous acid. Nitric acid with hydrogen, and probably all the preceding combustible gases and vapours. Nitric acid with sulphurous acid. • Ann. de Chimie, torn, xxviii. p. 142. Nitrous gas with hydrogen. ________________sulphurous acid. Hydrogen with sulphurous acid. ________________carbonic acid. Vapour of water with carbureted hy- drogen. _____________-----. olefiant gas. Some of these decompositions are pro- duced by combustion, and are instanta- neous ; others take place without combus- tion and are consequently very slow. Oxygen and sulphureted hydrogen gases, when mixed together, do not suffer any change ; "but if the mixture be made to approach an ignited body, combustion im- mediately takes place, and the products vary according to the proportion of the gases mixed." In all cases a great propor- tion of the sulphur is deposited, and some sulphurous acid is formed, owing to the caloric evolved by the combustion of the hydrogen setting fire to a portion of the sulphur. If oxygen gas, in a small proportion, and carbureted hydrogen, or oxygen and olefiant gas, be exploded together, charcoal is de- posited, and water and carbonic acid pro- duced ; beside which, an inflammable gas, | named by Berthollet oxycarbureted hydro- I gen, remains, occupying more than double the space of the original gases. But if the proportion of oxygen be large, that is, twice the bulk of the carbureted hydrogen, and three times that of the olefiant gas, these two gases are completely consumed, and the products are water and carbonic acid. The vapours of ether and of alcohol de- tonate when certain proportions are mixed with common air, or rather with the oxygen it contains; and the products,are carbonic acid and water; the quantity of the former being very considerable, when the vapour fired is that of alcohol. If the proportion of the ethereal vapour be one cubic inch,which should weigh 0-7 grains, and that of the oxygen 6*8 inches, weighing 2-3 grains, the products will be 4-6 inches of carbonic acid, and a portion of water. The following Table shows the quantity of oxygen necessary for decomposing 100 inch- es of each of the above gases. Measures 100 Measures of of oxygen. Sulphureted hydrogen •••••••••.. 75 Carbureted hydrogen ••••■••••>•• 200 Olefiant gas.................... 200 Vapour of ether •................ 680 ---------alcohol ............ 680* When 100 measures of nitrous oxide are mixed with 100 of hydrogen, and fired by the electric spark, a complete combustion of the hydrogen and decomposition of the nitrous oxide take place, and water and i azote are produced. The superior affinity of the hydrogen over azote is in this case • Thomson'' Chemistry, 4th #dit- iii. 498. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 39 aided by the caloric evolved during the combustion of the former gas. One measure of phosphureted hydrogen, and three measures of nitrous oxide, are completely decomposed when exploded by the electric spark, producing water and phosphoric acid, and leaving three measures of pure azote. In this case, the proportion of nitrous oxide is sufficient to combine with both the components of the phosphu- reted hydrogen gas. In the same manner sulphureted hydrogen gas is acted on by ni- trous oxide; and the products of the deto- nation are water, sulphuric acid, and azote. When a mixture of olefiant gas and ni- trous oxide is detonated, the products are modified by the quantity of the latter gas employed ; when this is large, the constitu- ents of the inflammable gas are both satura- ted with oxygen, and water, carbonic acid, and azote are produced : but when a small- er proportion is used,, an inflammable gas remains. In all cases of the combustion of nitrous oxide with inflammable gases, the pheno- mena are analogous to their combustion in oxygen; and the same is the case when mixtures of nitrous gas and the combustible gases are fired by being passed through a red-hot tube. Nitrous gas, however, does not detonate with, nor decompose, any of the combustible gases which have been just considered; but when moist iron is placed in contact with nitrous gas, the hy- drogen evolved by the decomposition of the water for the oxidizement of the iron, decomposes the nitrous gas, converting it into nitrous oxide, and forming ammonia. The other cases of decomposition enume- rated in the table are slowly produced by the continued action of electricity, without any combustion taking place. The combinations of gases with gases are not immediately effected for the purposes of pharmacy, but several of them occur du- ring many of the operations for the prepa- ration of the saline and metallic compounds; and therefore require to be known and un- derstood for comprehending the theory of these operations. 2. OF THE COMBINATION OF GASES WITH Liaums. Water is the only liquid the action of which upon the gases has been accurately examined. In its ordinary state it contains in solution a considerable portion of atmos- pheric air, which can be separated from it by boiling; and it is then capable of reab- sorbing air, and any other gaseous fluid with which it may come in contact. All gases, however, are not equally absorbable; some being taken up in great quantity, and others only in a very small proportion. Table of gases which are but little absorbable by water, placed in the order of their absorp- tion, beginning with the least absorbable. t. Azotic gas. 2. Hydrogen gas. 3. Arsenical hydrogen. 4. Carbureted hydrogen. 5. Carbonic oxide. 6. Phosphureted hydrogen. 7. Oxygen gas. 8. Nitrous gas. 9. Olefiant gas. 10. Nitrous oxide. 11. Carbonic acid. 12. Sulphureted hydrogen. The quantity of any gas absorbed by wa- ter is very much increased by pressure; but by diminishing pressure, the gas again separates in its elastic form. Tempe- rature also regulates the quantity, which diminishes as the temperature increases, owing to every additional increment of caloric augmenting the elasticity of the aeriform fluid. Thus, Dr. Henry found that 100 inches of water at 55° absorbed 108 inches of carbonic acid, while at 85° it absorbed only 84 inches. When water is pure, and the pressure and the temperature are equal, it then " ab- sorbs a determinate quantity of every indi- vidual gas." Table, exhibiting the bulk of each of the foregoing gases, absorbed by 100 cubic inches of water at 60°, according to the experiments of Mr. Dalton, Dr. Henry, andM. Saussure* Names of Gases. Bulk absorbed by 100 cubic inches of water, according to Daltox. IIkntit. Saussure. Carbonic acid. . . . C Sulphureted hydrogen . < Nitrous oxide. . . . C. Olefiant gas .... Nitrous gas .... f Oxygen gas .... J Phosphureted hydrogen j Carbureted hydrogen . \_ Carbonic oxide . . . (_ 100 100 100 12.5 3.7 3.7 3.7 1.56 1.56 1.56 108 106 86 5. 3.7 2.14 1.4 1.53 1.61 2.01 106 253 76 15.3 6.5 5.1 4.1 4.6 6.2 * Thttmtou'i Chemistry, 5th edit. iii. 53 10 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. From this table it appears that water ab- sorbs its own bulk, or rather more, of the first three gases; one-eighth of its bulk of the fourth ; one twenty-seventh of the fifth, sixth, and seventh ; and one-sixty- fourth of the last three ; and the absorption is in the direct ratio of the densities of t'..e gases'. With regard to pressure, water of the same temperature always takes up the same bulk of each gas, whatever be the density of the gas; and, therefore, by increasing the pressure sufficiently, water may be made to absorb any quantity of gas. Thus, twice its bulk of carbonic acid will be absorbed under an additional pressure of 30 inches of mercury; three times its bulk under a pressure of 60 inches, and so on. A fact which has been applied to practice, in the manufacture of aerated soda-water, on a great scale. From this circumstance it would appear, that the absorbed gas still retains its elasticity; yet it is probable that a chemical attraction is exerted between the particles of the water and those of the gas, and it is taken up until the repulsion between the particles of the absorbed gas just balances the affinity of the water for them. Owing, however, to the weak affi- nity exerted between the gas and the wa- ter, if a quantity of water fully impregnated with any gas, as carbonic acid, for example, be exposed to the atmosphere, or any other gaseous body, the greater part of the ab- sorbed gas escapes from the water and mix- es with the superincumbent air: and, there- fore, to preserve the impregnation com- plete, the aerated water must be preserved in well-stopped bottles; or under an atmo- sphere of the same gas it contains. Such are the principal circumstances con- nected with the absorption of the less ab- sorbable gases: those which are more ab- sorbable appear to belong to the class of af acids and alkalies. Table of the very absorbable gases, with the numbers of measures of each absorbed by one measure of pure water,-* and the increase of bulk produced on the fluid, sup- posing the original bulk to be 1. Measures Bulk in Names of gases. absorbed. cub. in. Chlorine ,.....2 . . 1.002 Cyanogen......4£ . . Sulphurous acid . . 43.78 . . 1.040 Fluosilic acid . . . 363-J-. . ---- Muriatic acid ... 516 . . 1.500 Fluoboric acid . . . 700 . . ---- Ammoniacal .... 780 . . 1.666 The absorption of these gases is the con- sequence of the exertion of an affinity be- tween them and water; but in every re- spect the circumstances attending it are ex- actly the same as those attending the ab- Thomion't Chemistry, ith edit. iii. 68; sorption of the former class of gases , ex- cept that " most of the gases belonging to the first class experience an expansion when absorbed; while all those of the second undergo a condensation, their affinity for water being greater than their elasticity." With regard to the absorption of gases by other liquids, scarcely any very decisive experiments have been made ; but the ex- periments of Saussure render it probable that alcohol and oil absorb a much greater proportion than water, 3. OF THE COMBINATION OF GASES WITH SOLIDS. From the difference which exists between the constitution of gases and of solids, their combination appears to be opposed by the elasticity of the former and the cohesion of the latter;' but, nevertheless, under proper circumstances, both the simple and the com- pound gases combine with solids. The simple gases are oxygen, chlorine, hydrogen, azote. Of these oxygen combines with all the known simple solids ; which are carbon, boron, silicon, phosphorus, sul- phur; and the metals; hydrogen requires that the solids be brought into a fluid state before it combines with them ; and azote combines with one solid only, which is car- bon. a. Oxygen gas unites with carbon in two proportions, and forms carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide, which are gaseous fluids. Experiment has demonstrated that carbonic acid is composed of 27.27 parts of carbon and 72.73 of oxygen : hence, according to the theory of Dalton, an atom of it must consist of two atoms of oxygen and one of carbon. Carbonic oxide is composed of 41 parts by weight of oxygen and 28 of carbon; or of one atom of oxygen and one of car- bon. Oxygen combines with boron in one proportion only, forming boracic acid, which is a compound of one atom of boron and two atoms of oxygen, or 100 parts of boron and 228.57 of oxygen. With phosphorus, oxygen unites in three proportions, and forms hypophosphorus acid, phosphorus acid, and phosphoric acid, which are all solid substances. The proportions of the constituents of these three com- pounds are the following: hypophosphorus acid consists of 100 of phosphorus and 66.6 of oxygen, or one atom of phosphorus and one of oxygen : phosphorus acid of 100 of phosphorus and 133.3 of oxygen, or of one atom of phosphorus and two of oxygen ; and phosphoric acid of 100 of phosphorus and 200 of oxygen, or one atom of phos- phorus and three of oxygen. Oxygen combines with sulphur in the same manner, and forms hyposulphurout acid, sulphurous acid, and sulphuric acid; the first of which is supposed to be a solid, the second and third are gases. According to Dalton's theory, the constituents of hv. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 41 posulphurous acid are one atom of sulphur and one of oxygen ; or of 100 parts of sul- phur and 50 of oxygen ; of sulphurous acid, one of sulphur, and two of oxygen, or 100 of sulphur and 100 of oxygen : while sul- phuric acid, which is found by experiment to be composed of 150 parts by weight of oxygen and 100 of sulphur, is formed by the union of one atom of sulphur to three atoms of oxygen. The oxygen in these com- pounds is much more loosely combined than in the preceding; and hence the great- er facility with which they are decomposed by combustibles. Oxygen unites readily with the metals, forming solid compounds. In them the oxygen is condensed, while the cohesion of the metallic particles is merely weakened, but not overcome. It has been supposed that the metals combine with determinate proportions only of oxygen, that there are no intermediate combinations, and that in general there are only two degrees of me- tallic oxidizement. There is reason, how- ever, to believe with Berthollet, that the proportions are indefinite from the com- mencement to the highest degree of oxi- dizement of which any metalis susceptible, or to complete saturation ; and in cases where determinate proportions are observ- ed, these are owing to peculiar circum- stances, which limit the combination, and " which in general being uniform, give rise to an invariable proportion." Thus, if the oxidizement of a metal takes place at its melting point, or at its vaporific point, these being uniform, the oxide will conse- quently be so, or the same determinate proportion will be observed in the combi- nation. The compounds formed by the combination of oxygen with the metals have a powerful action on the animal economy, and are consequently very important ob jects of pharmacy. In this state metals be- come, also, capable of combining with acids, and acquire still greater activity; and as the degree of oxidizement varies, so the com- bination of the oxide in these different states with the same acid forms compounds differing from each other, and exerting va- rious degrees of medicinal power. b. Chlorine forms two compounds with phosphorus, one liquid and the other solid ; and one compound, which is liquid, with sulphur. It unites with all the metals form- ing solid compounds. c. Hydrogen has a considerable affinity for the simple combustibles; but they do not combine unless the cohesive force, which keeps together the particles of the solid, be overcome, or the hydrogen be ex- hibited in a nascent state; and therefore, it is chiefly by the decomposition of water that these combinations are effected. Owing to the great elasticity of hydrogen gas, all 6 the known combinations of it with the simple combustibles, except one, are gases. Hydrogen unites with carbon in three proportions, constituting obfiantgas, which is composed of one atom of carbon and one of hydrogen ; carbureted hydrogen, compos- ed of two atoms of hydrogen and one of carbon ; and ether, composed of 6 atoms of hydrogen, 5 of carbon, and 1 of oxygen. The first is the most intimate compound of the three, and carbureted hydrogen the next; for neither of these is affected by a red heat; whereas ether is decomposed, and converted into olefiant gas, carbureted hydrogen, and charcoal. " Sulpl\ureted hydrogen is the most in- timate of the combinations of sulphur and hydrogen. A red heat does not decompose it." It is commonly formed by the " de- composition of water by the compound agency of an acid and a metal united to sulphur." In this case no obstacle is raised to the combination of the hydrogen, which is nascent, by the attraction of cohesion, the sulphur being just separated from the metal. The combination of hydrogen with phos- phorus is also obtained by the decomposi- tion of water, by boiling the phosphorus in a liquid alkali, which retains the phosphorus in a temperature sufficient for enabling it to eivect the decomposition. The oxygen of the water unites with one portion of the phosphorus and forms phosphoric acid; while at the same time the hydrogen unites with the other portion, and forms phosphu- reted hydrogen. d. The combinations of azotic gas with the simple solid combustibles are not yet sufficiently understood, except its combina- tion with carbon to form cyanogen*, which is a compound of one atom of azote and two atoms of carbon. The compound gases do not enter into many combinations with solids, if the salts, which the acid gases form with alkalies, earths, and metallic oxides, be excepted ; and those formed by ammonia with the solid acids. In general they are rather decom- posed. Thus, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur, and many metals decompose nitrous gas, nitric acid, and oxymuriatic acid ; and sul- phurous acid is decomposed by the metals. Such are the effects of the combinations of solids, liquids, and gases. The know- * This name was imposed upon this gaseous com- pound by Guy Lnssac, who discovered it in 1815 ; and who found that, in combination with hydrogen, it forms Prussic acid, which he therefore named hy. drocyanic acid. It may be obtained from exposing dry pr.issiate of mercury in a small retort to a moderate heat. It is a colourless, transparent, elastic fluid, with a strong, disagreeable odour, soluble in water I and alcuhol ; and highly inflammable, 42 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. ledge of the laws which regulate them, and the results of the combinations, are of the utmost importance ; the greater number of the operations of pharmacy consisting of the combination of substances, with a view either of obtaining compounds by their di- rect chemical union, or the products of chemical action resulting from their mutual decomposition. PHARMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS AND APPARATUS. The operations of pharmacy may be ar- ranged under two classes:— I. Operations which are purely mechanical. II. Operations which are performed by chemical powers and agents. The first are intended for determining the weight and bulk of bodies, diminishing their cohesion, and separating their integ- ral parts : the second are intended for sep- arating the elements of bodies from each other, and for reuniting these elements in- to new combinations. I. PHAIIMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS PURELY MECHANICAL. a. Of the means of determining the weight and bulk of bodies. In pharmaceutical processes it is essen- tial that the quantities of the substances employed be accurately ascertained; and for this purpose beams with scales, and measures, must be provided. Several sets of beams and scales are necessary; one set for large weights, from one pound to one hundred weight or more; another for weights not exceeding five pounds; and a A pound (libra), fb An ounce (uncia), £ A drachm (drachma) 3 A scruple (scrupulus), 9 A grain (granum), gr. third for small weights under two drachms. A good beam should remain in equilibrium, both by itself, and when the scales are sus- pended to each extremity : the largest set should be exact to within half a drachm; the second should be sensibly affected by two or three grains at most; and the small- est by the hundredth part of a grain. Apothecaries, however, seldom have beams of such accuracy, and, generally, those that they employ are much injured by exposure to acid fumes, and from want of cleanliness. To preserve the delicacy of beams they should be kept in very close cases, and not left suspended longer than is absolutely necessary; nor should they be overloaded. Drugs are bought in the gross by avoir- dupois weight, which is the standard of most articles of merchandize ; but for the compo- sition of medicines troy weight is directed to be used by the British Colleges. The following Table exhibits the manner in which the pound is divided, and the signs used in prescription for denoting the differ- ent weights. "I f Twelve ounces. j Eight drachms. p contains -^ Three scruples. | Twenty grains. J The differences between the avoirdupois pound and the troy or apothecaries' pound, and their subdivisions, are exhibited in the following Tables. Apothecaries' weight. Pound. Ounces. Drachms. Scruples Grains 1 = 12 = 96 =3 288 — 5760 1 = 8 = 24 — 480 1 = 3 — 60 1 =3 20* Avoirdupois weight. Pound. Ounces. Drachms. Grains 1 = 16 = 256, = 7000 1 = 16 = 1 = 437-5 27-97 S The troy weight has also been adopted by the Edinburgh College for apportioning liquids ; but the London and Dublin Colleges with more propriety order liquids to be measured: and for this purpose the London College employs measures derived from the wine gallon, which is subdivided for medical purposes, in the manner exhibited by the following Table, which shows also the signs used for denoting the several measures. A gallon (congius), cong. "-j f Eight pints. A pint (octarius)O I | Sixteen fluid ounces. A. fluid ounce (fluid uncia,), f § Jv contains i Eight fluid drachms. A fluid drachm (fluid drachma), t 3 | sixty minims A minim (minimum), Tt\, J i____________ • Table, of the method of reducing the subdivision, of the troy pound into decimal, of the troy pound are given in the Appendix to Part I. ' Poul,u ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY Table of the proportions of the wine gallon. Gallon. Pints. Fluid Ounces. Fluid Drachms. Minims, 1 = 8 = 128 — 1024 = 61440 1 = 16 = 128 = 7680 1 = 8 = 480 I == 60 The London College have introduced the minim measure as a substitute for the drop, the inaccuracy of which had been long ex- perienced ; as the fluidity and specific gravity of the liquid, the thickness of the lip of the phial, and even its degree of in- clination, were all liable to vary the size of the drop ; but by dividing the fluid drachm into sixty equal parts, a measure of bulk is obtained, which is as constant and uniform as the*grain weight employed for solids. For measuring liquids graduated glass measures of different sizes are to be pre- ferred : (pl. i. fig. 8, 9.) and for quantities under five minims a slender graduated glass tube, (pl. i. fig. 10.) open at both ends, is to be employed. When this tube is used, the graduated end is to be inserted into the liquid to be measured, down to the mark indicative of the quantity required; and the upper end being then closely cov- ered bv the finger, it is removed, retaining the proper quantity of liquid, which again drops from it on raising the finger from the upper end. A small glass measure, properly graduated, is now pretty general- ly used instead of the tube. In extempo- raneous prescription the measures of a ta- ble-spoonful and a tea-spoonful are used when great accuracy is not required ; the former being supposed to be equal to half a fluid ounce, the latter to a fluid drachm. Elastic fluids or gases are also measured in glass jars, or tubes hermetically closed at one extremity, and graduated by inches with their decimals; but in ascertaining the bulk of gases, the temperature of the at- mosphere, and its density at the time, as indicated by the thermometer and the bar- ometer, must be attended to; for if the for- mer be above or below 60°, the mean heat of the air, or if the mercury in the barome- trical tube be under or above 30 inches, corrections must be made by calculation relative to the degrees of temperature and pressure. For the former, the observed column of air must be divided by 80 and the quotient multiplied by the degree of temperature above or below 60°. This correction is negative when the actual tem- perature is above the standard, and positive when below. For making the corrections with regard to pressure, see the table in the Appendix. . The specific gravity of bodies is also r.ecessarv to be known in many pharmaceu- tical processes ; and as the effects of acids and alcohol depend on the degree of their concentration, a knowledge of their gravity enables this to be correctly ascertained. The specific gravity of any substance is " the quotient of its absolute weight divided by its magnitude, or the weight of a deter- minate bulk of any body ; and as a standard for this purpose, the weight of a determi- nate magnitude of distilled water has been generally assumed as * unity." It is sel- dom necessary to determine the specific gravity of solids; but for ascertaining that of fluids various means may be employed. If a little ball of rock-crystal, for instance, suspended by a fine gold wire, be weighed first in air, and afterwards in distilled water, the weight lost by the ball is equal to the weight of an equal bulk of the liquid; so that by repeating this operation in other fluids, and dividing its loss of weight in any other liquid by its loss of weight in water, the quotient is the specific gravity of the particular liquid. The specific gravity of liquids, however, is more generally deter- mined by hydrometers, of which Mr. Nichol- son's is by far the most accurate, f The specific gravity of liquids is also very easily determined by the following simple method. Take a small light bottle which stands firmly, and holds about a fluid ounce or two fluid ounces of water, and stop its neck by a piece of barometer-tube very ac- curately ground. First weigh the empty bottle and tube, then fill it with distilled water at 60° recently boiled, till the water rises a little into the bore of the tube, and weigh the whole, scratching the weight on the bottle, and also the weight of the empty bottle and tube. For facilitating calcula- tion, the water should be brought to that height in the tube, at which its weight will be 500 grains, or 1000, or 1500 or 2000; and this height must be accurately marked on both sides of the tube with a file. By fill- ing this bottle to the above mark with any other fluid, and weighing it, the specific gravity of that fluid is ascertained by only calculating how much lighter or heavier it is than the same bulk of water. * In ascertaining specific gravity the sub- stances should be brought by calculation to the temperature of 55°, if the thermome- ter be above or below that point at the time of performing the experiments; and the gravities should always be expressed according to their relation to distilled wa- ter. Although this is the method general- » Lavoisier's Elements of Chemistry.-Trans. 376. t Nicholson's Journal, 4to ; 110. t Aikin's Dictionary ofChe mist ry,'\i.—Appendix. 44 I'LLWIKNTS OF PHARMACY". ly employed in philosophical and pharma- ceutical operations, yet it is necessary to observe, that the strength of spirits, accord- ing to the excise laws in this country, is estimated by the proportion they contain of a standard spirit, termed hydrometer proof which consists of 40 parts of pure alcohol and 51 of water. Clarke's hydro- meter*, which is the one employed by the Excise, loaded with the proper weights, sinks to the mark indicating proof in spirits of the specific gravity 0.920, at a tempera- ture of 60°. The strength of spirits strong- er than proof, or over proof, is ascertained by the bulk of water required to reduce a given bulk of the spirits to the specific, gravity denominated proof, on Clarke's hy- drometer ; and the strength of weaker spi- rits, or under proof, is estimated by the quantity of water it would be necessary to abstract to bring the spirits up to proof. Thus, if 20 gallons of the spirit require the addition of one gallon of water to bring it to proof, the spirit is said to be one to twen- ty over proof,- and if, from the same quan- tity of spirit, one gallon of water must be abstracted to bring it to proof, it is said to be one in twenty under proof; and so on. b. Of the mechanical division of bodies. The cohesion of solid bodies often op- poses an obstacle to their immediate chemi- cal combination with other substances, and their medicinal action in the stomach ; and therefore the following preliminary me- chanical operations are instituted for over- coming to a certain degree that power, and separating the integrant particles of bodies, or reducing them to the state of powder. These are denominated pulveri- zation, trituration, levigation, and granula- tion. 1. Pulverization is that process by which friable and brittle solid bodies are reduced to powder. It is generally performed in mortars by means of pestles. These are made of various materials, of brass, iron, marble, granite, glass, agate, and porcelain, or of Wedgew.ood's ware, according to the nature of the substances for the pulveriza- tion of which they are intended to be used; it being requisite that the materials of which pestles and mortars are made be such as to resist both mechanical force and the chemical action of the substances they con- tain. Mortars are required to be of various sizes. The largest are usually made of cast- * This instrument consists of a thin copper ball, terminating above in a flat stem, and below in a knob or metallic button to keep it perpendicular. It swims in alcohol, and there is a mark on the stem, with a weight marked proof, which when placed on the stem, with weights to suit the temperature, sinks it till the mark on the stem is on a level with the surface of the liquid. iron, fig. 1. pl- i. fitted with wooden covers, perforated to admit the pestle, but close enough to prevent the finer and lighter parts of the substances from flying off', and to defend the operator from disagreeable and noxious matters, such as aloes, ipecacu- anha, &c: or this may be more completely attained by tying closely round the mouth of the mortar, and round the stalk of the pestle, a large piece of leather, so pliable as to permit the free motion of the pestle. But, notwithstanding these guards, it is sometimes necessary for the operator to cover his mouth and nostrils with a wet cloth, and to stand with his back to a cur- rent of air, that the particles which arise may be carried from him, when very acrid friable matters, as euphorbium or Spanish- flies, for instance, are to be powdered. To lessen the labour, the pestle is often attach- ed by a cord to the end of a flexible wooden beam, placed horizontally over the mortar, the elasticity of which elevates the pestle to the proper height after each stroke is made. For lighter purposes, brass, and bell-metal mortars are sometimes used; but as, in the pulverization of every hard body, the mortar also is worn by the operation, these mortars are improper for pharmaceu- tical purposes; neither must marble or me- tallic mortars be used for acid substances. The most useful mortars for smaller articles are those of Wedge wood's ware, as they are smooth, hard, and resist the action of any chemical re-agent. Of whatever materials mortars are made, they should be internally of the form of a hollow hemisphere, and their sides should have such a degree of inclination as to make the substances fall back to the bottom every time the pestle is lifted. The opera- tion, however, is retarded when too great a portion of the ingredients falls under the pestle ; hence a large quantity of any sub- stance should not be put into the mortar at a time, and the finer parts should be from time to time removed. Vegetable matters require to be dried before they can be pulverized; and wood, roots, and barks should be previously cut, chipped, or rasped. When roots are very fibrous, as those of ginger, for example, it is advisable to cut them diagonally, which prevents the powders from being full of hair-like filaments. Resins and gum resins, which soften in a moderate temperature, or in warm weather, should be powdered in cold weather, and only gentlv beaten to prevent them from running into a paste in- stead of forming a powder; and when the powdered substance is intended to be dis- solved in any menstruum, except a pure alkali, the pulverization is much facilitated by mixing them with a portion of clean well washed white sand. The pulverization of camphor is assisted by the addition of a few ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 45 drops of alcohol ; sugar is the best addition to aromatic oily substances, as nutmegs, mace, &c.; and to the emulsive seeds some dry powder must be added, without which they cannot be reduced to powder. Metals which are scarcely brittle enough to be powdered, and yet are too soft to be filed, as zinc, for instance, "may be powdered while hot in a heated iron mortar, or metals may be rendered brittle by alloying them with a small quantity of mercury*;" but as metals are not required to be reduced to thestate of very fine powder for pharma- ceutical purposes, these processes are sel- dom performed. 2. Trituration is intended to produce the same effect as pulverization, but in a great- er degree. It is performed by a rotatory motion of the pestle, either in the common mortars of glass, agate, or Wedgewood's ware, or in flatter mortars made of the same materials. On a great scale, this operation is performed by means of large rollers of hard stone, which turn upon each other as in corn-mills, or by one vertical roller turn- ing upon a flat stone. The fine powders kept in the shops are generally ground in this manner ; but there appears to be an error in reducing vegetable matters to the state of impalpable powder: for in this state, both during the process of grinding and afterwards, the air and light act power- fully upon them, and produce changes, which, although they be not well under- stood, yet appear to alter the medicinal vir- tues of the substances. 3. Levigation is a process similar to tritu- ration, except that the rubbing is assisted by the addition of a liquid in which the solid under operation is not soluble. Water or spirit of wine is usually employed, and oc- casionally viscid and fatty matters, as honey and lard. The substance to be levigated is spread on a flat table of porphyry, or some other hard stone, pl. i. fig. 4. and is then bruised and rubbed with a muller of the same materials, either of a pyramidal shape, as a a, fig. 4. pl. i. or a portion of a large sphere. A thin spatula ofivoiy, horn, wood, or iron, is employed to bring back the ma- terials from the edges of the table, to which the operation of the muller continually drives them. Earths and some metallic substances are thus prepared. 4. Granulation is employed only for the mechanical division of metals and phospho- rus. It is performed by melting the sub- stance, and either stirring it briskly until it is cold, or pouring it in the melted state, into water, and stirring or agitating it till it cools. For the granulation of phospho- rus the latter process only can be employ- ed. • Lavoisier's ChC!i:istry."T\&n<>. 437. Substances are also reduced to the state of coarse powder by rasping and filing; and softer vegetable bodies are reduced to the state of pulp by means of the grater. Pl. i. fig. 6. MECHANICAL SEPARATION. The parts of substances, under certain circumstances, may be separated from each other by different mechanical means; as sifting, washing, or elutriation, filtration, expression, and despumation. 1. Sifting. The particles of the powders obtained by the longest and most accurate pulverization and trituration are still of very unequal degrees of fineness, and therefore require to be separated, the finer from the coarser, by the operation denom- inated sifting. The finer particles pass through the interstices of the sieves, which are made of iron-wire, or of hair-cloth, or of gauze, and leave the coarser to be again submitted to the pestle ; and thus by de- grees the whole assumes an uniform fine- ness. The simple sieve is a broad wooden hoop, with a cloth of one or other of the above textures stretched over it in the manner of the parchment of a drum : the compound sieve, which is more employed, consists of the simple sieve, with a deeper rim, pl. i. fig. 5. c; a lid 6 covered with leather; and a receiver, d, with leather stretched across one end, and made suffi- ciently wide to admit the lower portion of the sieve to enter and fit tightly within it. When these are put together, the finest powders may be separated by them with- out any loss or inconvenience to the oper- ator. 2. Washing or Elutriation, is intended for separating the finer parts of powders prepared by trituration or levigation, which are not acted upon by water. The powdered substance is mixed with a large quantity of water, and briskly stirred so as to diffuse it pretty equally through the fluid, which retains the finer particles sus- pended for a short space of time, and per- mits the coarser to settle to the bottom. The liquor thus impregnated is poured off from the sediment; and by allowing it to remain at rest for a sufficient length of time, it deposits the fine powder, from which the clear water is separated, either by carefully decanting it; or, if the sediment be very light, so as to be easily disturbed, by means of the glass syphon, pl. i. fig. 12., the longer limb of which being plunged into the vessel containing the fluid till it nearly touches the subsided powder, and the air sucked from it by means of the arm h, the whole of the supernatent fluid is drawn off, and the powder left in a fit state to be dried. The coarser particles first separated may be again levigated, and the elutriation repeated. Chalk and some metallic matters are thus prepared; and 46 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. the process may likewise be employed for separating substances of different degrees of specific gravity, although of the same degree of fineness. 3. Filtration is intended for separating fluids from solid bodies partially suspended in them. Filters may be regarded as kinds of sieves; and are generally made either of very fine and close flannel, or linen, or of unsized paper formed into a conical shape, through which the liquid percolates clear, while the solid is collected at the apex of the cone, which is inverted. When the quantity of materials is large, and the solid is not in the state of very fine pow- der, nor very perfectly suspended in water, flannel or linen bags are to be preferred, as performing the process more quickly than paper. These are generally made in a conical shape, with the mouth stretched on a hoop or frame supported upon a wooden stand. When the solid residue is the part to be preserved, flannel filters may be used; but when the filtered liquor is the valuable product, linen is preferable, as it absorbs less of the fluid, which is ob- tained also in a more limpid state. The cloth must be well cleaned after each time it is used, to prevent any thing from re- maining to injure subsequent operations. For smaller processes, unsized paper is the best material for forming filters. A square piece of this paper of a size proportionate to the quantity of the substance to be fil- tered is taken, and first doubled from cor- ner to corner into a triangle, which by second doubling forms again a smaller tri- angle ; and this when opened constitutes a paper cone, which is to be supported in a glass funnel, pl. i. fig. 11. before the liquor is poured into it. Funnels are made of tin, or of Wedg- wood's ware, or of glass; but the two lat- ter only should be used in the laboratory. Those which are ribbed are preferable, as the paper adheres so closely to the sides of smooth funnels as nearly to prevent the filtration from proceeding, unless pieces of straw or thin glass rods be arranged round the inside, so as to form an unequal surface for the paper to rest upon. In most instances the first portions of fluid that pass through a filter are turbid, and therefore require to be poured back again into the filter, sometimes repeatedly, until the pores are sufficiently obstructed to permit the most limpid part only of the liquor to pass. In cases where the solid residue is small, and it is requisite to col- lect the whole of it, it is useful to have a small glass tube, drawn out to a fine capil- lary point at one extremity; by filling which with distilled water, and putting the larger end into the mouth, the force of the breath can direct a small strong stream of water round the sides of the paper in the funnel, which will wash down to its bottom all the minute particles of solid matter lodged on its sides. The concentrated acids and alkaline so- lutions act too powerfully on the ordinary materials employed for filters to be filtered in the common way ; and therefore, when it is required that they should be filtered, which is not often the case, they are passed through strata of siliceous matter arranged in a glass funnel, in the following manner. An irregularly shaped pebble is first drop- ped into the throat of the funnel; then a layer of pieces of quartz, or broken flint glass is placed over it; and lastly, a thick stratum of coarsely powdered glass, or of well washed white" sand, covers the whole. The substance to be filtered is poured gent- ly on the surface of the sand, and soon passes through it and the substrata, leaving the impurities behind. Expression is employed for obtaining the juice of fresh vegetables, and the unctuous vegetable oils. The subject is first bruis- ed or coarsely ground, then inclosed in a hair-cloth bag, and subjected to violent pressure between the plates of a screw press. The bags should be nearly filled; and the pressure should be gentle at first, and gradually increased. Vegetables in general, intended to be expressed, should be perfectly fresh ; and should be submitted to the press as soon ss they are bruised, as the bruising disposes them more readily to ferment: but subacid fruits yield more juice, and of a finer quali- ty, when the bruised fruit is allowed to stand for some days in an earthen or wood- en vessel. It is necessary to peel oranges and lemons before pressing them, to pre- vent the essential oil which their rind con- tains from mixing with the juice; and to some vegetables, which are not very juicy, the addition of a little water is requisite. For expressing the unctuous seeds in order to obtain the oil they contain, iron plates are employed ; and the bruised seeds should be previously exposed in a bag to the steam of boiling water. Despumation is employed to clarify fluids which are so thick and clammy as not to be able to penetrate through the substances of which filters are made, without some previous preparation. For this purpose it is sometimes required only to heat the liquor, which then throws up a scum that is to be carefully removed ; but more fre- quently it is necessary to clarify it with the white of egg. When the substance is not spirituous, as syrups, for example, the al- bumen which is mixed with the fluid co- agulates when it is boiled, and, entangling the impurities of the fluid, rises with them to its surface in the form of scum; but spirituous liquors may be clarified with isinglass witiiout the assistance of heat, the ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 47 alcohol coagulating the isinglass, which forms a scum, and descending to the bot- tom of the vessel, carries with it all the impu- rities. Some expressed juices are clarified by the simple addition of any vegetable acid. Besides the above methods of mechani- cally separating the parts of substances from each other, fluids of different specific gravities, mixed together, are separated by means of the separatory funnel, fig. 14. pl. i. It is chiefly used for separating the essen- tial oils from the water they are entangled with during their distillation. The funnel is first stopped at the bottom, and then filled with the mixed fluids, the heaviest of which gradually subsides into the narrow part below ; and when the cork at the bot- torn is taken out, and the stopper above a little loosened, it flows out; by which means the lighter is easily obtained in a separate state. Some of the esssential oils are heavier, others lighter than water, but both can be thus separated with equal fa- cility. II. CHEMICAL OPERATIONS. The operations of Pharmacy, which are strictly chemical, may be arranged in three classes. a. Operations which produce changes in bodies, separating the constituents, without any obvious decomposition. b. Operations in which changes are pro- duced by the chemical action of one set of bodies upon another, or attend- ed with obvious decomposition. c. Operations in which the oxidizement and the disoxidizements of bodies are effected by means of a very high tem- perature. a. Of the operations which produce changes in bodies, separating the con- stituents, without any obvious decompo- sition. These changes are effected by,— 1. By caloric, inducing Liquefaction. Fusion. Evaporation. Exsiccation. Distillation. Rectification. Dephlegmation. Sublimation. 2. By water and other fluids. Solution. Lixiviation. Maceration. Digestion. Infusion. Decoction Extraction. 3. By other chemi- cal agents. Coagulation. Liquefaction is that operation by which certain bodies when exposed to a moderate heut melt, or are rendered fluid, after pass- ing through several intermediate states of softness. Fat, lard, wax, resin, and many other similar bodies undergo liquefaction ; which is therefore employed in pharmacy, to facilitate the combination of these bodies in the formation of ointments. The best vessels for conducting the process of lique- faction are earthenware pans. Fusion differs from liquefaction, in the sudden change from the solid to the fluid state which those bodies that are liable to it suffer on exposure to heat. There are no intermediate states of softness, but the fusible body, when heated to a certain point, immediately assumes the fluid form. This point differs very considerably in dif- ferent solids; but in general simple substan- ces are less fusible than compounds; and some of the simple earths cannot be fused without the addition of some other sub- stances to promote their fusion. These are generally saline bodies, and are denomina- ted fluxes. Fusion may take place without changing the nature of the fused matter ; but in ge- neral this operation is intended as a mean of promoting chemical action and of decom- posing bodies. It is, however, generally confined to the metals which are extracted from their ores; and afterwards moulded and alloyed by it. It is a species of opera- tion seldom employed in pharmaceutical processes. Fusion is usually performed in crucibles, the best of which are made of very pure clay, or potter's earth. Those formed of common clay with calcareous or siliceous earth are easily vitrified, and then melt. The Hessian crucibles are composed of bet- ter clay and sand, and when good, stand the fire very well; as do also Wedgewood's cru- cibles ; but they are apt to crack when sud- denly heated or cooled,—a circumstance, however, which may be remedied by using a double crucible, and filling the interstice with sand, or by coating the crucible with a paste of clay and sand. Crucibles formed of black lead resist very sudden changes of temperature ; but they are destroyed if ni- tre be melted in them, and even a current of air acting upon them, whilst they are hot, destroys them. Crucibles are made of various forms, three-cornered or round, and fitted with covers, as represented pl. ii. fig. 4. 5. The lids may be luted on if necessary, with a mixture of clay and bo- rax. Those crucibles, which are of a uni- form thickness, which have a reddish- brown colour without black spots, and a clear sound when struck, are to be prefer- red. In order to expose the lower part of a crucible to the utmost intensity of heat, and to prevent it from cracking by the draught of cold air which would be directed upon it, where it to be placed directly upon 43 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. the grate of the furnace, it is usually raised upon a small stand, either solid or hollow, an inch above it, which, according to Dr. Kennedy, is the hottest part of the furnace. Crucibles are also made of cast-iron, of fine silver, and of platina. The first, how- ever, are destroyed when saline substances are melted in them, and when made red- hot in a current of air are apt to suffer oxi- dation ; but in other respects they are du- rable, and can sustain sudden alternations of heat and cold without cracking. Some of the metallic crucibles combine many of the best qualities necessary for this set of in- struments ; particularly those of platina, which, however, are too expensive for ordi- nary use. Evaporation is the dissipation of a liquid by means of heat, and is employed in phar- macy generally with the view of obtaining in a separate state any fixed substance which may be combined with water, or some other evaporable fluid. Thus, by ex- posing an aqueous solution of a salt to a certain degree of heat, the caloric which combines with the water renders it volatile, and disperses it in the form of an elastic aeriform fluid, while the particles of the salt being brought nearer to each other, and within the sphere of their mutual at- traction, reunite, and the salt is obtained in its concrete state. This process differs from spontaneous evaporation, in which air is the principal agent, the liquid being di- minished in quantity and dissipated in that fluid, independent of the action of caloric; whereas evaporation is not carried on by the air, nor even much accelerated by the exposure of a large surface, but only in proportion to the quantity of caloric which combines with the fluid, or the degree of heat at which the process, is conducted. As the fluid which is dissipated is entirely lost, and sacrificed for the sake of the fixed substance with which it was combined, evaporation is only employed where the liquid is of little value, such as water ; but where a solid is to be recovered from a more valuable liquid, as alcohol, for in- stance, the process of distillation is employ- ed. For small processes, very good evapo- rating dishes are made of the bottoms of broken retorts and matrasses, which may be cut smooth round the edges by means of a hot iron or ring, (pl. iii. fig. 8.) and thus converted into semiglobular* basing. The best evaporating dishes, however, are those of biscuit porcelain made by Wedgwood, and sold in assortments, the largest of which * The, iron ring for this purpose has a wooden handle. It is made red-hot in the fire, then put upon the matrass which is to be cut; and, when the glass is sufficiently heated, by throwing on it a a little cold water, it will generally break exactly at the circle heated by the iron ring. is capable of holding eight or ten pints. They are flat-bottomed, shallow vessels, with a lip in the upper edge, fig. 1. pl. iii. glazed in the inside ; and thin, but of a dense hard texture. They will bear to be heated to the boiling point over a clear hot fire; but are apt to crack when a flame is allowed to play on them, or when the li- quor is boiled to dryness, at the moment the last drop of fluid is expelled, unless the fire be much lowered. It is preferable, therefore, when glass or earthenware ves- sels are employed, to apply the heat by the medium of sand ; or, if a still more mo- derate heat be necessary, by means of boil- ing water, over which the evaporating dish should be placed. The first is denominated a sand bath ; the second, a water bath,- but for processes on a large scale, shallow iron pots or leaden troughs are used, to which the fire is directly applied. Exsiccation is a variety of evaporation, producing the expulsion of moisture from solid bodies by means of heat. It is gen- erally employed for depriving salts of their water of crystallization. They are exposed to the action of a fire in an iron ladle or pot, or in a glass vessel; and after dissolv- ing as they are heated, in the water they contain, or undergoing what is termed the watery fusion, the water boils, and, evapo- rating, leaves the salt in the form of a dry mass. When the substances to be exsic- cated are liable to decomposition in a tem- perature above 212°, as is the case with some of the compound oxides, the process must be conducted by the heat of a water bath. Distillation differs from evaporation only in the circumstance, that the vapour of vol- atile matter is elevated to be condensed in close vessels, and preserved. The mode of conducting the operation and the regu- lation of the heat differs according to the nature of the substances operated on. The simplest distilling apparatus, for smaller processes, is the retort and the re- ceiver. The former consists of a nearly globular body, with a long, gradually ta- pering neck, which is bent nearly at a right angle with the body. This "is the simplest kind of retort, fig. 3. pl. iv: and if the materials to be distilled be liquid, they should be poured into the body of the ves- sel by means of a very long funnel, which, by reaching completely into it, prevents any thing from trickling down the sides of the neck. In withdrawing the funnel, it is necessary to keep it applied to the upper part of the retort, that the drop hanging from it may not touch the inside of the neck. For nicer purposes the tubulated retort is to be. preferred, fig. 9, pl. iv. The bottom of either kind should be very thin, and of a uniform degree of thickness, so a» to bear the sudden application of heat ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 49 from an Argand lamp, or even from a naked fire. The receiver, (fig. 9, pl. iv. c.) should be larger than the retort, and of a globular form, so as to allow of a large sur- face for cooling the condensing vapour: and it may be either joined directly to the retort, by the neck of the latter passing in- to it, or by the intervention of a third piece, denominated an adopter,- and in either case the joinings are usually protected by lutes. When the substance to be con- densed is of a very volatile nature, as ether, for instance, the receiver must be artificial- ly cooled ; and kept during the whole pro- cess at the temperature of the atmosphere, either by surrounding it with ice, or allow- ing water to trickle slowly over it, brought down from a trough placed above the re- ceiver, by means of worsted threads: the constant evaporation which the water suf- fers on the surface of the receiver keeps it at the requisite degree of temperature for condensing the ether. Both the retort and the receiver may be tubulated. Sometimes, instead of the retort and re- ceiver, the stoneware cucurbit, with its capital, fig. 10. pl. iv. or the glass alembic and capital, in one piece, are used. It is necessary, occasionally, to coat the retort, and the Jatter-mentioned vessels, with sand and clay, to enable them to sustain a high temperature, and the sudden alternations of heat and cold to which they are liable in common operations. By these kinds of apparatus, acids, and other substances which arise from-chemical decompositions aided by heat, are distilled ; and the pro- cess is named distillation per latus : but if the products be highly volatile, or of a gaseous nature, the pneumato-chemical apparatus, to be afterwards described, is required. For the preparation of alcohol, and dis- tilled waters, the common still, fig. 1, pl. ii. is employed. It consists of two parts,—the boiler, and the head or capital. The boiler, which is the part to which the fire is ap- plied, and contains the materials, is gener- ally of a cylindrical shape, and may be sunk into a furnace, or immersed in a water-bath when the temperature requires to be nice- ly regulated. The head or capital'xs a large hollow globe, the upper part of which is drawn out into a tapering pipe, bent to a curve or arch, and terminating in the ser- pentine or worm. These parts are gener- ally made of copper; but the worm is a long pewter pipe, of a decreasing diame- ter, which winds in a spiral direction obliquely through a deep tub filled with cold water. The body, head, and worm require to be luted together; but in gen- eral slips of paper dipped in flour paste, or pieces of wet bladder, are sufficient for this purpose. In this apparatus, the va- pours are raised into the head, whence they pass into the worm, where they are condensed, and issue in drops from the lower end of the pipe. By degrees the water in the refrigeratory becomes warm, and requires to be renewed ; and thence the necessity of the tub being furnished with a stop-cock, by which the heated water may be drawn off without disturbing the apparatus. As in this species of dis- tillation the vapour ascends before it is con- densed, it is named distillation per ascen- sum. In some cases, as in the distillation of se- veral essential oils, the vapour instead of passing laterally, or ascendi.ig, is forced to descend. To produce this effect, a plate of tinned iron is fixed within any conve. nient vessel, so as to leave a space beneath it; and the materials to be distilled being laid upon this, they are covered by another plate accurately fitted to the sides of the vessel, and strong enough to support the fuel which is burnt upon it. By this means, the volatilized matter of the materials un- der the fire is forced into the lower cavity of the vessel, and there condensed. This mode of distilling is denominated distillation per descensum. In many processes, a large proportion oi the vapour which is extricated is inconden- sable ; ami unless there were some means by which these could escape, the apparatus would be burst in pieces. To prevent ac- cidents, therefore, a small hole was gene- rally left, either in the joinings of the ves- sels, or in the receiver, which could be kept shut, and occasionally opened when the quantity of confined vapour was sup- posed to be such as might endanger the rupture of the vessels. By this contrivance, however, much condensable vapour escap- ed, and a large proportion of the products of the distjllation was necessarily lost. This defect of tlie old apparatus was first attempt- ed to be remedied by Glauber, whose hints were improved by Woulfe, the inventor of the apparatus now commonly employed. It consists of a retort, generally tubulated, in which the materials are heated ; a receiver, to detain any part of the product which is condensable by cold; and a bent tube, pro- ceeding from the receiver to the bottom of a bottle; with two apertures, and about half full of water. Several bottles, how- ever, are generally employed : and these, being placed side by side, are connected' with each other by means of bent tubes, one limb of each proceeding from the top of the bottle immediately preceding, and the other plunging to the bottom of the liquid of the bottle next in order. The joinings of the apparatus are all made air- tight, except the opening of the last bot- tle furthest from the retort, so that any va- pour which escapes must have passed through the liquid in the whole series of •' PHARMACY. 50 ELEMENTS 01 bottles, and left all its condensable matter before it can escape. One inconvenience, however, attends* this apparatus when it contains no other parts than the above, which is, that after the distillation, as the retort cools, a vacuum is produced in it and the first receiver, which induces a suction or absorption from the other re- ceivers through the bent tubes, and a re- trogade motion of the liquid contained in them takes place through the whole appa- ratus ; so that the products are mixed,— unless the operator is on the watch to sepa- rate the retort and the receiver, the mo- ment the liquor begins to rise in the bent tube between the receiver and the first bottle. The best contrivance for remedy- ing this defect is the tube of safety, in- vented by Welter, and represented in plate v. fig. 1. It is a bent tube with a bulb blown in that part of it which lies between the upper and lower flexure; and a small funnel at the top. This tube is sometimes used as a stopper to the tubulure of the re- tort, or to a separate opening in the re- ceiver; or, as is represented in the plate, it is cemented into the tube passing from the receiver to the first bottle. When it is to be used, a little mercury is dropped into the funnel, so as to occupy the space of the tube which lies between the two lower flexures. The mercury excludes the external air during the distillation ; but as soon as the vacuum is formed by the cool- ing of the vessels, the mercury is forced by the pressure of the atmosphere into the bulb ; and not being in sufficient quantity to fill it, the external air passes by it in the bulb, and rushes into the apparatus ; by which means the vacuum is filled up, and the absorption of the liquid prevented. In chemical operations, when the gases which are separated during any process are to be preserved, the pneumatic trough, fig. 1. pl. v. is attached to Woulfe's' appa- ratus. The construction of the trough dif- fers according to the nature of the fluid with which it is to be filled. If water be employed, the trough may be made of stone ware, or of tinned iron well japanned, and of an oblong or a circular shape. It may be about 18 inches long, 14 broad, and 8 inches deep; with a shelf of the same ma- terials, which should extend entirely across the trough, and have two small holes in it to convey the gas into inverted jars set upon it; and two larger holes to receive two bot- tle supporters. This trough should be nearly filled with water, and the jars in- tended to hold the gas should be also filled with the same liquid, and inverted ; so that when placed upon the shelf, the water in the trough may ascend about half an inch up their sides, which enables them to re- tain either water or gas. If mercury be employed, which is essential when the gases to be extricated are absorbable by water, the trough may be made of some hard wood, as mahogany, or of marble. It is not required to be so large as the trough for water, and one part only need be sunk; the shelf should be on each side of this part which is called the well; and it is useful to have an iron or brass stem sup- porting" a semicircular clip fastened into the substance of the trough, to support the jar when it is filled with mercury and invert- ed. By this apparatus any gases given out during distillation may be collected and preserved ; but this is a circumstance in pharmaceutical operations which is attend- ed to more with the view of guarding the operator against the effect of noxious gases, than of preserving gases for examination. Rectification is the repeated distillation of any product obtained by distillation, when it is not perfectly pure. This second ope- ration is carried on at a lower temperature, so that the more volatile parts only are rais- ed, and pass over into the receiver, leaving the impurities behind. When the fluid is simply rendered stronger, as in the case of alcohol, by bringing over the spirit, and leaving behind the superfluous water, the operation is named dephlegmation, or con- centration. When the liquid is distilled off from any substance, the process is called abstraction; and cohobation, if the product be redistilled from the same materials, or from a fresh parcel of the same materials. Sublimation is a species of distillation, in which the product of the volatilization is condensed in a solid form ; but as this con- densation takes place at a higher tempera- ture than that of watery vapour, a much more simple apparatus is required. The process is conducted sometimes in a cruci- ble, with a cone of paper or another cruci- ble inverted over it, in which the product is condensed ; and as in this case it,is light and spongy, it was formerly denominated flowers. For other matters which are less volatile a cucurbit and capital, or a flask, or phial, are employed, and sunk about two- thirds in a sand-bath. The product in these cases is generally solid, and is denominated a sublimate. 2. Of the operations by which chemical changes are produced in the forms of bo- dies by the action of water, and other fluids. When a solid body is thrown into a liquid and disappears, the transparency of the li- quid remaining the same, the process is named solution; or solution is that operation by which the aggregation of a solid is over- come by a liquid, and a compound produc- ed, which, retaining the fluid form, is trans- parent, and perfectly homogeneous. The liquid is generally supposed to be the sub. ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 51 stance exerting the active power, and has therefore been called the solvent or men- struum .• it separates the particles of the solid or solvend from each other, and per- manently suspends them by the state of combination into which they enter ; but the attraction, as was before stated, is recipro- cal, both as it regards the solid and the fluid. In general, the solution of every solid in a liquid can be effected in a certain quantity only, or is limited ; and when it is carried to its ultimate point, the liquid is said to be saturated. The solvent power, however, is not always limited ; there being some instances in which a solid dissolves in a liquid in any proportion: thus gum and sugar dissolve in water in every propor- tion. The solvent power of a fluid dimi- nishes as it approaches to saturation, and the solution consequently goes on more slowly; but by raising the temperature, it proceeds again more rapidly, and a much larger portion of the solid is taken up than could have been dissolved at a lower tem- perature. This effect of temperature, however, does not take place in every in- stance ; for muriate of soda, for example, and some other salts, can be dissolved in nearly as great quantity by cold as by hot water. Wrhen an increase of temperature increases the solubility of bodies, a portion of the solid, taken up by a heated liquid, is retained in combination as long as the in- creased temperature exists, but separates again as the solution is cooled down to the temperature of the atmosphere, or lower; and when this is properly conducted, salts are obtained in regular forms, or crystalli- zation takes place. Although a liquid be saturated with one solid, yet it may be still capable of dissolv- ing a portion of another, and even of a third when saturated with the second ; until it be combined with, or hold in solution, three, four, or five different bodies at the same time. The liquid, indeed, in this case does not dissolve so large a portion of any of the substances ; but sometimes, from the mu- tual affinities which the substances exert, the whole proportion of solid matter dis- solved is very much increased. The solution of saline bodies in water re- quires no particular apparatus; as it can be conducted equally well in phials, or jars, or basins, provided the materials of which they are composed be such as can resist the action of the solvent. Lixiviation is a term applied to solution when the saline body consists of both solu- ble and insoluble ingredients. On a great scale it Is generally performed in large tubs, or vats, having a hole near the bottom con- taining a wooden spigot and faucet. A layer of straw is placed at the bottom of the tub over which the substance is spread, and covered by a cloth ; after which hot or cold water, according as the salt is more or less soluble, is poured on. The water, which soon takes up some of the soluble parts of the saline body, is after a little while drawn off by the spigot; and a fresh portion of water is successively added and drawn off, until the whole of the soluble matter be dis- solved. The straw in this operation acts as a filter ; and the cloth prevents the water from making a hollow in the ingredients when it is poured on, by which it might escape without acting on the whole of the ingredients. In smaller operations lixiviation may be conducted in glass matrasses, and the ley, which is the name given to the solution, filtered through paper in a glass funnel. Maceration is that operation by which the soluble parts of substances, chiefly of a vegetable nature, are obtained in solution by keeping them immersed in cold water or in spirituous fluids, for a sufficient length of time. It is frequently employed as a preparation for infusion and decoction, which are always rendered more effective by the previous maceration of the materi- als. Digestion is an operation similar to ma- ceration, but the power of the fluid is aid- ed by a gentle degree of heat. It is usual- ly performed in a glass matrass, and the evaporation of the liquid impeded by stop- ping the mouth of the matrass slightly, with a plug of tow, or tying over it a piece of wet bladder, perforated with small holes. When the menstruum is valuable,as alcohol, for instance, another matrass, with a small- er mouth, may be inverted over the form- er, and the joinings secured by a piece of wet bladder : or, what is perhaps prefera- ble, a long open glass tube may be luted to the mouth of the matrass containing the materials. By these means, any part of the liquor which is resolved into steam by the heat, is condensed, and conveyed back upon the materials. The matrass may be heated either by a common fire, a water- bath, or a sand-bath ; and when either of the latter are used, it should not be sunk deeper in the water, or the sand, than the portion that is filled. The process has been denominated circulation, when the condensed vapours are returned upon the ingredients. Infusion is intended principally to ex- tract the volatile and aromatic principles of vegetable substances, which would be dis- sipated by digestion or decoction; and also those parts of vegetables which are more readily soluble in water, as gum, sugar, ex- tract, tannin, the salts, and part of the re- sin, from the insoluble parts. The water is poured boiling hot on the materials, sliced, or reduced to a coarse powder, and kept in a closely covered vessel until thpy are cold ; when the infusion or liquor is 52 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. decanted off for use. The best infusion; pots are of a globular form in the body, with the neck cylindrical, and having a verv large lip or spout furnished with a grate, which should incline inwards towards the top, so as to retain the ingredients in decanting off the infusion. Infusions differ according to the length of time the water has stood on the materials, and the heat used. In some instances agitation is ne- cessary. Infusions may be made in the cold; and these are in general more grate- ful, although weaker. Decoction, or boiling, is intended to an- swer the same purposes as infusion ; but in a more extended degree. The solvent power of the menstruum is increased by the degree of heat: hence the liquor is deeper coloured, and more loaded with the soluble principles of the vegetable. Decoction is employed with advantage to extract the mucilaginous parts of plants, their bitter- ness, and several other of the vegetable principles. It is generally performed in slightly covered vessels; but when the menstruum is valuable, as alcohol for in- stance, the common still is used, in the bo- dy of which the decoction is prepared, while the vapours that would otherwise es- cape are condensed and preserved. Decoction, however, is often a prejudicial mode of preparation, particularly for those vegetables the virtues of which depend wholly or in part on the essential oil, or other volatile principles they contain ; and even some fixed principles, such as extrac- tive, are injured by it. Thus, cinchona bark is rendered nearly inert by long de- coction, particularly if atmospheric air be freely admitted ; for in these instances the extractive is oxygenized, and becomes inso- luble. Extraction is the result of either infusion or decoction ; if the liquor obtained by ei- ther of those processes be subjected to evaporation, the watery part is dissipated, and the part extracted by them is obtained in the solid form, and denominated an ex- tract. The same objections may be urged against this species of preparation as were stated under Decoction. All the forms of preparation in which water is the agent may be regarded as va- rious modifications of solution. When al- cohol or diluted spirits are employed as menstrua, the ingredients subjected to their action are generally macerated, and the filtered fluid, which is the product, is denominated a tincture. 3. Of the operations by which changes are produced in bodies by chemical agents. Under this division we have only to no- tice Coagulation, which is the conversion of a fluid into a solid more or less consis- tent. The means employed for this pur- pose are increase of temperature, alcohol, acids and runnets. The effect appears to arise from a new arrangement of particles produced by the affinity exerted between the solid particles contained in the fluid, and the coagulating substance. b. of the operations in which changes are produced by the chemical action of one set of bodies upon another. 1. Of the operations by which changes are produced in the form of bodies by the ac- tion of caloric alone. These are—Decomposition, Dissolution, Precipitation, Crystallization, Fermentation. Decomposition, implies the separation of the component parts of bodies from each other. It is produced in some cases by heat, or the introduction of caloric into a body in sufficient quantity to separate the particles from each other to a distance be- yond the sphere of the attraction of affinity which held them in combination; or it may be effected by electricity or galvanism; but in the greater number of instances it is the result of a superior affinity, which breaks the weaker affinity that holds the principles of the substance about to be de- composed in union, and produces new com- pounds. In pharmaceutical operations decomposi- tion frequently occurs ; and it is of the ut- most importance, in extemporaneous pre- scription, to be acquainted with the circum- stances which occasion it. Dissolution is the appellation given to cases of solution accompanied with decomposi- tion, or some alteration in the nature of the dissolved body. In general, the dissolu- tion of a body is attended with considera- ble eff'ervesence, owing to the extrication of gases; and therefore the operation re- quires to be performed in capacious ves- sels, to prevent the loss of the materials. Precipitation is an operation also in which decomposition takes place, a solid substance being thrown down from a liquid in which it was held in solution, by the chemical ac- tion of another body which is added to the solution. The substance employed to pro- duce the precipitation is denominated the precipitant; the substance which is sepa- rated by its action, the precipitate. Thus, if into a solution of sulphate of magnesias solution of soda be dropped, the magnesia separates from the sulphuric acid, falls to the bottom, and forms the precipitate; while the alkali, which is the precipitant, combining with the acid, thus set free, re- mains in solution in the state of sulphate of soda. Sometimes, the precipitate is sepa- rated by the precipitant having a greater affinity for the liquid, and thence weaken- ing its attraction to the substance which it held in solution. Alcohol, for example, ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. 53 when added to a saturated solution of sul- phate of magnesia, precipitates the salt in a crystallized form, and combines with the separated water. In other cases the pre- cipitate is an insoluble compound formed by the union of the added substance with that which was previously held in solution ; as, when a solution of barytes is added to a solution of sulphuric acid, sulphate of ba- rytes is formed and precipitated. The mix- ture of a solution of a compound salt with the solution of another compound salt may produce a precipitate which is an insolu- ble compound, while a new soluble com- pound is formed at the same time and re- mains in solution ; in which case the decom- position is produced by double elective at- traction : thus, if a solution of superace- tate of lead be added to a solution of sul- phate of zinc, the oxide of lead leaves the acetic acid, and combining with the sulphu- ric, forms sulphate of lead, which is insolu- ble and falls to the bottom ; while acetate of zinc, formed by the union of the oxide of zinc with the acetic acid, remains in so- lution. When the precipitate is the chief object of the. process, it is necessary to wash it after it is separated by filtration. This ope- ration requires little attention when the substance thrown down is insoluble in wa- ter ; but when it is in some degree soluble, attention is required to prevent the loss which might result from the use of too much water. The best precipitating vessel is a very tall glass jar narrower at the bottom than at the mouth, so that the precipitate may readily collect by subsidence, and the su- pernatant liquor be decanted off with more ease, fig. 7. p). iii. Precipitation is intended to separate so- lids from solutions in which they are con- tained; to produce new combinations, which cannot readily be formed by the direct union of their constituents ; and to purify solutions from precipitable impurities. A knowledge of those substances which pro- duce precipitation is also of much import- ance, in extemporaneous prescription; to prevent the virtues of remedies from being destroyed by improper combinations. The following Tables of Precipitants are ex- tracted from those drawn up by Dr. Thom- son.* All the substances not employed in Pharmacy are omitted. 1. Alkalies. Precipitaxts. Potash........•.......Tartaric acid. Soda................0 Ammonia.............Fixed alkalies.f 'System of Chemistry, 5th edit. iii. 149—154. t In strict language, no precipitation takes place, but the fixed alkalies added to solutions containing ammonia vender it perceptible by its odour. 2. Alkaline Earths. Precipitants. Barytes...............Sulphuric acid, sulphates. Lime.......•.......••Oxalic acid, oxa- lates. Magnesia ••••••........Phosphoric acid, phosphate of so- da.* 3. Earths Proper. Alumina ••............Ammonia, hydro- sulphuret of potash. 4.' Metallic Oxides. Silver................Muriate of soda. Mercury •...........•• Muriate of soda. Copper...............Iron. Iron..................Succinate of soda, benzoate of so- da. Lead......•.........Sulphate of soda. Zinc.................0, alkaline carbo- nates ? Antimony.............Water, hydrosul- phuret of pot- ash. Arsenic*• ••••••.......Nitrate of lead. 5. Acids. Sulphuric.............Muriate of bary- tes. Carbonic« •............Muriate of an al- kaline earth. Boracic.••••.......•• •Sulphuric acid. Nitric................0. Acetic................0. Benzoic •••........... Muriatic acid. Succinic..............Sulphate of iron. Oxalic................ Muriate of lime. Tartaric •••...........Potash. Citric........•........Acetate of lime. In some cases, when decomposition is ef- fected by the addition of another substance, the separated body is not precipitated, but rises to the surface, and is thence denomi- nated a cream: thus, by the addition of any acid to a solution of soap, the alkali unites with the acid, while the oil is separated, and swims on the surface of the liquor. Crystallization, although it can scarcely be regarded as a species of precipitation, yet is very nearly allied to it. We have already noticed the theory of the opera- tion, and therefore it only remains to men- tion in this place the modes in which it is effected for pharmaceutical purposes. For the crystallization of any substance, it is necessary that it should be in a state of fluidity, either by the agency of caloric or that of water. t The precipitation of magnesia in this case is not direct: but to effect it a solution of carbonate of ammonia must first be added to the solution of mu- riate of magnesia; no precipitate will appear, but on adding phosphate of soda it falls down in an insoluble state, in combination with the phosphoric acid. Dr. Wollaston suggested this method. 54 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. Metals and other bodies, which arc capa- ble of being fused, crystallize if they be al- lowed to cool very slowly, and are left at the same time in a state of rest; but this species of crystallization is never required for pharmaceutical purposes. Salts are obtained in a crystalline form by a proper management of their watery solutions. When the salt to be crystallized is considerably more soluble in hot than in cold water, it is only necessary to saturate hot water with the salt, and set it aside to cool; but this must be slowly effected, by covering the vessel with a cloth to prevent the access of cold air, and the too rapid consequent formation of a pellicle, which would produce an irregular mass, instead of well formed distinct crystals. Crystals thus formed generally contain a considerable pro- portion of water of crystallization. When the salt is not more soluble in hot than in cold water, crystals are obtained by evaporating the solution while hot, until a pellicle forms on its surface, when it is set aside to cool, during which the crystals form ; and after they are separated the evaporation is re- peated, and another crop obtained, until by a succession of evaporations the greater part of the salt contained in the solution is separated in the crystalline state. The following method of obtaining very large and regular crystals has been pointed out by M. Leblanc* The solution is first evaporated to such a consistency that it shall crystallize on cooling: when it is cold, the liquor is poured off* from the mass of crystals which generally form at the bot- tom, and is put into a flat-bottomed vessel. In this, solitary crystals gradually form, the largest of which are to be picked out and placed in another flat-bottomed vessel at some distance from each other, and a quan- tity of liquid, obtained in the same way by evaporating a solution of the salt till it crys- tallizes on cooling, lie poured over them. The position of each crystal is now to be altered once a-day by means of a glass rod; for, when not turned, the face on which the crystal rests receives no increase of size. When they have gained considerably in magnitude the most regular are to be se- lected, and each of them put separately in- to a vessel filled with the same liquid, and turned as already described several times a-day, until they attain the largest size which the species of crystal under treat- ment is capable of acquiring. It is, how- ever, necessary to observe, that if the crys- tals be allowed to remain too long in one portion of the solution, the quantity of salt it contains becomes so much diminished, that the liquid re-acts upon the crystal, and partially dissolves it. 'Journal de Physique,lr. 300. If a crystallizable salt be perfectly pure the whole of its solution may be crystal- lized ; but if two or more salts exist in the same solution, after crystals have been ob- tained by several successive evaporations and coolings, the remaining portion of the fluid, although saturated with saline matter, yet refuses to crystallize, and is then deno- minated mother water. The vessels best adapted for crystalliza- tion are large flat dishes of Wedgewood's ware, such as have been already described as proper for the evaporation of .liquids. When the crystallization is to be conduct- ed slowly in the heat of the atmosphere, with the free access of air, deeper vessels are required, that there may be a consider- able body of liquid ; by which means crys- tals of considerable size and very regular in figure are procured. Crystallization is intended to obtain crys- tallizable substances in a pure state; and to separate them from each other, by tak- ing advantage of their different solubility at different temperatures. fermentations. The constituents of vegetable matter, when separated from the living plant, and placed under certain circumstances, act upon each other, and a spontaneous decom- position takes place even at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere. This pro- cess has been denominated fermentation by chemists, on account of the intestine motion with which it is accompanied: and as its phenomena and results vary according to the nature of the vegetable matter subject- ed to it, and the circumstances under which it occurs, the general process is divided into three species easily distinguished from one another. The 1st is named the vinous fermentation—of which the products are wine, beer, and other vinous fluids: the 2d, the acetous fermentation, which pro- duces acetic acid or vinegar: and the 3d, the putrefactive fermentation, in which gases, chiefly foetid, are produced, and am- monia. Each of these is occasionally artificially produced for pharmaceutical purposes, and therefore requires to be described. Vinous fermentation. All vegetable sub- stances containing saccharine matter, and a peculiar glutinous principle aualogous to the gluten of wheat, are susceptible of this fermentation. For its commencement, how- ever, the presence of water, sugar, extract, and a small proportion of vegetable acid, with a certain increased temperature, is requisite. In juices in whicli these are pre- sent, the fermentation is spontaneous ; but as yeast contains the peculiar gluten, and the other principles necessary for exciting the vinous fermentation in any sweet vege- table juice or decoction, it'is frequently ELEMENTS OI used for this' purpose in the formation of beer and wines. Soon after yeast is added to these substances, or to wort*, or to must\, an intestine motion commences in the li- quor, its temperature rises, it becomes tur- bid, and carbonic acid gas is extricated: but after some time the fermentation again gradually subsides, the scum which was formed during its continuance rises to the surface, or sinks to the bottom ; the liquor becomes lighter, and instead of its sweet taste has acquired that peculiar taste and flavour which is denominated vinous. This process of fermentation is never employed in the laboratory for the preparation of vinous liquors, although these are articles of the materia medica: but the cataplasms, which are prepared from carrots and similar vegetables mixed with yeast, derive their virtues from the vinous fermentation into which they enter, extricating a large quan- tity of carbonic acid gas, which operates as a powerful antiseptic. Acetous fermentation. All liquors prepar- ed by the vinous fermentation are suscepti- ble of the acetous when kept exposed to the air in a temperature between 70° and 90°. Under these circumstances the liquor gradually becomes thick, its temperature increases, and filaments are seen moving through it in every direction, an intestine motion being excited, accompanied with a hissing noise: but as this motion subsides, these filaments fall to the bottom, or attach themselves to the sides of the vessel, the liquor becomes clear and transparent, and has acquired a very sharp acid taste,—in which state it is denominated vinegar,—and contains, besides the acetic acid and water, which are its principal components, mucus, malic acid, supertartrate of potash, and some other vegetable constituents. Pure alcohol, even when diluted with water, is not susceptible of this fermenta- tion, but it enters into it when united with other fermentable bodies: thence wine and vinous liquors, which contain, besides alco- hol, sugar, and some mucilaginous and ex- tractive matter, are employed for making vinegar. In this process the alcohol is sup- posed to be decomposed, and oxygen ab- sorbed ; carbonic acid is formed, but is re- tained in the liquor ; and it is probable, as Dr. Murray has suggested, that the ferment affords nitrogen, which it is now ascertain- ed, enters into the composition of acetic acid 4 • Wort is an aqueous infusion of malt. It con- sists of saccharine matter, starch, gluten, tannin, and mucilage. t Must is the expressed juice of the grape. It contains water, sugar, a peculiar matter, which changes into gluten by contact with the air, muci- lage, supert;u-trate of potash, tartrate of lime, mu- riate of soda,and sulphate of potash, ! System of Chemistry, iv. 465. ? PHARMACY. 55 Many vegetable infusions and decoctions undergo this fermentation in warm wea- ther; and hence the necessity of preparing these every day during summer, as by the decomposition which takes place, their me- dicinal virtues are completely destroyed, when they are kept. Putrefactive fermentation. Almost every vegetable product, in a moist place, and in a temperature not under 45°, nor above 70°, undergoes spontaneous decomposition, its solid structure is completely destroyed, and its ultimate principles entering into new combinations, escape in the gaseous or aeriform state, leaving behind a small quantity of earthy and metallic matter only, which the vegetable body contained. This process, which is denominated the putrefactive fermentation, does not absolute- ly require the contact of air, but water in every case appears to be essential. Vege- table bodies, which are very soluble in wa- ter, most readily undergo it; the surface of the liquor becomes covered witha mould; various elastic fluids, in which ammonia and phosphureted hydrogen gas are often perceptible, with other matters which pro- duce a fcztid odour, are extricated, and the vegetable matter is ultimately completely decomposed. The knowledge of the circumstances which promote this species of spontaneous decomposition points out the necessity of preserving vegetable substances in perfect- ly dry places ; and when they have a ten- dency to attract moisture, the exposing them in a free current of air to dissipate the humidity which they would otherwise absorb. c. Of the operations in which oxidizement and deoxidizement are effected by means of a high temperature. The degree of temperature at which these operations are conducted cannot ge- nerally be obtained from a common fire ; and, therefore, before describing the ope- rations themselves, it is necessary to notice the nature of furnaces, which are instru- ments of the most universal use in pharma- ceutical chemistry. Furnaces differ in construction, accord- ing to the particular purposes for which they are chiefly intended; but the following essential parts are common to all furnaces. 1st, The body or fire-place for holding the fuel and the vessel containing the materials to be submitted to the action of heat. 2dly, The chimney by which the heated air and the smoke escape. 3dly, The ash-pit, into which the ashes fall, and through holes in the side of which fresh air is admitted to the burning fuel. In a well-constructed furnace, the whole of the air which enters the ash-pit passes through the body of the furnace, and sup- 56 ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY. ports the combustion, after which the resi- due, being highly rarefied, passes off by the chimney; on the due height of which, and the proper regulation of the access of at- mospheric air from below, the strength of the combustion, and consequently the heat produced, altogether depend. The ac- cess of the air is generally regulated by re- gisters ; which, in portable and smaller fur- naces, are iron plates pierced with many holes of different sizes, which are generally fitted with brass stoppers, so that, accord- ing to the number of holes opened, a great- er or smaller quantity of air is admitted to the burning fuel. The chimney should be narrower than the body of the furnace, and of such a length that it can be heated throughout by the rarefied air which as- cends through it; for it is by producing in the chimney a column of air of much less specific gravity than a corresponding co- lumn of the external air, that fresh air is constantly forced through the body of the furnace from below, a.nd a strong draught produced. If the chimney be too short, all the advantage to be derived from the above circumstance is not obtained ; and if on the other hand it be too long, the air loses its heat before it reaches the sum- mit, and impedes, to a certain extent, the ascent of tiie rarefied air. According to Macquer, when the internal diameter of the furnace is 12 or 15 inches, and that of the chimney 8 or 9, its height should be 18 or 20 feet. Of whatever substance furnaces are made, unless they be fixed and built of fire-bricks, they should be coated, to pre- vent the radiation, and consequent loss of heat; and the best composition for this purpose is clay and sand. It is perhaps better, however, first to put a coating of charcoal and clay next to the sides of the furnace, as was recommended by Dr. Black, particularly if it be made of plate-iron. The proportions he recommended were one part, by weight, of fine clay, and three parts of charcoal; which, being reduced to powder, and kneaded together with wa- ter, the mass is to be divided into balls of a moderate size ; and these being applied to the sides of the furnace, are to be beat strongly with the face of a broad hammer, until a general coating of about one inch and a half covers the inside of the furnace; and the cavity assumes an elliptical form. A very convenient and useful furnace is that which was contrived by Dr. Black. It consists of an oval iron case, about 22 inches in height, 20 inches in diameter in the length of the oval, and 15 inches across, and lined in the body with the coating al- ready described. On the top is fixed an iron plate having two apertures ; one large, intended to receive a sand-bath, a still, or similar apparatus; and the other smaller, to which an iron tube, which acts as a chim- ney, is to be fixed. At the bottom of the body of the furnace, directly under the larger aperture, the grate is fixed ; and un- der it the ash-pit receives the body, rest- ing on a strong ring that encircles it, at about half an inch deep. The ash-pit is furnished with a door which opens on hinges, intended for removing the ash- es ; and also a register to regulate the ad- mission of air to the burning fuel. The re- gister is a plate of iron perforated with six apertures, the size of which increases in a geometrical ratio; so that by taking out the plugs with which they are stopped, either one or more at a time, the supply of air, and of course the heat to be excited, can be regulated with great nicety. The fuel is introduced at the top ; but there is a door also, occasionally, in the side of the body of the furnace, tiirough which fuel can be supplied during the conducting of any process ; although, unless it be made to shut very close, this door is a disadvantage, as it prevents the admission of the air from being so precisely regulated. This furnace may be used for a great variety of opera- tions, and may be fitted with a dome for the purpose of throwing down the flame when it is to be used for fusing metals. For small operations, when a great heat is required, a furnace may be constructed by simply inverting a large black lead or a Hessian crucible over another which is per- forated with six holes in the bottom, thus made to serve as a grating. This is placed over the portion of a third, cut off so low as to leave the cavity about an inch deep only ; and ground smooth above and below. The upper or inverted pot should have a large perforation to permit the heated air to escape ; and the portion on which the second pot stands should also be perforated at the side to admit the external air, or the nozzle of a bellows. No luting is required. A heat sufficient to fuse any metal may be obtained in this furnace. A sufficient heat for a great variety of small operations may be obtained from a lamp, on the principle of Argand's, with a double concentric wick, and having rings attached to a brass rod on which they slide, for supporting the retort or matrass at any height above the flame. With regard to fuels, the best are un- doubtedly charcoal and coke, or a mixture of these. The advantages of charcoal are its kindling readily, burning with a strong clear heat in a small draught, without run- ning into slag, choking the grate, or melt- ing the walls of the furnace ; and owing to its containing only matter which is ex- tremely combustible, the flues or chimneys never collect soot or other foulnesses. The chief objection to charcoal is its great ELEMENTS OF PHARMACY 57 expense. Coke is much less expensive; but as it contains a mixture of earths and metallic oxides, it is apt in an intense heat to run together into a tough cohesive slag, which adheres to the walls of the furnace, and to the sides of crucibles, choking up the grate, and of course preventing the proper draught of air for carrying on the combustion. These disadvantages, how- ever, are remedied by mixing it with an equal bulk of charcoal; and this mixture forms the best fuel when an intense heat is required. The pharmaceutical operations (usually performed by furnaces) are— Fusion. Distillation. Sublimation. The oxidizement of metals. The deoxidizement or reduction of metals. The three first of these have been al- ready described. Oxidizement of metals. This term signi- fies that process by which metals are con- verted into oxides, by absorbing oxygen from the air, when exposed to a certain de- gree of heat. The disengagement of the caloric and light which oxygen gas con- tains, by the solidification of the oxygen in the oxide, is scarcely perceptible when the operation is conducted in atmospherical air; but if the oxidizement takes place in oxy- gen gas, it is rapidly effected, and caloric and light are very evidently extricated. This mode, however, of oxidizing metals is em- ployed in small experiments only; but in all the processes of the laboratory for procur- ing oxides by the aid of heat, common air yields the oxygen. The metal, if it be not volatile at the temperature required for its oxidizement, is exposed to the heat of the furnace in a flat dish of baked clay called a roasting test, and frequently stirred to pre- sent fresh surfaces to the air: but, if the metal be easily volatilized, as is the case with zinc, it is thrown by pieces, at sepa- rate intervals, into a deep crucible, so plac- ed as to admit the air and allow of the ad- ditions being made. If mercury be the me- tal operated on, it is generally put into a flat-bottomed matrass with a very tall nar- row neck, the mouth of which is left open, and which is placed in a sand-bath, and kept at a degree of heat nearly equal to the boil- ing point of the mercury, for several days ; but it is perhaps better to use a retort with the bottom flattened, and the neck only slightly bent, that the globules of mercu- rial vapour may be condensed, and the me- tal fall back into the vessel.* In this pro- cess the atmospheric air furnishes the oxy- gen, which readily combines with the vola- tilized mercury, while the form of the ap- » Higgins's Minutes. Aikin's Dictionary, ii. 75. paratus is intended to permit a renewal of it constantly to take place, without allow ^ ing the escape of the mercurial vapour. Deoxidizement of metals, or their reduc- tion, is that process in which the oxygen of a metallic oxide is separated, and the metal recovers its metallic form and properties. It is seldom performed on a large scale in pharmacy ; but in cases of metallic oxides having been taken into the stomach, and proving fatal, it is of importance, in ascer- taining their nature, to be able to reduce them to the metallic state by means of the blow-pipe and lamp; an apparatus by which minute substances may be almost in- stantaneously heated to a great degree, and their natures discovered with much ac- curacy. The most common blow-pipe is a tube of brass or iron, bent near one of its extremi- ties, and drawn out sufficiently fine to keep up a constant stream of air when it is blown into by the mouth applied to the opposite end. This form of blow-pipe is liable to one inconvenience, from the condensation of the moisture of the breath, in the course of blowing; to remedy which, a hollow bailor bulb is made near the small end of the pipe ; and to render it more portable, this is di- vided through the middle, and fitted with a screw so as to be put together when used. Small separate jet pipes, or caps, are fre- quently adapted to slip on the small extre- mity' of the blow-pipe, by which means any size of bore may be had recourse to, as a larger and more moderate, or a smaller and more intense flame is required. The flame for blowing through is best obtained from a wax or tallow candle with a very large wick, which must be kept moderately short by snuffing it frequently, and it must also be turned a little aside from the pipe. In using this apparatus with advantage and ease, a little practice is necessary. As the flame is often required to be kept up for several minutes, the respiration must be carried on through the nostrils without in- terruption, and the stress of blowing per- formed merely by the compression of the cheeks upon the air held in the mouth. In subjecting any substance to experiment, it is to be placed either on a piece of char- coal, or in a platina spoon. When charcoal is employed, a large, compact, well-burnt piece should be chosen, and a small shallow hole scooped in it for receiving the sub- stance to be heated. The flame of the can- dle or lamp is then to be directed upon this by means of the blow-pipe. The charcoal soon kindles round the hole, which is gradu- ally enlarged ; and the heat being thereby augmented and kept up uniformly round the substance, the charcoal aids by its chemical effect the reduction or deoxidize- ment of it, if it be an oxide. Carbonate of lead thus treated is converted into a glo- »F PHARMACY. 58 ELEMENTS 0 bule of metallic lead ; and the phosphates are partially reduced to phosphurets. In many operations, much inconvenience arisesin using the common blow-pipe, from both the hands of the operator being engag- ed ; and therefore a double pair of bellows, which is fixed below the table, and worked by the foot of the artist, has been invented for giving the blast. Means have also been contrived forSproducing the blast by a stream of oxygen gas, or of mixed gases, as of oxygen and hydrogen, which excite a much more intense heat than can be pro- duced by any other method.* A very in- genious blow-pipe is that of Mr. Paul of Geneva, in which the flame is produced by vapour of alcohol. See fig. 6. pl. iii. COATINGS, CEMENTS, AND LUTES. In many chemical operations, although the nature of the substances require that glass vessels be used, yet, from the degree of heat to which they are exposed, these must be protected on the outside by a coating; and in all operations where the products are in any degree volatile, it is of importance that the joinings of the parts of the apparatus should be perfectly secured : thence the necessity of coatings and lutes: and cements are requisite for repairing flaws and cracks. Coatings are applied to the insides of furnaces to prevent the too quick dissipa- tion of the heat, and also to protect the iron and materials of which the furnace is made from being destroyed by the action of the fire. The coating used by Doctor Black has been already described; but ano- ther nearly as good may be formed, by coarsely grinding fragments of pottery, and mixing the powder with moist clay in suffi- cient quantity to allow it to be moulded when wet. To render it more tenacious, some fibrous matter is generally added to the mixture, such as chopped cow-dung; the proportion of which, as recommended by Baume, may be one ounce to every five ounces of the mixture. This is to be ap- plied in the manner already described. The same kind of coating may be used for glass vessels which are to be exposed to a red heat. The following is the mode of applying it. After kneading the coating material, so as to render it very plastic, let it be spread out on a flat table, and lay the bottom of the retort in the middle of the massj then turn up the edges of the cake, so as to bring it round the whole of the ves- sel, pressing it down in every part with the fingers till it applies uniformly and closely. • For description of a blow-pipe invented by Mr. Newman, for this purpose, and improved by Dr. Clarke and others, see Journ. of Science and the Arts, vol. ii. p. 104. Annals of Philosophy, vol. viii. passim. London Msd. Repository, vol. vi. p. 376. vol. vii. p. 31 The material may also be applied in the state of thick cream, by dipping the retort repeatedly into it; drying it after each im- mersion by turning it before the fire. The different layers of coating may be thus laid on very equally, from the thickness of £ to i an inch ; so as to make the retort like a strong earthen retort glazed iii the inside ; and as the coating agglutinates in a full red heat, it will form an impenetrable covering which cannot be detached from the glass. Cements and Lutes are formed of the same materials. They are generally composed of unctuous or resinous substances; mucilagi- nous or gelatinous substances ; or of clay, lime, and similar materials capable of re- sisting a high degree of heat. a. Unctuous and resinous Lutes.—These should be viscid, plastic, compact, and possess the power of resisting acrid va- pours. The following are the best of this class. 1. Melt eight parts of bees' wax with one of turpentine, and according as it is re- quired to be more or less consistent or pliable, add different proportions of any resinous substance. This lute ad- heres very closely to the glass, is not easily penetrated by acrid vapours, and is very manageable. It cannot bear a heat higher than 140°.* 2. Dissolve spermaceti, and when melt- ed, while it is hot, throw into it bits of caoutchouc. This is an excellent lute where much heat is not required to be employed. 3. Take pure, diy, unbaked clay finely powdered, beat it for several hours with a heavy iron pestle in a brass mor- tar, dropping in slowly some boiled linseed oil; or, some amber varnish, prepared by melting yellow amber in an iron ladle, and mixing it with linseed oil. This lute can sustain a considera- ble degree of heat, is impenetrable by acids and spirituous liquors, and ad- heres very strongly to metallic or glass vessels previously rendered perfectly dry. As it softens in some degree, however, by heat, it is necessary to surround the luting with pieces of wet bladder, and to secure the whole by packthread firmly tied round both above and below the joint.* This lute improves by age. It should be kept in a covered pan in a cool cellar. 4. Glazier's putty, which is a composition of chalk and drying linseed oil, resem- bles very much the above lute in its qualities, and may be used as a substi- tute for it. 5. Take four parts of common resin, one of yellow wax, and one part of fine brick-dust; melt the two former to- * Lavoisier, ELEMENTS ( gether, and when they are melted stir m the brick-dust. This lute adheres with great firmness, and forms also a good cement for stopping cracks in glass vessels. 6. Six parts of clay, one part of iron fil- ings, and enough of linseed oil to form them into a paste, make a good cement for stopping cracks in iron vessels in- tended to be strongly heated. 7. The following cement is recommend- ed for joining together glass or steel. " Take of mastich five or six bits as big as peas, arid dissolve them in as much alcohol as will render them li- quid. In another vessel dissolve as much isinglass (previously soaked in water) in brandy or rum as will make two fluid ounces of a strong glue ; warm it, and incorporate with' it by rubbing, two or three small bits of gal- banum or ammoniacum, and the mas- tich solution. Preserve the mixture in a well-stopped bottle, and gently warm it before use."* 8. A solution of shell lac in alcohol, ad- ded to a solution of isinglass in proof spirits, forms a cement that will resist moisture. b. Mucilaginous and gelatinous Lutes are adapted only for operations which do not require a high temperature, and in which very acrid vapours are not extricated. They are easily applied, are sufficiently adhesive, and can be readily removed, by simply moistening them with water. 1. Under this head may be mentioned the simple application of moistened blad- der. To render it very adhesive, it should be soaked in tepid water, until it feels clammy to the touch; after which it contracts considerably as it dries, and adheres with a sufficient de- gree of force. 2. Linseed meal kneaded up with water to a sufficient consistence, and applied pretty thick over the joinings of the vessels, or almond meal treated in the same manner, form very convenient lutes, which dry and become firm in a very short time. 3. Flour paste spread upon slips of moistened paper forms a sufficiently good lute for many purposes. 4. Smear slips of linen on both sides with white of egg, then apply these neatly to the joinings of the vessels, and when applied shake loosely over them some finely powdered quicklime. This lute dries very quickly, is extremely hard, very cohesive, impervious to water, and impenetrable by most kind of va- pours. F PHARMACY. 59 5. Mix powdered plaster of Paris with white of egg, milk, glue, starch, or any mucilage, and apply it immediately. 6. Mix together equal parts of clay and lime, with about one-third of flour and white of egg. 7. Mix together equal parts of colcothar and lime, with white of egg. All the cements containing lime and gela- tinous substances become so very hard that they cannot be separated from glass ves- sels without the aid of a sharp knife and some force ; and, therefore, they can scarce- ly be applied to very thin vessels. They will not confine very corrosive acid vapours for a great length of time; but are excel- lent lutes for preserving a complicated ap- paratus steadily united and air-tight; and they will bear nearly a red heat. They are also the most useful kinds of cement for any accidental crack or failure of a lute already applied, although a stream of va- pour may be bursting through at the time.f c. Earthy Lutes are intended for opera- tions which require a high temperature. The following are the best of this class. 1. Mix burnt gypsum, in powder, with water to the consistence of a thick cream, and apply it immediately. This forms a lute which sets as soon as it is applied, and is firm; but a slight blow will easily crack it. 2. Dissolve one ounce of borax in half a pint of boiling water, and add as much slacked lime as will make a paste. By using a smaller portion of lime, this lute forms an excellent glazing for earthen-ware retorts, over which it should be spread with a brush; but when dry, a coating of slacked lime and linseed oil, beaten till the mixture is plastic, should be laid over the whole of the lute. 3. A very valuable fire lute may be made of about one part of glass of borax, five parts of brick-dust, and five parts clay, finely powdered together, and mixed with a little water when used. 4. The same composition which has been already described as a proper coating for the inside of furnaces, is also an ex- cellent earthy lute. 1. Six parts of clay, and one of iron filings formed into a paste by means of lin- seed oil, form an excellent cement for stopping cracks in iron retorts or boil- ers. If the beak of a retort be too small to fit accurately to the neck of a receiver, the vacancy should be filled up, by introducing short pieces of soft wood or of cork ; and if the disproportion be very considerable, a cork must be fitted to the neck of the re- • Atkins Dictionary of Chemutry. t Aikin's Dictionary of Chemistry 60 liLEMLN'lS OF PHARMACY. ceiver, and a circular hole made in it suffi- cient to admit the beak of the retort. The curved tube of a Woulfe's apparatus, when not fitted accurately by grinding, may be also fixed by means of corks. After the parts are thus firmly joined, the luting must be neatly and closely applied over the junc- tures ; and the whole covered with slips of wet bladder, or with linen spread with one or other of the above described cements. The application of the lutes, although ap- parently very simple, yet requires some management, lest the luting of one junc- ture should disturb another already luted, which is apt to happen when applying the fillets and ligatures. When an operator, therefore, is not pressed for time, he should always allow the luting of one joint to dry before he applies luting to another: in- deed, it is preferable not to apply the fil- lets and ligatures, until after the luting has been applied to all the joints ; and is nearly hard. APPENDIX to Part I. No. I. . TABLE OF FREEZING MIXTURES. The following Tables were drawn up by Mr. Walker from actual experiments. They show the degree of cold, or the reduction of temperature, which may be obtained by the different combinations mentioned in the first column. Table I. FRIGOR1FLC MIXTURES— WITHOUT ICE. Mixtures. Thermometer sinks. Degree ot cold pro-duced. Parts. Muriate of ammonia - - 5 Nitrate of potash - ... 5 Water.......16 From -f 50° to + 10° 40 Muriate of Ammonia - - 5 Nitrate of potash ... 5 Sulphate of soda ... 8 Water.......16 From -f 50° to + 4° 46 Nitrate of ammonia - - - 1 Water.......1 From -f 50° to + 4° 46 Nitrate of ammonia - - - 1 Carbonate of soda ... 1 Water.......1 From -f 50° to — 7° 57 Sulphate of soda - ... 3 Diluted nitric acid - - - 2 From -f 50° to — 3° 53 Sulphate of soda ... 6 Muriate of ammonia - - 4 Nitrate of potash ... 2 Diluted nitric acid - - - 4 From -f 50° to — 10° 60 Sulphate of soda ... 6 Nitrate of ammonia - - - 5 Diluted nitric acid - - - 4 From -f 50° to — 14° 64 Phosphate of soda - - - 9 Diluted nitric acid - - - 4 From -f 50° to — 12° 62 Phosphate of soda - - - 9 Nitrate of ammonia - - - 6 Diluted nitric acid - - - 4 From 4-50° to—21° 71 Sulphate of soda - - - - 8 From 4- 50° to — 0° 50 Sulphate of soda - - - - 5 Diluted sulphuric acid - - 4 From 4- 50° to 4- 3° 47 N. B. If the materials arc mixed at a warmer temperature than that expressed in the table, the effect will be proportionably greater; thus, if the most powerful of these mix- tures be made when the air is 4~ 85°, it will sink the thermometer to 4- 2". APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. I Table II. FRIGORIFIC MIXTURES— WITH ICE. Mixtures. Thermometer sinks. Degree of cold pro-duced. Parts. Snow, or pounded ice - 2 Muriate of soda 1 1 to—5° « Snow, or pounded ice - 5 Muriate of soda - - 2 Muriate of ammonia - 1 3 u C 6 to— 12° • Snow, or pounded ice - 24 Muriate of soda - - 10 Muriate of ammonia - 5 Nitrate of potash 5 >> c a! £ o > to— 18° • Snow, or pounded ice - 12 Muriate of soda 5 Nitrate of ammonia - - 5 to—25° • Snow .... 3 Diluted sulphuric acid - 2 From 4- 32° to — 23° 55 Snow .... 8 Muriatic acid ... 5 From 4- 32° to — 27° 59 Snow .... 7 Diluted nitric acid 4 From 4-32° to—30° 62 Snow .... 4 Muriate of lime 5 From 4-32° to — 40° 72 Snow .... 2 Cryst. muriate of lime - 3 From 4-32° to —50° 82 Snow .... 3 Potash .... 4 From + 32° to — 51° 83 N. B. The reason for the omission, in the last column of this table, is, the thermome- ter sinking in the mixtures to the degree mentioned in the preceding column, and never lower, whatever may be the temperature of the materials at mixing. APPENDIX TO PART I —No. I 6J Table III, COMBINATIONS OF FRIGORIFIC MIXTURES. Mixtures. l Degree of Thermometer sinks. cold pro-duced. Parts. Phosphate of soda - - 5 Nitrate of ammonia - 3 Diluted nitric acid - *~- 4 From 0° to — 34° 34 Phosphate of soda - - 3 Nitrate of ammonia - - 2 Diluted mixed acids - 4 From — 34° to — 501-* 16 Snow ..- - 8 Diluted sulph. acid - - 3 ) Or, Diluted nit. acid - 33 From — 10? to — 56° 46 Snow ... 3 Diluted nitric acid 2 From 0° to — 46° 46 Snow ... - 1 Diluted sulphuric acid - 1 From 20° to — 60° 40 Snow .... 3 Muriate of lime - - 4 From 4-20° to — 48« 68 Snow .... 3 Muriate of lime - - 4 From 4- 10° to — 54° 64 Snow .... 2 Muriate of lime - - 3 From — 15° to — 68« 53 Snow .... 1 Cryst. muriate of lime - 2 From 0Q to — 66? 66 Snow .... 1 Cryst. Muriate of lime - 3 From — 40° to — 73<* 33 Snow .... 1 Diluted sulph. acid - - 10 From—68° to —91Q 23 N. B. The materials in the first column are to be cooled, previously to mixing, to the temperature required, by mixtures taken from either of the preceding tables. 64 APPENDIX TO PART L—No. II. No. II. TABLES OF SIMPLE AFFINITY. The following Tables were drawn up by Bergman, and additions made to them by others at different times. The substance, the attractions of which are to be shown, is placed at the head of a column, and the substances to which it has an attraction placed be- neath, in the order of the forces of attraction. Oxygen. Chrome Arsenic Acids : Bismuth Molybdena Arsenic Carbon Charcoal Lead Copper Tellurium Potash, Soda, and Benzoic Manganese Ammonia. Acetic Zinc Platina Acids : Boracic Iron Tin Mercury Silver Sulphuric Nitric Muriatic Phosphoric Fluoric Oxalic Sulphurous Nitrous Antimony Hydrogen Gold Carbonic Prussic Phosphorus Sulphur Carbon. Sulphur Phosphorus Arsenic Oxygen Water Nitrogen Iron Tartaric Fixed oils Nickel Hydrogen Arsenic Cobalt ------------ Succinic Strontites. Copper Bismuth Nitrogen. Citric Lactic Acids .- Caloric ? Oxygen Benzoic Sulphuric Mercury Sulphur Sulphurous Phosphoric Silver Phosphorus Acetic Oxalic Arsenous acid Hydrogen Mucic Tartaric Nitric oxide Gold Platina Boracic Fluoric Nitrous Nitric Hydrogen. Carbonic Muriatic Carbonic oxide Oxygen Prussic Succinic. Muriatic acid Sulphur Oil Acetic White oxide of man- Carbon Water Arsenic ganese White oxide of lead Phosphorus Nitrogen Sulphur Boracic Carbonic Barytes. Acids : Water OXYGEN.* Sulphur. Titanium Manganese Phosphorus. Sulphuric Lime, Zinc Potash Oxalic Acids .- Iron Soda Succinic Oxalic Tin Iron Fluoric Sulphuric Uranium Copper Phosphoric Tartaric Molybdena Tin Mucic Succinic Tungsten Lead Nitric Phosphoric Cobalt Silver Muriatic Mucic Antimony Bismuth Suberic Nitric Nickel Antimony Citric Muriatic Arsenic Mercury Tartaric Suberic * Vauqucliii's Table of the affinity of the metali for oxygen. Recording to the dfiiiculty u ith which their •jyides are decomposed hy heat. APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. II. 65 TABLES OF SIMPLE AFFINITY— continued. Acids .-Fluoric Arsenic Lactic Citric Malic Benzoic Acids ■■ Mucic Citric Phosphoric Lactic Benzoic Acetic Boracic Sulphurous Nitrous Carbonic Prussic Acids .-Lactic Succinic Acetic Prussic Carbonic Ammonia Acids ■ ■ Prussic Carbonic Fixed oils Ammonia Oxide of Copper. Boracic Sulphurous Nitrous Carbonic Oxide of Mercury. Acids .-Gallic Muriatic Oxalic Succinic Arsenic Phosphoric Sulphuric Mucic Tartaric Citric Malic Sulphurous Nitric Fluoric Acetic Benzoic Boracic Prussic Carbonic Oxide of Lead. Acids .-Gallic Sulphuric Mucic Oxalic Arsenic Tartaric Phosphoric Muriatic Sulphurous Suberic Nitric Fluoric Citric Malic Succinic Lactic Acetic Benzoic Boracic Acids : Gallic Oxalic Tartaric Muriatic Sulphur Phosphorus Water Fixed oil SlLEX. Fluoric acid Potash Sulphuric Mucic Nitric Arsenic Phosphoric Magnesia. Acids ; Oxalic Phosphoric Sulphuric Fluoric Arsenic Mucic Succinic Nitric Oxide of Platina. Oxide of Gold.* Acids : Gallic Muriatic Nitric Sulphuric Arsenic Fluoric Tartaric Phosphoric Oxalic Citric Acetic Succinic Prussic Carbonic Ammonia Succinic Fluoric Citric Lactic Acetic Boracic Prussic Carbonic Fixed alkalies Ammonia Fixed oils Tartaric Citric Malic Lactic Benzoic Acetic Boracic Sulphurous Oxide of Arsenic. Acids : Gallic Muriatic Oxalic Sulphuric Nitric Tartaric Phosphoric Fluoric Succinic Carbonic Prussic Sulphur Oxide of Silver. Acids .-Gallic Muriatic Oxalic Sulphuric Mucic Phosphoric Sulphurous Nitric Arsenic Fluoric Tartaric Citric Alumina. Acids : Sulphuric Nitric Muriatic Oxalic Acetic Prussic Fixed alkalies Ammonia Fixed oils Water Arsenic Fluoric Tartaric Succinic Oxide of Ikon. Acids : Gallic • Omitting the oxalic, citric, succinic and carbonic, and adding sulphureted hydrogen after ammonia. 9 fC APPENDIX TO PART I —No. II. TABLES OF SIMPLE AFFINITY—continued. Acids : Acids .- Glucine Nitric Acid. Oxalic Tartaric Vttria Muriatic Acid^ Tartaric Phosphoric Alumina Barytes Camphoric Citric Zircon Potash Sulphuric Succinic Metallic oxides Soda Mucic Fluoric Strontites Muriatic Arsenic Sulphurous Acid. Lime Nitric Lactic Succinic! Magnesia Phosphoric Acetic Barytes Ammonia Arsenic Boracic Lime Glucine Fluoric Prussic Potash Alumina Succinic Carbonic Soda Zircon Citric Fixed alkalies Ammonia Strontites Magnesia Metallic oxides Lactic Acetic Ammonia Fluoric Acid. Boracic Oxide of Antimo- Glucine Boracic Acid.|| Prussic ny, Alumina Arsenic Acin.^i Carbonic Acids ■• Zircon Tungstic Acid. Gallic Metallic oxides Lime Oxide of Tin. Muriatic Barytes Acids : Benzoic Phosphoric Acid. Strontites Gallic Oxalic Carbonic* Magnesia Muriatic Sulphuric Barytes Potash Sulphuric Nitric Strontites Soda Oxalic Tartaric Lime Ammonia Tartaric Mucic Potash Glucine Arsenic Phosphoric Soda Alumina Phosphoric Citric Ammonia Zircon Nitric Succinic Magnesia Silex Succinic Fluoric Fluoric Glucine Alumina Arsenic Acetic Acid. Mucic Lactic Zircon Lactic Acid. Citric Acetic Metallic oxides Suberic Acii>.*' Lactic Boracic Silex Barytes Acetic Boracic Prussic Potash Soda Fixed alkalies Prussic Ammonia Ammonia Phosphorous Acid. Lime Strontites Lime Sulphuric Acid Barytes Strontites Ammonia Magnesiaff Oxide of Zinc. Prussic* Acids ■■ Barytes Potash Metallic oxides Gallic Strontites Soda Glucine Oxalic Potash Ammonia Alumina Sulphuric Soda Glucine Zircon Muriatic Lime Alumina Mucic Magnesia Zircon Nitric Ammonia Metallic oxides * With the omission of all after ammonia. t Ammonia should come before magnesia ; and strontites, glucine, and zircon be omitte } Magnesia should stand above ammonia, and alumina and silica be omitted. *> Ammonia should stand above magnesia. j| Silex should be omitted, and water and alcohol inserted. «■ Except silex. »* With the omission of strontites, metallic oxides,glucine, and zircon. tt Magnesia should stand above ammonia. APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. III. TABLES OF SIMPLE AYFMITY-continue? 67 Oxalic Acid. Tartaric Acid. Citrig Acid.* Lime Barytes Strontites Magnesia Potash Soda Ammonia Alumina Metallic oxides Water Alcohol Benzoic Acid. White oxide of arse nic Potash Soda Ammonia Barytes Lime Magnesia Alumina Camphoric Acid. Lime Potash Soda Barytes Ammonia Alumina Magnesia Fixed Oils. Lime Barytes Potash Soda Magnesia Oxide of mercury Metallic oxides Alumina Alcohol. Water Ether Volatile oil Alkaline sulphurets Sulphureted Hy- drogen. Barytes Potash Soda Lime Ammonia Magnesia Zircon No. Ill Tables of the specific gravities of substances, whichare articles of the Materia Medica, at a temperature of 60° of Fahrenheit. Metals and Inflammables. Mercury Sulphuret of mercury - Lead - Silver Bismuth - Copper - Arsenic - Sulphuret of arsenic (red) -----------------(yellow) - Iron - Sulphuret of iron Tin Zinc Manganese Antimony Sulphuret of Antimony - Sulphur - Charcoals - 0.223 Bitumens - 0.892 Saline Substances. Sulphuric acid Nitric acid 13.568 10.000 11.352 10.510 9.822 8.895 8.310 3.225 5.315 7.788 4.518 7.299 6.861 6.850 6.712 4.368 1.990 to 1.526 to 1.357 1.885 1.583 Muriatic - Acetic Vinegar - Distilled vinegar Citric acid Benzoic Ammonia (liquid) Potash - Soda Lime Magnesia Barytes - Alumina - Sulphate of potash ---------soda ---------magnesia Alum Nitrate of potash Muriate of soda - .--------ammonia --------lime Muriate of barytes Phosphate of soda Acetate of potash Tartrate of potash 1.929 1.080 1.0135 to 1.0251 1.007 to 1.0095 1.0345 0.667 0.9054 1.7085 1.336 2.3908 2.3298 4.000 2.000 2.298 2.246 1.6603 1.719 1.933 2.120 1.453 1.76 2.8257 1.338 2.1—? 1.5567 * Zncon after alumina. 68 APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. III. Tartrate of potash and soda - Supertartrate of potash Carbonate of potash . -----soda —ammonia - —lime —magnesia barytes - Sub-borate of soda 1.757 1.953 2.012 1.421 0.966 2.7 0.2941 4.331 1.720 Metallic Salts. Mercury, corrosive muriate of - -------mild muriate -------subsulphate Copper, sulphate of - ■ ---acetate Iron, sulphate of . carbonate ----acetate - - " Lead, carbonate of -----superacetate Zinc, sulphate of Vegetable Substances and Phoduc tions. 5.1398 7.1758 6.444 2.1943 1.779 1.880 3.333 1.368 7.2357 2.345 1.912 Cinchona bark Logwood Madder root Mahogany Red saunders - Sassafras Gum arabic Hepatic aloes - Socotorine aloes Amber (yellow) Ammoniacum - Assafcetida Benzoin Camphor Catechu Elemi Euphorbium Galbanum Galipot Gamboge 0.7840 0.9130 0.7650 1.0630 1.1280 0.4820 1.5153 1.3586 1.3796 1.0780 1.2071 1.3275 1.0924 0.9887 1.4573 1.0682 1.1244 1.2120 1.0819 1.2216 Honey - Myrrh - Olibanum Opium - Opoponax Resin (common) Sagapenum Scammony (Aleppo) - (Smyrna) - Storax Sugar (refined) Tragacanth Turpentine Wax (yellow) - ---- (white) - Fats and Oils. Fat of beef ------mutton - -----pork Tallow - Butter - Spermaceti Oil of linseed - -----olives -----almonds - Naphtha Oil of cinnamon -----cloves - -----lavender ----mint ----rosemary ----chamomile -carraway -anniseed -juniper - -turpentine -amber - Sulphuric ether Nitric ether Alcohol Proof spirit Water distilled - 1.1390 1.3600 1.1732 1.3365 1.6226 1.0727 1.2008 1.2354 1.2743 1.1098 1.6060 1.8161 0.991 0.9648 0.9686 0.9232 0.9235 0.9368 0.9419 0.9423 0.9433 0.9403 0.9153 0.9170 0.8475 1.044 1.036 1.894 0.8982 0.9057 0.8943 0.9294 0.9049 0.9867 0.8577 0.8697 0.8867 0.632 0.9088 0.794 0.916 1.000 APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. IV. 69 No. IV. Rules for reducing the volume of Gases to a mean height of the Barometer, and mean Temperature.* 1. From the space occupied by any quan- tity of gas under an observed degree of pres- sure, to infer what its volume would be under the mean height of the barometer, taking this at 30 inches. This is done by the rule of proportion ; for, as the mean height is to the observed height, so is the observed volume to the volume required. For example, if we wish to know what space would be filled, under a pressure of 30 inches of mercury, by a quantity of gas, which fills 100 inches, when the barometer is at 29 inches. 30 : 29 : : 100 : 96.66. The 100 inches would, therefore, be re- duced to 96.66. 2. To estimate what would bethe volume of a portion of gas, if brought to the tempera- ture of 60° Fahrenheit. Divide the whole quantity of gas by 480; the quotient will show the amount of its expansion or contraction by each degree of Fahrenheit's thermometer. Multiply this by the number of degrees which the gas exceeds, or falls below 60°. If the tempe- rature of the gas be above 60°, subtract, or if below 60° add the product to the abso- lute quantity of gas ; and the remainder in the first case, or sum in the second, will be the answer. Thus to find what space 100 cubic inches of gas at 50° would occupy if raised to 60°, divide 100 by 480 ; the quo- tient 0.208 multiplied by 10 gives 2.08, which added to 100 gives 102.08, the an- swer required. If the temperature had been 70 , and we had wished to know the volume, which the gas would have occupied at 60°, the same number 2.08 must have been subtracted from 100, and 97.92 would have been the answer. 3. In some cases it is necessary to make a double correction, or to bring the gas to a mean both of the barometer and thermometer. We must then first correct the tempera- ture, and afterwards the pressure. Thus to know what space 100 inches of gas at 70° Fah., 29 inches barometer, would fill at 60° Fah., and 30 inches barometer, we first reduce 100 inches, by the second pro- cess, to 97.92. Then by the first, 30 : 29:: 97.92: 94.63. Or 100 inches thus corrected, would be only 94.63. 4. To ascertain what would be the abso- lute weight of a given column of gas at a mean temperature, from the known weight of an equal volume at any other temperature. First find by the second process what would be its bulk at a mean temperature ; and then say, as the corrected bulk is to the actual weight, so is the observed bulk to the number required. Thus if we have 100 cubic inches of gas weighing 50 grains at 50° Fah., if the temperature were raised to 60°, they would expand to 102.08.' And 102.08: 50:: 100: 49. Therefore 100 inches of the same gas at 60° would weigh 49 grains. 5. To learn the absolute weight of a given volume of gas under a mean pressure, from its known weight under an observed pressure, say, as the observed pressure is to the mean pressure, so is the observed weight to the corrected weight. For example, having 100 inches of gas which weigh 50 grains under a pressure of 29 inches, to know what 100 inches of the same gas would weigh, the barometer being 30 inches. 29: 30:: 50: 51.72. Then 100 inches of the same gas, under 30 inches pressure, would weigh 51.72 grains. 6. In some cases it is necessary to com- bine the two last calculations. Thus, if 100 inches of gas at 50° Fah., and under 29 inch- es pressure, weigh 50 grains, to find what would be the weight of 100 inches at 60° Fah., and under 30 inches of the barometer, first correct the temperature, which re- duces the weight to 49 grains. Then, 29 : 30 : : 49 : 50.7. 100 inches, therefore, would weigh 50.7 grains. * Vide Henry's Elements of Experimental Chem- istry, vol. ii. ]>• 497. 70 APPENDIX TO PART L—No. IV. Cases of Mutual Decomposition. 1. from simple affinitt. Sulphate of potass —-------soda ammonia —-----magnesia Supersulphate of alumina Nitrate of potass --------ammonia Muriate of baryta ---------soda ' lime Phosphate of soda Sub-borate of soda Nitrate of silver Acetate of lead Sulphate of mercury Soap of potass ------soda Sulphate of baryta --------- baryta — potass — soda Muriate of baryta Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Muriate of lime Phosphate of soda Acetate of lead Ditto with Muriate of baryta — Nitrate of potass — Muriate of potass — Carbonate of potass — Muriate of lime —'.--------baryta — Phosphate of soda — All the sulphates and nitrates — Carbonate of potass — Sub-borate of soda — Carbonate of potass — Muriate of ammonia — Carbonate of potass — Muriate of soda — Citrate of potass — Muriate of soda —--------soda — Sulphate of lime. 2. FROM COMPOUND AFFINITY. with Carbonate of potass —-----------soda — Muriate of lime Ditto — Phosphate of soda — Sub-borate of soda — Carbonate of potass ammonia -lime — Sulphate of zinc — Nitrate of mercury Cases of Disposing Affinity. 1'he formation of water by the action of the sulphuric acid on the compound oxides, The oxidation of metals by water, inconsequence of the presence of an acid. Table of incompatible Salts.* 1. Fixed alkaline sulphates 2. Sulphate of lime 3. Alum INCOMPATIBLE WITH C Nitrates of lime and magnesia I Muriates of lime and magnesia C Alkalies s Carbonate of magnesia C Muriate of barytes f Alkalies j Muriate of barytes "\ Nitrate, muriate, carbonate of lime ^.Carbonate of magnesia *• Thai is. salts which cannot exist logethei in solution, without mutual decomposition. APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. IV. 71 SALTS. * Sulphate of magnesia 5. Sulphate of iron 6. Muriate of barytes 7. Muriate of lime 8. Muriate of magnesia 9. Nitrate of lime INCOMPATIBLE WITH f" Alkalies < Muriate of barytes CNitrate and muriate of lime CAlkalies < Muriate of barytes (_ Earthy carbonates C Sulphates < Alkaline carbonates C.Earthy carbonates C Sulphates, except of lime < Alkaline carbonates CCarbonate of magnesia C Alkaline carbonates £ Alkaline sulphates C Alkaline carbonates < Carbonates of magnesia and alumina (_ Sulphates, except of lime Table of the Specific Heats of equal Weights of some Bodies compared with Water. Water Atmospheric air Hydrogen gas Carbonic acid gas Oxygen gas Azotic gas Nitrous oxide Nitrous gas Olefiant gas Carbonic oxide gas Steam - Ammoniacal gas Carburetted hydrogen Nitric acid gas Sulphuretted hydrogen Muriatic acid gas Ether vapour Alcohol vapour Crawford. 1.000 1.790 21.400 1.045 4.749 0.793 Dalton's hypothesis. 1.000 1.759 9.382 0.491 1.333 1.866 0.549 0.777 1.555 0.777 1.166 1.555 1.333 0.491 0.583 0.424 0.848 0.586 De La Roche and Berard. 1.000 0.2669 3.2936 0.2210 0.2361 0.2754 0.2369 0.4207 0.2884 0.8470 Colour of the Precipitates thrown down from Metallic Solutions by various Re-agents. Henry. JJ Metals. Frussiated Alkalies. Tincture of galls. Water impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen. Hydrosulphurets. Gold Yellowish-white Solution turned green, preci- > pitate brown of reduced gold3 Yejlow Yellow Platina No precipitate, but an orange 1 one by prussiate of mercury 5 Dark-green, becoming paler Precipitated in a metallic state Silver White Yellowish-brown Black Black i Mercury White changing to yellow Orange yellow Black Brownish-black jPalladium Olive,* deep orangef Dark brown Dark brown Rhodium No precipitate No precipitate Iridium None ; colour discharged None; colour discharged Osmium Purple changing to vivid blue Copper Bright reddish-brown Brownish Black Black Iron I * green salts 5 2 red salts White changing to blue Deep blue No precipitate Black Not precipitated Black Nickel Green Grayish-white Not precipitated Black Tin White No precipitate Brown Black Lead White White Black Black Zinc White No precipitate Yellow White Bismuth White Orange Black Black Antimony White A white oxide from dilution Orange Orange Tellurium No precipitate Yellow Blackish Arsenic White Little change Yellow Yellow Cobalt Brownish-yellow Yellowish-white Not precipitated Black Manganese Yellowish-white No precipitate Not precipitated White Chrome Green Brown Green Molybdena Brown Deep brown Brown Uranium Brownish-red Chocolate Brownish-yellow Tungsten Titanium Grass-green with some brown Reddish-brown Not precipitated Grass-green Columbium Olive Orange Chocolate Tantalium Cerium Yellowish Brown becoming deep-g ■een * Chenevix. t Wollaston. APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. IV. 75 Table of the Solubility of Saline and other substances, in 100 parts of Water, at the Tem~ perature of 60° and 212° ACIDS. Sulphuric Ni'.ric Acetic Prussic Phosphoric"*- Tartaric I very soluble Malic Lactic Laccic J Arsenic Arscnious acid Citric Oxalic Gallic Boracic Mucic Succinic Suberic Camphoric Benzoic Molybdic Chromic, unknown Tungstick, insoluble SALIFIABLE BASES. Potass Soda, somewhat less than potass Baryta -----crystallized Strontia ------crystallized Lime Sulphate of potass Supersulphate of potass Sulphate of soda ---------ammonia ---------magnesia ---------alumina, very soluble, proportion unknown Supersulphate of alumina and potass ~) um _____,___________________ammonia 5 Nitrate of Baryta --------potass --------soda -------- strontia --------lime --------ammonia --------magnesia Muriate of baryta . ---potass --------soda --------strontia --------lime . ---ammonia ---.-----magnesia Oxymuriate of potass Phosphate of potass, very soluble unlimited do. do. do. 150 1.25 6. 133 200 50 100 8.3 66 2.8 8 0.84 1.25 $4 11.04 50 0.69 50 1.04 8.3 0.208 4.17 0.1 50 unlimited do. do. do. 5 50 57 unlimited 0.6 1.9 50 0.2 6.25 20 50 100-f- 37.4 * 125 50 100 100 133 5 133 8 25 14-25 100-f 33 100 100 200 400 any quantity 50 200 100 100+ 20 33 35.42 36.16 150 any quantity 200 33 100 100 6 40 10 74 APPENDIX 10 PART I.—No. IV. Phosphate of soda '-----ammonia ----------magnesia Sub-borate of soda Carbonate of potass ----------magnesia ----------ammonia Acetate of potass ---------soda ---------ammonia, very soluble ---------magnesia ditto ---------strontia Supertartrate of potass Tartrate of potass -------------- and soda Oxalate of potass --------ammonia Super-oxalate of potass Citrate of potass, very soluble Prussiate of potass andiron Nitrate of silver, very soluble Muriate of mercury (corrosive sublimate) Sulphate of copper Acetate of copper, very soluble Sulphate of iron Muriate of iron, very soluble Tartrate of iron and potass Acetate of mercury Sulphate of zinc Acetate of zinc, very soluble ------of lead (Ed. Pharm.) Bostock ------as it exists in Goulard's extract, more soluble Tartrate of antimony and potass, Duncan Alkaline soaps, very soluble Sugar Gum, very soluble Starch Jelly Gelatine Urea, very soluble Cinchonin Temperatures 60° 25 25 6.6 8.4 25 50 2 50-f- 100 35 67 1 25 25 33 4.5 5 25 50 44 27 6.6 100 0 sparingly soluble Salts not soluble in 100 times their Weight of Water, Sulphates of baryta, strontia, and lime, and sulphate of mercury. Phosphates of baryta, strontia, lime, magnesia, and mercury. Fluate of lime. Carbonates of baryta, strontia, and lime. Muriates of lead and silver, and submuriate of mercury (calomel.) Subacetate of copper. Solubility of Saline and other Substances in 100 Parts of Alcohol, at the temperature of 176° All the acids, except the sulphuric, nitric, and oxymuriatic, which decompose it, and the phosphoric and metallic acids. Potass, soda, and ammonia, very soluble. Red sulphate of iron. Muriate of iron - - . . _ jqq ---■-----"™e " - - " 100 Nitrate oHammonia - - - . gp 2 Muriate of mercury ..... 8g<'3 APPENDIX TO PART I.-No. IV. 75 Camphor Nitrate of silver . . "_ Refined sugar Muriate of ammonia Arseniate of potass - - . Nitrate of potass Arseniate of soda Muriate of soda (Mr. Chenevix.) Alkaline' soaps. Tannin. Volatile oils. Adipocire. Resins. 75 41.7 24.6 7A 3.75 2.9 1.7 Magnesian do. Extractive. Urea. Cinchonin. Substances insoluble in Alcohol. Earths. Phosphoric and metallic acids. Almost all the sulphates and carbonates. The nitrates of lead and mercury. The muriates of lead, silver, and soda. The sub-borate of soda. The tartrate of soda and potass, and the supertartrate of potass Fixed oils, wax, and starch. Gum, caoutchouc, suber, lignin, gelatin, albumen, and fibrin. Table of the Solubility of Fats in 100 parts of alcohol and sulphuric ether. By P. F. Boullay. Alcohol sp. gr. 0.828. 48 Fahr. Hogs lard - 1.04 Mutton suet . 0.69 Spermaceti - 1.39 Ether. 74 boiling. 48 Fahr 1.74 25 1.39 10 8.33 20 Table of the Solubility of Fixed Fluid Oils in 100 parts of Alcohol and Acetic Ether a\ 55° Fahr. By L. A. Planche. Castor oil Poppy seed oil, a year old Linseed oil Walnut oil Poppy seed oil, new Beech mast oil Olive oil Oil of sweet almonds Oil of bitter almonds Nut oil Alcohol sp. gr. 0.28L. every proportion. 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Acetic Ether. 800 and upwards. 50. 50. 33. 40. 20. 25. 14. Proportion of Oil and Suet in various Fats, according to Braconnot, Melted butter, summer -------------winter Hogs lard Beef marrow Mutton marrow Goose grease Turkey grease Olive oil Oil of almonds -----colsa Oil. 60 35 62 24 74 72 74 72 76 54 Suet. 40 65 38 76 26 32 26 28 24 46 76 APPENDIX TO PART 1 - No. IV. Table of the Absorption of Gases by 100 Parts of Water at 60° Fahr. Nitric acid Muriatic acid Ammonia Sulphurous acid Carbonic acid Sulphuretted hydrogen Niiroi's oxide Olefiant gas Nitric oxide Oxygen Phosphuretted hydrogen Carbonic oxide Hydrogen Nitrogen Carburetted hydrogen Volume. 361000. 51500. Thomson 47500. Davy 78000. Thomson 12109. Fourcroy 3300. Thomson 1440. Priestly 108. Henry 108. Henry 86. Henry 12.5 Dalton 5. Henry 3. 7 Henry 2. 14 lit nry 2. 01 Henry 1 .61 Henry 1 .53 Henry 1 .40 Henry Table of Efflorescent Salts ( Cadet de Vaux.) 288 grains of Sulphate of soda Phosphate of soda Carbonate of soda in days 61 39 51 Table of Deliquescent Salts (Cadet de Vaux.) 288 grains of Acetate of potass Muriate of lime --------manganese. Nitrate of manganese -------zinc -------lime Muriate of magnesia Nitrate of copper Muriate of antimony -------- alumina Nitra'.e of alumina Muriate ot zinc Nitrate of soda ■-------magnesia Acetate of alumina Supersulphate of alumina Muriate of bismuth Superphosphate of lime Muriate of copper in days 146 124 105 89 124 147 139 128 124 149 147 76 137 73 104 121 114 93 119 lost grain* 203 91 86 absorbed 700 684 629 527 495 448 441 397 388 342 300 294 257 207 202 202 174 165 148 Pharmaceutical Calendar for the Climate of Weimar, by Goeiling, showing the Principal Objects which the Apothecary has to attend to in each month of the year. January.—The concentration of vinegar by freezing, Muriate of antimonv, Ethers, dulcified spirits, Dippel's animal oil to be prepared ; Some gum resins, as assafottida, galbanum, ammoniac, &c. to be powdered. February.—;As in January. March.—Mezereon bark, Misletoe of the oak to be gathered ■ APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. IV. Conserve of scurvy-grass to be prepared. April.—Spirit of scurvy-grass, Syrup of violets to be prepared. May.—Sloe flower water, Conserve of sorrel; Plaster of henbane, Extract of succory, henbane, grass, dandelion, &c. Oil of beetles, (Melo'e majalis et proscarabxus,) Spirit of ants, earthworms, &,c. June.—Distilled water of lily of the valley, Various distilled spirituous waters, Conserves of various herbs and flowers, as conserve of roses, &c. Hemlock plaster, Extracts of hemlock, fumittory, wild lettuce, aconite, 8tc. July.—Vinegar of roses, Rose water, Marjoram butter, Preserved cherries, walnuts, currants, &c. Extract of elaterium, Honey of roses, Boiled oil of Hypericum, &c. Distilled oil of rosemary, mint, parsely, pennyroyal, wild thyme, &c. Syrup of cherries, raspberries, &c. Spirit of rosemary. ;\ugust.—Cherry water, Extract of blessed thistle, thorn-apple, etc. Boiled oil of wormwood, chamomile, 8tc. Distilled oil of wormwood, chamomile, peppermint, millefoil, rue, &c. Rob and sjrup of mulberries. September.—Quince cinnamon water, Oxymel of meadow saffron, Quince cakes, Syrup of barberries, quince, buckthorn, Tincture of steel, with quince juice. October.—Tincture of steel, with apple juice. November and December.—As in January. No. V. Tables of the correspondence between measures of weight and capacity: according to the estimations given by Sir George Shuckburg Evelyn, in vol. 88. of the Phil, Trans., cor- rected by Mr. Fletcher, in the 4lh Vol. of the Philosophical Journal.* TABLE I. For converting Cubic Inches of Water, (at 60 Therm, and 29.5 Bar.) into their equiva lents in Troy weight. ch of Water. Troy grs. ox. drachm. grs. 1 weighs 252.506 = 0 : 4 12.505 2 505.012 = 1 : 0 25.012 3 757.518 = 1 4 37.518 4 1010.024 ■= 2 : 0 50.024 5 1262.530 = 2 5 2.530 6 1515.036 = 3 : 1 : 15.036 7 1767.542 = 3 : 5 27.542 8 2020.048 = 4 : 1 40,048 9 2272.554 = 4 : 5 : 52.^54 28 (1 cub. foot) --------909 : 0 10.368 * Not having the Fourth Volume of the Philosophical Journal by us, we have copied these Tables frohvthe Appendix of Aikiu's Dictionary. 78 APPENDIX TO PART L—No. V. TABLE II. For converting Troy Grains, Drachms, Ounces, and Pounds of Water into their equiva- lent Cubic Inches. Grains . Cub. Inch. 1 = .00396 2 = .00792 3 = .01188 4 = .01584 5 = .01980 6 = -02376 7 = .02772 8 = .03168 9 = .03564 Ounce. Cubic Inch. 1 = 1.900945 2 = 3.801890 o 5.702835 4 = 7 603780 5 = 9.504725 6 = 11.405670 7 = 13.306615 8 = 15.207560 9 = 17.108505 10 = 19.009450 11 = 20.910395 Drachm. Cubic Inch. 1 = .237618 2 = .475236 3 = .712854 4 = .950472 5 = 1.188090 6 = 1.425708 7 = 1.663326 Fouud. Cubic Inch. 1 = 22.81134 2 = 45.62268 3 = 68.43402 4 = 91.24536 5 = 114.05670 6 = 136.86804 7 = 159.67938 8 = 182.49072 9 = 205.30206 TABLE III. For converting Wine Pints of Water into their equivalent Troy and Avoirdupois Pounds. Uine Pints. 1 = 2 = 3 = 4 = 5 = 6 = 7 = 8 = 9 = lbs. Troy. lbs. oz. dr. grs. lbs. Avsirdup. 1.26581783 = 1 : 3:1: 31.1 = 1.04158725 2.53163566 = 2 : 6:3: 2.2 = 2.08317450 3.79745349 = 3 : 9:4: 33.3 _ 3.12476175 5.06327132 = 5 : 0:6: 4.4 = 4.16634S00 6.32908915 = 6 : 3:7: 35.5 = 5.20793625 7.59490698 = 7 : 7:1: 6.6 = 6.24952350 8.86072481 = 8 : 10 : 2 : 37.7 = 7.29111075 10.12654264 = 10 : 1:4: 8.8 -= 8.33269800 11.39236047 = 11 : 4:5: 39.9 = 9.37428525 TABLE IV. For converting Troy Pounds of Water into their equivalent Wine Pints. Troy lbs. 1 <= 2 = 3 = 4 = Wine Pints. 0.7900031 1.5800062 2.3700093 3.1600124 3.9500155 Troy lbs. Wine Pints. 6 = 4.7400186 7 = 5.5300217 8 = 6.3200248 9 = 7.1100279 TABLE V. For converting Avoirdupois Pounds into their equivalent Troy Pounds. lbs. Aroiid. lbs. Troy. 1 = 1.215277* 2 = 2.430555 3 — 3.645833 4 = 4.86111 i 5 = 6.076388 lbs. Avoird. lbs. Troy. 6 = 7.291666 7 = 8.506944 8 «= 9.722222 9 = 10.937500 APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. V. 79 TABLE VI. For converting Troy Pounds into their equivalent Avoirdupois Pounds. lbs. Troy. lbs. Avoii'd. 6 = 4.93714285* 7 = 5.76000000 lbs. Troy. lbs. Avoird. 1 = 0.82285714 2 = 1.6457142*8 3 =- 2.46857142 4 = 3.29142857 5 = 4.11428571 8 = 6.58285714 9 = 7.40571428 TABLE VII. For converting Ounces, Drachms, and Grains Troy, into Decimals of the Troy Pound. Grains. lbs. Troy. Drachms, lbs. Troy. Oz. lbs. Troy 1 = .000173611* 1 = .0104166* 1 «= .0833* 2 = .000347222* 2 = .0208333* 2 = .1666* 3 = .000520833* • 3 = .0312500 3 = .2500 4 = .000694444 4 = .0416666 4 = rto.-io 5- = .000868055 5 = .0520833 5 = .4166* 6 = .001041666 6 = .0625000 6 = .5000 7 = .001215277* 7 = .0729166* 7 = .5833 8 = .001388888* 8 = .6666* 9 = .001562500 TABLE VIII. 9 = 10 = 11 = .7500* .8333 .916© For converting Decimals of the Troy Pound into Troy Ounces, Drachms, and Grains. lbs. grs. .001 = 5.76 .002 = 11.32 .003 = 17.28 .004 =, 23.04 .005 = 28.80 .006 = 34.56 .007 = 40.32 .003 = 46.08 .009 .-= 51.08 bl. oz. dr, grs .1 = 1 1 36 .2 = 2 3 12 .*3 = 3 4 48 .4 = 4 6 24 .5 = 6 0 0 .6 = 7 1 36 .7 = 8 3 12 .8 = 9 4 48 .9 = 10 6 ?4 lbs. 07. dr. ■*■"• .01 = 0 : 0 • 57.6 .02 = 0 1 55.2 .03 = 0 2 52.8 .04 = 0 3 50.4 .05 = 0 4 48.0 .06 = 0 5 45.6 .07 = 0 6 43.2 .08 = 0 : 7 : 40.8 .09 - O : 8 : 38.4 80 APPENDIX TO PART I.—No. VI. No. VI. Table showing the correspondence between the new French and the English Weights and Measures. I. Measures of Length. The metre being at 32p, and the foot at 62p. English Inches, Millimetre = .03937 Centimetre -= .39371 Decimetre = 3.93710 English. Metre = 39.37100 Miles fur. yds. ft. in. Decametre = 393.71000 = 0 0 10 2 9.7 Hecatometre = 3937.10000 = 0 0 109 1 1 Kilomitre = 39371.00000 = 0 4 213 1 10.2 Myriametre = 393710.00000 = 6 1 156 0 6 II. Measures of Capacity, Cubic inches. Millilitre = .06103 Centilitre = .61028 English. Decilitre = 6.10280 Tuns. hogs, wine gal. pints. Litre = 61.02800 = 0 0 0 2-1138 Decalitre = 610.28000 = 0 0 2 5.1352 Hecatolitre = 6102.80000 = 0 0 26.419 Kilolitre = 61028.00000 = 1 0 12.19 Myriolitre = 610280.00000 = 10 1 58.9 III. Measures of Weight. English grains, Milligramme = .0154 Centigramme = .1544 Decigramme = 1.5444 Avoirdupois. Gramme = 15.4440 lbs. oz. dr. Decagramme = 154.4402 = 00 5.65 Hecatogramme =. 1544.4023 = 0 3 8.5 Kilogramme = 15444.0234 = 235 Myriogramme = 154440.2344 = 22 1 2 No. VII. 1'adles showing the correspondence of English Weights and Measures with tho-i of Holland, Sweden, and Germany. I. DUTCH. 1 lb. Dutch = 1 lb. 3 oz. 16 dwt.7 grs. Troy. 787i lbs. Dutch = 1038 lbs. Troy. II. SWEDISH. 1 kanne of water Swedish = 48088.719444 grs. Troy, in weight; and 18M.9413 English cubic inches. 1 lb. Swedish = 6556 grs. Troy. III. GERMAN. 74 lbs. German Apothecaries' Weight = 74 lbs. Troy. 1 oz. Nuremberg n.edic. weight = 7 dr. 2 dwt. 9 grs. Troy. 1 mark Cologne = 7 oz. 2 dwt. 4 grs. Troy. PART II. MATERIA MEDICA. MATERIA MEDICA is that department of the science of medicine that treats of the nature and properties of the substances which are employed as remedies to restore health in diseased bodies. According to this definition, it should comprehend every remedy, whether it be a simple, the production of nature, ora com- pound artificially prepared by the pharma- copolist: but the British Colleges of Phy- sicians confine the application of the term, in their pharmacopoeias, to those remedies only which are simples, and such compounds as are articles of general commerce, or over the preparation of which they have no con- trol. These pharmacopoeias differ also from the works of the generality of systematic writers on Materia Medica, in arranging the substances alphabetically, without any re- gard to their affinities as natural objects, or their medicinal virtues. This mode, al- though it be not so scientific, yet is much less liable to objection than many of the other modes that have been occasionally adopted j as the best of these have been, generally, too much modified by the prevailing theoreti- cal doctrines of the day, which, unfortu- nately for medical science, have hitherto had too slight a foundation on truth to se- cure their permanence. The plan of the pharmacopoeias has consequently been ju- diciously followed by the compilers of Dis- pensatories; and the convenience and utili- ty of it is so generally acknowledged, that we the more readily comply with our own opinion of its propriety in adopting it. This part of our work, therefore, con- tains the lists of the materia medica of the pharmacopoeias issued by the London, the Edinburgh, and the Dublin Colleges ; and subjoined to the name of each of the sub- stances supplied by the vegetable and the animal kingdoms, a description of the plant or the animal which yields the remedy, is given in the language and after the method of Natural History. The chemical charac- ters, as far as they are known, of these mat- ters are also stated; and the analysis of such remedies as are more immediately the ob- jects of chemical investigation, with the 11 medical properties and uses of all of them, are detailed; so as to afford every useful information regarding them, in a form, the most convenient for practical reference. ABTETIS RESINA. Vide Pinus Abies. ABSINTHIUM. Vide Artemisia Absin- thium. ACACIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 1085. CI. 23. Ord. 1. Polygamia Monoecia. JYat. ord. Lomentaceae Linn. Leguminos-e Juss. G. 1902. Hermaph. Calyx five-toothed. Co- rolla five-cleft, or formed of five petals. Stamens 4-100. Pistil. 1. Legume bi- valve. Male Cat. five-toothed. Cor. five-cleft, or formed of five petals. Stam. 4-100. ****Leaves bipinnaie, stipular thorns or prickles, elongated spikes. Species73. Acacia Catechu.* Catechu. Med. Hot. 2d edit. t. 157. ***** Leaves bipinnate, stipular thorns, glo- bular spikes. Species 87. Acacia vera. Acacia, or Egyp- tian Thorn, Med. Bot. 2d edit. t. 158. Vesl. Algypt. t. 8. bona. 1. Acacia Catechu. Officinal. Catechu Extractum, Lond. Acacije Catechu Extractum, Edin. Ca- techu ; Extractum e Ligno, Dub. Ex- tract of Catechu. Syn. Cachou (F), Katechu ; Kaschu(C), Cato o Catecu (/.), Cutt (Hind.) This tree grows plentifully in the moun- tains of Kanhana in Hindostan; and flowers in June. The inner wood of this tree is of a brown colour; and from it, according to Mr. Ker's statementf, the catechu is prepa- red. " After felling the trees, the manu- facturer carefully cuts off all the exterior white part of the wood. The interior co- * A-c*v9« t»; Apt*; £«/>*?> Theophrasti, Dioscorides also mentions this species of Acacia. The name in Baharis Coira, or Kcira. t Med. Oil, and Enquir. vol. v. p. 151. MATERIA iMEDICA. loured part is cut into chips, with which he fills a narrow-mouthed unglazed earthen pot, pouring water upon them until he sees it among the upper chips : and when this is half evaporated by boiling, the decoction, without straining, is poured into a flat earth- en pot, boiled to one-third part, and then set in a place to cool for one day. The de- coction is afterwards evaporated by the heat of the sun, stirring it severaJ times in the day ; and when it is reduced to a con- siderable thickness, it is spread upon a mat or cloth, which has previously been cover- ed with the ashes of cow-dung. The mass is lastly divided into square or quadrangular pieces by a string, and completely dried by turning them in the sun, until they are fit for sale." Before this account was publish- * ed, catechu was generally supposed to be extracted from the Areca nut: there are, however, two other species, which are ex- tracted from that nut; the one named Cut- tacamboo, the other Cashcutti, and both are used by the Indian practitioners. This extract, when first introduced as a medicine into Europe, was named Terra Ja- ponica, from the supposition that it came from Japan and was an earth. It is named cutt by the natives of Hindostan, cutch by the English, and bydifferent authors khaath, cate, cachou, cachore*, and catechu.^ There are two varieties of the true catechu ; one brought from Bengal, the other from Bom- bay. It is imported into Britain in bags, and sometimes in boxes or chests, contain- ing from 3 to 4 cwt. each ; and occasionally in small squares, in boxes, which are at all times preferred. Pale and dark-coloured catechu are mixed in the same package. Qualities.—Pale catechu is generally in small square cakes of a pale reddish-brown colour, light and friable, with a lamellated texture, and rough fracture ; has a bitterish and astringent taste, with a degree of sweet- ness: is inodorous, and has a specific gravi- ty of 1.39. The dark, which is in round masses, has a deep chocolate-colour inter- nally, with the hue of rusty iron on the outside: the texture is uniform, and the fracture resinous and shining. It is heavi- er than the pale, the specific gravity being 1.28, and has a more austere and bitter taste ; but in other respects agrees with it. Both are often much adulterated with sand, and other impurities. According to the analysis of Sir H. Davy, there appears to be very little difference between the two vari- eties : both are almost entirely soluble in the mouth. 100 grains, macerated in 18 flu- id ounces of water at 52°, left 7k grains only undissolved, and these were chiefly lime, • Boldtic, Mem. Acad. 17C9, p. 293. t This name is said to be compounded of two Ori- ental words, cate, which signiiiti a treo, and chu, juie«. Kerr,\.Q. aluminous earth, and sand. The solutions are inodorous, and slightly redden tincture of litmus. Sulphate of iron and gelatine throw down precipitates in them, demon- strating the presence of gallic acid and tan- nin: what remains after the action of alco- hol is nearly a pure mucilage; and when fine powder of catechu is washed with wa- ter until all the tannin and mucilage are dis- solved, a pale red extractive matter, inodo- rous, very slightly astringent, sweetish, and soluble in water and in alcohol, is ob- tained as a residue. The proportions of these constituents, according to Davy, were as follows: 200 grains of Bombay catechu afforded 109 of tannin, 68 of extractive matter, 13 of mucilage, and 10 of earths and other impurities. The same quantity of Bengal catechu gave 97 of tannin, 73 of extract, 16 of mucilage, and 14 of impuri- ties.+ Medicinal properties and uses.—Catechu is one of the most valuable of the vegeta- ble astringents; and as the dark-coloured contains the greater quantity of tannin, on which its astringency depends, it is to be preferred for medicinal use. It is employ- ed with the best effects in dysentery, and diarrhoea, when the use of astringents is ad- missible ; in alvine and uterine haemorrha- ges, leucorrhoea, gleet, and in obstinate ca- tarrhal affections. As a local astringent it is used in sponginess of the gums, and aph- thous ulcerations of the mouth and fauce9: and we have found the slow solution of a small piece of it in the mouth, a certain remedy for the troublesome cough induced by a relaxed uvula, hanging into and irri- tating the glottis. Dr. Paris recommends it as a dentrifice, especially when the gums are spongy.§ In prescribing it, the practi- tioner should bear in mind, that alkaline salts destroy its astringency; and metallic salts and solution of isinglass form with it insoluble compounds. An ointment composed of §jv of catechu, 3'ix of alum, ^iv of white resin, and f |x of olive oil, with a sufficient quantity of water, is in great repute in India, as an application to ulcers. The dose of catechu may be from grs. x to3j. . Officinal Preparations. Infusum catechu. L. E. Tinctura catechu. L. E. Electv- arium catechu compositum. E. D. 2. Acacia vera.|] Officinal. Acacia Gummi, Lond. Acaci* Arabics: Gommi, Edin. Gummi Arabi- cum, Dub. Acacia Gum, or Gum ara- bic. t Philosophical Transaction!, 1803. {> Pharmacologia, 3d edit. || Ak*v$o! arywrm. Hippocratis. Akhku, Dioseoridis. In Barbary it it named attaleh.—Jack- sen's Mvecco, 4to. p. 3 3 MATERIA MEDICA. 83 5yn Gomme Arabique (F.), Arabischen gummi (G.), Gomma Arabica (J.), Go- ma Arabiga (S.), Tolh (A.), Vullam pisin (Tarn.) This species of acacia is found in almost every part of Africa; but the trees that yield the gum which is exported from Bar- bary to Great Britain, grow principally in the Atlas mountains, and at Bled-eljerrede. The gum exudes naturally from the bark of the trunk and the branches of the tree, in a soft, nearly fluid state, and hardens in the air without losing its transparency. It is collected about the middle of December. " It appears," Mr. Jackson informs us, " to ! be the product of disease ; for in the hottest seasons, and from the most sickly trees, the greatest quantity is procured. Very little or none is got in a moist, cool, or mild sum- mer. It is gathered in July or August when the weather is hot and parching. It has a faint smell when first stowed in the warehouses, and is heard to crack sponta- neously for many weeks. The best gum is procured from Morocco, Rasel-wed in the province of Suse, and Bledhummer in the province of Abda." It is imported from Barbary and Morocco in large casks. Gum Senegal, which was introduced into Europe by the Dutch in the 17th century, and is often mixed with the Barbary gum, is ob- tained from various trees, but chiefly from two, one called vereck, which yields a white gum, the other called nebuel, which yields a red gum. Qualities.—Gum is generally in irregu- larly shaped pieces, hard, brittle, semi- transparent, its fracture possessing a con- siderable degree of lustre j and is neither fusible nor volatile. When pure, it is al- most colourless, or of a pale yellowish hue; is insipid, inodorous, and dissolves com- pletely away in the mouth. Its specific gravity varies from 1,3161 to 1,4317. It is often mixed with the gum Senegal, which is nearly as pure, but in larger masses, generally of a darker colour and more clammy and tenacious, and with other gums less pure, particularly a kind brought from the East Indies, which is still darker col- oured and less soluble.* Gum is soluble in water, either cold or hot, and forms a viscid solution ; which, if evaporated, becomes very thick and adhes- ive, and at length the gum is obtained in a concrete form, equally soluble as before. It is also soluble in the vegetable acids; but is insoluble in alcohol, in ether, and in oils : yet, owing to its viscidity, it renders * The gura which exudes from the cherry, plum, and other trees of the genus Prunus, in this country, is cerasin; but the gum alluded to is very similar to gum arabic, and is furnished by tbe Acacia Arabica, or Babu tree of Hindostaa. The gum is called BaWed gdnd, by the natives. by trituration both the volatile and fixed oils and resins miscible with water, forming a white opake mixture. Concentrated sulphuric acid blackens, and partially de- composes it, and acetic acid is produced; strong nitric acid converts it into the oxa- lic, malic, and saccholactic acids ; muriatic exerts very little action on it -, but the oxy- muriatic (chlorine) changes it into citric acid. Solutions of the alkalies and alkaline earths dissolve it without producing on it much change. For an account of the action of other agents on it, see Mucilago acacise. The chemical analysis of gum, by Gay Lussac and Thenard, shows that its con- stituents are 42,23 of carbon, 6,93 of hydro- gen, and 50,82 of oxygen, with a small pro- portion of nitrogen and lime ; which last element is supposed to render it incapable of undergoing the fermentative process.f I have found however, that it neverthe- less contains a small proportion of gluten ; for when rubbed up with a spirituous so- lution of guiaic, a blue colour is evolved. Medical properties.—Gum exerts no ac- tion on the living system^ ; but is a simple demulcent, serving to lubricate abraded surfaces, and involve acrid matters in the prims viae. In the solid form it is scarcely ever given, unless to sheath the fauces, and allay the tickling irritation which occasions the cough in catarrh and phthisis pulmo- nalis; in which cases a piece of it is allow- ed to dissolve slowly in the mouth. It is chiefly used in the state of mucilage. Vide Mucilago acacite. Officinal preparations. Mucilago acacia, L. E. D. Emulsio acacice Arabica, E. Emulsio Arabica, D. Troc. gummosi, E. ACETOS.E FOLIA. Vide Rumex Acetosa. ACETOSELLA. Vide Oxalis Acetosella. ACETUM, Land. Edin. Acetu.m Vim, Dub. Vinegar. Syn. Vinaigre (F.), Essig (G.), Aceto (/.), Vinagre (S.), Khull (Arab.), Chaoca (Malay.) This is a well known acid liquor, produ- ced by exciting the acetous fermentation in substances which have undergone, or are susceptible of, the vinous fermentation. Sugar and water, the saccharine vegetable juices, infusions of malt, malt liquors, cyder, and wine§, may be converted into vinegar, by adding to them yeast or any other fer- ment, and exposing them in vessels to t Murray's Chemistry, vol. iv. 180. The last an- alysis, which is by Tlerzelius, makes the compontrtj in 100 parts to be, hydrogen 0,792, carbon 41,Yi2, and oxygen 51,456. t It is sometimes used as food by the Moors. $ New wines are better for this purpose tlion eld, as they contain more extractive matter. 84 MATERIA MEDICA. which the air has access, in a temperature between 75° and 90°. The theory of the acetous fermentation is not yet fully understood. Air and a moderate temperature are necessary for exciting and keeping it up. The former affinities between the components of the ingredients are broken, and new ones formed; while ' a quantity of carbon is thrown off, and uniting with the oxygen of the air, produces the carbonic acid gas, which appears during the process. Al- though alcohol alone cannot be converted into vinegar, yet the strongest wine produ- ces the best vinegar; and hence that made from malt is weaker, less pure, and more liable to spoil, than wine vinegar. The essential part of vinegar is acetic acid large- ly diluted with water : but it also contains some undecomposed alcohol, gluten, muci- lage, sugar, extractive matter, and often some malic and tartaric acids. Qualities.—Vinegar, when well made, is clear and limpid; has an agreeable pene- trating odour, and a pleasant acid taste. The colour varies from a pale yellow to a deep red; and as it is derived from the extractive matter, malt vinegar is always higher coloured than wine vinegar. When long kept, particularly if it be exposed to the air, vinegar becomes muddy and ropy, acquires an unpleasant smell, loses its acidity, and putrefies. It, however, may be kept good for a much longer time, if it be boiled for a few minutes, so as to coag- ulate and separate the gluten, on the, presence of which the above changes de- pend ; and be preserved in well-corked bottles. It is sometimes adulterated with sulphuric acid, which may be detected by a solution of nitrate or of muriate of bar- ytes, forming, when dropped into the sus- pected vinegar, a white precipitate, which is insoluble in nitric acid, after being ex- posed to a strong heat; but, a9 sulphate of potass or of lime will produce this effect, if present in the vinegar, a preferable test is chalk short of the quantity necessary to saturate the portion of vinegar ; by throw- ing the whole on a filter, and adding dis- tilled water, the acetate of lime is dissolv- ed, but the sulphate which is formed if sul- phuric acid be present, remains undissolv- ed on the filter. If grains of paradise, spurge flax, capsicum, or Pellitory of Spain, which are sometimes used to adulterate •vinegar, be present, they can be detected by the taste. Sulphurous Acid may be re- cognised by drawing a little of the vapour into the lungs. The presence of JVitric Acid may be discovered by saturating the suspected sample with pure potass, evapo- rating to dryness, and then treating the Eroduct with a highly concentrated alco- ol; the acetate of potass wift be thus dis- solved, but as it exerts no action on the Nitrate, it will be found in the residuum, and may be recognized by its deflagration, when- thrown upon burning charcoal ;• Copper may be detected by the acid as- suming a blue colour, when super-saturated with ammonia; and Lead, by a solution of sulphuretted hydrogen producing a dark coloured precipitate. Tin, however, is the metal with which distilled vinegar is more usually contaminated, for no vegetable acid will act upon lead while any tin is present in the mixture, since the latter being more ox-dable than the former, is exclusively dissolved. The use of vinegar as a condiment, and antiseptic, for pickling and preserving ani- mal and vegetable matter, is well known. Medical properties and uses.—Vinegar, when taken into the stomach, acts as a refrig- erant, promotes diaphoresis and the dis- charge of urine ; and is a powerful anti-nar- coctic: its external action on the living fibre is moderately stimulant and astringent. In inflammatory fevers it may be used to acidulate the ordinary beverage. It is giv- en as a remedy in putrid diseases and scurvy ; and is the most easily procured, and the best means of counteracting the fatal effects of over doses of narcotic poisons; for which purpose it should be Administered in doses of a table spoonful, frequently repeated, after the stomach has been freely emptied by a proper emetic, It is employed as a glyster in obstinate costiveness ; and externally in the form of fomentation, or of lotion, in burns, bruises, sprains, and chronic ophthalmia ; and dilu- ted with water, it is the best lotion for clearing the eye of small particles of lime, when they adhere to any part of the ball or the lids. Its vapour is inhaled in putrid sore throat; and is diffused through sick rooms with the view of neutralizing pesti- lential effluvia: but as a fumigation it has little efficacy. The dose of vinegar ii f5j to f.^ij; and the quantity given in glystersfgj to fgij. Officinal preparations. Acidnm aceticum, L. E. D. Acidum aceticum forte, E. D. Syrupus aceti, E. ACIDUM ACETICUM (impurum?) For- tius, Land. Strong (impure?) Acetic acid. (Spec. grav. 1.046. Land.) This is the acetic acid distilled from wood. It is procured by decomposing the wood by means of heat in large iron cylinders, during which the acid rises in a gaseous * Or it may be detected, in very minute quanti- ties, by the elegant test lately employed by Dr. Marcet, and which I have frequently repeated in my Lectures with considerable satisfaction. It con* sists in adding a little sulphuric acid with a small quantity of muriate of soda, and then immersing a little gold leaf in the mixture, when after boiling it, if any nitricacid should have been present, tie gold leaf will be dissolved. MATERIA form ; but being conducted through pipes kept cool bypassing through barrels of wa- ter, it ultimately comes over in a liquid form. It is of a deep brown colour, and has a strong empyreumatic odour when it is first obtained; but, as it is allowed to stand undisturbed for a few weeks, until it deposits a peculiar kind of tar, and is then re-distilled, it loses a large portion of its colouring matter, and much of its em- pyreumatic odour. It is next saturated with lime, so as to form an impure acetate of lime, which is decomposed in a proper apparatus by sulphuric acid. The sulphate of lime, which is formed in this part of the process, remains in the still, and the acetic acid passes over. In some instances the decomposition is effected by means of sul- phate of soda, which produces an acetate of soda, and sulphate of lime, the former of which being decomposed by sulphuric acid, the acetic acid and sulphate of soda are obtained. M. Stolze of Halle has dis- covered a mode of purifying it by means of sulphuric acid, manganese, and muriate of soda, and subsequent distillation.* Qualities.—When well prepared, this acid is colourless and limpid like water, has the sharp, pleasant taste and penetrating odour of vinegar; but combined with these, there remain a peculiar flavour, and a slight empyreumatic aroma not unlike that of Westphalia ham. No process has, hitherto, been able to separate this empyreuma; and, therefore, it cannot, strictly speaking, be regarded as pure acetic acid moderately diluted, as its appellation in the Pharmaco- poeia of the London College imports. When of the specific gravity 1.046, it should con- tain 28.23 per cent, of real acid, and 71.57 of water, or be six times the strength of common vinegar of the sp. gr. 1.009f; and one hundred grains of it should require eighty-seven grains of crystallized subcar- bonate of soda to saturate them. It is ex- tremely volatile ; and, when held near car- bonate of ammonia, its vapour unites with that of the ammonia, forming a white opaque smoke, which is a dry acetate. In every respect, indeed, it possesses the same che- mical properties as diluted, pure acetic acid. If pure it will remain colourless when mix- ed with sulphuric acid, and form a colour- less salt when saturated with potass. Medical properties and uses.—This acid is stimulant and antiseptic. When sufficient- * Although this modification of the acetic acid has only lately come into use, yet it was known in England before the year 1661, under the name of " Sour spirit, or vinegar of box-wood." Vide Scepti- cal Chemist, quoted in Journal of Science, vol. viii. p. 368. t At sp. gr. 1.043 the proportions are acetic acid S3.67, water 70.33, in 100 parts. Phillip's Trans, of Phann. Lend. 1824. MEDICA. 85 Iy diluted, it may be employed for the same purposes as distilled vinegar ; but it must be acknowledged, that, when saturated with ammonia, the solution of the acetate is more nauseous than that prepared with distilled vinegar. In diluting it for pharmaceutical purposes, care should be taken that distilled water only be employed ; for when spring water is used for this purpose, the diluted acid, when added to lotions containing ace- tate of lead, causes the lotion to become milky, owing to the decomposition of the acetate and the formation of sulphate of lead, which is insoluble. Its antiseptic qua- lities are so considerable that it has been used for preserving both animal and vege- table substances; and might be advanta- geously employed for anatomical prepara- tions. The impure pyroligneous acid, as it first comes over, contaminated with tar, has, it is said, been very successfully em- ployed as a lotion in lepra, scrophulous ul- cerations, chronic inflammation of the eyes, and edges of the eye-lids, and for promo- ting digestion of irritative ulcers, or those connected with carious bone. It has also been injected into sinuses to produce heal- thy discharge and adhesive inflammation. Officinal preparations.—Potassce Acetas, L. Plttmbi Acetas, L. A'CIDUM CITRICUM, Lond. Acidum Cithicum crystallis concretcm, Dub. Vide Acidum Citricum among the prepa- rations. A'CIDUM SULPHURICUM, Lond. Edin. Dub. Sulphuric Acid. (Specific gravity 1.850., Lond. 1,845., Edin. Dub.) Syn. Acide sulphurique (F.), Vitriolol schweffelsaure (G.), Vitriool oli,—Reines Zwavebzuur (Dutch), Vitriol olje (Dan.), Vitriolja, Swafvvelsyra (Swed.), Acido solforico (/.), Gundaica Atr. (//.) This acid is said to be found in a con- crete state, in the cavities of some volca- nic mountains, and dissolved in some mine- ral waters; but for the purposes of medi- cine, and the arts, it is prepared artificially, either by decomposing sulphate of iron* by the process of distillation in close vessels, or by the combustion of sulphur and nitre. The first mode is the most ancient, and is still employed in several places on the con- tinent ; but the second is that generally adopted by the manufacturers. X Hence the old names, oil of vitriol and vitriolie acid, which are still the commercial names of this aeid, from green vitriol, the old name of the sul- phate of iron. This method is still-practised at Nord- hausen in Germany. Thu acid is disengaged from the oxide of iron by the heat; but, owing to the small quantity of water which it contains, it is of greater specific gravity and more fuming than the acid which is manufactured in this country. The specific gravi- ty of the fuming acid of Nordhausen is 1.896. 86 MATERIA MEDICA. Sulphuric acid prepared in the last mode is not perfectly pure, but is united with about three or four per cent, of saline mat- ter, which consists of two-thirds of sulphate of potass, (owing to the acid uniting with the potass of the nitrate employed in the combustion of the sulphur,) and one-third of sulphate of lead derived from the cham- bers in which it is manufactured. Both these impurities are precipitated by adding three parts of distilled water to the acid, which can again be concentrated by distil- lation : hence the addition of water is a good test of the purity of this acid. The lead is thrown down in the form of a white insoluble powder; from which the pure acid can be decanted. The amount of these im- purities may be readily ascertained by eva- porating a definite weight of the acid in a platina cup, placed on the red cinders of a common fire.* It is sometimes adulterated with sulphate of potass, for the purpose of increasing its specific gravity; in which case the best method of detection is to sa- turate the suspected acid with ammonia, and then to expel the sulphate of ammonia thus formed by a red heat:—the sulphate of potass with which the acid was adultera- ted will remain fixed. According to Dr. Ure, the pure liquid acid, which is, accu- rately speaking, a hydroacid, consists of about 81.54 parts of real acid, and 18.16 of water; and the elements of the real acid, according to the estimate of Dr. Thom- sonf, which is probably the most accurate on this subject, are 40 of sulphur, and 60 of oxygen, in 100 parts of acid; or one atom of sulphur, and three atoms of oxy- gen : but with regard to these proportions chemists are not agreed.$ Qualities.—Liquid sulphuric acid, when pure, is as colourless and transparent as water§, inodorous, corrosive, heavy; and has the consistence of oil: its specific gra- vity at a temperature of 60° Fah. is 1.8485, and one fluid-ounce weighs fourteen drachms. It has all the generic characters of an acid; reddening the vegetable blue colours when diluted with a sufficiency of water : but, when undiluted, it turns vege- table yellow colours brown. F.ven when largely diluted, has an intensely acid taste. When rubbed between the fingers it feels • Dr. Ure, who suggested this test, says, " if more than 5 grains of matter remain from 500 of acid, we may pronounce it sophisticated." Journ. of Science and the Arts, vol. iv. p. 115. t System of Chemistry, 5th edit. vol. i. p. 288. t Bucholz makes the proportions to be 57.5 of sul- phur, and 42.5 of oxygen. § Sulphuric acid is so easily coloured by contact with either vegetable or animal matters, without be- ing deteriorated, that we cannot regard the slight colour which it acquires from these circumstances as »ny indication of its impurity. at first unctuous, owing to its dissolving the cuticle, and afterwards excites a burning sensation. It freezes at 15° into six-sided prismatic crystals||, bevelled at both extre- mities : and when of the specific gravity 1.845, boils at 590°.1[ It attracts water so rapidly from the atmosphere, as to increase its weight one-third in twenty-four hours, and to double its weight in the course of a month, (hence the necessity of keeping the air excluded from it;) and at the moment it unites with water, the temperature of the mixture is much raised. It acquires a brown colour when mixed with any vegeta- ble matter**, and therefore bottles in which it is kept must be stopped with glass stop. pers. When brought to sp. gr. of 1.780, by being diluted with water, it boils at 435°, and freezes at 45°, or 13° sooner than wa- ter; a fact important to trading chemists, as in this state it is apt to burst the bottles in which it is kept, by its expansion in the act of freezing.ff It forms neutral salts, termed sulphates, with the alkalies, earths, and metallic oxides, and decomposes the alkaline and earthy sulphurets. Medical properties and uses.—This acid is a valuable tonic, astringent, and antisep- tic; but as it is employed internally in a diluted state only, its medicinal powers shall be explained under the article Acidum sulphuricum dilutum. Although it power- fully corrodes the skin, yet, on account of its fluidity, it cannot be applied as an es- charotic: but when united with sixteen times its weight of lard, it forms an oint- ment which has been successfully used in the cure of scabies. Officinal preparations. Acidum sulphuri- cum dilutum, L. E. D. Acid sulphuricum aro- maticum, E. Sulphas potasssc, E. Ferri sul- phas, L. E. D. Hydrargyri Oxymurias, L. E. D. Sub-sulphas hydrargyriflavus,F,. Zinci sulphas, L. E. D. ACIPENSER. Syst. JYat. Gmelin.im. CI. 4. Ord. 6. Pisces, Chondropterygii. G. 134. Head obtuse ; mouth far beneath the head, without teeth ; cirri four under the nose, before the mouth. Branchial apertures lateral. Body elongated, with many series of angular tubercles. Spec. 2. Acipenser Ruthenus. The Ster- let, or small sturgeon. Spec. 3. Acipenser Huso. The Beluga, or great sturgeon. Officinal. Ichthtocolia, Dub. Isinglass. || Macnab, Hudson's Bay. •J Dalton. ** This is owing to -its strong affinity for water, breaking the affinities which exist between the vege- table components, so as to occasion the hydrogen and oxygen to unite and form water, while the carbon ii precipitated. ft See Perke's Chemical Etsayt, vol. ii. MATERIA MEDICA. 87 Syn. Ichthyocolle (F.), Hocusenblase CO.), Colla di Pisce o Ittiocolla (I.) The beluga, the sterlet, and other spe- cies of sturgeon, are caught in the Volga, Danube, Ural, Oby, and Irtysh rivers; and the Caspian sea. Isinglass is prepared in Russia from the air-bladders or sounds of all the species of the sturgeon; and in Lapland it is made from several species of the perch.* That however, which is made from the beluga, is reckoned the best. Isinglass is imported from Petersburgh in bales. Four sorts are brought; long staple, short staple, book and leaf. "The finest is that which has the longest staple as it is called; is the thinnest and most flexible ;" and is perfectly devoid of odour and taste. It should be composed of dry, whitish, nearly transparent, inodo- rous membranes. Persons in London subsist by picking the staple into shreds, in which state it is ge- nerally sold; but as it admits of adultera- tion when picked, it should always be pur- chased in the staple. Qualities.—Isinglass is insipid, and ino- dorous; when soaked in cold water it swells, softens, and becomes opalescent; and in one hundred grains of it, rather more than ninety-eight, according to Mr. Hat- chett, are soluble in water, and the two parts which are insoluble consist of phos- phates of soda and of lime. Three drachms of good isinglass, dissolved in one pint of warm water, produce on cooling a pretty firm, slightly opaline-coloured jelly, which is a compound of pure animal gelatin and water.f Gelatin is soluble in the acids and pure alkalies; but is precipitated from its solution by infusions and decoctions of as- tringent vegetables, the tannin of which forms with it an insoluble compound^ ; car- bonate of potass also throws down a preci- pitate ; and alcohol separates it from wa- ter when added to its solution in any con- siderable quantity. The solution putre- fies when kept for a few days. According to John, isinglass contains also traces of sa- line matter. Medical properties and uses.—The solu- tion of ichthyocolla was formerly much given in cases of fluor albus and diarrhoea ; but is now rarely used as a medicine. Its nutrient qualities are more obvious. By * Isinglass might be made from the sound of the cod- fish, Gadus merrhua; hake, Gadus merlucius; and ling, Gadus molva, which frequent the British seas. t As Gelatin is a constituent of many other sub- stances, it is important to know that sulphate of platina will detect its presence, when the quantity is too small to effect astringent infusions. Mr. E. Davy discovered this test. Journ.ofthe Sciences,voI. X. p. 454. X Gelatin is a nice test of the presence of tannin, for which purpose Sir H. Davy recommends 120 grains to be dissolved in 20 ounce* af distilled waui. dissolving it in water, and adding a little sugar and lemon-juice, an excellent nutri- tious jelly is produced, well adapted for the sick and convalescent. It is employed in the preparation of English court-plaster. ACONITUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 1235. CI. 13. Ord. 3. Polyandria Trigjmia. Nat. ord. Multisiliqux Linn. Ranunculacese Juss. G. 1062. Cat. none. Petals five, the highest arched. Nectaries two, pedun- cled, recurved. Pods, three or five. ** With blue corollas. Sp. 8. A. Napellus. Common Monks- hood. (Lond. Edin.) Med. Bot. 2d ed. 461. t. 165. Sp. 9. A. neomontanum, (Dub.) Jaquin. Flor. Austr.t. 381. Officinal. Aconiti Folia, Lond. Acoxiti Napelli Folia, Edin. Aconitum ; Fo- lia, Dub. The leaves of Monkshood. Syn. Aconit, chaperon de Moine (F.)t Blauer-strumhut (G.).Napello (/.), Aconi- to (S.) For medicinal use the leaves should be gathered when the flowers appear. Qualities.—Aconite leaves when fresh have a faint narcotic odour; and a moder- ately bitter, acrid taste, leaving a painful sensation of heat in the mouth, when they are much chewed. The whole of the plant is poisonous, but the deleterious qualities are lost in a considerable degree when it is dried, or long kept, and much of its acri- mony is dissipated. Its narcotic principle is supposed by M. Brandesto be an alkali, which he has named aconita. Medical uses and properties.—Aconite is narcotic, diaphoretic, and in some cases di- uretic. In over doses it occasions violent nausea, vomiting, hypercatharsis, vertigo, cold sweats, mania, and convulsions which terminate in death; and these effects ap- pear to depend on its action on the nervous system, as dissections of fatal cases have not displayed any particular marks of orga- nic diseases. Stoerk first administered aconite inter- nally in chronic rheumatism, gout, exosto- sis, paralysis, and scirrhus; and since the publication of his experiments, in 1702, it has been advantageously employed in simi- lar cases, and also in amaurosis, scrophula, cancer, itch, venereal nodes, and intermit- tents. Much caution is required in the ex- hibition of it; and it is absolutely necessary to know the length of time it has been ga- thered, as its activity varies so very consi- derably, as to require this to be ascertained before the dose can be apportioned. It is given in the form of powder, extract, and tincture • and may be combined with calo- * Labor thim. 180*. 83 MATERIA MEDICA. mel, antimonials, camphor, and guaiacum. The dose of the powder is one or two grains, gradually increasing it to six or eight. Officinal preparations. Extractum Aco- niti, L. E. ACORUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 199. CI. 6. Ord. 1. Hexandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Piperitae Linn. Aroideze Juss, G. 663. Spadix cylindrical, covered with florets. Cor. petals six, naked. Style O. Capsule three-celled. Species 1. A. Calamus. The Sweet-flag. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 725. t. 248. Smith. Flor. Brit. i. 373. Officinal. Calami Radix, Lond. Acohi Ca- lami Radix, Edin. Acorus, (Calamus Akomaticus,) Radix, Dub. Sweet-flag.* Syn. Acorus odorant (F.), Kalmus wurt- ril (G.), Calamo aromatico (/.), Acoro ca- lamo (S.), Bach. (//.), Vacha (San.) The sweet-flag is found growing in marshes and rivulets, over the greater part of Europe and Asia, and in Britain, in many parts producing its flowers in May and June.f The greater part of the'roots in use are now brought from Norfolk, being equal in quality to those from the Levant. Qualities.—The root of sweet-flag has a pleasant aromatic odour, similar to that of a mixture of cinnamon and allspice ; the taste is warm, bitterish, pungent, and aromatic + In the dried state, the cuticle is corrugated, of a yellowish brown colour, with many small white elevated circles on the under side, whence the radical fibres issued. It breaks with a short rough fracture; is in- ternally of a pale buff colour, and a spongy texture: both the smell and the taste are improved by exsiccation. The aromatic principle is an essential oil, which can be obtained by distillation, and, with the bit- ter matter, is extracted by infusion in boil- ing water. Like the root of Florentine iris it contains a considerable quantity of fecula, which is dissolved in the infusion, and co- piously precipitated from it by acetate and superacetate of lead. Medical properties and uses.—This root is tonic, and aromatic. It has been employ- ed in medicine since the time of Hippo- crates.§ By the moderns, it is successfully used in intermittent fever, even after bark has failed; and is certainly a very useful addition to Cinchona. It is also a useful ad- * )Lnh.a.[xcv apmy.dmx.ov, Dioscoridis. t In the rivers of Norfolk plentiful. On Hilling- don-common, Middlesex,and other places about Lon- don. Smith. I. c. % I.innffiiis erroneously considered it the only na- tive aromatic plant of northern climates.—The can- died root is employed at Constantinople as a preserva- tive against epidemic disease*. $ Morb. Mul.'A. 051. junct to bitters, and stomachic infusions, in cases of dyspepsia; particularly when ver- tigo is one of the symptoms. It is too sel- dom prescribed. The dose in substance is from 9j. to sji.; and of the infusion, made with £vi. of the bruised root in fgxij. of boiling water, a cupful three or four times a dav. ADEPS. Vide Sus Scrofla. JESCULUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 285. CI. 7. Ord. 1. Heptandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Trihilatae, Linn. Acera, Juss. G. 717. Cal. one-leafed, five-toothed, swell. ed out. Cor. four or five irregularly co- loured petals inserted into the calyx. Cap. three-celled. Species 1. AH. Hippocastanum. Common Horse Chesnut. Med. Bot. 2d edit. t. 217. Gartner defructibus, ii. 135. Officinal. Cortex, Dub. The bark. Syn. Mai-ronier d'lnde (F.), Ippocarta- no'(J.) The horse chesnut is a native of the north of Asia, but cultivated in almost every part of Europe.|| In this country it attains to great perfection, constituting one of the chief ornaments of our parks and avenues. It flowers in May. The fruit consists almost entirely of fecu- la. It is eaten with avidity by deer and some other animals; and were the acrimony de- stroyed by fire, it might be rendered fit foocl for men in times of scarcity. For me- dical purposes, the bark is taken from the middle-aged branches. Qualities.—The bark is inodorous, and tastes bitter, astringent, and slightly aro- matic : both water and proof-spirit extract its virtues. Its infusion has a fawn-brown colour, and a bitter taste; sulphate of iron and sulphate of zinc strike a black colour when added to it, and throw down a dark- coloured precipitate ; oxymuriate of mercu- ry and superacetate of lead precipitate it while. Tartar emetic effects no change on it. Gelatin precipitates tannin from it, but much less than from oak bark. From the above detail, those substances which are incompatible in prescriptions with infusion or decoction of this bark are obvious. Jlledical properties and uses.—The bark of the horse chesnut is tonic, and has been successfully exhibited, particularly on the continent, in intermittents, typhus, and other cases in which cinchona is used ; ex- ternally, its decoction has been employed as a lotion in gangrene. We have had no op- portunity of trying this bark; but we doubt much if it can supersede the cinchona, in any case in which it is properly indicated. The dose of the powder is sjss.; and of || The horse chesnut was brought into Europe by Clusius in 1550, and first cultivated in England by John Tradescant in 1S3J. MATERIA MEDICA. 89 the strained decoction, (made with an ounce of the bark to a pint of water,) f^jss. or f^ij. every three or four hours. AGRIMONIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 875. CI. 11. Ord 2. Dodecandria Dygynia. Nat. ord. Sentioosae, Linn. Rosacea, Juss. G. 957. Calyx five-toothed, guarded by another. Petals, five. Seeds, two, in the bottom of the calyx. Species 1. A. Eupatoria. Common Agrimo- ny.* Med. Bot. 2d edit. 500.1.180.'Smith, Flor. Brit. 511. Flor. Dan. t. 588. Officinal. Agrimoxia ; Herba, Dub. Agri- mony; the herb. Syn. Algremonie (F.), Agrimonia (/.) This is an indigenous perennial plant, common about the borders of fields and hedges, flowering in June and July. For medical use, this herb should be cut when fully in flower. Qualities—Agrimony, when fresh, has an agreeable aromatic odour, depending on a volatile essential oil, which is lost when the herb is driedf; the taste is bitterish and sub-sstringent. The infusion of it in water reddens the more delicate vegetable blues, and strikes a black colour with sulphate of iron. Potass and its carbonate first change it to a yellow, then to an orange-colour, and lastly, throw down a white precipitate. Medical properties and uses.—Agrimony was formerly regarded as a remedy of much importance, as a tonic and deobstruent: but it is now very seldom or never pre- scribed. The dose, in powder, is from ^i. to % j. two or three times a day. JERUGO. See Cuprum. ALLIUM. Spec. Plant. Willd.i'i. 63. CI. 6. Ord. 1. Hexandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Spathaceje, Linn. Asphodeli, Juss. G. 626. Corolla six-parted, spreading. Spathe many-flowered. Umbel heaped together. Capsule superior. * Stem-leaves plane. Umbel bearing a cap- sule. Species 2. Allium porrum. The Leek. ** Stem-leaves plane. Umbel bulbiferous. Species 14. Allium sativum. Garlic. Med. Bot. 2d edit. t. 256. ****Leaves Radical. Stem naked. Species 43. Allium Cepa. The Onion. 1. Allium porrum.£ Officinal. Porri Radix, Lond. Leek root (bulb). Syn. Poireau (F.), Spanische lauch (G), Porro (/.) The leek is a biennial plant, a native of Switzerland, flowering in June. Qualities.—All the parts of the plant have a pungent offensive odour, and an • Ev7r*Tcptx, Dioscoridis. t The oil, which is yellow, can be obtained by dis- tillation with water.—Lewis. * Tlpitrov, Theophrasti et Dioscoridis, 12 acrimonious taste : properties depending on an essential volatile oil, which is much dis- sipated by boiling, and can be consequently separated by distillation. Medical properties and uses.—The leek is stimulant and diuretic. The expressedjuice has been given with advantage in ascites and other dropsies. The dose is from f^ss. *° f^'j- mixed with mucilage or syrup. 2. Allium sativum.§ Officinal. Allii Radix||, Lond. Allii Sativi Radix, Edin. Allium; Radix, Dub. Garlic root (bulb.) Syn. Ail. (F.), Knoblauch (G.), Aglio (/.) Ajo sativo (S.), Lasiina (San.), Lesh- en (II.) Garlic is a perennial bulbiferous plant, found wild in Sicily, and cultivated in most parts of Europe, for culinary and medicinal use. It flowers in July. The bulbs of this species of allium are numerous; three or more being inclosed in one covering, forming a nucleus, round which others are disposed, and the whoie enveloped in a common membrane, from the base of which proceed long white fibrous roots. Garlic is dug up for use in the month of August, then cleaned and dried in the sun, and preserved in bunches in a dry place. In this state the exterior membrane is of a dirty white colour, and of a withered aspect; but the bulbs, which are called cloves, are white, succulent, and juicy. On drying, they lose nine parts in fifteen of their weight. Qualities.—All the parts of the plant, but particularly the bulbs, have a pungent of- fensive odour, and an acrimonious biting taste. These properties depend on an es- sential oil, that can be obtained separate by distillation with water; of a thick and ropy consistence, a yellow colour, heavier than water, and possessing, in an eminent de- gree, the sensible qualities of the garlic. It blisters the skin when applied to it, and strikes a black colour when triturated with oxide of iron. Simple coction with water renders garlic mild and inert. The acrid § Ix.-.prf'jv, Theophrasti et Dioscoridis. || The root, strictly speaking, is not the part of the plant intended to be ordered. This error has arisen from the bulbs of plants having been ge- nerally placed by botanists among the roots, under the tiile ''radices bulbosse:" they, however, have no affinity to roots, but the closest to leaf buds. The roots of bulbiferous plants are fibrous, and issue from a radical plate at the base of the bulb. The clearest definition of the bulb is given by Giertner.in his work De Fructibus, &c. Introduction, p. 111. " Bnlbus est gernien compositum, subglobosum, subaphyllum, ex carina brevissima, et squamis succulentis crassis compaginatum, quod tandem sponte a matre sua solvitur." The Colleges, therefore, should have used the word bulbus instead of radix. 90 MATERIA MEDICA. principle is obtained also by expression : and it is in a less degree extracted by water, by alcohol*, and by acetic acid. The odour is so penetrating, that when garlic is appli- ed to the soles of the feet it is perceived in the breath, the urine, and the perspiration. From 1406 parts of fresh garlic, Cadetf ob- tained 520 of mucilage, 37 of albumen, 48 of fibrous matter, and 801 of water by esti- mate. Bouillon la Grange* found sulphur also, with vegetable albumen, and sugar. Medical properties and uses.—Garlic is stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, diure- tic, and anthelmintic, when exhibited inter- nally ; and rubefacient when externally ap- plied. It has been successfully given in inter- mittents, and in fevers of the typhoid type. If the body be kept warm during its use, it acts powerfully by diaphoresis. It has long been esteemed a valuable remedy in pitui- tous asthma, chronic catarrh, flatulent co- lic, calculus, and dropsies; and as a preven- tative of worms. Externally, it is applied bruised to the soles of the feet, in the coma of typhus; and in confluent small-pox when the determination to the head is considera- ble. A poultice made of it is a good resol- vent of indolent tumours. A clove of it, wrapped in cotton or gauze, or a few drops of the juice introduced into the external ear, is said to be extremely efficacious in atonic deafness; and applied to the pubis as a poultice in retention of urine, owing to a want of action in the bladder, it some- times is effectual in procuring its discharge. The juice is also applied, united with ,,;1, to herpetic eruptions. Garlic may be exhibited in substance, the whole clove or pieces of it being dipped in oil and swallowed ; or it may be formed into pills. The expressed juice also is given mixed with sugar: or the bulb may be in- fused in milk, which was Rosenstein's mode of administering it to children afflicted with worms. It is frequently united with calo- mel in the form of pill or bolus, in hydropic cases. An ointment is formed by mixing the juice with oil. The bruised bulb has also been used as a suppurative. The dose, in substance, is from gss. to 2"ij.; or from one to six cloves, swallowed whole, twice or thrice a day ; and in pills, united with soap or calomel, from grs. xv. to Qj. Of the juice, fgss. is given for adose in any proper vehicle. An overdose, or the too liberal use of it as a condiment, is apt to occasion head-ach, flatulence, thirst, fever, inflammation, and * With alcohol, a reddish yellow tincture is ob- tained, which leaves, when evaporated, a very acrid brown extract, that attracts moisture from the air. t Ann. de Chimie, lix. p. 10b. t Journ. dc Pharm. No. viii. p. 357. discharges of blood from the hemorrhoidal vessels. Officinal preparation. Syrupus Allii, D. 3. Allium cepa.§ Officinal. Cepa; Radix, Dub. The Onion. Syn. Ognon (F.), Swiehel (G.), Cipolla (I), Cebolla (S.), Palandoo (San.), Pe- caj (H), Bassul (A.). The onion is a perennial bulbiferous plant, cultivated all over Europe for culina- ry purposes; flowering in June. It is so well known, as scarcely to require a parti- cular description. The bulb is simple, formed of concentric circles, with a radical plate at the base and fibrous roots. The stem is a naked swelling scape, with fistular, pointed, spreading leaves, sheathing at the base. 'The flowers are produced in a capi- tal or head, inclosed in a deciduous spathe. Qualities.—The odour and taste of the onion do not materially differ from those of garlic, but are much weaker. A little acrid volatile essential oil, combined with sul- phur!, is obtained by distillation; and the recent juice contains sugar, mucus, phos- phoric acid, phosphate of lime, and citrate of lime.f Medical properties and uses.—The onion, which is " considered rather as an article of food than of medicine, when eaten liberal- ly, is said to produce flatulencies, occa- sion thirst, headach, and turbulent dreams." As a medicine, it is stimulant, diuretic, and expectorant, and may be used in the same cases as garlic. On account of the free phosphoric acid it contains, the juice is sup- posed to be useful in calculous cases, as it dissolves phosphate of lime out of the bo- dy. Onions are, however, scarcely ever employed, except externally, as suppurative cataplasms; for which purpose they are generally roasted, split, and applied to tu- mours. ALOE. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 184. CI. 6. Ord. 1. Hexandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Coronariae, Linn. Asphodeli, Jim. G. 659. Corolla erect, mouth spreading, bottom nectariferous. Filaments inserted into the receptacle. Species 2. Aloe spicata. Spiked Aloe. ------ 3. Aloe vulgaris. Common Aloe. Sibthorp. Flor. Gr.o», Dioscoridis, 1. 3, c. 25. t Ann. de Chimic, lv. 152. 92 MATERIA MEDICA dical properties. They are warm, stimu- lating cathartics of slow solution, and thence act chiefly on the colon and rectum. By the extension of their stimulus to the uterine vessels, they produce, also, emmenagogue effects. This operation is slow and mode- rate, but tolerably certain. From the sti- mulant property of aloes, they are useful in cases where the intestines are in a slug- gish, relaxed, and insensible state, attend- ed with viscidity of the abdominal secre- tions: as in the habitual costiveness of the sedentary and hypochondriacal; or that arising from a paucity of bile, in jaundice, chlorosis, and scrophula: and by their pow- erful effects on the rectum, they have been found very serviceable in expelling ascari- des. Their use is contraindicated in he- morrhoidal cases, the symptoms of which they are apt to aggravate ; and also in very irritable and plethoric constitutions, in phthi- sis pulmonalis, and during the flow of the menses. Aloes, and aloetic compounds, have been likewise regarded as improper in pregnancy ; but Dr. Uenman has justly remarked, that " they are in common use among the lower class of people, because they are cheap, and conveniently given in the form of pills*;" and no bad effects are observed to follow. Aloes may be given in substance, in doses from grs. v. to grs. xx.; larger doses not operating more effectually. Whether in the simple state, or when compounded with soap, bitters, and other substances, the form of pill is to be preferred on account of the • nauseous taste of the medicine.f Officinal preparations. Pilulx aloes. E. D. Pil. aloes cum myrrha, L. D. Pilul. aloes et assafietidm, E. Pil. Aloes c. Colo- eynthide, E. Pil. Rhei comp. E. Pit. scam- tnonii comp. cum aloe, 1). Extractum aloes, D. Extractum ColocyntUidis comp. D. Tinc- tura aloes, E. D. Tinct. aloes comp. E. D. Tinct. aloes xtherea, E. Tinct. Benzoini. comp. E. D. Tinct. rhei et aloes, E. Vinum aloes, E. I). ALTH^A.* Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 770. CI. 16. Ord. 8. Monadelphia Polyandria. Nat. Ord. Columniferae, Linn. Malva- ceae, Juss. * Introduction to Midivifery, vol.i. 287. + Dr. Paris, (see Phcrmacologia,) has enumerated the following empirical preparations as owing their efficacy chit-fly to the aloes tliey contain. Ander- son's pills, consisting of aloes, jalap, and oil of an- niseed ; Hooper's pills, funned of Pil. Aloes c Myrrha, sulphate of iron, and Canella bark ; Dixon's anti- bilious pills, a compound of aloes, scammony, rhu- barb, and tartar emetic; Sjecdiman'spills,of aloes, myrrh, rhubarb, the extract and the essential oil of cammomile ; and Lady Webster's dinner pills, for which the following is the formula, extracted from the old Paris-codex: R. aloes optimie, vidrs., mas- tiches, et rosarum rubrnrum, 5a ii drs., syrupi de Absinthio q. s. tit fiat massa, inpiluias 120 dividenda. $ Axfla/a, Dioscoridis. G. 1289. Cal. double ,- the exterior 6 or 9-cleft. Caps, numerous 1-seeded. Sp. 1. A. officinalis. Common Marsh- mallow. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 552. t. 198. Eng. Bot. t. 147. Smith's Flora Britan, 3. 739. Officinal. Althsia Folia, et Radix, Lond. Rapix, Edin. The leaves and root of Marshmallow. Syn. Guimauve(/\), Eibisch (G.), Altea (/.), Malvarisco (S.). The marshmallow is an indigenous plant, which grows, as its name imports, in marshy places, particularly salt-marshes, and on the banks of rivers, throughout Europe. It flowers in June and July, and ripens its seeds in September. The roots, which are the parts medicinally used, are dug up in autumn. Qualities.—Marshmallow root is inodo- rous, mucilaginous when chewed, exter- nally tough and of a yellowish colour, in- ternally white and fibrous ; and contains a very considerable portion of mucus§, which is yielded to water by coction. Medical use.—The preparations of this plant, which derive their virtues from its mucus, are useful demulcents in visceral inflammations and calculous complaints. The roots well boiled, and bruised, are sometimes used as an emollient suppurative cataplasm ; and a decoction of the leaves forms a useful fomentation in external abra- sions ; and in cutaneous eruptions accom- panied with a sharp ichorous discharge. Officinal preparations. Decoctum althxm officinalis, E. Syrupus althsrse, L. E. ALU MEN. Lond. Edin. Dub. Alum. Syn. Alum (F.), Alaun (G.), Aluin (Dutch), Alun (Dan. and Swed.), Allume (/.), Alumbre (S.),Sp'hatica (San.), P'hit- cari (H.), Shub (Arab.) This salt is a ternary compound of alumi- na, potash, and sulphuric acid. It is found native in some places, either effloresced on bituminous schistus, as at Gottwig in Aus- tria ; or united with the soil in volcanic re- gions, as at the Solfatara near Naples, where the only processes requisite for its extraction are lixiviation and evaporation.) But the greater quantity of the alum of commerce is prepared by a peculiar ma- nagement of schistose pyritic clays, usually denominated alum ores. The best alum is the Roman, which is in irregular octahedral crystalline masses, powdery on the surface. The English is in large, irregular, semitransparent, colourless masses, having a glassy fracture, not efflo- rescent, and difficult "to pulverize; and § Mucus differs from mucilage of gum arabie, in not being precipitated by silicated potash,- nor af- fected by red or oxysulphate of iroD. Bostock. Hich- olson's Journ. xviii. 31. || These processes are performed in pans sunk in the ground, the heat of which is sufficient to carry on the evaporation. MATERIA MEDICA. 95 that from the Levant, or Roch alum, is in Bmall morsels, about the size of an almond, rather friable, and of a pale rose colour. The form of the regular crystal of aluml is an octahedron. Its specific gravity is 1.7109. According to Vauquelin, its constituents are, acid 30.52, alumina 10.50, potass 10.40, and water 48.58, in 100 parts: but by a more recent analysis, Berzelius makes them sulphate of alumina 3685, sulphate of potass 18-15, and water 45: it also general- ly contains ammonia ; and none of the alum of commerce, except the Roman, is free from a minute portion of iron. Qualities.—Alum is inodorous, and has a sweetish, acidulous, astringent taste. Its specific gravity is about 1-71. It reddens vegetable blues, owing to the excess of its acid;* is in a small degree efflorescent; and soluble in sixteen parts of water at 60°, and in three-fourths of its weight of boiling water. When exposed to a gentle heat it undergoes the watery fusion, and in a stronger heat swells, loses 44 per cent, of its weight, which is water, and becomes an opaque, white, friable spongy mass. It is decomposed by the alkalies and alkaline earths, which attract the greater part of its acid, and precipitate the alumina united with a small portion of acid and potass. Gallic acid also precipitates its earth : hence the alkalies and their carbonates, muriate of ammonia, magnesia, lime, carbonate of magnesia, chalk, tartrate of potass, and in- fusions of galls and of cinchona, are incom- patible in prescriptions with solutions of alum ; as are also superacetate of lead, and the salts of mercury. Medical properties and uses.—Alum is a powerful astringent. It is used both as an internal and external remedy for restrain- ing violent hemorrhages ; and also in cases of obstinate diarrhoea, diabetes, and fluor albus; but we agree with Dr. Cullen, that it is not to be depended upon in the two latter diseases. It has been given as an aux- iliary to cinchona in intermittents, and in confluent small-pox when the pustules are bloody; and Dr. Percival regarded it as a prophylactic in colicapiclonum, and a cure for slighter cases.f It is used locally in gargles, in cases of cynanche, relaxation of the uvula, and aphtlue ; and as the basis of injections, in cases of gleet and leucor- rhoea, and of eye-waters in chronic ophthal- mia. The dose in haemorrhages is from grs. v. to 9J., repeated every hour or two till the bleeding abates; in other cases smaller doses are more advisable, larger being apt to nauseate the stomach, and occasion vio- lent constipation. The addition, however, of an aromatic, prevents it, to a certain de- gree, from exciting nausea. It is sometimes • Much of the English alum we have lately ex- amined strikes a green with syrup of violets. t Observations on Ltad, Sec. administered dissolved in the serum of milk, in the form of whey, (serum lactit aluminosum,) which is prepared by boiling gij. of powdered alum in a pint of milk, and straining. A small piece of alum, briskly agitated with the white of an egg, forms a coagulum, which, applied between two pieces of gauze or thin rag, proves very serviceable in ecchymosis, and some species of ophthalmia. The dose of alum in sub- stance, is from gr. v. to J}ij.; of the whey f3'j °rf3»J- Officinal preparations. Alumen exsicca- turn, L. E. D. Liquor a In minis comp. L. Pulvis aluminis comp. E. AMMONLE MURIAS, Lond. Morias Ammonije, Edin. Sal Ammoniacum, Dub. Muriate of Ammonia. Sy?i. Sel Ammoniac (F.), Salmiak (G.% Sale Ammoniaco (/.), Sal Armoniaco (S.), Nosader (//.) This salt, which is a compound of muri- atic acid and ammonia, is found as a product of volcanoes ;£ but the greater part of that which is employed in medicine and the arts is artificially prepared. Muriate of ammonia was originally man- ufactured in Egypt, by sublimation from the soot of fuel, formed of the dung of phytivorous animals kneaded with straw into clods, and dried in the sun. From this source all the European states were formerly supplied : but since the manufac- ture of it in Europe the importation of Egyptian sal ammoniac has been discon- tinued. The process differs in different places, and is generally kept secret; but the following is a sketch of the actual practice at a large establishment, which was carried on some years ago near Lon- don, and is probably the mode usually adopted in this country.§ Bones, chopped into small pieces, and boiled in order to extract the marrow and fat, were distilled from an iron cylindrical still into a leaden receiver, cooled by a refrigeratory, which was its cover, and con- tained about four inches in depth of water. Six parts of impure alkaline liquor and five of foetid oil were thus procured ; the oil was skimmed off, and the alkali mixed with pulverized gypsum. By double decompo- sition sulphate of ammonia and carbonate of lime were thus formed ; the liquor which contained the former was then mixed with common salt (muriate of soda) ; and thus, by a second decomposition, the sulphuric acid of the sulphate of ammonia uniting with the soda of the muriate of soda, and X The eruption of Etna in 1811 afforded as much Sal ammouiac as supplied all the manufactories and apothecaries' shops in Sicily. Annates de Mines, torn. v. p. 135. It is exhaled also from the solfatara of Pozzuola ; from one of the great apertures of which it has been extracted for sever?! years. § Aikin's Dictionary of Chcmis'ry, art. Sal am- moniac 94 MATERIA the muriatic acid with the ammonia, muri- ate of ammonia and sulphate of soda were formed in the liquor. This solution was clarified by subsidence and decantation ; and by a skilfully managed evaporation in leaden boilers, the two salts were separated as they crystallized. The water of crystal- lization was then driven off from the muri- ate of ammonia, by exposing it to heat in a kind of oven ; and the spongy, friable, ash- coloured mass, into which it changed, was put, while hot, into globular bottles, or glazed earthern jars furnished with a moveable perforated cover, in which the muriate was sublimed by exposing them to a heat of 320° in iron pots filled with sand. The cakes of salt produced, after being placed "for a day or two in a damp atmos- phere," to soften their surface, and facili- tate " the removal of any superficial impu- rities," were packed in casks for sale. As soot of coal affords, by maceration in water, a quantity of sulphate of ammonia, it is used in the Scotch manufactories instead of bones. The cakes of muriate of ammonia are hemispherical, about an inch thick ; elastic ; and when broken are towards the convex surface white, striated, and opaque ; but towards the concave have 3. mote crystal- lized appearance, and arc yearly semi-trans- parent. This salt is also, sometimes, crys- tallized in conical masses, that are deli- quescent, owing to the presence of muri- ate of lime, which renders it unfit for medi- cinal purposes. The greater part of the sal ammoniac in the London market is made in the north of England; but an inferior sort is imported in chests from the East Indies. Qualities.—This salt is inodorous ; has a salt, bitterish, acrid and cool taste; very slightly attracts moisture from the air; and has a specific gravity of 1-450. It is rather ductile, and therefore not very easily pul- verized. It requires 3-25 times its weight of water at 60°, and its own weight at 212°, to dissolve it; and during its solution a great reduction of temperature takes place. It is also soluble in 4$ parts of al- cohol. At a high temperature it sublimes without melting, and is unchanged. When dissolved in boiling water, it forms, as the solution cools, in tetrahedral, pyramidal, or in flaky plumose crystals. Its components are 3195 of ammonia, 49-5.5 of acid and 1850 of water.* It combines with oxymu- riate of mercury, and increases its solu- bility in water. The sulphuric and nitric acids unite with its alkali, and set free the muriatic acid. Potass and its carbonate, carbonate of soda, barytes, strontites, lime, chalk, magnesia, carbonate of magnesia, combine with its acid, and set free the am- " Beiielius. MEDICA. monia, which is rendered sensible by its odour. Superacetate of lead, when added to a solution of it, throws down a precipi- tate of muriate of lead ; it is decomposed only by nitrate of silver, and metallic salt, the base of which forms an insoluble com- pound with muriatic acid: hence these salts are incompatible in prescriptions with muriate of ammonia. Medical properties and uses.—This salt was formerly considered a powerful aperi- ent and attenuant of viscid humours, acting as a diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative, and emetic, according to the mode of exhibi- tion, or its dose ; but it is now scarcely ever ordered as an internal medicine. Exter- nally, it is advantageously employed, on account of the cold produced during its so- lution in water, to abate the pain and heat of inflammation, and to allay violent head- ache; also in cases of mania, plethoric apoplexy, injuries of the head, and to as- sist in the reduction of hernial tumors; but when it is employed for this purpose the solution should be made immediately be- fore applying it to the affected part. It is also a useful application in dropsy of the thyroid gland.f Owing to its stimulant qualities, it forms an excellent discutient, when dissolved in the proportion of § j of the salt, in f § ix of water, with f ^ j of al- cohol, in indolent tumors, gangrene, sca- bies, and chilblains; in which cases it is bet- ter not to be too recently dissolved: and as a gargle, it is occasionally useful in cyn- anche. A plaster formed with ^ss of the muriate, 3 j of soap and 3 ij of lead, is highly recommended by Dr. Parish as a rubefacient in pulmonary affections. Its efficacy depends on the extrication of am- monia by the decomposition of the muriate, on which account it should be renewed every twenty-four hours. Officinal preparations. Ammonix subcar- bonas, L. E. D. Liquor Ammonix, L. Aqua ammonix, E. D. Hydrarg. prxcip. alb., L. Alcohol ammoniatum, E. D. Ferrum ammo- niatum, L. E. D. Aqua cupri ammoniati, D. Sulphuretum ammonix, D. Murias ummonist etferri, D. AMMONI'ACUM. Vide Heracleum gum- miferum. AMY'GDALUS. Specific plant, Willd. ii. 982. Cl. 12. Ord. 1. Icosandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Pomacese, Linn. Rosace?e, Juss. G. 981. Cal. 5-cleft, inferior, Pet. 5. Drupe with a nut perforated. Species 2. A. communis.^ The Common Almond-tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. t. 183. Varieties. yS. Amygdalus sativa. Sweet Almond-tree. t Burns on the Anat. of the Keck, p. 191. t Pharmacologia. § UuJo;, Theophrasti. MATERIA MEDICA. 95 Varieties, y. Amygdalus amara. Bitter Almond-tree. Officinal. Amygdaljs amabs.—dulces, Lond. Amygdali communis Nuclei, Edin. Amyodalje dulces, Dub. Bitter and Sweet Almonds. Syn. Amandes douces et ameres (F.), Bit- tere und Siisse Mandeln (G.), Mandorli dolce ed amare (/.), Almendra (S.), Bada- mie Farsie (Hind.), Lowz (A.) The almond-tree is a native of Syria and Barbary ; but it is now naturalized in the south of Europe, and even in England*; where, however, the fruit seldom ripens. The two varieties of the Amygdalus communis are not distinguished from each other, but by the taste of the kernel of their fruit. The Valentia almond is a sweet, large, flat almond, pointed at one extremi- ty, and compressed in the middle as if with the thumb. The Italian are not so sweet, smaller, and less depressed in the middle. The Jordan almonds, which come from Ma- laga, and are the best sweet almonds brought to England, are said to be the pro- duce of a distinct species of Amygdalus. They are longer, flatter, less pointed at one end, and less round at the other, and have a paler cuticle than those we have describ- ed. Sweet almonds are imported in mats, casks, and cases: the bitter, which come chiefly from Mogadore, arrive in boxes. When the almond is not well preserved, it is preyed on by an insect that eats out the internal part; or, if this does not hap- pen, the oil it contains is apt to become rancid. Qualities.—The cuticle of both kinds of almonds has an unpleasant bitterish austere taste ; but it is easily detached by putting the almonds into boiling water; and thus decorticated they are said to be blanched. The blanched sweet almond is inodorous ; has a sweet, pleasant, bland taste, and con- sists chiefly of fifty-four parts of fixed oil, three of mucus, six of saccharine matter, and twenty-four of albumen. When eaten as food, it is not very digestible, probably owing to the albumen, and requires to be well masticated. The bitter almond is also inodorous when entire, but when triturated with water has the odour of the peach blos- som ; and the taste is the pleasant bitter of the peach kernel. It contains less fixed oil and more albumen than the sweet almond ; and a portion of prussic acid, or hydrocya- nic acid, upon which its narcotic power is supposed to depend. This variety of the almond is said to operate as a poison on dogs and some other animals, but not ge- nerally on the human species. The distilled water, however, of the bitter almond exerts • It was cultivated in England by Lobtl before 1J70. an action not less deleterious than that of laurel water on the human frame. It pro- duces vertigo, headach, tinnitus aurium, dizziness of sight, and vomiting, when taken to the extent of thirty drops only; and a drachm of it has killed a stout dog.f When a large dose is taken, death almost instant- ly follows. But in order to counteract its poisonous effects, when that can be done, we must have recourse to diffusibles, as brandy and ammonia; or three or four spoonfuls of oil of turpentine, may be given at intervals of half an hour. The fixed oil, that both varieties of the almond yield by expression in large quantity, is insipid and inodorous when heat has not been employ- ed. Medical properties and uses.—Sweet al- monds are used more as food than as medi- cine ; but they afford little nourishment. Heartburn is said to be relieved by eating- six or eight of them decorticated. When triturated with water, milky mixtures or emulsions are formed, which shall be after- wards noticed ; and they are also used in pharmacy for assisting, by trituration, the combination of some substances, such as camphor and the resins, with water. Bitter almonds are scarcely ever used medicinally, although Bergiust mentions a case of inter- mittent having been cured by them, when the Peruvian bark had failed; and from the effects which have been found to result from the use of the hydrocyanic acid, the use of the bitter almond in pulmonary and dyspeptic affections is worthy of trial. As a local application, I have found the emul- sion extremely beneficial when used as a lotion in acne rosacea, and in impetigo. Owing to a peculiar idiosyncrasy of some habits, the smallest quantity of the bitter almond taken into the stomach produces urticaria, and other unpleasant effects. Officinal preparations. Oleum amygdalae, L. E. D. Emulsio amygdalx comp. E. D. Emulsio acacix arabicx, E. D. Emulsio camphorx, E. Confectio amygdalarum, L. AMY'LUM. Vide Triticum hybernum. AMYR1S. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 333. CI. 8. Ord. 1. Octandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Terebintacese, Juss. G. 755. Cal. four-toothed. Pet. four oblong. Stig. four-cornered. Berry drupaceous. Species 2. Amyris elemifera. Elemi tree. -----6. Amyris gileadensis. Balsam of Gilead tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 603. t. 214. Bruce's Abyssinia, vol. v. p. 16. t. 2,3. t Much information on this subject may be ob- tained from the works of Fodere, Langrisb, Heber- deen, Watson, and a recent Treatise on Hydrocyanic Acid, by IIr. Granville. \ Mat. Med. art. Amygdalus. 96 MATERIA MEDICA. 1. Amyris elemifera. Officinal. Elemi, Lond. Elemi ; Resina, Dub. Elemi. Syn. FAeme, (F.G.I.) The elemi tree, of the botanical charac- ters of which we know very little, is a na- tive of Carolina and the Brazils. The resin is obtained by making incisions in the bark in dry weather, and is left to dry. in the sun as it exudes. It used to be brought from Turkey in long roundish cakes, wrapped in flag-leaves; but the elemi now brought, comes in mats and chests, each containing from four to six pounds' weight. Qualities.—True elemi has a fragrant aromatic odour, not unlike that of fennel seeds, but stronger. The taste is very slightly bitter, and warm. The cakes are of a pale yellow colour, semitransparent, brittle on the outside, soft and tenacious within, and very fusible. Spec. grav. 1-0182. When distilled with water, it affords l-16th of a thin pale-coloured essential oil, on which its fragrance and softness depend; and the residue is a brittle, inodorous resin. Alcohol dissolves the greater part of elemi; but a white, flaky, inodorous matter re- mains, which is almost entirely soluble in water; hence we may consider the consti- tuents of elemi to be gum, and an intimate combination of resin and essential oil. But no true elemi is now to be found in the shops. Medical properties and uses.—This resin is stimulant, but is very rarely used as an internal remedy, being chiefly employed for forming the mild digestive ointment which bears its name. Officinal preparation. Uuguentum elemi composition, L. D. 2. Amyris gileadexsis.* Officinal.----, Resini Liduiiu, Edin. Bal- sam of Gilead. Syn. Balsamier de la Mecque (F.), Opo- balsamo (/.), Balsamo (S.), Akooyeelarse- moonroome (Arab.) This species of amyris is a native o£ Abyssinia, growing, according to Bruce, among the myrrh-trees behind Azab, all along the coast to the Straits of Babelman- del.f It appears, however, to have been transplanted into Judea 1730 years before Christ: -and as it was from Gilead in Judea that the merchants brought its resinous product, in early times, to Egypt, it thence derived its appellation Balusan, or Balsam of Gilead. The ancients held the balsam obtained from this tree in great esteem, but it does • 3'J.Kc-itfAcu t&tyv, Theophrasti et Dios- coridis. + Brucc's Abyss. App. p. 16. The whole of Mr. Bruce's account of this tree is highly interesting, and we regard his authority undoubted. not appear that they were well acquainted with the tree itself. To obtain the balsam, the bark is "cut by an axe, when the juice is in its strongest circulation, in July, Au- gust, and the beginning of September. It is then received into a small earthen bot- tie, and every day's produce gathered and poured into a larger, which is kept closely corked." The first that flows, called opo- balsamumt, "is of a light yellow colour, apparently turbid." It afterwards becomes clear, fixed, and heavier; and the colour, by degrees, deepens to a golden yellow. The opobalsamum of the ancients was the green liquor found in the kernel of the fruit: the carpobalsamum, the next in esteem, was made by the expression of the ripe fruit; andxylobalsamum, or the worst kind, by the expression or decoction of the small twigs. The real balsam rarely finds its way into this country, dried Canada balsam being generally substituted for it; but it wants the peculiar odour of the true bal- sam. Qualities.—The odour is at first strongly pungent; but the pungency is lost by ex- posure to the air, and by age ; and the bal- sam gradually acquires the consistence of turpentine. The colour is yellowish exte- riorly, and paler in the inside ; the taste is acrid, rough, and pungent. When pure, it dissolves easily in water. Medical properties and uses.—This bal- sam was esteemed in the earlier ages as a medicine possessed of almost universal vir- tues ; and at the present day the Arabs use it "in all complaints of the stomach and bowels," reckoning it a powerful antisep- tic, and preventive of the plague. Its chief use, however, is as a cosmetic by the Turk- ish ladies. It is never brought genuine to this country, and we know not why the Edinburgh College retain it in the list of Materia Medica. ANCHUSA.§ Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 756. CI. 5. Ord. I. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Asperifolix, Linn. Boragineae, Juss, G. 277. Corolla funnel-shaped : the throat closed with arches. Seed engraved at the base. Species 7. Anchusa tinctoria. Dyer's Al- kanet. Lobel. Icon. 578. Officinal. ----, Raiux, Edin. Anchusa ; Rahix, Dub. Alkanet root. Syn. Orcanette (F.), Alcanna (7.) Alkanet root is brought to this country chiefly from France. It is in twisted pieces, X Willdenow has a distinct species under the name Amyris opobalsamum ; but, in a note, says—" sunt forte non distinct* species, sed validates ab state vel solo ortae." Spec. Plant, vol. ii. p. 334. § AyxjMr,* ab a.yxu> strangulo, suffoco; the ancients believing that this species of plants choked and destroyed serpents. Vide Bod. in Theophrait. | p. 835. MATERIA MEDICA, 97 with a withered, dusky red bark, easily se- parated. The smaller roots are the best, as they have proportionally more bark than the larger. Qualities.—It has a very faint odour, and a bitterish astringent taste when fresh ; but the dried root is inodorous and insipid. It imparts a fine deep red colour to alcohol, ethers, oils, fats, and wax; but to water, even when hot, it yields only a brown co- lour. Sulphate of iron strikes a black with the watery infusion ; and sulphate of zinc throws down a copious dark-coloured pre- cipitate. Medical properties and uses.—Alkanet root was formerly prescribed as an astrin- gent in several diseases ; but it is properly rejected from modern practice, and is used as a colouring matter only for oils, oint- ments, and plasters. ANE'THUM.* Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1469. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. ,Vu/. ord. Umbellatx. G. 560. Fruit nearly ovate, compressed, striated. Pet. involuted entire. Species 1. A. graveolens. Common Dill. Med. Bot, 2d ed. 125. /. 48. Species 3. A. faniculum. Sweet Fennel. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 127. t. 49. Smith Flor. Brit. 329. 1. Anethum grateolexs. Officinal. Anethi semijja. Lond. Edin. Dill seed. Syn. Fenouil puant, ou persil odorant (F.), 'Dill, (G.), Eneldo de olor pesado (S.), Appio palustre, sellano, Sellero (/.), Sa- dacoopay (Tarn.), Sowa, (Hind.) This plant is an annual, a native of Spain and Portugal, growing generally in corn- fields, and flowering in June and July. It is cultivated in this country. The seeds of dill, which are the parts of the plant medicinally used, are scarcely the length of a carraway seed, but broader and flatter. They are oval, concave on one side, convex and striated on the other; of a brown colour, and surrounded with a dull pale yellow or straw-coloured membranous expansion. Qualities.—The dried seeds have an aro- matic, sweetish odour, not very agreeable, nor yet unpleasant; the taste is moderately warm and pungent. These qualities de- pend on an essential oil, which is extracted by distillation with water, and imparted to alcohol by digestion. The bruised seeds yield their flavour to boiling water by infu- sion. Medical properties and uses.—Dill seeds are carminative and stomachic. They are scarcely ever employed except in hiccough and the flatulent colic of infants. The dose * Av»9;v, Dioscoridis. 13 of the powdered seed is from grs xv. to SJ- Officinal preparation. Aqua Anethi, L. 2. Anethum FtENiccLUM.f Officinal. Fozniculi semina, Lond. Edin. Fobniculum nci.c.E ; semina, Dub. The seed and root of Sweet Fennel. Syn. Fenouil ou Anis douce (F.), Fen- chelsamen (G.), Eneldo hinojo (S.), Fi- nocchio (/.), Perumsiragam (Taru.), Mayuri (Hind.) Fennel is a biennial plant, originally found in the south of Europe only, but now grow- ing abundantly on our chalky soils and cliffs, and flowering in July and August. There are three varieties of fennel ; the root of the first of which, the common fen- nel, and the seed of the second, the sweet fennel, are officinal. The roots found in the shops are the produce of our own coun- try, and are taken up in the spring; but the seeds are generally imported from Ita- ly. Qualities.—The roots are covered with a brown bark, are woody and white within, have scarcely any odour, and only a slight- ly sweetish taste, with very little aromatic warmth; but the seeds have a fragrant odour; and a sweet, warm, aromatic taste. These qualities depend on an essential oil, which is dissipated by decoction in water, and se- parated by distillation : they are completely imparted to alcohol, but only imperfectly to boiling water, by infusion. The seeds contain also a fixed, inodorous, insipid oil. Medical uses and properties.—Fennel was formerly esteemed as a remedy ; and sup- posed to be resolvent, diuretic, carminative, and stomachic; but even as a carminative it is not superior to anise-seed and cara- way ; and it is therefore now seldom em- ployed. The dose of the bruised seed may be from T)j to 3j. _ , Officinal preparatiens. Aqua Faniculi, L. D. Oleum Seminum FanicuH dulcis, D. ANGELICA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1428. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Urnbellatse. G. 343. Fruit roundish, angular, solid, with reflected styles. Corollas equal. Petals bent inward. Species 1. Angelica urchangelica, Garden Angelica. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 86. t. 35. Smith Flor. Brit. i. 311. Officinal. ------Radix, Edin. The root of Angelica. Syn. Angelique (F.), Angelikawurzel (G.), Angelicadomestica (/.), Angelica (G.) This species of Angelica is a native of the more northern parts of Europe; but although it has been found growing wild in England, as at Broadmoore, near Birming- ■(• Mif-'.$p:<.; Mippocratis et Dioscoridis. 98 MATERIA MEDICA. ham, and some other parts, yet it is uncer- | tain whether it be indigenous. It is how- ever abundantly cultivated for medicinal and other purposes ; flowering in June and August*. The roots of angelica, when wounded in the spring, yield an odorous yellow juice, which being slowly desiccated, proves an elegant gum-resin, very rich in the quali- ties of the plant. For medicinal purposes, the roots should be dug up in the autumn of the first year; in which case they are more easily preserved : but when gathered in the spring, they become mouldy, and are preyed on by insects. They should be tho- roughly dried, and kept in a well-aired, dry place: and in order to secure their pre- servation, Lewis suggests " the dipping them in boiling spirit, or exposing them to steam, after they are dried." The leaves and seeds do not retain their virtues when kept. The stems are cut, when tender, in May, and made into an agreeable sweet- meat by the confectioners.^ Qualities.—The odour of every part of the recent plant is fragrant and aromatic ; the taste sweetish at first, then aromatic, warm, and slightly bitter. The dried root is corrugated, and of a greyish-brown co- lour externally ; breaks short with a starchy fracture, and presents a firm interior, whit- ish, with many resinous brown and yellow points. It has the same odour and taste as the recent plant; and yields these qualities to alcohol, and in some degree to boiling water. Medical properties and uses.—The leaves and seeds when recent, and the root both in the fresh and dried state, are tonic and carminative; but although the most elegant aromatic of northern growth, yet they are scarcely ever prescribed in modern prac- tice. The dose in substance is from gss. to 5j., three or four times a-day. ANISI SEMINA. Vide Pimpinella Ani- sum. ANTHEMIS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 2174. Cl. 19. Ord. 2. Syngenesia Superflua. Nat. ord. Composite Discoides, Linn. Corym- biferis, Juss. G. 1517. Receptacle chaffy. Seed down none, or a membranaceous margin. Calyx hemispherical, nearly equal. Florets of the ray more than five. * With a colourless or white ray. Species 15. A.nobilis. Common Chamomile. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 47. t. 19. Smith, Flor. Brit. 904. * It was first described by Joann. Jacob de Man- lius, a writer of the 15th century ; and was cultivated in England before 1568. t The Icelanders eat the sfems and roots of angelica raw with butter. Vide A"ir Ceo. Mackenzie's Travels in Iceland, 4to. p. 255. Species 25. Pyrethrum. Pellitory of Spain. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 50. t. 20. 1. ANTHEMIS NOBILIS.+ Officinal. Anthemidis flores, Lond. Edin. Chamjemelum ; flores, Dub. Chamo- mile Flowers. Syn. Camomille Romaine (F.), Roe- mische hamiller (G.), Camomilla Romana (/.), Manganellade Botera (S.), Chamain- doopoo (Tarn.), Baboenui (A.) This species of anthemis is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in dry pastures, and flowering in August and September. The greater part of the chamomile, how- ever, which is medicinally used, is cultivat- ed by the growers of physical plants.§ Both the single and the double-flowered varieties are cultivated ; but as the sensible qualities of the flower reside chiefly in the disc florets, the single kind is preferred: and, as these qualities are also stronger be- fore the tubular florets are blown, the flowers are then picked, and carefully dried for use. Those which are large and whitish are to be preferred. Qualities.—The whole of the plant is gratefully odorous. The smell of the flow. ers is strong and fragrant; their taste bit- ter and aromatic, with a slight degree of warmth ; and both the odour and the taste are extracted by water and alcohol. By distillation with water they yield a small quantity of brownish yellow essential oil, on which the odour and the antispasmodic powers of the plant seem to depend. Hot water takes up nearly one-fourth of the weight of the dry flowers, and when the infusion is evaporated, a bitter extractive matter and a small portion of resin remain. The active principles, therefore, of chamo- mile flowers appear to be bitter extractive, resin, and essential oil. Medical properties and uses.—Chamomile flowers are tonic, carminative, and slightly anodyne: yet when a strong infusion of them is taken in a tepid state, it proves powerfully emetic. Given in substance, united with opium and astringents, if the bowels be easily affected, they have been successfully used for the cure of intermit- tents: and the infusion, in combination with ginger, or other aromatics, and the alka- lies, is an excellent stomachic in dyspepsia, chlorosis, gout, flatulent colic, and chronic debility of the intestinal canal. The tepid strong infusion is a ready emetic, and is often employed to promote the operation of other emetics. By coction in water the i AvQtui;, Dioscoridis. $ Much of what is brought to the London market is grown about Mitcham in Surry. The soil best adapted for it is a dry sandy loam. A wet summer weakens the flavour of the flowers.—Stevenson's Sur- vey of Surry, 379. MATERIA essential oil is dissipated ; chamomile flow- ers, therefore, ought never to be ordered in decoctions. Externally they are used as fomentations in colic, intestinal inflamma- tion, and to phagedenic ulcers: and their infusion is also found to be a useful "addi- tion to emollient anodyne glysters in flatu- lent colic, and in irritations of the rectum producing tenesmus. The dose of the pow- dered flowers is from gss. to gj., twice or thrice a day. Officinal preparations. Decoctum Anthe- midis nobilis, E. D. Infusum Anthemidis, L. Extractum Anthemidis, L. E. Oleum Anthe- midis, L. 2. Anthemis Pyrethrum.* Officinal. Pyrethri Rahix, Lond. Edin. Pyrethrum; radix, Dub. Pellitoryroot. Syn. Pyrethre (F.), Bertram Wurtzel; Zahn wurtzell (G.), Piretro (/.), Anthemis pelitri (S.), Akkaracarum (Tarn.), Akur- kurha (A.) This is a perennial plant, a native of the Levant, Barbary, and the south of Europe. It is sometimes cultivated in Britainf, flow- ering from June to July. The root is long, tapering, about the thickness of a finger, with a brownish cuticle, sending off seve- ral lateral fibres ; and throwing up many trailing stems, more commonly simple and unifloral than branching. Pellitory root is brought into this country from the Levant, and the coast of Barbary, packed in bales. It is frequently mixed with other roots, from which, however, it is easily distinguished. Qualities.—The dried root, as we receive it, is inodorous. When chewed it appears at first insipid, but after a few seconds, ex- cites a glowing heat, and a pricking or thrilling sensation on the tongue and lips, which remains for ten or twelve minutes. The pieces break with a short resinous fracture ; the transverse section presenting a thick brown bark studded with black shining points, and a pale yellow radiated inside. The pungency appears to depend on a fixed oil, which is deposited in vesi- cles in the bark. M. Gautier describes it as solid, having a reddish colour and strong odour.* It is completely extracted by alco- hol and sulphuric ether. Medical properties and uses.—Pellitory root possesses powerful stimulant proper- ties. Its chief use is as a sialagogue, to re- lieve and to stimulate the excretories of the salivary glands, and excite an increased flow of saliva; by which inflammations and congestions of the neighbouring parts are relieved. Hence it has been found useful when chewed in some kinds of headach, apoplexy, chronic ophthalmia, rheumatic * UuptBpov, Dioscoridis. t It was cultivated in England by Lohel in 1570. t Ann. de Chim. et I'hys. viii. p. 101. MEDICA. 99 affections of the face, and tooth-ach ; and by its direct stimulus in paralysis of the: tongue and muscles of the throat. ANTIMO'NIUM. Zri/xpu. Stibium. An- timony. Syn. Antimoine (F.), Spiessglanzmetall (G.), Antimonie (/.), Antimdnio (S.) The term antimony was formerly given to an ore, in which antimony was combined with sulphur; but it is now solely appro- priated to express the pure metal. It is found in various parts of the world in dif- ferent states of combination. A. Metallic, (at Stalberg, Sweden, and Al- lemont in France.) g. i. combined with silver and iron. Sp. 1. Native antimony'. ii. combined with sulphur. 1. Grey sulphuret of antimony. Var. a. compact. b. foliated. c. striated. d. plumose. 2. Nickeliferous sulphuret. B. Oxidized CI. White antimony. g. iii. combined with < 2. Antimonial ochre. oxide of iron. £3. Red Antimony. The grey sulphuret is the ore in which it is most abundantly procured, and from which the pure metal is generally obtained. Pure antimony is of a white colour, with a bluish shade, brilliant, and very slowly tar- nished in air of a low temperature. The texture is foliated ; moderately hard ; brit- tle and pulverulent. It is fusible at 809° : in a higher temperature it volatilizes in close vessels : but, if exposed to the air, is very rapidly oxidized. It decomposes wa- ter when ignited, and is oxidized by, and combines with, the sulphuric, nitric, and muriatic acids; but the other acids unite with its oxides only. It readily combines with sulphur and phosphorus. Its specific gravity, according to Brisson, is 6.702. The pure metal when rubbed between the fin- gers communicates to them a peculiar taste and smell, but it exerts no action on the body, nor is it used for officinal purposes. Officinal. Antimonii Sulphuretum, Lond. Sulphuretum Antimonii, Edin. Dub. Sulphuret of Antimony. Syn. L'Antimoine sulfure (F.), Spiess- glanz (G.), Sulfuro d'Antimonio (/.), Ko- hul (Arab.), Surmeh (H.), Saubira (San.) Sulphuret of antimony is commonly sold in loaves, under the name of crude antimo- ny ; and is the grey ore, separated from the stony matter and other gross impurities with which it is naturally combined. It is the striated variety, the most common of all the antimonial ores, found both in masses and crystallized in Hungary, Saxony, France, Tuscany, Spain, and Cornwall in England ; generally "in micaceousschistus and clay porphyry, mixed with pyrites and 100 MATERIA MF.DICA. oxides of iron." In its natural state, its co- lour is light lead grey * its internal lustre splendent; its fracture radiated, affording splintery fragments. It is soft; not very brittle ; but easily frangible. Sulphuret of antimony is fitted for the market by the following process. The ore is separated from the greater part of the stony gangue by hand, and then placed in the bed of a reverberatory furnace, cover- ed with charcoal powder. As it is brought to a low red heat, the sulphuret of antimo- ny is fused, while the earthy parts float on the surface, and are taken off with a rake or ladle : and the fluid portion, when cast fnto the form of loaves or large cakes, is fit ior sale, and forms the crude antimony of commerce.* Sometimes the ore is broken into small pieces, then washed and put into a pot perforated with holes, which is let in- to the mouth of another pot, so that the fluid sulphuret flows into the undermost, while the infusible matter remains in the uppermost. These loaves are dark-grey externally, but internally they have a stri- ated structure, and considerable brilliancy. Their goodness depends on their compact- ness and weight, the largeness and distinct- ness of the stris, and the volatility of the sulphuret. When carelessly prepared, they contain lead, sometimes arsenic, and occa- sionally manganese and iron. When they contain much lead, the structure is more foliated, and the volatility is so much dimi- nished that a portion, which is the lead, remains fixed ; arsenic is discovered by the garlic odour emitted when the sulphuret is thrown on live coals; and manganese and iron, by their not being volatilized when it is exposed to a red heat. The specific gra- vity of the sulphuret is about 4.368; and its constituents are antimony 73§, sulphur 26f, in 100 parts; or, according to the atomic doctrine, 1 atom of antimony =44, and 1 atom of sulphur = 16, the weight of an atom of the sulphuret being = 60.| The greater part of the sulphuret used in this country is imported from Germany and Holland. It should never be purchased in the form of powder. Qualities.—Sulphuret of antimony is ino- dorous, insipid, of a leaden grey or steel co- lour, staining the fingers ; has a rough spi- cular fracture, and is insoluble in water and * Journaldes Mines. Aikin's Dictionary of Che- mhtry. T Dr. Thomson's proportions, are antimony 100, sulphur 35.572 ; nearly a mean of all the other ana- lyses that have been published : Vauquelin stated them to be antimony 100, sulphur 33.333 ; Wenzel, antimony 100, sulphur 29.870 ; I'roust,antimony 100, sulphur 33.333 ; Dr. J. Davy, antimony 100, sulphur 34.060; Berzelius, antimony 100, sulphur 57.000; Bergman, antimony 100, sulphur 35.035. Thorn- son's Chemistry, 5th edit, i.536. alcohol. Its brilliancy is dulled by long ex- posure to the air ; in a red heat it melts, and is partly dissipated along with its sul- phur in the form of a white smoke ; and what remains in the crucible is a grey ash- coloured oxide. It is slightly acted upon by the vegetable acids§; and decomposes the sulphuric and nitric acids when assisted with heat; the metallic part of the sulphu- ret is oxydized, and sulphureous acid and nitrous gases are disengaged ; the muriatic, even in the cold, decomposes it, and sul- phuretted hydrogen is extricated. The fixed alkalies combine with it, and form compounds used in medicine.|| Medical properties and uses.—Sulphuret of antimony is not an active medicine when taken into the stomach, unless it meets with acid in that viscus and the bowels, when it acts with extreme violence ; before it is pre- cribed, therefore, the bowels should be opened. It was not employed internally until the middle of the fifteenth century; and now, owing to the uncertainty of its operation, its occasional violent action, and the difficul- ty of obtaining it perfectly free from other noxious metals, as copper, lead, and arsenic, it is almost entirely discarded from modern practice. It has been given in gouty and rheumatic affections, in scrofula, and other glandular obstructions, and in chronic cu- taneous eruptions. It produces perspiration; and in a few instances, in which it was given in large doses, Dr. Cullen found that some nausea, and even vomiting were excited. It is free- ly used in veterinary practice, and is given to horses, mixed with their food, to produce a smooth coat. Its chief use is for the pre- paration of the other antimonial remedies.*? The dose of the sulphuret may be from ten grains to one drachm, or more if the stomach can bear it. Officinal preparations. The table drawn up by Dr. Black has generally been given as presenting the best view of the officinal preparations of which antimony is the ba- sis ; but as many of those mentioned in it have been long since disused, andj the no- § Wine was formerly pflt into cups made of sul- phuret of antimony, and owing to the acid acting up- on sulphuret, it acquired an emetic quality. || The sulphuret was used by the Greek ladies, and is still employed by the Turkish ladies for staining the eyelashes black, which softens the appearance of the eye. Jt was a custom among the Jews also ; for, al- though in our translation of the bible, Jezebel is described as having " painted her face," (2 Kings, c. ix. v. 30.) yet the expression in the Hebrew means, literally, "put her eyes in painting." K It is an ingredient in Spilsbury's drops, which, according to Dr. Paris, consist of Corrosive Sublimate ii drs., prepared Sulphuret of Antimony i dr., Gen- tian root and Orange-peel, of each, ii. drs., Shavings I of red Sanders i dr., made into a tincture, with a pint of proof Spirit digested and strained. MATERIA MEDICA. 101 menclature of all is changed, we have altered it so as to present, on the same plan, a dis- tinct view of the preparations now found in the British Pharmacopoeias. Medicines are prepared from Sulphuret of Antimony. I. By trituration in the metallic state united with sulphur. 1. Sulphuretum Anlimonii pr¶tum, E. D. II. By the action of heat; (oxidized.) 2. Anlimonii vitrum, L. Oxidum Anlimonii cum sulphure vi- trificatum, E. 3. Oxidum Anlimonii vitrificatum cum cera, E. HI. By the action of heat with phosphate of lime ; (oxidized.) 4. Oxidum Antimonii cum phosphate Calcis, E. Pulvus Antimonialis, L. I). IV. By the action of alkalies ; (oxidized.) 5. Antimonii Sulphuretumprcecipitatum, L. E. Sulphur antimoniatumfuscum, D. V. By the action of acids ; (oxidized.) 6. Oxidum Antimonii nitro-muriaticum, D. Marias Antimonii, E. 7. Antimonium tartarizatum, L. Tartras Antimonii, oliui Tartarus emeticus, E. Tartarum antimoniatum, sive eme- ticum, D. 8. Vinum Antimonii tartarizati, L, Vinum Tartratis Antimonii, E. Antimonii Vitrum. Lond. Glass of Antimony. This is a vitrified protoxide of antimony, combined with a small portion of the unde- composed sulphuret, from which it is pre- pared. The sulphuret, reduced to course powder, is exposed to the action of a gentle heat, which is gradually augmented so as to drive off a large proportion of the sul- phur, which rises in vapours of a white co- lour and sulpimrotis odour. The heat is then much augmented, until the powder, when brought to a red heat, exhales no more vapours. During the roasting the powder is continually stirred to prevent it running into lumps; and, when this part of the process is finished, it is melted with an intense heat; and, as soon as it has as- sumed the appearance of fused glass, is poured on a heated brass plate. It may be more readily prepared, in a small way, by deflagrating sulphuret of an- timony vvith twice its weight of nitrate of potass, and melting the protoxide, thus ob- tained, in a crucible, with less than one- eighth of its weight of sulphur. In this process, the protoxide of antimony, in melt- ing, partially loses its oxygen ; and this deoxygenized portion, uniting with the sulphur and being converted into sulphu- ret, combines, at the moment of its forma- tion, with the remaining undecomposed protoxide, and forms the glass of antimony. Glass of antimony, thus prepared, is sold in small flat fragments, glazed on one side and dull on the other, heavy, and having a metallic character. Qualities,—Glass of antimony is inodo- rous, insipid, semitransparent, and by trans- mitted light of a fine hyacinthine colour. It is fusible in the flame of a candle, and soluble in the mineral acids. On dissolving it in muriatic acid, sulphuretted hydrogen gas is given out According to Proust, it consists of eight parts of protoxide of anti- mony, and one part of sulphuret of antimo- ny. Thenard has shown that 100 parts of this oxide contain 16 parts of oxygen. The glass always contains silicious earth ; generally, according to Vauquelin, in the proportion of from 9 to 10 parts in 100, an ingredient of the product which is proba- bly derived from the crucible, during the vitrification of the protoxide. Medical properties and uses.— Glass of antimony is so acrid, harsh, and uncertain in its operation, that it is never medicinally employed ; and is retained in the Pharma- copoeia merely for the purpose of pre- paring some other antimonial preparations. Officinal preparations. Antimonium Tar- tarizatum, L. Oxidum Antimonii vitrifica- tum cum cera, E. All the preparations of antimony con- tained in the table, have one general mode of action, and possess, therefore, the same medicinal virtues. Their general opera- tion is evacuant, either by the stomach, the bowels, or the skin ; but their determina- tion to these particular parts depends more on the dose, and the constitution and the state of the patient, than on the nature of the preparation. In small doses they pro- duce nuusea, and diaphoresis ; in larger doses, vomiting and purging. Antimonials, prior to the time of Basil Valentine, were used only in veterinary medicine : but ever since they were intro- duced by that learned Benedictine* into * Basil Valentine was a Benedictine monk at Er- ford in Germany. He was born in the year 1394, and was the first person who applied chemistry, which prior to his time was considered merely as the art of making gold, to the purposes of medicine. He was the discoverer of the virtues of antimonial pre- parations as medicines ; and has celebrated them in his " Currus Triumphalis Antimonii,'' a work writ. ten in hisjh Dutch; but of which there is an elegant Latin translation by Kirkringius. To Basil Valen- tine we are also indebted for the discovery of Am- monia, and of Ether. He recommended a fixed al- kali, made from the shoots of the vine cut in the be- ginning of March, for the cure of the gout and gravel. He was the chief of the medical alchyni- isis. 102 MATERIA MEDICA. the Materia Medica, they have been very generally employed for the cure of febrile and inflammatory diseases, when the ex- citement is great. In the latter stage of fever, however, when much debility pre- vails, their use is contraindicated. Some have imagined that the preparation which produces the least sensible evacuation, the antimonial powder of the London College, or its prototype James's powder, is to be preferred in typhus, and the tartarized anti- mony in synochus ; believing that the bene- fit in the first disease is greater when no sensible evacuation is produced: but as this implies some inexplicable specific action of that preparation, we are not inclined to admit the distinction. ARBUTUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 616. CI. 10. Ord. I. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Bicornes, Linn. Ericse, Juss. G. 871. Cal. five-parted. Corolla ovate, the mouth pellucid at the base. Berry five-celled. Species 7. A. Uva Ursi. Trailing Arbutus or Bearberry. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 287. t. 100. Smith's Flora Brilan. i. 403. Officinal. Vvm Ursi folia, Lond. Dub. Arbuti Uva? Ursi folia, Edin. Leaves of Uva Ursi, Bearberry, or Trailing Ar- butus. Syn. Bousserole ; Raisin d'ours (F.), Baerentraube ; Sandberren (G.), Uva Or- sina (/.), Madronna Uva de Oso ; Guavnha (S.) This shrub is a native of the north of Europe, and is found growing wild on the heathy mountains of Scotland, flowering in June. It is a low shrub, with the branch- es nearly trailing ; woody, and the bark smooth. The plant should be procured in autumn; and " the green leaves alone selected and picked from the twigs, and dried by a moderate exposure to heat."* Qualities.—The fresh leaves are inodo- rous, and have a slightly bitter astringent taste, leaving a sweet sensation in the mouth. When properly dried and pow- dered they acquire an odour similar to that of hyson tea ; but the taste remains the same, the degree of bitterness only being increased. The colour of the powder is a light brown, with a shade of greenish yel- low. Both water and alcohol extract its virtues, and the watery infusion strikes a deep black colour with sulphate of iron. According to the analysis of Melandri and Moretti, the leaves yield tannin, mucus, bitter extractive, gallic acid, some resin, lime, and its oxygenizable extract. Medical properties and uses.—Uva ursi * Cases of Pulmonary Consumption, ire. healed with Uva Ursi, by Robert Bourne, M. D. Svo. Lond. 1S06. possesses astringent properties!, on which account it was employed by the ancients in several diseases ; but it was not till after the middle of the last century that the at- tention of modern practitioners was di- rected to it, as a remedy for calculous com- plaints, and ulcerations of the urinary or- gans, by De Haen. His observations were confirmed by Cullen; who, however, re- ferred the good effects it produced to its action on the stomach. It has also been employed in menorrhagia, cystirrhoea, dia- betes and other fluxes; and Dr. Bourne has lately recommended it in phthisis pul- monalis. He combined it with cinchona and opium, but the cases he published were scarcely sufficiently decisive to confirm its use in this complaint. The dose of the powdered leaves is from 9 j. to 3 j. two or three times a day. ARCTIUM. * Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1630. CI. 19. Ord. 1. Syngenesia JEqualis. Nat. ord. Compositae Capitatx, Linn. Cinar- ocephalae, Juss. G. 1429. Receptacle chaffy. Calyx globu- lar; the scales at the apex with inverted hooks. Seed-down bristly chaffy. Species 1. Arctium Lappa. Common Burd- ock. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 32. 1.13. Eng. Bot. 1228. Smith's Flora Britan. ii. 844. Officinal. Arctii Lapp^ Semina et radix, Edin. Bardana j radix, Dub. The root of Burdock. Syn. Bardane (F.), Bardana (I.), Bar- dana (S.) This is an indigenous biennial plant, common on the sides of roads and in waste places ; flowering in July and August. It is so well known as scarcely to require a description. The root is spindle-shaped, simple, externally of a brown colour, and internally white ; the stem succulent, rising three or four feet in height, with spreading branches ; and very large, undulated, cor- date leaves, of a dark green colour above, and whitish underneath, supported on long footstalks. The flowers are in terminal panicles; the calyx is common, globular, Composed of imbricated scales, with hook- ed extremities, by which they adhere to clothes, and the fur of animals ; the corolla is compound, with purple uniform florets, tubular, five-cleft, and all fertile. The re- ceptacle is punctured; has many rough prickly seed downs, and quadrangular seed. Qualities.—The roots of burdock are in- odorous, the taste sweetish, with a slight degree of bitterness and astringency. The seeds, which are sometimes used, are aro- matic, bitterish, and subacrid. ' t It is used in Russia for tanning leather. ■tA/wt/ov, Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 103 Medical properties and uses.—The seeds and roots of this plant possess some diu- retic powers, and are said to determine also to the surface, without exciting nau- sea, or increasing irritation. They have been employed, and, as far as report can be credited, with advantage, in scurvy, arthritic affections, lues venerea, phthisis, and nephritic complaints. We have no ex- perience of their efficacy; but are ready to believe that the remedy is at least safe. A decoction made by boiling two ounces of the fresh root in three pints of water to two, should be taken in divided doses, in twenty-four hours. ARGENTUM, Lond. Edin. Argentum ; in laminas extehsum, Dub. Silver. Sil- ver Leaf. Syn. Argent (F.), Silber (G.) Argento (I.) Plata (S.), Villie (Tarn.), Rupah (H.), Fizzeh (A.) Silver exists native and mineralized, in different parts of the globe, but not in any very great abundance. It is found, A. In its metallic state ; ** ' > Sp.l. Native silver. d. lized. alloyed with gold. —— with antimony. -------with iron and arse- nic. bis- 2. Auriferous ver ore. 3. Antimonial ver. sil- sil- 4. Arsenical silver. muth. B. Sulphurets; /. combined with sulphur. sr.---------with 5. Bismuthic ver. sil- 1. Sulphuret of sil- ver. 2. White silver ore. auiu. j - with ") eof C 1. Red silver ore. Subsp. a. dark red. b. light red. 1. Horn silver com- mon and earthy. 2. Carbonate of sil- lead, antimony, and iron. C. Oxidized; h. combined with antimonial sulphuret of silver. D. Salts; i. combined with muriatic acid k. — carbonate antimony Besides these ores, there are many me tallic ores which contain silver in sufficient quantity to render the extraction of it pro- fitable. In its native state, it is in small lumps, or crystallized in cubes, hexahe- drons, octahedrons, or dodecahedrons; and occasionally assumes the forms of leaves, threads, or twigs.* Its colour is white, its lustre metallic, and fracture hack- • It is found in this form in the famous mine of Potosi, and is called dendrites. ly. Its specific gravity, is from 10 to 10.338. It is not perfectly pure, but con- tains from .03 to .05 of gold, or arsenic or antimony. But silver is obtained in its pure metallic state generally either by fusion or by amalgamation. By the first process the ore is roasted to expel the sulphur, antimo- ny, arsenic, or other volatile principles ; the residuum is then fused with lead, and ex- posed in a cupel, (a vessel made of bone or of wood ashes,) to a strong heat in the earth of a refining furnace; when the lead and the foreign metals being thus oxidized, are in part absorbed by the porous cupel, and in part volatilized and driven off by the current of air from the bellows or the blast pipe. An experienced eye knows when the silver is sufficiently pure ; but in gene- ral it requires a second cupellation at a higher temperature to purify it completely from the lead with which it is combined. By the second process, the ore is first roasted, then ground to a fine powder, washed, and formed into an amalgam with mercury, by being mixed in small barrels made to revolve very rapidly on their axles by means of machinery. The silver is then separated from the mercury by distillation. Qualities.—Pure silver is a brilliant white, insipid, inodorous, sonorous metal, with a very rich lustre, which it loses when long exposed to the air, owing to sulphu- reted hydrogen being almost always present in the atmosphere. It is in hardness be- tween iron and gold, of considerable mal- leability, the finest silver leaf being only one-third thicker than gold leaf. It is of inferior ductility to gold, platina, and iron. Its specific gravity is 10.47. Silver is fusi- ble at 28° Wedgewood; volatilized by a stronger heat: but difficult of oxidizement by the action of heat and air. It is oxi- dized by several of the acids, and combines with them; but none of the compounds, except that produced with the nitric acid, are used in medicine. Medical properties and uses.—Metallic silver has no action on the human body; but when combined with nitric acid, it forms a very powerful remedy. Many of the instruments used by the surgeon re- quire to be made of silver. Officinal preparation. Argenti Nilras, L. E. D. ARISTOLOCHIA.f Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 151. CI. 20. Ord. 4. Gynandria Hexandria. Nat. ord. Sarmentacese, Linn. Aristolo- chise, Juss. G. 1609. Cor. of one petal, strap-shaped, f The Apio-ToK^ta. Discoridis gives name to the genus, but is not the officinal plant, which was in- troduced only since the settlement of Europeans in America. 104 MATERIA MEDICA. ventricose at the base. Cap. six-celled, inferior, containing many seeds. Stem twining, frutescent. Species 27. A. serpentaria. Virginia Snake- root, or Birthwort. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 152. t. 59. Veg. Mat. Med. of the United States, pl. 25. Officinal. Serpentaria radix, Lond.---- radix, Edin. Serpentaria virginiana ; radix, Dub. Serpentaria Root. Syn. Serpentaire (F.), Virginische Schlangenwutzel (G.), Slangenwortel (Dutch), Slangrod (Danish), Ormrot (Swed.) This plant is a native of North America, from Pennsylvania to Florida, flowering in May and June, and ripening its seeds in September. The root is perennial, consist- ing of bundles of fibres, of a yellow-ochre colour, which changes to brown on drying, attached to a contorted horizontal trunk. Dried serpentaria root is imported into this country in bales each containing from two to five hundred weight. Qualities.—The dried root has an aro- matic odour, not unlike that of valerian; and a sharp, warm, bitter, pungent taste, resembling in some degree that of cam- phor. Water extracts all the sensible qualities of the root, affording a yellowish brown infusion, which is not altered by sulphate of iron or zinc, nitrate of silver, oxymuriate of mercury, tartarized antimo- ny, the mineral acids, and the alkalies, nor is it precipitated by gelatine or tannin. The superacetate of lead throws down a flocculent precipitate, which is not soluble in acetic acid, showing the presence of mucus. With alcohol, it affords a bright greenish tincture, which is rendered turbid by the addition of water. The active prin- ciples of serpentaria, therefore, appear to reside in a bitter resin, and an essential oil. Medical properties and uses.—Serpenta- ria root is a stimulating diaphoretic and tonic. It is beneficially employed in typhoid and putrid fevers, whether idiopathic, or accompanying the exanthemata, to excite diaphoresis, and support the powers of the system ; and is found frequently to increase the effieacy of cinchona in removing pro- tracted intermittents. It is also an excel- lent remedy in dyspepsia, particularly when the skin is dry and parched ; and is sometimes used as a gargle in putrid sore throat. On account of its stimulant prop- erties, it is contraindicated in the inflamma- tory diathesis: and previous to its exhibi- tion the bowels should be well evacuated. It may be given in substance, or in infu- sion made by macerating %iv. of the bruis- ed root in f ,^xij. of boiling water, in a covered vessel for two hours, and straining. Decoction is a bad form of giving serpenta- ria, as the boiling dissipates the essential oil, on which the virtues of the remedy chiefly depend. The dose of the powder- ed root is grs. x. or grs. xx., increased to 3fs.; that of the infusion f 3 jss. to fgij. every fourth hour. Officinal preparations. Tinclura Serpen- tarix, L. E. D. Tinctura Cinchonx com- posita, L. D. Electuarium opiatum, E. ARMORACLE RADIX. Vide Cochlea- ria Armoracia. ARNICA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 2106. CI. 19. Ord. 2. Syngenesia Superflua. Nat. ord. Composite Discoidex, Linn. Corymbiferse, Juss. G. 1491. Recep. naked. Seed-down sim- ple. Cal. with equal leaflets. Corol. of the ray have more frequently five fila- ments without anthers. Species 1. A. Montana. Mountain Arnica. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 41. t. 17. Flor. Dan. t. 728. Officinal. Arnicje Montana flores et rapix, Edin. Arnica ; flores, radix, Dub. The flowers and root of Arnica. Syn. Arnique (F.), Arnika, Wohever- leih, Fallkraut (G.), Arnica (/.), St. Hansblomster (Swed.) This species of Arnica is a native of the northern parts of the continent of Europe, and Siberia; flowering in July. It is also found on the Pyrenees, and is cultivated in our gardens.* The root is perennial, brown, woody, praemorse, with bundles of long fibres attached to it. The herbaceous part of the dried herb, which is used equally with the flowers and root, seems as if covered with a hoary pow- der. Qualities.—The dried plant has a plea- sant, weak, aromatic odour, and excites sneezing. The taste of the leaves and flow- ers is slightly aromatic, bitter and pungent; that of the root, bitter and acrid. The leaves and flowers, macerated in boiling water, yield an olive-brown infusion, which has an odour not unlike that of senna, and a bitter,.hot taste. It reddens tincture of litmus ; but does not precipitate glue, nor alter solutions of tartarized antimony and of oxymuriate of mercury. With sulphate of iron and of zinc, it strikes a deep green colour, and gives dark precipitates. Super- acetate of lead coagulates it. The mineral acids render it muddy, and of a dirty white colour, occasioning brown precipitates; but the alkalies only deepen its proper colour. Both alcohol and sulphuric ether take up from the flowers and leaves a resinous matter, which can be separated from the alcohol by water, and from the ether by evaporation. Hence we may con- * It was introduced by Mr. F. Miller in 1759. MATERIA MEDICA. 105 elude, that arnica contains a peculiar acid,* resin, a nauseous bitter matter, tannin, and mucus; and that sulphates of iron and of zinc, superacetate of lead, and the mineral acids, are incompatible in prescriptions with infusions of its leaves and flowers. Medical properties and uses.—The leaves and flowers of arnica are narcotic, stimulant, and diaphoretic; and in large doses, emetic and carthartic: the root is tonic and aro- matic. The former have been used with advantage in paralytic affections, amaurosis, gout, rheumatism, and chlorosis. They have been extolled also in convulsive diseases, diarrhoea, and dysentery ; but in the latter, their stimulant properties prove often hurtful. In paralysis, their good effects are generally preceded by a pricking sen- sation in the affected part; but in general they do not produce any sensible operation, unless when exhibited in too large doses: in which case they produce great anxiety, pain, vomiting, and the other deleterious effects of powerful narcotics. The root has been much extolled in Germany, as a suc- cedaneum for cinchona in intermittents, putrid fevers, and gangrene; particularly by Dr. Collin of Pazman ; but in the hands of British practitioners it has not deserved the high encomiums he has bestowed on it in these cases. It is regarded by the French practitioners as an excellent tonic in paralysis.f Externally the powdered leaves may be used as an errhine.i Arnica may be exhibited in substance; or in an infusion, made by macerating gjss. of the leaves and flowers, or ^ij. of the bruised root, in f ^xij. of boiling water, and straining through linen. The infusion soon ferments. A dose of the powder is from grs. v. to grs. x. ; that of the infusion, f^jss. twice or thrice a day. ARSENICUM§, Arsenic. Syn. Arsenic (F.), Arsenick (G.), Arse- nico (/.), Arsenico (S.) This metal is found in most parts of the world, accompanying other metals, and oc« casionally uncombined, forming distinct and peculiar veins. The following are the states in which arsenic is found :— A. In its metallic state : i. Alloyed with iron, or silver, or gold. Sp. 1. Native arsenic. • Bouillon la Grange thinks it is the Gallic acid. t Vide Nouv. Element de Therapeutique, par I. L. Alibert, 2d. ed. vol. i. p. 141. X The Savoyards, and the inhabitants of the Vos- geses, both snuff and smoke the leaves ; and thence the plant is know n on the Continent by the name of Tabac de Savoyards et de Vesges. § From etpnviiccv, Dioscoridis, which, how- ever, is not the metal, but realgar, one of the species of the sulphuret; a-xv^up^x" of the other Greeks. 14 B. United with sulphur and iron, ii. sulphurets. 2. Arsenical pyrites. 3. Orpiment. Var. a. Realgar. b. Yellow orpiment. C. United with oxygen. iii. oxide. 4. Native oxide. D. Acidified; and iv. Combined with lime. 5. Arseniate of lime. Pharmacolite. v. Combined with copper. 6. Arseniate of copper. Var. a. Foliated, b. Lenticular, c. Oliven ore. vi. Combined with iron. 7. Arseniate of iron. Cube ore. vii. Combined with lead. 8. Arseniate of lead. viii. Combined with cobalt. 9. Arseniate of cobalt. Red cobalt ore. Var. a. Cobalt crust. b. Cobalt bloom. As metallic arsenic is not used in the arts, it is not extracted from its ores, but is prepared for the purposes of experiment or of curiosity from the white oxide, which is commonly procured in roasting the arseni- ate of cobalt. It is necessary, however, to be acquainted with the appearances and properties of metallic arsenic, as one mode of ascertaining whether the white oxide has been used as a poison, in cases of sus- pected death, is by reducing the oxide. Its colour is bluish gray, something like that of steel, with much brilliancy. It is quickly tarnished by exposure to the air, becomes black, and falls into powder. It is extremely brittle, and pulverulent. Its specific gravity is 5-763. It volatilizes at a heat of 356° Fahrenheit, in dense white fumes, which have the odour of garlic, al- though the solid metal is inodorous. In its metallic state, arsenic exerts no action on the animal system ; but when oxidized it is a virulent poison. Officinal. Arsenicum Album, Lond. Oxi- dum Arsenici, Edin. Arsenicum, (Oxy- dum album), Dub. White Arsenic. Syn. Arsenic oxyde natif (F.), Naturli- coer Arsenickhalk (G.), Arsenico iixneo (/.) Arsenico herabulhalik (Arab.), Sam- uel-k'har (H.), Sanc'hya (San.) The greater part of the white oxide of arsenic of commerce is obtained in Bohemia and Saxony, in roasting the cobalt ores, in making zaffre, and sometimes by sublima- tion from arsenical pyrites. The roasting is performed in furnaces with long flues, in which the impure oxide is condensed, and this is purified by sublimation in the follow- ing method. Large square boxes of cast iron, furnished with conical heads, which 106 MATERIA MEDICA, are closely luted to them with clay, are dis- posed in a brick area, heated by the flues of two furnaces placed a little beneath them. When these boxes are red hot, the impure arsenic, by fifteen pounds at a time, is put into them, where it melts, and soon sublimes in the conical head. Succes- sive additions are thus submitted to the ac- tion of heat, till about 150 pounds have been used to each vessel; and then the ap- paratus is allowed to cool. The conical head is now separated from the box, and carried with its contents into another place, where the workmen break off with hammers the sublimed oxide, separating the impurities for a second operation.* The oxide or arsenious acid thus obtain- ed is a dense, semi-transparent, solid cake ; which becomes opaque, of a snowy white- ness, and pulverulent, when exposed to the air. It is met with in both these forms in the shops; and often is sold in powder, in which state it is sometimes adulterated with white sand, chalk, and gypsum ; but the fraud is easily detected by heating a small portion of the suspected powder; by which the ox- ide is entirely dissipated, and the impuri- ties are left behind. The greater quantity of the oxide of arsenic used in this country is brought from Germany, in casks, each containing from two to five hundred weight. Qualifies.—White oxide of arsenic is ino- dorous ; has an acrid taste, leaving on the tongue a sweetish impression ; and is high- ly corrosive.f When pure, if it has not been freely exposed to the action of the air, it is in semi-transparent, colourless, shining masses, which break with a con- choidal fracture. It is soluble in 400 parts of water at 60°, and in 13 parts of boiling water ; and the latter solution, on cooling, retains 3 parts of the white oxide for every 100 of water, and deposits the remainder in tetrahedrous crystals.} Both solutions red- den infusion of litmus, and combine with the alkalies. It is soluble also in solution of pure potass, in alcohol and in oils. When heated in the open air, this oxide is vola- tilized in a temperature of about 38^3° Fahr., and the vapour has no odour : but if it be heated in contact with any sub- stance, which has a strong affinity for oxy- gen, the vapours have an alliaceous colour, owing to the partial reduction of the oxide.§ * Journal de Physique, torn. i. p. 44. t With Fourcroy Uie majority of Chemists now regard it as an acid. % Klaproth, Schwigger's Journal, vol. vi. p. 232 ; and London Med. Repository, vol. ii. p. 250. J The smelters of copper in Cornwall and Wales, although much exposed to the vapour of arsenic, yet suffer very little from them ; but they are sometimes attacked with cancer in the scrotum. Br. Paris {Pharmacologia) remarks, that they rely upon oil being an antidote ; and are oonnequently supplied with it by their employers. The specific gravity of the oxide in its or- dinary state is 3.706, that of the glass 3.699. According to the average of the experi- ments by different chemists, 100 parts of the oxide consist of 75 of arsenic, and 25 of oxy- gen.! On the simple watery solution of the oxide, ho change is produced by a solution of sulphate of iron, of oxymuriate of mercu- ry, tartarized antimony, the mineral acids, or the alkalies : but nitrate of silver throws down a yellowish precipitate, which gra- dually passes to a brown colour; and a white precipitate is produced by supera- cetate of lead. Lime water also precipi- tates it white ; sulphurets of the alkalies, pale yellow; and sulphuretted hydrogen gas, golden yellow. Medicinal properties and uses.—Although white oxide of arsenic is the most virulent of the mineral poisons, yet when properly administered, it is a medicine of great effi- cacy ; and is employed internally as a tonic, and externally as an escharotic. It had been long used as an internal empirical re- medy in cancer, and some cutaneous affec- tions, both in Europe and the East Indies; and for the cure of intermittents in Hunga- ry ; and in Lincolnshire under the name of '• the ague drop:" but its effects were not clearly understood, nor the proper mode of administering it known, till Dr. Fowler of Stafford published his Observa- tions on its use in the cure of remitting fe- vers and periodic head-achs.^[ Since that time the authority of many respectable practitioners has been brought forward in confirmation of its efficacy in these diseases; and in lepra, chronic rheumatism, inter- mittent hemicrania or megrim, scirrhus, and some local painful affections " of the ends of the bones, cartilages, or ligaments, or of all the three together." It has also been used in dropsy, hydrophobia, syphilis, visceral and glandular obstructions, and in many other diseases, in which, however, its efficacy is by no means established.** In the East Indies the native physicians employ ar- senic (sanc'hya) made into pills with six parts of black pepper, for the cure of con- firmed lues (Persian fire), and a species of elephantiasis (Judham).-j-j- It is also used in cases of the bite of the hooded snake, cobra del capello. || Proust, Davy_ and Dr. Thomson's proportion! are arsenic 100 + 24.930 oxygen, Annals of Phil. it. p. 176. H It is a curious fact that previous to the introduc- tion of copper-works in Cornwall, agues were very frequent; but since that period the disease is ex- tremely rare. " I have heard it, says Dr. Paris, (Pharmacologia,) "remarked by the men in tha works, that the smoke kills all fevers." Is this owing to the arsenical fumes ? ** For a list of these diseases see a paper by Mr. Hill of Chester. Edinburgh Med. Journal, v. W- 312, and vi. 55. tt Asiatiek Researches, 8vo. 5th edit. vol. ii p- 153. MATERIA MEDICA. 107 The internal use of white oxide of arse- nic is contraindicated in all cases attended with strong arterial action; and where there are any pulmonary symptoms; and should a cough even intervene during its use, it should be instantly discontinued. When it is exhibited in proper cases, and with necessary precaution, the effects it produces must be carefully observed : " the feeling of swelling and stiffness of the pal- pebrae and face, heat, soreness and itching of the tarsi, or tenderness of the mouth,*" are indications that the dose of the remedy has been carried to its full extent, and should then be diminished. If erythema or salivation appear, the use of it must be sus- pended : and it should be altogether aban- doned if pain of the stomach, nausea, vo- miting, head-ach, vertigo, or cough be in- duced. The white oxide is exhibited either in substance or in solution. The best mode of giving it in substance is in the form of pills, formed by rubbing one grain of the oxide with ten grains of sugar, and then beating the mixture with a sufficient quan- tity of crumb of bread, so as to form ten moderately-sized pills ; one of which is a dose. The solution, however, is more manageable. The most common form of it is that of the London College ; (vide Li- quor arsenicalis), but the simple solution in distilled water, in the proportion of four grains to a pint, is also given according to M. Le Febvre's method. A table spoonful of the solution, mixed with a little syrup of poppies and half a pint of milk, is direct- ed to be taken in a morning fasting, and the frequency of the dose increaseduntil six spoonfuls be daily taken. As an external application the oxide of arsenic has been long employed in cases of cancer: and has certainly done more to improve the ulceration, and give it a dis- position to contract and heal, than any other external application. It has been sprinkled, in the form of powder, upon the sores; but the most violent pain follows this mode of applying it; and in some in- stances, probably from its absorption, the general system has been dangerously af- fected. The more usual mode of using it is in the form of a lotion, composed of eight grains of the oxide, and the same quantity of subcarbonate of potass, dissolved in four fluid ounces of water • or as an ointment, formed by rubbing together one drachm of the oxide and twelve drachms of sperma- ceti ointment. These applications produce little pain and irritation, cause the diseased parts to slough off, and amend the foetid discharge; but, although, to a certain ex- tent, they produce the most beneficial ef • Dr. Kdlie, ib. fects, yet, the instances in v.Inch a cure has been effected are very rare. The white oxide of arsenic is not unfre- quently the cause of death ; from accidents occurring to those artists who use it in their manipulations; as glass-makers, dy- ers, and workers in gold: or from igno- ranee of the proper dose of its preparations when medicinally used ; or from the em- ployment of it as a poison. The symptoms which occur are those of inflammation of the stomach, incessant vomiting, purging, and pain of the stomachf ; constriction of the throat, and great heat of the mouth ; sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, convul- sions, and death : but if the quantity be not sufficient to produce speedy dissolution, the first-mentioned symptoms are succeed- ed by paralysis, hectic, and other symp- toms of extreme debility.^ When death takes place, symptoms of putridity are said soon to present themselves, but this is not always the case, although the body is often marked with livid stripes, and covered with ecchymoses ; and on dissection the stomach often, although not always, appears either abraded, or completely eroded in several parts; with appearances of inflammation extending through the whole abdominal viscera. Particles of the arsenic are occa- sionally found adhering to the abraded parts of the villous coat of the stomach. Various methods of counteracting the poison of arsenic have been recommended. Whatever antidote is adopted, the stomach should, in all cases, be immediately eva- cuated : and the best mode of doing this is by administering large draughts of tepid mucilaginous fluids. In order to render the arsenic inert, solutions of the alkaline sulphurets, and vinegar, have been advised ; but the experiments of Renault have de- monstrated how little reliance is to be placed on these articles. Hahneman or- ders one pound of soap to be dissolved in four pounds of water, and a cupful taken, tepid, every three or four minutes; and as this is the antidote most readily procured, if lime-water or chalk and water cannot be at hand, it should always be the first em- ployed. Lime-water proves useful by coat- ing the particles of the arsenic with an arseniate of lime, which is insoluble, and consequently inert.§ Dr. Yelloly, reason- ing on the probability that the inflamma- t In a case detailed by Dr. Yelloly, no pain of the stomach, convulsions, nor delirium occurred,although it terminated fatally. Edin. Med. and Surg. Journ. v. 389- I On this subject our readers will find much practical information in the London Medical Reposi- tory, vol. 5, p. 97. $ See our experiments on thi« subject, in the London Med. Ripos. vol. viii, 157. 108 MATERIA MEDICA. tion induced is often the cause of death, even after the stomach is freed from the whole of the poison, suggests the propriety of early blood-letting in these cases.* As medical men are often called upon in courts of law to establish the fact of white oxide of arsenic having been used as a poi- son, it is necessary to know the best tests by which it may be recognised. If on searching in the stomach, or among its vo- mited contents, any considerable quantity of the suspected poison be discovered, a little of it must be mixed with three times its weight of black flux, composed of one part of finely-powdered charcoal, and two parts of dry carbonate of potass; or, to a grain of the poison add half a grain of char. coal, and a grain of dried carbonate of po- tass. These must be put into a thin glass tube, about eight inches in length, and l-4th inch in diameter, hermetically closed at one end, and thinly coated with a mixture of pipe-clay and sand.f The open extremi- ty must then be slightly plugged with a piece of paper (taking care to clean the up- per portion of the tube by means of a fea- ther), and the tube kept for a quarter of an hour in a well-burnt coal fire ; when, if the powder introduced into the tube contain arsenic, metallic arsenic will sublime and be found lining with brilliant crust the inside of the tube. That it was arsenic may be further proved by volatilizing a small por- tion of the reduced metal on a red-hot iron, and observing whether it presents the gar- lic odour peculiar to the vapour of metallic arsenic. The white oxide may also be de- tected in the following manner. Mix some of the suspected matter with the black flux;' place the mixture between two pieces of polished copper; and after binding them tightly together with iron wire, place them in an ordinary fire ; if oxide of arsenic be present, a white stain will be left on the surface of the copper, which is an alloy of metallic arsenic and the copper. When the poison is found in very small quantity only, let it be dissolved in two drachms of hot rain or distilled water, with three grains of subcarbonate of potass, or what is to be preferred, the subcarbonate of ammonia; then add to this a warm solution of five grains of sulphate of copper, which will produce a lively grass-green precipi- tate if arsenic be present. When no pow- der is discovered in the stomach, its con- tents and the vomited matter must be wash- ed with hot water, and filtered, carbonate of potass added to the filtered fluid, and then a warm solution of the sulphate of copper, as above described. A still more • Edinburgh Med. and Surg. Journal, v. 392. t The coating of the tube is not absolutely neces- sary. I Philosophical Mn£. May 1809, delicate test than any of those already men- tioned has been proposed by Mr. Hume $: one part of the suspected poison, and three parts of subcarbonate of potass, are to be dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rain or distilled water at 212° ; and the surface of this solution slightly touched with a piece of nitrate of silver. If oxide of arsenic be present, a sulphur-yellow coloured precipi- tate will be seen falling rapidly from the point where the nitrate is applied. In our experiments we have found that the sixti- eth part of a grain of the oxide is clearly discovered in two ounces of water by this test. All these experiments should be per- formed in the day-time, and the precipi- tated fluid examined by reflected, not transmitted light.§—Objections have been raised against this test, because the pre- sence of the alkaline phosphates in the sus- pected fluid would produce precipitates of a similar colour with nitrate of silver ; and if muriate of soda, or of any other alkali, were present, the test could not be em- ployed, on account of the copious precipi- tates which these produce with the nitrate. The first objection is obviated by making the trial on paper, as recommended by Dr. Paris : Drop a little of the suspected fluid on writing-paper, and draw several times over it a stick of lunar caustic; which, if arsenic be present, will leave a streak of colour, that becomes a very bright queen's yellow, if brushed with some liquid ammo- nia, which continues unchanged ; but if no arsenic be present, and only alkaline phos- phates, the streak will be uniform, and in a few minutes fade into a sad green, and gra- dually become black. Dr. Marcet has shown us how to obviate the difficulty with regard to the muriates, by adding to the suspected fluid dilute nitric acid, and then to apply the nitrate of silver to its surface until no more precipitation is produced; by which means the whole of the muriatic acid is removed : and as the arseniate of sil- ver remains in solution, it is rendered evi- dent by a yellow precipitate being instantly formed on the addition of ammonia.—But the great difficulty is to detect the pre- sence of the poison in the stomach. Be- sides examining the contents of this viscus by filtration and dilution, if no arsenic can be detected, Orfila advises the viscus to be cut in pieces and separately examined,! by boiling them in water and testing the de- coction. In this case, the best test is to pass a current of sulphureted hydrogen gas through the filtered decoction, which will diffuse a fine yellow colour in the fluid if any arsenious acid be present. If no co- lour appear, which may occur, although the § Rostock. Edin. Med. and Surg. Journ. v. 170, || Traiti des Poisons, &c. par M. P. Orfila, vol. ii. p. 109. MATERIA MEDICA. 109 arsenious acid be in the decoction, owing to the presence of phosphate of soda, the addition of very dilute pure nitric acid will produce it.* When any of the vehicle in which the poison has been exhibited can be procured, more satisfactory results will be obtained from the examination of it, than from that of the contents of the stomach. If it be found in the form of powder, the most satisfacto- ry proof is that of reducing this to the me- tallic form, as already described ; but if the whole of the arsenic be dissolved, it must then be tried by different re-agents. One of the simplest methods which I have tried is the following. Into the suspected solu- tion stir a moderate quantity of charcoal powder; allow it to settle ; then pour off the clear supernatant fluid, or filter the mixture ; and when the powder which re- mains on the filter is dry, sprinkle some of it on a red hot poker : if the solution con- tain arsenic, the odour of garlic will be ren- dered sensible. This effect becomes more obvious if a few grains of dried subcarbo- nate of potash be added to the dried char- coal powder.f The results from no single * Vide An Essay on Chemical Analysis, &c. By J. G. Children. Lond. 8vo. 1817. p. 393. t To ascertain the delicacy of this test, the fol- lowing experiments were made—Ex.1. Half a drachm of white oxide of arsenic being boiled in two ounces of water, and the fluid filtered when cold, it was found to retain twenty-eight grains of the white oxide in solution. Exp. 2. One drachm of this solution be- test should, however, be relied upon : and as a knowledge of the appearances produ- ced by the four principal re-agents usually employed for the detection of arsenic, must greatly facilitate such an examination, we have constructed the following table from actual experiments; comparing the results obtained from solutions of arsenic with those from solutions of corrosive sublimate, tartarized antimony, and muriate of barytes, which are the only substances likely to be mistaken for arsenic. It is necessary to re- mark, that the broth employed was made with beef, and contained a moderate pro- portion of carrots, turnips, and onions, and that the coffee and the tea contained milk and sugar in the usual proportions employ- ed in these beverages. ing mixed with two ounces of water in a cylindrical glass vessel, so as to form a solution which contained about one part of the oxide for 592 of water, a scru- ple of finely-powdered charcoal was added, and the mixture being well agitated with a glass rod, and al- lowed to settle, was filtered. The powder, when dry, on being thrown upon a red hot shovel, emitted a very faint odour of garlic. Exp. 3. The same as the former, except that two drachms of the solution were employed, making the proportion of the white oxide to the water in the diluted solution, as 1 to 308 : the garlic odour was very perceptible. Exp. 4. Four drachms of the arsenical solution being employed, making the proportion of the white oxide to that of water in the diluted solution as 1 to about 171, the garlic odour was extremely strong. From these ex- periments it is evident that this test will detect arse- nic in any solution strong enough to act as a poison. COMPARATIVE TABLE of the Precipitates obtained from Solutions of White Arsenic, of Oxymuriate of Mercury, of Tartarized Antimony, and of Muriate of Barytes, with different Tests. 1st Test.—WATER SATURATED WITH SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN GAS. Solvents. Precipitates from Solutions of Precipitates from Solutions of Precipitates from Solutions of Precipitates from Solutions of ARSENIC. CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. TARTAR EMETIC. MURIATE 07 BARYTES. Water- - - - Bright golden yellow, which was deep- Yellow at the instant of its formation, Orange, curdy, partly suspend- Heavy, and of a dirty dark ened by the addition of a few drops but soon becoming blackish. On ed, partly thrown down. Ul- brown colour. of strong acetic acid.* shaking the tube it changes to a dirty white. Whitish yellow at first,'quickly chang- timately bright orange. Broth - - - - Scarcely any at first, but on adding a Pale orange at first, soon chang- Dirty pale brown, heavy. few drops of strong acetic acid, a ing to mixed cloats of yellow, black ing to a deeper bright orange- pale yellow. and white. Milk Little change, but on the addition of a Light ochre, requiring for its forma- Golden yellow, with a shade of Dirty nankeen, with a shade of drop of strong acetic acid, a straw tion a large quantity of the test. orange. brown. coloured precipitate. Tea..... At first, very pale yellow; after some Brownish white and yellow, mixed. Deep orange, curdy, slowly Dirty light brown, deepening as time, a pale greenish yellow. The formed : the supernatant flu- it fell. precipitate was curdy. id yellow. Madeira wine Turbid, pale yellow, the colour of the Muddy, gradually displaying small Pale orange, long suspended. The muriate mixed with white wine destroyed. floating black flocculi. wine is milky.—Not tested. Port ditto • - Turbid, paler yellow: the precipitate in both is very slowly formed. Nearly as in the white wines, like clouds through the purple of the wine. Dark dirty brown. Pale brown, heavy. Coffee- - A deep golden yellow. Brownish black. Deep orange brown. Not tried. Gruel - - - . Pale yellow suspended. Light brown, slowly formed. Pale orange. Not tried. * This precipitate, dried upon a filter/and heated with some caustic potash in a slender test tube, is decomposed in a few seconds, forming a sulphuret of po- tash, while the arsenic is volatilized in its metallic form, and adheres to the sides of the tube. (Orfila.) II. HYDRO-SULPHURET OF POTASH. Solvents. Precipitates from Solutions of ARSENIC Precipitates from Solutions of CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. Precipitates from Solutions of TARTAR EMETIC. Precipitates from Solutions of MURIATE OF BARYTES. Water- - - -Broth Tea..... Coffee .... Madeira wine Port ditto Gruel - - - - White, with the faintest tint of sul-phur yellow, when a large quantity of the test was used.* Pale, but bright: sulphur yellow. Bright golden yellow. A beautiful yellow. A deep golden yellow.t Sulphur yellow Fawn colour. Bright queen's yellow. Black, mottled with yellow. (gray Clotted, heavy, black, mottled with Black, clotted. Brownish black. Nearly black. Dirty white, or slate colour. Slate colour, with violet superna-tant liquor.) Black dense clots.} Bright orange. Dull orange, heavy. Orange. Reddish orange, flocculent. Deep brownish orange. Beautiful bright orange. Dark brown, with a tinge of orange. Orange-clotted. Deep olive green. Lt. brown, partially suspended. Brown, greenish when the mixture was shaken. Not tried. Not tried. Vide 1st Table. Violet, heavy. • Dusky yellowish green. HI. SOLUTION OF SULPHATE OF COPPER, with the addition of Ammonia in excess. Water - • -Broth - - - ■ Milk Coffee .... Madeira wine Port ditto Gruel Beautiful grass green. It completely disappeared on the addition of a few drops of strong acetic acid.|| Beautiful pale green, suspended."} Pale greyish green. Obscure olive, but scarcely a precipi-tate. Dark grass green. Greyish, with a slight tinge of green. Clotted, heavy, dark greenish grey. Beautiful grass green. White, thick and heavy. White, curdy, partly suspended, partly thrown down. Blueish white, curdy. Dirty yellowish white, curdy. Dirty white. Heavy clotted white, with a tint of green. Heavy, clotted, blueish grey. Pale blueish white. Pale, whitish blue, very little thrown down. Pale whitish blue, with a tint of green. Whitish blue. Muddy, pale blueish green. Dirty blueish green. jErugenous blue. Heavy, dirty slate blue. Pale blueish green. Copious whitish blue. Opaque, glaucous. Curdy white, with a tinge of blue. Greyish, heavy, supernatant fluid, yellowish green. Not tried. Vide 1st Table. Dirty violaceous grey. Pale blueish green. IV. NITRATE OF SILVER; a drop or two of Ammonia being previously added to the solutions. Solvents, Water - . . Broth .... Milk Tea - - . • . Coffee - . . Madeira wine Port ditto Gruel ■ . . . Precipitates from Solutions of ARSENIC. Copious bright sulphur yellow, fall ing in flocculi from the point of contact.** White, (owing to the muriate of soda) but jellow when treated with nitric acid. White, with a tint of yellow. Yellowish-white, which soon blackens. Yellow, remaining unchanged. Pale sulphur yellow. White, becoming brown on exposurt to the light. Yellowish. Precipitates from Solutions of CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. Dull yellowish white, clotted, changing to dirty white. White, copious. Dirty white. Dirty white. White, changing to black. Dirty white, changing to black. Ibid. Dense, dirty white clots. Precipitates from Solutions of TARTAR EMETIC. Brownish, mixed with much muriate of silver. Very pale, scarcely visible brown. Dirty brown. Not tried. White. Dirty white. Not tried. Precipitates from Solutions of MURIATE OF BARYTES. White, heavy; soon blacken ing. White, dense, curdy. Not tried. Not tried. Not tried. Vide 1st Table. Heavy, dirty white. Dense, clotted, white. The hydrosulphuret, added to a solution of the phosphates, throws down a greenish yellow precipitate, the supernatant fluid being yellow and turbid. T Lime water, also, added to coffee containing arsenic, throws down a yellow precipitate ; although it precipitates the watery solution of arsenic white. (Orfila.) X Corrosive sublimate cannot be exhibited in port wine with an intention to commit murder, (except by a self-murderer,) as it changes the colour of the wine to a pale violet. $ All the precipitates by the sulphuret, when dried, and heated in a tube with iron filings, afford metallic mercury, which is volatilized, and shows itself in globulas upon the sides of the tube. II This test is capable of detecting arsenic in a solution containing one 110,000th of its weight. (Orfila.) % It has been suggested, that onions boiled in broth, or eaten so as to impregnate with their peculiar qualities the contents of the stomach, might produce the same effects on sulphate of copper, as if arsenic were present; but although a green colour is produced, yet no precipitate falls as when arsenic is present. A similar precipitate is formed by nitrate of silver, in a solution of any of the phosphates ; but the fact of the precipitate being occasioned by arsenic, is easily ascerta.ned by testing a fresh portion of the solution with lime water. If it contain arsenic, a copious white precipitate will be thrown down ; if a phos- phate only, there is scarcely any change, or at the most a translucent flocculent precipitate, whicli remains long suspended. A new method of employing this test was suggested by Dr. Paris. It is to put upon a piece of clean white paper a broad streak of the suspected fluid j and then run lightly over it a stick of lu- nar caustic. This is an excellent test, when modified as I have elsewhere (London Med. Repository, vol. viii. p. 178.) suggested, by brushing the streak light- ly over with liquid ammonia, immediately after the application of the caustic. If arsenic be present, a bright queen's yellow is'instantly produced, which re- mains permanent for nearly an hour ; but, when the lunar caustic produces a bright yellow before the ammonia it applied, we may suspect the preseuce of some phosphate rather than arienic. MATERIA MEDICA. 113 ARTEMISIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1815. CI. 19. Ord. 2. Syngenesia Superflua. Nat. Ord. Compositx Nucamentaceae, Linn. Corymbiferae, Juss. G. 1473. Receptacle subvillous or almost naked. Seed-down none. Cal. imbri- cate, with roundish converging scales. Cor. without rays. * Shrubby. Species 8. A. Abrotanum, Southernwood. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 52. H. 21. •** Herbaceous, with the stem somewhat branching, the flowers in panicles, the leaves compound. Species 26. A. santonica, Tartarian South- ernwood. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 61. t. 23. -----42. A. maritima. Sea Wormwood. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 60. t. 24. Smith, Flora Brit. 864. -----63. A. Absinthium. Common Worm- wood. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 54. /. 22. Smith's Flora Brit. 864. 1. Artemisia Abrotanum.* Officinal. Abrotanum ; folia, Dub. Southernwood leaves. Syn. Citronelle Auronne (F.), Ebe- raute, Stabwurz (G.), Abrotano (/.), Lim- briguera (S.) This is a perennial undershrub, a native of the south of Europe, Siberia, China, and Cochinchina. In England, where it is abun- dantly cultivated, it resists the winter, but very rarely flowers. Qualities.—Southernwood has a strong fragrant odoiiT ; and a warm, bitter, nause- ous taste. Both water and alcohol extract these qualities; but the alcohol more per- fectly than the water, the infusion having scarcely any bitterness. The tincture is of a beautiful green colour, the infusion of a pale olive. The latter strikes a black with sulphate of iron, and precipitates acetate of lead. A small quantity of essential oil is pro- cured by distillation ; on which, and a bitter resinous matter, the qualities of the plant appear to depend. Medical properties and uses.—Southern- wood is said to possess tonic, diaphoretic, anthelmintic, and deobstruent properties. It was formerly much used in debilities of the stomach, chlorosis, and jaundice. Ex- ternally it has been employed as a discu- tient and anodyne fomentation for inflam- mations, pains, tumours, and gangrenous ulcers. But it is very rarely used in modern practice. The dose may be from p)j. to 3j. of the leaves in substance ; or of an in- fusion, made with gvj. of the leaves and f£x. of water, a cupful, taken twice or thrice a-day. * ACpo'rovov, Dioscoridis, ab afyiTM inhu- manum ; vel etGpunw c;bo inutile. Vide Al- ston's Mat. Med. ii. 65. Ii 2. Artemisia Santonica. Officinal. Artemisib santoniob cacti- mina, Edin. Santonicum-j-j cacumina, Dub. The tops of Tartarian Southern- wood. Syn. Sementine (F.), Tartarisches Bey- fus (G.), Santonico (/.) This species of artemisia is a native of Tartary and Persia; but it is cultivated in our gardens, flowering in September. The root is perennial; and the plant has the ha- bits of indigenous field southernwood, but is erect. The qualities and medical properties of this plant are nearly the same as those of the former species of artemisia; and it may be used for the same purposes. The worm seeds (semina Santonici) of the former pharmacopoeias, which were supposed to be the production of this plant, are now pro- perly rejected, as their place can be well supplied with anthelmintics of more cer- tainty. 3. Artemisia maritima4 Officinal. Absinthium maritimum ; cacu- mina, Dub. The tops of Sea Wormwood. This is an indigenous, perennial plant, growing near the sea shores, and in salt marshes, flowering in August. The root is fibrous, and somewhat woody. Qualities.—The odour is slightly fra- grant, and the taste bitter and weakly aro matic. Like the first described species, its activity seems to depend on a bitter resin and essential oil. Medical properties and uses.—These are in every respect the same, in a diminished degree, as those of the next species. It is scarcely ever used. 4. Artemisia Absinthium.§ Officinal. Absisthium, Lond. Artemisia Absinthii folia, Summitates, Edin. Absinthium vulgare ; folia, cacumina. The leaves and flowering tops of Worm- wood. Syn. Absinthe commun (F.), Wormuth (G.), Assenzio (/.), Artemisio axenjo (S.) Common wormwood is an indigenous pe- rennial plant, growing in dry waste places, and flowe*ringin August. The greater part, however, of that which is used for medici- nal purposes is cultivated in the physieal gardens. || Qualities.—The odour of common worm- wood is strong, and although fragrant, yet to many persons it is very disagreeable: the taste is intensely bitter, slightly pun- gent, and nauseous. These qualities are •j- 2avTw/cv, Dioscoridis. i liptqiuv, Dioscoridis. § A^tvBtov, Dioscoridis. || A good deal is cultivated at Mitcham in Surry, chiefly for the seed, whicli is sold to the rectifiers of British spirits at about 30s. per cwt.—Stevenson's I Survey, p. 378. 114 MATERIA MEDICA. given out both to water and alcohol: and a dark-green essential oil, on which the odour depends, is obtained by distillation with water. The watery infusion of the plant has a pale olive colour: sulphate of iron, and of zinc, slowly deepen it to a black; and su- peracetate of lead throws down a yellow- ish-green flocculent precipitate. The active parts of the plant seem to be extractive, es- sential oil, which is not in the least bitter, and a small portion of resin. Kunsmuller* found in the residue of 12 ounces of the plant after infusion, besides other things, 59 grains of carbonate of lime. Medical properties and uses.—Common wormwood is the only species of artemisia which deserves to be retained in the list of materia medica. It is tonic, antispasmodic, and anthelmintic: and, when externally ap- plied, is discutient and antiseptic. It has been used with advantage in intermittents, gout, scurvy, and dropsy; and although modern practitioners will scarcely rely on its efficacy in these complaints, yet it is un- doubtedly of some value as a stomachic in dyspepsia and hypochondriacal affections. When it is desirable to free the remedy from its narcotic property, it should be given in decoction, as the boiling dissipates the essential oil on which this depends. The dose in substance is 9j. to Qij.; and of the infusion, made by macerating ^vj. of the plant in fSjxij. of water.f^j. to ?3xij. three or four times a day.j- Officinal preparations. Extractum Absin- thii, D. ARUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 477. CI. 21. Ord. 7. Moncecia Polyandria. Nat. ord. Piperita, Linn. Aroideae, Juss. G.1705. Spathe one-leafed, cowled. Spadix naked above, female below, stamineous in the middle. * Stemless with compound leaves. Sp. 17. A. maculatum.\ Arum, or Cuckow- pint. Med.Bot.2d.edit.728. t. 249. Eng. Bot. 1298. Smith, Flora Britan. iii. 1024. Officinal. Arum ; rabix recens. Dub. The recent root of Arum. Syn. Gouet (F.), Aronswurzel (G.), Aro (/.) This is a perennial indigenous plant, growing under hedges and on the sides of banks in many parts of Britain^ ; flowering in May, and ripening its berries in August. For medical use the roots of arum should be dug up in autumn, after the leaves are completely decayed. They may be preserv- ed fresh for nearly a year if buried in sand in a cool cellar. Qualities.—The arum root is white, and • Ann. de Chim. vi. p. 35. f Purl is an infusion of wormwood in ale. j: ApovfA.*y«,„ Hippocratis. $ We have found it in great abundance in the lanes near Ewell in Surry. inodorous. When chewed the taste is at first sweetish and soft, but it soon excites a burning, pricking sensation on the tongue and in the mouth, which continues many hours, and is attended with great thirst. Butter, milk, and oily fluids allay these un- pleasant sensations. The sliced root applied to the skin, reddens, and excoriates or ve- sicates it. The acrimonious matter, how- ever, can be washed off from the bruised root by water; is completely dissipattd by drying; and abstracted by a mixture of wa- ter and alcohol by distillation, although the fluid receive no sensible impregnation ; so that it may be regarded as a vegetable principle sui generis. The recent express- ed juice reddens vegetable blues ; and has been found to contain malate of lime.|| The dried root is chiefly fecula, perfectly inert, and saponaceous; and is used in France as a cosmetic, under the name of Cypress powder. Medical properties and uses. —Arum root in its recent state is stimulant, diaphoretic, and expectorant. It has been employed in cachectic, chlorotic, and rheumatic cases; and in humoral asthma. Bergius says, he found it a never-failing remedy for cepha- laea sympathica, which resisted all the other means he employed. But the difficulty of procuring arum root always in a state to be depended on, prevents it from becoming a remedy of general utility. The dose of arum, in substance, may be from grs. x. to ^j, three or ifour times a day, combined with any thing which can sheath its acrimony, as mucilage, milk, thick barley-water; or triturated with gum and water, so as to form an emulsion. ASARUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 858. CI. 11. Ord. 1. Dodecandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Sarmentaceac Linn. Aristolo- chiae Juss. G. 925. Calyx three or four-cleft, placed on the germen. Corolla none. Capsule coriaceous, crowned. Spec. 1. A. Europxum.^ Asarabacca. Med. Hot. 2d edit. t. 66. Eng. Bot. t. 1083. Smith, Flora Brit. 509. Officinal. Asari folia. Lond. Edin. Asa- rum ; folia. Dub. Asarabacca leaves. Syn. Asaret- Cabaret (F.), Haselwurt- zel (G.), Asaro, la bacchera (/.), Asarode Europa (S.), Hasselbrt (Swed.), Asaroon (Arab.), Tuckir (Hind.) This is a perennial plant, the geographi- cal limits of which extend from 60° to 37° N. latitude; and is consequently a native of several parts of England, particularly'Lan- cashire and Westmoreland: growing in woods and shady places; and flowering in May. II Ann. de Chimie, xxxv. 153. •J Ao-ttpov, Dioscoridis. The Arabic word Asaroon signifies astringency. MATERIA MEDICA. 115 As a great deal of the acrimony of asara- bacca is lost with keeping, the leaves should be used in as recent a state as possible; and dried without the application of much heat.* Qualities.—The recent leaves are nearly inodorous; their taste slightly aromatic, bitter, acrid, and nauseous. The decoction is inert, but the watery infusion, which has the colour of brandy, possesses the sensible qualities of the leaves. Sulphate of iron changes the colour to a deep olive, throw- ing down a greyish precipitate. The re- cent root when distilled yields a volatile oil which smells like camphor; but this is not obtained from the dried root. The recent root possesses, also, emetic properties. Medical properties and uses.—The leaves of Asarabacca are emetic, cathartic, and di- uretic; but in modern practice they are never used except as an errhine ; and, per- haps, as Dr. Cullen has remarked, they form the most useful species of this genus of local stimulants. A proper dose snuffed up the nose for a few successive evenings at bed-time, occasions a copious discharge from the nostrils, which continues to flow for several days. They have been found particularly beneficial in cephalaea, obsti- nate tooth-aches, chronic ophthalmia, and lethargic affections. The dose of the pow- dered leaves is grs iij. to grs. v. which should be repeated every night until the full effect is produced, avoiding exposure to cold during its use. Officinal preparation. Pulvis Asari com- positus. K. D. ASSAFCETIDJE GUMMI RESINA. Vide Ferula Assafatida. ASPIDIUM. Flora Britannica, Smith, 1118. CI. 24. Ord. 1. Cryptogamia Filices Nat. ord. Filices Linn. G. 429. (Smith.) Fructification in roundish points, scattered, not marginal. Involu- cre umbilicated, open almost on every side. •* Frond nearly bipinnate. Species 4. A. Filix Mas.f Male Fern root. Med. Bot. 1st edit. t. 49. (Polypodium Filix mas.) Eng. Bot. 1458. Officinal. Filicis radix. Lond. Aspidii Filicis Maris radix. Edin. Filix mas; radix. Dub. Root of the Male Fern. Syn. Fougere (F.), Johanniswurtzel (G.) Felie Maschia (/.), Polypodio helecho masculino (S.). • The roots, which are not ordered in the British pharmacopoeias, contain the same acrid principle as arum; and are violently emetic and cathartic. Their odour, which is not unlike that of valerian, is said to prove fatal to moles. St. Hilaire, Expos, des Fam. Nat. vi. 174. f e»\t/TTi«c, Dioscoridis, This is a common indigenous, perennial plant, growing in woods and shady places, and flowering in June and July. Qualities.—The dried root is nearly ino- dorous; the taste at first sweetish, then slightly bitter, subastringent; and mucila- ginous when chewed. The internal part of the root, which yields a reddish powder, is the portion that is medicinally used. Medical properties and uses.—This root is astringent, and has been celebrated both by the ancients and the moderns as a pow- erful anthelmintic. It appears to have been used as such by Theophrastus, Dioscoridis, and Galen ; but although recommended by Hoffman, yet it was neglected by the mo- derns, until the publication of Madame Nou- fer's specific for the tape-worm by the French government again brought it into notice.- According to her plan of admi- nistering it, from one to three drachms of the powdered root were directed to be ta- ken in a large cupful of water, in the morn- ing while the patient was in bed: and two hours afterwards a strong cathartic of calo- mel and gamboge, proportioned to the age and strength of the patient, was given ; and, if necessary, the further operation was pro- moted by a dose of purging salts; nothing but broth being taken till the worm came away. If this, however, did not happen on the same day, the process was ordered to be repeated on the next day. Notwithstanding the celebrity of this re- medy, there is every reason for ascribing more efficacy to the cathartic than to the fern root; and it may now be rejected al- together from the materia medica, oil of tur- pentine being a more certain remedy for expelling taenia. ASTRAGALUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1256. CI. 17. Ord. 4. DiadelphiaDecandria. Nat. ord. Papilionaceae or Leguminoss, Linn. G. 1379. Legume generally two-celled, gibbous. Species.—A. verus. True Astragalus. Oli- vier Voy. dans l'Empire Ottoman, v. 342. pl, 44. Officinal. Tragacantha. Lond. Astraga- li Thagacanth^e Gummi. Edin. Tra- gacanth. Syn. Gommi Astraganti (F.), Traganth (G.), Draganti (/.), Sumegh ulkassael (Arab.), Xuttivah (H.) This shrub is a native of the north of Per- sia, flowering in July and August. The gum exudes in summer, more or less copiously according to the heat of the weather, in tortuous filaments, which are allowed to dry on the plant before being collected. A large portion of the Traga- canth collected in Persia is sent to India, Bagdad, Bussorah, and Russia. But what we receive is sent to Aleppo, whence it is exported, packed in cases. 116 MATERIA MEDICA. Qualities.—Good Gum Tragacanth is in- odorous ; impressing a very slightly bitter taste as it dissolves in the mouth. It has a whitish colour, is semitransparent, and in very thin, wrinkled, vermiform, pieces: brittle but not easily pulverized, except in frosty weather, or in a warmed mortar. It swells and softens in water, but does not form a homogeneous fluid mucilage, unless triturated after digestion with a large por- tion of water: but when the water is acidu- lated with any of the mineral acids, a small portion of it is dissolved. It is also insolu- ble in alcohol and ether. Dr. John has given the name of Cerasin to this species of Gum, from its being exuded pure from the Cherry-tree, Prunus cerasus. Its muci- lage differs from that of acacia gum in be- ing precipitated by the superacetate of lead and oxymuriate of tin ; and not by sili- cated potass*, or the oxysulphate of iron. Medical properties and uses.—Gum trag- acanth is demulcent; and may answer the purposes of the acacia gum; being even better adapted for allaying tickling cough, and sheathing the fauces in catarrhal affec- tions, owing to its greater viscidity. It is chiefly, however, employed for pharma- ceutical purposes. The dose is grs. x. to 3 j- or more. Officinal preparations.—Mucilago Astra- gali Tragacanthte. E. D. Pulvis Tragacan- thee comp. L. ATROPA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1016. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Luridae Linn. Solonaceae Juss. G. 381. Cor. bell-shaped. Stam. distant. Berry globular, 2 celled. Species 2. A. Belladonna. Deadly Night- shade, or Dwale. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 230. t. 82. Eng. Bot. 592. Smith. Flor. Brit. 253. Officinal. Belladonna folia, Lond. Dub. Atropa Belladonna folia. Edin. Deadly Nightshade leaves. Syn. Balladone (F.), Tolkraut (G.), Belladonna (/.). Belladonna is an indigenous perennial, found in many parts of Great Britain, par- ticularly in shady places where the soil is calcareous, flowering in June, and ripening its berries in September. Qualities.—The leaves of Belladonna are inodorous; the taste is slightly nauseous, sweetish, and subacrid. They do not lose their active properties by drying. Vau- quelin found that they contain a substance resembling animal albumen, salts with a base of potash, and a bitter principle, on which their narcotic quality depends; that has since been ascertained by M. Brandes to be an alkali, which he has named Atro- * Bostock, Nicholson's Saurn. Iriii. 30, piumf. Every part of the plant is poison- ous ; and chddren and the ignorant have often suffered from eating the berries, the beautiful appearance and sweet taste of which render them very alluring. The symptoms which they induce are those of intoxication, accompanied with fits of laughter and violent gestures*; great thirst, difficulty of deglutition, nausea, dila- tation of the pupil, with the eyelids drawn down; redness and tumefaction of the face, stupor or delirium, a low and feeble pulse, paralysis of the intestines, convulsions and death. Dissections show that the stomach and intestines have been inflamed; and after death the body swells, blood flows from the nose, mouth, and ears ; and the most rapid decomposition ensues. The best mode of averting these fatal effects is by exhibiting emetics of sulphate of zinc, or of copper, and assisting their operation by irritating the fauces; then evacuating the bowels by active purgatives and glysters; and following these by large doses of vine- gar and other vegetable acids. The recov- ery is always slow. Medical properties and uses.—The dele- terious effects we have enumerated demon- strate that belladonna is a very powerful narcotic. It is besides diaphoretic, and diuretic. When injudiciously or incautious- ly given, or when it is taken for a conside- rable length of time, even in small doses, it is apt to induce a dryness and stricture of the pharynx and adjoining parts of the oesophagus, sickness, vertigo, and dimness of sight; symptoms sufficiently indicative of the necessity of suspending its use for some time, and giving it in smaller doses when it is resumed. The internal adminis- tration o( belladonna appears to have been suggested by the advantages resulting from its external application. Cullen, De Haen, Junker, and others, found it very service- able in scirrhous and cancerous affections; and it has also been given with advantage in obstinate intermittents, chronic rheuma- t To obtain it boil the dried leaves in distilled wa- ter, press the decoction out, and filter, after the al- bumen has been thrown down by a little sulphuric acid ; then add potash as long as a precipitate h produced, wash this precipitate in pure water, re- dissolve it in muriatic acid, and again precipitate by ammonia. This is atropium. It is in white acieular crystals, insipid, little soluble in cold water, or even alcohol, but very soluble in boiling alcohol, from which, howevar, it is deposited on cooling.—Ann. of Phil. vol. i. p. 2, 3. new series. Schweigger's Journ, vol. xxviii. p. 1. X Buchanan the Scottish historian, states that the victory of Macbeth over the Danes was obtained chiefly by mixing a donation of wine and ale, sent by the Scots to Sweno during a truce, with this plant. He describes very accurately the botanical characters of the plant, and adds " vis fructui, radici, ac max- ime semini somnifera, et quae in amentiam si largiui sumantur, agat."—Rerum Scot. Hist, lib. vii. sect. 6' MATERIA MEDICA. 117 tism, gout, paralysis, amaurosis, and pertus- sis, in which we can speak of its efficacy from our own experience. Hufeland asserts that it has the power of allaying convul- sions arising from scrophulous irritation; and its beneficial effects in neuralgia facialis have been well ascertained.* Its narcotic powers are certainly great; but they have not been found sufficiently constant and permanent to insure its general use. Ex- ternally, used either as a fomentation, or the dried leaves powdered and sprinkled over the parts, it is of singular efficacy in diminishing the pain of cancerous and ill- conditioned sores: and as the infusion, when dropped into the eye, produces a great di- latation of the, pupil, it was proposed by professor Reimarus, and is now very com- monly used in this countryf, for dilating the pupil previous to the extraction of the cataract. " Its operation appears to be li- mited to the radiated fibres of the iris."* By continued use it loses its effect; but re- gains it after the application has been, for a short time, suspended. Belladonna may be given in substance, beginning with one grain of the dry leaves powdered, and gradually increasing the dose to 12 or 14 grains; or of an infusion made with one scruple of the dried leaves in ten fluid ounces of boiling water, two ounces may be given daily, and cautiously increased. Officinal preparations.—Extract. Belladon- nx, L. Succus spissatus Atropae Belladon- na, E. AURANTII BACC^. Vide Citrus Au- rantium. AVENA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 443. CI. 3. Ord. 2. Triandria Digynia Nat. ord. Gramina Linn. G. 142. Calyx tvvo-valved, many-flowered ; with a twisted awn on the back. Species 13. A. saliva.^ Common Oat. Off. Avens: semina. Lond. Edin. The seeds of the Oat, called Grits. Syn.] Gruau d'avoine (F.), Habergriize (G.), Avena (/.), Avena (S.) The oat was found by Anson growing wild upon the island of Juan Fernandez, on the coast of Chili; but the place whence it was first brought to Europe has never been satisfactorily ascertained. There are many varieties of this species of grain cultivated in the north of Europe. In this country that which is called the po- tatoe oat is considered the best; its pickle is short and plump, with a ihin, clean, bright, pale straw-coloured cuticle. • Observations on the use of Belladonna, ire. by John Bailey, 8vo. 1817. t Med. and Phys. Journal, No. xxxii. X Adams's Practical Observations on Ectropium, ire. Svo. p. 41. § Bfaysc, Dioscoridis, Oats, when freed from their cuticle only, are named grits ; in which state, and ground into meal, they are dietetically and medi- cinally used. In both states they yield their fecula to water by coction ; and form a nu- tritious and amylaceous gruel. The nu- trient qualities of oats are well known. In many places the meal forms the chief sup- port of the poor; and for infants who are unfortunately deprived of their natural and proper nourishment, the breast milk, no better substitute can be adopted than thin grit gruel mixed with good cow's milk. The gruel should not be kept longer than forty-eight hours, as it becomes acescent after that period.|| Qualities.—Oats are inodorous ; and taste very slightly, but not unpleasantly bitter. They have not been chemically examined ; but the greater part of their substance ap- pears to consist of fecula or starch. Medical properties and uses. — Gruels, or decoctions of grits or of oatmeal, are ex- cellent demulcents, and therefore very fre- quently prescribed in inflammatory diseases, diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, calculus, and febrile affections. They may be sweeten- ed, acidified, or used plain. They are also used locally in glysters ; and the meal boil- ed with water into a thick paste forms an excellent suppurative poultice. BALSAMUM PERUVIANUM. Vide Myroxylon peruiferum. BALSAMUM TOLUTANUM. Vide To- luifera Balsamum, BARYTA. Barytes. Syn. Baryte (F.), Baryterde, Schwerde (G.), Barite (I.) This mineral substance does not exist, as far as we know, in an uncombined state ; and its native combinations hitherto disco- vered are very few. It is found A. Combined with carbonic acid: Sp. 1. Carbonate of barytes, or Witherite.\ B.---------with sulphuric acid: 2. Sulphate of barytes; or Heavy Spar. Barytes is obtained by decomposing these fossils. It is not a simple substance, but a compound of a peculiar metallic base named barium by Sir H. Davy,** and oxygen, in unknown proportions. || The following is the simplest mode of making gruel: Put three ounces of grits which have been washed, into four pints of water, and boil slowly un- til the water be reduced one half; then strain through a sieve to separate the undissolved part of the grits from the gruel. 1 So named by Werner, after Dr. Withering, who discovered it native ou Alston moor in Cumberland, in 1783. * * Mr. Murray proposes barytum instead of bari- um. Syst. of Chem. ii. 205. 118 MATERIA MEDICA. 1. Carbonate op Barytes. Officinal. Carbonas Barytjb, Edin. Car- bonate of Barytes. Syn. Carbonate de Baryte (F.), Kohlon- saure Baryterde (G.), Ossicarbonato di Barite (/.) This fossil is found native in Sweden, Scotland, and Cumberland, but in greatest abundance at Anglesark, in Lancashire. It usually occurs massive in veins, which tra- verse the independent coal formation : and sometimes, although rarely, it is found crys- tallized. The crystals are small, and their primitive form is yet undecided. Qualities.—Carbonate of barytes is ino- dorous and insipid, but is nevertheless poi- sonous. Its colour is white, or yellowish grey: it is translucent, with a shining, some- what resinous lustre ; and breaks in one direction with a fracture intermediate, be- tween radiated and foliated, and in another uneven: the fragments wedge-shaped. The lustre of the principal fracture is glimmer- ing ; that of the cross, glimmering and resi- nous. Its specific gravity is 4.331. When heated it becomes opaque; and is fused into a white enamel by the blow-pipe. When heated it becomes opaque : and when pul- verized its powder phosphoresces when thrown on burning coals. It is soluble in 4304 times its weight of cold water; in 2304 of boiling water ; and dissolves with eff'ervesence in diluted nitric acid, although the strong acid exerts no action on it. It consists of 9.75 of barytes and 2.75 of car- bonic acid in 100 parts. Use.—It is only used for preparing the muriate. It may, however, be exhibited as a poison; and in this case the antidote is diluted sulphuric acid, as the sulphate which is thus formed is an inert salt. Officinal preparation. Murias Baryta, E. 2. Sulphate of Barytes. Officinal. Sulphas Barytje, Edin. Sul- phate of Barytes. Syn. Sulfate de Baryte (F.), Schwefel- saures Baryterde (G.), Tungspat (Swed.), Ossisolfato di Barite (/.) Qualities.—Sulphate of barytes is inodo- rous and insipid. Its colour is white, with shades of yellow, red, blue, or brown. It occurs transparent, semitransparent, or only translucent; and is hard, brittle, and heavy, its specific gravity being from 4.484 to 4.500. The varieties of form of its crystals are nu- merous : but the primitive form is a rec- tangular prism, the bases of which are rhombs with angles of 101p 30' and 78° 30'.* The most common varieties of its crystals are the octahedron with cuneiform summits, the six or four-sided prism, the hexangular table with bevelled edges, some- times they are needle form.f It breaks with • Hauy, Thomson's Chemistry, iv. 369. t Thomson's Chemistry, 5th edit. iii. p. 413. a straight foliated fracture ; the fragments are nearly rhomboidal, and having a shining, pearly, almost vitreous lustre. It is fused by the blow-pipe, and converted into the sulphuret; and is soluble in sulphuric acid only, from which it is precipitated by wa- ter" The results of experiments to ascer- tain its constituents have been very discord- ant; according to Berzelius, they are 9.573 of barytes, and 5 of acid. Use.—This barytic salt is introduced into the list of materia medica, merely as a sub- stitute for preparing the muriate of barytes, when the carbonate cannot be procured. BELLADONNJE FOLIA. Vide Atropa Belladonna. BENZOINUM. Vide Styrax Benzoin. BISTORTiE RADIX. Vide Polygonum Bistorta. BISMUTHUM. Bismuth. Syn. Etain gris, bismuth (F.), Wismuth (G.) This metal is not very widely diffused. Its ores are found chiefly in Saxony; and, less abundantly, in Sweden, France, and Cornwall. It is usually accompanied by co- balt. It most commonly occurs in the state of metal, and, therefore, its ores are not much diversified. The following are the states in which Bismuth is found:— A. In its metallic state : i. Alloys. Sp. 1. Native Bismuth. B. United with other metals and sulphur: C2. Common Sulphuret. ii. Sulphurets. < 3. Needle Ore. £4. Cupreous Sulphuret. C. United with oxygen : iii. Oxyde. 5. Bismuth ochre. The ancient German miners regarded it as incomplete silver, or silver beginning to form, and termed it tectum argenti: and so late as the close of the 17th century it was considered to be a species of lead. Bismuth was for some time considered as an alloy by chemists; but this opinion was gradually discovered to be erroneous; and it now ranks as a distinct metal.}; BISMUTHUM. Lond. Bismuth. This metal appears as if formed of broad shining plates adhering to one another, of a reddish white colour: and is both insipid and inodorous. Its specific gravity is 9.822. It is not very brittle ; and is rather softer than copper, but is not very malleable, and breaks when struck smartly by a hammer: it soon loses its lustre when exposed to the air, but remains unaltered under water. It cannot be drawn out into wire. It melts at 476° of Fahr., in which state its surface is oxydized in pellicles like lead; it evapo- X The Greeks and Arabians were not aware of the existence of Bismuth ; but it was very early distin- guished by the Germans. It is mentioned as a pecu- liar metal by Agricola, in his treatise entitled Ber- mannut, written in 1520. MATERIA MEDICA. 119 rates in a higher temperature, and may be distilled over in close vessels. It is inflam- mable in a strong red heat, burning with a faint blue flame and emitting a yellow smoke, which condenses into an oxyde, in- sipid, unvolatilizable, insoluble in water. The oxyde when strongly heated melts and becomes darker coloured ; and it may be sublimed at a heat below that which is re- quired to fuse it. It is easily reduced when heated in conjunction with combustible bo- dies ; the affinity between bismuth and oxygen being weak. According to Lagerh- jelm this oxyde consists of 100 parts of Bis- muth and 11.275 of oxygen : or according to Mr. Phillips, of Bismuth 90 and oxygen 10 in 100 parts.* Bismuth inflames in chlorine gas, and forms a chloride. It also combines readily with iodine when heated, and forms an iodide of an orange-yellow colour, and so- luble in pure potass. Bismuth does not combine with azote, hydrogen, carbon, bo- ron, silicon, nor phosphorus. Bismuth in fusion readily combines with sulphur, and forms a sulphuret of a bluish grey colour, which is not unlike sulphuret of antimony. It crystallizes in tetrahedral crystals, which cross one another : and is very brittle and fusible. Its constituents, according to Dr. John Davy, are 100 of Bismuth and 22.34 of sulphur, which nearly agrees with the analysis of Lagerhjelm, who makes them to be 100 of Bismuth and 22.52 of sulphur .-j- Bismuth, in its metallic state, has no ac- tion on the animal economy. It is used merely for preparing the subnitrate ; a salt which has long been employed, with great advantage, in cardialgia and similar affec- tions of the stomach, but was not, until the present edition appeared, admitted into the Pharmacopoeia. Officinal preparations. Bismuthi subni- tras, L. BITUMEN. Syn. Bitume (F.), Erdharze (G.), Bi- tume (/.), Bitumen (S.) In the limited signification of this term, it is meant to imply those mineral inflam- mable bodies, which resemble, in a certain degree, oily and resinous substances. They have been divided into two classes: the first containing bitumens, or properly speaking, bituminous oils, which possess nearly the same properties as the essential oils; the second, Bitumens, strictly so call- ed, which possess properties peculiar to themselves^ ; and a third class may be formed of those substances in which bitu- men predominates with other components. • Trans, of the London Pharmacopoeia, 1824. p. 1. t Thomson's Chemistry, 5th edit. vol. i. p. 459. ( Thomson's Chemistry, 5th edit. vol. ii. p. 384, A. Bituminous oils: fluid. Sp. 1. Petroleum. Var. a. Naphtha. b. Petroleum. C2. Maltha, or Sea wax. 13. ^3. Mineral tallow. B. Proper bitumens: solid. 1. Asphaltum. semifluid. 2. Mineral tar, or tallow. solid. 3. Mineral Caoutchouc. C. Bituminous compounds: 1. with resinous matter. Sp. 1. Resin-asphaltum. 2. with charcoal. 2. Pit-coal. Var. a. Brown coal. b. Black coal. c. Glance coal. According to Hatchett, the elements of bitumens are carbon, hydrogen, sometimes azote, and probably oxygen.§ Officinal. Petroleum, Lond. Bitumen petroleum, Edin. Petroleum barbaden- se, Dub. Petroleum. Barbadoes Tar. Syn. Petrole (F.), Steinbhl (G.), Bergol- ja (Swed.), Petrolio (/.), Nift (Arab.), Mitti tel (H.) The officinal names imposed by the three British colleges are not to be regarded as synonymous of the same species of bitu- men. The first species of the bituminous oil is properly named by the London col- lege, the second variety of that species be- ing the real Petroleum of the shops • but the Dublin college has incorrectly given the second species of the proper bitumens as the synonime of Bitumen Petroleum. Petroleum is found in many parts of the world, in various states of purity. When free from foreign ingredients, and before it has been long exposed to the action of the air, it is named naphtha; of which the purest kind that is brought to Europe comes from Monte Ciaro, near Piacenza in Italy. " This hill consists of horizontal beds of argillite, in which pits are sunk till the water comes in; after which the naphtha oozes out of the sides and floats on the sur- face'of the water, whence it is skimmed off every week."|| It usually flows from rocks of the coal formation. The less pure pe- troleum of the shops is procured from Mon- te Festino, near Modena. In the Birman empire there are 520 wells in one dis- trict, which yield annually more than 400,000 hogsheads of petroleum. Qualities.—Naphtha is of a pale yellow- ish colour, thin, fluid, light, transparent, odoriferous, unctuous to the touch, vola- tile, and very inflammable. By long expo- sure to the air, it passes into the second va- $ Linn. Trans, iv. 129. || Mem. Sci. 1736, p. 57, quoted by Aikin, Diet, of Chcm. art. Bttumen. 120 MATERIA MEDICA. riety petroleum; which is thicker than naph- tha, unctuous to the feel, semi-transparent, of a reddish or blackish-brown colour, and when long exposed to the air changes into true bitumen. It has a strong, penetrating, not disagreeable odour, and a bitter, pun- gent, acrid taste; and is not quite so in- flammable as naphtha. Its sp. gr. varies from 0.730 to 0.878.* It is insoluble in wa- ter ; but is soluble in alcohol, ether, the volatile and the fixed oils. When distilled with water, it comes over nearly as clear and fluid as naphtha. Both these varieties of bituminous oil combine with fat, resins, essential oil, and camphor; with alkalies they form soapy compounds; and sulphuric and nitric acids change them into solid re- sins. Medical properties and uses.—Petroleum is a stimulating antispasmodic and sudorific; and as such has been given in asthma and coughs unattended with inflammation ; but it is chiefly used externally as a stimulant in diseases of the hip-joint, in rheumatic and other chronic pains, in chilblains, por- rigo, and to paralytic limbs, applied by fric- tion.-j- It is, however, scarcely ever em- ployed ; and on this account is not often to be procured in the shops. The dose of petroleum may be from TT\,x to ff"jss., given in any convenient vehicle. BOLETUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. CI. 24. Ord. 13. Cryptogamia Fungi, Nat. ord. Fungi, Linn. Juss. G.—Fungus horizontal, porous beneath. * Parasitic, stemless. Spec. 3. B. Jgnarius. Agaric of the oak. Sowerb. Fung. t. 34. Officinal. Boletus ignarius. Agaricus, Edin. Agaric. Syn. Agaric de chene (F.), Feuerschwamm (G.), Tontcligezwam (Dutch), Tynders- vamp (Dan.), Frdske (Swed.), Gubka (Polish), Esca o fungo preparata (/.), Agarico (S.), Boleto da isca (Portug.), Garikoon (Arab, and Tarn.) This species of fungus is found in Bri- tain, growing upon decayed trunks of the ash and the oak. The pileus, or hat, is scaly and convex, but depressed in the centre. When young it is of a light brown colour above, and soft like velvet; white underneath, and covered with a slimy mat- ter ; but when mature it changes to dark brown, approaching to black. It is from six to ten inches in diameter ; and although generally stemless, yet it is sometimes sup- ported on a footstalk an inch in length.£ * Kir-wan. t In the West Indies the Barbadoes tar is used as an internal remedy. Of the Burma Petroleum, Dr. Fleming remarks, " in chronic rheumatism I found much greater benefit from it, than from the more costly Cajeput oil."— Asiatic Researches. t Withering, Bot. Arrange, ii. 767. The boletus which grows upon the oak is said to be the most valuable. It should be gathered in August or September, and be kept in a dry room. " The way of prepa- ring it is to take off with a knife the white and hard part, till you find a substance so soft as to yield under the finger like sham- my leather."§ This must be divided into different pieces, and these beaten with a hammer till they become so soft as to be torn with the finger. Qualities.—Prepared agaric is inodorous, and has a slightly astringent taste. Accord- ing to Bouillon la Grange, by whom it has been chemically examined, it contains re- sin, extractive, something similar to animal gelatin, and different salts. Medical properties and uses,—Agaric has been much celebrated as a styptic, when externally applied to bleeding arteries and veins. It was introduced by Brossard, a French surgeon, in 1750, and was for some years used both on the continent and in this country: but if it really possesses styp- tic powers greater than those of lint or sponge which does not appear to be the case, the improved practice of surgery ren- ders all such applications useless. BONPLANDIA. Plantx Equinoctialet. Tom. ii. p. 59. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Quassiae, Juss. Gen. char. Calyx monophyllous, campanu- late, five-toothed. Corolla five petals, cohering near the base, funnel-shaped. Spec. 1. B. trifohata. Three-leaved Bon- plandia. Humboldt, 1. c. tab. 97. Mem. de IJnstitut. 184. Part I. p. 82. pl. 10. Officinal. Cusparia Cortex, Lond. Bon- plandia trifoliate Cortex, Edin. An- gustura; Cortex, Dub. Cusparia bark, Bonplandia bark, or Angustura bark. Syn. Angusture (F.), Angusturarinde (G.), Angustura (/.) Although the London college has desig- nated the tree which yields this bark by the name of Cusparia febrifuga, as origi- nally given to it by Humboldt, yet we have preferred the name imposed by Willdenow, and since adopted by Humboldt. The Bonplandia trifoliata is a native of South America, growing abundantly in the woods, five or six leagues from the eastern bank of the Carony, at the foot of the hills that surround the missions of Capassui, Upata, and Alta Graecia. It is brought to this country packed in casks; but the ori- ginal package, Mr. Brande informs us, is curiously formed of the large leaves of a species of palm, surrounded by a kind of net-work made of sticks. It is in pieces of different lengths, some nearly flat, and & Phil. Trans, xlix. Part I. 29. MATERIA MEDICA. 121 others in partial quills of all siaes intermix- ed. Qualities.—The odour of this bark is not strong, but peculiar; the taste bitter, slight- ly aromatic, and permanent, leaving a sense of heat and pungency in the throat. The pieces are covered with a whitish wrin- kled thin epidermis ; the inner surface is smooth, of a brownish yellow colour, and the intermediate substance mottled fawn colour, and of a compact texture. It breaks with a close, short, resinous fracture; is easily pulverized, and affords a powder which, when triturated with lime or cal- cined magnesia, gives a smell of ammonia. —The active matter is taken up by cold and hot water in infusion, and is not injured even by coction, but the addition of alcohol precipitates part of the extractive. The alcoholic tincture reddens litmus paper, and becomes milky on the addition of water. The watery infusion precipitates the infu- sion of galls, and of yellow cinchona, but not gelatine.* I found that it precipitates sulphate of iron, tartarized antimony, sul- phate of copper, acetate and superacetate of lead, oxymuriate of mercury, and pure potass yellow ; which confirms Vauquehn's analysis. Nitrate of silver also precipitates it yellow, but assumes a violet colour after sometime. Ammonia deepens the colour, but is not precipitated. Sulphuric acid gives the infusion a brown colour, and gra- dually a lemon-yellow precipitate is depo- sited ; whilst nitric acid deepens the colour to a blood-red, and after some time affords a lemon-yellow precipitate. The muriatic acid does not affect it. Sulphuric ether takes up one part from ten of the powder, and, when evaporated on water, leaves a greenish yellow, very acrid resin, and ren- ders the water milky: the addition of ni- tro-muriatic acid changes this milky ap- pearance to red, slowly producing a lemon- yellow coloured precipitate, and giving the resin on the side of the glass a brown pink colour. By distillation with water, the bark yields a small portion of a white essential oil. These experiments ascertain the sub- stances which are incompatible in prescrip- tions with infusion, or tincture of cusparia bark ; and show that it contains cinchonin, resin, a peculiar variety of extractive, car- bonate of ammonia, and essential oil.\ * Vauquelin. Ann. de Chimie, lix. 130. T A species of bark, in some respects resembling the Cusparia, has lately been introduced upon the Continent, possessing the most deleterious quality. Planche has examined it, and named it Angustura ferruginea. It is readily disiinguished from the true bark by its greater thickness and weight, and the epidermis being of a brownish olive hue, and warty. It impresses also the most nauseous and permanent bitter when chewed. By agitating the powder in very dilute muriatic acid, itassumes ;i beautiful green. Medical properties and uses.—Cusparia bark is stimulant and tonic. It was intro- duced in the West Indies with very high pretensions ; and, although it is not supe- rior or even equal to Cinchona bark in fevers, yet it is a remedy possessed of very considerable powers. It does not oppress the stomach, but gives to it a degree of warmth, expels flatus, keeps the bowels open, and increases the appetite for food. It is particularly efficacious in bilious diar- rhoea and dysentery, after due evacuations ; and also proves useful in dyspepsia, hyste- ria, leucorrhoea, and most of the diseases in which the use of a general tonic is indicat- ed. Mr. Brande published several cases which came under his own observation, and some from the communications of others, in which its usefulness, as a remedy for intermittents, appears to be confirmed; but this is disputed, particularly by Alibert, who gave it a fair trial in the hospital of St. Louis. My own experience does not enable me to give an opinion on the sub- ject. Its employment is contra-indicated in directly inflammatory complaints, in hectic fever, and colliquative diarrhoea. It may be exhibited in substance, in wa- tery infusion, in tincture, and in the form of watery extract. The powdered bark is given in doses of from grs. v. to grs. xx., beyond which it is apt to induce nausea. It may be combined with neutral salts, mag- nesia, and testaceous medicines, or with powdered cinnamon, which covers its nau- seous taste better than any other adjunct. Of the aqueous extract, grs. x. is a full dose. In large doses all the forms are apt to excite nausea. Officinal preparations. Infusum Cusparix, L. Tinctura Bonplandix trifoliatx, E. Tinc- tura Angusturx, D. BOSWELLIA. Roxburgh. CI. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Linn. Gen. Char. Cal. beneath, five-toothed. Cor. five petals. Nect. a crenulated fleshy cup, surrounding the lower part of the germ, with stamens inserted on its outside. Capsule three-sided, three-valved, three- celled. Seeds solitary, membranous, winged. Species.—B. Serrata. Asiatic Researches, 8vo. vol. ix. p. 377. Officinal. Olibaxum$; Lond. Juniperi ly- ci;k Gummi-resixa, Edin. Olibanum j Gummi-resina, Dub. Olibanum. Syn. Encens (F.), Weirauch (G.) Ohba- owing to the iron contained in the cuticle of this bark. The narcotic deleterious matter has been ascer- tained to be an alkali, which has been named Brucine. For particulars regarding its poisonous properties, vide Orfila's Traiti des Poisons, torn. ii. p. 331., and The Lond. Med. Repository ; and for the characters of Brucine, vide Ann. de Chirm et Phys. xii. 113. X CJnasi Oleum Libani. Colebrooke, Asiatic Re- searches, 8vo. vol. ix. p. 38i 123 MATERIA MEDICA. no (/.), Koondir Zuckir (Hind.), Cundur (Arab.), Labuniyii (Syr.) Olibanum was supposed, on the authori- ty of Linn-eus, to be the production of the Juniperus Lycia* : but this opinion appears to be erroneous; for, Mr. Colebrooke has observed, "this species of juniper is a na- tive of the south of France;" and the French botanists deny that it yields the re- sinous gum in question.-j- On this account, therefore, and influenced by other proofs brought forward by Mr. Colebrooke, we have been induced to regard olibanum, at least that brought from India, as the pro- duction of the Boswellia serrata of Rox- burgh, although it is still referred to the ju- niperus Lycia in the British pharmacopoei- as.:]: Lamark supposes that the Arabian oli- banum is the production of the Amyris Gi- leadensis ; but his reasons are not very con- clusive. The Boswellia serrata is a native of the mountains of India, and is vulgarly known under the name of SadaY. It is a large tree, with the foliage crowded at the extremities of the branches. Olibanum is imported in chests and casks from the Levant, and is also sold at the East India Company's sales ; but the Indian oli- banum is not much esteemed. Qualities.—Olibanum is a translucent, whitish yellow, brittle substance, generally covered with whitish powder, produced by the friction of the pieces against each other. Its odour, when burnt, is fragrant; its taste is acrid, bitterish, and somewhat aromatic. When heated, although it melts with diffi- culty, yet it burns brilliantly, and leaves a whitish ash, composed of phosphate, car- bonate, and sulphate of lime, with muriate and carbonate of potass. When distilled alone it affords a volatile oil; but when in conjunction with water or alcohol, no oil comes over. Alcohol dissolves three-fourths of it, forming a transparent solution ; and when triturated with water a milky solu- tion is produced, from which the resinous matter is deposited after some time, and three-eighths only remain dissolved. Ether takes up rather more than one half, and when evaporated on water leaves a very pure transparent resin ; while the part un- dissolved by it becomes white and opaque, and is almost entirely soluble in water, forming a milky solution. Hence, olibanum appears to consist of resin, gum, and a vo- latile oil. This opinion bus been lately con- * AiCavoc, Dioscoridis. f Asiatic Researches, vol. ix. p. 377. X Although so much used in the early ages as in- cense in sacrifices, and, latterly, in the ceremonies of the Greek and Roman churches, yet both ancient and modern writers have differed regarding the plant yielding it. firmed by Braconnot, who has analysed oli- banum, and found in 100 parts of it, 8 of volatile oil, 56 of resin, 30 of gum, and 5-2 of a matter resembling gum, but insoluble in water and alcohol. The oil resembled the oil of lemons in odour and colour. Medical properties and uses.—Olibanum is stimulant and diaphoretic. It was former- ly much used in affections of the chest, and externally as a vulnerary; but it is now employed only as a perfume in sick rooms. BUBON. § Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1439. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbellatae. G. 546. Fruit ovate, striated, villose. Species 2. B. Galbanum.|| Lovage-leaved Bubon. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 98. t. 40. Officinal. Galbani Gummi Resina, Lond, Dub. Bubonis Galbani Gummi Resina, Edin. Galbanum Gum-resin. Syn. Galbanum (F.), Mutterharz (G.), Galbano (/.), Gulbane (S.), Barzud (A.), Bireeja (H.) This species of bubon is a perennial plant, a native of Africa about the Cape of Good Hope, and of Syria, flowering in June and July. When the stem of the growing plant is broken, or wounded by a knife, a cream- coloured juice flows out; and in this man- ner the gum-resin is procured, by making an incision, or cutting the stem across a few inches above the root; when it soon con- cretes, and is fit to be gathered. A small quantity exudes spontaneously from the joints of the stem. The gum-resin is brought to this country from the Levant, in cases or chests, containing from one to three hun- dred weight each. The best is in ductile masses, composed of distinct whitish tears agglutinated together by a pale brown or yellowish substance. It is generally much mixed with stalks, seeds, and other impu- rities. The separate tears are considered to be the best part of the mass. When the colour is dark brown or blackish, it must be rejected as bad. Qualities.—Galbanum has a strong pecu- liar odour, slightly resembling that of tur- pentine ; and a bitterish, warm, acrid taste. Its specific gravity is 1.212.K When tritu- rated with water, about one-fourth of its weight is dissolved, forming a milky solu- tion ; but after standing for a little time, four parts are again deposited, and what remains undissolved by the trituration is, exclusive of the impurities, almost com- pletely soluble in alcohol. Wine and vine- gar act on it nearly in the same manner as water. Alcohol takes up one-fifth of its § HzvSuvw, Dioscoridis. || Xuxfixn, Hippocratis. "I Brisson. MA1ERL4 weight i and a yellow tincture is produced, ■which has the sensible qualities of the gal- banum, and becomes milky on the addition of water; but there is no precipitate. Proof spirit acts slowly on it, and does not dissolve the whole, the impurities except- ed. Sulphuric aether dissolves a conside- rable portion of galbanum, forming a bright golden-coloured tincture, which, when eva- porated alone, or floating on the surface of water, leaves a yellow, tenacious resin, that retains in perfection the sensible qualities of the galbanum. The part insoluble in aether is nearly wholly soluble in water. Oxymuriatic acid added to the solutions of galbanum, throws down an insoluble mat- ter which appears to be oxidized extrac- tive. By distillation the gum-resin "yields half its weight of volatile oil, which has at first a blue colour."* From our experi- ments, galbanum appears to consist of re- sin, volatile oil, gum, and extractive. Medical properties and uses.—Calbanum is antispasmodic, expectorant, and deob- struent; and may be placed between am- monia and assafbetida. It has been found useful in hysteria, particularly when at- tendant on difficult menstruation; and in chlorosis. Externally it is applied as a re- solvent and a stimulating suppurative to in- dolent tumours. The dose is from grs. x. to jj. in pills; fjr triturated with water and gum arabic so as to form an emulsion. Officinal preparations.—Pilulx Galbani comp. L. Pilule Assafatidx comp. E. Pi- lula myrrlue comp. D. Tinctura Galbani, D. Emplastrum Galbani, D. Emplast. Gal- bani compositum, L. Emplastrum Assafa- tidx, E. Emplastrum Gummosum, E. CAJUPUTI OLEUM. Vide Melaleuca Cajupuli. CALAMI RADIX. Vide Acorus Cala- mus. CALAMINA. Calamine. See Zincum. CALUMBJE RADIX. Vide Menisper- mum. CALX. Edin. Lime. Syn. Chaux (F.), Kalk (G.), Calce (/.), Calviva (S.) Chunamboo (Tarn.) Chunna (H.), Ahuck (A.), Kakote-tung-b-a (Esqui- maux.) This earth is very rarely found in an un- combined state ;f but very abundantly in combination with other substances. It forms a part of the bodies of animals and of vege- tables ; exists in the water of most rivers, and of the ocean ; and is a principal con- stituent of many fossils, soils, and mountains. The following species only of the fossils in * Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. v. 142. t Monnet affirms that it exists in the mountains of Upper Auvergne, mixed, however, with a little oxide of iron. Monnet's Mineralogy, 515. MEDICA. 123 which it is found in combination with car- bonic acid require to be noticed. It is nearly pure in: Sp. 1. Chalk. 2. Limestone. Subsp. 1. Compact Limestone. Var. a. Common, b. Roe-stone. 3. Foliated limestone. Var. a. Granular foliated, or sta- tuary marble, b. Calcareous spar. 4. Fibrous limestone. Var. a. Common fibrous, or sa- tin spar. b. Calcsinter, or Sta- lactite. 5. Pea-stone. By exposing any of these carbonates to a strong heat the carbonic acid is driven off, and lime, or quicklime, as it is commonly called, is obtained; the properties of which shall be noticed under the title Calx, among the preparations. It is not, how- ever, perfectly pure, but contains generally portions of silex, argil, or magnesia. To obtain pure lime, let white marble be dis- solved in dilute muriatic acid, leaving an excess of marble undissolved. A solution of pure ammonia being added to the solu- tion of marble will indicate by a precipitate the presence of argil and magnesia, which are to be separated by filtration; and the lime itself precipitated in the form of car- bonate by a solution of pure sub-carbonate of potass. This precipitate, after it is washed with water and dried, and exposed to a very violent heat in a platinum cruci ble, is pure lime.t It is a compound of a peculiar metallic base, named calcium by Sir H. Davy, and oxygen, in unknown pro- portions^ We have here to notice the calcareous fossils only which are medici- nally used. 1. Chalk. Friable Carbonate of Lime. Officinal. Creta, Lond. Dub. Carbonas Calcis. a. Molhor, Creta alba, Edin. Chalk. Syn. Craie (E.), Kreide (G.), Gasso (/.), Greda (S.), Khurree muttee (H.), Kilo (A.). This mineral is found in the north of France, Poland, some of the Danish islands, and in grent abundance in the south of England, within a range which commences at Flamborough Head, in Yorkshire, and is continued, with irregular interruptions, through the midland counties, to Surry, Sussex, Hampshire, and into Dorsetshire. It occurs massive in beds; and contains numerous relics of land and marine animals. Qualities.—Chalk is inodorous and in- sipid ; but adheres slightly to the tongue. Its colour is either white, or yellowish, or grayish white. It feels meagre and rough: is not very hard, but is pulverulent; breaks with an earthy .fracture; stains the fingers, X Chenivix, Memoirs of the Irish Academy. 1802. ] Phil. Trans. M08. 124 MATERIA MEDICA. and marks. Its specific gravity is from 2.3 to 2.6. It effervesces with acids; and generally contains a small portion of argil. The average proportion of lime is 53 per eent. Medical properties and uses.—Chalk is antacid; but it must undergo levigation and washing, before it can be internally admin- istered. In powder it is externally advan- tageously employed as an absorbent in burns and excoriations. Officinal preparations. Creta preparata, L. E. D. 2. Limestone. Hard Carbonate of Lime. Officinal. Lapis calcaueus, Lond, Caii- bonas Calcis. b. Durior, Marmor al- bum, Edin. Limestone. White Marble. Syn. Pierre a chaux ; chaux carbonatee (F.) Kalkstein (G.), Marino ; ossicarbonato di calce (/.), Chunamboo kulloo (Tarn.) Although all the varieties of limestone may be regarded as officinal, yet the two varieties particularly designated are var. a of the first subspecies, common compact limestone, and a of the second subspecies, granular foliated limestone, or white Carrara marble. The first is found abundantly in Britain, in extensive strata connected with floetz and coal formations • the second is brought from Carrara and Paros, and be- longs exclusively to the primitive and tran- sitive mountains. Qualities.— Common limestone is inodor- ous and insipid: of a grey colour, some- times variegated with veins, stripes, and clouds of yellow, flesh red, and greenish grey. It is hard and brittle; the fracture splintery ; the fragments sharp-edged, and scarcely translucent. Its specific gravity is from 2.6 to 2.7. White marble has a granu- lar texture, white colour, and foliated frac- ture. Its specific gravity is from 2.7. to 2.84. Both varieties dissolve in acids with effervescence; and contain about 65 per cent, of lime. Use.—Limestone is chiefly used for ob- taining pure lime. CANCER. Syst. Nat. Gmelin. 2963. Ord. 7. Insecta, Aptera. G. 270. Feet eight, (sometimes six or ten,) two of them with claws. Palpi six, nearly equal. Eyes two, distant, movea- ble, in many of the species standing on elongated peduncles. Mandible horny, thick. Lip triple. TW jointed and un- armed. Sp. 27. C. pagurus. Black-clawed Crab. Brit. Zoology, iv. 4. t. 3. Sp. 63. C. astacus. The Crawfish. Brit, Zoology, iv. 9. t. 15. /. 27. I. Cancer pagurus. Officinal. Cheljj cANcuonujr, Edin, Can- CER ; CALCULI OCULI DICT1* ; CHELJE, Dub. Crab's Claws. * This is an error of the Dublin College, as thou Syn. Bras de Cerevisse (F.), Klaua an Krabbe (G.), Forbici de Granchi (/.), Pi- ernade Cangrejo (S.). The black-cluwed crab frequents the rocky coasts of the North Sea, and the Bri- tish isles; and is considered delicious food. The thorax is obtusely scalloped; the body smooth ; and the front five-toothed. The hind feet are subulate; but the fore fur- nished with large claws tipped with black. It annually casts its shell, between Christ- mas and Easter. Mr. Hatchett found that the crustaceous covering of crabs and lobsters consists of carbonate of lime, phosphate of lime, and a cartilaginous matter, possessing the pro- perties of coagulated albumen. The first of these constituents predominates ; and it is on it that the medical properties of the claws depend. They are now deservedly rejected by every judicious practitioner, chalk answering much better every pur- pose for which they can be prescribed. 2. Cancer Astacus. Officinal Lafili Caxcrorum, Edin. Crab Stones. Syn. Krabsangen (G.). The crawfish frequents rivers, forming its holes in their clayey banks. It is small, in some degree resembling the lobster in shape. The concretions, called eyes, are found in the stomach, one on each side, before the fish casts its shell'in July, at which time the inner coat of the stomach also is renewed. They are said to be destined for assisting in the formation of the new shell. At Astra- can, where the greatest number of these concretions are procured, the crawfish are bruised with mallets, and allowed to putre- fy in heaps ; after which their remains are washed, and the stones picked out. Qualities.—They are whitish, or reddish, hard and stony, of very different sizes, weighing from one grain to twelve grains each ; round and convex on one side, and a little concave on the other: the texture laminated; inodorous and insipid. Their constituents are the same as those of the crab's claws. They effervesce in acids; but instead of dissolving altogether they become soft, transparent, and retain their original form; by which means the real stones are easily distinguished from coun- terfeited imitations. Medical properties and uses.—These con- cretions are absorbent, and slightly anta- cid : and when prepared by trituration and levigation, are employed in dyspepsia, and other diseases attended with acidity of the primes vix,- but as chalk answers better in these cases, they may well be dispensed with. culculi are never procured, at least for medical use, from tha erab, but always from the crawfish. MATERIA MEDICA. 125 The dose is 3J or gij, suspended in a pro- per fluid. Officinal preparations. Cancrorum Lapil- li prxparati, E. CANELLA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 857. CI. 11. Ord. 1. Dodecandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Oleraceae, Linn. Meliaceae, Juss. G. 942. Cal. Three-lobed. Pet. five. An- thers 16, adhering to a pitcher-shaped nectary. Berry one-celled, with two o.r four seeds. Species 1. C. alba.* White or Laurel-leaved Canella. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 694. /. 237. Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. i. 96. t. 8. Officinal. Canellje Cortex, Lond. Canel- L2S alb/e, Cortex, Edin. Canella alba, Dub. Canella Bark. Syn. Cannelle blanche (F.), AVeisser Zimrnet, (G.), Cannella bianca (/.). This tree is a native of the West India islands, growing in the inland woods. The inner bark of the branches is freed from the cuticle, and dried in the shade. It is brought to this country packed in casks and cases, in long pieces, some rolled in quills, and others flat ; the quilled sort is considerably thicker than cinnamon, and the flat nearly one-fourth of an inch in thick- ness. Qualities.—The quilled pieces of Canel- la are of a whitish yellow colour on both sides, and break with a starchy fracture ; the flat pieces, which appear to be the bark of the largest branches or of the stem, are yellow on the outside, and pale brown with- in. The odour of both kinds, when fresh broken, is aromatic, something like a mix- ture of cloves and cinnamon : and the taste slightly bitter, extremely warm and pun- gent. Although boiling water takes up nearly one-fourth of the weight of the bark, yet the infusion possesses but little of its warmth and pungency : the bitter chiefly predominating. Alcohol extracts all its qua- lities in perfection : the tincture is bright yellow, and becomes milky on the addition of water. The infusion is not altered by infusion of galls, sulphate of iron, zinc, mu- riate of mercury, nor tartarized antimony; but nitrate of silver and acetate of lead ren- der it milky, and throw down precipitates. By distillation with water, Canella alba * This plant has been often confounded with the Winttra aromatica, an error authorised in some de- gree by Linnaeus, who combined the two genera of Winterana and Canella under the name of Laurus IVinterana; but afterwards made this a distinct ge- nus under the title IVinterania, a name by which it was known till Professor Murray corrected the er- ror and made a distinct genus of Canella. Vide Syst, Vcg. 14th edit. 443. Sir Hans Sloane stated the error of confounding this bark with the Cortex Wintcranus, in his description of the tree in the Phil. Trans, xvii." 405. affords a thick, heavy yellow, very purgent, gratefully odorous essential oil; on which and a little bitter resinous matter its virtues seem to depend. Medical properties and uses.—This bark is stimulant, and slightly tonic. It is a use- ful adjunct to bitters in some cases of dys- pepsia and atonic gout; but it is employed chiefly on account of its flavour, and to cor- rect the griping quality of the resinous cathartics. It is said to prove useful in scurvy.f The dose of the powdered bark is from grs. x. to "5ss. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Genti- ans composita, E. Vinum Aloes, L. E. Pul- vis Aloes cum canella, D. CANTHARIS. Latreille, Gen. Insect o- rum. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Insecta Coleoptera, Linn. Eleuterata, Fabric. G. 215. Feelers filiform. Palpi four, une- qual ; the posterior ones clubbed. Tho- rax nearly round. Head inflected, gib- bous. Elytra soft, flexible. Species 1. Cantharis vesicatoria. Blister- ing Fly. Officinal. Cantharis, Lond. Cantharis vesicatoria, Edin. Cantharis, Dub. Blistering or Spanish Fly. Cantharides. Syn. Cantharides (F.), Spanische Flie- genoder Kanthariden (G.), Cantarelle (/.), Cantharidas (S.). This insect is found on the privet, ash, elder, lilac, white poplar, and the tartarian honeysuckle, in Spain, Italy, France, and to a certain extent over the greater part of Europe. When alive they have a foetid odour. + They are gathered by smoking with brimstone the trees on which they are found, and catching them on a cloth spread underneath. They are sometimes simply shaken from the trees, and then killed by the steams of boiling vinegar, and dried either by the sun, or in a stove. Blistering dies are imported from Sicily, but chiefly from Astracan, packed in casks and small chests. The best are of a lively fresh colour, a small size, and not mouldy, nor mixed with the Melolontha vitis ; an insect resembling them in some degree, but possessing no vesicating property. It may be distinguished by its form, which is altogether more square than that of the Cantharis, and by its black feet.§ If the t This bark and the fruit of the capsicum were formerly common ingredients in the food and drink of the Caraibs, the ancient natives of the Antilles ; and at present enter the meagre pot of the negroes. —Linn. Trans. I. c. X It is asserted that a person who sits under a tree on which many of these insects are, particular- ly at the time of copulation, experiences ardor uti- lise, pain of the bladder, and sometimes ophthalmia. } Fabricius thus describes tUy Melolontha; •■ Max- 126 MATERIA MEDICA. blistering flies have been properly dried, and are kept in a well-stopped glass bottle, they will remain unchanged in appearance, and retain their acrimony for a great length of time* ; but sometimes, in spite of every precaution, they are attacked by a small worm, which, however, feeds on the inac- tive part only of the fly, reducing it to a powder, that still possesses the active quali- ty of the entire insect. They soon putrefy when kept in a damp place, and therefore should be occasionally spread out to the air. Qualities.—Blistering flies have a heavy disagreeable odour, and an acrid taste. Lewis found that their active constituents are soluble both in water and in alcohol, and that the residuum is inert. Thouvenel, Beaupoil, and Robiquet, have analysed the insect; but their inquiries lead to no very certain conclusions. Thouvenel treated the entire flies with water, alcohol, and ether, separately, sub- mitting them to the press; and obtained the following results : 1st, Three-eighths of red- dish yellow, very bitter extractive, afford- ing by distillation an acid liquor: 2d, One- tenth of concrete, waxy green oil, having the odour of the flies, and yielding by dis- tillation a very sharp acid and a thick oil: 3d, One-fiftieth of concrete yellow oil, ap- parently the colouring matter of the insect, and, 4th, One-half of solid parenchymatous matter. He imagines that the blistering principle resides in the green waxy oil, and that the strangury produced by blisters is the effect of the acid obtained from this oil by distillation.f Beaupoil found that an aqueous infusion of the flies, when exposed to the air, lets fall a yellow precipitate, exhales an ammo- niacal odour, and reddens tincture of turn- sole : the addition of ether or alcohol di- vides it into two parts; viz. a black gluey matter, insoluble in alcohol, and a yellow- ish-brown, very soluble matter4 The black matter blistered the skin without affecting the urinary organs ; the yellow matter did not blister when applied alone, but blister- ed quickly when united with wax; and a green matter, which he also obtained, ilia brevis cornea; apice multidentata. Antenna la- mellate. Melolontha vitis. Viridis, thoracis lateribus flavis, pedes nigri." Vide Rccmer. Gen. Insect. 1.1. fig. 11. * Van Swietenkept them upwards of thirty years in a glass vessel, not particularly well corked, and they still produced vesication. ■f Annates de Chimie, xlvii. 280. X From one ounce of cantharides he obtained, of black matter, 2 gros. 2 grs. ; yellow matter, 1—2; green matter, 1—8 ; parenchyma, 4—36 ; phosphate of lime, 12 grains; carbonate of lime, 2 grains; sul- phate and muriate of lime, 4 grains; oxide of iron, 2 grains; and an aeid, the quantity of which was not ascertained. Annalcs de Chimie, xlviii. S3. acted under similar circumstances, but less actively. Robiquet asserts, that the flies, when re- cently collected, yield some uric acid. By treating them with water, alcohol, and ether, he obtained a peculiar matter, in the form of small, crystalline, micaceous plates, insoluble in water and in cold alcohol, but soluble in boiling alcohol, in ether, and in oils ; on the presence of which the vesica- tory property of the flies depends, and which, in combination with oil, might su- persede their use. Dr. Thomson§ has nam- ed it Canlharidin.|| Medical properties and uses.—Blistering flies, internally exhibited, are powerfully stimulant and diuretic ; and externally ap- plied, rubefacient and epispastic. Notwith- standing their acrimony, they appear to have been given as an internal remedy by Hippocrates, who prescribed them chiefly in cases of dropsy and amenorrhoea.f They have a considerable effect on the urinary organs, even when externally applied ; and unless their internal exhibition be conduct- ed with great caution, they act with so much violence on the kidneys, bladder, and small intestines, as to produce bloody urine, purulent stools, insupportable pains of the abdomen, vomiting, and other symp- toms of intestinal inflammation; convul- sions, delirium, syncope, and death. They have, however, been successfully employed in dropsy, obstinate gleet,** leucorrhoea, and incontinence of urine arising from pa- ralysis of the sphincter vesicae. The free use of diluents, as milk, almond emulsion, and mucilaginous solutions, is absolutely necessary during their employment to mo- derate their action. The tincture is the most proper form for internal use; or, if given in substance, the dose should not ex- ceed one grain of the powdered flies, form- ed into a pill with opium or extract of hen- bane. They require to be used for some time, in order to-prove beneficial. Blistering flies, when applied to the skin, act as a local stimulant, first reddening and inflaming the part, and then producing from the exhalents a copious discharge of J Vide System of Chemistry, ath edit. iv. p. 4J6., and Ann. de Chim. lxxvi. p. 308. || Dioscoridis and Galen imagined that the active principle of the Uy was contained in its body, and that the head, wings, and feet contained its antidote. f Dr. Groenvelt was prosecuted for using them in- ternally, and published his tract, " de tuto Canthari- dum uso interno," as his vindication ; but, although it proved to his prosecutors the safety of his practice, yet (says Quincy, Pharm. p. 152.) it ruined the un- happy doctor. ** Trobably gleets were included in the term go- norrhoea by the old writers, who frequently mention cantharides as a remedy for gonorrhoea. Thus Boc- cone (Musco di Fiska, 1099) says, they were much used by the Sicilians in gonorrhoea. MATERIA MEDICA. 127 scrum under the cuticle. These effects they produce more certainly and completely than any vegetable acrid, and therefore they are generally employed to raise blis- ters. It is uncertain whether blisters were used by the ancients; but modern practi- tioners daily and successfully employ them. Although their first operation is local, yet, under certain circumstances, the stimulus is sufficient to rouse the whole nervous energy, and excite the general system, so as to render their application useful in dis- eases of diminished excitement: on which account, in deep-seated local affections, when the inflammatory diathesis is consi- derable, the force of the circulation must be diminished by bleeding, purging, or other evacuants, before blisters can be advan- tageously applied. The diseases of debility in which they are useful, are low nervous fever, when accompanied with delirium, pale urine, frequent sighing, great anxie- ty, deafness, a fixed stare and glistening eyes. In palsy, and gutta serena, they are applied to the forehead over the supra-or- bital nerve. They are found efficacious also in spasmodic and convulsive aff ectionsj from the irritation they produce, overcom- ing the morbid irritation which induced the spasm. Blisters, by their local action, re- lieve internal inflammatory diseases, by al- tering the balance of the circulation ; and, in part, by diverting the attention from the prior seat of pain. Hence, their utility in ophthalmia, applied behind the ears, on the temples, on the forehead ; in phrenitis, over the head ; in cynanche tonsillaris, and in small-pox, when the swelling of the fauces affects respiration, upon or near the neck ; and in phthisis, catarrh, hepatitis, pneumonia, gastritis, and other intestinal inflammations, immediately over the seat of pain. In acute rheumatism, particularly that variety of it named sciatica, they have been found very useful. On the same prin- ciple, caries in the bones and joints, or a disposition to it, is often cured by the re- peated application of blisters. "Under their application the enlargements obvious- ly subside; the crepitation between the bones, the consequence of the abrasion of the cartilages, ceases to be felt when the blister begins to .operate, the use of the joint is effectually recovered, and anchylo- sis prevented.*" A succession of blisters, also, to the vicinity of an inflamed organ, is more beneficial than a protracted dis- charge from one ; and a second blister often relieves after the first has failed. Blisters are contra-indicated in diseases of great debility, where there is a tendency to mortification ; as in the low stages of pete- * Ford on Diseases of the Hip-joint, 53. chial fever9, cynanche maligna, confluent small-pox, and malignant measles; and in dropsy, in which they are apt to occasion a very painful, dangerous erysipelas, and gan- grene. Peculiar idiosyncrasies forbid their use in some persons, as they irritate, heat, produce thirst, pain, tremors, and some- times convulsions. In those of irritable temperaments, their application is often at- tended with strangury and bloody urine; and this effect is much increased if the blister-plaster be applied over a newly- shaved part, or if it be allowed to remain too long on after the blister has risen. To prevent strangury from the application of blisters, camphor has been erroneously re- garded as a specific. It is more effectually prevented and relieved by copious dilution with milk, and mucilaginous fluids ; and by fomentations of warm milk and water to the blistered part after the removal of the plas- .ter: and much inconvenience of this nature may be prevented by interposing between the vesicatory and the skin, a piece of gauze, wetted with vinegar, and applied smooth and close over the plaster. The dose of the flies, is from gr. j. to grs. iii. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Cantha- ridis, L. Emplastrum Cantharidis, L. Em- plastrum Cantharidis vesicatorix, E. Cera- tum Lyttce, L. Unguentum infusi Canthari- dis vesicatorice, E. Unguentum Cantharidis D. Unguentum Pulveris Cantharidis vesi- catorice, E. CAPSICUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1050. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Luridje, Linn. Solaneae, Juss. G. 334. Corolla wheel-shaped. Berry with- out juice. Sp. 1. C. annuum. Annual Capsicum.-}- Med. Bot. 2d edit. 226. t. 80. Officinal. Capsici Baccze, Lond. Capsici Annui fructus, Edin. Dub. Berries of the Capsicum, or Cayenne Pepper. Syn. Poivre d'Inde (F.), Spanisdieroder- turkircher pfiffer (G.), Pepperone (/.), Pimienton (S.), L'ul Mirch (H.), Brahn Maricha (San.) This is an annual plant, a native of both the Indies. It flowers in June or July. Many varieties of this species of Capsi- cum enter into the composition of Cay- enne pepper; but, certainly, the best, which is brought home from the West Indies, ready prepared, is made from the Capsi- cum baccalum (Bird pepper). Cayenne pepper is often mixed with muriate of so- da ; and sometimes with a less innocent substance, the red oxide of lead. This fraud may be discovered by boiling some of the suspected pepper in vinegar, and t Sprengel, in his History of Botany, under the head " Plinius," says," Capsicum annuum sine dubio est ea Piperitis quam et Siliquastrum vocat—(20-17.)" MEDICA. in the West Indies to relieve the coma and delirium which almost constantly attend tro- pical fevers. The diluted juice of the fruit is said to be a sovereign remedy in ophthal- mia from relaxation. Capsicum may be given in the form of pills, in doses from grs. vj. to grs. x.; or f£ss to f^ij of a tincture made with giv. of capsicum and f^viij. of alcohol. The gar- gle usually employed is made by kneading into a paste gj. of Cayenne pepper and £)j. of common salt; then adding f ^vj. of boil- ing water ; and to the solution, strained when cold, f giv of vinegar. But a simple addition of i'3ij. of the tincture to fl§ vj.of water, or of infusion of roses, answers equally well. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Cap- sici, L. D. CARBO LIGNI. Lond. Edin. Dub. Char- coal. Syn. Charbon de bois purifiee (F.), Reine Kolile (G.), Carbone di legna, (/.), Car- bon de lena (S.), Koyla (//.), Zughal (A.), Arang (Malay.) Charcoal is prepared for the common purposes of fuel, by piling up billets of wood into conical heaps, which are cover- ed with earth and sods, and then burned, with as little exposure to the action of the air as possible : but for the preparation of the finer kinds of charcoal, fit for medici- nal use, the following process is employed. The wood to be charred is put, in the form of chips or of sawdust, into a large cast- iron cylinder, fixed in masonry over a grate. This cylinder terminates at one end in a curved pipe, and the other end is furnished with a door, which is accurately closed af- ter the wood is introduced, and a fire light- ed in the grate: the water, empyreu- matic acid, and volatile parts of the wood, are driven off through the curved tube by the heat, which is increased until the con- tents of the cylinder become red-hot The fire is then withdrawn, the cylinder is al- lowed to cool; and a black shining, pure charcoal is thus obtained.! Ivory and bone shavings, treated in the same manner, make the preparation termed Ivory black. For internal use, however, it is perhaps neces- sary to have wood charcoal still purer ; and to effect this the process of M. Lowitz is to be preferred. The charcoal is to be re- duced to fine powder, and put into a cruci- ble (so as to fill it), on which a pierced cover must be luted. This vessel is then to be heated red-hot, and kept so, as long as a blue flame appears to issue from the hole in the cover ; and when this stops it is to be taken from the fire, cooled in a dry 128 MATERL after filtering the decoction, adding to it a solution of sulphate of soda. If the pepper contain oxide of lead, a white precipitate will be produced, which, after being dried, and exposed to heat, mixed with a little charcoal, will afford a globule of lead: or the sulphuret of ammonia may be added to the acetic solution, which will then throw down a dark precipitate if lead be present. Qualities.—Capsicum berries have an aromatic odour, which is somewhat impair- ed by drying; and an aromatic, extremely pungent, acrimonious taste, setting the mouth, as it were, on fire, and the impres- sion remaining long on the palate. These sensible qualities are imparted to water, alcohol and ether. Half a drachm of the powder infused in f^jss. of boiling water, lost grs. xij. The infusion was precipi- tated by infusion of galls, and alcohol dis- solved the precipitate. It was also pre- cipitated by nitrate of silver, oxymuriate ( of mercury, acetate of lead, the sulphates of iron, zinc, and copper, the alkaline subcarbonates, and alum ; but was not al- tered by the mineral acids, the solution of potass, nor silicized potass. The ethereal tincture, when evaporated on the surface of water, left an orange-coloured resin, in which the pungency of the capsicum was concentrated. These experiments point out the substances which are incompatible in formula with infusions of capsicum; and lead to the conclusion that it contains chiefly cinchonin, a resin in which the acri- mony resides, and vegetable mucus. Medical properties and uses.—The fruit of the capsicum, or Cayenne pepper, is a powerful stimulant, unaccompanied with any narcotic property. It has been suc- cessfully given in atonic gout; in dyspep- sia, when accompanied with much flatu- lence ; in tympanitis, and paralysis. In drop- sies, and other cachectic complaints when chalybeates are indicated, a small portion of powdered capsicum is recommended as an excellent addition by Dr. Wright; andBer- gius says he used it with success in obsti- nate intermittents.* 1 have had sufficient experience of its efficacy as an adjunct to cinchona in intermittents. It has also been found beneficial in lethargic affections : but the diseases that capsicum has been found most useful in, are cynanche maligna, and scarlatina maligna, in whicli it is given both internally, and used as a gargle. Its sensi- ble effects are heat in the stomach, and a general glow over the body, without much affecting the pulse ; and as a gargle it cleans, without impeding the healing of the ulcers of the fauces. Cataplasms of capsicum operate as powerful rubefacients without blistering the skin, and are used * Mat. Med. e Regno Veg. i. 144. t This process was invented by Bishop Watson, for the use of the gunpowder manufacturers, who require a very pure charcoal.—Aikin's Chen. Diet. art. Carbon. MATERIA place, and the charcoal instantly put into well-stopped bottles for use.* In whatever manner charcoal is prepared, the purest contains generally about one- fiftieth of its weight of earths, salts, or me- tallic matters; its other constituents are, according to Doberienerf, 68.4 of carbon, with 1.5 of hydrogen, and a minute por- tion of oxygen. Qualities.—Pure charcoal is inodorous and insipid; black, shining, and brittle. When newly prepared it absorbs air and moisture from the atmosphere, so as to in- crease its weight from 10 to 18 per cent. It is insoluble in water, and every other flu- id+; and easily pulverized, and when ex- cluded from air is not affected by the high- est degree of heat. It corrects the foetid odour of putrefying animal and vegetable substances ; and destroys the odour, taste, and colour of others, particularly of mu- cilages and oil, and matters in which ex- tractive abounds. Thus common vinegar boiled in charcoal powder becomes colour- less ; water which has become foetid at sea is purified by filtering it through charcoal; that intended for long voyages may be pre- served perfectly pure by thoroughly char- ring the insides of the casks ; and the em- pyreumatic odour and tastes of oils, as well as their adventitious colour, and the co- lour of the varieties of ardent spirits, of litmus, indigo, and other colouring mat- ters dissolved or suspended in water, are destroyed by running them through newly- prepared charcoal powder. It also deoxi- dizes most of the acids. Medical properties and uses.—Charcoal is evidently an antiseptic; and as such has been given internally to correct the putrid eructations of some kinds of dyspepsia. But, in order that it may produce this effect, it should either be newly pre- pared, or such as has been preserved in very well-stopped bottles. It is proba- ble that it operates both by correcting the fector, and absorbing the gas gene- rated in the stomach, as well as check- ing the decomposition of the undigested aliment. Dr. Caliagno, an Italian physi- cian, proposed to employ it instead of cin- chona in intermittents ;§ but this sugges- tion has not been supported by British prac- titioners. It has been applied advanta- geously mixed up in powder with boiled bread, or linseed meal and water, as a poul- tice to foul ulcers and gangrenous sores; and it is, undoubtedly, the best tooth-pow- • CrelPs Chemical Journal,u.270. f Si hwci-gcr's Journal, xvi. p. 92. t There is, nevertheless, a quack pivpurulion for cleaning th« teeth sold umltr the name ot " Concen- trated solution of charcoal." «, \ „le L?»: ■- Med. Repns -vol. hi. p. ? 17 MEDICA -^ der known. I have discoveicd that it ia also an excellent test for arsenic. (See the article Arsenic.) The dose of charcoal may be from gr. x. to 3J., combined with rhubarb. CARDAMINE. Spec. Plant. WiM. iii. 481. CI. 14. Ord. 2. Tetradynamia Siliquosx. Nat. ord. Siliquosx. G. 1237. Pods opening elastically, with rcvolute valves. Stigma entire. Calyx somewhat gaping. *** With pinnate leaves. Sp. 19. C. pratensis.^ Cuckow Flower. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 396. t. 133. Smith's Flora Britan. ii. 699. Officinal. Cart-amines Flohes, Lond. Edin, Cahdamine ; Flos, Dub. The flowers and leaves of Cuckow Flower. Syn. Cresson de Pres (F.), Weissen- kresse (G.) Cuckow flower is a perennial, indige- nous, herbaceous plant, which grows in moist meadows, and flowers in April and May. Qualities.—Every part of the plant is inodorous ; but the flowers and leaves are slightly bitter and pungent, having in an in- ferior degree the taste of water-cresses. The leaves are often added to spring salads. Medical properties and uses,—Cardamine flowers are said to be diuretic, and anti- spasmodic. Their efficacy in spasmodic diseases was first mentioned by Dale,1[ on the authority of a MS. of Dr. Tancred Robinson ; and they were afterwards, in the year 1767, strongly recommended by Sir George Baker,** who had successfully used them in the cure of chorea, spasmodic asthma and some other convulsive affec- t;ons. Dr. Odier of Gencvaff mentions a case of incubus which was cured by their use, although it had resisted several other antispasmodic medicines. They sometimes produce diaphoresis, but have otherwise little sensible operation. They are sel- dom used. The leaves have been regarded as possessing antiscorbutic qualities, but they have very little efficacy. The dose of the dried flowers powdered is from one drachm.to three drachms, given twice or thrice a day. CARUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1470. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Unibellatx. G. 561. Fruit ovate-oblong, striated. Invo- lucre one-leafed. Petals keeled, inflex emarginated. Sp. 1. C. Carvi.U Common Carraway. || ItcufAQptov nipov, Dioscoridis, •j Pharmacol. 204. ** Med. Trans, i. 412. ft Manuel dt Mediant Pratique, &e. Led. 18. j + KiwicfCf -jf/f, Dioscoridis. Carcum,non 130 MATERIA MEDICA. Med. Bot. 2d. ed. 102. t. 41. Eng. Bot. Smith's Flora Britan. 330. Officinal. Cahtji semina, Lond. Edin. Ca- iiuon ; semina, Dub. Carraway seeds. Syn. Carvi (F.), Kummelsamen (G.), Carvi (/.), Alcaronea (S.) Carraway is an indigenous, biennial, um- belliferous plant, growing wild in meadows and pastures; but cultivated in several parts, particularly in Essex, for the sake of its seed. The flowers expand in May and June, and the seeds ripen in August. Car- raway plants do not perfect their seeds until"the second year. They are cut down in July, and the seed thrashed out on a cloth. The seeds are used by the London confectioners and bakers, as well as for medicinal purposes. Qualities.—Carraway seeds have a plea- sant aromatic odour, and a sweetish, warm, pungent taste; depending on an essential oil which is almost completely extracted by rectified spirit, and in an inferior degree by water. By distillation with water the whole is elevated, and an insipid extract remains. Medical properties and uses.—These seeds are carminative and stomachic. They are used in flatulent colic and hysteria $ and to give warmth to purgatives and other ac- tive remedies. The dose in substance is from grs. x. to 3'J- Officinal preparations. Oleum Carui, L. D. Aqua Carui,L\. Spiritus Carui, L. E. D. CASSIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 513. CI. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Lomentacex, Linn. Leguminosje, G.813! Cal. five-leaved. Petals five. An- thers three superior, barren; the three lower ones beaked. Lomentum. * Sennas. Sp. 18. C. Fistula. Purging Cassia. Med, Bot. 2d ed. 445. 1.160. Sp. 24. C. Senna. Senna. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 442. t. 159. 1. Cassia Fistula.* Officinal. Cassia rui.rA, Lond. CASSiiB risTULas fbuctus, Edin. Cassia fistula- bis ; fructus pulpa, Dub. Cassia pulp. Syn. Casse (F.), Rohnkassie (G.), Polpa di Cassia (/.), Fistularis (S.), Ameltas (H.), Suvernaca (San.). This tree is a native of both the East and West Indies, and of Egypt. It rises to the height of forty or fifty feet, with a large trunk, covered with a soft cineritious bark, and much branched at the top. The fruit is a long woody dark-brown pod, about the Carum, Latine dici deberet. Conf. Plin. 1. xix. sect. 49. Ctf.rtnrr. * 1 • Mx.',x.ciA*piGv Myrepsici, ultimi fere Grx- eurum medicorum. Chniarxambarof the Egyptians, Prosper Alpinus, de Plant is JE.gypti, «ap. ii. thickness of the human thumb, and nearly two feet in length, cylindrical, with two longitudinal furrows on one side, and one on the other; and divided into numerous transverse cells, each containing one smooth, oval, yellowish, shining seed, with red lines dividing it longitudinally, imbed- ded in a soft black pulp.f The pods are said to undergo a kind of fermentation, to prepare them for keeping. Those which are brought to this country come principally from the West Indies, packed in casks and cases; but a superior kind is brought from the East Indies; and is easily distinguished by its smaller smooth pod, and by the greater blackness of its pulp. The heaviest pods, and those in which the seeds do not rattle on being sha- ken, are the best, and contain the greatest quantity of pulp, which is the part used. Qualities.—The pulp has a slight, rather sickly odour, and a sweet mucilaginous taste. It is viscid; almost entirely soluble in water, and partially so in alcohol and sul- phuric ether. The watery infusion, which shows a tendency to gelatinize, has, when filtered, a deep brown colour, and yields a precipitate with alcohol, and the solution of the superacetate of lead. The alcoholic and ethereal tinctures are not affected by the addition of water; although, when they are evaporated, a thin pellicle of resin re- mains. No alteration jis produced on the alcoholic and watery infusions by infusion of galls, nitrate of silver, sulphate of iron, nor the nitric nor sulphuric acids; but oxy- muriatic acid throws down a yellow-colom> ed precipitate which is insoluble in ether. Hence there is reason for concluding, with Vauquelin, that this pulp contains sugar, gelatin, gluten, mucus, a small portion of resin, extractive, and some colouring mat- ter. Medical properties and uses.—Cassia pulp is gently laxative; but although it is adapt- ed for children and very delicate women, yet it is apt to induce nausea, flatulence, and griping, when taken in doses sufficient for stronger habits. To assist its opera- tion, and prevent the griping, it is usually conjoined with some neutral sait and an aro- matic; but it is now rarely Jprescribed in any case. The dose is 3'iij to §j or more. Officinal preparations. Pulpa Cassia fis- tularis expressa, E. Confectio Cassia, L. E. D. Confectio Senna, L. E. D. 2. Cassia Senna. Officinal. Senn.v. folia. Lond. Folia cas- si,e senns, Edin. Senna ; Folia. Dub. Senna leaves. Syn. Sene" (F.), Seanablater (G.) Senna (/.), Sena (G.), Sena (Arab.) Sena Mec ci (//.). t G.ertncr de Fruct. i. 313. t. 147. MATERIA MEDICA, 131 This species of cassia, which yields the senna of commerce, is an annual plant, a native of Upper Egypt. The best grows in the valleys of Nubia,* where it is named Abyreyga; flowering in July and August. The fruit is an ovate, reniform, membra- nous, leafy, compressed legume, torose and marked with capillary, transverse, parallel striae: bivalve, with six or nine cells, divided by very thin transverse partitions, and each containing one oblong heart-shaped seed.f The best senna, named in Nubia jfwefie/fy, or sena mekke, grows wild, and yields two crops of leaves, the abundance of which de- pends on the periodical rains. The first crop is collected after the first rains about the middle of September; the second in the following March, at which time the fruit is at its full maturity. The plants are cut when the flowers begin to fall, and ex- posed on the rocks to dry in the sun.^— The leaves are then picked, packed up in bales, and sent to Boulac, the great entre- pot of senna, where they are mixed with two other species of cassia ; one the C. senna of Forskal with obtuse leaves; the other probably the C. angustifolia of Will- denow, the leaves of which are longer, narrower, and sharper pointed than those of the proper senna, and come from Mocha ; but the leaf with which senna is chiefly adulterated is that of the Cynanchum Olea- folium, known in Egypt by the name of Ar- gel or Arguel. The proportions, according to Dr. Calloden, are five hundred parts lance-leafed senna, two hundred of obovate senna, and two hundred of argel. The two first are equally good, but the last is truly an adulteration. It can be readily distin- guished by attending to the following rules. 1. The leaf of argel is an inch or fourteen lines long, while that of senna never ex- ceeds nine lines. 2. The leaf of argel has a straight side ; and the lateral nerves are not seen on the under disk, while those of senna are conspicuous. 3. The leaf of ar- gel is regular at its base, the two sides ter- minating at the same point on the petiole : but the senna leaflet is oblique, one of the sides being larger, and produced lower on the petiole than the otber.§ There is also reason for thinking that it is further adulte- rated with the leaves of Colutea arbores- cens, bladder senna, and of box: but these are easily distinguished from senna leaves. * C. Nectoux. Vide Phil. Mag. xv. 55. t Gartner de Fruct. ii, 312. fc. 1 If.. X Burckhardt says that the Bedouin Arabs, who are the chief collectors of senna, sell it to the mer- chants of Esne at about one pound sterling per camel load (from 400 to 500 weight.) Travels in Nubia, 410. p. 31. $ Hist. Sat. et Med. dcs Casscs, &e. Par L. T. Fred. Calloden, de Geneve, M. D. 4to. IManches, Montpelier, 1816. The senna, after being thus mixed, is re- packed in bales at Alexandria, whence it is exported to Europe.H Qualities.—The odour of senna leaves is faint, rather disagreeable, and -ickly; the taste slightly bitter, aromatic, sweetish, and nauseous. Boiling water extracts about one-third of the weight of the leaves employ- ed, but it requires a pint of boiling water to extract all the active matter from gj. of senna leaves. The infusion has a deep reddish brown colour, with the odour and taste of the leaves. This infusion, when exposed to the atmosphere, deposits a lemon yellow coloured insoluble matter ; and a precipitate is produced by the strong mineral acids, oxalic acid, the carbonates of the alkalies, and several other substances. (See Infusum Sennx among the prepara- tions.) Alcohol and sulphuric ether, di- gested on the powdered leaves, acquire a deep olive-green colour. When the ethe- real tincture is poured on the surface of pure water, a dark olive pellicle remains after the evaporation of the ether, which is almost insipid, and has all the properties of resin; and a golden yellow colour is com- municated to the water.f The alcoholic tincture is rendered only slightly milky by the addition of water, and scarcely any precipitate is produced; but a copious one is thrown down by oxymuriatic acid. The active principle of senna, according to the experiments of M. M. Lassaigne and Fe- nuelle, is a saline substance, which they have named calhartine. It is uncrystalli- zable, of a reddish yellow colour, and has a bitter, nauseous taste. It is soluble in al- cohol and in water, but insoluble in ether.** According to Bouillon Lagrange, the resi- due of the watery infusion evaporated to dryness, and burnt, yields potass, sulphate of potass, carbonate of lime, magnesia, and silica. Medical properties and uses.—Senna is purgative, generally operating under four hours after it is taken ; and it is well adapt- ed for all cases in which the bowels require to be certainly, yet moderately evacuated. In many habits it is apt to occasion griping, and therefore requires the addition of some || Nectoux says, The palthier, or senna-manager of Alexandria, acknowledged that the product of the two crops varies from 700 quintals to 1100 or more, one-third of which is arguel, the obtuse pointed cas- sia, and the sale is 1400 or 1500 quintals (more pro- bably from 1500 to 1600.) Phil. Mag. I.e. Burck- hardt says, that for many years the senna trade has been exclusively in one hand, being farmed by Mo- hammed Aly ; and that " M. Rosetli has paid for the monopoly of senna 150 purses per annum, or about 3500/." Travels in Nubia, 4to. 1819, p. 55. f This colour may be produced by some extract- ive being taken up by the ether, closely united to the resin. * * Annates de C/iim. et Phijs. xvi, 20. 132 MATERIA MEDICA, aromatic, as carraway or cardamom seeds, or ginger, and its operation to be assisted by drinking plentifully of weak broths or gruel. The griping seems to be occasioned by the resinous matter, as the infusion made with cold water does not gripe, although it purges. Senna may be given in substance powdered; but the more usual form is that of infusion. Decoction is a bad form, as the activity of the medicine is much impaired by the boiling : owing, according to Gren, to the total dissipation of the nauseous and volatile principles ; but, in our opinion, to the oxidizement of the extractive, which also accounts for the severe gripings in- duced by the decoction. The dose of the powder of the leaves is from 3j. to gj.; but it is seldom given alone. Officinal preparations. Confectio Senna?, L. E. D. Extractum Caisix Senna, E. Infusum Sennx, L. D. Infusum Tamarindi cum Senna, E. D. Pulvis Sennce compositus, L. Tinctura Senna, L. E. D. Tinct. Sen- rus composita, E. Syrupus Sennce, D. CASTOR. Syst. Nat. Gmelin, 124. CI. 1. Ord. 4. Mammalia, Glires. G. 23. Fore-teeth in the upper jaw trun- cated, hollowed with a transverse angle ; in the lower transverse at the point. Grinders in both jaws four. Tail long, depressed, scaly. Clavicles perfect. Species 1. C. Fiber. The Castor Beaver. Jonst. Quadr. p. 147. t. 68. Officinal. Castoiieum,* Lond. Edin. Cas- toueum Rossicum et Canadense, Dub. Castor ; Russian and Canadian. Syn. Castoreum (F.), Kastoreunt (G.), Castoro (/.), Castoreo (S.) Ash butchegan * (A.), Goon'i beyduster (Pers.) The beaver is an amphibious quadruped, found in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America, inhabiting the wooded banks of uninhabited rivers and lakes; in which situations it is gregarious, and constructs its habitation with greater skill than any other animal except man. Between the anus and the external genitals are four follicles, of an oblong shape, smal- ler above and larger below; the two upper are filled with a fatty substance, whilst the two larger contain each about two ounces of an oily viscid strong-smelling substance, inclosed in membranous cells, which is the officinal castor. When the beaver is taken, the follicles are cut off entire, and dried either by ex- posure to the sun or in smoke. The castor is at first nearly fluid, but gradually be- comes solid and viscid, occasionally per- fectly dry and pulverulent. The best comes from Russia ; but of late years it has been very scarce, and all that is now found in the * K.-f the heaver. Bhops is the produce of Canada. The cods of the Russian castor are large, dry, round- ish, heavy, and solid, appearing, when cut, of a reddish liver colour; those of the Ca- nadian are smaller, hard, oblong, thin, and corrugated on the outside. In each beaver there is a large and small bag, and the castor in the larger bag is always the best. The goodness of the castor is de- termined by its sensible qualities; that which is quite black, insipid, inodorous, and oily, being unfit for use. Castor is said to be sometimes counterfeited by a mix- ture of some gummy and resinous sub- stances, with a little real castor, artificially interspersed with membranes, and stuffed into the scrotum of the goat.f The fraud is easily detected by comparing the smell and taste with those of real castor, and by the deficiency of the sebaceous follicles, which are always attached to the real cods. Qualities.—The odour of castor is strong, heavy, and aromatic ; the taste bitter, sub- acrid, and nauseous. It feels slightly unc- tuous, and is of a red brown colour. Its odorous principle is dissipated by coction with water; but when it is simply infused in boiling water, its sensible qualities are in a small degree imparted to the infusion, which has a yellow colour, and shows the presence of an alkali, by changing to green the vegetable blues. Alcohol and sulphu- ric ether dissolve the resinous part of the castor, which remains after the evaporation of the menstrua, and retains all the odour and taste of the drug. According to the analysis of Bouillon Lagrange, castor con- tains the carbonates of potass, lime, and ammonia, iron, resin, a mucilaginous extrac- tive matter, and a volatile oil. Canadian castor contains benzoic acid, both free and combined.t Medical properties and uses.—Castor is antispasmodic, and emmenagogue. It is given, with seeming advantage, in low ner- vous fevers, hysteria, epilepsy, and spas- modic affections: and from the idea of its action being particularly determined to the uterine system, it is supposed to prove use- ful in amenorrheca and chlorosis. It may be exhibited either in powder, or in the form of tincture ; but owing to the scarcity and the high price of good castor, it is sel- dom ordered; and the materia medica cer- tainly contains many better antispasmodics. The dose of powdered castor is grs. x. to 7)j., given as a bolus. Officinal preparation. Tinctura Casto- rci, L. E. D. CENTAURIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 2277. t Duncan's New Edinburgh Dispensatory, 5th edit. 220. \ Langicv. An*, de Hits- d'lfist Nn: t- ix, p. MATERIA MEDICA. 133 CI. 19. Ord. 3. Ryngenesla Fruetranea. Nat. ord. Compoaita: Cupitatzc, Linn. Cinaro- cephalrc, Juss. G. 1548. Receptacle bristly. Seed-down sim- ple. Corolla of the ray funnel-shaped, longer, irregular. ***** Calcitrapx; with the spines of the ca- lyx compound. Species 89. C. Bcnedicta* Blessed Thistle. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 34. t. 14. Officinal. Centauiuje Benedicts nEitBA, Edin. Cahduus Benedictus, folia, Dub. The herbaceous part, or the leaves of Blessed Thistle. Syn. Chardon benit (F.), Kardo benedik- tenkract (G.), Curdo santo (/.), Curdoben- dito (S.). This is an annual plant, a native of Spain and the Grecian islands, flowering in June and September; and cultivated in the gar- dens of this country, where it thrives as well as in its native soil.f This plant is in greatest perfection when in flower, at which time it should be cut, quickly dried, and preserved in a dry airy place. Qualities.—The odour is weak, yet un- pleasant; the taste intensely bitter, but not very permanent. Its virtues are extracted both by water and alcohol. The watery infusion has a pale greenish-yellow colour, which is changed to a deep olive by sul- phate of iron, and an orange-brown by the pure alkalies, although the carbonates do not affect it. Nitrate of silver and super- acetate of lead occasion copious precipi- tates, and are therefore incompatible with this infusion. Medical properties and uses.—Carduus benedictus is either emetic, diaphoretic, or tonic, according to the form and strength of the preparation in which it is administer- ed. The decoction and strong infusion pro- voke vomiting ; the less strong warm infu- sion determines powerfully to the surface, occasioning a copious flow of sweat; and the light infusion, made with six drachms of the leaves, and one pint of cold water, is an elegant and efficacious bitter in loss of ap- petite, and the dyspepsia which is occa- sioned by irregularities. It was formerly supposed to possess such extraordinary me- dicinal powers as to deserve the appella- tion bencdicta ,- but it is seldom used in mo- dern practice. The dose of the powdered herb is grs. xv. to 5j; that of the infusion F31 j, given every three hours. CKNTAURII CACUMINA. Vide Chiro- nia Centaurium. CEPIIAEL1S. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 977. • "Ax'.pvj, Theophrasti. t It was described as bring cultivated in England I.. Gerurde in 1597. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Aggregatx, Linn. G. 357. Flowers in an involucred head. Corolla tubular. Stigma two-parted. Berry two-seeded. Receptacle chaffy. Species nova. Cephaelis vel Callicocca Ipe- cacuanha.^ Ipecacuan, Linn. Soc, Trans. vi. p. 137. t. 2. Officinal. Ipecacuanha radix, Lond. Edin. Dub. The root of Ipecacuan. Syn. Ipecacuanne (F.), Brechwerzel (G.), Ipecacuana (/.), Ipecacuanha (S.). This plant is a perennial, found growing in shadowy moist situations in the forests of the provinces of Pernambuqua, Bahia, Rio Janeiro, Paulensia, Mariannia, and other provinces of the Brasils; flowering in De- cember, January, February, and March; and ripening its berries in May. The root is simple, or somewhat branched, and fur- nished here and there with short radicles; it is roundish, three or four inches in length, and two or three lines in thickness ; bent in different directions, externally brown, and annulated with prominent, mi- equal roughish rings. According to Decandolle, the term ipe- cacuanha in South America implies gene- rally vomiting root; and therefore it is ap- plied to the roots of very different species of plants. The plant, however, which wc have described from Professor Brotero's description published in the sixth volume of the Linnean Transactions, and the Psy- cotria emetica, which Mutis says yields the Peruvian gray ipecacuan, are the plants that yield the varieties of the root brought to this country.|| We have found very lit- tle of the white ipecacuan in any of the specimens of the ipecacuan of the shops which we have examined. Both the gray and the brown varieties of the root are brought to this country packed in bales from Rio Janeiro. Both are in short, wrinkled, variously bent and contorted pieces, which break with a resinous fracture. The gray is about the thickness of a small quill, full of knots and deep circular fissures, that nearly reach down to a white woody vascu- lar cord that runs through the heart of each piece ; the external part is compact, brittle, and looks smooth; the brown is 5 As Willdenow, following Swarts. has united the genus Callicocca with that of Cephaelis, wo have re- ferred the Ipecacuanha to this genus. J The title of Ipecacuan is generally given to the roots of the following plants, besides those mention- ed above, in South America : Viola parvifhra, V. Ipecacuanha, X. Calceolaria, Cynanchum Ipecacuan- ha, C. tomentosum, and Asclepias currassav'ua ; and sometimes to Euphorbia Ipecacuanha, Dorstenia Bra- siliensis, and D. arifolia. In St. Domingo several species of Ruellia, which provoke vomiting, are na- med false Ipecacuan. Nouveau Dictionnaire d'His- t"it e Naturclle, ait. Ipecacuanha. 134 MATERIA 1 smaller, more wrinkled, of a blackish brown colour on the outside, and white within: the white is woody, and has no wrinkles. In choosing ipecacuanha, the larger roots, which are compact, and break with a resinous fracture, having a whitish gray somewhat semitransparent appearance in the inside of the cortical part, with a pale straw-coloured medullary fibre, are to be preferred. It is impossible to ascertain at what pe- riod the effects of this root were first known in America, where the Indians used it as an emetic before their connexion with Euro- peans: but although Piso described its uses fully in his Natural History of Brasil so early as 1618, and brought the root to Europe, yet it was scarcely used by Euro- peans before the year 1700. It was carried to France by a French physician of the name of Le Gras in 1672 ; but it did not attract general notice until it was a third time introduced by a French merchant of the name of Grenier, who brought 150 lbs. of it from Spain in 1686, with which trials were made at the Hotel Dieu. Helvetius first made known its use in dysentery, and was rewarded by Louis XIV. with 1000/. sterling for the discovery. Qualities.—The entire root is inodorous, but the powder has a faint disagreeable odour. The taste is bitter, subacrid, and extremely nauseous. Water at 212° takes up rather more than eight parts in twenty of ipecacuan, but decoction destroys the emetic power of the root: alcohol takes up four parts, and proof spirit six and a half: and the alcoholic is more emetic than the aqueous solution. Various analyses of ipe- cacuanha have been made in order to de- tect its emetic principle, but the most satis- factory is that of M. M. Majendie and Pel- letier.* After digesting the powdered root in ether, in order to separate any fatty matter, the remainder was treated with highly rectified alcohol, until it ceased to become coloured even when aided by heat. These tinctures, after being allowed to cool, and to deposit some flakes of wax which were separated by filtration, were then evaporated to dryness, and the resi- due re-dissolved in water: acetate of lead being added to the watery infusion, a pre- cipitate formed, which, when edulcorated and diffused through water, was exposed to a current of sulphuretted hydrogen gas, to separate the lead; after which the liquid being filtered and evaporated to dryness afforded a substance of a peculiar nature, which they termed Emetin, and on which it was experimentally demonstrated that the emetic properties of the root de- pend. Emetin,\ when pure, is of a reddish * Vide Ann. de Chim. et de Phys. iv. 172. and Lon. Med. Repository, viii. p. 252. 1EDICA. brown colour, solid, and pulverulent, near- ly inodorous, and has a slightly bitter, acrid, but not nauseous taste. When expo- sed to a heat stronger than that of boiling water, it is decomposed, furnishing water, carbonic acid, some oil, and acetic acid, charcoal being left. It is little soluble in water, and does not deliquesce in a moist atmosphere. It is soluble in alcohol, but not in ether. To detail the action of other chemical agents on this body is here unne- cessary ; the results are sufficient to cha- racterize it as a substance sui generis. Be- sides emetin, ipecacuanha has been found, by the experiments of the above chemists, to contain oil, wax, gum, starch, and lignin. The medicinal value of ipecacuanha de- pends, undoubtedly, on the quantity of emetin it contains; and this varies in the three varieties of the root found in the shops. M. M. Majendie and Pelletier ob- tained 16 parts of it in 100 of the cortical part of brown ipecacuanha, the root of the Psycotria emetica of MutisJ, 14 in 100 of the gray ipecacuanha, the root of the Cal- licocca ipecacuanha^, and 5 only in 100 of the white ipecacuanha, the root of the Viola emetica.\\ The woody pith even of the brown variety contains very little emetin, and hence it should be separated in redu- cing the root to the form of powder. Experiments made with Emetin on ani- mals, prove that it is emetic and purga- tive, in doses of half a grain, and exerts a specific action on the lungs and mucous membrane of the intestinal canal, and has also marked narcotic properties: that it may be employed instead of ipecacuanha in every case in which this medicine is use- ful, the dose being more easily regulated, and the effects more certain. When taken in an over-dose, its action can be instantly paralysed by decoction of galls. These ex- periments are at variance with those of Dr. Irvine, which led him to conclude that the watery solution of ipecacuan is more emetic than the alcoholic, the reverse be- ing found to be the case. The powder of ipecacuanha is apt to be- come inert by keeping; and therefore it should be preserved in small phials, well corked, and not exposed to the light. Long- continued boiling also renders it inert. -(- The name is derived from z/uiu, vomo. X The components procured from 100 parts of brown ipecacuanha were as follows; of fatty and oily matter 2 ; emetic matter (emetin) 16; wax 6 ; gum 10 ; starch 42, and ligneous matter 20 ; the re- maining 4 parts being regarded as loss. § 100 parts of the gray variety yielded, of fatty matter 2 ; emetin 14; gum 16 ; starch 18; woody matter 48 ; with merely a trace of wax, and 2 of loss. || From 100 parts of the white ipecacuanha, were obtained of emetin 5 ; gum 35 ; vegeto-animnl mat- ter 1 ; and woody matter 57 ; besides S of loss. MATERIA MEDICA. 135 Medical properties and uses.—Ipecacuan- ha, when administered in large doses, is emetic; in smaller ones diaphoretic and expectorant; and in still smaller doses it acts as a stomachic, stimulating and giving energy to the digestive organs. As an emetic, it is mild, safe, and certain in its operation ; but it is a mistake, that when given in larger doses than are necessary it does not operate more violently, but only in a shorter space of time. It does not act so quickly as many other emetic substances; but it evacuates completely the contents of the stomach, and does not so much weaken it as antimonial emetics. It is given at the commencement of continued fevers, the progress of which is sometimes cut short by its operation ; and it is also frequently found to stop the paroxysm of an intermittent, when given immediately before the accession of the cold stage. At the commencement of inflammation of the pharynx, larynx, and trachea, when the in- flammation does not run very high ; in cy- nanche tonsillaris; and every case in which it is necessary to evacuate the stomach, ipe- cacuan has been found useful. As an eme- tic, however, it is contra-indicated when there is any reason for suspecting inflam- mation of the encephalon, passive hsemor- rhagy, or hernia ; and in the advanced stage of typhous fevers, when the pulse is feeble, and the strength much diminished; but in these instances all emetics are hurtful. In doses sufficient to excite nausea without producing vomiting, ipecacuan is given with excellent effects in dysentery*, and obsti- nate diarrhcEa: in which cases its efficacy seems to arise in a great degree from the nausea, which is kept up by the repetition of the small doses diminishing the arterial excitement, and determining to the surface; and partly also, as Cullen supposed, from its producing a steady determination of the peristaltic motion of the intestines down- wards.f Perhaps also to these first-men- tioned effects of the nausea, may be attri- buted much of the benefit whicli results from the use of ipecacuan in spasmodic asthma, dyspnoea, pertussis, and epilepsy. In the first of these diseases its emetic pow- er is taken advantage of to relieve the pa- roxysm, after which it is given in repeated small doses to prevent its return.^ In nau- seating doses also, owing to the nausea les- sening the force of the circulation, it has been employed with the best success in uterine and pulmonary hemorrhages. As a sudorific, it is used in acute rheuma- tism, arthritic affections, dropsy, and other diseases in which sweating is necessary. It • Piso, Helvctiuf, Clcghorn, Pringle. t Materia Med. ii. 477. | Akenside. is generally given, in these cases, in combi- nation with opium and neutral salts, accord- ing to the mode introduced by Dover; (see Pulvis Ipecacuanhas, compositus.) But we have found it in combination with opium alone in a larger proportion, more effica- cious, particularly in rheumatism. Its ex- pectorant powers have been found extreme- ly useful in catarrhal affections, pneumo- nia after bleeding, and in the early stage of phthisis, in which its diaphoretic effect is also beneficial. The emetic operation of ipecacuan is quickened by combining it with tartarized antimony; and, on the contrary, it is coun- teracted by opium, by vegetable infusions containing tannin, and by vegetable acids. Opium, however, is rendered less narcotic when combined with ipecacuan, although its power of allaying pain is not diminished, while the sudorific effect of the ipecacuan is much augmented by the combination. We do not, however, agree in opinion with those who think it is to be relied upon as an antidote against the deleterious effects of opium ; its emetic effect being too slow, and checked by the opium. The infusion of nutgalls is the only certain and powerful antidote for an over-dose of ipecacuan, in- stantly rendering it inert. Idiosyncrasy oc- casions some persons to be affected with the most distressing sensation of suffocation, by the effluvia of this root. Ipecacuan is exhibited in substance, and in aqueous and vinous infusions ; and, on the Continent, a syrup of it is used for chil- dren^ The dose of the powder to pro- duce full vomiting, is from grs. xv. to ^ss.; and of the aqueous infusion, which is made by macerating for an hour gij. of the pow- dered root in f^yj. of boiling water, and filtering, f 5J. or f ^jss. may be given every half hour till it excites vomiting. The eme- tic effect is continued, and rendered easier to the patient, by drinking, in the intervals of vomiting, large draughts of tepid water. For producing the other effects of ipecacu- an, it is given in doses of one, two, or three grains, generally in the form of pills, and repeated every four or five hours : but al- though its sudorific effect, when begun, is aided and kept up by the use of warm flu- ids, yet these must not be drunk soon after the dose has been taken. } The following is the mode of preparing the sy- rup. Take oz. vj. of ipecacuanha in fine powder, and pour over it lbs. vj. of cold water, and after twenty four hours decant it off; then add lbs. vj. more of water ; and again lbs. vj. more, a third time, proceeding always as at first. Mix the decanted li- quors, and filter : and then with a moderate heat dis- solve in them lbs. xij. of refined sugar. One ounce is equivalent to twelve grains of the powder. An- nates de Chimie, xlvi. SS. 136 MATERIA MEDICA. Officinal preparations. Pulvis Ipecacu- anha compositus, L. D. Vinum Ipecacuanhce, L. E. D. CERA. Wax. Syn. Cire (F.), Wachs (G.), Cera (/.), Cera (S.), Shuma^rafi.), Mom (H.), Med- hiichhishta (San.) Bees, as the experiments of Huber have proved*, produce the wax of which the delicate partitions of the cells of their combs are constructed, from honey, sugar, and the sweet secreted juice found in the nec- taries of plants ; but they do not collect it ready formed from the anthers of flowers, as has been generally supposed. It is, ne- vertheless, also produced as a secretion by many plants, forming the silvery powder or bloom, which often covers their leaves and fruit, and is found in great abundance com- bined with resin, covering the trunk of the wax-palm (Ceroxylon Andicola) of South Americaf, and very pure, encrusting the seeds of the Myrica cerifera, or wax-tree of Louisiana and other parts of North Ameri- ca.^ Hence wax, in the extended meaning of the term, may be regarded both as an animal and a vegetable product. But it is the former species only of it, or bees' wax, which is officinal, and demands our present consideration. It is admitted into the list of materia medica under two forms:—1st, As it is procured originally from the combs, combined with colouring matter, or un- bleached ; and, 2d, Deprived of colour, and purified or bleached. 1. Unbleached Wax. Officinal. Ceiia flava, Lond. Edin. Dub. Yellow Wax. Syn. Cire jaune (F.), Wachs (G.), Cera gialla (/.), Cera qualda (S.), Munjie Moo- lakhoo (Tarn.) Yellow wax is prepared immediately from the honeycomb,§ The honey is ob- tained by dripping and pressing the comb, which is then soaked for some days in clear water to extract all the remaining honey, and afterwards melted in a clean vessel with boiling water, and pressed through cloth bags. It is then re-melted and cast into round cakes, in which form it is brought to market.|| Qualities.—Good and recent yellow wax * Nicholson's Journal, ii. 182. ■** This palm is found in the Quindin mountains only, rising 180 feet in height, aud having leaves twenty feet long. The waxy secretion covers the trunk to the thickness of about two inches, and con- sists of two-thirds of resin and one of wax. Hum- boldt Plantx Mquinoctiales, &c. fasc. i. X The pp la of the Chinese is an animal wax, and the -white lac of India appears also to be a variety of wax. } There are -been in India which prepare a black wax. Jaequin. Elem. Chim. p. 34. || Large quantities of wax are imported from the Baltic, the Levnm, and the Barljary coast. has a slight odour of honey, ia insipid, and of a bright pale yellow hue. It is brittle, yet soft, somewhat unctuous to the touch, but without adhering to the fingers, or to the teeth when it is chewed ; acquires te- nacity when heated; melts at 142°, and burns entirely away. Its specific gravity varies from 0.9600 to 0.9650. (For the other properties of wax, see Cera alba.) Wax in this form is often adulterated with earth, peas' meal, or%resin and tallow. Earth, or peas' meal, may be suspected when the cake is very brittle, and the co- lour inclines more to gray than bright pale yellow; they may be separated by remelt- ing and straining the wax. The presence of resin may be suspected when the frac- ture appears smooth and shining, instead of being granulated ; and it may be detected by putting small pieces of the wax in cold alcohol, which will readily dissolve the re- sinous part, without acting on the real wax. Tallow is discovered by the greater soft- ness and unctuosity of the cake, and its disagreeable suffocating smell when melt- ed. Medical properties and uses.—Yellow wax is scarcely ever ordered for internal use, although its colouring matter does not af- fect its medical properties. It is chiefly em- ployed in the composition of external ap- plications. Officinal preparations. Cerafiava puri- ficata, D. Emplastrum Cerx, L. E. Cerata, L. E. 2. Bleached Wax. Officinal. Ceiia Alija, Lond. Edin. Dub, White Wax. Syn. Cire blanche (F.), Cerablanca(Z), Cera blanca (S.), Vultay Moolakhoo (Tarn.) When yellow wax is exposed, with an extended surface, to the action of light and air, and sprinkled with water, the yellow colour and peculiar odour are lost, and it becomes white. This process is thus per- formed :—The yellow wax is melted with a very little water in a copper vessel, and then run off, through a plug-hole in the bottom, into another vessel, which is cover- ed with a cloth to retain the heat until the water and the impurities settle. The clari- fied melted wax is next suffered to flow into a vessel, the bottom of which is full of small holes, through which it runs in small streams upon a cylinder kept constantly revolving over, and partly dipping in cold water, into which the wax falls, drawn out into thin shreds or ribbands, and is in- stantly cooled. These are spread upon cloths stretched on frames exposed to the light and air, and occasionally watered and turned; so that a£ter some days the colour nearly disappears. After being thus half- bleached, the wax remains heaped up in a solid mass for a month, when the whole process is again repeated. It is, lastly, ge- MATERIA MEDICA. 137 nerally melted and cast into thin discs about five inches in diameter, in which form it is found in the shops. White wax is sometimes adulterated with white oxide of lead, in order to increase its weight, and with white tallow. The for- mer is detected by melting the wax in wa- ter, when the oxide falls to the bottom of the vessel ; and white wax is known to con- tain tallow when it is of a dull opaque white, and wants the translucency which distin- guishes pure wax. Qualities. Pure white wax is perfectly insipid, inodorous, and somewhat translu- cent. It is harder, less unctuous to the touch, heavier, and less fusible than yellow wax; its specfic gravity being from 0.8203 to 0.9(-62, and its melting point 155°. It melts into a colourless transparent fluid, which concretes again as it cools, resuming its former appearance. Wax is perfectly insoluble in water, and nearly so in cold alcohol, although this fluid takes up about one-twentieth of its weight at a boiling temperature ; which, however, is again de- posited as the fluid cools. Ether acts in the i same manner as alcohol. It dissolves in the fixed oils, forming the base of cerates and ointments ; and unites in some degree when boiled with alkalies, forming soaps. The acids at an ordinary temperature scarcely affect it: but when the sulphuric acid is boiled on it, a thick blackish mass is pro- duced. The products of its decomposition by heat, in close vessels, show that, like the fixed oils, it is a triple compound of carbon, 81-784 ; hydrogen, 12-672 ; and oxygen, 5.544, iu 100 parts.* Dr. John affirms, that 100 parts of wax dig< sied in boiling alcohol is divided into two distinct substances, or eighty parts, consisting of a body soluble in hot alcohol and oils, and deposited by cooling, and thirteen of a substance com- pletely insoluble in alcohol: the first he has named cerin, the second myricum.\ Medical properties and uses.—Wax is re- garded as a demulcent, and is sometimes exhibited in obstinate cases of diarrhoea and dysentery, with a view of sheathing the bowels; but its place may be better sup plied by simple mucilages and gelatinous solutions. It is generally exhibited diffus- ed in mucilaginous fluids by means of soap, in the proportion of one-third part of the wax, with which it is first melted, and then rubbed in a mortar with the fluid, which is gradually added: but Poerner's method, which is, first to melt the wax with olive oil, and then mix the oily compound while hot with the mucilaginous fluid, by tritu- rating with the yolk of an egg, is a prefera- ble one. The dose is a cupful of the emul- * Thenard. Recherches Phys. Chim. ii. p. 316. *■ Tableau Chim. du Regne Animal, p. 209. 18 sion, containing about 9j. of wax, given every four or five hours. Officinal preparations. Cerata varia, L. E D. CKRVUS. Sust.Nat. Gmelin.175. CI. 1. Ord. 5. Mammalia Pecora. G. 29. Horns solid: when tender covered with a velvety coat, and growing a: the apex ; shed annually ; forked. Fore-teeth, eight in the lower jaw. Tearing-teeth none '^sometimes solitary in the upper jaw.) Species 1. C. Elaphus.\ The Stag, or Hart. Johnst. Quadr. 82. t. 32. 35. Officinal. Consul, Lond. Cervi Elaphi cornu, Edin. Cobntj Cehvinum, Dub. Harts' Horns. Syn. Corne de Cerf (F.), Hirschorn (G.), Corno di Cervo (/.), Cuernode Ciervo (S.) The stag, of which there aiv three known varieties, is a native of almost every part of Europe, and of the northern piirrs of Ame- rica and Asia. In Britain its numbers have been much reduced by the progress of ci- vilization ; but it is still found wild in the Highlands of Scotland, the moors border- ing on Devonshire and Cornwall, and on the Kerry mountains in Ireland. The horns are annually shed, about the end of Febru- ary and March; but are soon reproduced in a soft, tender state, full of blood-vessels, and covered with a velvety skin, which is lost as they increase in size ; and at length, about the month of July, they become hard, compact, and bony. These horns differ from those of most other animals, and approach nearer to the nature of bone, containing only less of the phosphate of lime in their composition, and yielding a much larger proportion of gela- tine. It is for the sake of the gelatine that their shavings are medicinally used. These are often adulterated with shavings of mut- ton bones, which, however, are easily de- tected by their greater degree of brittle- ness. Qualities.-llartshovn shavings when good are inodorous and insipid, pliant, of an ivo- ry-yellow colour; and contain 27 parts of gelatine in 100 parts.§ Four ounces ot the shavings boiled in two pints of water until one pint be dissipated, and the remainder strained, afford, when the decoction cools, a clear, transparent, colourless, insipid, ino- dorous jelly, which is a compound of gela- tine and water. Medical properties and uses.—The gela- tine yielded by stags' horns is considered as a demulcent; but it* nutrient properties are more useful than its medicinal virtues. It forms, when united with orange-juice, sugar, and a littk wine, a good article of \ Exa^r, Ar-stot. Hist. Animal, ii. c. 7.18. { Annates de Chimie, xxxiv. 71. 138 MATERIA MEDICA. diet for the sick and convalescent; and, when mixed with an equal portion of cows' milk, it is very useful in the irritations of infants arising from acidities in the primae viae. Officinal preparations. Cornu uslum, L. D. Liquor vol. Cornu cervini, D. Oleum Cornu cervini rectif D. CEREVISIiE FERMENTUM, Lond. Edin. Yeast. Syn. Leveure (F.), GUscht (G.), Fermento di cervogia (/.), Espuma de cerbeza (*•) r , This substance is the scum or frothy mat- ter which collects on the surface of beer while fermenting. It soon undergoes the putrefactive fermentation, but may be pre- served by drying it to the consistence of a slightly cohesive paste ; in which state it is sold in Paris. It has been chemically ex- amined by Westrumb, who obtained from it a variety of ingredients*; but its essen- tial constituent, or the fermenting princi- ple, is supposed to be gluten, or something very analogous to that vegetable principle. Its medical properties may perhaps be at- tributed to its containing the bitter of the hop, some ready-formed alcohol, and carbo- nic acid. Qualities.—Yeast has a vinous, sour odour; a bitter taste ; and reddens the vegetable blues. When it is filtered, a matter re- mains on the filter which possesses proper- ties similar to those of vegetable gluten; and by this separation the yeast loses the property of exciting fermentation, but re- covers it again when the gluten is added. The addition of yeast to any vegetable sub- stance containing saccharine matter excites fermentation in it, and carbonic acid gas is evolved. Medical properties and uses.—Yeast is tonic and antiseptic. Some years ago it was given with seeming advantage in ty- phoid fevers attended with symptoms of putridity; but the facts brought forward in support of its efficacy require further con- firmation.j- As an external application, how- ever, to foul and sphacelating ulcers, when united with farinaceous matters in the form of cataplasm or poultice, it is productive of the best effects. It corrects the foetor of the discharge, assists sloughing, and pro- motes the formation of a benign and healthy pus. » From 15.142 parts of yeast, he obtained the fol- lowing substances : potass 13, carbonic acid 15, acetic acid 10, malic acid 45, lime 09. alcohol 2-10, extract- ive 120, mucilage 240, saccharine matter 315, gluten 430, and water 13.595 parts; besides some traces of phosphoric acid and of silica. Crell's Annals, 1796, and Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. v. 406. t It was suggested as a remedy in these complaints by the Rev. Mr, Cartwright, The dose of yeast is a table-spoonful or two, (about f gss.) repeated every second or third hour. . It is generally combined with porter, or wine, and sugar. Officinal preparation. Co.tuplu.ima Fer- tnenti, L. CETACEUM. Vide Physeter macroce- phalus. CHIRONEA. Spec. Plant. Willd.\.\065, CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Rosaceae, Linn. Gentianae, Juss. G. 349. Cor. wheel-shaped. Pistil declined. Stam. seated on the tube of tne corolla. Anthers spiral at the end. Pericarp two- celled. Species 9. C. Centaurium.\ Common Cen- taury. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 275. t. 96, Smith Flor. Brit. 257. Eng. Bot. t. 417. Officinal. Centaitrii cacituina, Lond. Chi- KOKEJ, CENTAUR1I summitates, Edin. CENTAVH1UM MINUS ; CACUMINA FLOREN- tia, Dub. The flowering tops of Com- mon Centaury. Syn. Petite Centauree (F.), Tansendgul- denkraut (G.), Centaura (/.), Gentiana Centaura (S.) This is an indigenous annual plant, grow- ing in dry gravelly pastures, and flowering in July and August. Qualities.—Common centaury is almost inodorous; but the petals, leaves, and stalk have an intensely bitter taste. Both water and alcohol in sufficient quantity extract the whole of its active principles, leaving the insoluble part perfectly insipid. It ap- pears to contain a bitter resin and mucus. Medical properties and uses.—Common centaury is tonic and antiseptic. Before the discovery of cinchona, it was much used for the cure of fevers, and was one of the ingredients of the celebrated Portland- powder.§ It is a useful bitter and tonic -, and may well supply the place of some of the more expensive remedies of this descrip- tion in dyspeptic complaints. The dose of the powder is from ^ss. to 3j.; and of an infusion made by macerating sjvj. of the i Named, according to Pliny, luvrstvpiiw, from Chiron the centaur, I. 25. c. 6. 5 It is amusing to observe the fate of the various specifics for the gout, whicli have each hekl for a time its sway over the public opinion. The following were the ingredients of the Portland powder: equal quan- tities by weight of the roots of birthwort t'Aristolo- chia rotunda), and of gentian ; the tops and leaves of germander (Chamxdrys), ground pine (Chamecpy- tis), and leaser Centaury (Chironea Centaurium), powdered and mixed together. Regarding its ef- fects, Heberden says, '• Dum fania ejus vigeret, in tot sgris, qui eo usi sunt, podagra vel mitior facta est, vel rarius repetit, ut vix possit dubitari hos effectiis isti medicamento esse tribuendos. Quod autem ullu mala ex illo orta sint, prater fastidium, quod modus niuiius attulit, mihi quidem nee certum unquain vi- sum est, nee verisimile." Comment, de Morborun. Hist. 50. MATERIA MEDICA, 139 dried tops in Oss. of boiling water, and straining, f^jss. to fgij., three or four times a-day. CINCHONA.* Spec. Plant. Willd. i.957. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Contortae, Linn. Rubiaceae, Juss. G. 346. Corolla funnel-shaped. Capsule inferior, two-celled, bipartite with a pa- rallel partition. Seed winged. * Corollas downy, with the stamens included. Species 1. C. Luncifolia, Mutis. Papel Periodici de Santa Ft4, p. 465. Rhode. Monog. Cinchona Generis Tentamen,p. 513. Zea, Annates de Hisiaria Natural, torn. ii. p. 207.f Flora Peruv. torn. ii. p. 50./ 191. Humboldt. Plantx teqninoctiales, p. 33. t. 10. Lambert's Description of the Genus Cinchona, plate 1. ibid. Illustra- tion of the Genus, &c. p. 2. Species 2. C. Ob'ongifolia Mutis. Per. de Santa Fd. Zea. 1. c ii. 214. C. Magni- folia, C. lutescens. Flor. Peruv. ii. 53. t. 196. Quinologia, art. vi. fl. Species 3. C Cordifolia, Mutis. Per. de Santa Ft. Zea. I. c. ii. 214. C.purpurea. Flor. Peruv. 32. t. 193. C. ovata. Ruiz. Quinologia, C. micrantha. Flor. Peruv. 52. t. 194. Lambert, p. 21. plate ii.$ Il- lustration, &c. p. 3. This important genus, of which twenty- four species have been described, is not yet altogether freed from the ambiguity which has so long involved it; and although much has been effected by the industry of the Spanish botanists, whom their government sent out to make inquiries concerning it, yet many species remain undescribed§, from which it is very probable the bark gatherers collect some parts of the large cargoes which are annually sent to Europe. The three kinds medicinally used have been distinguished and named as above by Mu- tis, a celebrated botanist, who resides in the neighbourhood of Santa Fe de Bogota, * Supposed to be named after the Countess del Chinchon. wife of a viceroy of Peru, who intro- duced it into Europe, on her return to Spain in 1640. t Zea adds the following synonimes: Quinquina. Condam. A. A. Paris, 1738. C. Officinalis. Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 10. p. 929. Spec. Plant, p. 244. Gen. Plant, ed. 7. p. 91. C. Officinalis. Vhal. Act. Soc. Nat. Haum. 1. fasc. p. 17. t. 1. C- nitida. Flora Peruv. et Chil. ii. p. 30. t. 191. : and Ruiz. Quino- logia, 56. C. lanceolata. Flora Peruv. 51. C. glabra. Ruiz Quinol. art. iv, 64. C. rosea. Flora Peruv. 54. C. fusca. Ruiz. Quinol. art. viii. 77. J: Besides these synonimes, Zea adds, C. Officina- lis, Linn. St/ppl. p. 144. s. v. edit. Peersoon,p. 222. C. pubescens. Act. Haum. 1. fasc. p. 17. t. 2. J In a large collection of dried specimens of the genus Cinchona in my possession, which were col- lected in 1805, both near Loxa and Santa Fe, I find many species which are not mentioned in the works uf any of the Spanish botanists; nor even by Mr. Lambert, to whom I gave specimens of many of the »peciei. as director of the exportation ofbark||; and his observations have been fully detailed by his pupil Zea ; whilst the travels of Hum- boldt and Bonpland have afforded them an opportunity of ascertaining accurately, and describing the species first delineated by Condamine in 1738, in the Mem. de VAca- demies, and named by Linnxus officinalis, under which term, however, no less than two very distinct species were confounded by that distinguished naturalist. Under this trivial name, officinalis, also, the Bri- tish pharmacopoeias placed as varieties the three kinds of barks known in the shops; and this error is still retained by the Dublin college : but, in the last editions of their | Pharmacopoeias, the London and the Edin- burgh colleges have adopted the arrange- ment and names of the three officinal spe- cies according to Mutis. Prior to the year 1772, all the Cinchona bark brought to Europe was shipped at the ports of the Pacific; but since Don Jose Celestino Mutis discovered the Cinchona about Santa Fe, much of it has come by the way of Cartiiagena de Indias to Cadiz.** Before describing the officinal species, it is proper to state, that although they are named from the form of their leaves, yet, as Humboldt justly remarks, " no tree varies more in the shape of its leaves than the Cinchona;" and, in examining dried speci- mens, he who has not seen them in their native forests, " will be led to discover dif- ferent species by leaves which are of one and the same branch:" a remark which I am enabled to confirm, by the extensive collection of dried specimens of the genus in my possession. || Mutis is a native of Cadiz, and went to Santa F6 in 1760, as physician to the viceroy Don Pedro Misia de la Cerda. He discovered the Cinchona, in the forests between Guaduas and Santa Fe, in 1772 : although the credit of this discovery was attempted to be wrested from him by Don Sebastian Jose Lopez Ruiz; who, however, from his own documents transmitted by his brother to Baron Humboldt, to prove the priority of his discovery, appears to have known the Cinchona about Honda, only since 1774. \ Condamine made the first, and the only at- tempt that has been made to bring young Cinchona trees alive to Europe. He mused them for eight months, during a passage of 1200 leagues, but they were washed out of the boat into the sea and lost, near Cape Orange, north of Para. Lambert's Must. of the genus Cinchona, 4to. 1821. p. 24. ** Humboldt informs us, that the quantity of Cinchona bark annually exported from America is 12,000 or 14,000 quintals. The kingdom of Santa F6 furnishes 2000 of these, which are sent from Carthagena; 110 are furnished by L»\ii ; and the provinces of Huamanga, Cuenca, and Jean de Bra- camoros, with the thick forests of Guacabamba and Ayavaca, furnish the re3t, which is shipped from Lima, Guayaquil, Payta, and other ports on the South Sea. Plantce Equinoc. p. 34. 140 MATERIA MEDICA, 1. Cinchona Lancitoiia, Mutis.* Officinal. Cinchona Lancifoi.ije cortex, Lond. Edin. Cohtex Fe^uvianus, Dub. Lance-leaved Cinchona. The Pale Bark of the shops.f Syn. Quinquina orange (F.), Gelbe Chi- narinde (G.), China (7.), Quina Naranjada (-S.). rl his tree is found chiefly in the neigh- bourhood of the village Ayavaca, at heights from 6250 to 8300 feet, where the mean temperature varies between 59 and 62 de- grees, on a boitom of micaceous schist in the woods of Caxanuma, Uritusinga, Vil- lonaco, and Monger It is a lof'y, hand- some tree, always in leaf; from thirty to forty fe ft in height, and standing general!) single; whereas most of the other species are found in groups. It exudes, wlu rever it is wounded, a yellow astringent juice. This tree affords the original cinchona of Peru, which is now very rare, 110 quintals only being cut, instead of 4;00, winch was the quantity in 1779, and reserved for tht use of the Spanish government.§ Zea says it is the landfolia of Mutis, under whicli we have placed it; and there is also » great affinity between it and the scrobtcul,,- ta of Humboldt, according to that celebra- ted traveller. The bark of the lw cifotm is the pale bark of the shops, the Qmna NarunjtLtla and Cascanlla fina de Uritusin- ga of 'he Spaniards It is known in com- merce by the name of Cahsaya|| ; and is preferred in South America to all the other cinchonas. Two other varities of it, pro- bably produced by distinct species, are also known in commerce by the names of luga- tijudu (lizardlike) and negrilla (blackish), from the colour of their epidermis. It has * Synonimes. C. nitida, Ruiz. C. Condamine Hmiib. C.angustifolia, Ruiz. C. tunka, Lopez. + 1 have to acknowledge my erro. in regarding this as the yellow bark of the shops, in the first and second editions o the Dispensatory. The mistake arose from my imperfect knowledge of the Spanish language at that time ■ and the ambiguity of the term Amarilla, which may be translated either pale or yellow. X As the Condaminea of Humboldt, notwith- standing the reasonings of this author to prove the contrary, is evidently a variety, if not the same spe- cies meant by Mutis. we have availed ourselves of Mutis's accurate description. § Estan raro, qui apeuas corrtsponde a uno par mil de las otras especies juntas. Ann. de Hist. Hat. toin. ii. p- 210. || The name Calisaya is that of a province pro- ducing this bark, in the most southern part of Peru, in the inteiidencia de la Paz; but the term is also used as a generic name by which the Peruvian In- dians distinguish the superior barks. There are three vari* tii s of Calisayas known in South Ame- rican commerce, 1 Calisaya arrotlenda, rolled Ca- lisaia 2. Calisaya de plancha, Hat Calisaya; 3. Calisaya de Santa Fi, which is a thick bark. MSS. of Dr. Devoti. always been known in this country by the vague name of Peruvian or officinal bark. The branches are decorticated in the dry season, trom September to November, which is the period when all the kinds are barked, and the bark is carefully dried in the sun. The trees frequently die after the operation. The bark arrives in Europe packed in chests made of slips of wood roughly fast- ened together, and covered with skins; each of which contains about 20u lbs. weight, well packed, but generally con- tain ing a quantity of dust and other hetero- geneous matter. It consists of pieces eight or ten inches in length, some of them scarcely one-tenth of an inch in thickness; singly and doubly quilled, or rolled inward, the quills generally being in size from a swan's quill to an inch and a half ;^1 and others of a coarser texture, thicker and nearly flat. It has a chopped, greyish or cineritious epidermis, often covered with flat, sometimes stringy lichens;** and is internally of a pallid fawn or cinnamon hue. This colour is brightened when the bark is moistened, approximating »o pale orange. Both the quilled and the flat varieties are evidently the bark of >he same tree; the quiiled sort being that of the smaller blanches, and the flat that of the larger and of the trunk. But the chests probably contain similar barks obtained from differ- ent species. Qualities.—Good bark of this description has scarcely any odour when in substance; but during decoction the odour is sensible, and agreeably aromatic. The tasie is bit- ter, but not unpleasant, slightly acidulous and austere, resembling in some degree that of a dried rose. It is light, and breaks with a close fracture, with the internal fi- bres somewhat drawn out. The powder of the quilled kind is paler than the bark, being of a uniform pale cinnamon hue ; but the fl.it kind yields a deeper coloured and browner powder. The best specimen of this bark which could be procured by me, and subjected to experiment, gave the fol- lowing i (Milts : Water at 212° extracted all its active principles; affording an infusion, when filtered, of a pale yellow or straw colour, which had the odour and taste of the bark. The infusion reddened litmus paper ; was instantly and copiously precipi- tated by solution of galls; and in a smaller degree, and more slowh, in yellowish floe culent flakes, by solution of isinglass. A 1 The great desire of our bark merchants to pro- cure quilled bark has induced the bark gatherers of- ten to produce this e ,tet by heat, which alwajs di- minishes the virtue of the bark. MSS. of Don Fe- Itx Devititf Lima, ii, my possession. ** Oi this account the inhabitants of Peru name it Quinacana, hairy Quina. MATERIA MEDICA. 141 solution of tartar emetic was rendered tur- bid, and slo\> ly precipitated by it; but this effect was quu kly tod copiously produced by superacetate of lead. Sulphate of iron changed it.-- colour to bright olive-green, bu; was scarce!} precipitated. Decoction affords a more saturated tincture, with a colour resembling the cold infusion of the yellow bark ; and a yellowish precipitate is depos ted. The powder macerated in sul- phuric ether afforded a golden yellow tinc- ture, which reddened litmus paper, and left a pellicle of bitter resin when evaporat- ed on the surface of waer, to which it gave the colour of the tincture. This coloured water had the flavour of the watery infu- sion, but differed from it, in not precipitat- ing the solution of galls and of t.irtar eme- tic ; and in throwing down a copious pre- cipitate from the solution of sulphate of iron. With alcohol the powder afforded a tincture of a deep orange hue, which pre- cipitated sulphate of iron, tartarzed anti- mony, and tannin; became turbid when added to water, and let fall a light reddish precipitate. From the effects of these re- agents on the aqueous infusion of this bark, it appears to be the same as the 3d and 15th species examined by Vaiiquelin ; which he names superior grey cinchona, and common cinchona of Peru." Mutis and Zea regard this species of cin- chona as directly febrifuge ; as chiefly ap- plicable in intermittent fevers of long stand- ing; and also assert that it never fails to cut short an ague when administered at its ac- cession.f 2. Cinchona oblongi folia. Mntis.i Officinal. Cinchona <>BLONGiFoLiiE cortex, Loud. Edin. Coktex Peruviamjs, Dub. Oblong-leaved Cinchona Bark. Red Bark. Syn. Quinquina rouge (F.), Rothe Chi- narinde (G,), China (/.), Quina Roxa (S.) The tree yielding this bark is found on the Andes, growing in the woods on the banks of the mountain streams in great abundance, at Riobamba, Chinchao, Cuche- ro, and Ch.icahnassi ; flowering in June and July. It rises to a very considerable height on a single, erect, round stem, which is co- vered with smooth, brownish, ash-coloured bark.The older branches are round, smooth, and of a rusty colour; the younger are ob- tusely four-cornered, leafy, and of a diluted reddish colour. The leaves are opposite, large, the lull-sized ones being one or two feet in length, ol an oblong oval shape, and supported on short semi-round purple pe- * Annates de Chimie, lix. 116 t Annates de Historia Natural, ii 609. X Synonimes, C. Magnifolia, Flor. Peruv. Lam- bert denies its affinity with magnifolia. See Illustra- tion &e. p. 12.; but from (he specimens in my pos- session I cannot admit this opinion. j tioles. They are entire, pale, and shining I on the upper surface, on the under veined 1 with veins that turn to a purplish colour; i and at the b;vard« of twenty-five years in South America. } This bark is occasionally found amongst the pale Cinchona sent to England. It is easily distin- guished by its spotted surfaee. Ruiz says it must be ranked among those of a middling quality. || This is found mixed with the pale bark of the shops. It is regarded as of middling quality. f This is a very rare bark, and is that of the C. fusca of Ruiz. It is called Asmonich by the natives of Puzuzu and Muna, where it is found. ** The bark with this coat has the greatest affinity with the yellow bark of the shops. It is a good kind of bark. tt This bark is little valued in Spain, and is seldom met with in commerce. tt The idea of a resinous fracture being the cha- racteristic of good bark originated when the virtue of bark was supposed to depend on the resin it eon- ' tained. 144 MATERIA MEDICA. yet bark exceeding a line in thickness may be good; for although it is disapproved of at Cadiz, under the name of quinon, yet, excellent effects have resulted from much thicker bark in England. The moderately thick and firm bark is always preferred at Lima. The quilling of bark arises from the manner in which it is separated from the branches. This is effected by making a longitudinal incision in the branch, and passing under the bark a very fine knife. As the slip dries, it rolls up, owing to the in- ternal surface shrinking more than the ex- ternal : a feeble rolling, therefore, denotes that the bark is rather too old, or has been too slowly dried; too much quilling, that i: is either too young or has been too hastily dried. The moderate quill of bark certainly denotes it to be of the best kind, and that it has been taken from branches of a proper age, and well dried ; but the bark collec- tors often produce this effect by fire, when there is a want of sun, as is frequently the case in some parts of the mountains. The fraud is known by the colour being much darker; and, when the bark is split, the inside exhibiting stripes of a whitish sickly hue. It should be preserved in cases, well secured from the air and humidity. The most complete examinations of cin- chona, with the view of discovering on what principle its febrifuge properties de- pend, have been made by Vauquelin and Fabroni. The former divides all the dif- ferent species into three sections, according to their chemical properties.* The first comprises those which precipitate tannin, but not animal gelatin ; the second, those which precipitate gelatin, but not tannin; and the third, those which precipitate at the same time tannin, gelatin, and tartar emetic. He conjectured, that on the prin- ciples, producing these effects, particularly that which precipitates infusion of galls, the febrifuge properties of the barks de- pend, and that they are more or less febri- fuge, in proportion to the quantity of these principles that are present. He asserts that the principle which precipitates tannin is a brown colour and bitter taste ; is less soluble in water than in alcohol; and it also precipitates tartarized antimony, but not glue.f It has some analogies with the re- sinous bodies, although it furnishes ammo- nia on distillation: whilst the principle which, in some cinchonas, precipitates glue has a bitter and astringent taste ; is more * He examined seventeen different kinds, but was not able to ascertain the names of the trees from which they were obtained. + The effect of this principle was first noticed by Dr. Maton ; and soon after by Seguin, who immedi- ately concluded that it was gelatine; but this opinion was proved to be erroneous by Dr. Duncan, jun. who found that it was a principle sui generis,and named it cinehanin. Vide Nicholson's Journal, vii. 226. soluble in water than the principle which, in other kinds precipitates tan , and that it is also soluble in alcohol, and does not pre- cipitate tartar emetic* Fabroni conceiyes, that he is authorised in comluding from his experiments, that " the febrifuge virtue does not belong essentially and individually to the astringent, the bitter, or any other soluble principle, as the quantity of these increases by long boiling, while the virtues of the decoction decreases. Neither does the febrifuge virtue reside in that principle which destroys the emetic property of tar- tarized antimony, and precipitates iron, since the decoction contains more of it than the infusion, while its virtues are evi- ilently less."-}- Hence we may conclude from these doubis, and many others that have been raised, ihat much is yet to be done before the principle of cinchonas ef- fective in the cure of fevers be ascertained.} We may, however, venture to state the fol- lowing as the known active constituents of cinchonas ; cinchonin, resin, extractive, glu- ten or ferment, volatile o/7,§ and tannin. I separated the resin in a pure state by evapo- rating the ethereal tincture on the surface of cold water ; and the gluten Fabroni found was separable by water, occasioning the spontaneous fermentation of the decoction and infusion in summer, and decomposable by fermentation. They also contain several salts having lime for their basis, one of which, peculiar to yellow bark, Descamps, an apothecary at Lyons, discovered, and er- roneously ascribed to it the febrifuge pro- perty of the bark. Vauquelin found it to consist of lime, and a peculiar hitherto un- known acid, which he denominated kinic, and therefore termed the salt a kinate of lime.|| M. M. Alibert and Cabal demon- * Annates de Chimie, 1. c. t Edinbuigh Medical and Swgical Review, ii. 338, X In consequence of a chemical theory of the mode in which cinchona acts on the living body, Fa- broni made some curious experiments to ascertain the relative affinity of different cinchonas to oxygen. In imitating his experiments with the three officinal species, I found that when half a drachm of each of these barks in powder was separately mixed with half a fluid ounce of strong nitric acid, in similar vessels, the temperature of the atmosphere at the time being 70°,and that of the acid 71*, in the space of four minutes, the heat produced rose the mercury in the thermometer as follows : Common pale hark, — to 120,1 --------y*llow bark, — to 123°. -------- red bark, — to 119° The mixture in each vessel was gradually swollen as the heat increased, and nitrous fumes were given out, showing the evident decompositiou of the acid. § Dr. Irwin first obtained a small portion of this oil. || Annates de Chimie, lix. 1. c The name of the acid is derived from kina, kina, an old appellation of the bark. Dr. Duncan proposes to call it cinch'- nic acid, as the present name would lead to the sup- position that it is prooured from kino. MATERIA MEDICA. 145 strated the presence of iron in cinchona, by incinerating the bark, dissolving the ashes in nitric acid, and adding prussiate of potass, which precipitated prussiate of iron. The latest analysis of the cinchona barks, is that of M. M. Pelletier and Caventou. The following are the components of the three officinal species: 1. In pale bark they found acidulous kinate of cinchonin, a green fatty matter, a red nearly insoluble colour- ing matter which they term red cinchonic, tannin, a yellow colouring matter, kinate of lime, gum, starch, and woody fibre. 2. In yellow bark they found that the alkaline base differs from cinchonin, in being incrystalliza- ble, very soluble in ether, and forming salts with the acids different from those formed by cinchonin. The components of yellow bark are, an acidulous kinate of this salt, which they have named quinine, a deep yellow fatty matter, red cinchonic, tannin, yellow colouring matter, kinate of lime, starch, and woody fibre. 3. Red bark con- tains acidulous kinate of cinchonin, kinate of quinine, reddish fatty matter, red cincho- nin, tannin, kinate of lime, yellow colour- ing matter, starch, and woody fibre. The two alkaline bodies, cinchonin and quinine, found in these barks, unite readily with the acids, and it is asserted that the sulphate of quinine is specific in curing in- termittents. Medical properties and uses.—Cinchona bark is a powerful and permanent tonic, possessing also antispasmodic and antiseptic powers; and is undoubtedly superior'to all other remedies in counteracting febrile action, and restoring strength and vigour to morbidly weakened habits. The stories whicli are related regarding the discovery of its febrifuge effects appear to be founded on fiction, and are unworthy of notice. The Peruvians, it has been sup- posed, were acquainted with its powers be- fore the conquest of their country by the Spaniards, and from them the knowledge of it might have been acquired by their conquerors: but Humboldt renders this idea improbable, and says that the use of the Cinchona bark " is entirely unknown to the Indians in Loxa, Guaneabamba, and far around."* They even regard it as poi- sonous ; and "in Malacatisonly, where ma- ny bark-peelers live, they begin to put con- fidence in the Cinchona bark."f * Humboldt on the Cinchona Forests ; in Lambert's Illustration of the Genus Cinchona. Lond. 1821, 4to. p. 22. t Humboldt says that the present people of South America have the most inveterate prejudices against the employment of the different kinds of cinchona; and in the very country where this valuable remedy' grows, they try to cut off the fever by infusions of Scoparia dulcis, and hot lemonades prepared with su- gar and the small wild lime, the rind of which is equally oily and aromatic. Personal Narrative, vol. v. p. 164. Trans, 19 The most probable history of the discovery of the febrifugeyirtuesof cinchona, is thefol- lowing tradition, mentioned by Humboldt, in his Dissertation on the Cinchona Forests. The Jesuits, at the felling of the wood, had taken notice of the considerable bitterness of the cinchona, and, "there being always medical practitioners among the missiona- ries, it is said they had tried an infusion of the cinchona in the tertian ague, a complaint which is very common in that part of the country ;" and having found it succeed in curing the disease, began to employ it as a febrifuge. It was nevertheless little known by Euro- peans, until the countess of Chinchon, wife of Don Geronimo Fernandez de Cabrera Bobadella y Mendoza, count of Chinchon, viceroy of Peru, introduced it into Europe, on her return to Spain, in 1640. Its fame soon spread, and it was taken to Italy in 1649, and, through the means of cardinal De Lugo and the Jesuits, was distributed over the continent.+ It was in repute in England in 1658 ; but owing to its high price§, and some prejudices formed against it, it was very little used, till Talbot, an En- glishman, again brought it into vogue by the many cures he performed with it in France, under the name of the English re- medy. His secret of preparing and exhibit- ing it was purchased by Louis XIV. and made public. These circumstances throw light on the origin of some of the names by which it has been known: as, Cortex and Pulvis Comitissx ; Cortex and Pulvis de Lugo ; and Pulvis Jessuiticus, or Pulvis Patrum. It was called also, Palos de ca- lentura, or fever wood, on account of its effects ; and, from the place whence it was brought, Peruvian bark. It was introduced into practice for the cure of intermittent fever, and still retains the reputation it acquired as a remedy for that disease; although, owing to peculiar idiosyncrasies and other accidental causes, it has occasionally failed in this country in agues, which were afterwards removed by other remedies, particularly arsenic. Some of these failures may perhaps have arisen from the kind of the bark employed: for notwithstanding the generally received opi- nion, that all the kinds of bark may be in- differently used, one for another, yet there is some reason for the assertions of the Spa- nish and American physicians, that they vary in other respects besides their degree of activity. By them the pale bark, calisa- X Morton gives the above account on the authority of Bollus, a Genoese merchant, who had lived long in Peru, "autor fide dignus." De Febribus Inter. mit. c. vii. § It was sold at first by the Jesuits for its weight in silver; yet Condamine relates that, in 1690, seve- ral thousand pounds of it lay at Piuraand Paytafor want of a purchaser. Memoires Acad. Roy, 17J3. 146 MATERIA MEDICA. ya, quina naranjada*, is considered as di- rectly febrifuge, and the best adapted for the cure of ague; the yellow bark, quinu amarilla, as only indirectly so, and better fitted for slow fevers and chronic debilities: while the red, Colorado, quina roxa, is only fit to be used in cases of gangrenef, as its use is apt to be followed with disgustful nausea, severe vomiting, and insupportable colic. The differences of opinion with re- gard to the best time of giving it, are now nearly settled. Boerhaavef and others re- commended that the fever should be allow- ed to run on for some time before it was administered; but it is now generally agreed that the bark cannot be given too early af- ter the stomach and bowels are cleared by an emetic and cathartic. Dr. Cullen recom- mended the exhibition of it in a large dose or doses immediately before the acces- sions§; but Morton's method of giving it directly after the hot stage of the parox- ysm ceases, and repeating it in increased doses during the intermission, until the cold stage again returns, is now generally adopt- ed. It may be safely given, however, du- ring the paroxysm, as practised by Dr. Clarke of Newcastle, but many stomachs are apt to nauseate it at that time. In remittent fevers, cinchona is found equally efficacious; but the excitement, however, particularly in the remittents of warm climates, requires to be previously subdued by blood-letting, and the bowels to be kept open. It renders the remis- sions distinct, and by degrees checks al- together the febrile action. In other affec- tions, depending on a similar state of habit, as hemicrania, periodical pains, spasms, cho- rea, hysteria, epilepsy, passive hzmorrha- gy, and in habitual, frequently returning coughs, it is also found useful: but it does not prevent the continuance of those par- oxysms of ague which form one of the con- stitutional symptoms of stricture of the urethra, and some other local affections; and which can be cured only by removing the strictures and other sources of irrita- tion. In the low stage of continued fevers of the typhoid type, particularly when these are attended with symptoms of putridity, as in jail-fever, cynanche maligna, scarlati- * According to Condamine, this was the bark first introduced into Europe. He says it yields by inci- sion a yellow odorous resin; and that the Jesuits of La Paz (whence the best bark of this species is still obtained), used to gather it with care, and send it to Rome, where it was specific in agues. But the Loxa bark coming to Europe soon after, the three kinds were confounded together. t Zea, Annates de Hist. Nat. I. c. Rushworth dis- covered the efficacy of the red bark in gangrene, \ Aphorhmi, t/e. 767. I Mat. Med. ii. 97. na maligna, confluent smallpox, and in putrid measles, the bark must be regarded as one of the most valuable remedies. The administration of it in pure typhus has been of late years judiciously delayed un- til the increased excitement is presumed to be subdued, and symptoms of great de- bility make their appearance, or until the morbid heat be carried off, and the skin opened. Several eminent modern physi- cians,|| however, recommend it to be given early in the disease, and persevered in ; but from our own experience we are inclined to consider the former the safer practice, and believe that the best effects will be produced from the cinchona, when its use, in pure typhus, is not begun till the skin becomes moist, the tongue is in part clean- ed, and the urine deposits a critical sedi- ment. The best adjuncts in these cases are the diluted sulphuric, or the muriatic acids, and aromatics, particularly the tinc- ture of capsicum. Cinchona was first conjectured to be use- ful in gout by Sydenham, and in some cases its efficacy is sufficiently evident. In rheu- matism, also, Dr. Haygarth has lately strong- ly recommended it to be given, after the manner of Morton, Hulse, and Pothergill, from the commencement of the disease ; the stomach and bowels being previously emptied by means of antimonial prepara- tions. In my own practice I have found it useful only after the liberal exhibition of calomel, tartarized antimony, colchicum and opium, when the pain has abated, or as- sumed an intermittent character, and the pulse has become softer. Its efficacy in this disease is much increased by the addition of spirit of turpentine. In phthisis, bark is found beneficial when the accompanying hectic puts on more of the intermittent form than usual ; when the debility is considerable, and blood is mixed in the sputa: and in several cases of pneu- monia, when, after repeated large bleed- ings and evacuations, the pulse continued hard and thrilling, and the blood buffy, al- though the expectoration was free and the skin open, yet we have seen bark produce the happiest effects. In various cutaneous diseases, as lichen agrius, and lividus; in purpura!) ; in impe- tigo erysipelatodes and scabida; in some varieties of erysipelas, and in extensive ulcerations both from common inflammation and venereal affections** ; in the termina- tion of all acute diseases after the urgent symptoms are subdued; and in dyspepsia, chronic debility, and nervous affections, cinchona is found to possess great efficacy. || Clarke of Newcastle. Heberden, 1 Willan. ** Pearson, MATERIA MEDICA. 147 As a local remedy, bark is sometimes used in the form of gargle in malignant sore throat and aphthous affections; and as a wash to foetid gangrenous sores: but in these cases the red bark is to be preferred. Powerful effects also are said to have been produced upon the system by frictions with the extract, softened by saliva or oil, upon the thighs and other parts of the body. It may be efficaciously administered per anum, when it cannot be taken into the stomach : but Denman says he found no ad- vantage from its use as a clyster in the low state of puerperal fever, in which it has been highly extolled. Cinchona bark is administered in a varie- ty of forms. (See Preparations and com- positions.) In substance it is reduced to the state of an impalpable powder; and al- though it loses some of its activity during the process of pulverization, yet, when it can be retained on the stomach, this is the best form of the remedy.* If it excite nausea or vomiting, or operate as a cathar- tic, or occasion costiveness, these inconve- niences may in some degree be obviated by combining it with aromatics, opium, or a cathartic, as circumstances direct ; or some of the lighter preparations, in which its active principles are supposed to be ex- tracted, and free from the grosser parts, may be employed. The powder is given mixed in wine or in water ; or, when the taste is an objection, in milk or syrup, or a solution of extract of liquorice, all of which effectually cover the taste, provided the dose be taken directly after it is mixed.f * Fabroni says, " Cinchona loses its solubility, and consequently its activity, by long exposure to the air, and by pulverization long protracted with the view of rendering it as fine as possible. From 0.12 to 0.16 are obtained from bruised cinchona, which in fine powder yields only 0.06 or 0.07 to water." Practition- ers ought never to purchase bark in the state of pow- der, for in this state it is always found more or less adulterated. Dr. Paris (Pharmacologia) mentions, that in a late officinal inspection of the shops of apothe- caries and druggists, "the censors repeatedly met with powdered cinchona, having a harsh metallic taste.' " This may arise from the admixture of a species of bark lately introduced into Europe'from Martinique, resembling the Cinchona floribunda ; and which, by an analysis of M. Cadet (Journ. de Bharm. vol. ii. p. 54.), was found to contain iron. The Cinchona floribunda is both emetic and purgative ; and if this new bark possess the same properties, it is unneces- sary to add, that it must prove injurious when com- bined with good cinchona. A less injurious, but equally fraudulent admixture, is the powder of bark which has been employed in making the extract; and of very inferior bark, much of which, we have been informed, is imported for no other purpose. -f- Mutis conceiving that fermentation is the best method for extracting the active part of cinchona, has proposed to make a beer of it, by fermenting one part of the bark in powder with eight parts of The dose of the powder is from grs. v. to .^ij. or more. In intermittents the full dose is sometimes given at first; but in other diseases grs. v. x. or xv. are sufficient to commence with, the dose being repeated every two, three, or four hours, and gradu- ally increased, until one or two ounces, in some cases, be taken in twenty-four hours. Officinal preparations. Infusum Cincho- nx, L. E. D. Decovtum Cinchona, L. E. D. Extractum Cinchonx, L. E. Extractum Cinchona: resinosum, L. D. Tinctura Cin- chonic, L. E. D. Tinctura Cinchonx compo- sita, L. E. D. CINNAMOMI CORTEX. Vide Laurus Cinnamomum. CINNAMOMI OLEUM. Ibid. CITRUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1426. CI. 18. Ord. 3. Polyadelphia Icosandria, Nat. ord. Fomacese, Linn. Aurantiae, Juss. G. 1391. Calyx five-cleft. Petals five, ob- long. Anthers twenty, the filaments united into different parcels. Berry nine- celled. Species 1. C. medica. The Lemon-tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 528. t. 189. Species 4. C. Aurantium. The Orange-tree. Med. Bot. 523. *. 188. 1. Citrus medica.t Var. /3 C. Limon. Officinal, Limones. Limonum cortex.— Oleum, Lond. Citri Medico cortex : Oleum volatile: Succus, Edin. Limon ; FRUCTUS SUCCUS; EPIDERMIS, EJUSaUK oleum essentiale, Dub. Lemons : their rind, and its essential oil. Syn. Citronier (F.), Citrone (G.), Li- mone (/.), Citri (S.), Lemon (Arab.), Le- mu (H.), Jambera (Sans.) The lemon-tree is a native of Assyria and Persia, whence it was brought into Europe ; first to Greece, and afterwards to Italy.§ It is now cultivated in Spain, Portugal, and France, and is not uncommon in our green- houses.! The fruit is an ovate berry, point- ed at each end, rough, punctured, exter- nally of a pale yellow colour, and internally divided into seven, nine, or eleven cells, con- taining four seeds in each, and filled with vesicles distended with an extremely acid juice. The rind is double: the exterior part thin, yellow, and chiefly made up of a great number of vesicles filled with a very honey or sugar, and 80 or 100 of water. And Ali- bert having persuaded a brewer to make some beer with cinchona, administered it to convalescents, weakened by protracted intermittents, with the best effects. } MuAta juiJixx, Theophrasti et Diosco- ridis. f Venit in Italiam post Virgilii et Plinii tempore, ante Palladii. IVil/d. S. P. iii. 14:6. || It was first cultivated in Britain in the Oxford garden, about the year 1648. 148 MATERIA MEDICA. fragrant oil; the interior is thicker and whiter than the exterior; and coriaceous.* Lemons are brought to England from Spain and Portugal packed in chests, and each lemon separately rolled in paper. The Spanish lemons are most esteemed. Qualities.—Lemon juice is sharp, but ve- ry gratefully acid. It consists principally of the citric acid, mucilage, extractive matter, a small proportion of sugar and water. Before Scheele's process was known, many different unsuccessful plans were adopted for separating the citric acid; which is now obtained in a crystallized form, and admitted into the London and Dublin pharmacopoeias.^ The simple juice, although well depurated of its extractive matter, yet soon spoils; and therefore the crystallized acid dissolved in water is gene- rally used in its stead. The rind is warm, aromatic, and slightly bitter, qualities depending on the essential oil it contains, which is given out to water, wine, and alcohol. The essential oil obtained by distillation is extremely light, nearly co- lourless, and fragrant; and has the same taste as the rind, only in a greater degree. It is very volatile, yet does not readily rise with alcohol or with proof spirit. Medical properties' and uses.—Lemon juice is refrigerant and antiseptic. It is given diluted with water and sweetened, forming the beverage called lemonade, to quench thirst, and abate heat in febrile and inflammatory diseases. Given alone to the extent of a table spoonful for a dose, it al- lays hysterical palpitations of the heart; and in combination with carbonate of potass (f §ss. of the juice to Qj. of the salt), ta- ken in a state of effervescence, it is used with great success to stop vomiting, and determine to the surface. A still more use- ful and pleasant effervescing draught is made by putting a table-spoonful of lemon juice, mixed with a small quantity of sugar, into a tumbler, and pouring over it half a pint of aerated soda water. On account of its antiseptic powers, lemon juice is suc- cessfully used in scurvy; and for this pur- pose large quantities of it, in a concentra- ted state, are distributed in the navy ; but the continued use of it is said to be hurt- ful to the general health of the men, and to hasten the progress of phthisis where it makes its appearance. The citric acid is likely to supersede its employment in the navy. Dr. Wright observes, that its pow- ers are increased by saturating it with mu-' riate of soda, and recommends such a mix- ture in remittent fever, dysentery, colic, putrid sore throat, and as being almost spe- cific in diabetes and lientery. It is given * Gcertner dc Fructibus, vol. ii. p. 189. t For an account of this acid, vide Acidum curt' cum among the ri-rparatimH. also united with camphor, infusion of cin- chona and wine, in the same cases ; and mixed with ardent spirits and water with sugar, it forms punch, which is a useful cor- dial in low fevers. Lemon peel is added to stomachic tinc- tures and infusions, and is particularly ap- plicable in dyspepsia, arising from irregu- larities in diet, and the inordinate use of ardent spirits. The essential oil is chiefly used as a per- fume, to cover the smell of sulphur in oint- ments compounded with it. Officinal preparations. Of the juice, Sy- rupus Limonis, L. E. D. Of the rind, Aqua Citri. mediae, E. 2. Citrus Auhantium^ Officinal. Auhantii Baccje, citri auract- tii cortex, Lond. Cortex, succus, Edin. FltUCTUS SUCCUS, CORTEX EXTERIOR FRUC- TUS IMMATUHL'S, ET FLORUM AQ.UA STIL- latitia, Dub. The fruit and outer rind of the Seville orange. Syn. Oranges (F.), Pomeranzin (G.), Aran- cio (/.), Naranja (S.), Narenj (H.), Nagaranga (San.) The orange-tree-is a native of India and Persia, but it is now abundantly propagated in the south of Europe and the "West India islands, and is also found in our green- houses. In its general appearance it resem- bles the lemon-tree, but the leaves, which are not so large as those of the lemon, and more pointed, are entire, smooth, and fur- nished with wings or appendages on the footstalks, by which it is particularly distill- guished- The fruit is a globular berry, rough, and of .a deep reddish yellow or orange colour; internally divided into nine cells, filled with a vesicular pulp, and each containing from two to four seeds. The rind, like that of the lemon, is double: the exterior thin and glandular; the interior thick, whitish, and fungous. The China or sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) is a variety of the same species as the Seville orange, and is medicinally employed for allaying thirst in febrile diseases. Both are import- ed chiefly from Spain, in chests, and pack- ed in the same manner as lemons. Qualities.—The juice of the Seville orange is a grateful acid liquor, with a slight degree of bitterness. It consists of nearly, the same principles as the juice of the le- mon ; with a smaller portion, however, of citric acid. The exterior rind has a very grateful aromatic odour, and a warm bitter taste, depending on the essential oil con- tained in its vesicles. Both the bitter and aromatic parts are extracted by water and alcohol, and the essential oil can be obtain- X Aurantia forte a corticis colore, qui colore auri relucct, ut aurea mala vere nominari possunt: sive ab Arantia oppido dicta, veteribus ignota, insitione ad iios derencrunt. Bauhin Pin. p. 436. MATERIA MEDICA. 149 ed by distillation. The unripe fruit, named in common Curacoa oranges, have the aro- matic flavour of the rind with a greater de- gree of bitterness, and retain both when dried. They vary in size from that of a small pea to that of an acorn. The distil- led water has the grateful perfume of the flowers. Medical properties and uses.—The juice of the Seville orange is employed in the same diseases, and with the same intentions as lemon juice, but it is not so generally used. The rind is a useful stomachic, car- minative, and tonic, and is a common addi- tion to bitter infusions in dyspepsia. In gout it is joined with magnesia and alkalies; and when the cinchona does not sit easily upon the stomach, it is a most useful ad- junct to that remedy in whatever form ad- ministered. It has also been given alone in intermittents with seeming advantage.* The oil is only used as a perfume. The dried unripe fruit (Aurantium cu- rassaventium) is employed as an inter- nal remedy in the same cases as the rind of the ripe orange. It is, however, more commonly used as a mechanical irritant in issues ; for which purpose the smaller fruit is selected, and generally made round and smooth in the turning lathe. It is prefer- red for this purpose on account of its odour only ; for the heat and moisture of the part in which the orange is lodged, swells it as much as the common pea ; and, therefore, it requires to be renewed once in twenty- four hours. The usual dose of the dried rind, and of the Curacoa orange, is from grs. xv. to 3j., three or four times a day. Officinal preparations. Of the juice— Succus Cochlearix comp. E. Of the rind— Infusum Aurdntii compositum, L. Tinctura Aurantii, L. D. Syrupus Aurantii, L. D. Confectio Aurantii, L. E. D. Aqua Citri Aurantii, E. COC'CUS.f Syst. Nat. Gmelin, 2220. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Insecta Hemiptera.t G. 229. Rostrum or Snout seated on the breast. Antennts filiform. Abdomen bris- tled behind. Wings two, erect in the males; females apterous. Species 22. C. Cacti. Cochineal Insect. Reaum. Ins. iv. t. 7. fig. 11, 12. Phil. Trans. Iii. 661./)/. 21. Officinal. Coccus, Lond. Coccus Cacti, Edin, Coccihella, Dub. Cochineal. Syn. Cochenille (F.), Cochenille (G.), Coccinilia (/.), Cochinilla (iS.), Cochineel poochie (Tarn.) This coccus is found in its wild state in Mexico, Georgia, South Carolina, and some of the West India islands, feeding on seve- ral species of cactus, particularly the com- mon Indian fig, or prickly pear plant ( Cac- tus opuntia)§ ; but in Mexico, and some of the adjoining Spanish settlements!, where the insect is as it were domesticated, and reared with great care, it feeds only on the cochineal Indian fig (Cactus coccinilifer), which is cultivated for this purpose ; and on it the insect attains to a greater size than in the wild state. It is a small in- sect, very seldom exceeding a barley grain in magnitude: with the head, except in the males, scarcely distinct from the body, which is depressed, downy, and transverse- ly rugose. Cochineal was introduced into Europe about the year 1523. The domesticated kind, which is not only much larger, but yields a richer colour, and is consequently most esteemed, is known, in the language of the Spanish merchants, by the name granafina ; the wild is one-half the size only of the other, covered with white down or powderlf, and is denominated gratia silvestra ; but as we receive them, both the kinds are often mixed together. They are imported in bags, each containing about two hundred weight, and have the appear- ance of small dry shrivelled rugose berries or seeds, of a deep brown-purple or mul- berry colour, with a white matter between the wrinkles. In this state they suffer no change from length of keeping. Dr. Ban- croft directs that cochineal to be chosen as the best, which " is large, plump, dry, and of a silver white colour on the surface."** Qualities.—Cochineal has a faint heavy odour, and a bitter austere taste. It is ea- sily pulverized, affording a powder of a purplish red hue, which has been found to be composed of carmine, a peculiar animal matter, a fatty matter, phosphate and car- bonate of lime, and muriate and phosphate of potassj-)-: the colouring matter is taken up by water, alcohol, and solutions of the pure alkalies. The watery infusion is of a violet crimson, the alcoholic of a deep crim- son, and the alkaline of a deep purple, or rather violet hue. The colour of the wa- tery infusion is brightened by all the acids, § These plants have neither stem nor leaves, in the common acceptation of these words, but consist of roundish or oval compressed joints, that grow out of each other. || "Oaxaca, Kascala, Chulula, Neuva Gallicia, Chiapa, in New Spain; and Hambatio, Loja, and Tu- cuman, produce the greatest quantity." Ulloa, quot- ed by Bancroft. f This downy matter is spun by the insect, with the view, it is said, of defending it against cold and ruin. ** Philosophy of Permanent Colours, 2d edit. t. p, 434. tt Joum, de Pharm. 1818, p. 526, * Murray's App. Med. vol. iii. p. 289. f Koxxoc Bapx.» Dioscoridis, is the Kermes or Coccus Ilicit, Linn, which was known, as u dye, by the Phoenicians, before the time of Moses; and was the tola of the Jews. Beckman's Hist, of Inventions, trinslatioii, vol. ii. p. 185. X CI. vii. Ryngota, Spec. 21. Fabricii. 150 MATERL except the oxymuriatic (chlorine), by which it is destroyed. It is brightened also by supertartrate of potass, and alum, and at the same time partly precipitated. It is al- so precipitated by sulphate of iron of a brownish violet colour, the liquid remaining a pale yellowish brown ; and by sulphate of zinc and acetate of lead of a purple vio- let, the liquid being perfectly colourless. Hence, cochineal is incompatible as a co- louring matter with these metallic salts. Medical properties and uses.—Cochineal has lately been recommended as an anti- spasmodic and anodyne in hooping cough. I have had no experience of its effects, and believe it to be better fitted for giving a fine colour to tinctures, and similar prepara- tions. COCHLEARIA.* Spec. Plant. Willd. iii, 448. CI. 15. Ord. 1. Tetradynamia Siliculosa. Nat. ord. Siliquosse, Linn. Cruciferx, Juss. G. 1228. Silicle emarginate, turgid, rug- ged ; with gibbous, obtuse valves. Species 8. C. Armoracia.\ Broad Horse- radish. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 400. Smith's Flora Brit. ii. 690. Officinal. Armoraci^e hadix, Lond. Coch- LEARIJB ARM0RACI2E RADIX, Edin. Ra- puanus rusticanus; radix, Dub. Horse- radish Root. Syn. Cran; Raifort (F.), Murrettich (G.), Rafano rusticano (/.), Marvisco (S.), Morungy vayr (Tarn.) This plant is a perennial, growing wild in many parts of England in moist situa- tions, and in waste ground, flowering in June ; but it is generally cultivated for cu- linary and medicinal purposes. As the acrimony on which its virtues de- pend, is lost in some degree by drying, it should be preserved in sand in a cool place. Qualities.—Horse-radish has a pungent odour, and a very hot, biting, acrid taste, with some degree of sweetness. When kept until it is quite dry, it loses more than two-thirds of its weight, and in time, the whole of its pungency is dissipated.. Both water and alcohol extract its active princi- ples. The infusion reddens litmus paper, and precipitates solutions of superacetate of lead and of nitrate of silver. Coction destroys its acrimony, which depends on a volatile oil that can be obtained separate when the mashed root is distilled with wa- ter. The oil is of a pale yellow colour, heavy, volatile at 60°, with an extremely pungent odour, and a sweetish, strong, acrid taste, exciting inflammation in the tongue and lips to which it is Fapplied. Einhoff, who lately examined this root, says, the » Named from a fancied resemblance of the leaf to an old-fashioned spoon. t ht**t *ypl*t Dioscoridis. MEDICA. distilled watery liquid yields traces of sul- phur.* Medical properties and uses.—This root is stimulant, diaphoretic, and diuretic ; and externally rubefacient. It is used with ad- vantage in paralytic affections and chronic rheumatism, both internally and externally; and in dropsy, particularly when it follows intermittent fever, in which it was success- fully employed by Sydenham. It has also been found efficacious in some cutaneous affections ; and as a local remedy, a syrup made with an infusion of it, as recommend- ed by Cullen§, removes hoarseness arising from relaxation. Horse-radish may be given in substance in doses of 3SS- or more, scra« ped, or in small pieces swallowed whole. Officinal preparations. Infusum Armora- cih fibres of smoked beef, the petals of the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), and of officinal marigold (Calendula officinalis): or saffron, from which tincture or infusion has been drawn, is mixed with a little good saffron, and again pressed into a cake. * Kpoxor Dioscoridis. Its Knglish name is deriveu from the Arabic Sapharan. Celsus. See Alston's Lectures, ii. 119. These frauds are detected by infusing the suspected saffron in hot water; when the expanded s igniaswill be easily distinguish- ed from the petals of the other flowers; and the deficiency of colour and oitouv, or an unpleasant odour arising when the saf- fron is thrown upon red-hot coals, will in- dicate the presence of the other fraudulent ingredients. It should be chosen fresh, in close, tough, compact cakes, moderate- ly moist, and possessing, in an obvious de- gree, all the undermentioned sensible qua- lities: the noi staining the fingers, the ma- Kmg them oily: a musty flavour, and a whitish yellow or blackish colour, indi- cate that it is bad, or too old. Qualities.—Good saffron has a sweetish, penetrating, diffusive odour; a warm, pun- gent, bitterish taste; and a rich deep orange red colour. It yields its colour and active ingredients to water, alcohol, proof spirit, wine, vinegar, and in a smaller degree to ether. By distillation with water it affords a small quantity of a heavy, golden yellow- coloured essential oil. The watery infusion which has the deep orange colour of the saffron, is rendered of a very deep purple by strong sulphuric acid, the mixture emit- ting the smell of vinegar, andyielding aco- pious black precipitate when diluted with water: the oxymuriatic acid produces a copious yellow precipitate, the liquid re- taining only a pale lemon colour. Hence, saffron seems to contain chiefly extractive, which, according to Hermbstadt, is nearly ; pure,fand in the proportion in ten parts in ! sixteen of the vegetables ; the remainder ! being chiefly ligneous fibre. 1 have found i that it contains resin also; for sulphuric | ether digested on saffron is coloured, and 1 when evaporated on the surface of water, i a pellicle of resin is left, whilst the colour- ed extractive, which is taken up with the resin, is dissolved in, and colours, the wa- ter.^ Medical properties and uses.—Saffron is regarded as a stimulant and antispasmodic; but from the experiments of Dr. Alexan- t This extractive, when pure, is named polychro- ite by Bouillon, La Grange and Vqgel, on account of the different colours it is capable of assuming- Chlorine aiul light destroj its colour in the watery infusion ; sulphuric atid changes it to indigo, which gradually becomes lilac ; and nitric acid gives it a green hue Vide Ann.de Chim. Ixxx-p. 186. X Chemists assert, that extractive is insoluble in ether; but I find thai when resin also is present in any vegetable matter, ether is capable of taking up some extractive combinid with the resin which it dis- solves : and when the eiheival tincture is evaporated ! on the surface of the water, th si principles are se- I panted, the resin remaining in the form of a jielli- cle on its surface, whilsi tlu extractive is dissolved, colours the water and for.ns. with the solution of muriate of tin, a brown ilukj precipitate, Hence ether is a good test of these veg. table principles. MATERIA MEDICA. 157 der*, its powers appear to be inconsidera- ble. It was known to the ancients, who considered it as a remedy of great activi- ty ; in moderate doses exhilarating the spi- rits, easing pain and producing sleep ; but occasioning headachs, coma, delirium, con- vulsive laughter, and even fatal effects, when given in large doses. In modern practice, however, it is scarcely ever given except as a cordial adjunct to more active remedies. The dose in substance is from grs. x. to ^ss; but it has been given in much larger doses without any sensible effect be- ing produced. Officinal preparations. Syrupns Croci, L. Tinctura Croci sativi, E. Confectio aroma- tica, L. D. Pil. Aloes cum Myrrha, L. Tinct. i/oes comp. L. E. D. Tinct. Cin- chonx comp. L. D. Tinct. aloes, D. Tinct. Rhe> comp. L. CROTON. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv 531. CI. 21. Ord. 8. Monoec.a Monadelphia. Nat. ord. Tricoccx, Linn Euphorbiae, Juss. G. 1718. Male. Calyx cylindrical, five- toothed. Corolla five petalled. Stamens 10—15. Female. Calyx many-leaved. Co- rolla none. Styles three, bifid. Capsule three-t-elled. Seed one. Species 43. C. Eluteria.f Eleutheria. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 633. t. 223. ■ 36. C. Tiglum. Purging Croton. Flor. Zeyl. 343 Rnmph. Amboyn. xv.p. 98. t. 42. Rheede Malab. ii. p. 61. t. 33. Ray. Hist. Hlunt. 167. Ainslie's Mat. Med. of Hindustan, 4to. pp. 46. 291. 1. Croton Eluteiua. Officinal. Cascaiiill^s cortex^, Lond. Dub, Croton Eleutherue cortex, Edin. Cascarilla Bark. This tree is a native of the Bahama Islands, and has been also found in Jamaica by Dr. Wright. It is a small tree, seldom exceeding twenty feet in height, and branch- ing thickly towards the top. The more ten- der branches, when broken, ooze out a thick balsamic liquor.' Cascarilla bark is imported chiefly from Eleutheria, one of the Bahama Islands, packed in chests and bales. It consists of pieces about six or eight inches long, scarcely one-tenth of an inch thick, quilled and covered with a thin, whitish epider- mis. Qualities.—Cascarilla bark has a pleasant, spicy odour, and a bitter, warm, aromatic taste. The colour of the inside of the pie- ces is a reddish cinnamon hue, and their fracture close and short, of a dark reddish * Experimental Essays, p, 88. t It is the Clutia Eluteriu of Linnaeus. X The London College -rmneously refers this bark to the Cascarilla of Linnxus. the bark of which, however, has none of the sensible qualities of Cas- carilla. brown or purple colour. It is very in- flammable, and is easily distinguished from all other barks by emitting, when burnt and extinguished, a fragrant smell, re- sembling that of musk, but more agree- able. Its active constituents are partially extracted by alcohol and water, and com- pletely by proof spirit. Ether takes up one and a half in ten parts ; and, when evaporated on the surface of water, leaves a thick pellicle of bitter resin; and dis- solved in the water, a small portion of al- most colourless, pungent extractive. Ac- cording to Tromsdorff, who analysed it, 4696 parts yielded the following products: —Mucilage and bitter principle 864, resin 688, volatile oil 72, water 48, and woody fibre 30S4 parts. § The ethereal tincture shows extractive also to be present, of a greenish yellow colour, very fragrant and pungent. Medical properties and uses.—This bark is a valuable carminative and tonic. It Was ntroduced into practice as such in 1690 by Professor Stisser; and was afterwards much used in Germany, particularly , y the Stah- lians as a substitute for cinchona bark, in rhe cure of remittent and intermittent fe- vers : but although they over-rated its vir- tues, yet it is an excellent adjunct to the bark in these diseases ; rendering it, by its aromatic qualities, more agreeable to the stomach, and increasing its powers. It is successfully employed in dyspepsia, asth- ma, and flatulent cholic ; the latter stage of dysentery, and diarrhoea particularly when occurring after measles : and in the gan- grenous thrush peculiar to children.|| The dose of the powdered bark is from grs. xij to gss. three or four times a day. Officinal preparations. Infusum Casca- rilla, L. Tinctura Cascarillx, L. D. Ex- tractum Cascarilke, D. 2. Croton Tiglium. Officinal. Tigli Oleum, Lond. Oil of Croton, or Tiglium. Syn. Huile de Croton (F.),-----Ner- valium cottay unnay (Tarn), lumma Gol- la ka tail (Duknay), Naypulum vittiloo noonay (Telingoo.) The plant yielding the seed from which this oil is expressed, is a native of the Mo- lucca islands, and of the greater part of the peninsula of India. It has an arbore- ous stem, covered with a soft, blackish bark. Croton seeds are imported into this coun- try in cases ; and, owing to the rubbing of the epidermis, when the cases are not completely filled, have generally a mouldy appearance. In tliis state they were ibr- merl> known in Europe under the name J Annates de Chimie, xxii. 219. and Thomson's Chen istry, 4th cd. v. 220. Q Underwood, Diseases of Children, 4th. ed. i. 79. 158 MATERIA MEDICA. Molucca grains ; but, as they, were discar- j ded from medical practice on account of' their very drastic effects, arising from the imprudent manner in which they were ex- hibited, they ceased to be an article of commerce, until lately that the expressed oil has been introduced as a purgative : 100 parts of the kernels of the seeds when bruised yield 60 of acrid oil, and 40 of fari- naceous matter. The acrid principle re- sides chiefly in the testa or skin of the co- tyledons, and is mixed with the oil of the cotyledons in its expression. The goodness of the oil, therefore, depends on the seeds being shelled before they are bruised. Qualities.—Croton oil is of a pale red- dish-brown colour. Its taste is hot and acrid ; and it leaves an uneasy feeling in the mouth and throat, which continues for many hours. Even a minute portion of the kernel of the seed when chewed leaves a hot, pungent sensation on the tongue, which remains for twenty-four hours. Al- cohol takes up two parts out of three, and the solution possesses the acrimony and the cathartic properties of the oil, whilst the undissolved portion is devoid of acrimony and inert when taken into the stomach. But much of what is taken up by the alco- hol is fixed oil ; and, from the experiments of Dr. Nimmo*, Croton oil is composed of 45 parts of an acrid principle, and 55 of fixed oil, resembling the oil of olives. Dr. Nimmo has suggested the following means of detecting adulterations of Croton oil: pour into a phial, the weight of which is known, 50 grains of the oil; add alcohol, which has been digested on olive oil; agi- tate well; and having poured off the solu- tion, add more alcohol in the same manner until the dissolved portion is diffused in such a proportion of the alcohol that each half-drachm measure shall contain equal to one dose of the Croton oil for an adult;— by placing the phial near a fire, to evapo- rate what remains of the alcohol in the bot- tle, if the remainder be to that abstracted by the alcohol as 55 to 45 the oil is genuine. If it be adulterated with any fixed oil, the residuum will be larger ; if with castor oil it will be smaller than in the genuine oil.f Medical properties and uses.—Croton oil is a powerful hydragogue purgative, ope- rating in a very short time after it is taken. It has been given with great advantage in cases of obstinate constipation, convulsions, mania, apoplexy, and other diseases which require, along with the complete evacuation of the intestines, the lessening the circulat- ing mass. The small doses in which this oil produces its effects, require the greatest caution to be observed in its administration, * Journ. of Sciences, vol. xiii. p. 66—9. t Journ. of Sciences, vol. xiii. p. 66—9. as it has occasionally induced the most dan- gerous hypercatharsis. In India, where it has been long used, ghee or butter with orange or rice water or cold butter-milk, and the external effusion of cold water, are employed to counteract its too violent ef- fects, when these occur. It is, also, used in India as an external application in rheuma- tic affections.t Croton oil is generally administered in doses of from one to five drops, made into pills with crumb of bread; or, combined with mucilage of gum, sugar and almond mixture, in the form of emulsion. Dr. Nimmo recommends the saturated alcoholic solution, in the dose of fgss. rubbed up with simple syrup, and mucilage of gum, of each oz.ii., and oz.iv. of distilled wy.ter.§ CUCUMJS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 611. CI. 21. Ord. 8. Monoecia Monodelphia. Nat. ord. Cucurbitacex G. 1741. Male. Calyx five-toothed. Co- rolla five-parted. Filaments three. Female. Calyx five-toothed. Co- rolla five-parted. Pistil three-cleft. Seeds of the gourd argute. Sp. 1. C. Colocynthis.\\ Bitter Cucumber. Med. Bot. 2d. 189. t. 71. Officinal. Coloctxthidis pulpa, Lond. Cu cumeris Colocynthidis pulpa, Edin. CoLOCVNTHIS; FRUCTUS MEDULLA, Dub. The Pulp of Coloquintida, or bitter Cu- cumber. Syn. Coloquinte (F.),Koloquinten (G.), Koloquint (Dutch, Dan. Swed.), Coloquin- tida (/.), Pepinero Coloquintida ,6'., Por- tug.), Hunzil (Arab.), Indraim (H), Indra- varuni (San.). This plant is an annual, a native of Turkey and Nubia,*! flowering from May till August, and much resembling the cucumber in its herbage. When the fruit is ripe and yellow, it is peeled and dried in a stove; and in this state it is brought to this country. When it is larger than a St. Michael's orange, and has black, acute, pointed seeds, it is not good. Qualities.—Dried coloquintida is inodor- ous ; but has an extremely bitter nauseous taste, and the pulp feels mucilaginous when chewed. Independent of the seeds, it is altogether composed of a very light, easily torn, white, cellular matter. Ether, alcohol, and water extract its virtues. The infusion in boiling water has a golden yellow colour, gelatinises as it cools, and resembles, except in colour and taste, mucilage of quince X Mat. Med. of Hindostan, 4to. Madras, 1813. J Journ. of Sc;enrc, vol. xiii. p. 69. II KoKvxvvdis Dioscoridis. 1 Burckhardt, in his travels through Nubia, 4to. p< 184, says," the ground was covered with the colo- quintida, a plant very common in every part of thi* desert (Wady Om-gaO." MATERIA MEDICA. 159 seed. This mucilage i3 soluble in cold water. Alcohol and all the acids coagulate the solution, which is precipitated by solu- tions of acetate and superacetate of lead and nitrate of silver Sulphate of iron strikes with it a deep olive colour. Its colour is rendered also greenish by solution of potass, which precipitates it; but the mucilage is dissolved by solution of ammonia. Ether digested on the pulp deposits, when evapo- rated on the surface of water, a white, opaque, bitter resin, and some extractive, from which the water acquires the bitter taste of the fruit, and precipitates solutions of potass, nitrate of silver, and acetate of lead. From these experiments colocynth pulp appears to consist chiefly of mucus, resin, the bitter principle, and some gallic acid. Medical properties and uses.—The pulp of this fruit is a very powerful drastic ca- thartic. It was employed by the ancients in dropsical, lethargic, and melancholic af- fections : but always with caution, on ac- count of its violent effects. Orfila, from his own observations, asserts that one or two drachms of it only, applied to the cel- lular tissue of the interior of the thigh of a man, produced death in the space of twen- ty-four hours.* When given alone, even in moderate doses, it purges vehemently, producing violent gripings, bloody dejec- tions, and not unfrequently convulsions and inflammation of the bowels. The watery decoction, or the infusion, is much less vio- lent in its operation, and has been recom- mended in worm cases. It is scarcely ever given alone in any form, but is generally united with other purgatives to quicken their operation. The dose is from grs. iv. to grs. x. triturated with almonds, or gum, or some farinaceous matter. Officinal preparations. Extractum Colo- cynthidis, L. Extractum Colocynthidis comp. L. D. J'hilulx Aloes cum Colocynthide, D. CUMINUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1440. CI. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbellate. G. 54-7. Fruit ovate, striated. Partial um- bels four. Involucre four-cleft. Sp. 1. C. Cyminum.-f Cumin. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 143. t. 56, Officinal. Cumini semina, Lond. Cumin Seed. Syn. Cumin (F.), Ramischer Kumel (G.), Semenza di Comino (/.), Semilla de Comi- no (S.), Kimoon (Arab.), lira (H.), liraca (San.) This plant is an annual, a native of Egypt, but cultivated in great abundance in Sicily and Malta : whence the seeds are brought to this country. * Lecons faisant partiedes Cours dc Med. Legale de M. Orfila. t Kviunov, Dioscoridis. Qualities.—Cumin seeds have a strong peculiar heavy odour, and a warm bitterish disagreeable taste. Water extracts little more than their odour; but alcohol takes up both odour and taste ; and yields, when evaporated, an extract containing the sen- sible qualities of the seeds. In distillation with water, a large proportion of yellow- pungent volatile oil comes over, which has the strong ungrateful odour of the seeds. Medical properties and uses.—Cumin seeds are carminative and stomachic: but they are chiefly employed as an external stimulant in discussing indolent tumours. Officinal preparation. Emplastrum Cu- mini, L. CUPRUM. Edin. Dub. Copper. Syn. Cuivre (F.), Kupfer (G.), Rame (/.), Cobre (S.), Nehass (Arab.), Tamba (//.), Tamra (San.) Copper is a metal of a yellowish or brownish red colour, found very abundant- ly in many countries in both hemispheres of the globe. It is procured A. In its metallic state : i. Crystallized, (Alloy) Sp. 1. Native copper. ii. Sulphureted. 2. Vitreous copper, (common sul- phuret.) a. and combined with iron. 3. Purple copper. 4. Grey copper. 5. Copper pyrites. 6. Black copper. b. and combined with iron and arsenic. 7. White copper. B. United with oxygen: iii. Oxidized. 8. Ruby copper. 9. Tile-red copper. 10. Copper black. c. and combined with carbonic acid. 11. Azure copper, or Mountain blue, 12. Malachite. 13. Emerald copper. d. and combined with arsenic acid. 14. Octahedral arseniate of copper. 15. Hexahedral arseniate of copper. 16. Prismatic arseniate of copper. 17. Trihedral arseniate of copper. 18. Martial arseniate of copper. e. and combined with phosphoric acid. 19. Phosphate of copper. f. and combined with muriatic acid. 20. Sandy copper.* The sulphurets are the most abundant ores, and those from which copper is usu- ally extracted. In Britain these are pro- cured chiefly in Cornwall.§ The ore is first roasted to volatilize the sulphur, whicli X Vide Aikin's Chemical Dictionary, art. Copper. { The Parys mine in the isle of Anglesea is now nearlv exhausted. 160 MATERIA MEDICA. is collected in chambers connected by flues , with the kilns. It is then melted, in con- tact with the fuel, in a large reverberatory furnace, to separate the iron ; which, being less fusible than the copper, remains in the scoria, while the smelted copper is drawn off through a plug-hole into earthen moulds. The copper, however, in this state is still very impure; and therefore it is re-melted and granulated; and lastly refined, by being again melted with the addition of a little charcoal, which brings it to a state fit to bear the hammer, and to answer the various purposes of art. Pure copper has a yellowish red colour ; is sonorous, ductile, malleable, tenacious ; has a styptic, disagreeable taste, and emits an unpleasant odour when rubbed. The specific gravity, when it is pure, and has been only fused, is 8.895. It has a granu- lated texture, and breaks with a hackly fracture ; melts at a temperature equal to 27° of Wedgewood; is volatalized by a greater heat; and is oxidized, when heated in contact with atmospherical air, even at a temperature below that of ignition. When exposed to humidity and to air at the same time, it is tarnished, and a green crust is formed on its surface, which is a carbonate of copper. Although copper in its metallic state was used as a remedy by the ancients, yet it is completely discarded from modern prac- tice: and, notwithstanding so much has been said of its deleterious effects, there is every reason for believing that clean cop- per, when taken into the stomach, exerts no action whatever on the system. Two cases of halfpence being swallowed by chil- dren, have come under my observation, in one of which the copper coin remained six months in the intestines, and in the other two months. Both were evacuated with- out having in the smallest degree injured the health, although the impressions on the coin were nearly effaced, and the metal much corroded. But poisoning from the use of copper utensils in cookery, arises either from the formation of the green car- bonate, mentioned above, owing to the ves- sels not being well cleaned, and the food being allowed to stand for some time in the pan exposed to the air, after it is taken from the fire ; or from the formation of ver- degris, when vinegar, used in making pickles, and other acid liquors intended for internal use, are boiled in brass or cop- per vessels. The salts of copper thus formed are poisons, exciting inflammation of the stomach; and many fatal accidents have arisen from the practices which pro- duce them, and from the equally danger- ous mode of giving a fine green colour to vegetables by boiling halfpence with them ; on which account copper utensils should be altogether banished from the kitchen, and also from the laboratory, where they are sometimes employed in making decoctions. The salts of copper may be detected in any suspected liquor by placing in it a piece of clean polished iron, on which the copper is precipitated in a metallic state; or by dropping into the suspected fluid a solution of ammonia, which produces a beautiful blue colour, if any sail of copper be present. In cases of poisoning by any of the salts of copper, sugar is the best an- tidote. The oxides of copper unite with acids, and form salts, which act very powerfully on the animal system; but of these «he subacetate and sulphate only are admitted into the list of materia medica. 1. Si bacetate of Copper. Officinal. jErugo, Lond. Dub. Sobace. tas Ccpri, Edin. Verdegns, or Subace- tate of Copper. Syn. Vert de gris (F.), Grunspan (G.), Verdegrise (/), Cardenillo (S.,, Zungar (Arab.). Pitrai (H), Pitalata (San.) This salt is principally manufactured in the south of France, at Montpelliei, and Grenoble.* In the former place the marc of the grape, that is the cake which -re- mains in the wine-press after the juice is expressed, composed of the husks and stalks, is moistened with water, or with wine if poor, and disposed so as to excite in it the acetous fermentation. When this takes place it is spread in jars between well ham- mered plates of copper, heated over a pan of burning charcoal; a layer of fermented marc being placed between each plate of copper. The jars each of which contains about 40 lbs. of copper, besides marc, are then loosely stopped with straw, and left at rest for ten, fifteen, or twenty days, at the end of which time the marc begins to whiten ; and the copper is found to be co- vered with a green crust, interspersed with dtstinct silky green crystals. The plates are then moistened with water, and set up in racks, face to face, in a cellar : this is re- peated once in seven days for six or eight times, until a thick coat of verdegris is formed, which is scraped off; and the cop- per plates again subjected to the same pro- cess till they are completely corroded. When the plates are first used, the verde- gris is apt to be black, unless their surfaces be previously rubbed with a solution of ver- degris, which is suffered to dry before they are used. Verdegris in this rough state is sold by the makers, who are generally women be- longing to the waie farms about Montpel- lier, to commissioners, by whom it is fur- ther prepared. After being well beaten in wooden mortars, it is pressed down in * Vide Chaptal's Account of the Manufacture, Phil. Mag. vol. ir. 71. MATERIA MEDICA. 161 bags of white leather, a foot in depth and ten inches wide, in which it is dried in the sun ; and thus a loaf of verdegris is formed, which cannot be pierced with a knife. In this process the copper is oxidized, and the oxide combined with a small por- tion of acetic acid, forming a subacetate, which is mixed with vegetable extractive matter and the stalks and husks of grapes. The Grenoble verdegris is a purer suba- cetate, being prepared by simply disposing plates of copper in a proper situation, and repeatedly moistening them with distilled vinegar till the surface is oxidized and changed into verdegris. The subacetate of copper is imported into this country in the leather sacks, or bags, in which it is dried, each containing from fourteen to thirty pounds weight. But it is, also, now prepared in Great Bri- tain. Qualities.—Good subacetate of copper is inodorous. It seems at first nearly in- sipid, although exceedingly styptic; but leaves a strong metallic taste in the mouth. The mass is dry, not deliquescent, of a hard, pulverulent, foliaceous texture, and a beautiful blueish-green colour. Distilled water at 60° dissolves 0-56 parts, while 0-44 remains in the state of a fine green powder, long suspended in the solution: that part which is dissolved is a supera- cetate of copper, the filtered solution red- dening litmus paper ; whilst the insoluble powder is a subacetate mixed with the im- purities. When boiling water is used, the insoluble part is of a brown colour. Sul- phuretted hydrogen gas decomposes the solution, precipitating a black sulphuret of copper. A small cylinder of phosphorus put into the solution is rapidly covered with a coat of metallic copper. According to Proust, verdegris consists of 43 parts of acetate of copper, 27 black oxide of cop- per, and 30 of water in intimate combina- tion. Mr. Phillips, by a more recent ana- lysis, has ascertained that the quantity of the acetic acid is 49-2, and that of the pe- roxide of copper 39-2, in 100 parts; the remainder being water* : while Dr. Ure asserts the following to be the composition of verdegris:—acetic acid 52*0, peroxide of copper 39-6, water 8-4.f Besides the stalks and husks of grapes, verdegris is often adulterated with sand, and other earths. These are discovered by dissolving it in diluted sulphuric acid, which takes up the whole of the subacetate, and leaves the impurities. Or by boiling it in twelve or thirteen times its weight of distilled vinegar, allowing the undissolved part to settle, and ascertaining its amount. The addition of muriate of barytes wjll de- • Annals of l'hil. (new series), vol. i, p. 418. t Diet, of Chemistrv, art. Copper. 21 tect any admixture of the sulphate or the tartrate of copper. Medical properties and uses.—Verdegris is tonic, and emetic. It has been used in epilepsy; and extolled as an emetic in cases which require that the stomach should be quickly evacuated, without weakening it, as in incipient phthisis; but its internal exhibition is always dangerous, and to be avoided. It is, however, a useful deter- gent and escharotic application to foul ul- cers, and the callous edges of sores; and to consume fungus : but it is seldom used, al- though it is milder than the sulphate. It is also employed as a collyrium in chronic ophthalmia. The dose of verdegris to produce its to- nic effect is under gr. ss.; and to operate as an emetic, from gr. j. to gr. ij. In overdoses it quickly proves fatal, acting both locally and on the nervous system; and, on dissection, the coats of the stomach appear much thickened, and of a green colour. We formerly suggested the idea that fine filings of iron might precipitate the copper in its metallic state, and operate as an antidote: but this is now rendered unnecessary, as the experiments of Duval and others have proved that sugar is the an- tidote of cuprous poisons.^ Officinal preparations. JErugo preparata, D. Ung. Subacetatis Cupri, E. Linimen- tem Ailruginis, L. D. 2. Sulphate of Copper. Officinal. Cupri Sulphas, Lond. Edin. Dub. Sulphate of Copper. Syn. Sulphate de cuivre (F.), Schwefel- saures Kupfer (G.), Vitriuolo bio (/.), Ca- parosa (S.), Zungbar (Arab.), Tuteya (//.), Tutt'ha (San.) A considerable part of this salt, which is the blue vitriol of commerce, is obtained by evaporation from the water of some copper mines. Its origin is derived from the natural sulphurets of copper, which suffering a chemical change from exposure to a moist atmosphere, are converted into the sulphate, and washed down by the rain and other water of the mines.§ It is also obtained by roasting copper pyrites, and exposing it to the action of air and mois- ture ; in which case, as well as in the former, the compound is oxidized by at- tracting the oxygen of the surrounding at- mosphere, at the same time that it changes the sulphur into sulphuric acid ; so that by the gradual combination of these the sul- phate is produced, and is then extracted by solution, and crystallized. Qualities.—Sulphate of copper is inodor- X Vide Traite des Poisons, &c. par P. M. Orfila, tome i. p. 289. § From this water at the Parys mine, a large sup ply of copper is obtained, by decomposing the sul pliate, by throwing into the water old iron hoops. 162 MATERIA MEDICA. ous, and has a very harsh, acrid, styptic taste. It is in semitransparent crystals, which undergo a slight degree of efflores- cence when exposed to the air : their form is that of a rhomboidal prism ; and their colour a deep rich blue. Its specific gra- vity is 2-1943 : and, according to Chenevix, it consists of 42-6 parts of hydrate* of cop- per, 33-0 of acid, and 25-4 of water of crys- tallization. Sulphate of copper is soluble in four parts of water at 60°, and less than two at 212°. It is insoluble in alcohol. The so- lution reddens litmus paper, the salt being truly a bi-sulphate. It is decomposed by the alkalies and alkaline carbonates, the sub-borate of soda, acetate of ammonia, the acetate and superacetate of lead, and ace- tate of iron, nitrate of silver, oxymuriate of mercury, tartrate of potass, muriate of lime ; and is precipitated by all the astrin- gent vegetable infusions and tinctures; all which substances are therefore incompati- ble in prescriptions with this salt. Medical properties and uses.—Sulphate of copper is emetic, astringent, and tonic, when taken internally. With a view to its emetic effect, it has been given in the early stage of phthisis, and where laudanum has been taken as a poison ;f and as an as- tringent and tonic, in alvine haemorrhages, intermittent fever, epilepsy, and some other spasmodic affections: but as the list of ma- teria medica contains equally powerful and less injurious remedies, its internal exhibi- tion ought to be altogether discontinued. Externally it may be employed to give a healthy stimulus to indolent foul ulcers, in which I have found it extremely beneficial; and as an escharotic, to consume fungus. Pledgets dipped in a weak solution of it are also sometimes used as a styptic in epistaxis, and other external haemorrhages; and a still weaker solution is a useful collyrium in some kinds of ophthalmia. It forms the base of a very unchemical preparation, Bate's aqua camphorata,\ which the late Mr. Ware recommended, diluted with six- teen parts of water, in the purulent oph- thalmia of infants. As an emetic the dose is from grs. 3j. to xv., in f^ij. of water; but as a tonic it should be given in the form of a pill, begin- ning with gv.\., and gradually increasing the dose to grs. ij. * The hydrate consists of copper 25-6, oxygen 6*4, and water (whicli is intimately combined with the ox- ide) 10-6 parts. This water, as well as the water of crystallization, is expelled when the sulphate is de- composed by heat. + See Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, vol. i. X The following is the formula for Bate's prepa- ration :—R. Cupri sulph. boli gall. aa. grs. xv. Cam- phoix grs. iv. Solve in aq. fcrv. f oz. iv., dilueque turn aq. frig. O. iv. utfat Collyrium. Officinal preparations. Solutio Cupri Sul- phatis composita, E. Cuprum Ammoniatum, L. E. D. CURCUMA. Roscoe. Linn. Trans, viii. 354. CI. 1. Ord. 1. Monandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Scitamineae, Linn. Drymyrrhizs Juss. Gen. Char. Anther double, two spurred. Filament petal-like, three lobed, bearing the anther in the middle. Sp. 1. C. Zedoaria.% Zedoary. Amomum Zedoaria. Willd. Spec. Plant, i. 7. Officinal. Zedoaria radix, Dub. Zedoary root. Syn. Zedoire (F.), Zedoar wurzel (G.), Zedoaria (I.), Judwar (Arab.), Nirbisi (H. and San.), Banhaldi (Beng.) This plant is a perennial, a native of the East Indies, growing in sandy open places in Ceylon and Malabar, where it is named Acua by the Brahmins; and flowering in April and May. The root is tuberous, ob- long, and about the thickness of a finger. The best zedoary root comes from Cey- lon, in firm, short, wrinkled pieces, of an ash colour externally. It should be heavy, and not worm-eaten. Qualities.—The odour of zedoary root is fragrant, and somewhat like that of cam- phor, the taste biting, aromatic, and bitter- ish, with some degree of acrimony. The pieces break with a short close fracture, are pulverulent, and internally of a brownish red colour. Its active principles are par- tially extracted by water, and more com- pletely by alcohol. In distillation with wa- ter, a heavy greenish blue essential oil is obtained, which deposits camphor. It seems to contain, independent of its aromatic and bitter principles, a large proportion of fe- cula. Medical properties and uses.—This root is tonic and carminative. It was much em- ployed by Avicenna, and other Arabians, in vomitings, cholics, lientery, difficult men- struation, and as an antidote for venomous bites. It is certainly an agreeable sto- machic, and useful in flatulent cholic, but it is scarcely ever used by modern practition- ers. The dose of the powdered root may be from grs. viij. to 3ss. two or three times a day. CUSPARIA. Vide Bonplandia Trifo- liata. CYDONLE SEMINA. Vide Pyrus Cy- donia. DAPHNE.II Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 415. CI. 8. Ord. 1. Octandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Vepreculx, Linn. Thymelaeae, Juss. *> The excellent reasons given by Mr. Roscoe for separatigg this plant from the genus Amomum, in- induce me to prefer his authority to that of Willdenow in this instance. H Aapvi) Theophrassti et Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 163 G. 773. Cat. none. Cor. four-cleft, corol- laceous, withering, inclosing the stamens. Drupe one-seeded. • Flowers lateral. Species 1. D.Mezereum. Common Meze- reum. Med. Bot. iv. 716. t. 68. Smith Flor. Brit. 420. Officinal. Mezerei cortex, Lond. Daph- nes Mezeuei cortex, Edin. Radicis cortex, Dub.* The bark of the root. Syn. Laureole gentile (F.), Kellerkals(G.), Mezereo (/.) Mezereon grows wild in England and the North of Europe ; but for medical use, and as an ornamental shrub, it is cultivated in gardens. Its flowers expand in March, before the leaves. It is a hardy plant, sel- dom exceeding four feet in height, with a strong woody branching stem, covered with a smooth grey cuticle, and a tough fibrous inner bark. The root is of a fibrous tex- ture, pale-coloured, with a smooth olive- coloured bark. For medical use, the roots are dug up in the autumn, after the leaves have fallen. The cuticle of the dried root is corrugated, and the inner bark has a white cotton-like appearance. Qualities.—The inner bark of every part of this plant, when fresh, is very acrid, ca- pable ofproducing inflammation, vesication, and a discharge of serum when applied to the skin ; and when chewed, excites a con- siderable heat of the mouth and fauces, which continues for many hours afterwards. The fruit is equally acrid, acting as a cor- rosive poison, if eaten. The bark retains its acrimony when dried. - It yields its vir- tues to water and vinegar. By digesting the bark in alcohol, then evaporating the liquid to separate the resin, and diluting the residual fluid with water, filtering, and adding acetate of lead, Vauquelin obtained a copious yellow precipitate, which, when freed from the lead by means of sulphuret- ted hydrogen gas, he found to be a vegeta- ble principle, sui generis. He has given it the name of Daphnin.f Medical properties and uses.—It operates as a stimulating diaphoretic, increasing the general arterial action, and determining powerfully to the surface : but is apt to dis- order the primaeviac, and occasion vomiting and purging. It was long externally em- ployed as a stimulus to ill-conditioned ul- cers ; and the recent bark macerated in vinegar and applied to the skin, is recom- mended in France for producing and keep- ing up a serous discharge in chronic local affections. To form the issue, the bark • The Dublin College, in its rharmacopceia, has quoted Eng. Bot. 119. erroneously, the plate referred to being that of Daphne Laureola, Spurge Laurel. t Ann.de Chim. lxxxiv. p. 174. must be renewed every night and morning; and afterwards once in twenty-four hours, to keep open the drain. Dr. Withering employed it successfully as a local stimu- lant in a case of difficulty of swallowing occasioned by paralysis. Although the case was of three years' standing, the patient recovered the power of swallowing in about a month, by very frequently chewing thin slices of the root. For this purpose it should be sliced longitudinally, as the acri- mony resides in the bark only, the woody fibre being nearly inert. Internally, a de- coction of this bark has been used against chronic rheumatism, scrofulous swellings, lepra, and some other cutaneous diseases ; and, till lately, it was considered as an anti- venereal remedy of great efficacy. The dose in substance is gr. j. to grs. x. Officinal preparation. Decoctum Daph- nes Mezerei, E. Decoctum Sarsaparillx comp. DATURA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1007. CI. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Solonaceae, Linn. Solaneae, Juss. G. 377. Corolla funnel-shaped,- plaited. Ca- lyx tubular, angled, deciduous. Capsule with four valves. Species 2. D. Stramonium. Thorn Apple. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 197. /. 74. Smith Flor. Brit. 253. Officinal. Daturt. Stramonii herba, Edin. Stramonium ; herba, Dub. The herba- ceous part of the Thorn Apple plant. Syn. Pomme Epineuse (F.), Stechapfel (G.), Stramonio (/.) This annual plant is a native of America, but is now naturalised to this country, and found growing on dunghills and by road- sides*, from the fruit ejected from gardens; flowering in July and August. It rises about two feet in height, with around stem, branching, and dichotomous above ; spread- ing and leafy. The fruit is a large, fleshv, ovate-roundish, four-cornered capsule, be- set with sharp awl-shaped spines; four- celled at the base, two-celled at the apex, and containing a great number of reniform compressed seeds. Both the leaves, cap- sule, and seeds are medicinally used.§ Qualities.—The whole herb has a narco- tic, foetid odour, producing head-ach; a bit- terish nauseous taste, and gives to the saliva a deep green tinge when chewed. Ac- cording to WedenbergJ it contains gum (mucus?) and resin, a volatile matter, (which I find to be carbonate of ammonia), t Very common about London. § According to Dr. W. Ainslie, this species of Datura is not found in India: but the D. fustuosa, Dk*>«, ii. 994. + Phil. Trans. I. e. X Wright, 1. c. J3 Officinal preparation. Decoctum Geoff- royx inermis, E. GEUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 1113. CI. 12. Ord. 8. Icosandria Polygynia. Nat. ord. Senticosae, Linn. Rosaceae, Juss, G. 1002. Calyx ten-cleft. Petals five. Seeds with a bent awn Species 3. G. urbanum.§ Common Avens, or Herb Bennet. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 502. t. 181. Smith Flora Brit. 554. Officinal. Geum ihbisum ; radix. Dub. The root of Avens. Syn. Bonoite officinale (F.), Nelken- wurzel (G.), Cariofilata (/.). Avens is an indigenous perennial plant, common in woods and shady places, flow- ering from May to August. The root is fibrous. The root should be dug up in March ; for the odour, which is then strong, is al- most lost when the flowers appear. It should be dried in the air, with a moderate heat. The large roots are to be preferred. The cultivated are supposed to be superior to the wild. Qualities.-Axens root has a fragrant odour resembling that of cloves, and a bitterish austere taste. The pieces are of a dark brownish red colour on the outside, and in- ternally white. Its sensible qualities are extracted both by water and by alcohol; and in distillation with water, it yields a small portion of heavy volatile oil. The wa- tery infusion reddens litmus paper, and strikes a black colour with sulphate of iron. Medical properties anduses.—The root of avens is astringent, tonic, and antiseptic. It is mentioned by Ray as a febrifuge, but has been very little used in Britain, and was altogether unnoticed, until Buckhave, in a work entitled Observationes circa Radicem Gei urbani, adduced numerous instances of its efficacy in intermittents. The continen- tal practitioners recommend it in dysentery, chronic diarrhoea, and flatulent colic ; and as a general tonic in all cases in which cin- chona is employed. The Dublin College has therefore judiciously inserted it in the list of materia medica ; and, being an indi- genous remedy, it deserves attention.8 It may be exhibited in the form of powder; or in an electuary compounded with honey and rhubarb ; or a decoction may be made with one ounce of the root and one pint of water; or a tincture with similar propor- tions of the root and alcohol. The dose of the powder is sjss. or 2[j. four times a day; of the decoction fsjj. every hour; and of the § Caryophyllata, Alston's Mat. Med. vol. i. p. 408. || Augsburg beer, which is much prized on the Continent, is supposed to owe purt of its excellence to the custom which prevails of putting a small bag of the root of Aveni into »nvh cask. Nicholtvrt't Joir. »o|, x*». p. *0. irs MATERIA MEDICA, tinctuie f^ss., properly diluted, three or four times a day. GLYCYRRHIZA.* Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1143. Cl. 17. Ord. 4. DiadelphiaDecandria. Nat. ord. Papilionaceae, Linn. Leguminosae, Juss. G. 1366. Calyx bilabiate ; upper lip three- cleft, lower undivided. Legume ovate, compressed. Species 4. G. glabra. Common Liquorice. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 420. t. 152. Officinal. Gltcxrrhiztb radix, Lond. Dub. Gltcyrrhiz*- glabra radix:—extrac- tum, Edin. Liquorice root, and the ex- tract. Syn. Reglisse (F.), Sussholzwurzel (G.), Legorizia (/.), Regaliza (S.), Ussulussoos (Arab.), let'himad'h (H), Yastimadhuca (San.). The liquorice plant is a native of the south of Europe and Syria ; but the greater part of what is used in Britain is the pro- duce of its own soil by cultivation. The London market is supplied chiefly from Mitcham in Surrey.\ It flowers in August. The root is perennial, running, when in its proper soil, a light sandy one, very deep : it is round; the thickness from that of a goose-quill to that of the thumb; long, thin, flexible ; furnished with sparse fibres ; covered with a brownish cuticle ; internal- ly fibrous, of a pale yellow colour, and juicy. When liquorice root is three years old, it is dug up for use in November. " The whole roots are then washed, the fibres cut off, and the smaller roots separated from the larger ones. The former, termed the offal, are dried and ground to powder; the latter are packed up and sold to the drug- gists."^ Qualities.—This root is inodorous, and the taste sweet and mucilaginous, leaving, when it is chewed without being peeled, a slight degree of bitterness in the mouth. The powder, if good, is of a brownish yel- low colour, and has a rich sweet taste, more agreeable than that of the fresh root; but it is said to be often sophisticated with flour, and other substances not quite so wholesome, in which case it has a fine pale yellow colour. The medical properties of the root de- pend on a saccharine matter, which ap- proaches in its nature to sarcocoll and mu- cus: water, by coction, extracts both of * T\vy.vppila, Dioscoridis. The name is derived from ywxvc, sweet, and fila, a root. t Very little is now grown at Godalming, where it was formerly cultivated to some extent. Vide Stevenson's Survey of Surrey, p. 380. It was first cultivated in England, in 1558. Stow. X The price of the best roots is about 31. per c« t. Stevenson, I. e. these principles, but alcohol only the sac- charine matter. For the properties of the extract Vhich is imported from Spain, see Part 111. (Preparations and Com- pounds.) Medical properties and uses.—Liquorice root is a pleasant demulcent? but on ac- count of its bulk it is rarely used in sub- stance.§ The decoction of it, either alone or in combination with other mucilagin- ous vegetables, is often given in catarrh, and in hectic and phthisical cases. It is also administered in some cases of dyspep- sia, where there is a deficiency of the na- tural mucus of the stomach, which is injur- ed by the acrimony of ill-digested food, and a morbid state of its secreted fluids. The dose of the powder is from grs. x. to gj., that of the decoction a cupful frequently repeated. Officinal preparations. Extractum Gly- cyrrhizx, L. E. D. Decoctum Sarsapuriltx comp. L. D. Infusum Lini, L. Confectio Senna, L. E. GRANATI CORTEX. Vide Punica. GRATIOLA.II Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 102, Cl. 2. Ord. 1. Diandria Monogynia. Nat, Ord. Personatae, Linn. Juss. G. 49. Corolla irregular, reversed. Stamens two, sterile. Capsule two-celled. Calyx seven-leaved; the two exterior leaves spreading. Species 1. G. officinalis. Hedge-Hyssop, Med. Bot. 2d edit. 359. t. 131. Floru Danica, t. 363. Officinal. Gratioljb officinalis HERBi, Edin. Gratiola ; herba, Dub. The her- baceous part of Hedge-Hyssop. Syn. Gratiole (F.), Gradenkraut (G.) Graziola (/.). This plant is a perennial, a native of the south of Europe, growing in marshy or moist pastures, and flowering in June and July. It is cultivated in Britain.% The sensible qualities of gratiola are strongest when it is in flower, at which time, therefore, it should be gathered for use. Qualities.—It has scarcely any odour ; but the taste is very bitter and nauseous. Boiling water extracts its sensible qualities more perfectly than alcohol. The colour of the infusion approaches to that of Madeira wine ; it slightly reddens litmus paper, and strikes an olive colour with a solution of sulphate of iron without occasioning a pre- cipitate. When sulphuric acid is added to the unstrained infusion, it emits the odour 5 The ancients believed that chewing the root al- layed thirst; but this opinion was founded on a mis. take. Cullen, Mat. Med. ii. p. 407. || The name means Gratia Dei—from the suppos- ed virtues of the plant. K It was first cultivated in Britain by Turner, in 1568. MATERIA MEDICA. 179 of tamarinds ; and when the infusion is fil- tered and slowly evaporated, spicular crys- tals are formed, which appear to be tartaric acid. Medical properties and uses.—Gratiola is cathartic, diuretic, and emetic, producing in very large doses all the effects of an irri- tative poison. It has been much recom- mended by the German physicians in drop- sy; and has also been used in jaundice and worm cases. Hufeland found it extremely efficacious in visceral obstructions, and scrophulous affections : * and we are even told that in the Vienna hospital it has cured the most confirmed cases of lues venerea!f It is given either in the form of powder, or of infusion combined with aromatics. The dose of the powder is grs. xv. to gss ; that of the infusion, made with gij. of the dried herb and Oss of warm water, from fjiv. to ffj. three times adav. GUAIACUM.* Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 538. Cl. 10. Ord. 1^ Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Gruinales, Linn. Rotaceae, Juss. G. 819. Calyx five parted, unequal. Pe- tals five, inserted into the calyx. Cap- sule angular, three or five-celled. Species 2. G. officinale. Officinal Guaiacum. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 557. t. 200. Officinal. Guaiaci resina et lignum, Lond. Guaiaci officinalis Lignum-resina, Edin. Gauiacum ; ligvum, gumhi-resina, Dub. The wood and resin of Guaiacum. Syn. Guyac (F.), Gu-ijakgummi (G.), fiuajaco (/.), Guayaco (S.). This tree is a native of Jamaica, Hispa- niola, and the warmer parts of America.§ It rises forty feet in height, and is four or five in circumference, with many divided knotted branches. All the parts of this tree possess medici- nal qualities ; but the wood and the pecu- liar substance afforded by it are the only parts used ; the virtues of the wood depend altogether on the peculiar matter it con- tains. This is spontaneously exuded from the tree, and is called native gum ; it con- cretes in tears, which are semipellucid and very pure ; but the greater part of it is ob- tained by making incisions into the trunk, or, as it is termed, jagging the tree. This operation is performed in May; and the juice, which flows copiously, is concreted by the sun. It is also obtained by sawing the wood into billets, and boring a hole longitudinally through them ; so that, when one end of a billet is laid on a fire, the * Hufeland uber die Natur, &c. der Scrofula. t Kostrewski, Dissert, de Gratiola, p. 64. X The Spanish name Guayaco, is derived from the Caribbee. Humboldt. (i The tree was first cultivated in this country by In; Diiches. of Heaufort. 16 W. guaiac melting, runs through the hole from the opposite end, and is collected in a ca- labash. Boiling the chips or raspings in salt and water, also separates the guaiac, which as it rises to the surface may be col- lected by skimming. The wood is brought to this country either in larg-e solid pieces which weigh from four to five cwt. each, and are cover- ed with a yellowish alburnum : or it is alrea- dy rasped. The guaiac, or gum as it is im- properly termed, arrives in casks and mats ; the former containing from one to four cwt., the latter generally less than one cwt. each. Qualities,—The wood of guaiacum is in- odorous, but when heated it emits an aro- matic odour;and the taste is bitterish, sub- acrid, and biting. It is very hard, heavier than water, externally yellowish, and inter- nally of a blackish brown colour mixed with green streaks. The resin, or guaiac, has a fragrant odour, with scarcely any taste, but occasions, when swallowed, a sensation of heat in the throat. It has a re- sinous aspect; is of a greenish brown co- lour externally, and internally presents a mixture of greenish, reddish, and brown- ish tints. It is somewhat translucent, breaks with a vitreous fracture, and is easily re- duced to a powder, which is grey at first, but becomes green in a short time when it is exposed to the air and light ; a change which appears to depend on the absorp- tion of oxygen.| The specific gravity of guaiac is 1.2289. It was generally regarded as a gum resin, till Mr. Brande's experi- ments showed it to be a substance sui gene- ris, differing from both gum and resin. When guaiac is digested in water a little extractive only is dissolved, in the propor- tion of 9 parts in 100, and the infusion has a greenish brown colour and a sweetish taste. Alcohol dissolves readily 95 parts in 100, and the solution is decomposed by the mineral acids, affording precipitates which assume various tints of colour (see Tinctura Guaiaci). Sulphuric ether dissolves four parts in ten of guaiac, and when evaporated on water leaves a tough, pellucid, pale brown pellicle, which appears to be pure guaiac: it becomes green after some time; and a small portion of extractive remains dissolved in the water. The alkaline solu- tions and their carbonates dissolve it rea- dily ; and the solutions are precipitated by || This effect of light and air was first noticed by Dr. Wollaston, who found that the most refrangible produced this change; and subsequent experiments of Mr. Brande clearly proved it to arise from oxygen, I found that the change takes place in an hour, when the powder i-i exposed to sunshine. It appears to be again deoxodized if exposed to the least re- frangible rays onlv, according to Dr. Wollaston's experiments. 130 MATERIA MEDICA. the diluted sulphuric, the nitric, and the muriatic acids. Sulphuric acid dissolves it with scarcely any effervescence, affording a solution of a rich claret colour, which, when fresh prepared, deposits a lilac-colour- ed precipitate on the addition of water; and when heated separates some charcoal. Nitric acid dissolves it with a strong effer- vescence and a copious extrication of ni- trous fumes ; and when the solution is eva- porated, it yields a large portion of oxalic acid: by the diluted acid it is converted into a brown resinous substance. Muriatic acid dissolves a small portion only, and affords a solution of a brown colour. I found that, during the solution of guaiac in these acids, the heat which was evolved raised the ther- mometer in the following proportions; in the sulphuric 44; in the nitric 120; and in the muriatic 8 degrees. Nothing comes from the distillation of guaiac in water; but Mr. Brande obtained from 100 parts of it, distilledpersein close vessels, the following products: acidulous water 5.5, thick brown oil 24.5, thin empyreumatic oil 30.0, char- coal remaining in the retort 30.5, and 9.5 of gases, which were chiefly carbonic acid and carburetted hydrogen.* From these experiments it is clear that guaiac differs from resin ; and we also learn that the mine- ral acids are incompatible in prescriptions with it. It is sometimes adulterated with common resin and Manchinal gum. The former is detected by the turpentine emitted when the suspected guaiac is thrown on hot coals; and the latter by adding to the alcoholic solution a few drops of sweet spirit of nitre, and diluting with water ; the guaiac is pre- cipitated, but the adulteration floats in white striae. Medical properties and uses.—Both the wood and the guaiac are stimulant, diapho- retic, diuretic, and purgative. The wood was introduced into Europe by the Span- iards as a remedy for lues venerea in 1508, and gained much celebrity, from curing Van Hutten ; but it had long before been used for the same purpose by the natives of St. Domingo. It obtained so much reputa- tion, that the exhibition of mercury was discontinued for a considerable length of time,f and even in the eighteenth century its specific powers over this disease were maintained by Boerhave: but frequent dis- appointments and more correct observa- tions have shown that it possesses no powers of eradicating the venereal virus ; and that it is useful only after a successful mercurial course, for repairing the strength and vi- gour of the system: " and where a thicken- • Philosophical Trans. 1806: and Phil. Mag. xxr. 107. t It was then sold for seven gold crowns a pound- ed state of the ligaments, or of the perios- teum, remains, or where there are foul indolent ulcers;"* or in suspending the progress of some of the secondary symp- toms for a short time, as ulcers of the ton- sils, eruptions, and nodes. The decoction of the wood has been found more useful in cutaneous diseases, scrofulous affections of the membranes and ligaments, and in ozaena. The guaiac itself is an efficacious remedy in chronic rheumatism and arthritic affec- tions,§ as well as those diseases for which the decoction of the wood is usually given; and in every respect it may be regarded as the active ingredient of the wood. Its sen- sible effects are a grateful sense of warmth in the stomach, dryness of the mouth, and thirst, with a copious flow of sweat, if the body be kept externally warm, or if the guaiac be united with opium and antimo- nials: but when the body is freely exposed, instead of producing diaphoresis, it aug- ments considerably the secretion of urine. It may be exhibited either in substance or in tincture. The dose is from grs. x. to gss, in the form of pills or of bolus: or made into an emulsion with water by means of mucilage or yolk of egg. Larger doses purge. Officinal preparations. Of the wood— Decoctum Guaiaci comp. E. of the Guaiac— Mistura Guaiaci, L. Tinctura Guaiaci, L. E. D. Decoctum SarsaparilLe comp., L. D, Tinctura Guaiaci ammoniata, L. E. D. Pulvis aloes comp., L. D. H/EMA1'OXYLON.| Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 547. Cl. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Lomentaceae, Linn. Leguminosa:, Juss. G. 830. Calyx five parted. Petals five. Capsule lanceolate, one-celled, two-valv- ed, with the valves boat-shaped. Species 1. H. campechianum. The Logwood tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 455. t. 163. Officinal. H;ematoxoli lignum, Lond.Edin. Dub. Logwood. Syn. Bois de Campeche (F.), Kampesch- holz; Blauholz (G.), Campeggio (/.j X Pearson's Observations on the Effects of various Articles of the Materia Medica in the cure of Lues venerea, p. 10. $ The Chelsea Pensioner, a nostrum, by which Lord Amherst was cured of Rheumatism, is com- posed of Guiaic dr. j. Pulv. Rhei. drs. ij. Supcrtart. P» tassx oz. j. Sulph. oz. ij. Nucis myrist j. in pulv. trit. et per ope mellis miscc ut fiat Electuarium. Two large spoonsful to be taken night and morning. Je- suit Drops also consist of Guaiacum, Balsam of C»- paiba and Oil of Sassafras, made into a tincture by spirit. Pharmacologia, p. 237. II From al,u.a, blood, and 2-oxov, wood. Millar's Dictionary. The trivial name Campechia- num, and the English term Campechi wood, originat- ed from Palo Campechio, the name imposed by the Spaniards who first discovered the wood. MATERIA MEDICA. 181 This tree is a native of South America, and attains to great perfection at Campea- chy, in the bay of Honduras. It was intro- duced into Jamaica in 1715, and from its quick growth now grows in an abundance which much incommodes the landholders in the neighbourhood of Savannah la Mar ; flowering in March and April.* Logwood is brought to this country in logs, which are afterwards chipped. Those pieces which have a deeper colour are to be preferred. It is much employed as a dye-wood. Qualities.—This wood is inodorous, hut has a sweet astringent taste. It is hard, compact, heavy, and of a deep red colour, which it gives out both to water and alco- hol. The recent infusions made with dis- tilled water are yellow, but those with com- mon water have a reddish purple colour, which is deepened by the alkalies, and changed to yellow by the acids. They form precipitates with the sulphuric, nitric, mu- riatic, and acetic acids ; solutions of alum, sulphates of iron and of copper, acetate of lead, and tartarized antimonyjf which are therefore incompatible in prescriptions with these infusions and decoctions. The colour of the precipitates varies; those with the acids are reddish brown, with alum and tar- tarized antimony violet, with sulphate of iron blueish black, sulphate of copper pur- plish blue, acetate of lead reddish black, and sulphate of magnesia, purple. Accord- ing to Chevreul, logwood contains a volatile oil, tannin, two kinds of colouring matter, one of which is soluble both in water and alcohol, the other soluble in alcohol only ; acetate of lime and of potass^ and a pecu- liar substance, which is procured in small brilliant crystals, of a reddish-white colour, and a slightly astringent, bitter, and acrid taste; and which he named Hematin.^ JMedical properties and uses.—Logwood ia supposed to be astringent: but this is a questionable opinion, for although it pro- duces an ink with sulphate or iron, it pos- sesses no acerbity, and does not produce a • It was cultivated in this country by Mr. Miller in 1739; but is not now found in our hot-houses. T When an infusion or decoction of logwood is kept for some time, it becomes capable of producing a precipitate with gelatine; but when recent no such effect takes place either with glue or isinglass. This was first observed by Dr. Bancroft. X Annates de Chimie, Uvii. 254. Thomson's Chemistry, v. 200. $ To obtain hematin, digest logwood rasped in water of the temperature 125"', filter and evaporate to dryness. Digest the residue for a whole day in alcobal of sp. gr. 0.837, filter and concentrate by evaporation; then add a small portion of water, evaporate a little further, anrl leave it to itself. Crystals of hxmalin am formed iu abundance. precipitate with gelatine.} It is employed in diarrhoea, and in the latter stage of dy- sentery ; but the extract is more usually ordered. It has the advantage of giving tone to the general system, and thus obvi- ates the lax state of the intestines. The decoction may be taken in doses of two or three fluid ounces, frequently repeated. Officinal preparation. Extractum Hxma- toxyli, L. HELLEBORUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 1335. Cl. 13. Ord. 6. Polyandria Polygynia. Nat. ord. Multisiliqux, Linn, Ilanunculace*, Juss. G. 1089. Calyx none. Petals five or more. Nectaries bilabiate, tubular. Capsules many seeded, nearly erect. Species 3. H. niger. Black Hellebore. Med. Bot. 2d. edA73. t. 169. Species 6. H. fatidus. Foetid Hellebore, or Bear's foot. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 4,77. t. 170. Smith. Flor. Brit. 593. Eng. Bot. I, 613. 1. Helleborus niokr. Officinal. Hellebori nighi radix. Lond. Hellebori niori radix, Edin. ----; (MelampodiumU) radix, Dub, The root of Black Hellebore. Syn. Hellebore (F.), Schwartze Niess- wurzel (G.), Ellebro negro (/.), Helleboro negro (S.), Kali Koothie (//), Khurbuc usivud (Arab.). Black hellebore, so named from the dark colour of the root, is a native of Austria, the Apennines, and Italy; flowering from De- cember till March; whence it has been called Christmas rose, and has obtained a place in our gardens.** The root is peren- nial, transverse, rough, knotted, externally black, internally whitish, and sends off ma- ny depending fibres. This plant has been supposed to be the eAAt/Jopoc ft.i\ac of Hippocrates, but there ia every reason for agreeing with Willdenow, that his fifth species, Helleborus orientalis, is the drug of the ancients. It was found by Bellonius and Tourneforttf growing in plenty about Mount Olympus, and the island Anticyra, which was formerly celebrated for its production. Sometimes the roots of Helleborus viridis, Adonis vernalis, Trol- lius Europteus, Actaea spicata, Astrantia ma- jor, and Aconitum neomontanum, are either ignorantly or fraudulently substituted for those of black hellebore. These are dis- tinguished chiefly by their colour being paler than the roots of the hellebore. || Vide Bancroft, Phil, if Permanent Colours, 2d ed. vol. ii. p. 395. fl Named from Melampus, a soothsayer, who first gave it as a purgative. *• It was first cultivated in Britain by Gerarde in 1596. tt Bellonii Ob». 1. iii. c. 41. Tournefort, Voyag-o, ii. let. 31. p. 1S9. 182 MATERIA Qualities.—The fibres of the roots, which are the parts used in medicine, are about the thickness of a straw, from four inches to a foot in length, corrugated, of a deep brown black on the outside, and internally white or yellowish. They have an unplea- sant odour; and a nauseous, bitterish, acrid taste, benumbing the tongue, and leaving upon it an impressiion, " as when it hath been a little burnt with eating or supping any thing too hot."* The acrimony is im- paired by keeping ; and appears to depend on a volatile matter, as water distilled from the root has an acrid taste. Both alcohol and water extract its medicinal properties ; and, as the spirituous preparation is the most active, these appear to depend on its resinous part. By coction with water it yields a very considerable portion of gum- my matter and some resin. (See the ex- tract. ) Medical properties and uses.—Black hel- lebore root is a drastic cathartic, and on this property probably depends its emmena- gogue and hydragogue powers. In smaller doses it is supposed to act as an alterative. It has been much celebrated in mania, me- lancholia, dropsy, scabies, and worms ; but does not appear to possess any particular advantages over the other resinous purga- tives, which act with less virulence. As an emmenagogue it is useful in plethoric ha- bits, when preparations of iron are contra- indicated. When black hellebore is taken in too great quantity, it occasions violent vomitings, inflammation of the stomach, and death. These effects are to be obviated by evacuating the stomach, by drinking copi- ously of mild mucilaginous fluids, and then employing the most powerful antiphlogistic measures. It is seldom prescribed in sub- stance ; but either in the form of tincture, or of extract^ or of decoction made with two drachms of the root to a pint of wa- ter, t The dose of the root is from grs. x. to 9j., which purges strongly ; but to pro- duce its other effects two or three grains are sufficient. Of the decoction f^j. may be given every four hours. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Helle- bori nigri, L. E. D. Extractum Hellebori nigri, E. D. 2. Helleborus fggtidus. Officinal. Hellebori fiktidi tolia, Lond. Hellebokastek; tolia, Dub. The leaves of Foetid Hellebore. Syn. Hellebore foetide (F.), Stinkende Niesswurzell (G.), Elleboro fetido (/.), Helleboro hediondo (S.) This is a perennial indigenous plant, growing under hedges and in shady places, • Grew. t Wintringham, Thesaurus Med. p. 87. MEDICA. on a chalky soil, flowering in March and April. The root is small, and bent, with a great many slender dark-coloured fibres. These roots were long used as domestic worm medicine, before they were intro- duced into the list of materia medica by the London College. + Qualities.—The odour of the recent pla nt is foetid, the taste of the leaves, when chew- ed, bitterish, biting, and so acrid as to ex- coriate the mouth. The stipules possess these qualities in a greater degree than the proper leaves. Medical properties and uses.—The leaves of foetid hellebore are strongly cathartic and emetic ; and in overdoses prove highly deleterious. They have been successfully, although they are now rarely, used as an anthelmintic against the lumbricus teres, for which they were strongly recommend- ed by Dr. Bissett; and Woodville tried them with advantage upon a girl of twenty years of age, in the Middlesex Dispensary. They are given dried, in the form of powder; or a decoction made by boiling gij. of the re- cent leaves, or gss. of the dried, in f^viij. of water for fifteen minutes; or a syrup made with the expressed juice of the re- cent leaves moistened with vinegar, whicli is supposed to correct the violent effects of the drug. The dose of the powder is from grs. vj. to 7)j.; of the decoction from f 3J.; and of the syrup a tea-spoonful at bed-time, and one or two in the morning, to children be- twixt two and six years of age, on two or three successive days. HEUACLEUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1421. Cl. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbellatre. G. 541. Fruit elliptical, emarginate, com- pressed, striated, margined. Corolla dif- form, inflex, emarginate. Involucre ca- ducous. Species. H. gvmmiferum. Gum-bearing He- racleum. Willd. Hortus Berolin. i. /. 53, 54. Officinal. Atimoxiactjm, Lond. Edin. Dub, Ammoniac. Syn. Gomme Ammoniaque (F.), Ammo- niak (G.), Gomma Ammoniaco (/.), Amo- niaco (S.), Ushok or Feshook (Arab.) The plant which yields this gum-resjn is a native of Africa, and the East Indies. It has not been scientifically described by any one who has seen it growing in its native soil§, and the description which is about to X " Probably upon the authority of Dr. Bisselt." Med. Bot. 478. § Mr. Jack'on has seen and described the plant, of which he has also given a figure, but neither can he regarded as scientifically correct; and of course not authority to be relied on. Account ef Morocco, p. S3. MATERIA MEDICA. 183 be given, is that of a plant which Willde- now reared from seed found in the ammo- niacum of the shops, and has named Hera- cleum gummiferum. The London Col- lege, on his authority, has admitted it as the ammoniacum plant; it flowers in June and July. Willdenow could not obtain any of the gum-resin from this plant; but he has no doubt of its being the plant from which it is obtained. Mr. Jackson, in his account of Morocco, informs us, that the ammoniacum plant, which in the Arabic is named fes- hook, resembles the fennel,* is ten feet in height, and one inch thick in the thickest part of the stem. The plant grows at El- araiche and M'Sharrah Bumellah ; and nei- ther bird nor beast is seen near the spot, but it is attacked by a horned beetle which perforates the stem with its horn, and the juice runs out at the wound. The ammo- niacum is, however, procured by incisions also, and allowed to drop on the ground, where it hardens by the air and sun; on which account that from Barbary is mixed with a red earth, and is not saleable in the London market. The best ammoniacum is brought from the East Indies, packed in cases and chests. It is in large masses com- posed of small round fragments or tears : or in separate dry tears, which is generally considered a sign of its goodness. Qualities.—Ammoniacum has a peculiar faint but not ungrateful smell; and a bitter nauseous sweet taste. The tears are yellow on the outside, and white within; brittle, and break with a vitreous fracture. Their specific gravity is 1-207. Ammoniacum is adhesive in the warm hand, softens by heat, but does not melt; and is partially soluble in water, alcohol, ether, solutions of alka- lies, and vinegar. When triturated with water the solution is milky, but after some time it lets fall a resinous matter ; which is the part of the ammoniacum that is taken up by ether and alcohol. Water or alcohol, when distilled off ammoniacum, bring over nothing from it. According to the analysis of Braconnot, it is composed of 70-0 parts of resin, 18-4 gum, 44 glutinous matter, and 6-0 water, in 100-0 parts ; 1-2 parts being lost in the analysis.f I find that sulphuric ether takes up six grains in ten of ammo- niacum, and when evaporated, leaves a yel- lowish white resin,+ which is long of har- dening, and is insipid, although it possesses the odour of the gum resin : the taste re- sides in the gum, which in other respects • Both Dioseorides and Pliny describe ammonia- cum as the juice of a species of ferula growing in Libya. Dioscor. I. iii. c. 98. Plin. 1. xii. c 23. t Annales de Chim. Ixviii. 69. Thomson's Che- mistry, v. 143. J Nitric acid converts this resin intoa yellow mat- ter, which imparts a permanent yellow colour to silk. possesses the properties of acacia-gum. Water, therefore, is the proper menstruum for ammoniacum. Medical properties and uses.—Ammonia- cum is a stimulating expectorant, deobstru- ent, and antispasmodic; and is in large do- ses purgative. Externally it is discutient and resolvent. It is prescribed with ad- vantage in asthma, chronic catarrh, and some other pulmonary affections; but, on account of its stimulating properties, its use must be avoided where any inflamma- tory action of the chest is going forward. As a deobstruent it is useful in visceral ob/ structions, hysteria, and chlorosis; and in that peculiar state of the bowels often ac- companying hypochondriasis and dyspep- sia, in which there is an almost constant de- gree of colic, particularly after taking food, and which appears to arise from a viscid mucus lodged in the intestines, a combina- tion of ammoniacum and rhubarb is singu- larly efficacious. As an antispasmodic, Cul- len properly considers it as the least pow- erful of#the fetid gums. It may be combined with tartarised antimony, squills, assafoeti- da, and ipecacuanha, to promote its expec- torant powers ; and with myrrh, iron and bitters, when its deobstruent properties are required. It is given either in substance, or diffused in water in the form of emul- sion. Externally, it is applied under the form of plaster to scirrhous tumours and white swellings of the joints. (See Prepa- rations and Compositions.) The dose of ammoniacum is from grs. x. to grs. xxx. Officinal preparations. Mislura Ammo- niaci, L. D. Emplastrum Ammoniaci, L. Emplastrum Ammoniaci cum Hydrargyria, L. Emplastrum Gummosum, E. Pilulx ScilU comp. L. E. HIRUDO.§ Syst. Nat. Gmelin. i. 3095. Cl. 6. Ord. 1. Vermes intestina. G. 280. Body oblong, truncated at both ex- tremities, cartilaginous, moving by dila- ting the head and tail. Sp. 2. II. medicinalis. The Medicinal Leech, Amosnit. Academ. vii. 40. Officinal. Hirudo medicinalis, Dub. The Leech. Syn. Sang sue (F.), Blutiul; JEgle ; Lake (&'.), Sanguisuca; Mignatta (/.), San- guijuela \(S.), Kheruheen (Arab.), Jouc (//.), Jelauca (San.) This species of leech is common through- out Europe, inhabiting lakes and stagnant pools. The body is about three inches long, tapering towards the head, composed of rings, and capable (t being very much lengthened and contracted. The colour of the back is dark olive, divided by four yel- low or buff-coloured longitudinal lines, two $ Named from haurto, rxj.ies-.ive of its well-known peculiar action. Johnson's Treatise, p. 40. 184 MATERIA MEDICA. of which are lateral, with a black fine run- ning through their centres; and the other two, which are on the upper part of the back, dividing it into three nearly equal parts, are broken with black. Within these lateral and upper lines are two others, which appear like chains of black and yellow. The belly is pale olive, thickly maculated with black or very dark blue irregular spots. The mouth is triangular, placed in the cen- tre of a horse-shoe sucker which is under the head : and at the anal extremity there is a broad circular sucker, by which it at- taches itself to different bodies. Leeches are oviparous. All the ova are discharged in one involucre, near the sur- face and the margins of pools, and are hatched by the heat of the sun. They do not cast the skin, as has been generally sup- posed • but at certain times throw off a tough slimy substance from their bodies, apparently the production of disease ; and from which they get disencumbered by drawing themselves through between the moss and the matted roots of rushe^.* Du- ring winter they remain almost torpid, hid amongst the thick network of aquatic roots which surround the pools. They are caught in spring and autumn by people who wade into the pools and allow them to fasten on their limbs ; or more ge- nerally, the catchers beat, as they wade in, the surface of the water with poles, which sets the leeches in motion, and brings them to the surface ; when they are taken with the hand and put into bags. As they come to the surface just before a thunder storm, that is regarded as a good time for collect- ing them. They are best preserved in ves- sels half filled with soft water, kept in an equal and moderate temperature, (50° Fahr.), and covered over with a coarse cloth, so as to admit the air. The water should be changed once a week; and all the dead or sickly leeches removed from the general stock, for they are subject to much disease and great mortality. Leech- es which have been used should not be re- turned to the stock till they appear to have completely regained their health and vi- gour, which is known by their feeling hard and firm when handled. As we are igno- rant of their proper and natural food, it is useless to attempt to feed themf; but in winter it would perhaps be advantageous to put some moss into the vessel in which they are preserved. Medical uses.-pLeeches appear to have • I give this on the authority of Mr. Dickson of Covent Garden, who has made many curious obser- vations on the reconomy of the leech. t Dr. Johnson says they live by adhering to and tucking the fluids of fish, frogs, &c.; but they take bo kind of solid food. Treatise on the Medicinal Leech, p. 61. been first used by Themison. They are applied in cases where local blood-letting is necessary, as in ophthalmia, and particu- larly to places where cupping-glasses can- not be applied. In some habits, where there is a disposition to erysipelatous in- flammation, their bites, which are triangu- lar, occasion a considerable degree of irri- tation, and ©edematous swellings follow, which are exceedingly troublesome; but in general they easily heal, and occasion no inconvenience. It is sometimes exceed- ingly difficult to make them bite, which they never will do when they are sick. The best mode of applying them, is to take them out of the water for some minutes before they are to be used, and to dry them well with a very soft cloth directly before they are applied. The part should also be well cleaned with soap and water, then washed with a little pure water, and made very dry. If there be any hairs on the spot, these must be close shaved. I have found this method preferable to that of wetting the part with milk and sugar, blood, or any other matter. When they, nevertheless, will not readily fix, or when it is wished to apply them very exactly on a particular spot, as, for instance, close to the angle of the eye in ophthalmia, Dr. Johnson recom- mends to puncture the part with a lancet; but I find that putting them into a large quill cut at both ends, and applying the end at which the head of the animal lies to the part, with the finger over the other end, is an excellent mode of making them bite. The quill is withdrawn after they are firmly fixed. They drop off spontaneously, when- ever they have gorged themselves with blood ; and they may be separated at any time by sprinkling a little salt on the head. Very few leeches can draw more than half a fluid ounce of blood; and therefore it ii necessary, in order to increase the quantity, to keep the orifices bleeding by bathing them with hot water. It has been recom- mended to cut off the tail of the leech, so as to allow the blood to be discharged as fast as it is sucked, the leech continuing to suck notwithstanding this mutilation. After leeches drop off, the application of a very little salt makes them disgorge all the blood they have sucked ; and if they be imme- diately thrown into clean water, and this repeatedly changed for three or four times, they soon recover their health and vigour. Dr. Johnson advises the use of vinegar in- stead of salt, which is not apt to blister the lips of the leech as salt does, preventing it from sucking for some considerable time. HORDEUM. Spec. Plant Willd. i. 472. Cl. 3. Ord. 2. Triandria Digynia. Nat. ord. GramineK. G. 151. Calyx lateral, two-valved, one- flowered, three-fold. MATERIA MEDICA. 185 Species 3. II. distichon. Commonly Bar- ley. Viborg- Cereal. 35. t. 3. Officinal. Hordei seimiita, Lond. Hor- DF.I DIST1CHI SEMINA, Ediil. HoRDEUM distichum ; semina, Dub. Barley. Syn. Orge (F.) Gerstengraupen (G), Orzo(/.), Cebada (S.), low (//.), Barlee Arise (Tain.). Barley is asserted by Reidesel to be a native of Tartary, but the fact is not well ascertained.* It is an annual plant, and cul- tivated in almost every country of Europe. Barley is used as an article of food, but less so than it was in former times: and it is now chiefly cultivated for the purpose of forming malt liquors and ardent spirits. It is formed into pearl barley by two different operations; the barley is first spread out and moistened ; and then, in this state, by means of machinery, is denuded of the cu- ticle, or shelled. It is afterwards rounded in a mill, which at the same time polishes the little granules into which is formed. Qualities.—-Pearl barley is inodorous, and has a slightly sweetish taste. It consists of roundish granules of a pearly whiteness, composed almost entirely of starch, with some gluten, mucilage, and saccharine mat- ter,f which are dissolved in boiling water. The decoction very soon runs into the acetous fermentation. Barley is never used medicinally in substance. Officinal preparations. Decoctum Hordei, L. E. D. Decoctum Hordei composition, L. D. HUMUI.US. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 769. Cl. 22. Ord. 5. Dicecia Pentandria. Nat. ord. Scabrid.-e, Linn. Urticae, Juss. G. 1795. Male. Calyx five-leaved. Corolla none. ------Female. Calyx one-leafed, obliquely- spreading, entire. Corolla none. Styles two. Seed one, within a leafy calyx. Species 1. II. Lnpulus. The Hop. Eng. Bot. t. 427. Smith's Flor. Brit. 1077. Officinal. Humuli strobili, Lund. Edin. The strobiles of the Hop. Syn, Houblon grimpant (F.), Hopfen (G.), Luppolo (I.j, Hoblon (S.). * Carden asserts that it is a native of Athol, in Scotland. Diodorus Sieulus refers it to Egypt, where, he says, Osiris found it wild, and first culti- vated it. t Einhof, who analysed barley both in the unripe and ripe state, found that 3 40 parts of barley, in grain, afforded 430 of a volatile matter, 720 husk, and 2690 of meal; and from the same quantity of barley-meal, he obtained 360 of volatile matter, 44 albumen, 200 saccharine matter, 176 mucilage, 9 phosphate of lime, with some albumen, 135 gluten, 260 husk, with some gluten and starch, and 2580 of starch ; 76 parts were lost in the analysis. When this meal is macerated in alcohol it yields a yellow- coloured acrid thick oil, which is supposed to give the ]>eculiar flavour to spirits from raw grain, and to be lost in malting. Thomson's Chemistry, v. 254, 24 The hop is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in hedges, and flowering in July. It is very abundantly cultivated in Kent, Essex, Surrey, and Suffolk, and the stro- biles are picked about the end of August or the beginning of September.* At the proper season, while the strobiles are yet scarcely ripe, the plants are cut about three feet from the ground, the poles on which they are twined pulled up, and the strobiles carefully picked off, one by one. Those that are over-ripe or defective are separated from those that are ripe enough, and both kinds are carried to the kiln as soon as possible after they are picked. The heat of the kiln requires to be regulated with great nicety ; and in order to prevent them from drying too fast, many kilns have two floors, on the uppermost of which the greener hops are laid, and gradually dried before being brought to support the heat of the lower floor.§ Charcoal is the fuel usual- ly employed ; other kinds of fuel injuring the flavour of the hops. The strobiles are considered sufficiently dried when they be- come crisp; but they acquire a degree of toughness and tenacity before they are bagged, from being laid in heaps in the store-houses. Five pounds of moist or un- der-ripe hops make one pound only when taken from the kiln. The best hops are brought to market in fine canvass sacks called " pockets," each of which contains about 1^ cwt. of hops. Qualities.—Hops have a strong, peculiar, fragrant, subnarcotic odour, and a very bit- ter, aromatic, astringent taste. They have a pale greenish yellow hue, appear like thin transparent veined leaves; and al- though not tough, yet are difficult to pul- verize. Some Jate experiments by Dr. A. W. Ives prove, that the active properties of the strobiles reside in a substance which forms one-sixth part only of their weight, and which is easily separated, by merely sifting in a fine sieve. Dr. Ives has named it lupulin. He found in 120 grains of lupu- lin, five grains of tannin, ten of extractive, eleverf of bitter, principle, twelve of wax, thirty-six of resin, and forty-six of woody fibre (lignin). Hops, from which all the lupulin is separated, yield an extract, which possesses none of the virtues of the hop.||The X The culture of the hop plant was introduced into England from Flanders in 1524, and the stro- biles were first used for preserving Engljsh beer in the latter part of the reign of Henry VI'II.; but the prejudice against tfiem was very considerable, and the city of London, a hundred years afterwards, petitioned the parliament to prevent their use. There are now, however, severe penalties inflicted on brewers who use any other bitter for preserving their beer. J This is the case at Farnham, in Surrey. Sea Sievtnsan's Survey, 3o3. || Annals of Phil. p. l'J-1, 186 MATERIA MEDICA. Officinal preparations. Extractum Humu- li, L. Tinctura Hamuli, L. E. HYDRARGYRUM.§ Mercury or Quick- silver. Syn. Mercure (F.), Quicksilber (G.), Mercurio (/.), Azogue (S.). Abue (Arab.), Para (H.), Parada (San.) This metal is found in Spain, Germany, and Hungary ; Siberia, the Philippines, China and Peru. The most productive mines are those of Idria, Carinthia, and the Palatinate; Almaderi, near Cordova, in Spain|| ; and Guanca Velica, near Potosi,in Peru.l It is procured, A. In its metallic state : i. Unalloyed. Sp. 1. Native mercury. ii. Alloyed with silver. 1. Native amalgam. iii. With sulphur. 1. Cinnabar. Var. a. Dark red. b. Bright red. 2, Hepatic ore, or carbo-sulphuret. Var. a. Compact. b. Slaty. B. Oxidized. iv. Combined with chloO g t ^^ r.ne and a portion £. '„„,„,, of sulphuric acid, j J Native quicksilver is found either in glo- bules, disseminated on the surface, or col- lected in the crevices of other mercurial ores, and in marlite, calcareous spar, or other fossils. It has the lustre, opacity, fluidity, and other qualities of the pure me- tal ; but, owing to the small quantity which is found of it, the quicksilver of commerce is usually obtained from cinnabar. This ore is red, varying in the shades of its colour, and in the degrees of its lustre. It occurs massive, disseminated, and crys- tallized ; in the two former states always opaque, and in the latter translucent, or transparent. To obtam the metal, the ore, after being sorted, is reduced to pow- der, and mingled with about one-fourth of quicklime in powder. This mixture is put into large iron retorts, wdiich are placed in a long furnace, and glass receivers adapt- ed to each, but not luted until all the mois- ture it contains be driven off; the joinings of the vessels are then closely stopped virtues of the strobiles are extracted by- boiling water, or alcohol or ether. The watery infusion has a pale straw colour", is rendered muddy by the mineral acids; alka- lies deepen its colour ; it strikes an olive with sulphate of iron ; is precipitated by alcohol, solutions of superacetate of lead, nitrate of silver, and tartarized antimony : and when rubbed with magnesia or lime, a rod dipped in muriatic acid discovers the presence of ammonia. The ethereal tinc- ture, when evaporated on water, leaves a pellicle of greenish intensely bitter resin, and deposits some extractive. By distilla- tion in water, hops yield a volatile aromatic oil. From these experiments they appear to contain resin, extractive, volatile oil, tannin, an ammoniacal salt, and what has been termed the bitter principle. Medical properties and uses.—Hops are narcotic, tonic, diuretic; and, externally ap- plied, anodyne and discutient. Their use as a preservative of beer has been long known. They are also said to possess the power of procuring sleep in the delirium of fever, and in mania, when used as a pillow; and owing to this effect having been con- firmed in the case of the late king, George the Third, their efficacy as a general nar- cotic, when introduced into the stomach, has been investigated.* Dr. Maton observed that, besides allaying pain and producing sleep, the preparation of hops reduce the frequency of the pulse, and increase its firmness in a very direct manner. One drachm of the tincture and four grains of the extract given once in six hours, reduced the pulsations from ninety-six to sixty in twenty-four hours.f He found the extract exceedingly efficacious in allaying the pain of articular rheumatism : but our own ex- perience has not afforded us sufficient proof of its utility as a sedative; and Dr. Bigs- by's* experiments have lessened very much the confidence practitioners were disposed to give to it; indeed, we are rather sur- prised that the Edinburgh College has adopted it into their list of Materia Medi- ca. An ointment compdunded with the powder of the hop and lard is recommended by Mr. Freake as an anodyne application to cancerous sores. We have seen a fomen- tation of it afford much relief in painful swellings and tumours. It may be given in the form of powder, infusion, tincture, or extract. The dose of the powder is from grs. iij. to 9j.; that of the infusion, which is made with §ss of the hops and Oj. of boil- ing water, f^jss. with f^ss. of cinnamon- water, twice or thrice a day. • De Roche's De Humuli Lupuli Viribus medi- cis. f Observations on the Humulus Lupulus, &c. by A. Freake; X Vide London Medical Repository, vol. v. p. 97, § 'Tipapyvpoc Grsecorum. || This is the oldest and the richest mine of Cin- nabar in Europe. It was wrought by the Romans two thousand years ago; and yields about 6000 quin- tals of fluid mercury annually. % These were discovered in 1566 and 1567, by Henry Garces, a Portuguese. Garces was a native of Porto, and went to Peru in the Spanish service. Examining one day the red earth which the Indians used as paint, and called limpi, he observed it was native cinnabar; and knowing that mercury was extracted from cinnabar in Europe, he began to work the Peruvian mines. MATERIA MEDICA. 187 with well-tempered clay, and a full red heat kept up for seven or eight hours, in which time the mercury is volatilized, and condensed in the receiver. About ten ounces of mercury are usually obtained from lOOlbs. of the ore.* We have no authentic information to enable us to fix the period when mercury was first known ; but the Greeks were well acquainted with it; and Aristotle mentions a wooden Venus which moved by its means, probably on the same principle as the Chinese puppets, to which motion is given by means of mer- cury, -j- Officinal- Hydrargyrus, Lond. Edin. Ht- drargarum, Dub. Quicksilver. Syn. Mercure coulant (F.). Vide Hy- drargyrum. The greater part of the quicksilver which is used in this country is brought from Ger- many in leathern skins, each of which con- tains from 601bs. to 1 cwt. of the metal, and two or three of these are generally packed together in one cask. Sometimes, however, it is brought over in iron bottles. It is often adulterated by the admixture of lead, bismuth, zinc, or tin ; and when the metal quickly loses its lustre, is covered with a film, or is less fluid and mobile than usual, leaves a stain on a delft place, or does not readily divide into round globules, but into those with tales it may be suspected. Lead is discovered by dissolving a portion of the suspected mercury in nitric acid, and add- ing to the solution water saturated with sulphuretted hydrogen gas, which gives a brown precipitate if it be present, and by this means one part of lead may be detect- ed in 15260 of mercury. Bismuth is detect- ed by pouring the above-mentioned nitric solution into distilled water, when the bis muth will appear as a white precipitate. Exposing the mercury to heat detects zinc; and tin is discovered by a weak nitro-muri- atic solution of gold, whicli is precipitated purple by tin. It is purified by distillation with iron filings, or by agitation in diluted sulphuric acid until the acid ceases to be- come turbid; and then, after washing and drying the globules into which it has been divided, passing them through a pin-hole in the bottom of a funnel of writing pa- per.* Qualities.—Pure mercury is inodorous, insipid, and of a bright white or silver co- lour. Its specific gravity is 13.568.§ It is always fluid at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, but becomes a solid malleable metal in a degree of cold suffi- • Aikin's Chemical Dictionary. t For the manner in which this effected, see Mus- chenbrock's Introd in Phil. Nat. i. p. 153. X This method was invented by Professor Brunehi, of Pisa. Vide Phil. Mag. iv. p. 348. 5 Cavendish. cient to sink the thermometer to 39° below 0 of Farenheit.fl It boils at 656,° and is volatilized unchanged in close vessels, but is not capable of combustion.! Mercury is oxidized by the air at its usual temperature, when subject to agitation, and is fully satu- rated with oxygen in a continued heat of 600°. It is oxidized by, and combines with the sulphuric, nitric, and oxymuriatic acids ; and its oxides also enter into combi- nations with the other acids. It unites with sulphur and phosphorus, and com- bines with many other metals, forming what are called amalgams. Medical properties and uses.—Mercury in its metallic state exerts no action on the animal system. It has nevertheless been administered in doses of a pound or more with the view of operating mechanically, and overcoming by its weight the obstruc- tion of the intestines which exists in ileus : but as it cannot act by its gravity on the as- cending part of the bowels, it is not easy to conceive how it should have been ever re- commended ; and the events of the cases in which it has been given have sufficiently proved the futility of the practice. Mercury however, when prepared for medicinal use, is a remedy of the most ex- tensive application. It is a powerful and general stimulant, but its effects are cer- tainly different from those of other articles which are ranked in the same class. It en- ters into the circulation, quickens the vas- cular action, and excites powerfully the whole of the glandular system ; increasing all the secretions and excretions. It has been supposed, that it is peculiarly deter- mined to the salivary glands; but if, as there is every reason to suppose, these glands are endowed with more irritability** than the rest of the habit, it is easy to con- ceive that the same degree of stimulus, which is operating on the whole system, will produce a greater effect on them in a direct ratio according to their greater sus- ceptibility. But although its general action is stimulant, yet the various preparations of it produce different effects, operating sometimes as stimulants, sometimes as ca- thartics, or emmenagogues, and locally as errhines: and hence the great variety of diseases in which it has been found useful: as, febrile affections, spasms, cachetic dis- eases, glandular obstructions, cutaneous || Crichton. Phil. Mag. xiv, 49. U Thomson's Chemistry, i. 175. If, however, the galvanic fluid be passed through it, the beautiful lu- minous stars in which it is dispersed seem to prove its combustibility. •* That the salivary glands and their excretories are very excitable, is evident from the flow of the saliva being much increased by affections of the mind, as the thinking of any kind of food which is particularly grateful to the taste. 188 MATERIA MEDICA. eruptions, and membraneous inflammation. (See Preparations and Compositions.) But the most important effect of the pre- parations of mercury is their specific ope- ration in syphdis. They were used, and their effects, when accumulated in the ha- bit, were known so early as the 13th cen- tury,; and the writings of Theodorick* contain cautions against catching cold du- ring the course ; but the first notice of mer- cury as a remedy in lues venerea is con- tained in a tract by Jo. Almenar, a Spa- niard, published in 1516 ; who recommends it after the manner of the Arabians, but condemns pushing the remedy so as to pro- mote salivation. Physicians, however, did not venture to give mercury internally, till Paracelsus broke the fetters of ancient au- thority, and proved that it might be exhi- bited not only with safety,*but with advan- tage. Since his time, a period of nearly 300 years, experience has fully sanctioned its use ; and, as Mr. Pearson justly observes, " not one medicine besides, derived from animal, vegetable, or mineral kingdom, has maintained its credit, with men actually employed in extensive practice during a tenth part of that period :"f yet, it is re- markable, that in the present day its utility in syphilis has been questioned.* Many- Various theories of the operation of mercu- ry have been advanced; the most satisfac- tory of which is that of Mr. Hunter, who supposed that the stimulant operation of the mercury induces and maintains an ac- tion which is incompatible with the morbid action produced by the venereal virus, un- til the poison is either destroyed, or evacua- ted from the body by the excretories. But whatever may be the principles on which it operates, its efficacy in this disease is certain, when it is judiciously and cautiously adminis- tered. The mode of giving it, and the mor- bid effects which it produces under certain circumstances shall be mentioned when its preparations are described: it is only ne- cessary to observe further in this place, that although men of the first medical ta- lents have occasionally declaimed against its use,§ and although much mischief may have of late years arisen from its indiscri- minate employment by the speculative and the ignorant; yet, in the hands of judicious and cautious practitioners, it will continue to rank as one of the most useful of the ar- ticles of the materia medica. * He was a friar, afterwards bishop of Cervia, and died between the years 1270 and 80. See Freind's History of Physic, ii. 360. t Observations, &c. p. 97. X Medico-Chirurg. Trans, vol. ix. $ Saunders—Observations on the Hepatitis of In- dia, &c. || In forming this table, we have been much as sisti-d by the excellent table drawn up by Dr. Dun- Officinal preparations.|| I. By distillation to purify the metal. 1. Hydrargyrum purificatum, L. E. D. II. By trituration ; (suboxidized.) a. With animal fat. 2. Unguentum Hydrargyri fortius, L. Ung. Hydrargyri, D. 3. Unguentum Hydrargyri, E. 4.--------------------mitius, L. D. 5. Linimentum Hydrargyri, L. 6. Emplastrum Ammoniaci cum Hydrar- gyro, L. D. Emplastrum Hydrargyri, L. E. b. With saccharine substances. 7. Pilulx Hydrargyri, L. E. D. c. With carbonate of lime. 8. Hydrargyrum cum Creta, L. D. d. With carbonate of magnesia. 9. Hydrargyrum cum Magnesia, D. 111. By the action of heat and air; (oxi- dized.) 10. Hydrargyri Oxydum rubrum, L. Oxydum Hydrargyri, D. IV. By the action of acids. a. AVith sulphuric acid; (suboxidized.) 11. Subsulphas Hydrargyri fiavus, E. Oxydum Hydrargyri sulphuricum, D, b. With nitric acid; {suboxidized.) 12. Unguentum Hydrargyri nilratis, L, E. Unguentum Supernitralis Hy- drargyri, D. 13. Unguentum Nitratis Hydrargyri mitius, E. Unguentum Nilratis (oxidized ) 14. Hydrargyri Nitrico-oxydum, L. Oxydum Hydrargyri rubrum per Aci- dum nitricum, E. Oxydum Hydrar- gyri nitricum, D. 15. Unguentum Hydrargyri nitrico- oxydi, L. Unguentum Oxidi By- drargyri rubri, E. Unguentum Sut- nitratis Hydrargyri, D. c. With muriatic acid. f sublimated ; (oxidized.) 16. Hydrargyri Submurius, L. Submu- rias Hydrargyri mitis, E. Submurius Hydrargyri sublimatum, D. 17. Pilulx Hydrargyri submuriatis, L. ■-----------------(oxidized and acidified.) 18. Oxymurias Hydrargyri, L. Murias Hydrargyri corrosivus, E. Murias Hydrargyri corrosivum, D. 19. Liquor Hydrargyri Oxymuriatis, L, ft precipitated; (oxidized.) 20. Submurias Hydrargyri prxcipita- tus, E. D. d. With acetous acid: (suboxidized.) 21. Acetis Hydrargyri, E. Acetas Hy- drargyri, D. V. By precipitation with earths and alka- lies from acid solutions. can, jun. in the Edinburgh New Dispensatory ( and we trust our alterations will render it more practi- cally useful. MATERIA a. By lime-water from the nitric solution j (suboxidized.) 22. Hydrargyri Oxydum cinereum, L. b. By ammonia from the nitric solution ; (suboxidized.) 23. Oxydum Hydrargyri cinereum, E. Pulvis Hydrargyri cinereus, 1). c. By ammonia from the muriatic solu- tion ; (oxidized.) 24. Submurias Hydrargyri ammonia- turn, D. Hydrargyrus Prxcipitatus albus, L. 25. Unguentum Submuriatis Hydrar- gyri ammoniati, D. Ung. Hydrargyri Prtecipitati albi, L. VI. Combined with sulphur. a. By trituration. 26. Sulphuretum Hydrargyri nigrum, E. D. b. Sublimated. 27. Hydrargyri Sulphuretum rubrum, L. D. HYOSCYAMUS.* Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1010. Cl. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Luridae, Linn. Soianeae, Juss. G. 378. Corolla funnel-shaped, obtuse. Stamens inclined. Capsule covered with a lid, two-celled. Spec. 1. H. niger. Common Henbane. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 204. t. 76. Smith, Flor. Brit. 598. Eng. Bot. 591. Officinal. Hyoscyami folia et semina, Lond. Hyoscyami nigri herba ; semina, Edin. Hyoscyamus ; herba, Dub. The leaves and seeds of Henbane. Syn. Jusquiame (F.), Belsenkraut (G.), Giusquiamo nero (/.), Khorassanie Ajooan (//-), Sickran (Arab.) Common henbane is an indigenous an- nual, frequent on waste grounds, and at the sides of roads, particularly on a calcareous soil, flowering in July. The whole of the plant is covered with soft white hairs, feels clammy and slightly adhesive, and is poisonous when eaten. Qualities.—The odour of the recent leaves is strong, somewhat foetid and nar- cotic,f and the taste mucilaginous, and slightly acrid ; but when dry, they have scarcely either odour or taste. Its virtues are completely extracted by diluted alco- hol. The watery infusion is of a very pale yellow colour, and insipid ; and has the nar- cotic odour of the plant. It is not altered by the acids : the alkalies change the colour to a deep greenish yellow, which, on the addi- tion of an acid, disappears, and a brownish flocculent precipitate is produced. It is co- piously precipitated by solutions of super- acetate of lead white; and by nitrate of * 'To? yt.va.fioc Hog-bean. t In the recent state the odour of the leaves oc- casions stupor and delirium. MEDICA. 189 silver black. 8ulphate of iron strikes with it a pale olive colour, and a dark precipi- tate is slowly formed. Hence henbane ap- pears to contain resin, mucus, extractive, a peculiar alkaline salt, and gallic acid. M. M. Meissner and Brandes have examined the nature of this alkaline salt, which they have named Hyosciamia ; and have ascer- tained, that on it depends the peculiar vir- tues and the poisonous properties of the plant. It crystallizes in long prisms, and forms neutral salts with the acids. Medical properties and uses.—Henbane is narcotic. Its operation is very similar to that of opium, increasing at first the strengh of the pulse, and producing some sense of heat; effects which are followed by propor- tional diminution of excitement, and sleep. In some habits it occasions diaphoresis, or diuresis, and sometimes a pustular erup- tion ; at other times it purges ; and in over- doses produces sickness, stupor, dimness of sight, hard pulse, delirium, and coma, with dilatation of the pupils; until the pulse gradually becoming weak and tremulous, petechix make their appearance, and death ensues. Dissections show the effects of inflammation both in the stomach and bowels, and the membranes of the brain. After an emetic is given, and the stomach fully cleared, vinegar is the best antidote. The effects of henbane as an anodyne were known to the ancients ; $ but as those were ill understood, and its use was almost completeTy relinquished till the time of Ba- ron Stoerck, he may be regarded as having introduced it. It may be employed in all the cases in which the use of opium is in- dicated, where the latter disagrees with the habit, or where its constipating effect is wished to be avoided. In painful and spas- modic affections, hysteria, rheumatism, and gout, much benefit has resulted from its use : and we have found it particularly ser- viceable when united with colocynth, or other powerful cathartics, in colica picto- num. It is used externally to lessen and allay the irritation of very sensible parts: hence fomentations of the leaves have been found serviceable in scrophulous and can- cerous ulcers, haemorrhoids and other pain- ful swellings: and Hufeland recommends the leaves and marsh-mallow flowers boiled in milk, with the addition of a few grains of acetate of lead, as a topical application in scrophulous ophthalmia. Smoking the leaves, like tobacco, is said to allay the pain of tooth-ache. Its effects in dilating the pupil, when an infusion of it is dropped in- to the eye, are similar to those of bella- donna, and hence it is also employed as a X " Hyosciamus in potu cibove sumptus, qualem ebriorum mentis alienationcm inltit." Dioscortd. Alcxif. c. xv. 407. 190 MATERIA MEDICA. preparative to the operation for cataract. It is used, generally, in the forms of extract and tincture only. Officinal preparations. Extractum Hyos- cyami, L. E. D. Tinctura Hyoscyami, L, E. D. HYSOPUS, Spec. Plant, Willd. iii. 47. Cl. 14. Ord, 1. Didynamia Gymnosper- mia. Nat- Ord. Verticillats, Linn. La- biatae, Juss. G. 1096. Corolla, lower lip three-parted, with a small intermediate subcrenate segment. Stamens, straight, distant. Species 1. H. officinalis. Common Hyssop. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 318. t. 113. Officinal. Hyssopi officinalis herba, Edin. Hyssopus ; folia, Dub. The her- baceous part and leaves of Hyssop. Syn. Hyssope (F.), Isop (G.), Isopo (/.), Hysopo (S), Zufaiyyeabus (Arab.) This is a perennial plant, a native of Si- beria and Austria ; cultivated in our gar- dens,* and flowering from June to Sep- tember. Qualities.—The leaves of hyssop have an agreeable aromatic odour, and a bitterish, moderately warm taste: qualities that ap- pear to depend on a volatile oil of a yellow colour, which can be obtained separate by distillation with water. It is elevated by alcohol also: but soon exhales, and the spi- rit loses the odour it had when newly dis- tilled. Medical properties and uses.—Hyssop is stimulant and tonic. It has been recom- mended in hysteria; and was formerly em- ployed in catarrhal and other pulmonary affections with the view of promoting ex- pectoration • but the stimulant properties of hyssop render its use doubtful in these diseases ; and as a tonic it scarcely merits the least attention. INULA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 2089. Cl. 19. Ord. 2. Syngenesia Superflua. Nat. ord. Composite discoideae, Liim. Corym- biferae, Juss. G. 148y. Receptacle naked. Pappus sim- ple. Anthers ending in two bristles at the base. Species. I. Helenium. Elecampane. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 64. t. 26. Smith, Flor. Brit. 890. Flora Danica, t. 728. Officinal. Helenium, Lond. Enula Cam- pana ; radix, Dub. Elecampane root. Syn. Inula Lalenerie (F.), Alantwurzel (G.), Enula Campana (/.), Inula Cam- pana (S,), Usululrason (Arab.) This species of inula is an indigenous pe- rennial, found occasionally in pastures and • It was first cultivated in England by Gerarde in 1596. It is not the esof of the Hebrews, nor the no-o-atroc of the Greeks. It has been sup- posed to be the zife or eyfc of the Arabians. Alston's Mat. Med, ii. Hi. rich moist soil«,f flowering in July and Au- gust, and ripening its seed in September. The root is thick, branched, externally of a brown or grey colour, and internally white. The roots of elecampane found in the shops, are generally obtained from garden plants. They are fit for use in the second year of their growth ; and at this age are preferable to the older roots, which become stringy and woody. They should be dug up in autumn. Qualities.—Elecampane root when dry has an aromatic, yet slightly foetid odour j and when chewed, the taste is at first disa- greeable, glutinous, and in some degree re- sembling that of rancid soap; then aroma- tic bitter and hot. Both water and alcohol extract its virtues : the tincture possessing more of the bitterness and pungency of the root than the watery infusion. The decoc- tion, after standing some hours, deposits a white powder resembling starch in appear- ance ; but its properties show it to be a distinct principle ; and it has therefore been named inulin.\ In distillation with water this root yields a concrete flaky substance, which seems to hold an intermediate place between camphor and volatile oil in its na- ture.§ Medical properties and uses.—Elecampane is usually ranked as a tonic; and supposed to possess deobstruent, diuretic, and expecto- rant properties. It was formerly regarded as a remedy of great efficacy in dyspeptic affections, flatulencies, palsy, dropsies, ute- rine obstructions, and pulmonary complaints; but Cullen observed, that its diuretic pow- ers were trifling; and could not discover that it possessed any expectorant proper- ties || It is scarcely ever used by the regu- lar practitioner. The dose of the powder- ed root may be from ^j. to 3j. IRIS.U Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 224. Cl. 3. Ord. 1. Triandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Ensatae, Linn, lridae, Juss. G. 97. Corolla six-parted; the alternate segments reflected. Stigmas petal-like. 'Bearded with ensiform leaves. Species 7. I. fiorentina.** Florentine Iris. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. t. 262. Sibthorp Flora Grceca, 28. t. 39. Officinal. Iridis Florentine radix, Edin. The root of Florentine Iris. f 'Eajhov Dioscoridis. It is not unfre- quent in Essex. Hudson. Between Worcester and Ludlow, and Bishop's Castle and Newton. Smith. I have seen it near Ewell, Surrey. T. t This substance, which was first noticed and its properties investigated by Rose, was named by Dr. Thomson, System of Chemistry, 4th edit. iv. 697. J Newman's Chem. by Lewis, 2d edit. ii. 210. 0 Mat. Med. ii. 459. 1 " Iris a ccelestis arcus similitudine nomen obti- nuit." Dioscoridcs. ** "iptc Theophrasti. MATERIA MEDICA. 191 Syn. Iris de Florence (F.), Violenwur- zel (G.), Ireos(/.), Iris (S.) This species of iris, which is found in a wild state in Carniola, the island of Rhodes, Laconia, and other places of the south of Europe, is cultivated in our gardens ;* flowering in May and June. The roots of the Florentine iris are brought in a dry state from Leghorn, pack- ed in large casks. They are in irregular knobbed pieces, with the cuticle pared off; of a dirty yellowish white colour, and full of small holes, which mark the places whence the radical fibres issued. The best pieces break with a rough but not fibrous fracture. Qualities.—These roots when recent have a bitterish, nauseous taste, and are very acrid; but this acrimony is lost by dry- ing. In their dry state they are brittle, ea- sily pulverized, have a sweetish bitter taste, with a slight degree of pungency, and the agreeable odour of the violet; for which they are chiefly valued. When chemically examined, they appear to con- sist principally of fecula, with a portion of mucilage and saccharine matter: and to con- tain malic acid, as their infusion strikes a brown colour with sulphate of iron. Medical properties and uses.—The fresh root is cathartic, and has been recommend- ed in dropsies; the dry is nearly inert; but in neither state does it merit a place in the list of materia medica. Iris Virginica. Common blue flag or flower de luce. Vir- ginian Iris. Officinal. The root. It grows throughout the whole extent of the United States. It is given in the form of decoction, or the expressed juice: it is a drastic cathartic, proper only in uncom- mon cases. When the expressed juice is given, the dose is about 60 drops every two hours till it operates. Iris versicolor. Variegated Iris. Officinal. The root. The root of this plant, which grows from Canada to the south of Virginia, is diuretic and purgative: given in decoction with the root of the Eryngium Yuccifolium, it cures dropsy in a remarkable manner. The dose is increased till it operates as a free diuretic : The Iris Verna also is a cathartic. JUGLANS CINEREA. Moncecia Polyandria. Nat. ord. Amentaceae. Oil nut. Butter-nut. White Walnut. Officinal. The inner bark. Dr. Rush during the American revolution used the extract as a cathartic; it is prepa- red from the inner bark: it maybe com- bined with other cathartics, and operates in a mild unirritating manner. The inner bark of the whole plant and also the juice of the unripe fruit, applied to the skin, vesi- • It was cultivated by Gerarde in 1590. cate, and have been used as a local applica- tion to the bites of venemous serpents.f JUNIPERUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 851. Cl. 22. Ord. 13. Dioecia Monadelphia. Nat. ord. Coniferae. G. 1841. Male. Amentum ovate. Calyx a scale. Corolla none. Stamens three. Fe- male. Calyx three-parted. Petals three. Styles three. Berry three-sided, irregu- lar, with the three tubercles of the calyx. Species 6. J. Sabina. Savine. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 10. t. 5. Species 10. J. communis. Common Juni- per. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 13. t. 6. Smith Flora Brit. 1085. Eng. Bot. 1130. 1. Juniperus Sabina.t Officinal. Sabine folia, Lond. Juniperi Sabine; folia, Edin. Sabina; folia, Dub. Savine leaves. Syn. Sabinne (F.), Sadebaum (G.), Sabi- na (/.), Sabina (S.). This shrub is a native of the south of Eu- rope and the Levant; but has been long cultivated in our gardens, flowering in May and June. Qualities.—The leaves and tops of savine have a strong, heavy, disagreeable odour, and a bitter hot taste, with a considerable degree of acrimony. These qualities de- pend on an essential oil, which is obtained in considerable quantity by distillation with water. Both water and alcohol extract its active principles; and Lewis found that" on inspissating the spirituous tincture, there remains an extract consisting of two distinct substances, of which one is yellow, unc- tuous or oily, bitterish, and very pungent; the other black, resinous, tenacious, less pungent, and subastringent "§ Medical properties and uses.—Savine is a powerful stimulant, possessing diaphoretic, emmenagogue and anthelmintic properties. It has certainly a considerable effect on the uterine system ; but, on account of its sti- mulating properties, is suited to those cases only of amenorrhoea which are unattended by fever, and in which the circulation is languid. Iii plethoric habits its use should be preceded by repeated bleedings ;|| and at all times its internal exhibition requires caution. It has been given in gout, and worm cases also, but is seldom used. As an external local stimulant or escharotic, the dried leaves in powder are applied to warts, flabby ulcers, and carious bones; and the expressed juice diluted, or an infusion of the leaves, as a lotion to gangrenous sores, scabies, and tinea capitis; or mixed with lard and wax, as an issue ointment. t Dyckman. + BpaGoc Dioscoridis. There are two va- rieties of Savine; the variety 0 is our plant. § Mat. Medica. || Home. Clinical Experiments, 387. 192 MATERIA MEDICA. The dose of the powdered leaves is from grs. v. to grs. x. two or three times a day. Officinal preparations. Oleum volatile Juniperi Sabina, E. D. Extractum Sabinx. D. Ceratum Sabinte, L. 2. JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS.* Officinal.—Juniperi baccje et cacumina, Lond. Juniperi communis baccje, Edin. Juniperus; bacce, Dub. Juniper ber- ries. Syn, Genevrier ordinaire (F.), Wach- holderbeeren (G.), Sevenboom (Dutch), Sevebom, (Dan.), Ginepro (/.), Embro (■*)• . . . . A. The common juniper is indigenous, grow- ing on heaths and chalky hills, and flower- ing in May. The berries require to remain two years on the tree before they are fully ripe. The greater quantity oi those whicli are used in Britain are brought from Germany, Holland, and Italy. The Italian berries are less shrivelled, and have a fresher and more beautiful bloom upon them than the Ger- man, and are therefore generally preferred. They are imported in bags. Qualities.—Juniper berries have a pecu- liar aromatic odour, and a sweetish, pun- gent, bitterish taste, when chewed. In dis- tillation with water they yield a volatile, terebinthinate oil of a greenish colour, on which their virtues depend.f Both water and alcohol extract their active properties: Their principal constituents are mucus, sac- charine matter, and volatile oil. Medical properties and uses.—Juniper berries are diuretic and cordial. They have been long known as a remedy in hydropic affections; but they cannot be depended on alone, although they form an excellent adjunct to foxglove and squill. The tops are also used: and as the virtues of the berries depend on the essential oil, which is found in the woody part also of the plant, they must be equally efficacious. They have been recommended in scorbutic and cutaneous affections; and Rosenstein asserts that a strong decoction of them soon clears the hands in scabies. The berries are some- times given in substance, triturated with sugar or some neutral salt; but the best form is that of infusion, made with ^iij. of the berries bruised, andO j of boiling water The dose of the first preparation is from 9j-t0 Sss-?tnat °ftne infusion, a teacupful every three or four hours. Officinal preparations. Olenm Juniperi, L. E. D. Spiritus Juniperi compositus, L. E. D. KALMIA LATIFOLIA. • "ApxsuGof /uix/>a Dioscoridis. t The flavour and diuretio properties of Hollands depend on this oil. English gin is flavoured by oil of turpentine. Decandria Monogynia. Callico bush. Broad-leaved laurel. Officinal. The leaves. > _ .... This plant is poisonous ; it is exhibited in the form of the powder of the leaves, of saturated tincture, infusion, decoction, and ointment. The tincture should be given in the dose of three or four drops and gradually increased. This plant taken in large doses, has a remarkable property of depressing the pulse ; I have seen it lowered to forty, attended with great weakness of the arms and calves of the legs, with giddiness on attempting to move about, and perfect re- collection and consistency of mind when in a recumbent posture. The infusion of the leaves has been given in dysentery, and applied externally in cu- taneous affections, the itch, &c. The oint- ment made with lard has also been used in some species of porrigo. Given internally the doses must be very cautiously adminis* tered, as it produces so great a depression of the pulse that it might be fatal. KALMIA ANGUSTIFOLIA. Ivy. Narrow-leaved laurel. Dwarf laurel. Officinal. The leaves. This plant has the same virtues as the latifolia. KINO. Vide Pterocarpus. KRAMERIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 693. Cl.4. Ord.l. Tetrandria Monogynia. Nat, ord. Rosaceae. G. 253. Co^o; none, Corolla, four petals: the superior Nectary three-parted; and inferior two-leaved.^ Berry dry, echi- nated, and containing one seed. Sped. K.triandra. Triandrous Krame- ria. Flor. Peruv. torn. i. p. 61. Icon, xciii. Officinal. Kramf.ri.e Radix, Lond. Kra- meria or Ratanhy Root. Syn. Ratanhie (F.), Ruiz paralos dientes (S.), Ratanhia (Huanuco), Mapato (Tarma). This plant is a native of Peru, growing on the argillaceous, sandy, and arid acclivi- ties of the mountains in the provinces of Huanuco, Tarnfa, Canta, Xauxa, Caxtambo, and Huamalies, and very abundantly near the city of Huanuco. It was also found by Humboldt in the province of Guancabunba in Peru. Ratanhy root is collected for medicinal purposes after the rains. As imported, it consists of pieces of various sizes ; but sel- dom exceeding half an inch in thickness. The root breaks short, exhibiting in the fracture a woody centre, and an easily se- parable, fibrous, dark-red bark. Qualities.—The bark of Ratanhy root, when chewed, tastes bitter, astringent, and X This part of Willdenow's character applies solely to K. Ixina; the pentapetala of the Flora Peruviana, the only species which he describes. The name Ratanhia, signifies trailing plant. MATERIA MEDICA, 193 at first nauseous 5 but the impression left in the mouth is sweetish and astringent, not unlike that produced by catechu. The woody centre is nearly insipid, and perfect- ly inert as a remedy. Ratanhy root yields its properties to boiling water, affording a dark-brown infusion, which emits an odour not unlike that of a raw potatoe, tastes as- tringent and very bitter, and leaves the same impression in the mouth as the bark of the root. All the mineral acids throw down copious precipitates when added to the infusion, but no precipitate is caused by acetic, citric, or oxalic acid. The pure alkalies produce no precipitate, but deep- en the colour of the infusion to a rich cla- ret-brown. Lime-water throws down a very copious pinkish precipitate, which is soluble in muriatic acid. Solution of sul- phate of iron strikes a black colour, with infusion of ratanhy root; that of acetate of lead, throws down a pale-brown precipitate, leaving the infusion nearly colourless and limpid; and that of iodine a copious fawn- coloured precipitate. Alcohol produces no effect on the infusion. Solution of isin- glass separates tannin. Ratanhy root digested in alaohol yields a deep reddish-brown tincture, which when evaporated, leaves a deep red, brittle re- sin. When this tincture is poured into water, it throws down the resin of a pink colour, In ether the tincture is less deep coloured, and when the etheriel tincture is evaporated on water, it leaves a pellicle of dark red resin on the surface, and a small quantity of extractive is diffused through the water, colouring it a light-brown. From these experiments we may conclude, that the bark of ratanhy root contains a large proportion of tannin, some gallic acid, gum, fecula, and resin. From the effects of the mineral acids on the infusion, they may be regarded as incompatible in prescriptions with this root. Vogel states, that, he found the constituents of 100 parts of the root, to be 4l» 00 of a peculiar princple, 1.50 of mucilage, 0.50 starch, 48.00 fibnne, and 10.00 of water and loss. Medical properties and uses.—Ratanhy root is powerfully astringent. It has been long esteemed in Peru as a remedy in dy- sentery, attended with bloody stools ; as a detergent in ulceration of the gums, and a stomachic corroborant. It is also employed for fixing the teeth, when they become loosened by the receding of the gums ;* and for giving a fine red colour to the gums and lips. It is powerfully styptic when ap- plied to wounds, and on this account has • An excellent tooth powder may be composed by mixing one part of finely powdered Ritanhy root with three parts of powdered charcoal. T. 25 been used in internal hemorrhages, parti- cularly haematuria. Alibert states that it has been used with success ir. France, in cases of leucorrhcea, It is little known in Great Britain as a medicine, although it has been long known to those who manu- facture port wine ; and large quantities of its extract is prepared solely for this pur- pose in South America. It is certainly likely to prove a valuable addition to the Materia Medica, in intermittents, diar- rhoeas, hemorrhages, and all cases in which astringents are indicated. It has, also, been found useful in chronic rheumatism ; in gastrodynia, attended by dyspepsia, head- ach, and vertigo; and in all diseases of the digestive organs, in which the powers of the stomach are impaired ; and when there is great debility of the nervous system, it operates as powerfully and more immedi- ately than the Cinchona bark ; whilst in cast-s of general asthenia, its invigorating effects are very evident. Ratanhy root may be exhibited in substance, or in the form of extract, or in infusion and decoc- tion. The dose in substance is from gr. x, lo gss. : 0f the infusion made with ^ss. of the bruised root to f^vj. of boiling water, from fjx. to f^ij..- and of the decoction, made with ^ij., of the bruised root, and Oj. of distilled water, from fjj. to fjij. On the continent it is exhibited in the form of tinc- ture, made by digesting for twelve days §iij. of the powdered root with ^ij. of or- ange peel, ^ss. of serpentaria root, and jj. of saffron, in Oij. of rectified spirit of wine. The extract is also much used. LACTUCA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1523. Cl. 19. Ord. 1. Syngenesia scqualis. Nat. Ord. Composite semiflosculosse, Linn. Cichoraceae, Juss. G. 1404. Receptacle naked. Calyx imbri- cate, cylindrical, with a membranous margin. Pappus simple, stipttate. Seed even. Species 1. L. Saliva, Garden Lettuce. Biackwell, t. 8. Species 12. L. virosa. Strong-scented Lettuce. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 75 t. 31, Smith. Flor. Brit. 819. 1. LACTUCASATIVA.f Officinal. Lactuca, Lond. Lactucjb sati- t.e iierha; Lactdcarium, Edin. The herbaceous part and inspissated juice of the Garden Lettuce. Syn. Laitur (F.) Lattich (G.), Lataw Gewoone salade (Dutch.), Lattuca (/-), Lechuga (S.j, Khasky (Arab.). This species of lettuce is cultivated al- most generally over Europe. The root is fibrous; and sends up a corymbose stem, which sometimes rises three feet in height. f 0piis. X Translation of the Dublin Pharmacop. p, I6i. § A<»ov Dioscoridis. been originally brought from those parts of Egypt which are annually inundated by the rising of the Nile ; but it is now found grow - ing wild in this country, and is cultivated in most parts of Europe. Although this plant is extensively culti- vated in Britain, yet the greater part of the linseed used here is brought from the Bal- tic- The seed ripens in September; and the plant is then pulled up as soon as the heads begin to change brown and hang downwards, otherwise the seeds are soon scattered. Qualities.—These seeds are inodorous, and have an oily, mucilaginous, sweetish taste. They are small, flat, oval, and co- vered with a smooth, shining, brown-co- loured cuticle, which abounds with a mu- cus, that can be extracted pure by infusion in boiling water. By expression, they yield one-sixth of their weight of fixed oil. The mucus of linseed is colourless, insipid, inodorous, and resembles in its viscidity mucilage of acacia gum ; but differs from it in the following particulars: Alcohol pre- cipitates it in white flocks, but the liquid remains clear ; superacetate of lead throws down a dense precipitate ; but oxy-sulphate of iron and silicated potass produce no sen- sible effect. For the qualities of the oil, see Preparations. Medical properties and uses.—Linseed is emollient and demulcent. The mucus obtained by infusion is a cheap and very useful demulcent in catarrh, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and dysentery; visceral inflam- mations, calculus, gonorrhoea, ardor urinx; and during the exhibition of oxymuriate of mercury. When the seeds are boiled in water, the mucus is obtained in union with a portion of the oil ; forming a useful local remedy when given in the form of enema in abrasions of the intestines and tenesmus, particularly in the advanced stage of puer- peral fever, when the offending matter in the bowels stimulates to frequent and invo- luntary stools : but the portion" thrown up must be small in quantity.! The seeds ground into powder or meal, and simply mixed with boiling water, form an excellent poultice; valuable on account of the facility with which it is made. Officinal preparations. Infusum Lini, L. Oleum Lini, L. E. D. 2. Linum catharticum.^[ Officinal. Linum catharticum, Lond. Li- num catharticum. ; herba, Dub. Purg- ing Flax. Syn. Lin. Purgatif (F.), Purgier factis (G). This is an indigenous annual plant, found on dry and hilly pastures, flowering from June to August. || Denman's Midwifery, ii. 251. U AivWpT:>; Graccorum. MATERIA MEDICA. 203 Qualities.—Purging flax, whether in the recent state or the dried, is nearly inodor- ous, and has a bitter, sub-acrid taste. Water extracts the virtues of the plant, which communicates to it, besides its sensible qualities, a yellow colour. Macerated in ether, it affords a green tincture, which deposits when it is evaporated on the sur- face of water a green bitter resin, and an extractive matter, on which the virtues of the plant seem to depend. Medical properties and uses.—This spe- cies of flax was celebrated as a purgative by Gerarde. It may be given in the form of infusion, made with gij. of the dried plant, and Oj. of boiling water, of which f^ij. is a dose : of the dried plant in powder, 3j. may be taken for a dose. But it pos- sesses no particular advantages, and only swells unnecessarily the list of purgatives. [LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA. rolyandria Polygynia. Nat. ord. Coadu- natae. Poplar. White wood. Tulip tree. Ame- rican poplar. Yellow poplar. Cypress tree. Officinal. The bark. This medicine is given in tincture, de- coction, infusion, and powder. Of the last the dose is 20 or 30 grs. It is administered in intermittents, hysteria, and -all diseases of debility. In ascarides it has also been used with effect: Dr. Young stages that he has given it successfully in agues, and united with laudanum also in hectic fever. With the dogwood and the inside bark of the white oak, its virtues in agues are said to equal those of the Peruvian bark. LOBELIA INFLATA. Indian Tobacco. Emetic wood. Officinal. The leaves. The prominent virtues of this medicine are those of an emetic : it is too active, how- ever, to be given with safety in the present state of our knowledge with this intent. It is highly spoken of in croup, asthma, and as a pectoral: its sudorific, emetic, and ca- thartic qualities, as also the power it has of stimulating the fauces, certainly justify more scrupulous attention to it. Twenty grs. of the powder given in di- vided doses are a sufficient quantity as an emetic for an adult: sixty drops of the tinc- ture made by adding two ounces of the dried plant to one pint of brandy, may be given, repeating it cautiously at short intervals till it vomits. As an expectorant, it may be given in smaller doses, united with laudanum ac- cording to the case. LOBELIA SYPHILITICA. Syngenesia Monogynia, Nat. ord. Cam- panaceae. Blue cardinal flower, Officinal. The root. This medicine is a strong cathartic. Its other virtues are doubtful.] LYTHRUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 865. Cl. 11. Ord. 1. Dodecandria Monogynia; Nat. ord. Calycanthemae, Linn. Salica- rise, Juss. G. 951. Calyx twelve-toothed. Petals six, inserted into the calyx. Capsule two- celled, with many seeds. Species 1. L. Salicaria.* Loosestrife, or Purple Willow Herb. Med. Bot. 2d edit. Smith. Flor. Brit. 510. Eng. Bot. 1061. Officinal. Ltthrum Salicaria ; herba, Dub. Loosestrife. Syn. Salicaire (F.), Brauner Wiederich (G.), Partike (Dutch), Salicaria (/.). This is an indigenous perennial plant, found wild in almost every part of Europe, in marshes and on the banks of rivers, flow- ering from July till September. Qualities.—Loosestrife in the dried state is inodorous, and has an herbaceous sub- astringent taste. In coction with water, it renders the fluid mucilaginous; and the decoction strikes a black colour with sul- phate of iron. Medical properties and uses.—This plant is astringent and tonic. It is recommended by De Haen, and has long been celebrated in Ireland, as a remedy in diarrhoea, and has also been found useful in dysentery. It is always proper to give a purgative prior to its use being begun. The best form of giving it is that of decoction, made by boil- ing gi. of the recent root with Oj. of water. The dose of the dried herb, in powder, is from gss. to ^iv., that of the decoction of the root f^i, repeated every third hour. MAGNESLE SUBCARBONAS. Lond. Subcarbonate of Magnesia.f The greater part of the subcarbonate of magnesia found in the shops has long been manufactured on a great scale; and, there- fore, the London College has, properly, given it a place in the list of the Materia Medica. This salt, under the name of Magnesia alba, was formerly prepared from the bitter liquor called mother of nitre, which remains after the preparation of nitre, when no more of that salt can be obtained by evapo- ration from the water which is washed out * Avfyov Dioscoridis. t A carbonate of Magnesia exists ready formed in the serpentine rocks in Moravia. The colour of this mineral is of a cream-grey: the lustredull ; and the fracture flat conchoidal, with splintery edges. It is opaque, adheres strongly to the tongue ; and has sp. gr. 2.915. It acquires positive electricity when rubbed on woollen cloth. According to Bu- cholz, it consists of carbonic acid 51 parts, and mag- nesia 46.59 in 100 parts of the mineral.—Ann, de I Chim. t. Ixxiv. p. 70, 204 MATERIA MEDICA. of the earth of nitre beds.* Of late years, however, it has been prepared, on a large scale, from the bittern, or liquor which re- mains after the crystallization of common salt, muriate of soda, from sea-water, which is chiefly a solution of muriate of magnesia. The bittern is heated to 212°, and decom- posed by impure carbonate of potass, or of ammonia, which is stirred into it the mo- ment it reaches the boiling point, and the fire withdrawn. A double exchange takes place, the muriatic acid leaving the mag- nesia, unites with the alkali of the carbo- nate, forming a muriate of potass or of am- monia which remains in solution, whilst the disengaged carbonic acid of the carbonate combines with the magnesia, and forms an insoluble subcarbonate which is precipi- tated. The supernatant liquor is next drawn off, and the precipitate, after being repeat- edly washed, is dried upon chalk stones. It is brought to market in square masses, which, when the article is good, are very light, and smooth to the touch. It is some- times adulterated with chalk, and occasion- ally with gypsum. The chalk is detected by putting a portion of the mass into diluted sulphuric acid, which converts the mag- nesia into a soluble sulphate, but produces an insoluble salt with the lime of the chalk: the gypsum is detected by boiling a portion of the magnesia in distilled water, and add- ing to the solution muriate of barytes, which produces an insoluble precipitate, if gypsum be present. When it is prepared by de- composing the sulphate of magnesia by means of carbonate of potass, if not exceed- ingly well washed, it sometimes contains sulphate of potass, which may be detected by dissolving it in diluted nitric acid, and adding nitrate of barytes to the solution; an insoluble sulphate will be thrown down if sulphate of potass be present. This salt is, in correct chemical language, a carbonate, and consists of 52.4 parts of carbonic acid, and 47.6 of magnesia, in 100 parts : or, admitting that one atom of the carbonate is in weight = 42, its constitu- ents will be one atom of the acid = 22, and one atom of the earth = 20. f By diffu- sing it in water, and passing carbonic acid through the mixture, it is converted into a bicarbonate, which crystallises in transpa- rent hexagonal prisms, each terminated by a hexagonal plane, about six lines in length and two in breadth. A solution of this salt, with a great excess of carbonic acid, has been lately sold under the name of aerated magnesian water. • Hoffmani Opera, t. iv. p. 479. Black on Mag- nesia alba, p. 2. t Phillip's Trans, of Pharm. 1824. But accord- ing to Fourcroy and Kirwan, the constituents are acid so, magnesia 25, water 25, in 100 parts. Qualities.—Carbonate of magnesia is in- sipid, inodorous, perfectly white, and unal- terable in the air. Its specific gravity is 0.2941. It is soluble in 480 parts of water at 60°, and is less soluble in hot water. It is decomposed by a strong heat, which drives off the carbonic acid. Medical properties and uses.—For these, see Part iii. Officinal preparations. Magnesia, L. E. D. MAGNESLE SULPHAS, Lond. Sul- phas Magnesije, Edin. Sulphas Magnesia; ohm Sal catharticum amarum, Dub. Sul- phate of Magnesia. Bitter purging Salt. Syn. Sulphate de Magnesie (jP.), Schwe- felsaure Magnesia (G.), Sale amaro ; Ossisolfato di Magnesia (I. ). This salt is found native in a pure state ;$ but it is more commonly combined with gypsum§ and other salts, and in solution in sea-water, and several mineral springs. It was first artificially obtained in England in 1675, from the evaporation of the water of the Epsom spring, whence it was named Epsom salt: and in 1700 it was made in considerable quantity from two springs at Shooter's hill in Kent; || but the discovery of it in bittern, or the residual brine after the crystallization of sea-salt, soon opened a more copious source from which it might be obtained at all times ; and for many years past, almost all the sulphate of magnesia used in thjs country was manufactured from bittern. This substance consists chiefly of muriate of magnesia, muriate of lime, some common salt, and a small portion of sulphate of lime ; and therefore it is pro- bable, that the sulphate of magnesia is ob- tained by decomposing the muriate by means of sulphate of iron, or sulphuric acid in some form, although some affirm that the bittern is only boiled down to a high point of concentration ; when the sulphate of magnesia forms, and is purified by a se- cond solution and crystallization. Much of the sulphate of magnesia, however, now sold, is prepared from magnesian Hmestone, by a process invented by Dr. Henry of Manchester; and as it contains no muriate of magnesia, it is much less disposed to at- X In the mercury mines of Idria it is found crys- tallized, and named by the Germans Haarsalz. Ac- cording to Klaproth, it contains 1 per cent, of oxide of iron. Analyt. Ess. 80. } It is found in the gypsum quarries of Piedmont; and, as Proust relates, it abounds so much in Spain, that in Andalusia large tracts are covered with an efflorescence of it after floods. Journ. de Physique, xxxiii. 312. || It is also made in Bohemia from the mineral water of Sedlitz : and in the neighbourhood of Ge- noa from a pyrites found there ; by first roasting th« mineral and then exposing it to the air under a shade for six months, occasionally watering it, and then lixiviating. MATERIA MEDICA. 205 tract moisture from the atmosphere and deliquesce, than that prepared from bittern. Much of the sulphate found in the shops contains some muriate of magnesia, which renders it deliquescent ; and consequently, it requires to be preserved in close covered jars. It is often adulterated with glauber salt, which is made to resemble Epsom salt, by stirring it briskly, when it is about to crystallize. It may be detected, by preci- pitating the magnesia by pure ammonia, aiding by heat; filtering, and evaporating the filtered fluid to dryness, by a heat suf- ficient to volatilize the sulphate of ammonia: if it contain glauber salt, the soda will re- main fixed. Or it may be detected by no precipitation ensuing, on adding carbonate of potass to the solution. Muriate of lime is detected by the oxalic acid. Qualities.—Sulphate of magnesia is ino- dorous, and has a very bitter, nauseous, saline taste. It is usually in small needle- like crystals, but the form of its regular crystal is a qoadrangular prism, acuminated by four planes. When pure it effloresces; and is soluble in its own weight of water at 60°, increasing the volume of the fluid rather more than 4-tenths, or a solution of §j of sulphate of magnesia in f§j of water, measures eleven fluid drachms and a quar- ter. Heat expels its water of crystallization ; and the mass is melted, but not decom- posed ; it loses merely its water of crystal- lization, and a minute portion of its acid. According to Bergman, 100 parts consist of 29.35 of sulphuric acid, 17 of magnesia, and 53.65 of water of crystallization.* Its spe- cific gravity is 1.66. It is decomposed by the alkalies, and their carbonates, but the bicarbonates do not decompose it. It is also decomposed by lime-water, the muriates of ammonia, of barytes and lime, nitrate of silver, and acetate and superacetate of lead, which are therefore incompatible with it in prescriptions. Medical properties and uses.—This salt is purgative and diuretic. It operates rea- dily without griping; and notwithstanding its nauseous taste, is generally retained by the stomach when almost all other things are rejected, especially when it is adminis- tered in small, repeated doses, largely di- luted, or united with acidulated infusion of roses. In these forms it is a useful purga- tive in hypochondriasis, colica pictonum, ileus, puerperal fever, and in all acute dis- eases. It is also used as an adjunct to sti- mulating clysters. By moderate exercise in the open air while taking this salt, the * According to Dr. Henry, the composition is, acid 38, magnesia 18, and water 44 parts, in 100 of the salt.—Mr. Phillips (Translation of the Pharma- copeia) states the components to be sulphuric acid 32.52, magnesia 16.28, water 51.22. purgative effect is diminished, and its diu- retic property increased. The dose is from §ss. to §ij. dissolved in water, gruel, or any other vehicle ; and taken either at once, or in divided doses frequently repeated. Officinal preparations. Enema Catharti- cum, D. Enema fcetidum, D. [MAGNOLIA GLAUCA. Polyandria Polygynia. Nat. ord. Coadu- natae. Small Magnolia. Magnolia. Swamp-Sassa- fras. Elk bark. Indian bark. White lau- rel. Sweet bay. Beaver wood. It possesses highly tonic besides gently aperient diaphoretic qualities. In agues it is given in the same manner, and about in the same dose as the Peruvian bark ; the same may be said of the other species; the tri- petala or umbrella tree; the acuminata, or the cucumber tree, and the grandiflora. ] MALVA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 774. Cl. 16. Ord. 6. Monadelphia Polyandria. Nat. Ord. Columniferae, Linn. Malva- ceae, Juss. G. 1290. Calyx double, the exterior three- leaved. Capsules numerous, one-seeded, ** with angular leaves. Species 43. Malva sylvestris.^ Common Mallow. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 554. *. 199. Smith, Flora Brit. 740. Eng. Bot. 671. Officinal. Malta, Lond. Malvje Stlves- tris herba, flores, Edin. Mallow. Syn. Mauve (F.), Kasepappel (G.), Mal- va (/.), Malvas (S.) This is a perennial, indigenous plant, common over all Europe, growing on waste grounds and at the sides of roads ■ and flowering from May till August. Qualities.—Common mallow is inodorous, and has a weak, herbaceous, mucilaginous taste. The decoction has a mawkish disa- greeable taste ; is precipitated by acetate and superacetate of lead; and is little more than a simple solution of vegetable mucus. Medical properties and uses.—This herb is demulcent and emollient. Its decoction is employed in dysentery, ischuria, stran- gury, and nephritic complaints, but is in every respect inferior to that of althearoot. It is chiefly used in the form of enema in tenesmus, and nephritic colic : and in that of cataplasms and fomentations in phlegmo- nous inflammation. MANGANESIUM. Manganese. This is a brittle, greyish-white, brilliant metal, somewhat resembling iron in its ex- ternal aspect, of a granular texture, and not possessing ductility or malleability. It has not been discovered native in its me- tallic stated, but its ores are found in most f Ma\x%» Grarcorum. X La Perouse suspected that he had found manga- nese in a metallic state; but his opinion was not confirmed. 206 MATERIA MEDICA. of the countries of Europe both in primitive and transition mountains. It has neither odour nor taste: is softer than cast iron, and is not magnetic. Its specific gravity is 8-013.* It rapidly attracts oxygen from the air, loses its lustre, and progressively becomes violet, brown, and ultimately black. It rapidly decomposes water. It is very abundantly found in the state of the grey oxide. Manganese in the ore, both in primitive and transition mountains, is found A. United with oxygen t. oxidized Sp. 1. Gray manganese ore. Var. a. Radiated. 6. Foliated. c. Compact. d. Earthy. 2. Black manganese ore. a. and combined with sulphur. 3. Sulphuret of manganese. b. and combined with phosphoric acid, and iron. 4. Phosphate of manganese, d. and combined with silica andiron. 5. Silicate of manganese. Of these species the first only has been introduced into the list of materia medica. Officinal. Manganese^ Dub. Manganese, or more properly Black Oxide of Manga- nese. Syn. Manganese (F.), Braunstein (G.), Manganese (/. S.). Under the name of black oxide of Manga- nese are implied all the varieties of the first species. It was discovered in England by Boyle, in the beginning of the 17th cen- tury, but was regarded as a modification of iron ore, till the separate experiments of Scheele and Bergman, published in 1774, proved it to be an oxide of a peculiar me- tal ; which Gahn afterwards succeeded in obtaining in its metallic state. It is found in Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, the north of Italy, and France. The greater part of the black oxide of manganese used in England is obtained near Exeter in Devonshire, in Cornwall, and at Howth, near Dublin. It occurs crys- tallized and amorphoi s; and is generally in combination with small portions of oxyde of iron, carbonate of lime, silex, and barytes. Qualities.—Black oxide of manganese differs in its external characters. Its usual colour varies from iron-grey to black ; when crystallized it is shining, but when amor- phous devoid of lustre. Its texture is ra- diated, foliated, compact or earthy. None of the varieties are very hard ; all of them * John, vide Gehlen's Journ. iii. p. 460. t This term is improperly used by the Dublin College : for although the black oxide was originally named manganese, and is still so named in commerce ; yet in a professedly scientific work, more accuracy ef nomenclature is required. are brittle, and several of them soil the fin- gers. Their specific gravity varies from 3-5 to 4-7. One hundred parts of the black oxide consist of 7T23 of metallic manga- nese, and 28-67 of oxygen. Exposed to the heat of ignition, all the varieties afford oxy- gen gas ; and when mixed in powder with sulphuric acid, they afford it at a low tem- perature. It converts muriatic acid into oxymuriatic acid+; or more properly, ac- cording to the theory of Sir H. Davy, the hydrogen of the muriatic acid is attracted by the oxygen of the oxide of manganese, and its chlorine is evolved. Medical properties and uses.—This me- tallic oxide is only used for procuring oxy- gen gas ; and for fumigation in cases of in- fection. To procure oxygen gas, a portion of the oxide is put into an iron retort, fitted with a long curved tube, the extremity of which being placed under an inverted jar filled with water in a pneumatic trough, the retort is put into a common fire, and ex- posed to a full red heat. The caloric at this high temperature weakens the affinity between the manganese and the oxygen with which it unites, and causing it to as- sume a gaseous state, the oxygen gas is transmitted through the water, and collect- ed in the jar. From the necessity of oxy- gen for carrying on the process of animal respiration, much benefit was expected from the breathing oxygen gas in disease; but experience has not confirmed the high expectations which were formed of its powers. It certainly increases the force and velocity of the pulse,- and has been exhibited with seeming advantage in asth- ma, chlorosis, scrofula, typhoid fevers, and other diseases of debility. Diluted with from ten to twenty parts of atmospheric air, one or two quarts of it may be breathed at intervals in the course of the day. But a more certain benefit is obtained from the use of this oxide of manganese in fumigations. Medicine is indebted toMor- veau for the discovery of this mode of de- stroying infection, and the numerous in- stances in which it has proved beneficial have fully established its use. For a fumi- gation the following ingredients are requi- red: common salt^iv, oxide of manganese in powder £j, sulphuric acid fjj, and water f'3'ij : the water and acid must be mixed to- gether, and then poured over the other ingredients in a China basin, which should be placed in a pipkin of hot sand. The doors and windows of the room to be fu- migated, must be closely shut for two hours after the charged basin has been placed in it; then thrown open, and a current of air allowed to pass through the room. 1 The greatest consumption of black oxide of manganese is for the formation of the oxymuriatic acid, as employed in the art of bleaching. MATERIA MEDICA. 207 MANNA. Vide Fraxinus Ornus. [MARANTA ARUND1NACEA. Monandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Scita- mineae. Indian arrow-root. This substance boiled in water or in milk forms a jelly, which is given in the cholera infantum of this country with very good effect: it is used as a nutritive article in all cases where the system is debilitated; and is given sweetened with the addi- tion of sugar, a little wine and nutmeg.] MARRUBIUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 109. Cl. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnosper- mia. Nat. ord. Verticillatae, Linn. Labiatae, Juss. G. 1111. Calyx salver-shaped, rigid, ten- streaked. Corolla, upper lip bifid, li- near and straight. • * with ten-teethed calyces. Species 8. M. vulgare* White Hore- hound. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 332. t. 118. Smith Flora Brit. 636. Eng. Bot. 410. Officinal. Marrubium, Lond. Marrubii vulgaris herba, Edin. Marrubium al- bum; folia, Dub. Horehound leaves. Syn. Marrube blanc (i*\), Weisser andorn (G), Mairubio (/.), Marubio (S). White horehound is an indigenous, pe- rennial plant, growing in waste grounds, and flowering in July. Qualities.—Horehound dried has an aro- matic odour, which, however, is soon lost by keeping ; and a bitter taste. Both wa- ter and alcohol extract its virtues. The in- fusion reddens tincture of litmus, gives a deep olive green precipitate with sulphate of iron, a brown with nitrate of silver, and a pale yellow with muriate of mercury : acetate and superacetate of lead do not affect it. The active principles of hore- hound, therefore, appear to be a bitter ex- tractive, volatile oil, and gallic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Horehound is tonic, diuretic, and laxative. It was for- merly much used in pulmonary affections, and is still a popular remedy for asthma and obstinate coughs. It loosens the belly when taken in large doses, and was conse- quently recommended in jaundice, cachex- ies, menstrual obstructions, and hysteiia ; but its powers are not found by modern practitioners equal to the account the an- cients gave them, and therefore it is very seldom prescribed. The dried herb may be given in powder, in doses of from 3ss to 3j ; or of the expressed juice of the fresh plant from f §ss to f^jss may be taken twice or thrice a day. It is also used in the form of infusion. MAST1CHE. Mastich. See Pistacia Lentiscus. * npatrtov Dioscoridis. Lemery says the name is derived from the Hebrew word Marrob, which means a bitter juice. MEL. Lond. Edin. Honey. Syn. Miel (F.), Gemeiner Honig(G), Mele (/.), Miel (S.), Ussub (Arab.), Med- hu (H. and San.). Honey is collected by bees from the nec- taries of f flowers, in which it is abundant- ly secreted; but it probably undergoes some change within the insect before it is excreted by it, and deposited in the comb. That it does not, however, undergo the process of digestion as food, is likely, for the honey or sugar on which bees are fed during winter is not again excreted as ho- ney ; and the flavour of honey varies ac- cording to the nature of the flowers from which it is collected. Thus the honey of Minorca, Narbonne, and England are known by their flavours; and the honey- prepared in different parts even of the same country differs. + It is separated from the comb by dripping, and by expression : the first method affords the purest sort; the second separates a less pure honey; and a still inferior kind is obtained by heating the comb before it is pressed. When ob- tained from young hives, which have never swarmed, it is denominated virgin honey. It is sometimes adulterated with flour, which is detected by mixing it with tepid water; the honey dissolves, while the flour remains nearly unaltered. Qualities.—Honey has a peculiar saccha- rine aromatic odour; and a sweet acidulous sharp taste. In colour it varies from white or yellowish white, to a pretty deep shade of amber or golden yellow; inconsistence, from the fluidity of limpid oil to the stiff- ness of soft suet: and when the more lim- pid kind is kept, partly crystallizes into little irregular concretions. It evidently contains sugar, mucilage, wax, and an acid; and occasionally some essential oil, as in the perfumed honey of the Crimea. Honey- is soluble in water, and partially in alcohol; and, like sugar, passes into the vinous and acetous fermentation. When heated over a slow fire it throws up a scum ; and if the heat be continued so as to produce evapo- ration, the vapour is inflammable ; and the honey becomes brown, and acquires an un- pleasant flavour, which is strong in propor- tion to the degree of temperature employ- ed. Lowitz found that the addition of char- coal to a solution of honey deprives it of odour, taste, and colour; but the colour again returns when the solution is evapo- t The nectary is a glandular organ of the corollas of flowers. In many flowers it forms part of the petals themselves ; in others it is a distinct organ. It is not easy to assign the use of honey in the ve- getable (economy. X In tome parts of Asia and America a poisonous honey is met with, which probably owes its deleteri- ous properties to the flowers on which the bets feed. 308 MATERI A MEDICA. rated. Cavezzali separated the sugar by first melting the honey, then adding car- bonate of lime (eggshells) in powder as long as any effervescence appeared; and, after separating a scum which forms by rest, filtering it, and setting it aside to crystal- lize. The crystals he purified by washing them with alcohol.* Proust separated it from ready granulated honey by the ac- tion of alcohol.f Nitric acid converts ho- ney into oxalic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Honey is laxative, and externally detergent and sti- mulant. Simple honey is seldom ordered as an internal medicine; indeed, when freely eaten as food it passes off quickly by stool, and induces colic in some ha- bits : on which account, simple syrup should perhaps be preferred in all cases for forming medicinal preparations for in- ternal use. As a local stimulant, it is em- ployed in glysters ; and forms an excellent adjunct to gargles in cynanche, and aph- thous ulceration of the mouth and fauces. It is also a useful detergent to foul ulcers. Officinal preparations. Mel despumatum, L. D. Mel Boracis, L. Mel Rosarum, L. D. Oxymel Colchici, D. Oxymel Scil- lx, L. D. MELALEUCA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1428. Cl. 18. Ord. 3. Polyadelphia Icosandria. Nat. Ord. Hesperideae, Linn. Myrti, Juss. G. 1392. Calyx five-cleft, half superior. Corolla, petals five. Filaments\nximevoxxs, connate in five bodies. Style one. Cap- sule half covered, three-celled. Species Nova. M. Cajuputi4 Cajuputi Me- laleuca. Rumphius (arbor alba minor) Herbar. Amboinense, ii. lib. 2. cap. 26. t.17. Officinal. Cajuputi oleum, Lond. Mela- leuca Leucadendri Oleum volatile, Edin. Oleum Cajuput, Dub. Cajuputi oil. Syn. Cajeput (F.), Kajeputohl (G), Ca- jeput (L), Cajuputa (^Malay), Kyapootie tylum (Tarn.). The tree which yields this oil is a native of Amboyna, and the south part of Borneo, where it grows very abundantly in dry arid places. It is named Cajuputa in the Malay language ; and also by the natives Daun Kitsjil, and Caju-Kilan. It is a small tree, in some situations rather a shrub than * Annates de Ghimie, xxxix. 110. t Journal de Physique, lix. 428. X As the specimens of the tree which yields the true Cajuputi oil, which were sent home by Mr. Christopher Smith, differ from the M. Leucadendron, which was formerly supposed to yield it, and agree with the Arbor alba minor of Rumphius ; Drs. Ma- ton and Smith have fixed this as a new speck's un- der the name of M. Cajuputi. a tree, with a running root, often arched and half above the ground. To prepare the oil, the leaves are col- lected in a hot dry day, and put into tho- roughly dry bags ; in which nevertheless they soon spontaneously heat and become moist, as if macerated in water. They are then cut in pieces, infused in water, and left to ferment for a night; after which they are distilled. The quantity of oil they yield is very small, scarcely more than three fluid drachms being obtained from two bags of leaves.§ When newly drawn it is very limpid, pellucid, and volatile ; and Rum- phius says, smells strongly of cardamoms, but is more pleasant. It is generally im- ported in copper flasks or canisters; but lately some has been brought home in quart glass bottles. On account of the high price of real Cajuputi oil, it is said to he often adulterated with oil of turpentine, and coloured with resin of milfoil. Qualities.—The odour of this oil, as it is brought to us, is at first powerful, and simi- lar to that of a mixture of oil of turpentine and camphor, but it soon becomes ex- tremely fragrant and agreeable : the taste is pungent, and resembles very much that of camphor. It is limpid, transparent, and generally of a bluish green colour, which is said to be partly derived from the copper of the flasks. When dropped on the sur- face of pure water, it diffuses itself over it, and very soon completely evaporates, which is a good test of its purity ; and it burns rapidly, without leaving any residuum. Like other volatile oils, it is soluble in alco- hol, and partially in water. Medical properties and uses.—Cajuputi oil is a highly diffusible stimulant, anti- spasmodic, anddiaphoretic.[| When taken into tie stomach, it produces a sensation of heat, fills and quickens the pulse ; soon afterwards a copious sweat breaks out. It is efficaciously given in dropsy, chronic rheumatism, palsy, hysteria, flatulent colic, arid other spasmodic and nervous affections. As a local and external stimulant, it is em- ployed diluted with olive oil, as an embroca- tion to allay the pain of gout and rheuma- tism, and to restore vigour to joints after sprains. When put into a carious tooth, it lulls the pain of tooth-ach ; and we have seen much benefit drived from rubbing it on the temples, in defective vision from a weakened state of the eyes. The dose is three or four drops on a lump of sugar. [MELIA AZEDARACH. Decandria Monogynia. Pride of India, China tree, Bread tree, Poi- son-berry tree. § Rumphius. || '■ Hujus olei binfe guttae cum cerevisia vel vino propinatx sudores excitant vehementes, eui fini apla medicaments India exhibct perpauca." Rumphius. MATERIA MEDICA. 209 Officinal.—The bark of the root. This plant is generally given in decoc- tion in the proportion of three or four Ounces of the bark of the fresh root to a quart of water, boiled down to a pint. The dose is one or two table spoonfuls every two or three hours, till a free purging takes place: It is given in this manner as an an- thelmintic. Dilatation of the pupil, giddi- ness, stupor, with other nervous symptoms, are its occasional consequents; they how- ever pass off without any serious effect, and are attributed principally to the hark, gathered in the month of March and April, when the sap is rising. It is also used as an ointment in tinea capitis.*] MELISSA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 246. Cl. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnosper- mia. Nat. ord. Verticillatae, Linn. La- biatae, Juss. G. 1118. Calyx dry, nearly flat above: with the upper lip subfastigiate. Corolla, upper lip somewhat arched, bifid; lower lip with the middle lobe cordate. Species 1. Melissa officinalis.f Officinal or Common Balm. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 335. t. 119. Officinal. Melisse officinalis folia, Edin. Balm leaves. Syn. Melisse (F.), Melisse (G.), Melis- sa (/.), Balsamina (&'.). Balm is a perennial plant, a native of the south of Europe, growing in mountainous situations, and flowering from July to Sep- tember. It is cultivated in our gardens.^ For medicinal use the herb should be cut before it flowers. Qualities.—The recent plant has the agreeable odour of lemons, which is lost in drying ; and an austere, slightly aromatic taste. In distillation with water, it yields a small portion of a yellow essential oil, on ■which its odour depends. The watery in- fusion tastes rough; reddens slightly litmus paper ; and affords with oxysulphate of iron a deep olive, with nitrate of silver a deep brown, and with acetate of lead a copious greenish white precipitate. .Medical properties and uses.—Balm is stomachic and diuretic. It was formerly prized as a corroborant in nervous affec- tions ; but it is now used only in infusion, as a diluent in fevers. MENISPERMUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv.824. (Cocculus. De Candolle, Syst. Nat. i. 515.) Cl. 22. Ord. 10. Dicecia Dodecandria. Nat. Ord. Menispermeae. G. 1826. Male. Calyx two-leafed. Pe- * Dyckman. f Wlt\tB-o-opvx\ov Dioscoridis; bees being very fond of it. X It was cultivated hy Gerarde in 1S96. 27 tals four or six exterior, eight interior. Stamens sixteen. ------ Female. Corolla similar to that of the male. Stamens eight, sterile. Germens two or three. Berries one- seeded. Sp. 4. M. palmatum. Palmated Menisper- mum. Cocculus palmalus. De Cand. torn. i. p. 522. Berry Asiatic Res. 10. p. 385. t. 5. Officinal. Calumba, Lond. Colombo Ra- dix, Edin. Colombo Radix, Dub. Ca- lumba Root. Syn. Colombe (F.), Kolumbowurzel (G.), Colomba (/.), Kalumb (Mozambique), Columboo vayr (Tarn.) The London College has, now, properly referred this root to the Cocculus palmatus of De Candolle, the Menispermum palma- tum of Willdenow, which, for the sake of uniformity, we have placed as the title of the article, referring our readers, however, to De Candolle's work. This species of Cocculus is a native of the eastern part of southern Africa, grow- ing in great abundance in the forests of Mozambique, between Oibo and Mozambo. The roots are dug up by the natives in the month of March, and transported to Tran- quebar, where it is a staple article of export with the Portuguese.§ The dried root is brought to this country packed in bags, and sometimes in cases. It is in transverse sections, generally about one-third of an inch in thickness, and one or two inches in diameter. The bark is thick, and easily detached, internally bright yellow, and covered with a wrinkled ohve brown cuticle. The interior part of the roet, is of a pale brownish colour, and has a spongy texture, with darker converging rays, which are the remains of sap-vessels. The pieces are frequently much perforated, evidently by worms, and not, as has been supposed, by stringing to facilitate its dry- ing. Those pieces which have the bright- est colour, and are solid and heavy, are the best. It is said that the root of white bry- ony, tinged yellow with the tincture of ca- lumbx, has been fraudulently substituted for this root. Qualities.—Calumba root has a very slight aromatic odour, and a bitter taste. It breaks with a starchy fracture, and is easily pulve- rised. Water at 212° takes up one-third of its Weight; and the infusion has all the sensible qualities of the root. These are also extracted by alcohol; but proof spirit is its best menstruum. The infusion is not altered by solutions of sulphate of iron, ni- trate of silver, muriate of mercury, and tartarized antimony ; but a copious preci- § The root was formerly erroneously supposed to be named from the principal town in the Island of Ceylon, which was regarded us its place of export. 210 MATERIA MEDICA. pitate is produced by the infusion of galls, and yellow Cinchona bark, by acetate and superacetate of lead, oxymuriate of mercu- ry, and lime-water. Hence calumba root appears to contain cinchonin. M. Planche found it to contain a large proportion of a peculiar animal substance, a yellow bitter resinous matter, and one-third of its weight of starch. By repeated distillation he also obtained a volatile oil; and, from the resi- due, malate of lime and sulphate of lime. Medical properties and uses.—Calumba root is a useful antiseptic and tonic* It is frequently employed with much advan- tage in diarrhoeas arising from a redundant secretion of bile, and in bilious remittent fever, and cholera, in which it generally checks the vomiting. It also allays the nau- sea and vomiting which accompany preg- nancy ; and, according to Percival, it is equally serviceable in stopping the severe diarrhoea and vomiting which sometimes at- tend dentition.f Denman found it more useful than the cinchona in the low stage of puerperal fever.+ As a tonic, unaccom- panied with astringency and possessing lit- tle stimulus, it has been recommended in phthisis and hectic fever, to allay irritabili- ty, and strengthen the digestive organs; and in dyspepsia. It may be given com- bined with aromatics, orange-peel, opiates, and alkaline or neutral salts, as circumstan- ces require. We have found the powder, in combination with rhubarb and sulphate of potass, exceedingly serviceable in me- senteric fever. The dose of the powdered root is from grs. xv. to gss., repeated three or four times a day. Officinal preparations. Infusum Calum- bot, L. E. Tinctura Calumbx, L. E. D. MENTHA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 74. Cl. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnosper- mia. Nat. ord. Verticillatae, Linn. La- biatae, Juss. G. 1102. Corolla not quite equal, four- cleft ; the broader segment emarginate. Stamens upright, distant. 'Spiked. Sp. 7. M. viridis. Spearmint. Smith (spec. 3.) Flora Brit. 612. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 338. t. 121. ** Capitate. Sp. 13. M. piperita. Peppermint. Smith (spec. 4.) Flora Brit. 613. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 336. t. 120. Eng. Bot. 461. •** Verticillate. Sp. 20. M. Pulegium. Pennyroyal. Smith (spec. 12.) Flora Brit. 624. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 342. t. 122. * The Africans of Mozambique esteem it as a remedy for venereal affections, and the Chinese em- ploy it as an aphrodisiac. t Medical and Experimental Essays, vol. ii. X Introd. to Midwifery, ii. 524. 1. Mentha viridis.§ Officinal. Mentha viridis, Lond. Mentha sativa ; folia, Dub. Spearmint. Syn. Baume verte (F.), Frauenmurze (G.), Menta Romana (/.), Menta (S.) This is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in marshy places, and flowering in August1. For medicinal purposes, it is cul- tivated. For medicinal use, spearmint is generally cut just as the flowers appear ; but for ob- taining the essential oil, the flowering plant is preferred. It should be cut in very dry weather. Qualities.—Spearmint has a strong aro- matic odour, and a warm slightly bitter taste ; neither of which qualities is impair- ed by drying. Both alcohol and water ex- tract its virtues. Medical properties and uses.—Spearmint is stomachic and carminative. The infusion is serviceable in allaying sickness and vo- miting in a weakened state of the stomach. Officinal preparations. Aqua Mentha vi- ridis, L. D. Infusum Menthx comp. D. Oleum Menthte viridis, L. D. Spir. Mentha viridis, L. 2. Men-tha piperita. Officinal. Mentha piperita, Lond. Men- xns piperita herba, Edin, Mentha piperitis ; herba, Dub. Peppermint, Syn. Menthe poivree (F.), Ofeff'er- miinze (G), Menta piperita (/.) Peppermint is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in moist places, ar,d flower- ing in August and September. It is gene- rally cultivated for medicinal use ; particu- larly about Mitcham in Surry,!| whence the London market is chiefly supplied, 'there are three varieties of peppermint, the first of which is the officinal plant. Dr. Smith supposes that this plant was discovered by Doctor Eales ; and on exa-, mining the Linnean Herbarium, now in his possession, he found that the Mentha pipe- rita, described by Linnaeus, was not our of- ficinal plant, but merely a variety of the M. hirsuta, with the odour of peppermint. It was, however, first described by Petiver. " The cultivators of the plant observe, that to keep up its quality, the roots must be transplanted every three years: otherwise it degenerates into the flavour of spear- mint/'! If the plant be cut in wet weather it changes to black, and is little worth. Qualities.—The odour of both the re- § Miv9» Dioscoridis. Haec species dignos- citur pedicellis semper glaberrim. Smith, Flor. Brit. 613. || Considerably more than one hundred acres of this herb are grown in the parish of Mitcham; but the greater part of the peppermint is made into a liqueur, which is sold as a dram in London. Steven- son's Survey, 377, 378. J Linnean Transactions, v. 178. MATERIA MEDICA. 211 cent and dried plant is penetrating, grate- ful, in some degree resembling camphor: and the taste pungent, warm, glowing, and bitterish, followed by a sensation of cold- ness in the mouth. These qualities de- pend on an essential oil and camphor. The oil can be obtained separate by distillation in water, is of a yellowish colour, and holds the camphor in solution. Medical properties and uses.—Peppermint is tonic, antispasmodic, and carminative. It is chiefly used to allay nausea and griping, to relieve flatulent colic, and in hysteria: or as a vehicle to cover the nauseous taste of other medicines; but to many palates it is extremely disagreeable. It may be given under the form of watery infusion ; but the distilled water and the essential oil are ge- nerally preferred. Officinal preparations. Aqua Mentha piperita, L. E. D. Oleum Mentha piperita, L. E. D. Spiritus Menthx piperita, L. E. 3. Mentha Pulegium.* Officinal. Pulegilm, Lond. Menthje Pule- gii herba, Edin. Pulegium ; herba, Dub. Pennyroyal. Syn. Menthe peuliot (^F.), Polei (G.), Puleggio (,/.), Poleo (S.) This is an indigenous perennial plant, growing on heaths and in moist meadows, and flowering in September. Like the other mints, it is cultivated for medicinal purposes: and becomes more luxuriant and erect. Qualities.—The odour is similar to that of spearmint, but less fragrant; the taste aromatic and pungent, with a slight flavour of camphor. These qualities reside in a very volatile essential oil, which rises in distilla- tion with water. Medical properties and uses.—Pennyroyal was formerly regarded as emmenagogue, expectorant, and diaphoretic ; and was in repute for promoting the uterine evacua- tion, and relieving hysteria, hooping-cough, and asthma; but it is now justly considered of no value, and seldom used in regular practice. Officinal preparations. Aqua Pulegii, L. E. D. Oleum Pulegii, L. D. Spiritus Pulegii, L. MENYANTHES. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 810. Cl.5. Ord.l. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Precise, Linn. Lysymacliiae, Juss. G. 299. Corolla hirsute. Stigma cloven. Capsule one-celled. Species 4. M. trifoliata.-\ Buckbean. Med, Bot. 2d edit. t. 97. Smith, Flor. Brit. 225. Eng. Bot. 405. Officinal. Mentanthes, Lond. Mentanthis TRIFOLIATE? folia, Edin. Trifolium pa- ludosum, Dub. The leaves of Buckbean. " TKn^ov Dioscoridis. f M»ivav6»{ Theophrasti. Syn. Menianthe (F.), Bitterklee (.G.), Trifolio fibrino (/.), Menyanthes de tres en rama (S.) This is one of the most beautiful of our indigenous plants. It is a perennial, not uncommon in watery situations, in a black boggy soil, flowering in June and July. Qualities.---The leaves of buckbean have a faint disagreeable odour, and an in- tensely bitter nauseous taste, which is ex- tracted by infusion with water. Medical properties and uses.—Buckbean is tonic, diuretic, and purgative. It has been used with seeming benefit in remit- tent and intermittent fevers, rheumatism, arthritic affections, and in cachectic and cutaneous diseases. In large doses it is apt to excite vomiting. The dose of the dried leaves powdered, is from ^j. to gj.; or of an infusion made with ^ss. of the dried leaves, and boiling water Oss., from f 3" j. to f~5 jss., may be taken three or four times a day. It is adviseable to unite some aroma- tic with either of these forms. MEZEREI CORTEX. Mezereon Bark. Vide Daphne. MOMORDICA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 601. Cl. 21. Ord. 8. Monoecia Monadelphia. Nat. ord. Cucurbitaceae. G. 1739. Male. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla five-parted. Filaments five. ------Female. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla five-parted. Style trifid. Gourd open- ing elastically. Species 13. M. Elaterium.$ Squirtmg Cu- cumber. Med. Bot. 2d edit. t. 72. Officinal. Elaterii pepones, Lond. Ela- teiul'm, Edin. Elaterium; fructus, Dub. The fruit of the Wild Cucumber; Elaterium. Syn. Concombre sauvage (F.), Essels- gurhen(G.), Ezels komkommers (Dutch.), Cocomero salvatico (/.), Cohombrillo amargo (S.). This species of momordica is a perennial native of the south of Europe, flowering in June and July. It is cultivated in Eng- land^ but does not survive the severity of our winters. For medicinal use, the fruit is gathered in September, just before it is ripe; and the clear juice which runs from it, mixed with that obtained by the expression of the fruit, is inspissated, and forms the elaterium of the shops. Qualities.—The juice is nearly inodorous, and has a very slightly bitter taste. It de- posits by rest a considerable portion of feculent matter, containing a peculiar prin- ciple, to which Dr. Paris has given the name of Elatin, and on which the active properties of the fecula depend. For an f- '£\ciTtipiov Dioscoridis. $ It was cultivated by Gerarde in 1596. 212 MATERIA MEDICA. account of its nature, see Extractum Elate- rii, among the Preparations. Medical properties and uses.—This fruit is a very violent cathartic. It was much em- ployed by the ancients, who regarded every part of the plant as purgative; but Dr. Clutterbuck has proved that this is an er- ror.* It is, also, probable that the term Elaterium was given by the ancients to very different substances, and Hippocrates applies it to any violent purgative. Dios- corides extolled the fruit as highly effica- cious in melancholic and maniacal attacks. It is still frequently prescribed in dropsies; but when incautiously given, it may bring on a dangerous hypercatharsis. The juice, which is lodged in the centre of the fruit, directly around the seeds, and which is im- properly termed the extract, is always em- ployed in preference to the recent fruit. Officinal preparation. Extractum Elaterii, L. E. D. MORUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 368. Cl. 21. Ord. 4. Moncecis Tetrandria. Nat. Ord. Scabridae, Linn. Urticae, Juss. G. 1644. Male. Calyx four-parted. Corolla none. -------Female. Calyx four-leaved. Co- rolla none. Calyx becoming a berry. Seed one. Species 5. M. nigra\. Common mulberry tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 712. t. 243. Officinal. Moiti baccie, Lond. Mulber- ries. Syn. Murier noir (F.), Schwarze Maul- beeren (G), Morone, o Gelso (/.), Moras (S.). This species of mulberry is a native of Persia, whence it was brought to Italy, and gradually spread over Europe. It is now abundantly cultivated in this country, flow- ering in June and ripening its fruit in Sep- tember. Qualities.—Mulberries are inodorous, have a sweet acidulous taste, and abound with a deep blood-red juice. Hermbstadt found that their acidulous quality depends on the presence of tartaric acid, and I find they contain also jelly and mucus. Medical properties and uses.—This fruit is cooling and laxative; and, when not too ripe, allays thirst, and proves exceedingly grateful in febrile diseases. It is seldom, however, used medicinally; and when eaten too freely as an article of food, is apt to occasion diarrhoea. Officinal preparation. Syrupus Mori, L. MOSCHUS. Syst.Nat. Gmelin, i. 172. Cl. 1. Ord. 5. Mammalia Pecora. G. 28. Horns none. Fore teeth eight in the lower jaw. Tusks one on each side in the upper jaw, projecting out of the mouth. * Lond. Med. Repository, xii. 07. f "Suva/tjvof Theophrasti. Species. M. moschiferus. The Musk Deer. Pennant Quadr. 56. t. 10.f. 1. Officinal. Moschus, Lond. Edin. Dub. Musk. Syn. Muse (F.), Bisam (G.), Muschio (I.), Almizcle (S.), Meshk (Arab, and H). The animal from which musk is obtained, is an inhabitant of the alpine mountains of the east of Asia, particularly of the Himala mountains, which divide Thibet from India, where it is known by the name of Custeru, It is a solitary animal, living among the rocks, and frequenting the highest tops of the snowy peaks ; very timid, and difficult to be taken. The length of the full grown animal scarcely ever exceeds three feet, and in its general aspect it resembles the deer; the head is not very unlike that of a hog ; the eyes are black and full; and, pro- jecting from the upper jaw, the teeth hang pointing downwards, over the lower jaw; the fleece is coarser than that of the stag, but very light and soft, and varying in co- lour at different seasons of the year, and different periods of life, chiefly from brown to nearly black, hoary underneath, and sometimes, but rarely, whitish: the tail is very short. Between the navel and the prepuce is an oval bag, flat on one side and convex on the other, about three inches long and two broad, projecting, with a very small orifice, and beset with short hairs. This is the musk bag: it is empty in the young animal; but in the adult contains from 3Jss. to gij. of musk, in a liquid state. The animal often expresses part of the contents of the bag, when it becomes too full, by rubbing itself against stones ; and the matter thus ejected is said to be a purer musk than that which is brought to this country. The bag is ge- nerally cut from the animal while it is yet alive, and an idea prevails that the animal must be caught alive in order to obtain the musk, which is said to be absorbed and lost if the deer be shot. As soon as the bag is cut away, a small hollow reed is inserted into it, that the musk may not suffer, which it would be apt to do from want of air; and the whole is tied around with a sinew of the animal.t Musk is imported into England from China in caddies, which contain from twen- ty to sixty and one hundred ounces each; but an inferior kind is brought from Ben- gal, and a still baser sort from Russia. The best is that which is in the natural follicle, or the pod, as it is denominated in mercan- tile language. This is a sack or bag, about the size of a pigeon's egg, of a brownish colour, lined with a very thin membrane, and covered externally with coarse hairs. The musk itself is in grains concreted to- X Journ. of a Tour in, the Himala Mountains, by J. B. Fraser, 4to. Lond. 1820, p. 332. MATERIA MEDICA. 213 gether, dry, yet slightly unctuous, and free from grittiness when moistened and rubbed between the fingers, or chewed. As musk is a very high-priced article, it is often adulterated. When this is the case, the bag, which should not have any appearance of having been opened, ap- pears, if narrowly examined, slit or punc- tured in several places, through which sand, lead, and other heavy matters are in- serted. The musk is sometimes nearly all abstracted, and a mixture of dried blood and asphaltum introduced into the bag ; or both the bag and the musk are artificial, and only scented with real musk. The blood of the animal itself is often injected into the bag of musk, while both are warm, and they then unite. The first of these adulterations is easily detected ; the pre- sence of blood may be suspected, if the musk, when held over the flame of a can- dle on a thin spatula, emits, as it inflames, a fetid smoke : and asphaltum is discovered by its melting, and running before it in- flames, if heated on a spatula; whereas real musk inflames without running, and is converted into charcoal.* The artificial bags are known by the inner membrane, which lines the real musk bags, being defi- cient. Qualities.—The odour of musk is aro- matic, but peculiar, extremely powerful, and durable; the taste bitterish and heavy; and the colour a deep brown, with a shade of red. Exposed to heat it burns with a white flame, and leaves a light spongy char- coal. Trituration with potass developes ammonia. Boiling water dissolves it par- tially, alcohol better, and sulphuric ether still more completely. The watery infusion has a yellowish brown colour, a bitterish taste, and the strong odour of the musk ; and reddens infusion of litmus. Solutions of oxymuriate of mercury and of sulphate of iron produce with it copious precipitates ; as does also infusion of yellow cinchona bark. Solution of nitrate of silver throws down a whitish precipitate, which, on ex- posure to the light, changes to a livid blue; and nitrate of mercury produces a brownish precipitate. The alcoholic tincture is of a reddish brown colour, transparent, but with scarcely any odour of the musk. Water renders it milky, and gives out the strong musk odour; but with the other tests it presents the same results as the watery in- fusion. The ethereal tincture has a deep brown colour ; and, when evaporated on the surface of water, deposits a brown, tena- cious, nearly insipid resin, and renders the * The formation of ammonia, when rubbed with potass, has also been mentioned as a test of the pre- sence of blood ; but the fixed alkalies have develop- ed ammonia in the best specimens of musk we have ever seen. water milky. The resinous matter has the musk odour in perfection; while the sub- stance which occasions the turbidness of the water possesses the properties of extractive. From these results musk appears to contain albumen, gelatin, muriate of ammonia, phos- phate of soda, and an uncombined acid ; but the greater part of it consists of a resin combined with a volatile oil, and a mucila- ginous extractive matter. Medical properties and uses.—Musk is stimulant and antispasmodic. A'etius is the first writer who mentions it as a medicine j but it did not come into general use in this country till the beginning of the sixteenth century. It raises the pulse without much augmenting the heat of the body, and has a remarkable power of resolving spasm, and increasing the energy of the brain and nerves. Hence it is very efficaciously given in typhoid fevers, when low delirium, sub- sultus tendinum, and hiccough supervene ; and in combination with ammonia to arrest the progress of gangrene. Its beneficial effects in all spasmodic diseases are well established ; and Cullen says, he can vouch for its powers in retrocedent gout, which in many instances he had seen suddenly re- lieved by large doses of musk.f It checks the vomiting in cholera, at the same time that it allays the tormina of the intestines. In epilepsy I have seen more benefit de- rived from musk in combination with calo- mel than from any other remedy ; and I am inclined to attribute much of the disappoint- ment which others have experienced, either to the remedy not having been genuine, or to the smallness of the dose. To obtain the full benefit of musk in this disease, the dose must be much larger than that which is usually given ; it should be repeated at shorter intervals, and its use longer conti- nued. In an old confirmed case, in which three and four fits were experienced daily, musk, given to the extent of gss. four times a day, reduced the number of fits to one in three months. Upon the whole, I agree with Cullen "that musk is one of the most powerful antispasmodics we are acquainted with,":): and regret that the high price of the drug necessarily limits very much its employments As a local remedy, musk is said to be useful in atonic deafness when inserted into the ear with cotton ; and it is recommended in the form of enema in the convulsions of children arising from the irritation of den- tition. t Mat. Med. ii. 381. X Mat. Med. 1. c. 380. $ A mixture of musk and cinnabar in arrack is used by the Tono,uinese as a remedy in hydrophobia. Phil. Trans, xlvi. 78. No benefit has been derived from its use in this disease in this country, although it has been fairly tried. 214 MATERIA MEDICA. Musk is best given in substance, in the form of bolus. The dose may be from grs. vj. to 3j., repeated at intervals of six or eight hours. Officinal preparations. Mistura Moschi, L. Tinctura Moschi, D. MYRIST1CA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 869. Cl. 22. Ord. 13. Dioecia Monadelphia. Nat. ord. Lauri, Juss. G. 1851. Male. Calyx bell-shaped, trifid. Corolla none. Filament columnar. An- thers six or ten united. ' Female. Calyx bell-shaped, trifid, deciduous. Corolla none. Style none. Stigma two. Drupe, a nut involved in an arillus (Mace,) with one seed.* Species 1. M. moschata. The nutmeg-tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 698. t. 238. Rumphius, Herb. Amboin. ii. lib. 11. c. 5. t. 4. Officinal. Myristice nuclei, Lond. Mi- RISTIC33 MOSCUAT-2B NUCLEI, INVOLUCRUM vulgo macis, Edin. Nux moschata ; oleum ESSENTIALE, OLEUM EXPRESSUM, 1NVOLU- crum macis dictum, Dub. Nutmeg; Mace ; Oil of Nutmeg, essential and ex- pressed ; Oil of Mace. Syn. of the Nutmeg. Noix muscade (F.), Moskatnuse (G), Nosce moscata (/.), Neuz moscada (S.), Jaephal (//.), Jatiphalo (San.), Pela (Ma/ay.).— Of the mace. Mo- shat blumen (G.), Macis (/.), Macias (S.), Jawatri (//.), Jatipatri (San.), Benga pela (Malay.). The nutmeg-tree is a native of the Mo- lucca islands. It has, however, been nearly extirpated from the greater number of them by the narrow policy of the Dutch, and is cultivated at Bandaf only, where a sufficient quantity is reared to supply with mace and nutmegs the whole of Europe. It rises to the height of thirty feet, producing many erect branches, which, as well as the trunk, exude, when wounded, a red gluti- nous juice, and are covered with a smooth ash-coloured exterior bark. The fruit is an elliptico-spheroidal, one-celled, superior berry, marked with a shallow longitudinal groove on one side, fleshy, smooth, one- celled, and the size of a small peach ; the flesh is thick, rather solid, and finally dries up to a coriaceous crust, which opens at one side, and displays the nutmeg in its shell covered with an arillus, which is the offici- nal mace, and by it fixed to the bottom of the cell. This is a fleshy, coriaceous, saf- * In our description, we have followed Gartner, who denominates the fruit " Bacca monospenna;" although, in our translation of the generic charac- ter by Willdenow, we have not altered the term " Drupa." t This term includes six smaller islands, Neyra, Lenteira, Pulo-Aya, Goenenga, Apia, Pelerona, and Rossengenia; but the three first only bear nutmeg- trees. fron, or yellow coloured substance, divided deeply into many slips, which closely invest the shell of the nutmeg. The kernel, which is the proper nutmeg, is of a roundish oval form, marked on the outside with many ver- micular furrows, within of a fleshy-farina- ceous substance ; variegated whitish and bay, and having a cavity at the bottom for the embryo.f: The nutmeg-tree yields three crops an- nually : the first in April, which is the best; the second in August, and the third in De- cember, yet the fruit require nine months to ripen it. When it is gathered, the outer coriaceous covering is first stripped off, and then the mace carefully separated and dried in the sun. The nutmegs in the shell are next exposed to heat and smoke for three months, then broken, and the kernels thrown into a strong mixture of lime and water, after which they are cleaned and packed up. This process is necessary for their preservation, and with the same in- tention the mace is sprinkled with salt wa- ter. There are several varieties of the tree; but that denominated the queen nutmeg, which bears a small round nut, is the best. They are imported in chests which contain each from 100 to 1401bs. weight; the mace comes in chests also of different sizes; the essential oil, whicli is obtained in Banda by the distillation of the nuts, is brought in bottles; and the expressed oil in stone jars. Nutmegs are frequently punctured and boiled in order to obtain the essential oil, and the orifices afterwards closed with pow- dered sassafras. The fraud is detected by the lightness of the nutmeg. Qualities.—The nutmeg has a fragrant, agreeable, spicy odour, and a warm aroma- tic taste. It is easily cut with a knife, but not very pulverulent. When cut trans- versely, and examined by the microscope, the dark coloured veins which run through its substance appear to consist of cellular matter filled with oil, which is the active matter of the nutmeg. Alcohol and ether extract completely the active qualities of nutmeg. When the ethereal tincture, which is limpid, and of a golden yellow colour, is evaporated on water, a small portion of vo- latile essential oil unites with the water, and a white, opaque, granular, sebaceous substance, heavier than water, which has much the appearance of the expressed oil, is deposited. When alcohol is digested on this substance, it dissolves very little of it, but becomes yellow, and acquires the qua- lities of a spirituous solution of the essen- tial oil; the undissolved substance, if wash- ed in water.is nearly insipid, melts at a tem- perature of 150", and, on cooling, concretes into a translucent brittle cake which has the properties of wax. The part of the X Gartner de Fructibus, t. 41. MATERIA MEDICA. 215 nutmeg insoluble in ether is chiefly gum and starch. In distillation with water, nut- megs yield 1-32 part of their weight of es- sential volatile oil, and by expression one- third of a sebaceous fixed oil.* Hence, the components of the nutmeg seem to be starch, gum, volatile oil, wax, and a fixed fat oil. The volatile oil possesses the odour and taste of the nutmeg in a concentrated de- gree, is of a pale straw colour, limpid, transparent, and lighter than water. The expressed oil, which is erroneously called oil of mace, when first drawn, is limpid and yellow, but on cooling acquires the consist- ence of spermaceti and somewhat of the appearance of Castile soap, being whitish, mottled with reddish brown. Its odour is agreeable and slightly aromatic, and its taste fatty, pungent, and bitterish. It ap- pears to be a vegetable cerate, or a triple compound of fixed oil, volatile oil and wax. Besides the genuine expressed oil, there are two other sorts found in the shops; one, which is said to come from Holland, of a paler colour, and in flat square cakes; and another, which is an artificial composition of suet, palm oil, and spermaceti, scented with a little volatile oil of nutmeg. Mace resem- bles the nutmeg in its odour and taste, but is more pungent and bitter. It is in laciniat- ed, flexible, thin pieces, unctuous to the feel, and of a deep reddish yellow colour. Alcohol and ether extract its active princi- ples; and when the ethereal tincture is evaporated on water, a thick deep yellow- coloured, very pungent, and odorous oil is left in drops on the surface of the water, with some resin : and a small portion of ex- tractive is deposited, but no waxy granular matter. Medical properties and uses.f—-As the medical properties of nutmeg and mace de- pend on the essential oil they contain, they agree in these circumstances ; and both are stimulant, carminative, and, in large doses, narcotic. Mace is more generally used as a culinary spice ; but the nutmeg and its volatile oil are in frequent use to cover the disagreeable taste of other medicines; and are sometimes ordered in cases of languors, vomiting and diarrhoea, and in flatulent co- lic. On account of the narcotic property of the oil, nutmeg should be cautiously em- ployed in apoplectic and paralytic habits. In India its dangerous effects have been frequently felt^ ; and in this country in- stances have occurred in which the nut- meg, taken in large quantity, produced drowsiness, great stupor, and insensibility; and, on awakening, delirium which alter- nated with sleep for several hours.§ The * Neumann's Chemistry, 404. t Avicenna first noticed nutmegs as a medicine. X Bontius de Medicina Indorum, 20. y Cullen, Mat. Med. ii. 204. volatile oil is sometimes used as an external stimulant, and the expressed oil is seldom employed for any other purpose. The dose of the nutmeg and the mace is from grs. v. to 9j. ; that of the volatile oil, mjj. to "Ui* Officinal preparation. Spiritus Myristica, L. E. D. MYROXYLON. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 546. Cl. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Lomentaceae, Linn. Leguminosae, Juss. G. 829. Calyx bell-shaped, five-toothed. Petals five, the upper one larger than the others. Germen longer than the co- rolla. Legume with one seed only at the point. Species 1. M. peruiferum. Sweet-smelling Balsam-tree. Hernandez Nova Plant. &c. Mexican Hist. fol. 51. cumfigura. Officinal. Myroxyli Peruiferi Balsamum, Edin. Peruvian Balsam. Syn- Baume de Perou (F.), Peruvianis- cher Balsam (G.), Balsamo del Peru (/.), Balsamo de Quinquica (S.) The Peruvian balsam tree is a native of the warmest provinces of the continent of South American ; growing in the mountains of Panatalmas, in the forests of Puzuzu, Muna, Cuchero, Paxaten, and many other places near the river Maranon, blossoming in August, September, and October. It is a very beautiful tree, with a smooth, thick, straight trunk, covered with a grey, coarse, compact, heavy bark, which is interiorly of a straw colour, and very resinous, as is eve- ry part of the tree. This tree is called quinquino by the na- tives, who use the bark as a perfume. The balsam, whicli is procured from incisions made early in the spring, in a liquid state, is collected in bottles, and is called white li- quid balsam. What is found in the shops is obtained by boiling the twigs in water. It is imported itfjars, each containing from twenty to forty pounds weight. When the Indians collect the white balsam in cali- bashes, which is the case in Carthagena and in the mountains of Tolu, it condenses and hardens, and forms dry, white balsam, or the balsam of Tolu. Ruiz says there is no difference in these three balsams, ex- cepting in name, colour, and consistence. A mixture of resin and some volatile oil with benzoin is often sold for Peruvian bal- sam, and the fraud is not easily detected. Qualities.—The balsam which we re- ceive has a fragrant aromatic odour, much resembling that of benzoin, with a warm bitterish taste, leaving a slight sensation of burning in the throat after it is swallowed, with some degree of sweetness. It is vis- || Mutis discovered it, and sent a branch of the tree to the younger Linnseus about the year 1781. 216 MATERIA MEDICA. cid, of a deep reddish-brown colour, being that which is obtained by boiling the twigs, and of the consistence of fluid honey. Wa- ter boiled on the balsam becomes acidula- ted, and deposits on cooling, crystals of benzoic acid. In distillation with water, a small portion of a volatile, limpid oil comes over, and benzoic acid sublimes in the neck of the retort. Its remaining matter is a re- sin. Ether in small quantity dissolves it readily and completely; alcohol also dis- solves it, but the quantity of menstruum must be considerable. Sulphuric acid con- verts it into artificial tannin and charcoal. Treated with nitric acid, some prussic acid is evolved, benzoic acid sublimes, and the residual matter is artificial tannin.* The alkalies and their carbonates form with it thick masses, which, on the addition of sul- phuric acid, let fall a resinous matter, and benzoic acid crystallizes. Hence Peruvian balsam appears to consist chiefly of resin, volatile oil, and benzoic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Balsam of Peru is stimulant and tonic. It has been regarded as expectorant also, and recom- mended in, catarrh and other pulmonary affections; but it is contra-indicated where- ever any inflammatory action is present; and to its stimulant operation on the pul- monary exhalants we may ascribe its use in chronic asthma and old obstinate coughs.f In gleets, leucorrhoea, palsy, and chronic rheumatism, its tonic powers have proved beneficial; as well as in many other cases of debility. It may be given to the extent of f^j for a dose. As a local stimulant it is employed externally with great advantage for cleansing and stimulating foul and indo- lent ulcers : and a mixture composed of ,"5J of the balsam and ^iij of ox gall, I have found extremely useful when dropped into the ear every day, after syringing with a solution of soap, in foetid discharges of the ear. MYRRH A.+ Lond. Edin. Myrrh a ; Gummi-resina. Dub. Myrrh, a gum-resin. Syn. Myrrhe (F.), Myrrhen (G), Mirra (/.), Mirra (S.), Murr (Arab.), B6I (//.), B6la (San.). The tree or plant which produces this gum resin is a native of the eastern coast of Arabia Felix, and of Abyssinia, growing, according to Mr. Bruce's account, behind Azab, along the coast towards the straits of Babelmandel. It is undescribed by na- • Hatchet. Phil. Trans. 1806. Thomson's Che- mistry, 4th ed. v. 126. t Sydenham gave it in phthisis. £ 2,t£upv* Dioscoridis. The name Moppet, used by Hippocrates, is derived from pvpov, an ointment. Professor Verey (Journ. de Pharm. 1820.) derives it from the Phoenician word mor or mur. Myrrha, the daughter of Cynirus, king of I'hunicia, was metamorphosed into a tree. turalists; and the conjectures of Mr. Bruce in favour of its being a Mimosa are by no means satisfactory.§ The appearance of the best myrrh, as we receive it, affords reasons for supposing that it is an exudation from the plant. It is imported in chests each containing from one to two hundred weight. The Abyssinian myrrh comes to us through the East Indies, while that pro- duced in Arabia is brought by the way of Turkey. Qualities.—Myrrh has a peculiar, rather fragrant odour, and bitter, aromatic taste. It softens in the mouth, adheres to the teeth when chewed, and is in small irregu- larly shaped pieces, which can scarcely be called tears ; they are translucent, of a red- dish yellow colour, brittle, breaking with a resinous fracture, and easily pulverized. It does not melt when heated, and is not very inflammable. Its specific gravity is 1.360 || Such are the characters of good myrrh ; but it is often opaque, mixed with many impurities, and either white or of a dark colour approaching nearly to black, with a disagreeable odour, in which case it should be rejected. Myrrh is partially soluble in water, alco- hol, and ether. In distillation with water, it yields an oil heavier than water. When it is triturated with very soft or distilled water, nearly the whole appears to be dis- solved, forming an opaque yellowish solu- tion ; but the greater part is deposited by rest, and not more than one-third of the gum-resin is actually dissolved. The al- coholic tincture is rendered milky and opaque when mixed with water, but no precipitate appears. Braconnot asserts, that 100 parts of myrrh consist of 23 of re- sin and 77 of gum ;*f but my experiments lead to a somewhat different conclusion, and accord more with those of Pelletier, who found the proportions to be, 34.68 of resin and 66.32 of gum. Ether digested on powdered myrrh dissolved three parts in eight, and the tincture, evaporated on water, deposited two grains and a half of very bitter resin, and half a grain of ex- tractive matter, which also tasted bitter. The part insoluble in the ether was nearly all soluble in water, and afforded a solu- tion resembling that of acacia gum; but differed from it in being precipitated by solutions of muriate of mercury and of su- peracetate of lead. Myrrh triturated with crystallized alkalies is reduced to the form of a tenacious fluid. When treated with ni- tric acid it yields oxalic acid. Hence myrrh seems to consist of resin, essential oil, ex- tractive, and mucus, rather than gum. Medical properties and uses.—Myrrh is $ Phil. Trans, lxv. 413. || Brisson. IT Annates de Chimie, lxviii. 52. MATERI A MEDICA. 21? Ionic and expectorant. In moderate doses it stimulates the stomach, promoting the ap- petite and digestion ; but in large doses in- creases the frequency of the pulse, and aug- ments the genera) heat of the body.* As a tonic, it is efficaciously given in cases of de- bility, as, amenorrhoea, chlorosis, and con- valescences ; and in phthisis pulmonalis, when the inflammatory symptoms and hec- tic fever do not run high. Its use in phthi- sis has indeed been condemned by several physicians of great repute ; f but when there is an evident ulceration of the lungs without much hectic, and the patient's strength is considerably reduced by the quantity of the expectorated matter, the proper exhibition of myrrh is certainly pro- ductive of much benefit. In the first-men- tioned diseases, it is advantageously com- bined with aloes, cinchona, or other bitters, and chalybeates ; and in phthisis, with nitre, digitalis, opium, camphor, and the sulphate of iron or of zinc. Combined with oxide of zinc it lias been found extremely useful in the peculiar cough which sometimes accom- panies pregnancy, and continues after abor- tion. As an expectorant it is often employ- ed in humorai asthma and chronic catarrh ; and with the same view also has been given in phthisical affections ; but as it cannot be employed witn propriety in pulmonic ca- ses, where there is much inflammatory ac- tion or hectic present, any advantage de- rived from its use in phthisis probably de- pends altogether on its tonic operation coun- teracting the exhaustion produced by a copious purulent expectoration. As a local stimulant the alcoholic solution of myrrh diffused in water is used as a lotion in a spongy state of the gums, and for correct- ing the foetid discharge of vitiated ulcers, particularly when connected with caries of the bone; and as a gargle in cynanche ma- ligna. Myrrh is administered in substance, or in the form of watery infusion, or of tincture properly diluted. The watery infusion is much less stimulant than any of the other preparations. A watery extract is ordered in some foreign pharmacopoeias, and pre- ferred by many physicians, from an idea that it is less heating than the gum resin ; but it is equally bitter, and is perhaps not different from a diminished dose of the myrrh. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Myrrha, L. E. D. Tinctura Aloes et Myrrhx, E. Tinct. Aloes AStherea, E. Tinct. Ferri comp. L. Pilulx Aloes cum Myrrha, L. E. D. Pilnla Ferri cum Myrrha, L. Pil. Gal- bani comp. L. I). Pil. Assafcetida comp. E. Pil. Rhei composita, E. MYRTUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 967. * Cullen, Mat. Med. ii. 1»6, t Cullen. Fothergill. 28 Cl. 12. Ord. 1. Icosandria Monogynia. Nat, ord. Hesperideae, Linn. Myrti, Juss. G. 973. Calyx five-cleft, superior. Petals five. Berry two or three-celled, many- seeded. Species 28. Myrtus Pimento. Pimenta, or All-spice tree. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 541, t. 194. Officinal. Pimento bacc;e, Lond. Myrtje Pimentje fructus, Edin. Pimento (Pi- per Jamaicense) ; Baccjk, Dub. Pimenta Berries. Jamaica Pepper. Syn. Poivre de Jamaique (F.), Nelhen- pfeffer (G.), Pimenti (/.), Pimienta (S.). This tree is a native of South America where it is called Pumake (in the Maypure language,) and of the West India islands. It grows in great plenty on the hilly parts, on the north side of the island of Jamaica ; flowering in June, July, and August, and soon afterwards ripening its fruit. It is a handsome tree, rising in height about thirty feet, straight, branching, and covered with a very smooth gray bark. The fruit, which is the part of this plant medicinally used, is gathered before it is ripei:, and exposed to the sun for many days, spread thin upon cloths. They require to be frequently turned, and carefully pre- served from the dews. By degrees, under this management, they become wrinkled, and change from green to a brown colour ; after which they are packed in bags and hogsheads for the European market. The more fragrant and smaller they are, the better they are accounted.§ Qualities.—Pimenta has an aromatic, agreeable odour, resembling that of a mix- ture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmegs, with the warm pungent taste of the cloves ; qualities which reside chiefly in the corti- cal part of the dried berry. Water, alcohol, and ether extract its virtues. The watery in- fusion is of a brown colour, and reddens lit- mus infusion. With solution of sulphate of iron it immediately strikes a deep black colour, and slowly lets fall a precipitate. Nitrate of mercury precipitates it of a yel- lowish brown ; superacetate of lead of a dirty green ; and nitrate of silver, of a deep reddish brown colour. It is also precipi- tated by infusion of yellow cinchona bark. The sulphuric and muriatic acids redden it, and throw down pale rose-coloured preci- pitates. The nitric acid forms no precipi- tate, but gives it a yellow hue. The alco- holic tincture is rendered milky, and slow- ly precipitated by water: the ethereal, when evaporated on water, deposits drops of a greenish yellow volatile oil, a pellicle of a pungent, nauseous tasted resin, and } When the berries ripen, they lose much of the aromatic warmth for whkh they are esteemed, and acquire a taste similar to that of juniper ber-.its j Sloane, 1, «•. v 218 MATERIA MEDICA. some extractive. Hence pimenta appears to contain a volatile oil, resin, extractive, tan- nin, and gallic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Pimenta is stimulant and tonic. It is useful as an ad- junct to bitters in dyspepsia attended with much flatulence, and in arthritic and hyste- rical affections. The watery infusion of it sweetened with sugar, and with the addi- tion of a little milk, is very readily taken by children ; and is an excellent cordial in malignant measles, scarlatina, confluent small-pox, and the other exanthemata, when the fever assumes the typhoid type. But the principal use of pimenta in medi- cine is to cover the disagreeable taste of other remedies, or to give them warmth. The dose of the berries is from grs. v. to gij. in powder, or swallowed in their entire state. Officinal preparations. Aqua Pimenta, L. E. D. Oleum Pimenta, L. E. D. Pilula Opiata, E. Syrupus Rhamni, L. NICOTIANA. Spec, Plant. Willd.i. 1014. Cl. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia.Nat. ord. Luridae, Linn. Solaneae, Juss. G. 379. Corolla funnel-shaped with the border plaited. Stamens inclined. Cap- sules two-valved, two-celled. Sp. 1. N. Tabacum* Tobacco. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 208. t. 77. Officinal. Tabaci folta, Lond. Nicotians Tabaci folia, Edin. Nicotians folia, Dub. Tobacco leaves. Syn. Tabac (F.), Taback (G.), Tabacco (/.), Tobaco (S.), Bujjirbhang (Arab.), Tambacu (H.), Tamracuta (San.) Tobacco is an annual plant, a native of America, and partially cultivated in Eu- rope ; flowering in July and August. * This plant was first discovered by the Spaniards, in Yucatan, in 1520, and was there called peiun oi peto-ma. Humboldt says it has been cultivated from time immemorial by the native people of the Oroonoko; and was smoked all over America at the time of the Spanish conquest. He found only two of the species cultivated in Europe, the N. panicu- lata and N. glutinosa, growing wild; but the N. lo.vensis and andicola. whicli he found on the Andes, 1850 toises of elevation, closely resemble the tabacum and rustica. It was transported to the West Indies and North America; and brought to Europe by Hernandez de Toledo, who came from Florida to Portugal in the beginning of the 16th century. The seeds were sent from Portugal to Catharine de Medi- cis by Jean Nicot, an agent of Francis II., after whom it received its generic name Nicotiana ; the specific appellation being taken from tabac, the name of an instrument used by the natives of Ame- rica in smoking the herb. The following are the names by which it is known in America ; yeth in the Mexican or Azteek tongue; sema in Algonkiu ; oyugoua in the Huron ; in the Peruvian it is sayri; in Chiquito, pais; in Vilela, tusup ; Mbaja, naloda- gadi; Moxo, sabare; Ouiagua, potema; Turoanac, cavai; Maypure, Jema ; and Cabre, sema.—Hum- boldt, Person. Narr. vol. v. p. 666, Tobacco was at one period raised to a considerable extent in Yorkshiref ; but the cultivation of it for the purposes of trade has been long prohibited; and this coun- try, as well as the greater part of Europe, is chiefly supplied from Virginia, where the plant is cultivated in the greatest abundance. There are two varieties of this species, known by the name of Virginian tobacco, a broad and a narrow-leaved sort; but they do not differ in their medical pro- perties. In Virginia the plant is not al- lowed to attain its full height, but is topped whenever a certain number of leaves is thrown out. It is cut down in August, and the plants hung up in in pairs in sheds to dry, after which the leaves are separated from the stem, bound up in bundles, and packed in the hogsheads in which they are exported. Qualities.—The recent leaves possess very little odour or taste ; but when dried their odour is strong, narcotic, and some- what foetid ; their taste bitter, and extreme- ly acrid. When well cured, their colour is yellowish green. They emit sparks in burning, and give out a suffocating smoke; and when distilled, yield an essential oil of a green colour, on which their medicinal properties are supposed to depend, and which is said to be a very virulent poison.% This oil is dissipated by the long coction of tobacco with water ; yet in distillation with ether, water, or alcohol, no oil comes over. By infusion, however, it yields its active principles to both these fluids. Its defla- gration shows the presence of nitrate of potass ; and Bouillon la Grange discovered muriate of potass in its inspissated juice.§ According to Vauquelin, tobacco appears to contain albumen or gluten, supermuri- ate of lime, acetic acid, nitrate and muriate of potass, muriate of ammonia, a red mat- ter soluble in alcohol and water, a green fecula, and a peculiar substance, on which the properties of the plant appear to de- pend, and which has been therefore named nicotin.\ t It was first cultivated in England in 1570, ac- cording to Lobel's account. X The poisonous efiects of this oil are very pow- erful : Mr. Barrow, speaking of the use which the Hottentots make of tobacco oil for destroying snakes, says, " A Hottentot applied some of it from the short end of his wooden tobacco-pipe to the mouth of a snake, while darting out his tongue. The effeet was instantaneous as an electric shock: with a convulsive motion that was momentary, the snake half untwist- ed itself, and never stirred more; and the muscles were so contracted, that the whole animal fell hard and rigid, as if dried in the sun." Travels in Africa, p. 268. § Journal de Physique, xxxix. 193. || This substance is colourless, acrid, has the odour of tobacco, and like it occasions violent sneezing. It is volatile, poisonous, and produces colourless solu- tions with alcohol and water, from which it is thrown MATERIA MEDICA. 219 Medical properties and uses.—Tobacco is a narcotic, sedative, emetic, diuretic, cathartic, and errhine, whether it be i.aken into the stomach, or externally ap- plied. The three first mentioned proper- ties are sufficiently obvious, even from the effects which smoking or chewing it pro- duce on persons, unaccustomed to its use.* These are, very severe sickness, headach, extreme debility, cold sweats, and some- times, even convulsions. The production of such a state of the habit, however, being useful for relieving violent spasmodic con- striction, tobacco is advantageously em- ployed in obstinate constipation, ileus, sup- pression of urine, and incarcerated hernia, when other remedies fail of affording re- lief. The smoke is either thrown into the rectum by means of a pair of bellows of a peculiar construction, or an infusion of the leaves is exhibited in the form of enema.f From its narcotic power also, the smoking or chewing tobacco has been found useful in allaying the pain of toothach; and smok- ing it has been recommended, and, in some instances, found useful in shortening and rendering more supportable the paroxysm of spasmodic asthma. The infusion has been used as an emetic. But the practice can- not be recommended: and, notwithstand- ing the success of Dr. Fowler,+ who em- ployed it in dropsy and dysury, its general effects are too violent for internal exhibition, and it is not equal as a diuretic either to squill or foxglove, which are more managea- ble remedies. In dysury, however, as Dr. down by tincture of nut-galls. Vauquelin regards it as approaching the volatile oils in its properties. Vide Ann. de Chimit, torn. Ixxi. p. 139. * The custom of smoking tobacco was introduced into England by Sir Walter Ualeigh ; and was atone time extremely prevalent, but is now confined chiefly to the lower class of the people. In some parts of Europe, however, it is still regarded as the greatest solace and pleasure of the luxurious. It is a curious fact, that in England an edict was published against its use, the reason of which was probably the appre- hension thus stated by Camden—" Anglorum corpo- ra in barbarorum naturam degenerasse, quum iidem ac barbari delectentur." Annal. Eliz. p. 143. Ur- ban VIII anathematized those who used it in church- es; and in Constantinople, where its use is now so general, the custom was in the beginning of the 17th century thought so ridiculous and hurtful, that a Turk found smoking was conducted in ridicule through the streets with a pipe transfixed through his nose. Tobacco, which has been introduced into the Sandwich Islands by Europeans, "is now," says Kotzebue, (vide Voyage of Discovery) " so generally used, that young children smoke before they learn to walk, and grown up people have carried it to such an excess, that they have fallen down senseless, and often died in consequence." t The native doctors in India apply the leaves to the orifice of the anus. Vide Ainslie's Mat. Med. of Hindostan, 4to. p. 48. % Med. Reports on the effects of Tobacco, &c. Pearson has observed, its antispasmodic properties are of advantage, and conse- quently its use in that complaint is less ob- jectionable.§ The external application of a strong infusion of tobacco, or of a cata- plasm of the moistened leaves themselves, is sometimes employed as a local stimulant in porrigo, scabies, and some other cutane- ous eruptions; but even in this mode of using it, tobacco is apt to induce the same virulent effect as when it is internally ad- ministered in large doses. But tobacco is chiefly employed as a ster- nutatory, and is the basis of all the kinds of snuff generally used.|| The powdered leaves, when snuffed up the nostrils of those unaccustomed to the use of snuff, excites vehement sneezing, and promotes a considerable discharge from the nostrils, answering all the purposes for which er- rhines are employed. As a luxury, snuff has been used upwards of two hundred years in Britain, and has been taken in great quantities without any perceptible bad consequence ; although it has been as- serted that its immoderate use weakens the sight, produces lethargy, and gives a tendency to apoplexy. After the use of it has become habitual, it cannot be relin- quished without considerable risk, arising from the suspension of the artificial dis- charge it produces, as Dr. Cullen observed from his own experience.^ The London College has given a for- mula for an infusion proper to be used as an enema; as a diuretic, that employed by Dr. Fowler is made with ^i. of the dried leaves, and Oj. of boiling water, and given in doses of Tnjx. to nllxxx., twice a day. Officinal preparations. Infusum Tabaci, L. Vinum Nicotiana Tabaci, E. OLEA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 44. Cl. 2. Ord. 1. Diandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Sepiariae, Linn. Jasmines, Juss. G. 36. Corolla four-cleft, with sub-ovate segments. Drupe one-seeded. Species 1. O. Europaa.** European Olive. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 280. t. 93. Sibthorp Flora Graca, t. 3. Officinal. Oliv.se oleum, Lond. Ole« Europce.e oleum fixum, Edin. Ole- um olivarum, Dub. 1'he oil of the olive. § Practical Synopsis, he. 228. y In the manufacture of snuff, salt, urine, muriate of ammonia, and even powdered glass, are added to the tobacco. The difference of flavour depends, in some, on the species of Nicotiana employed, but chiefly on the perfection of the leaves, and these having undergone fermentation. Maeouba derives its flavour from the leaves being fermented, with an addition of the best cane juice. •J Materia Medica, ii. 437. ** Ea«i5c aypttta. Dioscoridis. 220 MATERIA MEDICA. Syn. Huile d'Olive (F.), Olivenbhl (G.), Oliod'Ulive (/.), Azeite (S.), Zeet (A.) The olive tree is a native of the south of Europe and the north of Africa, where it js named Zituna, but is cultivated in France, Spain, and Italy. It has been raised in the open air in England, but its fruit has never been ripened.* It grows upon the most rocky soil, seldom exceeds twenty feet in height, and has a solid, upright, much- branched stem, covered with a grey bark. There are several varieties of the olive tree, of which the variety y, or longifolia of Willdenow, is most esteemed, as affording the best oil. The young plant bears at two years old, and at six years is in full bearing. The -mode of obtaining the oil from the ripe fruit was known very early in Egypt ; and it is chiefly for this purpose that the tree is now cultivated in Spain, Provence, and Italy. To procure the oil, the ripe fruit is gathered in November, and immediately bruised in a mill, the stones of which are set so wide as not to crush the nut. The pulp is then subjected to the press in bags made of rushes, and by means of a gentle pressure the best oil, which is called virgin oil, flows first: a second sort is got by breaking the marc, moistening it with warm water, and returning it to the press ; and, lastly, a very inferior kind is obtained, either by boiling the magma, or by breaking, moistening, and fermenting it in large cisterns, and again submitting it to the full force of the press. When the olive is not sufficiently ripe, the recent oil has a bittersh taste, and when too ripe is fatty. After the oil is drawn, it deposits by standing a white fibrous albuminous matter; from tliis the clear oil is poured off, and a second deposition takes place ; after which, if put into clean glass flasks, there is no further alteration.f The best oil is made in Provence, its ex- cellence arising from the olives being care- fully cleaned and garbled ; but what we receive in this country comes from Lucca and Florence. Sicily also furnishes some, but it has a resinous flavour -,\ and good oil has lately been brought from Samos. It is imported in jats, *half-jars, and what are called half-chests, which are wooden pack- ages containing flasks. Qualities,—Pure olive oil is an insipid, inodorous, pale greenish yellow-coloured, * Miller's Gardener's Dictionary, ed. 1797. art Olea. f A very old olive tree, near Gerecomlo, yielded 240 English quarts of oil, in 1809 Three Months near Rome, by Maria Graham, p. 49. X This flavour has been ascribed to ihe Sicilian olives being grown on dry hilly situations. Gait's Jettersfrom the Levant, 8vo. p. 129, viscid fluid ; unctuous to the feel; inflam- mable, incapable of combining with water, and nearly insoluble in alcohol. It is fixed in any temperature under 600°, suffering considerable expansion, but not evapora- ting; and congeals at 38° of Fahrenheit. It is the lightest of the fixed oils, its speci- fic gravity being 0.9153. When kept for a great length of time, or much exposed to the air, its components^ are partially se- parated, the sebacic acid and water are formed, and the oil acquires a disagreeable smell and sharp taste, becomes thick, brown- coloured, and is then said to be rancid. The rancidity is hastened by heat, and by the admixture of poppy oil, with which it is of- ten adulterated. Medical properties and uses.—Olive oil is demulcent, relaxant, and laxative. It is used internally as a demulcent in catarrh and other pulmonary affections, diffused in water by means of mucilage ; and is also given, internally, in large quantities to mi- tigate the action of acrid substances, as some poisons, taken into the stomach ; and in cases of worms. Externally applied it is a very useful relaxant, and instead of stopping up the cutaneous exhalants, ap- pears to promote the excretion of sweat; oh which account it has been employed with great advantages in frictions in the commencement of plague. The body is ordered to be very briskly rubbed all over with a clean sponge dipped in warm olive oil: copious perspiration generally follows, and the operation must be repeated once a day until symptoms of recovery appear. Mr. Jackson relates, that the Coolies, who are employed in the oil stores at Tunis, smear themselves all over with oil, and are seldom afflicted with the plague when it rages in that city ;|| an effect which may be owing to the oil forming a coating to the skin, so that it cannot come directly in con- tact with the contagion. Frictions with it are useful in ascites.f It is, however, more generally used as a vehicle for more active substances, in the form of embrocation: thus, it. is an excellent solvent of opium, which can, through its means only, be used in frictions with any advantage.** It is also used as an injection in gonorrhoea, as an ad- junct to glysters in dysentery and intesti- nal abrasions, and extensively in pharmacy, § Vide Expressed Oils. || Reflections on the Commerce of the Mediterra- nean p. 64. % Lord Bacon, speaking of Inunction, says,— " Ante omnia igitur usum olei vel olivarum vel amygdali dulcis, ad cutem ab extra urigCiendum, ad longa:vitatein conducere existimamus." Opera, fol. 1065. p. 536. ** The nostrum called Roche's Embrocation, for hooping cough, consists of olive oil, with about half its quantity of the oil of cloves aud oil of amber. MATERIA MEDICA. 221 in the composition of ointments, cerates, and plasters. The dose of olive oil is from ftjj. to fSjj., triturated with mucilage, or mixed with water by means of a few drops of solution of potass. In cases of poisons or of worms, as much may be given as the stomach can bear. ONISCUS. Syst. Nat. Gmelin. v. 3009. Cl. 5. Ord. 7. Insecta Aptera. G. 272. Jaw truncated, toothed. Lip bifid. Palpi unequal. Feelers bristly. Body oval, feet foirteen. Sp. 14. O. asellus* Slaters. Officinal. Millepede ; spihitus vini va- pore enecatje, Dub. Slaters killed by the vapour of spirit of wine. Syn. Cloporte (F.), Kellerwurmer (G.). These insects are found on roofs of houses, old walls, and under stones ; they are rather more than half an inch in length, whitish on the belly, with seven pairs of legs, each terminated by a sharp horny claw. The head is somewhat pyramidal, and fur- nished with two articulated feelers; and the whole of the animal on the upper part is guarded by a callous, brownish, livid-co- loured, jointed armour, consisting of four- teen semicircular scales, within which the insect rolls itself like a ball when touched. Like some other insects it casts the skin, and carries the young in valvular follicles under the abdomen. Slaters are prepared by hanging them inclosed in a canvass bag, in the steam of hot alcohol, till they are killed. Qualities.—Prepared slaters have a fetid odour, and a sweetish nauseous taste ; on analysis, they furnish an alkalescent fluid and an inert oil. Medical properties and uses.—These in- sects were formerly regarded as expecto- rant and diuretic, and used in humoral asthma, dropsy, jaundice, and a long list of diseases. The retention of them in the list of materia medica exhibits the remains of a barbarous practice, whicli the good sense of modern practitioners should altogether explode. Their value, as a medicine, was justly estimated by Professor Alston, when he observed, " Upon the whole there is reason to think Millepedarum Qj. is good for nothing, and §ss. not much worth.' f OPIUM. See Papaver. OPOPONAX. See Pastinaca. ORIGANUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 132. Cl. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnospermia. Nat. Ord. Verticillatx, Linn. Labiatse, Juss. G. 1116. Strobile four-cornered, spiked, collecting the calyces. Corolla with the * 'Ovia-Kot Dioscoridis. \ Lectures on Mat. Med. ii. 494. upper lip erect and flat, the under three- parted, with the segments equal. Species 10. O.vulgare. Common Marjoram. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 344. t. 123. Smith, Flor, Brit. 639. Eng. Bot. 1143. Speciesl5. O. Majorana. Sweet Marjoram, Med. Bot. 2d edit. 345. t. 124. 1. Origanum vulgare4 Officinal. Origanum, Lond. Common Mar- joram leaves. Syn. Onang (F), Dort, Wohlgemuth (G), Origano (/), Origano Sylvestre (S.). This plant is indigenous and perennial, growing on dry chalky and gravelly hills, flowering from July to September. Qualities.—The odour is agreeable and aromatic, and the taste warm and pungent, much resembling thy me. In distillation with water it affords a very acrid penetrating volatile oil, on which its qualities depend. Medical properties and uses.—Common marjoram is regarded as tonic, stomachic, and emmenagogue. It was formerly used in debilities of the stomach ; but is now ne- glected. The dose is from grs. x. to £)j., in powder. Officinal preparation. Oleum Origani, L, 2. Origanum Majorana.§ Officinal. Origani MARjoRANiE Herba, Edin. Majorana ; Herba, Dub. Sweet Marjoram. Syn. Marjolaine (F.), Majoran (G), Maggiorana (/.), Origano (S.). This is an annual plant, a native of Por- tugal and Syria; but cultivated in our gar- dens for culinary and medicinal purposes, and flowering in July and August. The root is long, brown, and fibrous; the stems numerous, woody, branching, and rising a foot and a half in height. The leaves are downy, entire, ovate, petiolate, and of a pale green colour. The flowers are small, white, appearing successively among the bractes, which are numerous, and form roundish, compact, terminal spikes. The calyx is tubular, five-toothed, with the teeth acute : the corolla funnel-shaped and bila- biate : the upper lip erect and roundish ; the lower cut into three pointed segments. It is cut for medicinal use when it begins to flower in July. Qualities.—The odour is pleasant, and the taste moderately warm, bitterish, and aromatic. Both alcohol and water extract the virtues of sweet marjoram ; and in dis- tillation with water it yields a large portion of volatile oil, which, on being long kept, becomes solid. Medical properties and uses.—Sweet mar- joram is tonic, and was formerly regarded as possessing errhine powers. It is scarcely ever used except as a culinary herb, or as I 'Sctfj.^vxpv Dioscoridis. § Opovyxvoc Dioscoridis, 222 MATERIA MEDICA. an adjunct to cephalic snuffs, to which, however, it adds no efficacy. OSSA. Bones. Edin. Sy?i. Des Os (F.), Knochen (G.), Ossi (/.), Huesos (S.). The bones of animals are composed of earthy salts, gelatin, albumen, and oil. Ac- cording to the analysis of Fourcroy and Vauquelin, the components of ox bones are, in 100 parts, 51 of animal matter, 37.7 of phosphate of lime, 10 of carbonate of lime, and 1.3 of phosphate of magnesia. Besides these M. Hatchett detected sul- phate of lime, and Berzelius some fluate of lime in bones. OSTREA. Syst. Nat. Gmelin. vi. 3315. Cl. 6. Ord. 3. Vermes Testacea. G. 313. Animal Tethis. Shell bivalve; the valves unequal, and somewhat eared. Hinge toothless, but furnished with an ovate hollow cavity, with lateral trans- verse furrows. Vulva, or anus, none. Species 105. O. edulus. The common Oys- ter. Pennant's British Zoology, iv. 102. t. 62. Officinal. Testje, Lond. The shells. Syn. Ecailles des Huitres (F.), Auster- schaalen (G.), Conchiglia d' Ostrica (/.), Cascara (pt, and the Arabians, called the inspissated juice ('the poppy eapsul'-, affion ; the Persians, afiuun ; mode of obtaining it, appears to have beefj nearlv the same in the time of Dioscorides, as is at this day adopted. The plants, du- ring their growth, are carefully watered and manured, the watering being more profuse as the period of flowering ap- proaches, mid until the capsules are half grown, when it is discontinued, and the collection of the opium commences. At sun-set, longitudinal incisions are made upon each half-ripe capsule, passing from below upwards, and not penetrating to the internal cavity. The night dews favour the exudation of the juice, which is collect- ed in the morning by old women and chil- dren, who scrape it from off the wounds with a small iron scoop, and deposit the whole in an earthen pot, where it is worked by wooden spatuks in the sun-shine, until it attain a considerable degree of spissitude. It is then formed by the hand into cakes, which are laid in earthen basins to be fur- ther txsiccated, when it is covered over with poppy or tobacco leaves.§ Such is the mode followed in India, and according to Kcempfer's account nearly the same is practised in Persia||: and when the juice is drawn in a similar manner in this country, and inspissated, it has all the characters of pure opium. Opium is brought to this country in chests from Turkey and India. The Turkey opium is in flat pieces, covered with leaves, and the reddish capsules of some species of rumex, which is considered an indication of its goodness, as the inferior kinds of opium have none of these capsules adhering to them. Turkey opium generally contains about one-fourth part of impurities. East Indian opium is in round masses, covered with the petals of the poppy in successive layers, to the thickness nearly of one-fourth of an inch. Mr Kerr relates, that at Bahar, it is frequently adulterated with cow-dung, the extract of the poppy procured by boil- ing, and various other substances. In Ma- lava, it is mixed with oil of sesamum, which is often one-half of the mass : ashes and the dried leaves of the plant are also used. It is also adulterated with the aqueous ex- the Moors, affiun ; and, by the modern Turks, it is termed affioui. The Greeks named it opion, a word derived from opos, juice. "Oxiov aro tov SroZ, adding sometimes, ^txavoc, the ju.ee of the poppy, or otto; tum hqBuuv, the juice of the capsuk. Some suppose, that th<- Nepenthes of Homer (Odyssey, iv. 220. v.) was opium, but this opinion is completely disproved by Dr. Chris- ten, in his excePei.t work entitled, Opium Historice. Chemice atque Phnrmacologice Investigatum. Vin- dobonse. 8vo. 1820. § Med. Observ. and Inquiries, v. 317. || According to Kcempfer, the produce of the first incisions is of a pale yellow, and culUd gubanr in Persia; and is esteemed much superior in strength and goodness in every respect to the other colk}f£ons> MATERIA tract of the capsules, the extracts of Cheli- donium glaucnm, Lactuca virosa, and Gly- cyrrhiza glabra,- and sometimes with gum arabic, tragacanth, aloes, and many other articles. Opium is regarded as bad when it is ei- ther very soft, greasy, light, friable, of an intensely black colour, or mixed with many impurities. A weak or empyreumatic odour, a slightly bitter or acrid, or a sweet- ish taste, or the power of marking a brown or black continuous streak, when drawn across paper, are also symptoms of inferior opium. Qualities.—1. The dried capsule of the poppy is inodorous, and nearly insipid, a slight degree of bitterness only being per- ceptible when it is long chewed. Water by coction extracts its virtues ; and when the decoction is evaporated, an extract is obtained, with properties similar to opium, but less powerful. 2. Turkey opium has a peculiar, strong, heavy, narcotic odour, and a bitter taste, which is accompanied with a sensation of acrid heat, or biting on the tongue and lips, if the opium be well chewed : and if long kept in the mouth of a person unaccus- tomed to chew it, blistering is produced. Its colour, when good, is a reddish brown, or fawn colour ; its texture compact and uniform. Its specific gravity is 1.336. When soft, it is tenacious ; but when long exposed to the air, it becomes hard, breaks with an uniform shining fracture, is pulverulent, and affords a yellowish brown powder: which is again aggregated by a heat so low- as that of the hand. It is inflammable, and partially soluble in water, vinegar, lemon juice, wine, alcohol, and ether. By long boiling in water under exposure to the arr, its narcotic powers are impaired; yet no- thing rises with water, when it is distilled with that fluid.* When carefully triturated with hot water, about five parts in twelve of the opium are dissolved and retained in solution, nearly six parts are simply sus- pended, and rather more than one part remains perfectly insoluble, of a viscid plas- tic nature, somewhat resembling the gluten of wheat, but of a dark colour. Bucholz regarded this as caoutchouc ; according to Proust it contains wax; and Gren supposed it to be analogous to gluten. By digesting alcohol on this substance, I found that it dissolved a small portion of it, acquired a reddish yellow colour, and became milky when added to water. Sulphuric ether di- gested on it, broke it down, and dissolved a portion of it, forming a yellowish tincture, which when evaporated on water left resin, a bitter extractive, and some acicular crys- tals of a salt which Derosne erroneously • Beaume, however, asserts that the odorous part uf the opium is an oil. 29 MEDICA. «25 supposed to be the narcotic principle. The insoluble part, after the action of the ether, was subjected to a set of comparative ex- periments with the gluten of wheat, when it afforded similar results with the majo- rity of the tests employed. Hence this part of Turkey opium appears to be a modifi- cation of gluten combined with resin, ex- tractive, and peculiar salts. 3. East Indian opium has a strong em- pyreumatic small, but not much of the peculiar, narcotic, heavy odour of the Turkey opium ; the taste is more bitter, and equally nauseous, but it has less acri- mony : it agrees with the Turkey opium in its other sensible qualities, except that its colour is blacker, its texture less plastic although it is as tenacious. It is more fria- ble, and when triturated with water no in- soluble plastic residuum is left, but it is al- together taken up; eight parts in twelve being dissolved, and the remainder sus- pended in the fluid. The aqueous solutions of both kinds of opium are transparent when filtered, that of the East Indian having the deepest brown colour; both redden litmus paper; neither is decomposed by alcohol, but both are pre- cipitated by the carbonates of potass and of soda, and by pure ammonia: precipitates are also formed by solutions of the muriate and nitrate of mercury, the acetate and su- per-acetate of lead, the nitrate of silver, and the sulphates of copper, of zinc, and of iron. They are also precipitated by infu- sion of galls; the precipitate, as Dr. Dun- can justiy observes, resembling more that produced by cinchonin, than that by gela- tine.f The solution of acetate of barytes does not alter the solutions of Turkey opi- um, but produces a copious precipitate with those of the East Indian ; oxalic acid pre- cipitates both, but the latter more copi- ously. No article of the Materia Medica has occupied the attention of chemists so much as opium. 1 shall detail the more important results of their labours : but I may preface this account by stating that from the experiments to which it has been ' submitted, the components of opium ap- pear to be gum, resin, bitter extractive, two peculiar crystallizable salts, an acid, alum, and sulphates of lime and of potass, the latter of which appears to be very abun- dant in the East Indian opium: the Turk- ish contains besides, a species of gluten, and caoutchouc. According to Bucholz the proportion of extractive, in 100 parts of opium, is 36 ; of gum 30; oi'resin9; gluten 11 ; caoutchouc 5 ; sulphate of potass 2 ; and of sulphate of lime 1 ; the remainder consisting of an oily or balsamic matter and waste. t Edinburgh New Dispensary, 5th edit. 332. 226 MATERIA MEDICA. But as the sedative power of opium evi- dently could not depend on any of the above named principles, some other was to be looked for ; and has been at length disco- vered. When ether is used as a men- struum for opium, and the resin and extrac- tive which it takes up are separated by evaporating the tincture on the surface of water, the pellicle of resin deposited is nearly insipid, while the extractive dissolved in the water has an intensely bitter taste; from this fact, and the circumstance already mentioned of opium becoming inert when boiled in water, we might venture to con- clude that the sedative principle resides in the extractive. Derosne, in 1804, asserted that the activity of opium depends on a pe- culiar salt. He evaporated a watery infu- sion of opium to the consistence of syrup, and digested the gritty precipitate formed by this evaporation in hot alcohol: as the solution cooled, a salt formed, which by re- peated solutions and crystallizations was ob- tained free from the resin, of a white colour, and in rectangular prisms with rhomboidal bases ; these were inodorous, insipid, inso- luble in cold water, but soluble in 400 parts of boiling water ; soluble in 100 parts of cold, and 24 of boiling alcohol; soluble in hot ether and the volatile oils, but separat- ing as these fluids cooled ; and very soluble in all the acids. Given to dogs, it produced the effects "of a strong dose of opium ; but these were readily relieved by vinegar. In repeating the experiments of Derosne, I obtained a much greater proportion of* crys- tals of this peculiar salt from East India than from Turkey opium, which 1 conceived to militate against his idea of its being the se- dative principle, inasmuch as larger doses of that variety of opium are required to produce its sedative effect on the system. I have had no opportunities of ascertaining the power of this salt; but some experi- ments by M. Orfila* show that, although it exerts a deleterious effect on the ani- mal economy, yet, that the symptoms differ from those produced by opium; and, even from Derosne's account, it is not much more powerful as a sedative than opium itself.f My scepticism on this subject was further confirmed by the discovery of M. Sertuerner. The first experiments of this chemist were made public about a year af- ter those of Derosne : but they excited lit- tle attention until he published a second memoir in 1817. According to.Sertuerner the salt of Derosne is not the sedative prin- ciple of opium, but a combination of it with a peculiar acid which he discovered in * Nouveau Journ. de Med. torn. x. p. 154. t Annates de Chimie, lxv. 270. Derosne concludes from the effects of nitric acid and caloric on this salt, that it is composed of oxygen, hydrogen, azote, and carbon. It does not redden vegetable blues. Ibid. p. 279. opium, and named the meconic, the sedative principle being according to him an alka- line salt, which he had obtained in a sepa- rate state. This salt has been named mor- phia. Robiquet, however, has demonstrated the fallacy of Sertuerner's opinion as far as it concerns Derosne's salt; but has con- firmed his statement regarding the exis- tence of morphia.^ To obtain morphia, he orders a concentrated solution of opium to be boiled for a quarter of an hour, with a small quantity (184 grains to libj. of opium) of magnesia. A greyish precipitate forms, which is to be separated by filtration, washed on the filter with cold water, dried, and then digested for some time with weak spirit, in a moderate heat, in order to sepa- rate the colouring matter. The residue is now again to be separated by the filter, washed with a little cold alcohol, and then boiled in a larger quantity of rectified alco- hol : on filtering the solution whilst it is yet boiling, morphia, beautifully crystallized and almost free from colour, is deposited as it cools. By repeating the last part of the operation three or four times, with the re- sidue of the previous boilings, the whole of the morphia is obtained. The salt thus procured is colourless, bitter, inodorous, and crystallized, in regular parallelopipeds. It burns like vegetable matter, leaving car- bon as a residue ; restores, like the alkalies, the colour of reddened turnsole, browns turmeric paper, and readily combines with acids forming neutral salts.§ It is nearly insoluble in water, and not very soluble in cold alcohol, or ether; but it is readily solu- ble in the two latter fluids in the boiling state; the salt being again precipitated in crystals as the solutions cool. It is soluble al§o in oil, both fixed and volatile. As an alkali, it holds the next place to ammonia, having less affinity for the acids than either that salt or magnesia. Morphia being scarcely soluble in water or in the fluids of the stomach in its uncombined state, does not display in a striking manner its proper- ties when exhibited alone; but these are very striking when it is combined with an acid, particularly the acetic, or the meco- nic; with the latter of which it exists natu- rally in opium in a state of combination, as a super-meconate. The sedative proper- ties, therefore, of opium, appear to depend on the morphia it contains; which acts very powerfully on the animal economy: X Annales de Chimie et de Thys. tome v. p. 276. § The nitric acid of. commerce, when dropped on morphia, communicates to it a beautiful red colour. The following are the characters of the neutral com- pounds of morphia which may be medicinally em- ployed. The acetate of morphia crystallizes in soft, silky prisms, which are very soluble. The sulphate in arborescent or branching crystals, soluble in two parts of water at 60°. The carbonate in short pris- matic crystals, soluble in four parts of water atpo. # MATERIA MEDICA. 227 but the meconic acid in its separated state exerts no peculiar effect on the animal sys- tem. Its principal chemical characteristics are the producing an intense red colour with solution of iron oxidized ad maximum ; and a deep blue with solutions of the salts of gold. M. M. Majendie and Robiquet have lately endeavoured to prove, that the salt obtained by Derosne, and which they have named narcotine, is that principle which produces the excitement experi- enced by those who take opium, before its sedative effects are felt. Robiquet has proposed a mode of preparing an extract free from narcbtine, and yet containing morphia. (See Extractum Opii.) In repeating Sertuerner's and Robiquet's experiments, I obtained from good Turkey opium, nearly three times the quantity of morphia yielded by the same weight of East India opium ; that from the latter was also more coloured, and in smaller crystals. Although the utmost nicety of manipulation was not attended to in these experiments, yet as both specimens were treated exact- ly in the same manner, the experiments are sufficient to show the comparative richness of these varieties of the drug in this salt; and the result is certainly in favour of the opinion that the sedative property of opium depends on this alkaline salt; and accounts for the fact which has been stated above, that much larger doses of the East India opium are required to produce its sedative effect on the system. Practitioners and physiologists in this country have not yet made any decisive experiments with mor- phia, to determine its effects on the animal economy ; but this point has been inves- tigated by M. M. Orfila and Majendie.* The experiments of the former being made upon dogs, they can be regarded as important only inasmuch as they confirm the opinion, that opium owes its soporific powers to this salt, and displays the1 com- parative activity of the different combina- tions of the salt. Of the saline compounds he found the acetate the most powerful: but a solution of morphia in olive oil acts with still greater intensity, and with more than double the effect of" the aqueous ex- tract of opium. The experiments of M. Majendie being made on the human sub- ject, are more interesting. He found that a quarter of a grain of acetate of morphia produces the most beneficial effects that can be expected from an anodyne, allay- ing pain and procuring sleep, without, in any degree, affecting the cerebral func- tions : and I have been able, from my own experience, to verity this fac^ The sul- phate acts in a similar manner, but with less energy. Medical properties and uses.—Poppy * Noureau Journ. de Medicine, torn. i. p. 1. 23. heads or capsules possess anodyne proper- ties : they are chiefly employed, boiled in water, as fomentations to inflamed and ul- cerated surfaces; and a syrup prepared with the inspissated decoction is used as an anodyne for children, and to allay the tick- ling cough in chronic catarrh, and phthisis. Opium operates as a powerful and very diffusible stimulus, but its primary opera- tion is followed by narcotic and sedative effects in a degree much greater than could be expected from the previous excitement it induces. It acts directly on the nervous system, and when taken into the stomach destroys irritability, and allays pain in the most distant parts of the body, independent of the circulation, and without inducing any change on the composition of the blood. As the principle, therefore, on which opium acts is the same over all the body, the topical application of it is capable of producing similar effects, only in a dimi- nished degree, to those resulting from it when it is taken into the stomach. The larger the dose is, the more quickly its primary action is extended over the whole habit; and as every part is excited nearly at the same moment of time, the general consequent exhaustion must necessarily more rapidly follow than when the dose is merely sufficient to induce a degree of ex- citement, scarcely exceeding the powers of the system on which it operates. Hence either the stimulant or the sedative effects of opium may be rendered obvious by the extent of the dose in which it is exhibited, and the early knowledge of this truth might have saved much of the keen controversy which this subject at one period occasion- ed. In moderate doses opium increases the fullness, the force, and the frequency of the pulse, augments the heat of the body.f quickens respiration, and invigorates both the corporeal and mental functions, exhila- rating even to intoxication :\ but by degrees these effects are succeeded by langour, las- situde, and sleep ; and in many instances headach, sickness, thirst, tremors, and other t It is extraordinary that Dioscorides, Galen, Au- relianus, and many of the ancients, believed that it produced cold. X The Turk's cajl opium aftoni; and in the teri- akihana, or opium shops of Constantinople, they take it in graduated doses from ten grains to one hundred grains in a day. It is mixed with rich syrup and the inspissated juices of fruit to render it mora palatable and less intoxicating; and is taken with a spoon or made up into small lozenges stamped with the words, Mash Allah, literally," The work of God." The tartar couriers who travel great distances, and with astonishing rapidity, take nothing else to sup- port them during their journeys. ( Dallaway's Con- stantinople, 4to. 78.) There is, however, some rea- son for supposing that the Mash Allah, or Maslach of the Turks, contain other narcotics, as those of hemp and of lolium, as well as opium. 228 MATERIA MEDICA. symptoms of debility such as follow the ex- cessive use of ardent spirits, supervene. In very large doses the primary excitement is scarcely apparent, but the pulse seems to be at once diminished, drowsiness and stu- por immediately come on; and are followed by delirium, sighing, deep and stertorous breathing, cold sweats, convulsions, apo- plexy, and death. The appearances on dissection are those which indicate the previous existence of violent inflammation of the stomach and bowels; but notwith- standing the symptoms of apoplexy which an overdose when it proves fatal occasions, no particular appearance of an inflammato- ry state or fulness of the vessels of the brain are perceived. Opium is efficaciously given in some dis- eases of debility, as, for instance, fevers of the typhoid kind, and intermittents ; and combined with calomel to check the pro- gress of gangrene. In typhus, when given in small doses frequently repeated, it is a useful assistant to wine and tonics in sup- porting the vis vitae ; and at the same time allaying irritation, and obtunding the sus- ceptibility of those morbid impressions which occasion watchfulness, delirium, tre- mors, and subsultus tendinum. It is to this effect of it that Alibert and others ascribe its power, when moderately used., of ren- dering the human body less susceptible to different diseases.* Some caution, how- ever, is required in its exhibition ; for if the heat of the body be much above the natu- ral standard, and the skin dry, opium in- creases these symptoms, augments thirst, and occasions restlessness. But if moisture be coming on, opium accelerates it, and tranquillity and sleep follow. Hence the propriety of Dr. Currie's advice, not to give the evening dose of opium in these fe- vers till very late or about one or two o'clock in the morning, when the heat is subsiding ; or first to lower the tempera- ture, and excite sensible perspiration by the effusion of cold water, or tepid spong- ing.f It is hurtful also where there is any disposition to local inflammation, particu- larly of the chest; and where there is much determination to the head. Opium very materially assists the bark in curing inter- mittents, and prevents it from running off by the bowels. When given at the ap- proach of the paroxysm, it sometimes checks its attack, or shortens and renders it milder, and abates the violence of the hot stage by determining to the surface, and inducing sleep. In acute rheumatism opium is given united with with ipecacuanha or antimo- • Nouveaux Elemens de TheVapeutique, &c. 4 edit, tome xi. p. 76. t Medical Reports on the Use of cold and warm Water, i. 290. nials^ and nitre, and always relieves it when it determines to the surface. In the other phlegmasia^ however, it cannot with propriety be used in the early stages ; but after the inflammatory action is subdued, it is useful in quieting cough, allaying pain, and procuring sleep. In eruptive diseases, particularly small- pox, the liberal use of opium is found to be highly beneficial, when convulsions pre- cede the appearance of the eruption, or if the accompanying fever assume the typhoid type. In malignant scarlatina, pemphigus, and several others of the exanthemata, it is equally valuable ; but its use is contra-indi- cated in this class of diseases when the fe- ver is inflammatory. In the hjemorrhag'iK it is useful when the discharge arises chiefly from an increased degree of irritability, and where the pulse, instead of being strong and full, is small, quick, and intermitting. Hence its effica- cy in the floodings of weakened habits af- ter abortions, and in phthisical haemoptysis. It has been recommended also after blood- letting, in the haemoptysis and hxmateme- sis of the later months of pregnancy. Although opiates are hurtful at first, and check expectoration in catarrh, yet when the cough remains obstinate their good ef- fects are undoubted ; and in the contagious catarrh or influenza, an opiate at bed-time is requisite for quieting the cough in every stage of the disorder. In dysentery, also, the benefit'to be derived from opium de- pends very much on the bowels having been previously well cleared, in which case it allays the tormina and tenesmus ; and the same remark applies to diarrhoea. But the spasmodic and convulsive diseases are those in which opium is most evidently useful. In tetanus, although it does not always succeed, even when given in the largest doses, yet many cases have occurred in which the continued exhibition of large doses has overcome the spasm, and cured the disease ; particularly when it has been judicicftisly combined with cathartics: often, however, very large quantities of the re- medy have been taken without any sensi- ble effect on the state of the habit, and without relieving the disorder; and the same is the case in hydrophobia, in which 180 grains of solid opium have been taken in the space of twelve hours without pro- ducing any apparent effect. It has been t I know of no remedy which so effectually re- lieves the excruciating pain of acute rheumatism, which generally makes its attack at night, as the following combination : R. Submuriatis Hydrargyri, gr. jss. Antimonii tartarizati gr. 1-4. Opii gr. jss. Rat pilula bora decumbentis sumenda. § Were it allowable in this work to criticise noso- logical arrangements, we might justly question the propriety of placing rheumatism among the phleg- masia. found beneficial in chorea ; but as in teta- nus, it is necessary to precede its use by strong cathartics, or at least to give it in combination with these.* In epilepsy it proves useful when given in combination with musk ; and it has been recommended by highly respectable authorityf in eclamp- sia, but its efficacy in this complaint is ra- ther doubtful. In spasmodic asthma it short- ens the paroxysms, abates the violence of the cough in pertussis, when given after the primary fever subsides ;* nd is more espe- cially useful in pyrosis and cholera than any other medicine. Solid opium, either alone or united with camphor, is the most effec- tual remedy for checking obstinate vomi- ting proceeding from a morbid irritability of the stomach. In colic and ileus it is given in combination with laxatives, and al- lays the spasm and pain ; nor is it less effi- cacious in flatulent colic with hernia. As a remedy in lues venerea opium is still relied on by some foreign practitioners, but the idea of its anti-venereal powers has been justly exploded in this country ; and it is properly regarded only as a useful adjunct to mercury in this disease : " by diminish- ing the sensibility of the stomach and bow- els, it prevents many of those inconvenien- ces which this mineral is apt to excite in the priniae viae, and allows it to be more ea- sily introduced into the system-''^ In short, in all cases where the irritability is morbid- ly increased, and where it is of importance to lessen pain, and procure sleep, opium is undoubtedly the most valuable article of the materia medica. Opium is contra-indicated in all morbid states of the body where a strong inflam- matory diathesis exists ; in pulmonary af- fections, when the cough is dry and hard, and the expectoration difficult and scanty ; and, if not hurtful, its use is at least doubt- ful in mania, in which it generally occasions restlessness instead of procuring sleep. Externally used, opium is almost as effi- cacious as when it is taken into the stomach, and produces its narcotic effects without affecting the head or producing nausea. It is applied in the form of frictions, either combined with oil, or with the camphor li- niment, or in the form of tincture : thus applied, it may be used in all the diseases above enumerated. We have often seen its good effects in colic ; and have also wit- nessed its singular efficacy in symptomatic trismus, when rubbed on the jaw, and ap- plied to the scrobiculus cordis by means of pledgets soaked in the tincture. A piece of solid opium stuffed into a carious tooth * Observations on the Administration and Utility of Purgative Medicines, &c. 86. + Denman. Bland. t Pearson's Observations, &c. on Articles used in the Cure of Lues Venerea, p. 60. 229 relieves the pain of toothach ; and introdu- ced into the rectum, either in the solid form or dissolved in water as an enema, it affords relief in tenesmus, in painful affec- tions of the prostate gland, and in spasmo- dic strictures. A weak watery solution of it, also, is a useful adjunct to injections in gonorrhoea, and to collyria in ophthalmia ; and the vinous tincture dropped into the eye removes the suffusion which often re- mains in that disease after the inflammation has been subdued; and restores the tone of the diseased organ. The aqueous solu- tion also lessens the pain of open cancer, when cloths soaked in it are laid over the sore. Opium is exhibited either in substance as a pill, or under the form of tincture. It is necessary to avoid combining it with sub- stances which decompose it; and there- fore solutions of oxymuriate of mercury, acetate of lead, sulphates of zinc, iron, and copper; of the carbonates of alkalies, lime water, infusion of galls, and infusion of yel- low cinchona bark, are incompatible in pre- scriptions with opium. In combination, however, with vinegar, the vegetable acids, and oil, its narcotic power is much in- creased^ } The effect of vegetable acids in augmenting the efficacy of opium is explained by what has been said on the combinations of morphia. The greater power of that preparation of opium, which has been known, for upwards of a hundred years, under the name of " Black Drop," appears to depend on its containing an acetate of morphia. The following is the mode of preparing it, as publiihed by Dr. Armstrong, (vide Practical Illustrations of Typhus,) from the papers of the late Edward Walton, of Sun- derland, one of the near relations of Edward Ton- stall, of Bishop's Auckland, by whom it was ori- ginally prepared. " Take half a pound of opium sliced ; three pints of good verjuice ; one and a half ounce of nutmegs ; half an ounce of saffron. Boil them to a proper thickness, then add a quarter of a pound of sugar, and two spoonfdls of yeast. Set the whole in a warm place near the fire, six or eight weeks, then place it in the open air until it becomes a syrup; lastly decant, filter, and bottle it up, add- ing a little sugar to each bottle." One drop of tin-, preparation is caU-.lated to be equal to three drops of the Tincture of Opium, of the London College. It evidently owes its efficacy to the acetate of mor- phia, which is formed by the verjuice decomposiug the meeonate of the opium. The acetate itself is a more elegant preparation ; and produces its effects in doses l-6th of a grain. There is also some reason for thinking that another preparation of opium, the Liquor Opii Sedativus, of Mr. Batley, of Fore- Street, London, which has been justly esteemed one of the best preparations of the drug hitherto discovered, owes its efficacy to the acetate of morphia. The mode of preparing it is as yet kept secret; but I know that the whole of the resinous part of the opium employed is separated and rejected," and I am inclined to believe that acetic acid is em- ployed to separate the gummy part. Dr. Paris (Pharmacologia) states as an objection to this prepa- ration, that it under-of i some important change oa MEDICA. 230 MATERIA MEDICA. The dose of opium should be regulated by the nature of the disease, and the pecu- liar intention for which it is ordered. The circumstance of the patient having been previously accustomed to its use must also regulate the extent of the dose ; for in this case a dose, which to one unaccustomed to its use would prove fatal, may perhaps to another in the habit of taking it be scarcely sufficient to produce its sedative effects. A quarter of a grain, or even less, frequently repeated, is, in general, sufficient to keep up its stimulant effect; and from gr. j. to grs. ij. act as a sedative, and produce sleep ; while in tetanus, hydrophobia, and some other diseases, f^vss. of laudanum have been given in twenty-six hours, without oc- casioning any bad effects, or even produ- cing sleep.* The use of opium for the purpose of ex- hilarating the spirits has long been used in Turkey, Syria, and China; f and of late years it has been unfortunately adopted by many, particularly females, in this country. Russell^ says that in Syria, when combined with spices and aromatics, he has known it taken to the amount of giij. in twenty-four hours. Its habitual use cannot be too much reprobated. It impairs the digestive or- gans, consequently the vigour of the whole body, and destroys also gradually the men- tal energies. The effects of opium on those addicted to its use, says Russell, are at first obstinate costiveness, succeeded by diar-. rhoea and flatulence, with loss of appetite and a sottish appearance. The memories of those who take it soon fail, they become prematurely old, and then sink into the grave objects of scorn and pity.§ When opium has been taken in an over- dose, the first thing to be done for coun- teracting its bad effect, is the exhibition of a powerful emetic; and for this purpose 9j. of sulphate of zinc, or from grs. v. to being kept. Justice obliges me to say, that my ex- perience does not allow me to concur in this remark. I used the remedy before it was sold to the profession, and gave it the name it bears; and although I have since constantly prescribed it, and kept the prepara- tion in rather a warm situation, yet I have not ob- served the change of which Dr. Paris has spoken. * Currie's Medical Reports, &c. i. 138. T The inhabitants of these countries regard it also as an aphrodisiac. •' Ad venerem enim ciere inte- gral nationes norunt, et in hunc usum adhibent: sic Japonenses, Chiuenses, magis Indiee, Perss, (Egyptii et Turcae aphrodisiacum opium, referentibus Pr. Alpino, Saar (Itinerar. Ind. orient), Cleyer (Eph.. N. C. 11. x. 35,). Fceminas turcicas opio viros in- citare refert Jahn (Mat. Med. ii. 265). Vide Opium Hist. Chem. aique Pharm. invest, per. C. A. Christen, 8vo. p. 53; X History of Aleppo, i. 128. 5 Mustapha Shatoor, an opium eater in Smyrna, took daily three drachms of crude opium. The visible effects at the time were the sparkling of his eyes, and great exhilaration of spirits. He found grs. x. of sulphate of copper dissolved in water should be immediately swallowed, and the vomiting kept up for a considera- ble time, and urged by irritation of the fau- ces. Large draughts of vinegar and water, or other acidulated fluids, should after- wards be frequently taken ; and the powers of the habit supported by brandy, coffee, and cordials. The sufferer should be kept awake, and, if possible, in continued gen- tle motion. Curr^ recommends the affu. sion of warm waxer at 106° or 108°,|| for removing the drowsiness. Officinal preparations. Of the poppy capsules—Decoctum Papaveris, L. Ex- tractum Papaveris, L. E. Syrupus Papa- veris, L. E. D. Of opium—Opium purifi- catum, D. Confectio Opii, L. Elect. Opii, F. Elect. Catechu, E. Elect. Catechu comp, D. Extractum Opii, L. E. D. Pilula Opii, E. Pilula Saponis cum Opio, L. Pulvis opiatiis, E. Pulvis Cornu usti cum Opio, L, Pulvis Creta comp. cum Opio, E. Pulvis Ipecacuanhx comp. L. E. D. Tinctura Opii, L. E. D. Tinctura Camphorx compo- site., L. D. Tinctura Opii ammoniata, E. Trochisci Glycyrrhiza cum Opio, E. Vinum Opii, E. ORCHIS MASCULA. Salop is prepared from the orchis mas- cula, by soaking the root in water, and beating it. It is used as a diluent, and as an article of diet; and is principally prescribed in nephritic diseases, as calculus, dysuiia, 8cc. and also in diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera. PASTINACA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1465. Cl. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbellatae. G. 558. Fruit elliptical, compressed, flat. Petals involute, entire. Species 3. P. Opoponax.\ Opoponax, or Rough Parsnip. Med. Bot. 2d ed, 122. t. 47. the desire of increasing his dose growing upon him. He seemed twenty years older than he really was; his complexion was very sallow, his legs small, his gums eaten away, and the teeth laid bare to the sockets. lie could not rise without first swallowing half a drachm of opium. (Phil. Trans, xix. 289.) Some years ago, I was consulted by a lady who took a wine pint and a half of laudanum every week, and who, as she began to experience its bad effects on her constitution, was anxious to discontinue it, but was uncertain how to proceed. I recommendtd her to get a three-pint bottle of the drug, and to continue her usual dose; but, after taking each portion out of the bottle, always to replace it with water; so that, in the progress of time, the bottle would con- tain water only, and her propensity would be cured. She continued the plan for one week only, and hav- ing left my neighbourhood, I have had no opportu- nity of knowing the consequence of her return to the abuse of opium. || Reports on Water, i. 80. 1 'o.totkWJ; Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 231 Officinal. Opoponacis Gummi Resixa, Lond. Opoponax. Syn. Opoponax (F.),Panax gummi (G.), Opoponace (/.), Iawesheer (Arab.). This species of parsnip is a perennial plant, a native of the south of Europe, flow- ering in July. The root is as thick as the human arm, branched, of a yellow colour, and covered with a corky bark. In the Levant, where this plant grows, the milky juice which exudes from incisions made in the roots, and dried in the sun, forms the opoponax of the shops. It is im- ported from Turkey and India in chests, and is sometimes in tears or drops, but more usually in irregular lumps. Qualities.—Opoponax has a strong dis- agreeable smell, and a bitter acrid taste. The masses are of a reddish yellow colour, speckled with white on the outside, paler within, and frequently variegated with large white pieces. Its specific gravity is 1.622.* It appears to be a compound of gum, resin, starch, extractive, wax, malic acid, a trace of caoutchouc.f and essential oil. When triturated with water, about one-half of it dissolves, forming an opaque milky solution, which deposits, on standing, a portion of resinous matter, and becomes yellowish. Alcohol acts feebly on it; and in distillation, either with spirit or with water, the odour of the opoponax is very strongly communi- cated to the fluids, but scarcely any oil is obtained in a separate state. Medical properties and uses. —This gum resin is regarded as antispasmodic and em- menagogue, and as such has been used in hysteria and chlorosis, but is very seldom ordered. The dose may bfe from grs. x. to gss. PETROLEUM. Vide Bitumen. PHASIANUS. Syst. Nat. Gmelin, i. 737. Cl. 2. Ord. 5. Aves, Gallinae. G. 101. Beak short, strong. Cheeks made smooth, with a naked skin. Feet spurred. Species. 1. P. Gallus. The Dunghill Fowl. Willd. Ornith. 154. t. 26. Officinal. Ova, Lond. The Egg. Syn. CEuf(F.), Ein, Ey (G.), Ouvo (/.), Huevo (S.), Ey (Dutch), Aeg (Dan.), Agg (Swed.), Ovo (Port.), Jaizo (Russ.), Jaie (Poln.), Wegce (Bohm.), Muna (Finnl.), Moune (Lappl.), Jemurda (Turk.), Tochem (Pers.), Mennik (Greenl.) The common domestic fowl is too well known to require any description. The country whence it originally came has not been correctly ascertained, although it is conjectured that it was brought from Persia by the Phoenicians, about 500 years before the birth of Christ.t As an article of food * Brisson. t Pelletier, Ann. de Chim. Ixix. p. 90. X British Zoology, i. 280. There is a variety of the common fowl, named the Dorking Fowl, from it is the least stimulating of animal sub- stances; and the broth made of the young fowl or chicken is not only the best restora- tive diet for the convalescent, but is also a useful diluent in cholera, dysentery, and other disorders of the bowels. After they are a year old, their flesh becomes less and less digestible ; but the capon and poulard retain their tenderness longer. The egg consists of two distinct fluid matters, the white and the yolk; the mem- branes which inclose these, and the shell.§ Qualities.—The white is inodorous and insipid, of a glary viscid nature, readily dis- solving in water, coagulable by a heat of 165° Fahrenheit, and also by acids and al- cohol. When coagulated it becomes sapid, and is no longer soluble, either in cold or hot water. From the experiments of Dr. Bostock, it appears to be composed of water 85-0, albumen 1-2, in 100 parts; and, be- sides, shows traces of uncoagulable matter 2-7, and salts 0-3, sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and benzoic acid. The yolk is also in- odorous, but has a bland oily taste ; and when agitated with water forms a milky emulsion. When boiled, it becomes a granu- lar solid, and yields by expression a yellow insipid fixed oil. It consists of four consti- tuents, water, oil, albumen, and gelatine ; on the presence of the albumen depends the hardness of the boiled yolk. The shell consists of carbonate of lime, phosphate of lime, and animal mucus. When it is burnt, the carbonic acid is dissipated, the animal cement destroyed, and pure lime, with phos- phate of lime, obtained. As long as the yolk remains suspended in the centre of the al- bumen, an egg is supposed to be good ; but it spoils as soon as the yolk touches the shell. The preventing the admission of air through the pores of the shell, preserves eggs for a longer period than they other- wise could be kept good. This is effected by covering the egg with grease, or dipping it into lime water. A fresh or good egg appears semi-transparent, when placed be- tween the eye and the light; but when it is opaque or irregularly cloudy, it must be re- • jected. Medical properties and uses.—The yolks of raw eggs are gently laxative, and have been thought serviceable in jaundice and other hepatic obstructions. Beaten up with sugar and wine, they are extremely nutritive, and are consequently useful in convalescencies, and other cases of debi- lity. In pharmaceutical operations, the being generally procured at Dorking, in Surrey, which has two toes behind instead of one. Another variety is found at Mozambique, and at Siam, which has the skin, bones, periosteum, and sometimes the flesh, quite black, and yet is esteemed good eating. § Hens have been known to lay eggs when twen- ty years old. Supplement to Latham, 207. 232 MATERIA yolks are used for rendering oil and bal- sams miscible with water; and the whites for clarification.* The shells are antacid ; but possess no advantages over chalk when unburned, or lime when they are burned. PHYSETER. Syst. Nat. Gmelin. i. 227. Cl.l.0rd.7. Mammalia Cete. G. 39. Teeth in the lower jaw, but none in the upper. Tube in the head, or great front. Species 2. P. Macrocephalus. Spermaceti Whale. Willough. Pise. t. A. 1. f. 3. Phil. Trans. Ix. 321. t. 9. Officinal. Cetaceum, Lond. Spehmaceti, Edin. Sperma Ceti ; SEvmr, Dub. Sper- maceti. Syn. Spermaceti; Cetine (F.), Wallrath (G.), Spermaceti (/.), Esperrnaceti (S.). This species of whale inhabits chiefly the Southern Ocean, although some are occa- sionally seen in the European seas. The spongy, oily mass, is dug out from the cavity of the head, and the oil separated from it by dripping.f In this state it has a yellow unctuous appearance, and is brought to England in barrels. The fol- lowing is the mode of purifying it in the great way: The mass is put into hair bags, and pressed between plates of iron, in a screw press, until it becomes hard and brit- tle. It is then broken in pieces and thrown into boiling water, where it melts, and the impurities rising to the surface are skimmed off. After being cooled, and separated from the water, it is put into fresh water in a large boiler, and a weak ley of the potass of commerce added to it by degrees. This part of the process is thrice repeated, after which the whole is poured into coolers, where the spermaceti concretes into a white semi-transparent mass, which, on being cut into small pieces, assumes the flaky aspect it has in the shops.$ Qualities.—Purified spermaceti is a white, crystallized, friable, semi-transpa- rent, unctuous substance, nearly inodorous and insipid. Its specific gravity is 9 433. It melts at ll'J° Fahrenheit,§ and at a 'higher temperature evaporates, very little altered ; although by repeated distillations it is partly decomposed, and a brown acid liquor obtained. Like the fixed oils it leaves, when heated, on paper, a greasy stain, and can be diffused in water by means of the yolk of egg or mucilage. It is soluble in hot alcohol, ether, and oil of turpentine, but concretes again as the • Owing to peculiar idiosyncrasy, the smallest portion of the white of egg cannot be eaten by some persons without occasioning pain, sickness, and an erysipelatous eruption on the skin. t An ordinary sized whale will yield upwards of twelve large barrels of crude spermaceti. X Monthly Magazine, August 1809. } Bostock, Nichol. Journ. iv. 1.14, MEDICA. fluids cool; and is completely soluble in the fixed oils. When boiled with alcohol, it becomes fusible at 49°, more brilliant and less unctuous, less odorous, and more solubIeinalcohol.|| Of the acids, the sul- phuric only acts on it, dissolving it, and forming a dark-coloured, thick, soapy solu- tion, which has a faint smell of sulphur. The alkaline carbonates do not affect it, but it is partially dissolved in the pure al- kalies; and with hot ammonia it forms an emulsion, which is not decomposed by cooling. Long exposure to hot air renders it rancid; but it may be again purified by being washed in warm ley of potass. Medical properties and uses.—Sperma- ceti is demulcent and emollient. It how- ever possesses no advantages for internal use over the fixed bland oils. It is used in dysentery and irritations of the alimentary canal, and in catarrh and phthisis : but in the latter cases it is less beneficial than the bland oils; for, as these are readily united with water by means of alkalies and muci- lages, the compounds formed with them are more viscid, and better adapted for smearing the fauces. Several imaginary healing virtues were formerly supposed to belong to spermaceti; on which account it was, and still is, often given to women in child-bed. It is, however, when com- bined with water by means of the yolk of egg, a pleasant vehicle for tincture of opium, when the after-pains are trouble- some. It forms a part in the composition of several ointments. The dose is from "Jss. to 3Jss. rubbed with sugar, or in the form of emulsion. Officinal preparations. Ceratum simplex, E. Ceratum Cetacei, L. Unguentum Ce- tacei, L. D. [PHYTOLACCA DECANDRA. Decandria decagynia. Nat. ord. Oleraceae. Poke weed. Garget. American Night- shade. Cancer-root. Jalap. Pigeon berries. The phytolacca is a poison ; it is narco- tic, and produces giddiness ; it operates as an emetic when given in the dose of 20 or 30 grs. and according to Dr. Bigelow, with the same certainty, though much more slowly than ipecacuanha. It is must cele- brated as a remedy in chronic rheumatism; it is given in the dose of a table-spoonful of the tincture three times a day. It is also used in cutaneous eruptions, as tinea capi- tis, itch, and also in ulcers of a cancerous nature. The root is gathered in the fall, and cut into thin slices, and dried, and kept in close vials for use.] PIMPINELLA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1471. || Chevreul, Ann. dt Chim. et de Phys. torn. vii. !>■ 157. MATERIA MEDICA. 233 Cl. t. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. J Ord. Umbellatae. G. 562. Fruit ovate-oblong. Petals in-j fleeted. Stigma nearly globular. Species 8. Pimpinella Aids urn.* Anise. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 135. t. 52. Officinal. Anisi semina, Lond. Pimpi- nellje Anisi semina, Edin. Anisum ; semina, Dub. Anise seeds. Syn. Graines d'Anis (F.), Anis (G., Dan., Swed., Russ., Port.), Anice (/.), Anis; Matalahuga (S.), Anys (Dutch), .Anyz (Poln.,. Bohm.), Annison (Arab.), Souf (/if.), Seri nisii (Japan), Rosiana ru- mi (Per:). This is an annual plant, a native of Egypt; but it is cultivated abundantly in Malta and Spain, and in our physical herb gardens ;f flowering in July. It is a deli- cate plant, and rises about a foot only in height. The anise grown in this country ripens its seed sufficiently to be gathered about the middle of August. A greater quantity of seed, however, than is grown here, is annually imported from Malta and Spain. The Spanish is small, and generally prefer- ed. The heaviest are to be preferred. Qualities.—Anise seeds have an aromatic odour, and a sweetish, warm, grateful taste. Both alcohol and water extract their virtues ; and in distillation with water they yield a yellowish volatile oil, which con- cretes at a temperature of 50Q of Fahren- heit. An oil of a greenish colour also is obtained from anise seeds by expression ; it consists of a bland, fixed, inodorous oil, mixed with a large portion of the proper essential oil. Medical properties and uses.—These seeds are carminative; and are supposed to possess the power of promoting the se- cretion of milk. They are chiefly used in flatulencies, and in the tormina of infants. They are given in substance bruised, in doses of from grs. x. to gij. Officinal preparations.— Oleum Anisi, L. E. D. Spiritus Anisi, L. PIMEN'TiE BAC.'CJE. Vide Myrtus. PINCS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 494. Cl. 21. Ord. 8. Monacia Monadelphia. Nat. ord. Conifers. G. 1711. Male. Calyx four-leaved. Corolla none. Stamens many. Anthers naked. -------Female. Calyx strobiles, with a two-flowered scale. Corolla none. Pistil one. Nut with a membranous wing. * With double leaves. Species 1. P. sylvestris. The Wild Pine, or Scotch Fir. Med. Bot.2ded. 1.1.1. Smith * "A»vwrev Dioscoridis. t A considerable quantity is cultivated at Mitch- am in Surrey, chiefly for the use of the rectifiers of British spirits. Stevenson's Survey, 379. 30 Flora Brit. 1031. Lambert, Description of the Genus Pinus, i. t. 1. *•*• with fascicled leaves. Species 24. P. Larix. The Larch. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 7. t. 4. Lambert, 53, t. 35. *****Wilh solitary leaves, distinct at the base. Species 27. P. Balsamea. Balm-of Gilead- Fir. Lambert, 48. t. 31. Species 32. P. Abies. Norway Spruce Fir. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 4. t. 2. Lambert, 37. t. 25. 1. Piwus Stlvestris. Officinal. a. Tehebinthina vulgahis, Lond, Edin. Terebin'thina vulgaris ; resina, Dub. /3. Terebin'thin;e oleum, Lond. Piiri OLEUM VOLATILE, Edin. y. Resina flava, Lond. Resina Pint, Edin. Resina alba, Dub. Resina nigra, Lond. S. PixLict'uiDA,Zene*binthe (F.), Terbenthinbhl (G.), Olio della Trementina (/.), Azeyte de Trementina (S.), y. Resine blanche et flave (F.), Fichtenharz (G.), Ragia (/.), Resina (S.), sar asserted that the fir did not grow in Britain, he must have meant the P. Abies. The ancient name of the fir in Scotland was Gius, in Ireland Giumhut, and in Wales Fynniduydh. The following, also, are synonimes of this tree. Die Kiefer (G.), Pynboom (Dutch), Furr (Dan.), Tall (Swed.), le Pin (F.), il Pino (I.) el Pino (S.), O. Pinheiro (Port.), Sosna (Russ.), Mandy (Finnl.), Betxe (Lapl.), Maals (Japan), Sum (Chinese;, Bor. (Sclav.;. It prefers au arid, siliceous soil. 234' MATERIA eessivcly made till September, when the i cold checks the further exudation. The warmer the weather is, the greater quanti- ty of turpentine is obtained: and a healthy tree may thus yield from six to twelve pounds of turpentine annually, for a centu- ry of years. Part of the juice concretes in the wounds, and is called galipot in Pro- vence, and barras in Guienne; but although it contains oil, yet it is not used for the purpose of procuring it. The proper tur- pentine is purified by being exposed to li- quefy in the sun's rays in barrels perforated in the bottom, through which it filters. The oil of turpentine is obtained by distill- ing the resin with water in a common still, when the oil is found in the receiver swim- ming on the water, from which it is easily separated: the average proportion is 601bs. of oil from 2501bs. of good turpentine. This process is carried on both abroad and at home ; but the oil drawn in this country is always preferred. Common resin, or yellow resin, is the resi- due of the distillation of turpentine. It receives different appellations according to the mode in which the process is carried on. When the distillation is performed without addition, and continued to dry- ness, the residue is called common resin, or colophony*, but when agitated with about one-eighth of fresh water while yet fluid, it is named yellow resin. A similar resin is made by melting and agitating the galipot in water; and this is preferred in general to the former kind, on account of its great- er ductility, which arises from its contain- ing a portion of oil. Tar\ is the last officinal preparation from this species of fir which we have to no- tice. The greater part of the tar imported into Britain is brought from the Baltic, and is still prepared in nearly the same method as described by Dioscorides to have been practised by the ancients. The branches of the trees are cut into billets, and piled up in large stacks which are covered with turf. Fire is then applied to the wood, and it is suffered to burn with a slow smother- ed flame, during which the tar is formed by the decomposition of the resinous juice, flows to the bottom, and runs out through a small channel cut for the purpose. The stacks are generally built on the slope of a hill, so that the tar is easily collected, and put into barrels ; in which state it is brought to this country. 1. PlNCS LARIX4 Officinal, a.. Resina liq.uii>a, vulgo, Tere- • The eolophonia of the ancients was a liquid re- sin, named from Koxopmv, a town of Ionia in Asia Minor, whenee it was brought. f Kuvov Grscorum. i n/ruf Theophrasti. Larchenbaum (G.) Lurkenboom fDuteh). Lrrkttrx (Dan.), Melcxe (F.), MEDICA. sfTNTniNA Vt.THT.Tl, Edin. TF-nr-BINTitlNA Veneta; resina, Dub. /3. Pim olf.cm volatile, Edin. Venice turpentine ; Oil of turpentine. Syn. TenSbinthe de Venise (F.), Vene- tischer Terbenthin (G.), Trementina Ve- neta (I.) There are two varieties of the larch tree, one of them a native of America, the other of the south of Europe and Siberia. The larch tree grows to very great per- fection in the forests of Baye in Provence, where a very large proportion of the Ve- nice turpentine of commerce is procured. It is obtained by boring a hole with an au- ger into the heart of the tree, at about two feet from the ground, and fitting into it a small pipe, through which the turpentine flows slowly into vessels placed for its re- ception. This process is begun in May, and continued till September; when the dif- ferent quantities collected are put togeth- er, and purified by straining through cloths or hair sieves. No trees under twelve inches in diameter are tapped; but vigo- rous trees will yield annually seven or eight pounds for forty or fifty successive years, or during the term of their life.§ Much of the Venice turpentine of the shops is brought from America; and is perhaps procured from a different species of fir. The essential oil is separated from it by distillation in the same manner as from the common turpentine. 3. Pinus Balsamea.|| Officinal TerebintiiinaCanaiiensis, Lond. Balsamum CANADENSF-f, Dub. Canada Turpentine. Canada Balsam. Syn. Kanadischer balsam (G.). This tree is a native of North America, flowering in May. The manner in which the Canada balsam, or fine turpentine, yielded by this tree, is collected, is not well known in this coun- try ; but it is probably by simple incisions, as it exists in great quantity in vesicles be- tween the wood and the bark. Canada balsam is brought to this country in casks, each containing about one hundred weight. Larice (I. S.), Larieo (Port.;, Listwenixa (Ruis.J The larch tree has been cultivated in England sinee 1629. Hart. Kew. $ Besides turpentine the larch tree exudes a spe- cies of manna, which is ntmed Brianeon manna. It is in little white concrete drops, which adhere to the leaves, and taste sweet like new honey; but it has the flavour of turpentine, which it contains: The inner part of the tree yields also a gum similar in its properties to acacia gum, of a reddish colour, with a slight resinous taste. In Russia it is officinal, and sold, as Pallas observes, under the improper name of Orenberg gum, being obtained from the Uralian Forest. Flora Rossica, i. p. 2, 3. I BalsamUnne (G.) Le beaumier de Gilead (¥.) f The Dublin College have erred in retaining this name; for, as this substance does not afford benzoic acid, it cannot he ranked as a balsam, MALEU1A MEDICA. 2o5 4. Pixt/d Abies.* Officinal, a.. Abietis resixa, Lond. Resin of the spruce fir. /3. Pix arida, Lond. Resina sponte con- creta, vulgo, Pix Burguxdica, Edin. Fix Burgundica, Dub. Burgundy pitch. The Norway spruce fir is a native of Eu- rope, and of the moist parts of northern Asia; flowering in April. It is a lofty noble tree, rising 150 feet in height; straight, pyramidal, and covered with a reddish scaly bark. The resin or thus of the old London Pharmacopoeia exudes spontaneously from the bark of the Norway spruce fir, and con- cretes as it exudes. It undergoes no pre- paration, but is brought to us in the form of tears or small masses, packed in casks, each containing from one to two hundred weight. The greater part comes from Germany, but a small quantity of a purer description comes from France. Burgundy pitch is obtained by making incisions through the bark so as to lay bare the wood. It concretes in the form of flakes at the incisions, which are detached by an iron instrument once a fortnight during the summer, and fresh incisions successively made. The flakes, after being detached, are put into large boilers with a sufficient quantity of water, melted, and then strain- ed through coarse cloths under a press. The greatest quantity is collected in the neigh- bourhood of Neufchatel, whence it is brought to this country packed in casks. A fictitious sort is made in England, and found in the shops under the title of com- mon Burgundy pitch. It may be distin- guished by its friability, want of viscidity, and unctuosity, and the odour which cha- racterizes the genuine sort. Qualities.—Turpentines. Although these are produced from different species of the pine tribe, and one sort from the Pistacia Terebinthus, yet all of them possess the same general and chemical properties. They have a peculiar, somewhat aromatic odour, and a warm, pungent, bitterish taste; are semifluid, tenacious, translucent, com- bine readily with fixed oils, and are inflam- mable, burning with a white flame and much smoke. Alcohol and ether dissolve them entirely, leaving the impurities ; but water takes up only their flavour. When distilled with water a volatile oil comes over, and resin remains in the retort; the turpentines being compounds of these two substances. But each sort of turpentine has characteristic qualities which require to * 'Exd™ Theophrasti. Die Fichte (G.), Hartsboom (Dutch;, Gran. (Dan., Swed.;, La Pette (F.J, Pieea (I. S.;, Peuce (Port.; Jel. (Russ.) This sprci<"> of fir is cultivated in Britain, but it does not appnarto have b«en introduced bcfort 17 i*. be noticed; 1. Common turpentine has a strong, somewhat fragrant odour, and a bitter disagreeable taste ; its consistence is greater than that of honey; its colour is dirty yellow, and it is more opaque than the other sorts. 2. Venice turpentine is more fluid, having the consistency of new honey, a yellowish colour, and is less un- pleasant to the smell and taste than the common. 3. Canadian balsam (or more correctly turpentine) has a strong not dis- agreeable odour, and a bitterish taste ; is transparent, whitish, and has the consist- ence of Copaiva balsam. 4. Chian or Cy- press turpentine (see Pistacia) is very fra- grant, but almost insipid, nearly transpa- rent, thick, tenacious, and of a whitish co- lour. Oil of Turpentine has a strong, penetrat- ing, peculiar odour, and a hot, pungent, bitterish taste. It is perfectly limpid and colourless: extremely light, volatile, and inflammable ; and dissolves completely in six parts of sulphuric ether; but although hot alcohol readily dissolves it, yet it again separates in drops as the spirit cools, and is very sparingly soluble in the cold in the strongest alcohol. In all other respects it agrees with the other essential volatile oils. A stream of oxymuriatic gas passed through it converts it into a yellow resin. Tar has a strong odour familiar to every body ; a resinous, subacid, bitterish taste ; and a coarse, thick consistence, with a deep brown colour, approaching to blackness, derived from the charring of the wood during its formation. It consists princi- pally of empyreumatic oil, resin, and ace- tic acid ; is partially soluble in water; and inspissated by boiling into pitch. Yellow and White resin are varieties of the same substance. They are nearly ino- dorous when cold, but heated emit a slight terebinthinate odour. Their taste is slightly acrid and bitterish; and the colour a dull whitish yellow, or a greenish yellow. The mass of resin is semipellucid, brittle, breaks with a true vitreous fracture, and adheres moderately to the fingers. Its specific gravi- ty is 1.0742. It melts when heated, then in- flames, and burns with a yellow flame giv- ing out much smoke. It is insoluble in water, but entirely soluble in alcohol, ether, the fixed oils, and the alkalies. The acids also dissolve resin, and convert it into arti- ficial tannin; with the exception of the ace- tic acid, which only dissolves it. When sul- phuric acid is employed, charcoal, in the proportion of forty-three per cent, of the resin acted on, is produced.f The resm of the Norway spruce possesses nearly the same properties. It is solid, brittle, in tears, of a brownish yellow colour on the t Hatchett, Phil. Trans. 1»0«. 236 MATERIA MEDICA. outside, and internally white ; and emits a very agreeable odour when burning; Burgundy pitch has a terebinthinate odour and taste, is brittle, opaque, and of a light yellow, or reddish-brown colour. It softens moderately in the heat of the hand, appears unctuous, and has a considerable degree of tenacity. Medical properties and uses.—The tur- pentines and their essential oil are stimulant, cathartic, diuretic, and anthelmintic ; and externally rubefacient. Of those which I have described, the Venice and Canada turpentines are more generally employed for internal purposes ; the common turpen- tine proving offensive to most stomachs, and the Chian not being easily procured. The ancients were well acquainted with the medicinal properties of turpentines* ; and, besides the diseases for which they are prescribed by the moderns, gave them libe- rally in coughs and all pulmonary affec- tions. Turpentines seem to derive their virtues from the oil they contain. When Bwallowed, they produce a sensation of warmth in the stomach, at first increasing the quickness and force of the pulse, but afterwards diminishing it ; and if the dose be large, some degree of nausea is excited, with slight vertigo, and soon, but not al- ways, a copious discharge from the bowels ; but if the dose be small, they act chiefly upon the kidneys. The cathartic operation of large doses of the oil, in particular, seems to counteract the determination to the kidneys, which smaller doses produce ; for in doses of even f ^x and f ^xij, no other effect on the urinary organs is perceived than the violet smell of the urine.f The odour of violets is produced by the oil, even when it is not taken into the stomach, or rubbed upon the skin ; for if a quantity of oil of turpentine be poured on a table in a room, this odour will be perceived in the urine of any one who remains in the room for half an hour, or even a shorter time. Turpentines are chiefly prescribed in gleet, leucorrhoea, mucous obstructions of the urinary passages, and calculous affections ; but in the latter cases their stimulant ope- ration on the kidneys requires that they be given with caution. The oil is justly re- garded as a useful remedy in lumbago, sci- atica, and some other varieties of chronic rheumatism, particularly when combined with the cinchona bark. Dr. Copland, in a valuable paper on terebinthinous reme- dies^ recommends the oil strongly in the hemorrhagic, particularly in atonic epis- • See Dioseor. lib. i. cap. 91. p. 50. Aretotus passimi Alpinus de Med. Egypt, lib. iv. he. t Transactions of tins London Medieal Society, i, part 1. 212. 227. X Med. and Phys. Journ. vol. xlvi. p. 185. 206. taxis and haemoptysis, lie also confirms Dr. Percival's statement of its efficacy in epi- lepsy; and extols its powers in infantile convulsions, arising from a disordered state of the alimentary canal. He states some cases of ovarian dropsy, in which the effects of the oil were such as to recommend its employment in incipient cases of this dis- ease ; and also, in other dropsies, not even excepting hydrocephalus. For the expul- sion of the tape-worm the power of the oil of turpentine is now generally known. It differs in its action from the other remedies which have been employed against tape- worm, by killing the worm before it throws it out • and thence is more permanently useful.^ Neither wine nor spirits should be drunk during the use of the oil; the usual quantity of food should be diminish- ed ; and its use should be immediately discontinued, if an eruption resembling eczema appear on the skin ; which is apt to arise from its employment in some ha- bits. As local stimulants, turpentines and the oil of turpentine have been efficaciously exhibited in the form of enema, in cases of colic, obstinate costiveness, and ascarides. The oil is useful when dropped into the ear in deafness from defect of wax ; and is an excellent addition to embrocations in acute rheumatism, bruises, and paralyses of the extremities. As a discutient it is ap- plied to indolent tumours, and is a useful primary application to burns. Turpentines are given in doses of grs. x. to oJ\eitner made into pills with powdered liquorice root, or diffused in water by means of almonds, mucilage, or yolk of egg. The dose of oil may be Hi, x to gj, to produce its diuretic effect; but in doses of fgj to f-jij, its effects are more general on'the system. In these doses, it may be combined with aromatics and spices, and rubbed up with mucilage or honey. Dr. Copland re- commends the addition of the tincture of capsicum, for correcting the nauseating and unpleasant effects which the oil fre- quently produces on the stomach. For the expulsion of taenia it is necessary to give from fgss to fgij of the oil, repeated every eight hours till the worm be thrown out; and in these large doses it is more easily taken when exhibited uncombined, or when merely floated upon water with the addi- tion of a drop or two of any aromatic oil. If it does not operate by stool in four or five hours after it has been taken, a dose of castor oil should be exhibited. Tar is stimulant, diuretic, and sudorific; and externally detergent. For its internal use see Aqua Picis liquida among the Pre- § In all the eases of the expulsion of tsenia by oil of turpentine, the ejected worm has generally had a livid hue without any appearance of animation. MATERIA MEDICA. 237 parations. As an external application it has been found beneficial in porrigo scutu- lata, foul ulcers, and some other cutaneous diseases. The resins and Burgundy pitch are adapt- ed for external use only; the former enter- ing into the composition of some ointments and plasters; the latter being used as a ru- befacient plaster. It excites some degree of inflammation, and a serous exudation from the part over which it is applied, with- out raising the cuticle. It is used in cases of catarrh, pertussis, and dyspnoea; and seems to be chiefly serviceable from the length of time its action can be continued. Officinal preparations. Of turpentine— Oleum Terebinthina, D. Of the oil—Lini- mentum Terebinlhina, L. Of yellow resin —Emplast. Resina, L. E. D. Ceratum Re- sina, L. E. Of Burgundy pitch—Emplast. Picis comp., L. E. Of tar—Aqua Ptcis li- quida, D. Unguentum Picis liquida, D. PIPER. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 159. Cl. 2. Ord. 3. Diandria Trigynia. Nat. ord. Piperitae, Linn. Urticas, Juss. G. 74. Calyx none. Corolla none. Berry one-seeded. Sp. 1. P. nigrum. Black pepper. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 721. t. 246. Melago codi. Rheede Hort. Malabar, vii. 23. t. 12. Marsden, p. 105. Sp. 12. P. longum. Long Pepper. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 724. t. 247. Cattu-tirpali. Rheede Hort. Malabar, vii. 27. t. 14. 1. Piper nigrum.* Officinal. Piper nigri bacc;e, Loud. Pi- pehis nigri fructus, Edin. Piper ni- grum ; bacce- semen, Dub. Black Pep- per. Syn. Poivre (F.), Schwarzin Pfeffer (G.), Pepe nero (/.), Pimienta (S.), Fulful- filfil, (Arab.), Mirch (H.), Maricha (San.) This species of pepper is a native of the East Indies ; and is very abundantly culti- vated at Malacca, Java, and Sumatra, whence the whole of Europe is supplied. It is a climbing plant, the stem being round, smooth, jointed, and swelling towards each joint, woody, slender, branched, and from eight to twelve feet in length. The fruit is a globular berry of a red-brown colour. In Sumatra the pepper vines are propa- gated by cuttings or suckers. In growing they are supported by props called c/unka- reens, which are cuttings of Morinda citri- folia, or of an Erythrina, and at the root of each of which two vines are planted.f The • Vi-xipi Dioscoridis. Le poivrier commun (V.), Gemeine Pfeffer (G.), Gcmcene Peper (Dutch;, Mame (Japan;, Molago-Codi (Malabar.; + Dr. Roxburgh began the cultivation of blaek pepper in the Ciicars in 1787. The prop trees he used were the Moochy wood tree, Erythrina Corallo- dendron. On« thousand plants yield from iOOlbs. to lOOOlbs. of pepper. plants are three years old before they bear fruit, and bear for eight years. The ber- ries are four or five months in coming to maturity: are gathered as soon as any of them ripen; and then spread upon mats to dry, and trodden to separate the fruit from the stalk; when they become black, and more or less shrivelled. The vines yield two crops yearly ; the first in Decem- ber, the second in July. White pepper is the ripe and perfect berries, freed of their outer coat by means of a preparation of lime and mustard oil, called chinatn, applied before it is dried. The pepper is now also cultivated to a considerable extent in In- dia. Qualities.—Black pepper has an aromatic odour, and a hot, pungent taste. Its virtues are entirely extracted by ether and alcohol, and partially by water. The aqueous infu- sion is brown, and reddens vegetable blues; and the decoction of the ground pepper forms a precipitate with infusion of galls, which dissolves again when the fluid is heat- ed to 120°. When the alcoholic infusion is distilled, a green, resinous, oily matter is left, which appears to be the source of the odour and taste of the pepper. M. Pelle- tier^ has lately ascertained, that when this green fatty matter is washed in warm wa- ter, and again dissolved in hot alcohol, it deposits, after some days, a number of small crystals, which, when purified, are insipid ; and have the singular property of impart- ing a blood-red colour to strong sulphuric acid. This substance, which has no affinity with alkalies, M. Pelletier has named pipe- rin. He found in pepper the following components.—Piperin ; a very acrid, con- crete oil, on which the acrimony of the pep- per depends, a volatile balsamic oil, a gum- my coloured matter, extractive, malic and tartaric acids, starch, lignin, and earthy and alkaline salts. Ether digested on powder- ed pepper takes up three parts in ten ; and when evaporated on water deposits an in- tensely hot, biting, yellowish, oily resin, with the odour of the pepper, and insipid extractive matter. Black pepper, when purchased in the state of powder, is gene- rally adulterated. It is often mixed with the powdered husks of mustard, which are openly sold by the makers of mustard for this purpose, under the title of P. D. (Pep- per dust.) Medical properties and uses.—Black pep- per is stimulant and carminative. Its use, as a condiment, is well known; and al- though in general it is not hurtful, but ra- ther useful to those who have a weak di- gestion, yet, even in small quantities, it proves injurious in inflammatory habits,, and to those who are subject to piles.§ As. X Annates de Chim. et Phys. xvi. p. 20. S It nevertheless is an ingredient in a celebrated MEDICA. 238 MATERIJ a medicine, pepper is found sometimes serviceable in checking nausea and vomit- ing, and removing hiccough. It is also used as a stimulant in retrocedent gout, and in palsy. The watery infusion forms a useful gargle in relaxation of the uvula. The dose of black pepper may be from grs. x. to Qj. Officinal preparation. Unguentum Pipe- ris nigri, D. Emplastrum Meloes vesical. comp., E. 2. Piper longum. Officinal. Piperis longi Fructus, Lond. Edin. Piper iojtgum ; fructus, Dub. Long Pepper. Syn. Poivre longue (F.), Langer Pfeffer (G.), Lange peper (Dutch.), Long Peppar (Swed.), Pepe lungo (/.), Pimienta larga (£'.), Pimenta longa (Port.), Darfilfel (Arab.), Pipel (//.), Tipille (Tarn.), Pipali (San.) This plant is a perennial, a native of Ma- labar and Bengal. The stems are round, smooth, branched, slender, and scandent. The fruit consists of very small berries or grains imbedded in a pulpy matter. The fruit is hottest in its immature state, and is therefore gathered while green, and dried in the heat of the sun. It is import- ed in the entire spikes, wdiich are about one inch and a half long, and indented on the surface. Qualities.—Long pepper has a weak, aromatic odour, an intensely fiery, pungent taste, and a dark grey colour. Its con- stituents appear to be similar to those of black pepper. Ether digested on pow- dered long pepper takes up two parts and a half in ten parts, and when evaporated on water deposits a resin less hot than that of black pepper, but more permanent, and a smaller proportion of extractive. Medical properties and uses.—These are in every respect the same as those of black pepper. Piper Cubeba. Officinal. Cubeba, Lond. Cubebs. Syn. Cubebes (F.), Kubeben (G.), Ko- bebar (Swed.), Koebeben (Dutch.), Cube- bi (/.), Cubebas (S.), Cobibas (Port.), Cubab chinie (Hind.), Komuchus (Bala- vian), Val. Millaghoo (Tarn.), Duncke mirchie (Duk.), Komronkoos (Malay), Sa- lavamirrialoc (Til.), Kobabeh (Arab.), Walgummeris (Cyngal.), Sogunda mari- chum (Sans.), Kumukus (Javan.) The plant which yields this spice is a nostrum for the cure of piles, which is sold under the name of Ward's paste. This consists of equal parts (Ibj.) of black pepper and elecampane; of fennel-seeds, lbjss., and of honey and sugar, equal parts (lbj.) beaten together and well mixed in a mor- tar. The dose is the siz« of a nutmeg three times a day. native of Java, Batavia, Guinea, and the Isle of France. The younger plants differ from the older: their branches are long, creeping, and rooting. The fruit is a berry growing in clusters.* Cubebs are brought to this country pack- ed in cases. The best are about the size of a small pea, round, plump, and heavy. They have a short stalk attached to each, which appears to terminate in raised veins on the surface of the berry. Qualities.—Cubebs when chewed have a pungent, aromatic, slightly bitter taste; which, however, leaves a sensation of cool- ness on the palate resembling that which is produced by peppermint. Their odour is fragrant and agreeable. According to Vauquelin, cubebs contain a volatile almost concrete oil, a resin resembling that of copaiva, another coloured resin in small quantity, extractive, and some saline sub- stances.f The colour of the powder is darker than that of the berries. It should be kept in well corked bottles, and should even be dispensed in stoppered phials, as it quickly loses its active part when it is kept in paper.§ It is often adulterated with pimenta, which may be detected by the odour. Medical properties and uses.—Cubebs are diuretic and slightly purgative. In gonor- rhoea and gleets they have been long used by oriental practitioners: and the Arabs employ them in seasoning food. They have been found beneficial in this country in gonorrhoea, in which they moderate the in. flammation and consequently the discharge; this effect is soon apparent, and unless it be so the remedy is seldom useful. The following statement of the results of fifty cases treated by Mr. Broughton, gives some idea of the time in which Cu- bebs produce their effects; and of their value as a remedy in gonorrhoea; " Patients cured in from two to seven days 10 eight to fourteen 17 fifteen to twenty-one - 18 twenty-two to thirty 1 in fifty-five days 1 ts in whom no sensible effects were produced 3 Total 50" Mr. Jeffrey says, that, even when they failed, he found the symptoms afterwards yield readily to copaiva; an observation which is confirmed by our own experience! and that of Mr. Broughton. They have also • Medical Repository, Dec. 1820, p. 523. t Tract. Observ. on the Use of Cubebs in Gonor- rhoea. Lond. 1821. { Martyn's Gardener's Diet. Art. Piper. I) Mcdico-Chirurjr. Trans, voli xii. MATERIA MEDICA. 239 been lately given with advantage in in- flammation of the mucous membrane of the intestines. The powder, which is the best form in which Cubebs can be administered, some- times nauseates: it acts as a diuretic in large doses, imparts an odour to the urine ; and gives a cool sensation to the rectum, in passing the faeces. It sometimes, also, pro- duces headaches and more frequently a slight degree of giddiness. The dose of the powder is from Qi. to 3jss. four times in the day. Of the tincture made by di- gesting ^iij. of the bruised pepper in Oj. of rectified spirit of wine, gj. may be given in a glass of water three times a day. PISTACIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 752. Cl. 22. Ord. 5. Dicecia Pentandria. Nat. ord. Amentacex, Linn. Terebintacex, Juss. G. 1782. Male. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla none. Female. Calyx three-cleft. Corol- la none. Styles three. Drupe one-seeded. Species 4. P. Terebinthus. Chian Tur- pentine-tree. Med. Bot. 2d, edit. 29. t. 12. Du Hamel Arbres, ii. t. 87. Species 6. P. Lentiscus. Mastich-tree. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 26. t. 11. Du Hamel Arbres, ii. /. 136. 1. Pistacia Terebinthus.* Officinal. Terebenthina Chia, Lond, Chian Turpentine. Syn. Terebinthe de Chio (F.), Zypris- cher Terebinthin (G.). The tree which yields the Chian turpen- tine is a native of Barbary and the south of Europe. It is cultivated in the islands of Chios and Cyprus, and also bears the seve- rity of our climate ; where, however, it is cultivated only as an ornamental tree, flow- ering in June and July. It is low in stature, sending off many spreading branches, and is covered with a smooth bark. The turpentine is gathered chiefly in Chios, by making incisions in the bark of the trunk of the tree, in the month of July. It is allowed to flow upon stones placed at the bottom of the tree, and after being con- densed by the cold of the night, is scraped off the following morning before sun-rise. It is then reliquefied by the heat of the sun, and strained to free it from any extraneous matter ; and in this state is imported into this country in casks. On account of its high price, Chian turpentine is often adul- terated with common turpentine. Qualities.—Chian turpentine has a fra- grant odour, a moderately warm taste, de- void of acrimony or bitterness ; and a white or very pale yellow colour : it has the con- sistence of thick honey, is clear, transpa- * Tip/xtvSroc Dioscoridi3. Der Terpentin- baum (G:J Terpentintrae (Dan.;, Le Terebinthe (F.J, II Terebinto (I.), Cornicabra (S. Port.), Skipi- darnoe dereico (Uuss.). rent, and tenacious; and in its other quali- ties, as well as its medicinal properties, resembles the other turpentines. See Pi- nus. 2. Pistacia LENTiscus.f Officinal. Mastiche, Lond. Pistachio Lentisci resina, Edin. Mastic. Syn. Mastic (F.), Mastix (G.), Mastice (I.), Almastiga, Almaciga (£.), Almaceda da Indian (Port.). The lentisck, or mastich tree, is a native of the Levant, particularly the island of Chios. It flowers in May, and ripens its fruit in August.^ It is a low tree, seldom exceeding twelve feet in height, and eight inches in thickness; is covered with a smooth brown bark ; and towards the top sends off numerous branches: the leaves are abruptly pinnate ; consisting of five or six opposite pairs of narrow, ovate leaflets, of a full lucid-green colour on the upper, and a pale hue on the under side ; they are sessile on the common footstalk, which has a narrow, foliaceous membrane or wing on each side, running from one pair of leaflets to the other. The male and female flowers are on distinct trees, and resemble those of the former species: the fruit is a drupe, con- taining an ovate smooth nut, of a brownish colour when it is ripe. Mastic is most abundantly obtained in the island of Chios. Transverse incisions are made in the trunks and branches of the lentisck trees, from the 15th to the 20th of July, from which the mastic slowly exudes, some dropping on the ground, which is made smooth and hard as a pavement for the purpose of receiving it; and some re- maining fixed on the trees, and hardening so as to require, for its detachment, the aid of a sharp iron chisel. In both instances it concretes into a yellowish, semi-transparent substance. It is not gathered until August, when fresh incisions are made, and a second gathering takes place about the middle of September: no more incisions are made after this period of the year, but the ga- thering is continued twice a week until the 19th of November. The low trailing lentiscks yield the finest mastic, and in the greatest quantity. Chios exports annually about 1508 cwts. part of which is brought to this country packed in chests.§ That which is in the form of brit- tle grains is the best. f E^ivof Dioscoridis. Der Mastixbaum (G.J, Maslikboom (Dutch), Mastixtrie /-Dan.;, Len- tlsquc (F.J, Lentisce (J. S. Port.;, Xihudia (Turk.;. X It appears to have been cultivated in Britain so early as 1664. But it never attains here any degree of perfection. } Olivier's Travels (translation; ii. 90. Olivier says, a soft mastic having all the qualities of mas- tic, except in its consistence, which is that of tur- pentine, is procured by engrafting the lentisck on lliu Chian turpentine tree. 240 MATERIA MEDICA. Qualities.—Mastic is almost inodorous, unless when rubbed or heated, when it exhales an agreeable fragrant odour. It is nearly insipid ; and when chewed, at first crumbles, feeling gritty between the teeth, but by degrees becomes soft and white. When it is heated it melts. Ether dissolves it entirely; but in alcohol about one-fifth remains undissolved, which has, when moist, the characters of caoutchouc*, but becomes brittle when dried ; and therefore appears to be a peculiar vegetable princi- ple. It appears to amount to nearly a fifth of the mastich.f In some respects this prin- ciple resembles the pure resins, being brit- tle, semitransparent, fusible, insoluble in water, and soluble in ether; but it differs in being insoluble in alcohol. Mastich, when distilled with either water or alcohol, gives over very little with these liquids^ ; and this is, perhaps, an essential oil. Medical properties and uses.—Mastic has generally been regarded as astringent and diuretic, and is ordered for the same dis- eases as turpentine : but its virtues, if it has any, are very trifling. The wood and leaves of the lentisck were used by the ancients in fluor albus and ulcerations of the uterus; and the Turkish and Armenian women use the resin as a masticatory for cleaning the teeth, and giving an agreeable smell to the breath. It is employed to fill the cavities of carious teeth, for which purpose it is well adapted, from its property of softening in the mouth, and imparting little taste. PIX ABIETINA. Vide Pinus Abies. PIX LIQUID A. Xide Finns syiveslris. PIX NIGRA. Vide Pinus syiveslris. PLUMBUM, Edin. Lead. Syn. Plomb (F.), Blei (G.), Lood (Dutch), Blye (Dan.), Bly {Swed.), Olow ( Polish), Fiombo (I.), Plomo (S.), Chumbo (Port.), Swinez (Russ.), Soorb (Pers.), Anuk (Arab.), Sisa (//.), Ecum (Tarn.), Sisaca (San.), Ak-ki-le-look (Esquimaux). This is a metal of a blueish grey colour, occurring in great abundance in most coun- tries of both hemispheres of the globe, in primitive transition, and floetz formations. It is found, A. in its metallic state : i. Sulphuretted. Sp. 1. Galena. Var. a. Common. b. Compact. * Crell's Annals, 1794. ii. 185. Thomson's Che- mistry, 4th edit. vol. v. 92. t See Mr. Mathew's experiments, Nicholson's Journ. vol. x. 217. } Hoffman (Observ. Phys. Chim. Select, p. 68.;, however, states, that by rubbing the mastich in a mortar, with its weight of carbonate of potass, and then distilling with alcohol, the liquid whieh comes over has both the smell and the laste of mast'mh. 2. Blue lead ore. a. and combined with antimony. 3. Antimonial sulphuret. B. united with oxygen : ii. Oxides. 1. Yellow oxide. 2. Native minium. iii. combined with carbonic acid. 1. Carbonate of lead. 2. Earthy lead ore. Var. a. Indurated. b. Friable. 3. Black lead ore. b.----with muriatic acid. 4. Murio-carbonate of lead. c.----with phosphoric acid. 5. Phosphate of lead. Var. a. Brown lead ore. b. Green lead ore. 6. Arsenia-phosphate. d.----with chromic acid. 7. Chromate of lead. lead of Siberia. e.----with sulphuric acid. 8. Sulphate of lead. f.----with molybdenic acid. 9. Molybdate of lead. g.----with arsenic acid. 10. Arseniate of lead. Galena is the ore from which metallic lead is commonly procured. When brought up from the mine, the ore is broken in pieces, and the impurities, which are most- ly iron pyrites, quartz, calcareous spar, and clay, are separated by picking and washing: it is then exposed to a strong heat in a common reverberatory furnace till the sul- phur is all separated, after which the metal is brought into a state of fusion ; and some spadefuls of lime being thrown in, the sco- riae, which are thus rendered solid on the surface of the melted metal, are raked to the side of the furnace, while the lead is run out into moulds through an aperture near the bottom; and in this state it is called pig- lead. It frequently contains silver, which is separated by oxidizing the lead into li- tharge, and freeing the silver from what remains by cupellation. Qualities.—Pure metallic lead is of a light bluish colour, and immediately after being melted or cut, has a very considera- ble degree of lustre, which it quickly loses on exposure to the air. It is nearly insipid, and emits, when rubbed, a peculiar unplea- sant odour. It stains the fingers and paper of a bluish colour, and has a specific gravity of 11.352, which is somewhat diminished after it is well hammered. § It is the softest and least elastic of the solid metals; and although its ductility be trifling, yet it is very malleable, and may be reduced into thin leaves and drawn into wire : it melts at $ Muschenbroeck. MATERIA MEDICA. 241 a temperature of 594,* and at a greater heat is volatilized. Its susceptibility of oxidize- ment is very considerable, and is the cause of its diminished lustre when exposed to the air. According to Dr. Thomson's ex- periments, it is capable of uniting with four doses of oxygen, and forming four distinct oxides,100 parts of each of which contain the following proportions of lead and oxygen.f Yellow (protoxide) con- tains oflead - - - 91*5—oxygen 8-5. Yellow (deutoxide) - 90-5 - - - 9-5. Red (tritoxide) - - 88- - - - 12-. Brown (peroxide) - - 80- ... 20-4 Medical properties and uses.—Lead has no action on the animal system in its pure metallic state; but, when oxidized, or in combination with acids, it produces very deleterious effects. Hence, metallic lead taken into the stomach may prove a poison, from its meeting with acids in the primae viae ; and liquors which are apt to become in any degree acidulous, if kept in leaden cisterns, may, from the same cause, be pro- ductive of much danger to those who drink them. I know an instance of the officers of an East Indiaman having been nearly poisoned from drinking water which was kept in a leaden cistern, and which, by the constant agitation of it, from the rolling of the ship, had oxidized the lead; and there have been instances also of plumbers being poisoned by the volatilized particles of lead, which in great part form into a grey oxide. But the greater number of cases of poisoning from this metal, are produced by the preparation of it we are about to de- scribe ; and, therefore, the mode in which lead acts on the animal system will be more properly noticed under it than in this place. 1. Subcarbonate of Lead. Officinal. Plusi'bi Subcarb'onas, Lond. Carbonas Peumbi, vulgo Cerussa, Edin. Cerussa. Subucetas Plumbi, Dub. Car- bonate of lead. White oxide of lead. Ceruse.§ Syn. Piomb carbonate* (F.), Bleiweiss (G.).Cerussa (/.), Blanco de Plomo (S.), Is- feedai (Arab.), Sussida (#.),Vfillay (Tarn.). This substance, which is known in com- mercial language by the name of white-lead, appears from the analysis of it, by several of" the most expert chemists, to be a carbo- nate of lead.|| It is prepared in the large * Irvine, Chemical Essays, 35. t Thomson's System of Chemistry. 4th edit. i. 374—277. X This oxide was first discovered by Proust. Mr. Murray thinks there is reason for believing it to be a subsalt. System of Chemistry, iii. 266. § taviv^ Dioscoridis. |I The various appellations given to this substance by the different colleges, arise from the indetermi- nate ideas which prevail of its composition. 31 way in the following manner -—Sheets of lead about two feet long, five inches broad, and a quarter of an inch thick, cast in a mould, and not afterwards flattened, are rolled up into loose coils and placed in earthen pots, which are wider at the mouth than at the bottom. Each pot is capable of holding six pints of fluid, but into it as much vinegar only is poured as will rise so high as not to wet the lead, which rests on a ledge half-way down. In some manufac- tories, however, the pots are made to con- tain about a pint of vinegar only; and the lead, instead of being coiled up, is in form of a simple plate, which is laid over the mouth of the pot. The vinegar and lead being arranged, the pots are buried in fresh stable litter, where they remain for about two months ; during which time the vapours of the vinegar, elevated by the heat of the dung, oxidize the surface of the lead, converting it into the yellow oxide, which combines with the carbonic acid gas evolved from the fermenting materials of the bed. The carbonate appears as a white, scaly, brittle matter, on the surface of the lead, and is separated "by spreading the coils upon a perforated wooden floor cover- ed with water, and drawing them to and fro by rakes, which detaches the carbonate, and causes it to sink through the water and the holes of the floor to the bottom of a ves- sel placed below."*j In some places, this ope- ration is performed by merely scraping the carbonate off with a knife. It is afterwards ground in mills fitted for the purpose. It was formerly ground dry, and the workmen suffered very .severely; but it is now ground in water, and the carbonate after- wards dried in earthen pans placed in stoves, heated by means of flues. The beauty of the carbonate depends on the purity of the lead. Qualities.—Carbonate oflead is inodorous and nearly insipid ; in the form of a heavy white powder, insoluble in water, but solu- ble in pure potass. When exposed upon charcoal to the action of the blowpipe, a button of metallic lead is produced. Its constituents, according to Berzelius, are yellow oxide oflead 83.5 and carbonic acid 16.5 in 100 parts.** It is often adulterated with chalk, which may be discovered by pouring distilled vinegar on the suspected carbonate, and then adding oxalic acid, or oxalate of ammonia to the solution. The formation of a precipitate proves the pre- sence of chalk. Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration of lead is a very powerful astrin- gent. It is used externally only, being sprinkled on inflamed and excoriated parts; •J Aikin's Dictionary. •• Annates de Chim. I\\>ii. p. S3. 242 MATERIA MEDICA. and enters into the composition of some ointments. It is from-this preparation that most of the cases of poisoning from the internal use of lead occur. This often happens to paint- ers, and to those employed in grinding white lead, from the want of cleanliness in not washing their hands before eating, by which some of the white lead is introduced into the stomach with their food ; and also from the criminal custom of putting white lead, as well as sugar of lead, into acid wines for the purpose of sweetening them, and into hollands to deprive the spirit of the colour which it acquires when long kept in the wood. The symptoms which preparations of lead produce are obstinate costiveness, pain in the stomach, and vomit- ing ; the pulse becomes small and hard ; the respiration laborious; and tremors end- ing in paralysis of the extremities, or death, ensue, when its operation is not counter- acted by medicine. The exhibition of ca- thartics combined with opium or henbane, plentiful dilutions with mucilaginous li- quids, the warm bath, and injecting mut- ton broth per anum, are the best anti- dotes. When the presence of any salt of lead is suspected in a dry substance, it may be dis- covered by reducing it to a metallic state with the blowpipe upon charcoal; and in a liquid, by dropping into it a watery solution of sulphuretted hydrogen gas*, when it is made obvious by a dark brown precipitate, which is insoluble in tartaric acid, the salt of lead, being formed into an insoluble hy- drosulphuret. Officinal preparations. Plumbi Super a- cetas, L. E. D. Unguentum Cerussx, D. 2. Semi-vitrified Oxide of Lead. Officinal. Plujibi Oxydum semi-vitreum, Lond. Edin. Lituaugyrum, Dub. Li- tharge. Syn. Litharge (F.), Bleiglatte (G), Pi- ombo semi-vitreo (I.), Almartago (S.). This oxide is prepared by the simple action of heat and air upon lead. It is ge- nerally obtained during the calcination of lead, when separating the silver with which this metal is often combined. The lead is placed in a wind furnace, on a large cupel, or hollow dish made of ashes, and kept at a red heat with the blast of a large pair of bellows directed upon its surface ; a scaly, yellowish white, glistening oxide is soon produced, and successively formed by rak- ing it off and exposing new surfaces till the whole of the lead is thus converted into li- * To prepare this solution, put into a phial a paste made of iron filings and sulphur; then after some time add to it a small portion of sulphuric acid, and receive the gas which is produced through a bent tube connected with a phial into a flask filled with distilled water, and inverted in a basin or pneumatic trough fullof water. tharge. The varying of the circumstances of the process varies the colour of the oxide; some kinds ofit from havingajsilvery gloss are denominated litharge of silver ; and others, from the colour being a reddish yellow, li- tharge of gold. Qualities.—Litharge is inodorous and in- sipid : it is in flakes with a vitreous lustre, dissolves in many of the acids; and, accord- ing to the experiments of Dr. Thomson, 100 parts of it contain 86.9 of lead and 9.1 of oxyen, forming 96 of yellow oxide and4 of carbonic acid, which, however, does not appear to be so essential as to constitute li- tharge a subcarbonate of lead. For an ac- count of the action of this oxide on fixed oils, see Plasters. Medical properties and uses.—Litharge, like the other preparations of lead, is a pow- erful astringent. The ancients were ac- quainted with it. It is never given inter- nally ; and is used only for pharmaceutical purposes. Litharge is sometimes added to wines which are sour. It may be detected, either by passing sulphuretted hydrogen gas through the suspected wine ; or evapo- rating this to the consistence of syrup, and then reducing the lead with charcoal, in a crucible. In all cases of poisoning by salts or oxides of lead the best antidote is a so- lution of magnesiae sulphas, with the addi- tion of some sulphuric acid ; which uniting with the deleterious salt of lead forms an inert sulphate of lead, which is carried out of the bowels by the sulphate of mag- nesia. Officinal preparation. EmplaslrumPlumbi, L. E. D. 3. Red Oxide of Lead. Officinal. Oxidum Plumbi Rubrum, Edin. Red oxide of Lead. Syn. Minium (F.), Mbnnige; Mennig (G.), Minio (/.), Vermilion (S.), Isrenj (Arab.), Sindar (H.), Segapoo Sindoorum (Tarn.), Sindura (Sun.). This preparation is lead in the highest state of oxidizement. It is prepared in a reverberatory furnace, vaulted like a baker's oven, and having two internal walls rising from the floor of the furnace.butnotreaching to the roof. The coals are placed between these internal walls and the wall of the fur- nace, by which means the flame is drawn over the top, and reflected from the roof down upon the surface of a quantity oflead placed on the floor. The metal soon melts, and is altogether converted into a yellow oxide, or massicot, by successively raking off the pellicles which form on its surface; this is then ground in a mill, and washed, to separate any metallic lead, by which it becomes of a uniform yellow colour, and, after being replaced in the furnace, is ex- posed to the flame while it is constantly f VtwvQiov Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 243 ■stirred for about forty-eight hours, when it is converted into red oxide of lead.* By this process, 20 cwts. oflead produce on an average 22 cwts. of red lead, notwithstand- ing a portion is necessarily volatilized. To save the previous calcination, litharge is sometimes employed. Qualities.—Red oxide oflead is inodorous and insipid ; in the form of a very heavy, scaly powder, its specific gravity being 8-940,f and of an intense red or scarlet co- lour, verging into orange. When heated to redness it gives out oxygen gas, and runs into a dark brown hard glass. According to Dr. Thomson's experiments, 100 parts of it contain 88 oflead, and 12 of oxvgen. Medical properties and uses.—Red lead may be applied to the same uses as litharge, but is now rarely or never used. Its chief use is in the arts, as a pigment. [PODOPHYLLUM PELTATUM. Polyandria Monogynia. Nut. ord. Rhosades. May-apple. Mandrake. Officinal. The root. This root is a cathartic resembling jalap in its properties, and may be given in the same dose. It is also said to be emetic. The dose is 20 grs. of the dried and powdered root.] POLYGALA. Spec. Plant. Willd.iii.871. Cl.17. Ord. 3. DiadelphiaOctandria. Nat. ord. Lomentaceae, Linn. Pediculares, Juss. G. 1313. Calyx five-leaved, with two of the leaflets wing-shaped, and coloured. J^egume obcordate, two-celled. *** Beardless; herbaceous, with a simple stem. Species 67. P. Senega. Seneka root. Med. Hot. 2d ed. 452. t. 102. Amcen. Acad. iii. 124. Officinal. Senega radix, Lond. Polygalte Senegas radix, Edin. Seneka ; radix, Dub. Seneka root. Syn. Polygala de Virginie (F.), Senega- wurzel (G.), Poligala Virginiana (/.) This plant is a perennial native of North America, flowering in June.t The root is woody, branched, contorted, about half an inch thick, and covered with ash-coloured bark : it sends up several stems a foot in height, erect, slender, round, smooth, and of a dark reddish colour. The root is brought from Virginia in bales, each containing from two to four hundred weight. Qualities.—Seneka root is inodorous: the taste is at first sweetish and nauseous, but after being chewed for less than a minute becomes pungent and hot, producing a very * Watson's Chemical Essays, iii. 338. Aikin's Dictionary. t Muschenbroeck. t It was first cultivated in England by Mr. P. Mil- ler, in 1759. peculiar tingling sensation in the fauces. These qualities reside in the bark; which on the dried root is white within, and cov- ered with a brownish grey, corrugated, transversely cracked cuticle: the central part is white, but woody and inert: alcohol extracts the whole of its active matter, which is precipitated from the tincture by the addition of water; and the ethereal tincture deposits a pellicle of resin, but no extractive. Hot water extracts its virtues partially only; but in a sufficient degree to exert its influence on the animal system. Medical properties and uses.—This root is a stimulating expectorant and diuretic; and in large doses emetic and cathartic : it increases absorption, and consequently aug- ments the natural excretions, particularly that of urine; and frequently occasions a copious ptyalism. It was introduced to the notice of physicians by Dr. Tennant, who, having discovered that it was the antidote employed by the Senagaro Indians against the bite of the rattlesnake, and reasoning from the effects of the poison, and of the remedy in removing these, was induced to try it in pneumonic affections, and found it useful. On account of its stimulant proper- ties, however, it can be employed in these complaints, only after the resolution of the inflammation by bleeding and evacuations. It proves more directly useful in humoral asthma, chronic catarrh, and some kinds of dropsy. The extract of it combined with carbonate of ammonia has been found by Dr. Erandreth, of Liverpool, to be effica- cious in some cases of lethargy; and in America the "decoction given in divided doses, at short intervals, till it vomits or purges, has been employed with seeming success in croup :§ it has also been used as a stimulant gargle in the same disease. It may be administered either in the form of powder or decoction, combined with aromatics, opium, or camphor, which check its nauseating qualities. Madeira wine, where it can be ordered, may be used to cover the taste of the powder. The dose in substance is from grs. x. tojj., repeated every three or four hours. Officinal preparation. Decoctum Senega, L. E. POLYGONUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 440. Cl. 8. Ord. 3, Octandria Trigynia. Nat. ord. Holoraceae, Linn. Polygonese, Juss. G. 3. Corolla five-parted, calycine. Seed one, angular. * * Bistorts, with a single spike. Species 3. P. Bistorta.\\ Great Bistort or Snakeweed. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 668. r. 232. § London Medical Review and Magazine, iii. 428. || Bistorta, ijun.ti bis torta, twice twitted, Alston, Mat. Med. vol. i. 3^j. 244 MATERIA MEDICA. Smith. Flor. Brit. 427. Eng. Bot. t. 509. Officinal. Bistorta, Lond. Polyani bis- torti radix, Edin. Bistorta ; radix, Dub. Bistort root. Syn. Bistorte (F.), Natter-wurzel (G.), Natter-wortel (Dutch), Bistortat (/. S. Port.), Slangeort (Dan.), Sertechnaja trawa (Russ.) This plant grows in many parts of Europe, Siberia, and Japan, and is indigenous to Great Britain: found generally in moist meadows, flowering in May and June.* The root is perennial, woody, and tortuous. Qualities.—The dried root is inodorous, and has a very austere taste. Water ex- tracts its virtues ; and the decoction strikes a deep black with oxysulphate of iron. Medical properties and uses.—The root of bistort is astringent and tonic. It is em- ployed in haemorrhagies, obstinate fluxes, and all diseases in which simple astringents are indicated. It has also been given in in- termittents, combined with gentian, or aco- rus calamus. Externally a strong decoc- tion of it is a useful lotion for spongy gums and ill conditioned ulcers. But it is almost discarded from modern practice.f The dose of the powdered root is from grs. xv. to s*j., twice or thrice a day. PORRI RADIX. Vide Allium Porrum. POTASS.E NITRAS, Lond. NITRAS POTASS^, Edin. NITRUM, Dub. Ni- trate of Potass. Nitre. Syn. Nitrate de Potasse (F.), Salpeter- saures kali (G.), Salpeter (Dutch), Nitro {I. S. Port.), Salitre (S.), Senitra (Russ.), Shora (H.), Yavec Shora (San.) This salt is well known in commerce un- der the name of saltpetre or nitre. It may be regarded both as a natural and artificial' production, being found effloresced on the surface of the soil in some parts of P^urope,^ South America, Africa, § and very abundant- * It is, however, not confined to low situations, being found on the Carpathian Alps, vegetating un- der Pinus magnus, at an elevation of 44 76 feet. Vide Wahlenberg's Flora Carpatorum. t In Iceland the recent root of bistort is eaten raw, or converted into bread. It may, therefore, be rea- sonably inquired, what effect can it have as a medi- cine, when prescribed in the small doses usually or- dered ? X The greatest repository of native nitre in Eu- rope, is the Pulo of Molfelta, in the province of Puglia, in the kingdom of Naples. It is a deep cavi- ty, formed by the falling in of several caverns. The Abb6 Fortis first drew public attention to this place, at which time it was lined with a crust of nitre an inch thick, which on being scraped off was succes- sively renewed in a few days. } Near the city of Tlemsan, in the kingdom of Algiers, six ounces of nitre is extracted by simple lixiviation, from one quintal of the common mould.— Shaw's Travels, 228. Iy in India,|| whence this country is chiefly supplied ; while in some countries, as in Germany and France, it is artificially pro- duced. Nitre is prepared by art by the same means as nature employs, the artificial composts being imitations only of the natu- ral soils where it is most abundantly formed; by giving, therefore, an account of the former mode, both will be better understood. Glau- ber first suggested the formation of what are termed nitre beds. In France they con- sist of a compost of putrefying animal and vegetable matters, such as blood, offal, ex- crementitious matters, and decaying leaves, with street-sweepings, old mortar, chalk, and other calcareous matter; which are mixed in casual proportions, and lightly spread in long beds, covered with roofs to protect them from the weather. These are turned up occasionally, frequently moisten- ed with putrid water, or urine ; and at the end of two years or less are supposed to be fit to yield the nitre by lixiviation. The theory of this process, which is not yet com- pletely elucidated, was not at all understood till the experiments of Thouvenel and the discovery of the composition of nitric acid by Mr. Cavendish removed much of the ob- scurity in which it was involved: the fol- lowing- is the explanation. The sponta- neous decomposition of the animal and ve- getable matter evolves azote, oxygen, hy- drogen, and carbon, wdiich reuniting by the operation of new affinities, new compounds are formed, and among these nitric acid by the union of the azote or nitrogen from the animal substances with the oxygen from the vegetable matter : the acid thus formed is attracted partly by the calcareous earth of the beds, and partly by a portion of potass, either contained in them ready formed, or, as some have supposed, formed during the process. The presence of animal matter, although it aids the formation of nitre, yet, is not essential ; for Dr. J. Davy found a rich impregnation of nitre, in a nitre cave near Mensoora, in the district of Doombe- ra, in Ceylon, in a decomposing rock con- sisting of calcspar, felspar, quartz, mica, and talc, in a humid state, exposed to the air, and perfectly free from any animal mat- ter.! The presence of a certain degree of heat and humidity, of atmospheric air, of lime and some alkaline mineral, is absolute- ly necessary ; for, besides fixing the nitric acid when formed, the affinities lime exerts to oxygen and azote favour very much their combination, and consequently the forma- tion of the acid. The compost, when ready to be lixiviat- ed, is first mixed with wood ashes, or with || The presidency of Calcutta exports annually upwards of SOOO tons of nitre. f Davy's Account of the interior of Ceylon, 410. p. 32. Lond. 1821. MATERIA MEDICA. 245 pulverized impure potass, to decompose the nitrate of lime ; then put into a cask furnished with a cock at the bottom, and an inner false perforated bottom; a quan- tity of river water is now poured over it, and after some hours the cock is turned, and the liquor drained off, which is used instead of water for a second portion of earth; and this is successively repeated till it is supposed to be sufficiently impreg- nated with the soluble matter of the com- post. The lixivium, which contains chiefly nitrate of potass, and the muriates of potass and of soda, is now boiled and clarified with bullocks' blood or a solution of glue ; and the boiling continued, the muriates as they form being withdrawn by perforated ladles, till the liquor is so concentrated, that a few drops poured on cold iron im- mediately crystallize: it is then, when nearly cold, poured into separate crystalliz- ing dishes, in which after some days the salt is found deposited in a confused mass of opaque, dirty white, imperfect crystals, which after being broken to pieces, and drained, are known under the name of rough or crude nitre. Nitre is brought from Bengal in an im- pure state, but crystallized, put up in bags, each containing two Bazar mounds, or 164lbs. weight.* The crystallized state of this impure nitre arises from the lixivium of the soil having been slowly evaporated in shaded shallow pits. To purify crude nitre it is repeatedly washed with cold water, which dissolves the deliquescent muriates; and then is boiled with half its weight of water, until a pellicle forms on the surface ; after which the solution is poured into leaden coolers, and stirred till it is quite cold, by which means the salt is deposited in acicular crystals.f .Qualities.—Pure nitrate of potass is ino- dorous ; and has a bitterish sharp taste, oc- casioning a sensation of cold both in the mouth and stomach. It is generally in white, pellucid, brittle, hexahedral prisms, terminated by two-sided summits, the spe- cific gravity of which is 1.933. These crys- tals are soluble in seven parts of water at 60°, producing cold during their solution; but boiling water takes up its own weight of them. They are perfectly insoluble in • Each Bengal ship of 800 tons generally brings home in a period of war about 5000 bags of nitre. t Nitre was unknown to the ancients ; and Beck- man thinks that it was not discovered till the 33th century. The term sal petrdsum is first mentioned in the work of Albertus Magnus " de Mirabilibus mundi," in a prescription of Marcus Gra;cus, for making the Greek fire : but it is probable, as Beck- man conjectures, that this salt was known long be- fore this period in India, where he believes gun- powder also was invented, and brought by the Sa- racens from Africa to Europe. History of Inven- tions, vol. iv. strong alcohol. They are permanent in the air; melt when exposed to a moderate heat, and when cast into moulds, form sal prunelle. In a strong heat, oxygen gas is disengaged at first, and afterwards azotic gas; and in a continued intense heat the acid is completely expelled and decompos- ed, leaving behind pure potass. Nitre when mixed with inflammable substances deto- nates in a strong heat; and if charcoal be used, a pure subcarbonate of potass remains behind. It is likewise decomposed by the sulphuric acid, alum, sulphate of magnesia, and the sulphates of zinc, copper, and iron, when aided by heat, and in the cold by barytes. According to the analysis of Berard, 100 parts of nitrate of potass con- tain 51.36 nitric acid, 57.8 potass, and 48.64 of water. $ Nitrate of potass sometimes contains mu- riate and sulphate of soda, and sulphate of potass. The muriate is discovered by ni- trate of silver, throwing down a precipitate, every 100 grains of which denote 424 of muriate of soda. The sulphates are detect- ed by nitrate of barytes.§ Medical properties and uses.—Nitrate of potass is refrigerant and diuretic; and, when externally applied in solution, cooling and detergent. If taken in repeated small doses, it abates heat and thirst in diseases of increased excitement, diminishes the force and frequency of the arterial action, and increases the secretion of urine, in which the salt may be detected by chemical tests. It is efficaciously given in all inflam- matory cases, active haemorrhages, and in herpetic eruptions. Although diuretic, yet it is of little use in dropsies, and is con- tra-indicated in typhus and hectic fever: in the latter of which, as Dr. Percival has justly observed, it lowers the pulse at first, but afterwards raises it higher than before. A small portion of it allowed to dissolve slowly in the mouth, often removes incipient inflammatory sore throat; and hence its utility in gargles in that com- plaint. It is most advantageously given dissolv- ed in mucilaginous fluids, as almond emul- sion, in moderate doses not exceeding grs. xv. frequently repeated. In large doses it excites nausea: and in very large doses' from 2;iv. to gj. for instance, which have sometimes been given by mistake for sul- phate of soda, occasion vomiting, hyperca- tharsis, bloody stools, convulsions, and sometimes death. Opium and aromatics are the best antidotes. Officinal preparations. Acidum nitricum, L. E. D. Trochisci Nitratis Potassx, E. t Ann deChim. t. Ixxi. p. fio. § Henry's Elements of Experimental Chemistry, 7th ed. vol. ii. p. 464. 246 MATERIA MEDICA. POTASSJE SUPERTARTRAS, Lond, Vide Superlartras Potassx. POTA'SSA IMPU'RA. Carbonas Po- tassx impura, Lond. SUB-CARBONAS POTASS.E IMPURUS, Edin. CINEUES CLAVELLATI. Kali impurum.* Dub. Impure Potass. Impure Sub-Carbonate of E'otass. Potashes. Pearlashes. Syn. Carbonate alkalinule de Potasse (I*), Koloensuares Kali; Pottasche (G.), Potassa del Commercio (/.), Mara Ooppio (Turn.). This substance consists chiefly of subcar- bonate of potass, mixed with some other salts. It is known in commerce by the name of potash; and is brought to us principally from the Baltic and America. The manipu- lation of the process by which it is prepared differs in different countries; but the gene- ral features ofit are every where the same. The dried stems'and branches of plants are set fire to, and reduced to ashes ; which are lixiviated by pouring over them, in proper vessels, hot or cold water, so as to dissolve the alkaline matter they contain. The im- pregnated solution, drawn off from the ashes, is then boiled to dryness in iron boil- ers, and leaves behind a solid saline mass, coloured brown by a small portion of vege- table inflammable matter, and which gene- rally becomes moist. This is the potash of commerce. After the colouring matter is destroyed, and a portion" of the water dissi- pated by calcination in a reverberatory fur- nace, it assumes a spongy texture, with a blueish or greenish colour, and is then de- nominated pearl-ashes. Those vegetables only which grow at a distance from salt water, are employed to obtain this product; Herbaceous plants yield the largest proportion, and shrubs more than trees. Kirwan remarks, that al- though fumitory produces more of this salt than any other plant, and, next to it, worm- wood, yet, that 1000. parts of the ashes of worm wood yield more potass than the same quantity of the ashes of fumitory, in the proportions of 748 and 360. It has been said, that it was lately obtained in great abundance from the herbaceous part of the potatoe, cut down just as the fruit is begin- ning to form.- 40,000 lbs. of the dried stems, it has been stated, will yield 2200 lbs. of impure potass ; but the trials in this country have not confirmed these statements.f It is generally supposed that at least the greater part of the potass is contained ready formed in the vegetables ; but this is somewhat doubtful, and perhaps in living plants the base only of potass exists as an element, and is oxidized so as to form the alkali dur- ing the combustion. Such is the conjecture of Mr. Murray ;+ and the same may take place during the spontaneous decomposition of plants where much water is present, for potass can be obtained by the evaporation of dunghill water.§ The pearl-ash of commerce is still a very compound mass, containing, besides the subcarbonate of potass, sand with which it is often adulterated to a great extent, sul- phate of potass, muriate of potass, oxide of iron, and oxide of manganese ; to the last of which, according to Scheele, it owes its blueish or greenish colour. Different par- cels of pearl-ash must undoubtedly contain different quantities of potass; and hence no accurate standard of the proportion of the ingredients can be fixed. The following table drawn up by Vauquelin shows the comparative value of samples from different countries, examined by him. The quantity of each was 1152 parts.|| Kinds of Potass. Heal Potass. Sulphate of Potass. Muriate of .potass Insoluble Residue. Carbonic Acid anil Water. Russian potass 772 65 5 56 254=1152 American do. 857 154 20 2 119=1152 Pearl-ash 754 80 4 6 308=1152 Potass of Treves 720 165 44 24 199=1152 Dantzic potass 603 152 14 79 304=1152 Potass of Vosges 444 148 510 34 304=1152 * Of these three appellations that of the Dublin College is the least exceptionable, because it does not convey an erroneous idea of the nature of the substance, which is the case with the others. As sy- nonimes, those of the Loudon College are at complete variance. t Phil. Mag. vol. i. p. 340. X Murray's Chimistry, 2d ed. ii. 193. j See Birch's Experiments, Phil. Trans, for 1780, || Annates de Chimie, x\.234. MATERIA The proportion of real alkali in any quan- tity of pearl-ash may be ascertained in the following manner: Pulverize 500 grains of the pearl-ash, and digest in successive por- tions of hot water as long as any thing is dissolved ; which is known by adding a drop of the solution of oxymuriate of mercury, to a little of the lixivium. Mix the solutions, and drop in some diluted sulphuric acid (previously prepared by mixing one part of concentrated acid with thrice its bulk of water) from a phial containing a known quantity ofit, till litmus paper indicates the slightest possible excess of acid. Next heat this mixture to expel the carbonic acid ; and on trying it again with the litmus paper, if it show any excess of alkali, add a few drops more of acid. Ascertain now by weighing the phial of acid how much acid has been expended in saturating the alkali, and for every hundred parts of real acid set down 121.2 of potass.* The pearl-ash of commerce is not suffi- ciently pure for medicinal use; and there- fore it is used only for pharmaceutical pur- poses. Officinal preparation. Potassa Subcar- bonas, L. E. D. Potass.ts Sulphas, Lond. Sulphate of Potass. This salt, which had formerly a place among the preparations only of the British pharmacopoeias, is now placed in the list of materia medica of the London college ; the greater part of the salt found in the shops being made on a large scale. It is prepared from the residue of the distillation of ni- trous acid from nitre and sulphate of iron. The residue of this process is a mixture of sulphate of potass and red oxide of iron, from which the sulphate is separated by boiling water. Qualities.—Medical properties and uses. See Part iii. page 606, 7. [PRINOS VERT1C1LLATUS. Hexandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Dumosae. Black alder. Winter-berry. Officinal.—The berries and the bark. It is used in the common fevers of the, summer and autumn. The close of the powder is half a drachm to a drachm, or more; it is also useful in gangrene, and sphacelus.] PRUNUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 984. Cl. 12. Ord. 1. IcoSandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Pomaceae, Linn. Rosaceae, Juss. G. 982. Calyx five-parted, inferior. Petals • The value of the diluted acid must be previous- ly ascertained by adding to 100 grains of it muriate of barytes as long as any precipitate falls. This forms sulphate of barytes, which, when washed and dried at a low red heat, contains 33.3 per cent, of sul- phuric acid; by which the proportion of real acid in thediluted acid maybe known. Aikin's Dictiona- ry, i.263. MEDICA. 24? five. Nut of the drupe with prominent sutures. Species 29. P. domestical Common Plum- tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 520. t. 187. Officinal. Phuna, Lond. Pruni Domesti- cs Fructus, Edin. Prunus gallicaj fructus, Dub. Prunes. Syn. Prunes (F.), Pflaumen (G.), Priu- men (Dutch.), Pruno domestico, o Prugna (/.), Ciruelas pasas (S.), Sliwnik (Russ.), Erik (Turk.) The tree which yields this fruit is a native of Asia and Greece, although it is now com- pletely naturalized to our climate, growing wild in coppices, and flowering in Aprifand May. It rises about fifteen feet in height, with a moderately spreading head. The dried fruit, which only is officinal, is imported from the continent in chests; and that which is brought from France is regarded as the best. The recent fruit, when perfectly ripe, is pleasant to the pa- late, and sufficiently wholesome ; but when eaten too freely it occasions flatulence, griping, and diarrhoea, more readily than any other fruit. Qualities.—Prunes are nearly inodorous, but have an agreeable, sweet, subacid taste. They contain chiefly mucus, saccharine matter, and malic acid. Medical properties anduses.—Dried plums or prunes are gently laxative, and form a pleasant addition to purgative electuaries and decoctions. Simply boiled, they may be beneficially given to children who are habitually costive; and in fevers. Officinal preparation. Confectio Senna, L. E. D. [PRUNUS VIRGINIANA. Wild Cherry-tree. Officinal.—The trunk. The bark of the wild-cherry is a strong bitter and astringent, with some aromatic qualities. It is used in coughs attended with Weakness of the lungs, where there is no inflammation. It is also used in jaun- dice, in worms, and dyspepsia. The dose of the powder is 60 grs. In making the in- fusion, it is necessary to recollect that the odorous part of the plant is poisonous; and if the water stand too long upon it, it be- comes dangerously strong. I have seen it produce giddiness, faintness, and general debility. It is also given in decoction and tincture.] PTEROCARPUS.* Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 904. Cl. 17. Ord. 4. Diadelphia Decandria. Nat. ord. Papilionaceae. G. 1318. Calyx five-toothed. Legume fal- cated, leafy, varicose, surrounded with a wing, not gaping. Seeds solitary. Sp. 6. P. santulinus. Red Saunders tree. f KvY.yiuiJ.nKia Dioscoridis, Barkuk(Arab.), Muei Xa (Chin.) t From rtTifov, a wing, and -/.tp-noc, fruit 248 MATERIA MEDICA. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 430. 1.156. Willde- now Spec. Plant, iii. 906. Sp. nova, P. erinacea. Encycl. Method. Lam. Illust. Gen. tab. 602. fig. 4. 1. Ftebocahpus santalinus. Officinal. Ptebocabpi lignum, Lond. Pte- bocabpi santalini lignum, Edin. Santa- ira kcbkum. Lignum, Dub. Red Saun- ders wood. Syn. Santale rouge (F.), Rothes San- dalholz (G.), Root Zandelhout (Dutch.) Sandalo Roso (/.), Sandolo rubio (S.), Ract Chandan (H), Racta Chandana (San.), Hoam pe mo ( Chin.) This tree is a native of the mountains of India, particularly the rocky parts in the Onore district,* and of Ceylon. It is a lofty tree, with alternate branches, and a bark resembling that of the common alder. This tree, which yields the true officinal red saunders, was first detected by Kcenig in India. It is brought home in billets, which are very heavy and sink in water. Qualities,—Red saunders wood has an aromatic odour, and is nearly insipid. It is extremely hard, of a fine grain, and a bright garnet red colour, which deepens on expo- sure to the air. It yields its colouring matter, which appears to be of a resinous nature, to ether and alcohol, but not to wa- ter.f The alcohol tincture is red, but be- comes yellow when largely diluted with wa- ter. Volatile oil of lavender also extracts its colouring matter ; yet it is scarcely af- fected by oil of turpentine, which acquires a pale yellow tinge only, even when assist- ed by heat. Neumann first noticed this fact ;^ and it has been suggested that the camphor contained in the oil of lavender may give it the above property ; but cam- phoretted oil of turpentine has no more ef- fect than the simple oil. I find that by sha- king oil of turpentine, which has been di- gested over red saunders, with a little alco- hol, the slight tinge of colour it received is instantly taken up by the spirit, and the oil settles as a colourless substratum. Red saunders has no medicinal proper- ties, and is used only as a colouring mat- ter. •PTEROCAnPUS erinacea. Officinal. Kino, Lond. Although the Edinburgh college has in- serted kino as the inspissated juice of the • When transplanted to low situations and a richer soil the tree degenerates; and in all respects is less esteemed. Forbes's Oriental Mem. 4to. vol. 1. p. 808. t Yet Willdenow, who received the description of the tree and its wood from Kcenig, says " attritu humido pulchrc rubrum tingens." The yielding no colouring matter to water affords an easy mode of distinguishing red saunders from Brazil wood, which was first pointed out by Dr. Lewis. Thomson's Client, v. 208. X Neumanns Chcm. 337. Eucalyptus resinifera in the list of materia medica of its pharmacopoeia, and the Dub- lin college has considered it as the product of the Butea frondosa, yet we believe that the plant which yields the best kino is an African tree; and from a specimen sent home by Mungo Park in his last journey, which is in the possession of Sir Joseph Banks, it is a Pterocarpus, and that which is described under the specific name Eri- nacea, in the Encyclop£die MeThodique. It is a native of Senegal; and is distinguish- ed from the other species of the genus by long yellow spines on the fruit. It is nevertheless true that kino, such as was brought from Botany Bay about twenty years ago, is the production of the above species of Eucalyptus, the brown gum-tree of that country ;§ but it differs in several of its qualities from the kino described by Dr. Fothergill, who introduced thisremedy into practice.|| We are informed none of it has been brought to this country since the above period. Another sort is said to come from Jamaica, and is stated by Dr. Duncan, junior, to be the extract of the Cocoloba uvifera, or sea-side grape ;Tf while Mr. Murray says, " he has been informed that it is the extract of the wood of ma- hogany."** The Dublin college indicated the Butea frondosa on the authority of Dr. Roxburgh; but the red juice which this plant yields has been examined by Dr. Dun- can, and found to differ very considerably from kino, although it may be used as a substitute for it. The kino now found in the shops comes from India, and is the ex- tract of the Naucloid Gambi. It is import- ed in chests containing from one to two cwt., and on the inside of the lid of each ehest is a paper, inscribed with the name of John Brown, the month and year of its exportation: and stating that it is the pro- duce of Amboyna. Qualities.—1. Kino, which was given to } This plant belongs to the first order of the twelfth class of the Linnean system. It is a lofty ■tree, exceeding an^English oak in size ; and bearing yellowish flowers in umbellated clusters. The ca- lyx is hemispherical, perfectly entire in the margin, and afterwards becomes the capsule; on its top just within the margin stands a pointed calyptra, of the same colour as the calyx, and as long. This calyp- tra, whicli is the essential mark of the genus, is ana- logous to the corolla in other plants, but neither splits nor divides; on removing it a great number of red stamens appear, standing in a conical mass, very resinous, aromatic, and bearing small red anthers. Iu the centre is a simple style terminated by a blunt stigma, and rising from a transversely cut trilocular germen. The quantity of juice obtained from inci- sions made into the trunk amounts sometimes to six- ty gallons from one tree. See White's Voyage, 231. || Medical 06s. and Inquiries by a Society of Physicians in London, i.238, 243. 1 Edinburgh New Dispensatory. 5th edit. 292. '* System of Mi.?. Med. and Pharmacy,ii. 304. MATERIA me as a specimen of true African Kino, is inodorous, and insipid when first taken in- to the mouth ; but after some time it im- parts a slight degree of roughness, with a scarcely perceptible sweetness, to the pa- late ; feels gritty between the teeth when chewed, and does not colour the saliva. It is in very small, irregularly shaped, shining, deep ruby-brown-coloured fragments, and intermixed with small twigs and minute bits of wood, which are white in the inside. It is pulverulent, affording a dark chocolate or reddish-brown powder. Water at 60p dissolves the larger moiety of it, and gives a brick-red rather turbid infusion, which does not become clear after standing twen- ty-four hours. Alcohol dissolves nearly two-thirds of it, the tincture having a very deep brown colour; what remains undis- solved is nearly colourless. Ether takes up about one-third ; and the tincture, which is of a beautiful claret colour, when evapo- rated on the surface of water leaves a pel- licle of brittle brown resin; while a sweet- ish red-coloured extractive matter remains dissolved in the water. 2. Botany Bay Kino is inodorous ; tastes bitterish and more austere than the African; is in larger fragments, equally brittle, break- ing with a glassy fracture ; of a chocolate hue, and affording a brown-coloured pow- der, but it is not uniform in appearance, some of the fragments being of a lighter hue. Water at 60Q dissolves nearly the same quantity as of the former variety, and the infusion" is brown and transparent. Al- cohol dissolves rather more than two-thirds of its weight, but the tincture is not so deep-coloured as that of the former variety. Ether takes up one-twentieth ; a pale brownish straw-colour only is imparted to it; and when evaporated on water, the re- sinous pellicle is scarcely perceptible, and very little extractive is deposited. 3. The Kino said to have been brought from Jamaica, but of which none is now to be procured, is in bitterness and roughness nearly equal to the last variety, b*tt these qualities are accompanied with a slight de- gree of acidity. It is in brittle fragments, of an almost black colour, having a shining, re- sinous fracture, in which appear small air MEDICA. 249 bubbles. The powder is of a reddish-brown colour. With alcohol and ether it affords results very similar to those of the first va- riety. Water dissolves a greater portion of it than of the other two kinds, and forms an infusion intermediate in colour and trans- parency; approaching in colour to the first, and in clearness to the second vari- ety. 4. East India or Amboyna Kino, is inodo- rous, very rough, and slightly bitter when first taken into the mouth; but it after- wards impresses a degree of sweetness on the palate. It is in small, uniform, deep brown, shining, brittle fragments, which appear like portions of a dried extract bro- ken down ; being perfectly uniform in their appearance. It is easily pulverized, afford- ing a powder of a lighter brown colour than the fragments. Water dissolves two-thirds of it, forming a deep brown clear solution ; whilst the portion that remains undissolved is long suspended, if mixed with a fresh portion of water. Alcohol dissolves the greater part of this variety, forming a deep claret-coloured tincture, which is not ren- dered turbid on the addition of water. Ether takes up a portion of it, and forms a yellowish red tincture, which, when eva- porated on water, leaves no resinous pelli- cle. All the varieties dissolve in solutions of pure potass and of ammonia, and no preci- pitation takes place on the addition of wa- ter. Some chemical change, however, is effected ; and the astring-ent property of the kino is completely destroyed, a fact which ought to be kept in remembrance in prescribing this remedy. The following tables show the result of some experiments with several chemical re- agents on the watery infusions of these three varieties of kino.* They point out the distinctive features of the four varie- ties 1 have enumerated; but they have no pretensions towards advancing the know- ledge of the chemical properties of kino. * The specimens subjected to these experiments. I have reason to think, were perfectly genuine The African kino was brought home twenty years ago, Table I. Precipitates formed in the Aqueous Solution of Kino, by Gelatine and Solutions of some Metallic Salts. Variety of Kino Solution of Isinglass. Solution of Oxy-sulphate of Iron. Solution of Nitrate of Silver. Solution of Oxy-muiiate of Mercury. Solution of Superacetate of Lead. 1st. 2d. copious, slowly formed, of a brick red colour. copious, quickly formed, of a dirty olive black. copious, slowly formed, of a deep reddish brown. not very copious, slowly -formed, reddish. copious, fioeculent, quickly formed, brown. copious, almost instantly formed, of a pink colour. very slowly formed, of a deep brownish black. copious, quickly formed, of an olive black. copious, quickly formed, yellowish pink. copious, flocculent. quickly formed, lilac. 3d. scanty, slowly formed,of a pinkish colour. copious, quickly formed, of a blue black. copious, quickly formed, reddish brown. scarcely altered. copious, flocculent, quickly formed, Uownish lilac. 4th. the same as No. l. copious, and dirty olive black. copious, and quickly formed, reddish brown. quickly formed, reddish. the same as No. 1. .-______________s.------ Table II. Precipitates formed by Solution of Potass and Acids. Variety of Kino. Potass. Sulphuric Acid. Nitric Acid. Muriatic Acid. UV none, but renders it clear, and of a deep brown colour. copious, pale brown. scanty, slowly formed, reddish yellow. scanty, slowly formed, yellow isli brown. 2d. flocculent, purplish. copious, deeper brown. copious, quickly formed, yellowish brown. scanty, more quietly formed, pale red brown. 3d. flocculent, brownish purple. very copious, very deep brown. copious, brown. scanty, quickly formed, a beautiful red. 4 th. the same as No. 1. copious, pale brown. copious, quickly formed, brown. quickly formed, yellowish brown. MATERIA MEDICA. 251 From these experiments there appears to be a considerable difference between three of the four varieties of kino known in commerce, but the first and the fourth ap- pear to be nearly the same. The most re- markable differences are, the small portion of resin which that from Botany Bay and Amboyna contain; the blue colour of the precipitate of the Jamaica variety by the oxy-sulphate of iron; and the effect of the solution of potass in rendering that from Africa transparent, while it precipitates the second and the third varieties. The pre- dominant principles in all the varieties are tannin and extractive matter; and the por- tion of resin, in the first and third varieties, enables ether to take up their colouring matter and some extractive, whilst the se- cond variety is scarcely affected by it. Dr. Duncan* and Vauquelinf observed, that although heat increases the solvent power of water over kino, yet that a substance in- soluble either in water or in alcohol always remains. Vauquelin also found that the solutions form a precipitate with tartarized antimony and the salts of iron. The best menstruum is diluted alcohol. Medical properties and uses.—Kino is a powerful astringent. Like catechu, it is employed in obstinate chronic diarrhoeas, li- entery, uterine and intestinal haemorrhages, and fluor albus ; but as it is less certain in its qualities than catechu, it is less used. Externally, it has been applied as a styptic, and to give tone to, and diminish the icho- rous discharge of, flabby, ill-conditioned ulcers. The alkalies, as already stated, destroy its astringent qualities. It may be exhibited internally in sub- stance, or in the form of watery infusion, or of tincture. The dose in substance is from grs. x. to gss.; that of the infusion f §jss. and of the tincture f Jj. In ordering the infusion or the tincture, it is necessary to recollect that solutions of isinglass, sulphate of iron, nitrate of silver, muriate of mercu- ry, acetate of lead, tartarized antimony, the alkalies, and the strong acids, are incompa- tible in prescriptions with kino. Officinal preparations.— Tinctura Kino, L. E. D. PULEGIUM. Vide Mentha Pulegium. ' PUNICA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 981. Cl. 12. Ord. 1. Icosandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Pomaces, Linn. Myrtse, Juss. G. 980. Calyx five-cleft, superior. Petals five. Pome many-celled, manjr-seeded. * Nicholson's Journal, vi. 234. t Annates de Chime, xlvi. 321. Vauquelin states generally, that the salts of iron precipitate kino green; but Dr. Duncan justly observes, that by the red sulphate it is precipitated black: tbe sulphate only precipitates it green. Sp. 1. P. Granatum4 Pomegranate tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 531- t. 190. Officinal. Granati cortex, Lond. Gra- NATUM ; FLORES, PERICARPII CORTEX Dub. Pomegranate bark and flowers. Syn. Le Grenadier (F-), Granatass fel- schale (G.), Granaat-boom (Dutch), Drzewo Granatowe (Pol.), Porno Granato (/.) Roma (Port.) Granado (S.), Granatnik, (Russ.), Rana (Arab.), Anar (//.), Darim (San.), Delima (Javanese.) The pomegranate tree is a native of the south of Europe, Asia, and Barbary ; but in the West Indies, where it was introduced from Europe, the fruit is larger and better flavoured than in its native climates.§ In its proper soil, which is a cretaceous one, it rises twenty feet in height, sending out branches from the whole length of the stem, some of which bear thorns. The red succulent pulp, which is not officinal, is pleasantly acid,|| resembling that of the orange : it is cooling, and useful for quenching thirst, and gently aperient. Qualities.—The powers, which are named Balaustines, are inodorous, and taste bitter- ish and astringent. The bark of the fruit has the same sensible qualities. Water ex- tracts the virtues of both ; and the solutions strike a deep bluish black with sulphate of iron. Medical properties and uses.—Both the parts we have described are astringent. They are given in the form of decoction in chronic and colliquative diarrhoea, and the protracted stage of dysentery. They are supposed to prove beneficial also in check- ing the violent sweating which accompa- nies hectic fever; but the chief use of the decoction is as an injection in leucorrhoea, or as a gargle in sore throats, after the lo- cal inflammation is moderated. Dr. Bucha- nan has stated, that the bark of the root of the plant has been long used by the natives of Ilindostan, for expelling tape worm ; and its utility for this purpose has been fully confirmed by the experiments of Mr. Bre- ton,! who gave it in the form of powder, in doses T)j., and of decoction, prepared by by boiling ^ij. of the bark in Oj. ss. of water, and reduced to f^ix., of which, when cold, a glassful was given every half hour, until four doses were taken. The worm was generally voided alive, a few minutes after the last dose. Celsus says, it was used by the ancients for a similar pur- X'Poa Dioscoridis. Han Xe lieu (Chin.) $ It stands our winters, and even bears fruit, which, however, has not the proper flavour. | Russi I says there are three varieties of this fruit in Syria: one sweet, another very acid, and » third partaking of the qualities of both blended. Nat. Hist, of Aleppo, ii. 85. * Vide Medico-Chirurg. Trans, vol, ii. p, 301. UaJ MATERIA MEDICA. pose.* The bark and flowers are given in the form of powder, in doses of a scruple increased to a drachm ; or, of a decoction made with ^iv. of the bark and f^vj. of water, six fluid drachms may be given every three hours. [PYROLA UMBELLATA. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Bicornes. Umbeiled Winter-green. Ground Holly. Rheumatism weed. Pippsissewa. Officinal. The herb. This plant is diuretic, and has been used in nephritic diseases. It is given in the form of extract, infusion, and decoction : like the uva ursi, which it is supposed to resemble, its properties have been greatly overrated. It is diaphoretic ; and is used for exciting perspiration in the common fevers of the country. When applied externally by bruising the leaves, it is said to produce vesication. A pint or more of the infusion may be taken daily, and half an ounce or more of the extract. Dr. Somerville recommends it highly in dropsy from its agreeable tonic and diuretic qualities.] PYRETIIRI RADIX. Vide Anthemis Py- rethrum. PYRUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 1012. Cl. 12. Ord. 5. Icosandria Pentagynia. Nat. Ord. Pomacex, Linn. Eosacere, Juss. G- 992. Calyx' five-cleft. Petals five. Pome inferior, five-celled, many-seeded. Species 17. P. Cydonia. The Quince tree. Med. Bot. 2ded.505. t. 182. Officinal. Cydonia semina, Lond. Quince Seeds. Syn. Semen de Coignassier (F.), Quit- tenkbrner (G.), Kwee (Dutch), Quaede {Dan.), Quitten (Srved.), Pigwa (Pol.), Semi de Cotogno (I.), Siniiente de Mem- brillo (S.) Marmelo (Port.), Hubusnfirjul {Arab.), Beheckeybeej (H). The quince tree was originally brought from Cydonf in Crete by the Greeks: but it has been found growing wild in Germany and on the rocky shores of the Danube, and is cultivated to great perfection in England, arid many other parts of Europe; flowering in May. Qualities.—The seeds are inodorous, and nearly insipid, having a slight bitterness only when long chewed. The inner coat contains a very considerable quantity of nucus, which can be extracted by hot water: but is not quite pure mucus, being mixed with fecula and the other soluble parts of the seeds. For its qualities and * Vide Cclsus de Mcdicina, lib. iv. § xvii. t Whence its Greek name p.n\ix KuJav/a "~ (Theophrasti) is derived. It is supposed to be the apple of the Hesperides. medicinal use, see Decoctum Cydonia among the Preparations. QUASSIA.* Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 567. Cl. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Gruinales, Linn. Magnolia;, Juss. (r. 849. Calyx five-leaved. Petals five. Nectary five-leaved. Drupes five, dis- tant, bivalve, inserted into a fleshy recep- tacle. Species 2. Q. Simaruba. Simaruba Quas- sia. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 569. t. 203. Trans, of the Royal Society of Edin. ii, 73—81. Species 3. Q. excelsa. Lofty Quassia. T>ans. of the Royal Society of Edin. iii. 205-210. t. 6. 1. Quassia Simaruba. Officinal. Simarub^e cortex, Lond. Quas- sias Simarubjs cortex, Edin. Simaru- ba ; cortkx, lignum, Dub. Simaruba Bark and Wood. Syn. Ecorce de Simarouba (F.), Sima- rubenrinde (&'.), Corteccia de Simaruba (/.). The Simaruba quassia, or mountain dam- son, as it is called in Jamaica, is a native of South America, Carolina, and the West India islands, growing in sandy places. It is a tall tree with alternate branches, and a smooth grey bark, maculated with yellow spots. The officinal part of this tree is the bark of the root; and although the wood is de- signated by the Dublin College, yet it is quite inert. The bark is imported in long pieces, a few inches in breadth, and folded lengthwise. It comes generally from Ja- maica packed in bales. Qualities.—Simaruba bark is inodorous, and has a bitter, but not disagreeable taste. The pieces are of a very fibrous texture, rough, scaly, warty, and of a full yellow colour in the inside when fresh. Alcohol and w:«.ter lake up all its active matter by simple maceration, at a temperature of 60" Fahrenheit, better than at a boiling heat. The infusion is stronger in taste than the decoction, which grows turbid and of a reddish brown colour as it cools. The in- fusion is not affected by sulphate of ironj and scarcely by muriate of tin. Medical properties and uses.—This bark* is tonic; and has been employed with ad- vantage in intermittent fever, obstinate diarrhoea, dysentery, and dyspeptic affec- tions. It was first introduced at Paris in 1713 as a powerful remedy in dysentery ; but its effects in this disease were previ- ously known to the natives of Guiana, X Named after Quassia, a negro slave, who dis covered to Rolander the wood of the Quassia excel- sa, which he had employed with success as a seer*'. remedy in the malignant endemic fevers of Stui< (nam. MATERIA MEDICA. 253 whence it was brought to France. Sima- ruba bark, however, was little known in this country till Dr. Wright's paper on it appeared in the Edinburgh Transactions. It cannot with propriety be used in the commencement of dysentery ; but after the fever has abated, when the tenesmus con- tinues with a weak sinking state of the pulse, it allays this symptom and griping, promotes the secretion of urine, deter- mines to the surface, and restores the tone of the intestines. It has also been highly commended as a remedy in fluor albus ; but notwithstanding the high character which it acquired, simaruba is not much employed by the British practitioner. It may be combined with aromatics and opium. The dose in substance is from 5j- to gss.; but it is more frequently and ^ommodiously given in the form of infu- sion. Officinal preparation. Infusum Sima- ruba, L. 2. Quassia kxcelsa. Officinal. Quassias lignum*, Lond. Edin. Dub. The wood of Quassia. Syn. Bois du Quassie (F.), Quassien- holz (G.), Legno della Quassia (I), I.eno de Quassia (S.), Pao de Quassia (Port.). This species of quassia grows in the na- tural woods of Jamaica and the Caribbean islands, where it is called the bitter ash ; and flowers in October and November. It is a beautiful tall tree, rising sometimes one hundred feet in height, with a straight, smooth, tapering trunk, often ten feet in circumference near the base ; and covered with a smooth gray bark. The wood is sent to thjs country in billets, and is re- duced to chips, or rasped by the drug- gists.f Qualities.—Quassia wood is inodorous, and has an intensely bitter taste ; it is of a pale yellow colour. Alcohol and water lake up its bitterness, and when evaporat- ed to dryness, leave a brownish yellow, somewhat transparent, brittle extract, which has been regarded as a vegetable constitu- ent sui generis, and named quassin, or the bitter principle.t I am inclined to believe that this principle, although not itself of a resinous nature, is connected with resin, as ether takes it up, and the tincture, when evaporated on water, which ' be- comes intensely bitter, leaves an inso- luble pellicle that has the character of * The officinal Quassia was long erroneously sup- posed to be the wood of the Quassia aniara, which >* a very rare tree, and excels all the others in bit- terness. t It is asserted, that of late years the brewers have used quassia wood instead of hops. Beer made with it certainly does not keep, but soon becomes muddy, flat, has a mawkish taste, and runs into the acetous fermentation. ' Thorjson's Chemistry. 4th edit. v. 32. a resin. The infusion is rendered muddy by nitrate of silver, and a soft, flaky, yellow precipitate formed; and acetate of lead oc- casions a copious white precipitate: hence, these salts are incompatible in formulae with it. Medical properties and uses.—Quassia is tonic. It has been found efficacious in dys- pepsia and nervous irritability; intermittent and bilious remittent fevers, chlorosis, diar- rhoea ; and, when combined with cretaceous powder and ginger, in atonic gout. We have given it, combined with nitric acid, with evident benefit in typhus, and also in fluor albus. Infusion is the best form of administering quassia; the raspings, for it cannot be properly pulverized, being too bulky: but it may, nevertheless, be given in substance in doses of from grs. x. to ^j, three or four times a day. Officinal preparations. Infusum Quassia, L. Tinctura Quassixexcelsx,F.F}. QUERCUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 423. Cl. 21. Ord. 6. Moncecia Polyandria. Nat. ord. Amentaces:. G. 1692. Male. Calyx commonly five- cleft. Corolla none. Stamens five to ten. ---------Female. Calyx one-leafed, en- tire, rough. Corolla none. Styles two to five. Nut coriaceous, surrounded at the base by the persistent calyx, ** With toothed leaves. Species 33. Q. infectoria. Dyers's Oak. Olivier's Travels, (translation,) ii. 41. t. 14, 15. *****With sinuated leaves and beardless lobes. Species 65. Q. pedunculata. Common Oak, Med. Bot. 2d edit. 23. t. 10. ( Q. Robur.) Smith, Flor. Brit. 1026. 1. Quercus infectoria. (Quercus Cerris, Edin.) Officinul. Gallss, Lond.- Edin. Galls, Dub. The Gall. Syn- Noix de Galles (F.), Gallapfel (G.), Galnoot (Dutch), Galla (/.), Agalla (S.) Galha (Port.), Galdzeble (Dan.) Maju P'hal (//. and San.). The London and Dublin Colleges have not named any particular species of oak as furnishing the gall; the Edinburgh College has particularised the Cerris: but although it, as well as most of the other species of quercus, may produce galls, yet it is not the species from which the galls of com- merce are obtained. Olivier has distinctly- pointed out, from his personal knowledge, the species above named as the real tree : and as we know no reason for doubting his veracity, we shall copy his description ofit. The Quercus infectoria is scattered throughout all Asia Minor, from the Bos- phorus as far as Syria, and from the coasts of the Archipelago as far as the frontiers of Persia. The gull comes at the shoots of 254 MATERIA MEDICA. the young boughs, and acquires from four to twelve lines in diameter: the insect which produces it is the Cynips quercusfolii of Linnaeus, (Diplolepsis galla tinctoria of Geoffroy,) a small hymenopterous insect or fly, with a fawn-coloured body, dark anten- nae, and the upper part of the abdomen of a shining brown. The insect punctures the tender shoot with its sting, and deposits its egg in the puncture. This is soon hatched ; and in consequence of the irritation occa- sioned by the maggot feeding on the juices of the plant, a morbid excitement is induc- ed, and kept up in the vessels of the part, sufficient for the production of this kind of vegetable wen. Galls are gathered before the larva with- in them changes to a fly, and eats its way out; for, when this has happened, the galls become lighter, and contain less of the astringent principle. The first galls that are picked are named yerli by the natives, and are known in trade by the terms black or blue galls, and green galls. Those which are gathered afterwards, from the circumstance of their being pierced, are of an inferior quality, and are denomi- nated white galls. The best galls are those of Aleppo, Smyrna, Magnesia, Karahisser, Diarbekir, and the interior of Natolia. Those which are brought to this country, come chiefly from Aleppo in bags and cases. Qualities.—Galls are inodorous, and have a bitter, very astringent taste. They are nearly round, of different magnitudes, from the size of a pea to that of a hazel-nut; smooth on the surface, yet studded with tuberosities ; and, when good, of a blackish blue, or deep olive colour: a white or a red hue indicates an inferior quality.* They are heavy, brittle, break with a flinty frac- ture, and display a compact, striated tex- ture. The whole of their soluble matter is taken up by about forty times their weight of boiling water, and what remains is taste- Jess. Alcohol, digested on powdered galls, takes up seven parts in ten, and ether five parts. The watery infusion reddens tinc- ture of litmus, and forms precipitates with solution of isinglass, the infusions of Cin- chona bark, Cusparia bark, and Columba root; but not with infusion of Quassia. Sul- phuric acid throws down a yellowish curdy precipitate, and muriatic acid, one flaky and whitish ; while nitric acid changes the * This is the character of the galls from which the insect has escaped, and which are also of a brighter colour. Another species of gall, produced by another species of the insect, is also, Olivier says, found on the same oak. It is spongy, very light, of a brown red colour, covered with a resinous coat, and furnished with a circular row of tubercles placed nearly towards the most protuberant part. Their astringency is very inferior, aud they are used only to adulterate the better sort. colour only of the infusion, first to a deep orange, and afterwards to a paler orange- yellow. The solution of ammonia occa- sions no precipitate, but deepens the co- lour ; the carbonate, however, produces a precipitate. Carbonate of potass throws down a yellowish flaky precipitate, and ex- tricates ammonia; and lime-water also throws down a copious deep green precipi- tate. Precipitates also are formed with so- lutions of the following metallic salti : with acetate and and superacetate oflead, grey- ish ; tartarized antimony, yellowish ; sul- phate of copper, brown; sulphate of iron, blueish black; sulphate of zinc, reddish black, but very slowly formed; nitrate of silver, deep olive ; and nitrate of mercury, bright yellow. The muriate of mercury renders the infusion milky and opaque, but no precipitate is formed. The alcoholic tincture reddens litmus, and is affected by the same re-agents as the watery infusion. The ethereal tincture, when evaporated on water, leaves on the side of the glass an opaque pellicle, and on the surface of the water small drops of an oily resinous-like matter, while the substratum of water be- comes charged with tannin and gallic acid. The pellicle and resinous-like matter is plastic, tenacious, resembling bird-lime treated with ether ; and when subjected to heat, melts, swells, burns, and leaves a dense black charcoal. These experiments show results which cannot altogether de- pend on the presence of tannin, gallic acid, extractive, or mucilage, which are suppos- ed to be the constituents of galls. In Sir H. Davy's experiments, 500 grains of Alep- po galls yielded to pure water, by lixivia- tion, 185 grains of solid matter, of which 130 were tannin, 31 gallic acid and extrac- tive, 12 mucilage and matter rendered in- soluble by the evaporation, and 12 saline and earthy matter. From different experi- ments, the proportion of extractive, how- ever, if any, is very small: none appears in the evaporation of the ethereal tincture; and Dr. Bostock's experiments render the existence of mucilage very doubtful. From the experiments of Professor Branchi, it appears that galls also yield, by distillation with water, a concrete volatile oilf: and M. Braconnot has also discovered in them a new acid, which he has rather affectedly termed ellagic, from the word galle revers- ed !+ It is an insipid, inodorous, white pow- der, with a slight tinge of red, and insolu- ble in boiling water. When mixed with nitric acid, and very gently heated, the mixture acquires a reddish tint, gradually passing to a deep blood-red. Hence we may conclude, that the constituents of t Phil. Mag. vol. i. p. 401. X Ann. de Chim. et I'hys. is. p. 187. MATERIA MEDICA. 255 galls, besides tannin and gallic acid, are the above oil and ellagic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Galls are the most powerful of the vegetable astrin- gents. They are seldom used as an internal remedy, although, in combination with bit- ters or aromatics, they have been given in obstinate diarrhoeas, passive intestinal hae- morrhages, and intermittents. They are frequently ordered in the form of gargles and injections; and an ointment formed of galls in fine powder, with eight parts of simple ointment, and a small proportion of powdered opium, is a useful application to blind piles. For internal exhibition, the dose of galls may be from grs. x. to Qj., twice or thrice a day. Officinal preparation. Tinctura Galla- ■um, E. D. 2. Quercus pedunculata.* Officinal. Quercus cortex, Lond. Quer- cus roboris cortex, Edin. Dub. Oak Bark. Syn. Ecorce de la Chene commune (F.), Eichenrinde ( C), Corteccia della Quercia (7*> . This species of oak is indigenous. It is a well-known beautiful tree, often rising to a considerable height, and attaining a great degree of thickness in the trunk, which is covered with a rough brown bark. Almost every part of the oak is astrin- gent, but the bark only is officinal; and, as its epidermis is perfectly inert, it is taken for medicinal purposes from the smaller branches, the epidermis of which is still thin, and scarcely cracked. The bark cut in spring is preferable to that cut in winter, as it contains four times the quantity of the astringent principle or tan- nin.f Qualities.—Oak bark is inodorous, has a rough astringent taste, and yields its vir- tues to both alcohol and water. The watery infusion is affected by all those tests which indicate the presence of gallic acid, tannin, and extractive (see Decoctum Quercus.) Sir H. Davy+ found that Jj. of the inner cortical part of young oak bark affords by lixiviation 111 grains of solid matter, of which 77 are tannin; the cellular integu- ment, or middle-coloured part, yields grs. 43 only of solid matter, of which 19 are tan- nin ; and the epidermis furnished scarcely any quantity either of tannin or of extrac- tive. The quantity of tannin, however, va- ries according to the size and age of the trees, and the season at which they are • Apue Graecorum, Eiche (G.), Eik [Dutch), Eeg (Dan.), Ek (Swed.), Darach (Galic), Le Chene (F.), Quercia (I.), Roble (S. Port.), Dub Uuss.), Mesche (Turk.), Baalut (Arab.), Tamma ; Finnl.), Pelut (Pers.). + liiggiii. Phil. Trans. 1799. t Phil. Trans. 1803. barked. Vauquelin discovered that the infusion of oak bark does not precipitate tartarized antimony, or the infusion of Santa Fe Cinchona, which resembles the officinal red cinchona, although both of these are precipitated by infusion of galls. I find, however, that infusion of oak bark forms a precipitate with infusion of yellow cinchona bark. Medical properties and uses.—Oak bark is tonic and astringent. It has been given, united with bitters and aromatics, with seeming advantage in intermittents ; but it is in every respect inferior to cinchona, and cannot be depended on. It is, how- ever, useful in obstinate diarrhoea and al- vine haemorrhages: and it is strongly re- commended in the malignant coryze (snuf- fles) of infants, when, in spite of keeping the bowels regular, and the use of cordials, the child becomes weak and pallid.§ Its principal use is as a local astringent. (See Decoctum Quercus.) The dose in substance may be from grs. xv. to grs. xxx.; but it is so difficultly pulverized that it is seldom given in this form. Officinal preparation. Decoctum Quer- cus, L. RHAMNUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1092, Cl. 5. Ord. 1. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Dumosae, Linn. Rhamni, Juss. G. 405. Calyx tubular. Corolla, scales de- fending the stamens inserted into the calyx. Berry. * Thorny. Species 1. R. catharticus.f Purging Buck- thorn. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 594. t. 210. Officinal. Rhamni bacc;e, Lond. Rhamni cathartici succus, Edin. Rhamnus ca- tharticus ; baccjE, Dub. Buckthorn Berries. Syn. Nerprun (F.), Kreutzbeeren (G.), Bacche del spino Cervino (I.) This is an indigenous shrub, growing in woods and hedges near brooks; floju/ering in May and June, and ripening its fruit in October. These berries are said to be often mixed with those of the black-berried alder and of the dog-berry tree: but as the buck- thorn berry has four seeds, while the others have only two and one, it can be easily distinguished. Qualities.—The odour of these berries is faint and unpleasant, the taste bitterish, acrid and nauseous. They are very succu- lent, and yield by expression a deep green juice, or a purple juice if they be gathered late in the autumn. § Underwood, Diseases of Children, 4th ed. i. 45. | Purgierdorn (G.), Purgerende wegedoorn, (Dutch), Kersbarton (Dan.), Getappel (Swed.), Ram- no cartico (S.), Escambrociro (Port.), Pridoraschnaja igolka (Russ.). 256 MATERIA MEDICA. Medical properties and uses.—The ber- ries, and their expressed juice, are briskly cathartic ; but their operation is accompa- nied with thirst and severe griping, which is not altogether mitigated by the most plentiful dilution. They were formerly much used as a hydragogue purgative, but are now very seldom prescribed. The dose of the recent berries is ►} j ; that of the ex- pressed juice f§j, or gj of the dried berries. Officinal preparation. Syrupus Rhamni, L. E. RHEUM.* Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 488. Cl. 9. Ord. 3. Enneandria Trigynia. Nat. ord. Holoraceae, Linn. Polygoniae, Juss. G. 803. Calyx none. Corolla six-cleft, per- sistent. Seed one, three-sided. Sp. 2. R. undulatum. Wave-leaved Rhu- barb. Amain. Acad. iii. 212. t. 4. Sp. 3. R. palmatum. Palmated Rhubarb. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 662. t. 231. Phil. Trans. iv. 292. /. 12, 13. 1. Rheum undulatum. Officinal. Rheum undulatum ; radix, Dub. The root of Waved-leaved Rhubarb. Syn. Rhubarb (F.), Rhabarber (G., Dutch, Swed.) Rabarbaro (/.), Ruibarbo (S. Port.), Rawend (Arab.), Revand Chini (H.) Ta Hoam (Chinese). This species of rheum was supposed by Boerhaave to be the true Chinese rhubarb ; and as it is not unlikely that foreign rhubarb is taken from several species, that which we receive by way of Canton, which certainly differs more than simply in the drying from that which comes through Russia, may be the produce of this plant; and the Dublin College is right in giving it a place in the list of materia medica. It is a native of China and Siberia, but grows well in this country. 2. Rheum i»almatum. Officinal. Rhei radix, Lond. Edin. Dub. Rhubarb root. Syn. Aechte Rhabarber (G.), Hai houng ( Chinese.) This species, like the former, is a native of China and Tartary; and arrives at con- siderable perfection, when cultivated in this country. This plant has been generally believed to be the species which yields the foreign rhubarb; and under this belief, a very ex- cellent and correct description of it was given by Dr. Hope, professor of botany at Edinburgh, in the Philosophical Transac- tions for 1765. He had raised it from seed sent to him by Dr. Mounsey from Peters- burgh two years before, and found that the root possessed all the medicinal qualities of the best foreign rhubarb. Since that pe- riod, many laudable attempts have been * Twv Dioscoridis. But the Rhubarb of the Greeks was the root of Rheum Rliaponticum. made to introduce the cultivation of rhubarb into this country, in sufficient quantity to supply our domestic consumption of this valuable drug: but although many indivi- duals have reared large quantities, and some of it extremely good, yet so powerful is prejudice, that very little of it can be sold, and the efforts, therefore, of the cultivators have of late very much relaxed.f It is still, however, uncertain which of the species yields the foreign rhubarb ; nor is it of very great importance, as the roots of the two species above described, and another, the R. compactum, accord so very closely in their medicinal powers, that any of them may be used with equal certainty of success. Three varieties of rhubarb are known in the shops, named from the places whence we receive them ; Russian rhubarb, Turkey rhubarb, and East Indian or Chinese rhu- barb. The two first resemble each other in every respect, appearing to be the root of the same species of plant, prepared in the same mode ; and although the East In- dian is seemingly the root of a different species, yet we are informed by Dr. Reh- man,± that it is the same, only prepared with less care. All the rhubarb of commerce, known under the names Turkey or Russian, grows on the declivities of the chain of mountains in Tartary, which stretches from the Chi- nese town Sini to the lake Kokonor, near Thibet. The soil is light and sandy: and the Bucharians assert that the best grows in the shade on the southern side «f the mountains. Rhubarb, however, is also cul- tivated in China, in the province of Shen- see, where it is called Hai-houng. In Tar- tary the roots are taken up twice a year, in spring and in autumn,§ and after being cleansed, and decorticated, and the smaller branches cut off, the body of the root is divided transversely into pieces of a mode- rate size, which are placed on tables, and turned three or four times a day, during five or six days. A hole is then bored through each piece, by which it is hungup to dry exposed to the air and wind, but sheltered from the sun. In about two months, the roots have lost seven parts in eight of their weight,|| and are fit for the market. In China the roots are not dug up till winter ;*J and the cultivators, after clean- t For an excellent account of those different tri- als, and some very judicious observations on the mode of cultivating rhubarb, see Miller's Dictionary, edited by Dr. Martin, article Rheum. X The best Treatise on the Commerce of Rhu- barb, and from which much of the information con- tained in this article has been taken, is from the pen of Dr. Rehman. Vide Mem, de la SocieiC Impe- riale des Nat. de Moscow, 1809, t. ii, p. 326. } Bell's Travels. || Bath s-apers, iv. 175. •J Bath Papers, ii. 219. MATERIA MEDICA. 257 ing, scraping off the bark, and cutting them, dry the slices by frequently turning them on stone slabs heated by a fire underneath ; after which the drying is completed by hanging them up in the air exposed to the greatest heat of the sun.* As soon as the rhubarb has been dried where it is grown, it is conveyed to Si-ning, where it is again cleaned and aired, and after being cut into smaller pieces and sorted, a large hole is drilled through that intended for the Russian market, in virtue of the contract made with the Russian government, for the examina- tion of the hearts of the pieces. It is then packed up in camel's-hair sacks, and con- veyed to Mac-ma-tchin, where it is examin- ed previously to its being transported to Kiixhta. The whole of the trade in rhubarb in China, is carried on by one Buchanan family, which has enjoyed the monopoly since 1772 ; und it is even by the agents of this family, that it is sold to the English at Canton. This Bucharian family resides at Sin-ning Fu, a town on the frontiers of Thibet, about 3000 versts from Kiachta, the town on the Russian frontier, where the rhubarb is purchased on the account of the Russian government. Part of the Tartarian rhubarb is carried to Turkey through Nato- lia; but the greater part is conveyed by the Buchanans to Kiachta, where it is examined by a Russian apothecary. The best pieces only are selected and sent to Petersburgh. It is in roundish pieces, perforated with a large hole, of a yellow or reddish colour on the outside, somewhat soft and friable, and when broken, exhibiting many diverging streaks of a beautiful bright red colour. Agreeably to the contract with Russia, all the rhubarb which is rejected must be burnt: and even that which is approved un- dergoes another cleaning before it is finally packed up for St. Petersburgh.f The Chi- nese rhubarb, at least what we receive under that appellation, is conveyed to Can- ton, and there purchastd by the East India Company's agents, who purchase all quali- ties; whence it is brought to this country by sea. It is in oblong, sometimes fiat • It is in the process of drying the roots that the British rhubarb cultivators are supposed to fail. Hauin& proposes i<> steep the roots in water, to de- prive them of their gummy matter, before drying them ; then to lay them upon twigs in the open air for twelve hours, and lastly to place them in a stove healed to 120*, till they are dried. When sufficient- ly dry, the wrinkles must be rasped out, and the pieces shaken together in a barrel, turned ou an axis, I'm- half an hour, whicli covers them with a line yel- low powder formed by their attrition. t At this examination, each piece is struck with a small mallet, to detach from it any iiupuiiiics, oi de- cayed pans. pieces, seldom perforated; considerably heavier, more compact, and less friable than the former kind; of a brownish yellow co- lour on the outside; and, when broken, the fracture is hackly, appears of a dull colour, and variegated with yellow, pink,'and white. Both kinds are brought to this country in cases and chests. Qualities.—Good Russian or Turkey rhubarb has a peculiar, somewhat aromatic odour, and a bitter, slightly astringent, sub- acrid taste ; feels gritty between the teeth when chewed, and tinges the saliva of a bright yellow colour. It breaks with a rough hackly fracture, is easily pulverized, and affords a powder of a bright buff yellow colour. It should not be porous, but ra- ther compact and heavy. Water at 212° takes up 24 parts in 60; the infusion is of a brown colour nearly clear, and reddens litmus paper. Alcohol extracts 2-7 from 10 parts, and gives a tincture of a rich golden colour, which reddens tincture of litmus; is not altered in its transparency by the ad- dition of water: and strikes a blackish olive hue with solution of sulphate of iron, but no immediate precipitate falls. Sulphuric ether takes up 1-5 in 10 parts of this rhu- barb ; the tincture is of a golden yellow hue, and when evaporated on water, leaves a thin pellicle of yellow resin and abun- dance of extractive dissolved in the water, combined, however, with tannin. East Indian or Chinese rhubarb has a stronger odour, and is more nauseous to the taste than the Turkey ; breaks with a more com- pact and smoother fracture ; and affords a powder of a redder shade. Water takes up 30 parts in 60; the infusion is not so deep-coloured as that of Russian rhubarb, is more turbid, and reddens also litmus paper. Alcohol extracts 4 parts in _0 ; the tincture is of a much deeper colour, and brownish; gives a deeper red to litmus tincture; is rendered slightly turbid by the addition of water ; and strikes a green, not blackish olive with sulphate of iron, which it also quickly and copiously precipitates. Ether takes up 2 parts in 10; the tincture is deeper coloured, and when evaporated on water affords the same results as the former kind, except that the compound of tannin and extractive is more soluble. The infusion of Chinese rhubarb is more copiously precipitated, by solution of isin- glass than that of the Russian. Infusion of yellow cinchona bark throws down a copi- ous- greenish precipitate from infusion of Russian rhubarb, and a less copious, but more dense bright yellow precipitate from that of Chinese rhubarb. The following Tables show the effects of re-agents on the aqueous infusions of the two varieties of rhubarb. 33 Table I. Precipitates formed by Acids, Alkalies, and Neutral Salts. Variety of Rhubarb. Sulphuric Acid. Nitric Acid. Muriatic Acid. Oxymuriatic Acid. Solution of Potass. Solution of Subcarbonate of Potass. Lime water. Muriate of Barytes. Silicated Potass. Russian. copious, greenish yellow. Scanty, floccu-lent, pale yellow. scanty, very slowly formed, yellow. slowly formed, pule olive. none, but strikes a deep lake colour. none, but strikes reddish brown. scanty, slowy formed, brown. scanty, olive green. none, but strikes a deep brown. Chinese. more copious, brownish yellow. scanty, quickly less scanty, pale formed, brownish yellow. yellow. slowly formed, orange yellow. none, a deep-er lake. none, but ren-ders it turbid, and deep red-dish brown. copious, quickly formed, brown less scanty, orange yellow. none, but strikes a deep brown. Table II. Precipitates formed by Solutions of Metallic Salts. Variety of Rhubarb. Solution of Oxysulphate of Iron Solution of Nitrate of Silver. Solution of Nitrate of Mer-cury. Solution of Nitrate of Lead. Solution of Muriate of Mer-cury. Solution of Acetate of Lead. Solution jf Tartarized Anti-mony. Russian. copious nearly black. scanty pale green- copious, olive ycl ish yellow. low. scanty, slowly for-med, yellow. scanty, slow ly for-med, pale olive. scanty, greenish yellow. scanty, slowly for-med, whitish. Chinese. copious deep olive green. copious orange yellow. copious, heavy, bright yellow. scanty, slowly for-med, deeper yellow . •opious,quickly for-• ned, heavy yellow. copious yellow. scanty, still more slowly formed. MATERIA MEDICA. 259 "When the residue, after the action of water, is digested in muriatic acid, and so- lution of ammonia added in excess, the liquid becomes milk)', and deposits oxalate of lime. What remains consists of woody matter, a small portion of alumen, and silex. Of the specimens which I examined, one drachm of Russian rhubarb yielded twenty- six grains of the oxalate, while the same weight of East Indian yielded only eighteen grains. From the results of the above experi- ments, rhubarb appears to contain a large portion of extractive matter, a small portion of resin, mucus, tannin, gallic acid, a coloniz- ing matter, much oxalate of lime, and minute proportions of alumen and si/ex.* They show, that the two varieties differ from each other in several respects. The Russian contains more tannin, oxalate of lime, and resin; the Chinese more extractive and gallic acid. But the purgative principle is still unascertained, although it appears to be combined with the extractive, and hence is soluble in water. Medical properties and uses.—Rhubarb is stomachic and astringent or purgative, ac- cording to the extent of the dose in which it is administered. With a view to the first- mentioned properties, it is usefully given in dyspepsia, hypochondriasis, and in a weak- ened relaxed state of the bowels, combined with ginger, nutmeg, soda, or bitters. As a purgative it operates mildly, and may be given to the youngest infants. Its operation is quickened by the addition of neutral salts and calomel, the purgative powers of whicli it also reciprocally aug- ments ; so that a compound formed of small portions of rhubarb and a neutral salt or calomel, acts with more certainty and quicker than large doses of either separate- ly taken. Rhubarb is particularly adapted for the majority of cases of diarrhoea, as it * According to some experiments, published by Mr. John Henderson, in the Annals of Philosophy, rhubarb is supposed to contain also a peculiar acid, to which he has given the name, of Rhcumic ; but M. De Lassaignes has proved, that this is the oxalic acid ; which agrees with the resuit of our analysis. It is remarkable that Mr. Brande, in a late analysis of rhubarb, published in the Quarterly Journal of Science, vol. x., does not notice either oxalic acid, or any oxalate as being contained in this root, although they have been found and are mentioned by every other analysist who hat examined rhubarb. But it is still more extraordinary, that Mr. Brande has as- serted, that '• no chemical investigation into the na- ture of rhubarb, if we except a few experiments upon it, given in Neumann's Chemistry," had been made prior to his own; while every one acquainted with pharmaceutical chemistry knows that (not to mention our own analysis.) it has been examined by Schecle, Bayen, Deluval Vauquelin, M. Clarion, De Lassaignes, M. Henry, &c.; all of whom mention o\a!ie acid and oxalate of lime among its compo- nents. x evacuates any acrid matter that may be of- fending the bowels, before it acts as an astringent. Externally it has been applied by friction to produce its purgative eff'eclsf, and its powder is sometimes sprinkled over ulcers, to assist their granulation and heal- ing. The Chinese use it medicinally ; but they chiefly employ it to colour a spirituous li- quor. Rhubarb is given in a variety of forms (see Preparations,) but its purgative pro- perties are most powerful in substance. From 9j. to 3SS> °f tne powdered root opens the bowels freely ; and from grs. vi. to grs. x. may be given for a dose, when its stomachic properties only are required. Officinal preparations. Infusum Rhei, L. E. Vinum Rhei, E. Tinctura Rhei, L. E. D. Tinctura Rhei composila, L. Tinctura Rhei et Aloes, E. Tinctura Rhei et Gentianx, E. Pilula Rhei compositx, E. RHODODENDRON. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 603. Cl. 10. Ord. 1. Decandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Bicornes, Linn. Rhododen- dra, Juss. G. 867. Calyx five-parted. Corolla nearly funnel-shaped. Stamens declined. Cap- sule five-celled. Species 7. R. chrysanthnm. Golden-flow- ered Rhododendron. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 299. t. 103. Pall. Ross. i. p. 44. t. 30. Officinal. RllODODBNDRI CHIIYSANTHI folia, Edin. The leaves of Rhododendron. Syn. Rosage (F.), Gelber Alpbalsam (G.), Rhododendro Aureo (I.), Sabina (Russ.), Kaschkara (Koibal), Schei (Ta- tar.). This beautiful shrub is a native of the mountainous parts of Siberia, flowering in June and July. It rises a foot in height, and sends off spreading branches which are covered with a brown bark. Qualities.—The leaves of this plant are inodorous, and have an austere, astringent, bitterish taste. Water extracts their vir- tues either by infusion or decoction. Medical propertits and uses.—Yellow rhododendron leaves are stimulant, narco- tic, and diaphoretic. When taken, they first increase the arterial action and the heat of the body, producing diaphoresis; and these effects, according to Dr. Home's observations, are followed by a propor- tional diminution of excitement, the pulse in one case having been reduced thirty- eight beats. In large doses they produce nausea, vomiting, purging, delirium, and all the symptoms of violent intoxication. Both the plant and its effects were first descri- bed byt Gmelin and Steller, in 1747, as a t Nouveau.v Elem. de T.'ierop.par Alibert, toms ii. p. 217. t flora SibiritH, it. 121. 260 MATERIA MEDICA. Siberian remedy for rheumatism ; but it was not much noticed till after 1779, when Kaelpin strongly recommended it in this disease, and also in gout and lues venerea. Besides the effects we have already men- tioned, it is said to excite a creeping sen- sation in the pained parts, which after a few hours subsides, and at the same time the pain is relieved. It has not been much used in this country, but, from the result of some trials of it in Scotland, it has ob- tained a place in the Edinburgh Pharma- copoeia. It is given in the form of decoction, made by boiling %'xv of the leaves in f^x of water, in a close vessel, over a slow fire for twelve hours. The dose of the strained liquor is from f^j to f'5 ij given twice a day, and gradually increased. RHUS.* Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1479. Cl. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. Ord. Dumosze, Linn. Terebintace1- factu se rcpcum alvinurum odorem pcrciperu. Plcnck, Icones, &c, cent. iv. the infusion strikes a black with sulphate of iron ; and also forms a precipitate of a dark colour, with sulphate of zinc. Medical properties and uses.—The red rose is astringent and tonic. It forms an elegant and useful vehicle for the exhibi- tion of mineral acids, nitrate of potass, and other neutral salts, in haemorrhages, and many other diseases. (See the Prepara- tions of it.) Officinal preparations. Confectio Rosa, L. E. D. Infusum Rosa, L. E. D. Mel Rosa, L. D. Syrupus Rosx, E. 3. Rosa canina.$ Officinal. Rosjb caninje pulpa, Lond. ho- se canina fructus, Edin. The pulp of the Dog-rose fruit, or Hep. Syn. Le fruit d'Eglantier de Chien (F.), Die frucht der wilden rose, Hanbutten ( G.), Le polpa di fruli di Rosa canina (I.) This species is a common but beautiful ornament of our hedge-rows, flowering in June, and exhaling a very fragrant perfume. It rises to the height of eight or ten feet, has a smooth stem; with two alternate, compressed, conicaUhooked, bright red, in- ternodial prickles; and elongated branch- es spreading from the upright. Qualities.—The fruit is inodorous, and has a pleasant, sweet, acidulous taste, de- pending on uncombined citric acid and su- gar which it contains. Medical properties and uses.—The pulpy part of heps is cooling, but possesses no direct medicinal properties. It is used on- ly for the formation of the confection.§ Officinal preparation. Confectio Rosx ca- nina, L. ROSMARINUS. Spec. Plant. Willd.\A26. Cl. 2. Ord. 1. Diandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Verticillatae, Linn. Labiate, Juss. G. 62. Corolla unequal, with the upper lip two-parted. Filaments long, curved, simple, with a tooth. Species 1. R. officinalis l| Officinal Rose- mary. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 329. Sibthorp Flora GriEcu, t. 14. Officinal. Rosmakinx cacumina, Lond. Rosmaiiini officinalis cacumina, Edin, Rosmahsna; HEitiiA, Dub. Rosemary tops. Syn. Romarin (F.), Rosmarin (G. Dutch, Dan., Swed), Romarino (I), Romero (S.), Rosmaninho (Port.), Klil (Arab.), Yong tsao ( Chin.) t Kuvoc/3*tov Dioscoridis. ^ Hondsrm* (Dutch), Hyben (Dan.), Niupon (Sw.ed.), Rosa Silves- tre (S.) Rosa brava (Port.) Schippownick (Russ.), Gut (Tatar.), Foo son (Japan,). } The confection is sometimes brought to table as a sweetmeat on the continent: and the leaves of the plant are drank by the Tartars and the Russians in Siberia instead often. The Russians of the Volga prepare a spirit from the flowers. Lin. Trans, tol. xii. part i. p. 227. H AiGuyutic Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 263 This plant is a native of the south of Eu- rope, Greece, and Barbary, but has been long cultivated in Britain, where it flowers in April and May. It is an evergreen, erect, very branching shrub, rising about four feet in height; the branches thickly covered with leaves, and the smaller ones four-cor- nered and downy. The leaves are oppo- site, almost sessile, more than an inch in length, and one-sixth of an inch broad, li- near, obtuse, entire, with the margin turned back; of a dark green colour, smooth, and shining on the upper side ; woolly, veined, and of a silvery hue on the under. The flowers, which are placed on little axillary, opposite, leafy branches, are axillary and terminal, erect, on short stalks. Qualities.—Both the leaves and flowers have a grateful aromatic odour, and a bit- terish, warm, pungent taste, depending on an essential oil, which appears to be com- bined with camphor: Vide Ol. rosmarini. Alcohol extracts its virtues completely, but they are only partially given out to water. By distillation with water, its essential oil is obtained. The leaves afford the greatest quantity : the flowers the smallest. Medical properties and uses.—Rosemary is stimulant, and, according to some, em- menagogue.* It has been given in the form of infusion in nervous headach, hys- teria, and chlorosis, but it is now scarcely ever prescribe*ft, unless as an odorous ad- junct to sternutatory powders. The dose in substance may be from grs. x. to Qij.; and from ^j. to 3iss. in infusion. Officinal preparations. Oleum Rosmarini, L. E. D. Spiritus Rosmarini, L. E. D. RUBIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 603. Cl. 4. Ord. 1. Tetrandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Stellatae, Linn. Rubiaceae, Juss. G. 187. Corolla of one petal, bell-shaped. Berries two, one-seeded. Species 1. R. tinctorum.\ Dyers5 Madder. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 173. t. 67. Officinal. Ruui.£ hadix, Lond. Dub. Ru- Bi.rc tixctohum radix, Edin. The root of Dyers' Madder. Syn. Garance (F.), Krappwurzel; Fxr- berrothe (G.), Mce (Dutch), Krap (Dan.), Radiche di Robbia o Garanza (/.), Rubia (S.), Munjith (H.), Manjttitties (Tarn.), Mariona (Russ.), Kermesa Buja (Turk.) This plant is a perennial, with annual stems. It is a native of the south of Eu- rope, the Levant, anci Africa, and has been cultivated to a very great extent for up- wards of 300 years in Zealand: it flowers in June.f The root is composed of many • Bergius Mat. Med. a Regno Vegct. p. 21. f Eotviooictvov Dioscoridis. t As madder is an article of great national im- portance as a dye-stuff", many attempts have been made to cultivate it in this country, but without merest, tlm Duic-li madder b'-ing hoih better and long, thick, succulent fibres, about the thick- ness of a man's finger, united at the top in a head, from which go off many side-roots, extending under the surface of the ground, and throwing up shoots, by which the plant may be propagated. Madder root is dug up for use in the third summer of its growth. It is then dried gradually in a stove built in the form of a tower, containing ceveral floors ; and from the uppermost it is progressively re- moved to the lowest; after which it is thrashed to remove the cuticle, and then dried completely in a kiln. When per- fectly dried it is pounded, and finally pack- ed in barrels for the market. There are three descriptions of this powder. The first pounding separates and reduces to a pow- der the fibrillse, and the skins of the larger roots only, which is sold at a low price under the name of mull; a second pound- ing separates one-third of the remaining parts of the large roots, and is sold under the name of gemcens; and a third pounding forms into a powder the pure bright resi- due of the roots, which is the best, and is simply called crop madder.§ Qualities.—Madder has an unpleasant but not strong odour, and a bitter, slightly austere taste. It attracts the mo'sture of a damp atmosphere, and is injured by it. To water, alcohol, and volatile oils, at a tem- perature of 60°, it imparts a red colour; but to water at 212°, the colour imparted has a deep tinge of brown. Its principal constituent is extractive, which is precipi- tated by solution of alum brownish red ; by the alkaline carbonates and lime-water, blood-red or lake ; and by acetate of lead, brown.|| The taste and odour of the mad- der are imparted to w-ater and alcohol by infusion. Medical properties and uses.—Madder is usually regarded as emmenagogue, and was formerly much relied on in chlorosis, and scanty and difficult menstruation. It has also been recommended in jaundice, and the atrophy of infants : but its efficacy in any disease is extremely problematical. Its colouring matter, however, is carried into the circulation, tinges the urine a blood- red colour, and is deposited in the bones."I The dose of madder may be from grs. xv. to 9J-> united with sulphate of potass, and given three or four times a day. cheaper than ours. That it can be grown to great perfection in this country is certain, and the effort to introduce its culture should not be dropped. The best comes from Zealand ; to which Britain alone is said to have paid 200,000/. annually for madder. Bancroft on Permanent Colours, 2d edit. v. ii. p. 222. $ Bancroft, 1. c. Q Aunales de Chimie, iv. 104. 6. t. 3, 4. MATERIA MEDICA.. 267 burns with a crackling noise and white flame, giving out abundance of smoke, and leaving behind a light spongy charcoal. Water and strong alcohol dissolve it par- tially ; but it is almost completely soluble in proof spirit. In distillation with water it yields a little volatile oil; and impreg- nates the water strongly with its flavour. Its constituents appear to be gum, resin, and an essential oil, on which its virtues probably depend. Medical properties and uses.—This gum- resin is antispasmodic, and emmenagogue ; and externally discutient. It is sometimes employed in hysteria, chlorosis, and other cases in which assafcetida has been found serviceable ; but it is much inferior in its powers. It is usually given in substance, in doses of from grs. x. to gss. made into pills. SALIX. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 703. Cl. 22. Ord. 2. Dioscia Diandria. Nat. ord. Amentacese. G. 1756. Male. Amentum cylindrical. Calyx a scale. Corolla none. Gland of the base nectariferous. --------Female. Amentum cylindrical. Calyx a scale. Corolla none. Style bifid. Capsule one-celled, two-valved. Seeds downy. * With smooth serrated leaves. Species 10. S. fragilis. Crack Willow. Smith, Flora Brit. 1051. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 18. t. 8. Hoffman Sal. ii. 9. t. 31. **» jj'irfi jiUlose leaves. Species 33. S. alba. White Willow. Smith, Flora Brit. 1071. Hoffman Sal. i. 41. t. 7,8. Species 101. S.capren. Great round-leaved Willow. Smith, Flora Brit. 1067. Hoff- man Sal. i. 25. t. 3. f. 1. 1. Salix fragilis. Officinal. ----cortex, Dub. Bark of the Crack Willow. Syn. Ecorce de Saule (F.), Weidenrinde (G.), Corteccia di Salcio (/.), Corte/.a de Sauce (S.) This species of willow is indigenous, growing upon the banks of rivers, and flowering in April and May. It grows to a considerable height, sending off upright branches; which are covered with an even brownish yellow bark, and are very fragile at the base. Qualities.—The dried bark is inodorous, bitter, and austere. 2. Salix alba.* Officinal. Salix cortex, Dub. Willow Bark. The white willow is indigenous, growing in woods and moist places, and flowering in April and May. It is a large tree, with a cracked bark ; and furnished with many * 'uU\iwn Theophrasti. round, spreading branches; the younger of which are silky. The bark of this species is easily sepa- rated all the summer. It has been used for tanning leather; and the inner part ofit affords the miserable inhabitants of Kam- schatka a substitute for bread. Qualities.—The same as those of the former species. 3. Salix CAPREA.f Officinal, Salicis cortex, Lond. Willow Bark. This species of willow is indigenous, ve- ry common in woods, flowering in April. It is a middling-sized tree, with the branches round, even, shining, and brownish ; and the shoots pubescent. Qualities.—The bark of this species, like that of the two former, is inodorous, bit- terish, and astringent. The bark of the white willow only has been chemically examined; but as the other two species agree with it in their sensible qualities, it is probable that they agree also in other respects. Water extracts its vir- tues, and affords a decoction of a reddish colour, which is precipitated by a solution of isinglass, the carbonate of potass and of ammonia; and by lime-water, which throws down a precipitate, at first blue, and after- wards buff-coloured : sulphate of iron also produces a dark green precipitate. The watery extract is reddish, brittle, has a bit- ter taste, and does not deliquesce. Digested in alcohol this bark affords a greenish yellow tincture, which water renders turbid. When evaporated, the extract is of a bright yellow colour, bitter, melts at a moderate heat, and emits an aromatic odour.f: The constitu- ents, therefore, of white willow bark, and probably of the two other species also, are tannin, bitter resin, extractive, and gluten. Medical properties and uses.—These barks are tonic and astringent. They have been given as a substitute for the cinchona bark; and in some cases intermittents and remittents have yielded to their use.§ They have also been efficaciously administered in cases of debility, dyspepsia, and pulmonary hemorrhagies; and have apparently been more serviceable in phthisis and hectic fever than the cinchona. They may be given either in substance, or in the form of de- coction. Of the powdered bark from gss. to 5j. may be given for a dose, combined t Siler Virgilii. X Ann. de Chimie, liv. 290. Thomson's Chemistry, 4th ed. vol. v. p. 221. § The bark of the white willow was first used by the Rev. Edmund Stone, of Chipping Norton, Ox- fordshire. He gave it successfully in doses of one drachm of the powder every hour between the pa- roxysms, in tertians ; and added one-fifth of Peruvian bark to augment its power, in obstinala quartans. Phil. Trans, iii. 195. 268 MATERIA MEDICA. with aromatics, myrrh, nr the cinchona bark, as circumstances direct. SALVIA. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 127. Cl. 2. Ord. 1. Diandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Verticillatx, Linn. Labiatse, Juss. G. 63. Corolla unequal. Filaments affixed transversely to a pedicel. Species 7. S. officinalis.* Garden Sage. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 352. t. 127. Officinal. Salvia officinalis folia, Edin. Salvia, Dub. The leaves of Sage. Syn. Sauge (F.), Salbei (G.). Salei (Dutch), Salvia (/.), Salvia (S.), Salva (Port.), Schalweja (Russ.), Says-elley (Tarn.), Saulbey (Pers.). The common or officinal sage is a peren- nial plant, a native of the south of Europe, cultivated abundantly in our gardens, flow- ering in June. It rises about two feet in height, with a quadrangular, shrubby, branching stem: the younger branches whitish, and downy. There are many varieties of common sage, but their properties are the same. It is cut when in flower, and hung up in a shady place to dry. Qualities.—The odour of sage is fra- grant, and the taste warm, bitterish, and aromatic: qualities depending on an essen- tial oil, which can be obtained separate in distillation with water. Sulphate of iron strikes a deep black colour with the infu- sion. Medical properties and uses.—Sage is tonic, carminative, and slightly astringent. The estimation in which it was held by the ancients is sufficiently well known ; but it does not support the character it formerly acquired; and " salvia salvatrix naturx con- ciliatrix"f is very little regarded by the modern practitioner. Infusions of the leaves, if strained before too much of the bitter is extracted, prove very grateful to the sto- mach, when nausea is troublesome in febrile complaints; and when drunk cold they are said to check hectical perspirations,!: and those which frequently attend convalescen- cies. The infusion either alone, or mixed with honey and vinegar, is a well known gargle in cases of sore throat, and relaxation of the uvula. The dose of the pulverized leaves is from grs. xv. to ^ss.; or, of an in- fusion made with ,f j. of the dried leaves and Oj. of boiling water, fgij. may be taken every three or four hours. SAMBUCUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1494. Cl. 5. Ord. 3. Pentandria Trigynia. Nat. ord. DumosK, Linn. Caprifolise, Juss. G. 569. Calyx five-parted. Corolla five- cleft. Berry three-seeded. Species 3. S. nigral Common Elder. * EXiXunpaxoy Dioscoridis. t Srhola Saleritana, c. 33. p. 406. X Van Swieten's Comment, ii. 370. § Aktd Dioscoridis. The leaves laid in Med. Bot. 2d ed. 596. Smith, Flora Brit. 336. Eng. Bot. 476. Officinal. Sambuci flores, Lond. Sambuci NlGR.B FLORES ; BACCy-E, CORTEX, Edin. Sambucus; cortex interior, flores, bacc;e, Dub. The flowers, berries, and inner bark of Common Elder. Syn. Sureau ordinaire (F.), Fliederblu- men (G.), Corteccia; bacche, e fiori di Jambuco (/.), Sabuco (S.), Uktee (Arab.) The common elder is a very abundant, indigenous, middle-sized shrubby tree, growing commonly in hedges; flowering in June, and ripening its berries in Septem- ber. It is much branched near the top, and covered with a roughish gray bark. The wood is white, hard, and has a large spongy pith. The leaves are pinnated, composed of five oval, pointed, serrated leaflets, near- ly equal at their base. The flowers are in terminal cymes, consisting of five principal branches, and many small ones, with some of the flowers sessile. They are cream- coloured : with the calyx superior, and per- manent, and the corolla monopelalous, ro- tate, and somewhat convex. The berries are globular, and when ripe of a purplish black colour. Qualities.—The flowers have a peculiar faint sickly odour and bitterish taste, which are imparted to water by infusion, and also by distillation, in which a small portion of butyraceous oil is separated. The berries are inodorous, have a sweetish taste ; and yield on expression a fine purple juicej which contains saccharine matter, jelly, and the malic acid. The inner bark is inodo- rous, and has a faint sweetish taste, which is succeeded by a slight bitterness, and a very permanent acrimony. Both water and alcohol extract their virtues. Medical properties and uses.—The flow- ers and berries are diaphoretic and aperi- ent. The berries were formerly much used in febrile diseases, rheumatism, gout, and eruptive diseases, but they are now scarce- ly ever ordered. The flowers are used chiefly in fomentations and cooling oint- ments ; and to afford their odour to water in distillation. The bark is a hydragogue purgative, and in large doses proves eme- tic at the same time. It is said to prove ef- ficacious in dropsy; and in smaller doses to be a useful aperient and deobstruent in various chronic affections. The dose of the bark is from grs. x. to sjss., given in wine : or gj. may be boiled in Oj., of milk or of water down to Oj., and the fourth part taken for a dose. the subterraneous passages of moles are said to driv« them away. H M. A. Chevalier has ascertained that paper stained with this juice is as delicale u test of the pre- sence of alkalies and acids, as litmus paper. Journ, dt Phurm. Avril 1820. MATERIA MEDICA. 269 Officinal preparations. Succus spissatus Sambuci nigra, E. D. Unguentum Sambuci, I.. I). ISANGLTNARIA CANADENSIS. Polyandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Rhcca- dcx. Puccoon. Blood root. Blood wort. Officinal. The root. The properties of this medicine are eme- tic, cathartic, expectorant, and diaphoretic. In croup it is considered as particularly va- luable, from the irritation which it produces on the fauces, as well as from the perma- nent nausea and faintness which it occa- sions. The powdered root is given in jaun- dice combined with torpor of the liver, in the quantity of a drachm. In hooping cough it is also useful. Sixty drops thrice a day has been useful in hydrothorax; it renders the pulse more slow : it is escharotic and cures polypi. The dose must be accurately regulated, as it produces strong narcotic effects ; as dilata- tion of the pupil, delirium, fever, &c. An ounce to ^viii. of alcohol forms a good tincture, the most proper mode of giving the sanguinaria. From 20 to 30 drops is the proper dose: it may be also given in pills: the last form prevents the irritation excited by the medicine on the fauces. ] SAPO. Soap* Soap is a compound of margaritic and oleic acidsf with an alkaline, or an earthy, or an oxidized metalline base. The first kind is that which is employed in medi- cine, and has been longest known, having been invented by the Gauls at a period an- tecedent to historical record. Alkaline soap is of two kinds; one made with soda, and oil either animal or vegetable, or tal- low, and called hard soap ; the other made with potass and similar oily matters, and called soft soap. For medical purposes it is essential that both kinds be made from the purest materials; and therefore the soap made in countries which produce olive oil, as the south of France, Italy, Tripoli, and Spain, is preferable to the soap of this country, which is generally manufactured from grease, tallow, and other kinds of fat, 1. Hard Soap. Officinal. Sapo dcrus, Lond. Sapo iiurus; et soda confectus, Edin, Sapo ; durus uispaiiicus, Dub. Hard Soap. Spanish Soap. * The name is derived, according to Beckman, from the old German word Sepe.—History of Inven- tions, iii. 239. t Chevreul, whose experiments have elucidated the nature of soap more than those of any other chemist, has ascertained that fixed oils and tallow consist of two substances, one solid, which he has named strrain, and the other fluid, which he has named elaiu. These are altered by salifiable bases, and converted in the abo\e named acids, wd« Ann. d.- Chimie tt dc Phys. Syn. Savon blanc (F.), Spanische Seife (G.), Sapone duro (/.), Xabon (S.), Nat Sowcarum (Tarn.), Saboon (Duh.) Qualities.—Well made hard soap, fit for medical use, has very little odour, and a nauseous alkalescent taste; is white, and of a firm consistence ; does not feel greasy, and is devoid of any saline efflorescence on the surface. With water it forms a milky opaque solution ; and with alcohol a nearly transparent, somewhat gelatinous solution.* It is decomposed by all the acids, and acidu- lous salts; by alum, the muriate and the sulphate of lime, and sulphate of magnesia; thence hard water, which contains sulphate of lime, does not properly dissolve soap : nitrate of silver; ammoniated copper; tincture of muriated iron; ammoniated iron ; acetate, submuriate and oxymuriate of mercury ; superacetate of lead ; tartar- ized iron ; tartarized antimony ; sulphates of zinc, copper, and iron ; and all astrin- gent vegetable solutions also decompose it. According to the experiments of Darcet, Lelievre, and Pelletier, 100 parts of newly made soap consists of 60.94 oil, 8.56 alkali, and 30.50 water : but part of the water is lost by keeping, and the soap becomes lighter. 2. Soft Soat-. Officinal. Sapo Mollis, Lond. Edin. Soft Soap. Syn. Savon Mou (F.), Sapone Molle (I.). This soap is prepared in the same man- ner as the former: a caustic ley of potass, however, being used instead of the soda ley. It was this variety of soap which was originally made by the Gauls and Germans, who employed wood ashes to afford then- ley -. and these are still used in many places. Qualities.—Soft soap differs from hard soap chiefly in its consistence, which is ne- ver greater than that of hog's lard. Medical properties and uses.—Soap is re- garded as purgative and lithontriptic; ex- ternally applied it is stimulant and deter- gent. For internal use the hard soap only is employed. It is occasionally ordered in habitual costiveness, and in jaundice, com- bined with rhubarb, or some bitter extract; but its power as a purgative is very limited, and it cannot act in any other way in reliev- ing jaundice. It is more useful in calcu- lous habits, in which, however, its action is altogether confined to the stomach ; for as soap is decomposed by the weakest acids, its alkaline base corrects the. acidity so pre- valent in the stomachs of calculous patients, and thus, at least, assists in checking the increase of the disease. Soap is also bene- ficial in decomposing some metallic poisons when taken into the stomach ; and, as it is X The alcoholic solution of soap is a convenient test for discovering earthy salts in mineral waters. 270 MATERIA MEDICA. the antidote which can most readily be pro- cured, should always be early resorted to. It is necessary, in this latter case, to give it in solution; of" which, a tea-cupful should be drank at short intervals, till the effects ex- pected from it be produced. In other cases it is preferable to give it in substance. As an external remedy, soap is efficaciously used in frictions to sprains and bruises; and we have seen much benefit derived from rubbing the tumid bellies of children la- bouring under mesenteric fever, with a strong lather of soap every morning and evening. The dose internally is from grs. iij. to gss. made into pills. Officinal preparations. Pilulx Saponis cum Opio, L. Pil. Scilla comp., L. Pil. Aloet., E. Pil. Aloes et Assafcetida, E. Pil. Aloes cum Zinzibere, D. Pil. Colocynth comp., D. Emplastrum Saponis, L. E. Ceratum Sapo- nis, L. Linimentum Saponis comp., L. Lini- mentum Saponis cum Opio, E. SARSAPARlL'LiE RA'DIX. Vide Smi- lax. SAS'SAFRAS LIG'NUM et RA'DIX. Vide Laurus. SCAMMO'NT^E GUM'MI RESTNA. Vi- de Convolvulus. SCILLA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 125. Cl. 6. Ord. 1. Hexandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Coronarise, Linn. Asphodeli, Juss. G. 640. Corolla six-petalled, spreading, deciduous. Filaments threadlike. Species 1. S. Maritima.* Officinal Squill. Med. Bot. 2d. edit. 745. t. 255. Officinal. Scii/l.u ra'dix, Lond. Dub. Scill.m Maritime RAinxf, Edin. Squill root (bulb.) Syn. SciIle(.F.), Meerzwiebel(C), Zeea- juin (Dutch), Skille (Dan.), Scilla (J.), Ce- bolla abarruna '(S.), Alvazraa (Port.). This species of squill is a native of Spain, Sicily, Syria, and Barbary, flowering in April and May. The bulb is large, some- times nearly the size of the human head, of a pear shape, and formed of fleshy scales, attenuated at both edges, and closely ap- plied one over the other. The roots are fibrous, attached to a radical plate at the bottom of the bulb. There are two varieties of the officinal squill, one with a white bulb, and the other with a reddish bulb ; but both are indiscri- minately used, and do not differ in their virtues. The bulbs are brought from the Levant generally in bulk. They are pre- served fresh in sand; but as they are apt to spoil, it is preferable to keep them in the dried state. (See Preparations.) * Sxia.-m» Dioscoridis. The trivial name maritima has been objected to, as it does not gene- rally grow on the sea coast. t All the colleges have erred in designating the root as the officinal part of the squill. The bulb is the part employed. Qualities.—The squill bulb is inodorous; its taste is bitter, nauseous, and acrid ; and when much handled it inflames and ulce- rates the skin. The expressed juice slightly reddens litmus paper. The acrimony on which its virtue depends is partially dissipa- ted by drying and long keeping, and com- pletely destroyed by any heat above 212°: it is extracted by water, alcohol, and vinegar. The expressed juice, when diluted with wa- ter, filtered, and boiled, does not yield flakes of albumen as has been stated, t Nitrate of mercury and superacetate of lead separate from the juice white curdy precipitates. Gelatin throws down a copious precipitate; and in a less degree the same effect is pro- duced by lime water and the alkaline car- bonates. Infusion of galls forms in it pale brownish flakes; sulphate of iron throws down a copious green precipitate: lime evolves ammonia. WThen the insoluble part of dried squill is digested in muriatic acid, filtered, and ammonia added in excess, a copious precipitate is thrown down, whicli is citrate of lime. Ether, digested on dried squill, acquires a pale green hue, and, when evaporated on the surface of water, a thin pellicle of very bitter resinous matter is de- posited; while the water acquires an in- tensely bitter taste, and yields copious pre- cipitates, with solutions of acetate of lead and nitrate of silver. From these imper- fect experiments, squills appear to contain extractive, a small portion of resin, mucus, carbonate of ammonia, the bitter principle, and citrate of lime. Vogel, from a careful analysis of squill, gives the following as its principles : Gum 6 parts. Bitter principle (scillitina§) 35. Tannin 24. Citrate of lime, 0. Saccharine matter 6. Woody fibre 30], in 100 parts of the dried bulb. Medical properties and uses.—Squill in small doses is expectorant and diuretic; in larger doses, emetic and purgative. Its medicinal powers were very early known, and it still retains its character as a remedy of great efficacy when judiciously exhibi- ted. Although it operates powerfully as an expectorant, yet from its stimulating pro- perties it cannot be given with propriety in pulmonary inflammations, until the fever and inflammatory action be previously greatly subdued by bleeding, and other X But when the expressed juice is boiled, till one half is dissipated, a white precipitate is thrown down, which, when washed with alcohed, appears to be citrate of lime. Annates de Chimie, vol. Ixxxm. p. 149. § Scillitina is white, transparent; breaks with a resinous fracture; and is pulverulent; but it at- tracts moisture rapidly from the atmosphere uniil il becomes fluid. It has an intensely bitter taste, with a slight degree of sweetness; and is very soluble in water, and in alcohol. || Annales de Chimie, vol. Ixxxiii. p. 153. MATERIA MEDICA. 271 evacuants; after which, by promoting a more copious excretion from the mucous follicles, it rapidly unloads the chest, and relieves the congestion and difficulty of breathing. It is more useful when com- bined with nitrate of potass, tartarized an- timony, or ipecacuanha; and in asthma and dyspnoea without fever, squill combined with ammoniacum is perhaps the best re- medy we can employ. In dropsies con- joined with a mercurial and opium, the effi- cacy of squill is well ascertained. Its diu- retic powers are much increased by this combination ; perhaps depending on the absorbents being powerfully excited by the mercury, vhile the squill determines to the kidneys. Cullen recommends* the oxymu- riate of mercury as the best adjunct; but I have seen every purpose answered by ca- lomel. Squill is a very uncertain emetic, a very small dose producing the most cruel vomiting in some persons, while in others, the largest doses do not even excite nau- sea : where, however, it readily and mode- rately induces vomiting, it proves more use- ful in hooping-cough and croup, than any other emetic. To produce its expectorant and diuretic effects most effectually, squills must be given in substance: but to excite vomiting, its infusion in vinegar, or the oxy- mel, is more usually employed. Of the dried squill gr. j. in the form of a pill, may be given at first for a dose, morning and evening, or every six hours; gradually in- creasing the dose to grs. v. or grs. vj, or until some degree of nausea is induced, and its expectorant or diuretic operation is ob- tained. Officinal preparations. Acetum Scillx, L. E. D. Oxymel Scilla, L. D. Pilula Scilla comp., L. E. D. Pulvis ScUItc, E. D. Sy- rupus Scillx marilima, E. Tinctura Scillx, L. D. SCROPHULARIA. Spec. Plant.. Willd. iii. 269. Cl. 14. Ord. 2. Diydynamia Angiospermia. Nat. Ord. Personatss, Linn. Scrophu- larize, Juss. G. 1152. Cal. five-cleft. Corolla subglo- bular, resupine. Capsule two-celled. Species 2. S. nodosa. Knobby-rooted Fig- wort. Smith, Flora Brit. 663. Engl. Bot. 1544. Officinal. Scrophclaria ; Herba, Dub. Figwort herb. Syn. La Scrophulaire aquatique (F.), Die Wasser-Braunwurz (G.), Waterspeen- kruid (Dutch), Scrofularia aquatica (/.), F.scrofularia aguatica (S.), F.scrofularia dos rios (Porl.) This is an indigenous, perennial plant, growing in woods and about hedges, flow- ering in July. The root is tuberous, and * Materia Medica, ii. SjH. granulated. The stem rises three feet in height, is erect, simple, sharply quadrangu- lar, smooth, and leafy. Qualities.—The recent leaves have a rank fetid odour, resembling that of elder leaves, and a bitterish disagreeable taste ; but, both these qualities are nearly lost by dry- ing. They yield their virtues to water : and the infusion precipitates sulphate of iron brown. Medical properties and uses.—Figwort is supposed to possess diuretic and sedative properties. It has been used in scrophula, whence its name ; and is recommended as a fomentation to piles, malignant tumours, spreading ulcers, and cutaneous eruptions: but is very little known in practice. [SECALE CORNUTUM. Spurred rye. Ergot. Horned rye. This substance is an excrescence growing from the rye, of an irregular shape, brown- ish, friable, and projecting like a spur from the grain. It appears to be the product of low and moist situations, and wet seasons: taken for some time it causes great debility, sphacelus in the extremities, and death. In ordinary doses, 0i.) it occasions nau- sea and sometimes vomiting; in larger, headach. Its principal use is in expediting labour. It must not be given till the os uteri is di- lated. It operates by giving a sudden and increased power to the womb: it is there- fore proper to give it in cases, where the uterus from exhaustion istoo weak to bring the child into the world: in retention of the placenta, in cases of hourglass contraction, and in cases of hemorrhage of the uterus.f If given before the mouth of the womb is dilated, the severe pressure on the head of the child protruded through the undilating os tincae may kill the child, or rupture the womb. Its virtues as an emmenagogue, are uncertain] SENEGiE RADIX. Vide Polygala. SENNJE FOLIA. Vide Cassia. SERPENTARIiE RADIX. Vide Aris- tolochia. SEVUM. Vide Ovis. SIMAROUBvE CORTEX. Vide Quas- sia. SINAPIS.t Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 554. Cl. 15. Ord. 2. Tetradynamina Siliquosa. Nat. ord. Siliquosx, Linn. Cruciferx, Juss. G. 1246. Cal. spreading. Cor. claws erect. Gland between the shortest sta- mens and pistil, and the longer stame*b and calyx. Species 4." S. alba. White Mustard Smith, Flora Brit. 721. Species 5. S. nigra. Common Mustard. j See Med. Repository. i iintri Dioscoridis. 272 MATERIA MEDICA. Med. Bot. tt 151. Smith, Flora Brit. 722. 1. BlNAPIS ALBA. Officinal. Sinapis aibb semina, Edin. Sinapi ; semina, Dub. White Mustard- seed. Syn. Moutarde (F.), Senfsamen (G.,) Mosterd (Dutch), Senep (Dan.), Senape bianca (/.), Grano de Mostaza (S.), Gorts- chiza (Russ.), Kabar (Arab.). This species of mustard is an indigenous annual plant, growing in the fields and by- road sides; but it is also much cultivated. It flowers in June. The seeds are large, for the size of the pod, globular, and of a light yellow colour. 2. Sinapis nigra.* Officinal. Sinapis semina, Lond. Mustard- seeds. Syn. Moutarde noir (F.), Schwarzer Senfe (G'.), Senape (/.), Mostaza nigra Common mustard is an indigenous an- nual ; and although very plentiful in its wild state, yet it is cultivated for domestic and medicinal purposes. It flowers in June. The root is small. Although the seeds of these two species of mustard differ in their botanical charac- ters, yet they agree in other respects, the common being only rather more pungent; and they may be indiscriminately^ employed. Reduced to a fine powder, they form the common condiment everyday used at our tables. Qualities.—These seeds, in the entire state, are nearly inodorous, but when bruised they have a pungent, penetrating odour. Their taste is bitterish, acrid, and biting. Unbruised mustard seeds, when macerated in boiling water, yield only an insipid mucilage, which, like that of lin- seed, resides in the skin: but, when bruised, water takes up all their active matter, although it is scarcely imparted to alcohol. In distillation with water, mus- tard-seeds yield a very acrid volatile oil, on which their virtues are supposed to de- pend. It is united in the seed with fecula or starch ; its force appears to be obtunded by a soft, insipid, fixed oil, which can be separated by pressure, and the cake left after the expression is considerably more pungent and acrid than the unpressed seeds. It is not dissipated by drying, nor by keeping the seeds, and is rendered con- siderably more active by the addition of vinegar. When the seeds are triturated with lime and a few drops of water, ammo- nia is plentifully evolved. Hence their con- stituents appear to be starch, mucus, a bland fixed oil, an acrid volatile oil, and an ammoniacal salt. Medical properties and uses.—Mustard. seeds are stimulant, emetic, diuretic, and rubefacient. Swallowed whole, they have been found useful in dyspepsia, chlorosis, and the torpid state of the intestines which accompanies paralysis. The bruised seeds, or the powder, to the extent of a large tea-spoonful mixed with water, form an excellent emetic in paralytic, epileptic, and some apoplectic cases, often operating quickly and fully when other emetics fail. In small doses, they are found to promote considerably the secretion of urine, and consequently prove beneficial in dropsies. In these affections, however, perhaps the best mode of exhibiting mustard is in the form of whey, which is made by boiling giv. of the bruised seeds on Oj. of milk, and straining to separate the curd. A fourth part of this tjuantity may be taken for a dose three times a day. But mustard is more frequently employed as an external remedy. The flour rubbed on the skin, or applied in the form of cataplasm, made with crumbs of bread and vinegar, soon ex- cites a sense of pain, considerable inflam- mation, and sometimes vesication. In these forms it has been found serviceable in para- lysis ; and, when applied to the soles of the feet, in the delirium of typhus, and in coma- tose affections. Officinal preparations. Cataplasma Sina- pis, L. D. Emplastrum Meloes comp. E. SIUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1431. Cl. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbellats. G. 544. Fruit subovate, striated; Invol. many-leaved. Pet. cordate. Species 4. S. nodifortim. Procumbent Water Parsnip. Med. Bot. 2d ed. 139. Smith, Flora Biit. 313. Eng. Bot. 639. Officinal. Sium ; herba, Dub. Water Pan- nip herb. Syn. Berle ; Ache d'eau (F.), Wasser- Partinake (G.), Knoophloemige water-eppe (Dutch,) Sio; Gorgolestro (/.), Sio; Sion This is an indigenous perennial plant, common in ditches and brooks, flowering1 in July and August. The root is creeping. The stem procumbent or floating, branched, round, somewhat striated and leafy. This plant has been omitted by the Lon- don College in the last edition of its Phar- macopoeia, and we are inclined to believe that its pretensions even to the character of an antiscorbutic require further confirma- tion. SMILAX.f Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 774. Cl. 22. Ord. 6. Dioecia Hexandria. Nat. ord. Sarmentacex, Linn. Asparagi, Juss. G. 1800. Male. Calyx six-leaved. Corolla none. * Nasro Hippocratis. f t/jn\v.\ Dioscoridis. MATERIA MEDICA. 273 -------Female. Cal. six-leaved. Cor. none. Styles three. Berry three-celled. Seeds two. * Stem prickly, angular. Species 9. S. Sarsaparilla.* Sarsaparilla. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 161. Officinal. Sarsaparill.h radix, Lond. Dub. SMILACIS SARSAPAUU.LiE RADIX, Edin. Sarsaparilla root. Syn. Racine de Salsepareille (F.), Sar- saparille (G.), Sarzaparille (Dutch), Ra- diche della Salsapariglia (/.), Zarzaparilla (>S'.), Salsaparilha (Port.), Juapecanha (Brasil.) This plant is a perennial, a native of South America and Virginia, flowering in July and August. The root is divided into pedicels, which are somewhat thicker than a goose- quill, straight, externally brown, internally white, and three or four feet in length. But several species of smilax are gathered under the name of sarsaparilla. The best sarsaparilla grows on the borders of a lake on the north of the Cerra Untnran, not far from Esmeralda. It is celebrated all over South America by the name of Zarza del Rio Negro.-f The dried root is imported from the Spanish West Indies, packed in bales. Hum- boldt states that nearly 5000 quintals are annually exported from Vera Cruz4 It is in long slender twigs, covered with a wrin- kled brown bark, white within, and having a small woody heart. Qualities.—This root is inodorous, and has a mucilaginous very slightly bitter taste. It communicates to boiling water, and par- tially to alcohol and ether, any active matter it possesses. The watery infusion has a brown colour, reddens lilmus paper, and yields a precipitate with infusion of galls, which is again dissolved when the infusion is heated. It is precipitated also by lime- water, and solution of nitrate of mercury, and superacetate of lead, but is not affected by sulphate of iron, or any other of the me- tallic oxides. The alcoholic tincture has a yellowish red hue, is rendered turbid by the addition of water, and yields an extract slightly bitter and pungent. Ether takes up two parts in ten of the powdered root ; and the tincture, which has a golden yellow colour, when evaporated on water, leaves a * Bauhin derives the name from Zarsa, which he says, is the Spanish for red ; and parilla, a little vine. The latter part of the derivation is correct : but we are inclined to think the first part must be referred to Zarza, a brier or bush ; hence, Zarzapa- rilla would imply a bushy little vine. t It is purposely smoked in drying it. Humboldt's Person. Nar. p. vol. v. 378. trans. \ Polit. Essay, vol. 2. p. 442. Clusius assorts, that Europe received the first sarsaparilla from lucaton and the island of l'liiia, opposite ('uaya- quit. 35 small portion of reddish yellow Insipid resin, and a larger of yellowish extractive dissolv- ed in the water. Medical properties and uses.—Sarsaparilla is demulcent, and said to be diuretic. It was brought to Europe about the year 1530, and introduced as a medicine of great effi- cacy in the cure of lues venerea ; but it fell into disrepute and was little used, till it was again brought into esteem by Dr. William Hunter and Sir Wm. Fordyce, about the middle of the last century; not however as a remedy fitted to cure syphilis,§ but of much efficacy in rendering a mercurial course more certain, and after the use of mercury.|| Experience, however, has not verified the encomiums bestowed on it; and the extensive observations of Mr. Pearson have fixed the degree of benefit which is to be expected from this root in syphilitic complaints. " The contagious matter, and the mineral specific, may," he observes, "jointly produce, in certain habits of body, a new series off symptoms, which, strictly speaking, are not venereal; which cannot be cured by mercury, and which are some- times more to be dreaded than the simple and natural effects of the venereal virus. Some of the most formidable of these ap- pearances may be removed by sarsaparilla, the venereal virus still remaining in the system ; and, when the force of the poison has been completely subdued by mercury, the same vegetable is also capable of free- ing the patient from what may be called the sequelse of a mercurial course."'* * Sarsapa- rilla is also recommended in scrofula, ele- phantiasis, or cutaneous affections resem- bling it, and in chronic rheumatism ; but its efficacy is doubtful. The dose of the pow- dered root is from T)j. to gj., given three or four times a clay. Officinal preparations. Decoctum Sarsa- parilla, L. E. D. Decoctum Sarsaparilla compositum, D. Extractum Sarsaparilla, L. SODiE MURIAS, Lond. Mdkias Soujs, Edin. Sal commune. Murias Soda, Dub. Muriate of Soda. Common Salt. Syn. Muriate de Soude (F.), Salzaures $ The celebrated Mutis, in a letter to the younger Limueus, says, " scarcely any Lues Venerea resists my method of administering a drink of this medi- cine." (Correspondence of Linnxux, vol. ii. p. 549.) But we must recollect that syphilitic complaints are us benign as they are common, both among the whites and the mixed casts, in South America; and, as they yield to this remedy, the quantity of sarsapa- rilla employed in the Spanish colonies is very con- siderable. See Humboldt's Person. Nar. vol. v. p. 379. || Medical Observations and Enquiries, vol. i. *} The symptoms alluded to, are nocturnal pains in the limbs, painful enlargements of the knee and elbow joints, membranous nodes, and cutaneous ul- cerations, arising after a full course of mercury. ** Pearson ou Hemedies fur Lues Venerea, 24. 274, MATERIA MEDICA. Natrum (G.), Sal commune (/.), Sal (S.), Melh (Arab.), Poppoo (Tarn.), Loon (H). This salt is one of the most abundant pro- ductions of nature, being found in almost every country of every quarter of the globe ; either existing in mineral springs* or lakes ;f spread in strata under the surface of the ground,}: or rising from it into mountains ;§ and to its presence also the ocean owes its saltness.|| In all these situations, however, it is generally mixed with earths and other matters, and therefore must undergo several processes to bring it to the degree of pu- rity in which it occurs as an article of com- merce. In Cheshire, where the greater part of the salt used in this country is made, the brine is pumped up from very deep wells, and evaporated in wrought iron pans. In warm climates, the sea water is evaporated in shallow ponds by the heat of the. sun; and in this mode, what is denominated bay salt, is made ; but, in colder countries, the evaporation is carried on by artificial heat in a way similar to the Cheshire process. The crystals of the salt procured by these means are more perfect, and purer, the more slowly the evaporation is conducted, The following table, drawn up by Dr. Henry, shows the components in the differ- ent varieties of salt used in this country: 100 Parts, by Weight, 3 "-" 4) oj 3 rt 4) '"n >> 3 6 a ^ w* .2 % "*' 2 o of the rt g 2 c QJ rt - £ r j? -X.fi 2 a following Salts. s °- *- "l *C bo 3 a "rt 3 o S 3 ca t-, J=r - 3 3° Ph OTW^CSt. Ube's- - - - 9 trace 3 3 23$ 44 28 40 960 ~& £ "\ St. Martin's - - -C.01evon - - - - 12 do. 34 3* iy 6 25 404 959^ 10 do. 2 2 m 43 23| 35| 964| Jf W (-"Scotch, (common,) 4 — 28 28 15 174 32$ 644 9354 g ^ 4-' J Scotch, (Sunday,) p g os j Lymington, (com.) » ~ l_Lymington, (cut,) 1 — 114 U* 12 44 164 29 9?1 2 — 11 11 15 55 50 63 93r 1 — 5 5 1 5 6 12 988 O ("Crushed Rock - - 10 0-rV 0--3 V 1 6 0k 64 — 64 165 9831 »gi Fishery - - - - 1 o-i alt impure suda ; the composition of the salt being well £. 1.115. Species 36. T. Chamadrys. Wall German- der. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 358. t. 130. 1. TEUCRIUM MARUM.-f Officinal. Marum striacum; herba, Dub. The herbaceous part of Common Marum. Syn. Herbe au Chat (F.), Arisberkraut (G.), Maro (/., Port.), Amaro (S.). This plant is perennial, a native of Spain and Syria, but cultivated in our gardens.$ It has a low, shrubby stalk, sending out many woody hoary branches; and in its proper soil and climate rises three or four feet in height. Qualities,—The leaves rubbed between the fingers have a volatile aromatic odour, which readily excites sneezing ; their taste is bitterish, pungent, and acrid, depending • Clarke, Essays Physical and Literary, iii. 438. f Mipov Dioscoridis. } It appears to have been cultivated in Britain so i-arly a< 1640. 37 on a volatile oil, which can be obtained se- parate by distillation with water. Medical properties and uses.—This plant is a useful errhine; and as it possesses no narcotic property, is in some cases prefera- ble to tobacco. It is generally a compo- nent in sternutatory powders. Officinal preparation. Pulvis Asari com- positus, E. D. 2. Teccritjm cham;edrts.§ Officinal. Cham.edrts herba, Dub. Wall Germander. Syn. Petite Chene (F.), Bathengel (G.), Gamander (Dutch), Camedrio (/.), Came- drey de agna (S.), Carvalhinha (Port.). This is an indigenous perennial plant, growing on old|| ruins and walls; flower- ing in June and July. It has a creeping root: the stems are nearly erect, branched, round, leafy, and hairy: the leaves subo- vate, cut, crenate, hairy, veined, and atte- nuated at the base : the flowers are axilla- ry : the calyx is rough, with pointed seg- ments : the corolla of a purple colour, bila- biate, with the upper lip short and cut in the middle, and the lower separated into spreading lobes, the central of which is large and roundish. Qualities.—The recent leaves have a slight aromatic odour, which is dissipated by drying; their taste is moderately bitter. Water extracts its active matter complete- ly ; alcohol only partially. Medical properties and uses.—Wall ger- mander has been accounted tonic, stoma- chic, diuretic, and emmenagogue ; and is said to prove efficacious in uterine obstruc- tions, agues, gout, and rheumatism ;t but it is, perhaps, not improperly neglected, being scarcely ever ordered. The dose of the pulverized herb may be from grs. x. to gj., given three or four times a day. TOLUTANUM BALSAMUM, Lond. Dub. TOLUlFER^l BALSAMI BALSAMUM, Edin. Balsam of Tolu. Syn. Beaume de Tolu (F.), Tolutani- scher fJalsam (G.), Balsama Tolutano (/.). The tree which yields the balsam of Tolu has been ascertained** to be the Myroxylon Peruiferum, the same from which the balsam of Peru is procured ; I have therefore rejected the Toluifera bql- samum; which must henceforth be regard- ed merely as a synonime of the Myroxylon. The Tolu balsam is the white balsam of § XapalSpvc Dioscoridis. || Winchelsea Castle. Walls of Norwich near Magdalen gate. Smith. \ Charles V. is said to have been cured of severe rheumatism by a vinous decoction of this plant, taken daily for sixty days. *• Vide A Description of the tree named Qtiinqui- no in Peru, By Don Hippolito Ruiz; trans- lated in Lambert's Illustrations oftheGenut Cinche- na, 4to. Lond. 1821. p. 02. 290 MATERIA MEDICA. Peru hardened, by exposure to the air. It ietobtained from incisions of the bark, from which it flows freely in hot weather ; and is afterwards put into mats and calabashes to condense and harden, in which state it is brought to this country. Qualities.—Balsam of Tolu has an ex- tremely fragrant lemon odour, and a warm somewhat sweetish taste. It is of a yellow reddish brown colour, and of a thick tena- cious consistence, becoming solid and brit- tle by age. Exposed to heat it melts, ea- sily inflames, and disperses with its peculiar odour that of benzoic acid. In distillation with water it yields a small portion of vola- tile oil, impregnates the water with its. odour, and by continuing the process ben- zoic acid sublimes. It is soluble in alcohol, forming a tincture which is rendered milky by water, but no precipitate falls. Mr. Hatchett found, that when it is dissolved in the smallest quantity of solution of potass, its own odour is lost, and it acquires a per- manent fragrant smell resembling that of the clove pink. When digested in sulphu- ric acid, a considerable quantity of pure benzoic acid sublimes; and the same oc- curs during its solution in nitric acid, which also evolves traces of prussic acid. Medical properties and uses.—Tolu balsam is a stimulating expectorant; and although less heating than the other balsams, is nevertheless improper in pulmonic affec- tions attended with inflammation. It forms an elegant addition to more active medi- cines in cases of asthma and chronic catarrh : and on the whole is more employed on ac- count of its agreeable flavour, than for any efficacy it possesses. The dose of the bal- sam may be from gr. v. to ^ss., suspended in water by means of mucilage or yolk of egg- Officinal preparations. Tinctura Ben- zoini composita, L. E. D. Tinctura Tolui- fera Balsami, E. D. Syrupus Tolutani, L. TORMENT1LLA. Spec. Plant. Willd. ii. 1112. , Cl. 12. Ord. 5. Icosandria Polygynia. Nat. ord. Senticosx, Linn. Rosacese, Juss. G. 1001. Calyx three-cleft. Petals four. Seeds roundish, naked, affixed to a small juiceless receptacle. Species 1. T. erecta.* Common Tormentil, or Septfoil (officinalis). Smith, Flora Brit. 552. Eng. Bot. t. 863. Med. Hot. 2d edit. 503. t. 181. Officinal. 1 oio:eivtill;e radix, Lond. Dub. Edin. Tormentil Root. Syn. Tormentil (/'.), Tormentilwurzel (G.), Meerwortel (Dutch), Tormentilla (/., S., Port.), Sabiasnoi koren (Russ.). This is a very common indigenous peren- nial plant, growing in dry pastures and on heaths ; flowering in June and July. The root is woody. Qualities.—The root has a very slightly aromatic odour, and an austere styptic taste. It is knotty; externally blackish, and inter- nally reddish. To boiling water it yields its active matter, which appears to be chiefly tannin, as the infusion is copiously precipi- tated by solution of isinglass, and strikes a deep black with sulphate of iron. Except galls and catechu, it contains more tannin than any other vegetable. Medical properties and uses.—Tormentil root is a powerful astringent. It has been employed with success in intermittents, but more efficaciously in diarrhoeas ; particularly those attendant on phthisis, as it produces its astringent effects without increasing the general excitement. As a local remedy it may be advantageously used in the form of gargle and lotion in ulcerations of the tongue and mouth, against spongy gums, and as an application to foetid ill-conditioned sores: but it is seldom used. It may be given in substance, or in the form of decoc- tion. The dose of the powdered root is from gss. to 3j. [TRIOSTEUM PERFOLIATUM. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Aggre- gate. Bastard Ipecacuanha. Fever root. Fever wort. Officinal. The root. This plant is cathartic and in large doses emetic ; it is given in substance, in decoc- tion, and infusion. It is also given as a tonic in small doses.] TRIT1CUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 476. Cl. 3. Ord. 2. Triandria Monogynia. Nat. ord. Gramina. G. 152. Calyx two-valved, solitary, subtri- florous. Flower somewhat obtuse, * Annual. Species 2. Triticum hybernum,\ Winter Wheat. Gartner de Fructibus. Officinal. Farina. Amtl'um, Lond. Edin. Triticum; seminum farina; amtlcm, Dub. Wheat Flour. Starch. Syn. Farine du froment; Amidon (F.), Weitzenmehl; Kraftmehl, Staerhe (G.,) Fa- rina di Frumento 1' Amido (/.), Acemite; almidon (S.). The country whence this valuable grain originally came is unknown ; but it is cer- tain that Sicily was the part of Europe where it was first cultivated. It will not vegetate beyond the 62° degree of northern latitude. After the operation of grinding, the farinaceous part of the seed is separated, by means of cloth sieves, into several dis- tinct portions of various degrees of fineness ; but the whole maybe resolved into two: 1. flour, which constitutes more than two- * TlivTcls of Dioscorides; but Sibthorp has proved this opinion to be erroneous, and has described the real va- pioca*, arrow root, j- and gruel, which are only different modifications of starch. The solution of starch is employed medicinally as a demulcent; but as it is very readily acted on by the stomach, it cannot be of much service in involving acrid matters in the intestines, when taken by the mouth. In the form of enema, however, it is often and advantageously used for allaying the effects of acrid bile on the coats of the rectum in bilious diarrhcea and dysentery : and for sheathing the rectum in cases of abrasion, and inflammation of the gut. It is the com- mon vehicle for the exhibition of opium per anum. Officinal preparations. Mucilago Amyl, L. E. D. TUSSILAGO. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 1962. Cl. 19. Ord. 2. Syngenesia Superflua. Nat. ord. Composite Discoidese, Linn. Corymbiferae, Juss. G. 1483. Receptacle naked. Pappus sim- ple. Calyx scales equal, as long as the disk, submembranaceous. Corolla fe- male. Florets ligulate, toothless. Species 12. T. Farfara.\ Common colts- foot. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 45. t. 18. Smith, Flor. Brit. 878. Eng. Bot. t. 429. Officinal. Tussilago, Lond. Tussilaginis TARFARJE FOLIA ET FLORES, Edin. TuS- silago ; folia, Dub. Coltsfoot leaves and flowers. Syn. Tussilage; Pas d' Ane (F.), Huflat- tisch (G.), Hoefblad (Dutch), Tassilagem (Port.), Dwoie lisknik (Russ.), Farfara (/.), Una de cabello (S.). Coltsfoot is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in moist, marly, and clayey soils. It flowers in March and April, and the leaves appear in May and June. * Tapioca is prepared from the roots of the Iatro- pha manihot. The roots are first freed from the rind; and then, are either held to a large wheel, which, on being turned round, soon reduces them to a fine pulp, or they are grated. The pulp is next put into bags, and pressed to squeeze out the mois- ture, which contains a poisonous principle, and re- peatedly washed. It is then pressed through plates full of round holes to granulate it; and, lastly, dried by means of heat in large flat pans. t Arrow root is the pith of the Maranta arundi- nacca. The powder is prepared from root' of a year old, which after being well worked are beaten, and the fibrous part separated from the pulp. The farinaceous pulp is then thrown into a fresh quan- tity of water, and stirred until it becomes milky, when the fluid is passed through a sieve, and left at rest tnitil the fecula is deposited. The supernatant fluid is now poured off, and the starch, after being veil washed, is dried in the sun. In this state it is brought to Europe, and sold under the name of Indian arrow root. i Bti^tov Dioscoridis. The name is de- rived from B»§, tussis, whence tussilago,- showing the early opinion of the pectoral virtues of this plant. j A vile stimulant nostrum, consisting according to Dr. Paris (Pharmacologia), of equal parts of balsam of Tolu, and the compound tincture of ben- zoin, with double the quantity of rectified spirit of ■wine, is sold under the name of essence of coltsfoot, as a remedy for coughs. || Mat. Med. ii. 160. MATERIA MEDICA. 293 lerian of the ancients as a distinct species under the name of Valeriana Dioscoridis.* The roots of valerian are long and slender fibres; issuing from heads the stems rise three or four feet in height; are round, grooving, hollow, and terminated with flowering branches disposed crosswise. The roots should be dug up in autumn when the leaves decay, or in the spring, before they expand ; and be preserved in a dry place. Those which grow wild on a calcareous soil are preferable to those that are cultivated. They lose three-fourths of their weight by drying. Cats are allured and delighted with the odour .-j- Qualities.—Valerian root has a strong peculiar unpleasant odour, and a warm bit- ter subacrid taste. Trommsdorff has che- mically examined it. Its virtues appear to depend on a very liquid greenish white- coloured volatile oil, which from its odour and taste seems to contain much camphor. Its specific gravity at 77° of Fah. is 0.9340; when exposed to light it becomes yellow; a small portion of nitric acid converts it into resin, and a larger dose into oxalic acid. The expressed juice of the root contains starch, extractive, and gum ; while the roots deprived of this juice yield a por- tion of black-coloured resin, but consist chiefly of woody fibre.* The active matter of valerian root is extracted by boiling water, alcohol, and solutions of the pure alkalies. Medical properties and uses.—Valerian root is antispasmodic, tonic, and emmena- gogue. It is advantageously employed in hysteria, symptomatic epilepsy, hemicrania, and other affections depending on a morbid susceptibility of the nervous system. We have also found it exceedingly serviceable in hypochondriasis. It may be exhibited in substance combined with a small portion of mace or cinnamon ; or in the forms of in- fusion or tincture. The extract is a bad form of preparation. The dose of the powdered root may be from Qj. to gj., given three or four times a-day. • Sibthorp, Flora Grasca, p. 24. t. 33. Dr. Smith, the learned editor of Sibthorp's work, says, "Ha;c est vere fov Dioscoridis, a nemine botani- corum recentiorum ante Sibthorp detecta." Will- denow's 7th species, V. phu, which was supposed to be the plant of Dioscorides, does not accord with his description, whereas that of Sibthorp corresponds with it in every particular. t Mr. Lambert, has endeavoured to prove, that the Valeriana inatamansi.a Nepatese Alpine plant, is identical with the spikenard of the ancients. This root is fusiform, about the thickness of the human finger, and bearing on the upper part articulations covered with dente fibres, which give them somewhat of the appearance of the tails of animals. Vide Il- lustrations of the genus Cinchona, &c. 4to. Lond. 1821. 177. X Annales de Chimie, Ixx. 95. Thomson's Chem. 5th edit. iv. 225. Offieinal preparations. Extractum Va- leriana. D. Infusum Valerianae, D. Tinc- tura Valeriana, L. D. Tinctura Valeriana ammoniata, L. E. D. VERATRUM. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 895. Cl. 23. Ord. 1. Polygamia Moncecia. Nat. ord. Coronarire, Linn. Junci, Juss. G. 1859. Hermaphrodite. Calyx none. Corolla six-petalled. Stamens six. Pistils three. Capsules three, many sided. --------Male the same. Rudiment of a pistil. Species 1. V. alburn.^ White Hellebore. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 753. t. 257. Officinal. Veratri radix, Lond. Veratri albi radix, Edin. Helleborus albus , radix, Dub. White Hellebore root. Syn. Hellebore blanc (F.), Wiesse Niesswurzel », G.), Zwartbloemige nieswor- tel (Dutch), Elliboro bianco (/.), Veratro bianco ( Fah., the caloric instantly evolved is sufficient to raise the thermometer from 50° to 300°, and a still greater heat is produced by mixing T3 parts of the acid with 27 of water. covered vessel with a very gentle heat for three days; then add of cinnamon bark, bruised, one ounce and a half; ginger root, bruised, one ounce. Digest again in a closed vessel for six days; then filter through paper placed in a glass funnel." This preparation is generally regarded as an imperfect ether ; but we are of opin- ion that the reciprocal action of the acid and alcohol during the digestion is scarcely sufficient to produce such a result; and the acid, undoubtedly, very much predomi- nates. It is, therefore, a simple alcoholic solution of sulphuric acid, holding the essen- tial oils of cinnamon and of ginger in solu- tion. Qualities.—The odour is peculiar and aromatic; the taste gratefully acid. It is limpid, and of a brownish colour. Medical properties and uses.—This is an agreeable mode of exhibiting sulphuric acid in dyspepsia, chronic asthma, and most of the complaints for which the diluted acid has been found serviceable. The dose is from "n\x. to TTlxxx. in any convenient fluid vehicle; and may be given three or four times a day. ACIDUM TARTARICUM, Lond. Tar- taric Acid. " Take of supertartratc of potass, two pounds and a half; boiling distilled water, three gallons ; prepared chalk, one pound; sulphuric acid, one pound. Boil the super- tartrate of potass with two gallons of the distilled water, and gradually add the pre- pared chalk, until no more bubbles are produced : set the mixture apart that the tartrate of lime may subside ; pour off the fluid, and wash repeatedly the tartrate of lime with distilled water, until it come off tasteless. Then pour upon the tartrate the sulphuric acid diluted with a gallon of the boiling distilled water, and set the whole apart for twenty-four hours, occasionally stirring it. Filter the liquor, and evaporate it in a water bath to obtain the crystals." In this process, which is nearly the same as that of Scheele, the lime of the chalk separates the tartaric acid from the potass with which it was previously combined;! and again yields it up, in order to combine with the sulphuric acid, which is used in the second part of the process. It is quite unnecessary to boil the distilled water for diluting the sulphuric acid, as the degree of heat produced by the mixing the acid and water, even were both at the freezing point, is sufficient for every purpose of the process, and is not increased by using the distilled water in a boiling state. Before crystallizing, it is proper to test the liquor by dropping into a small portion ofit a little t The components of supertartrate of potass are, tartaric acid 70.15, potass 25.13, and water 4.73, in 100 parts. PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 317 acetate of lead, which throws down a pre- cipitate insoluble in acetic acid, if any sul- phuric acid be present. In which case a httle more tartrate of lime should be added. The crystals are obtained in groups, and cannot be always procured of the same form under the most careful management: but their most frequent form is an oblique rhombic prism. Qualities.—Tartaric acid in its crystallised state is white, imperfectly transparent, per- sistent in the air, inodorous, and very acid to the taste. The primary form of its crys- tal is an oblique rhombic prism*. It melts when heated a little above 212°, and boils at 250°, without losing its whiteness, and, unless the boiling be long continued, it loses little more than 4 per cent, of its weight; but the nature of the acid is changed ; for on cooling, the semi-transparent mass into which it concretes is deliquescent. Tartar- ic acid is readily soluble in water, and the The general term Alkali comprehends under it substances possessed of very im- portant chemical properties, and capable of producing very powerful effects on the animal oeconomy. Alkalies have an acrid, urinous taste ; are caustic, or dissolve ani- mal matter ; change the blue vegetable co- lours to green; serve as the means of com- bining oil and water ; are capable of being fused and volatilized by a strong heat; have a great affinity for water; and combine with acids, forming neutral salts, in which the qualities of both the components are lost. The discoveries of Sir H. Davy have clearly established that the greater number of them are compound bodies, with metal- lic bases. They are affected by the air, and require to be preserved in well-stopped glass bottles. The Alkalies, in reference to their che- * Phillips's Trans, of Pharm. 1824. t The words Kali and Alkali are of Persian origin, and derived from the terms Kalla and Alkalia, signi- fying the ashes of marine plants. Vide Good's No- sology, Prelim. Disc. p. xcv. The Rev. W. Palmer, the professor of Arabic at Cambridge, gives the fol- lowing as the origin of the term. " From the Ara- bic root Kala, to dress any thing by fire, is derived the substantive Kilyon, the ashes produced by burn- ing the Salicornia or any other plant of the same na- ture. Hence Kali, and with the article, Al-kali." X The title of this section in the London Pharma- copoeia is Alkalies and their Salts; but as these salts cannot be termed Salts of alkalies, in strict language, we formerly translated the phrase Neutral Salts : but, as this term, in strict language, applies to salts in which there is no excess either of atiid or of alkalies, we, therefore, have adopted the simple term salts. saturated solution is not liable to spontane- ous decomposition. It combines with alka- lies, earths, and metallic oxides, forming Tartrates,- and in its power of saturating alkalies closely resembles citric acid. Ac- cording to the analysis of Berzelius, 100 parts of this acid are composed of 3.951 of hydrogen, 36.167 of carbon, and 59.882 of oxygen : but, in its ordinary state, it is a hydrate, composed of 88.16 parts of real acid, and 11.84 of water in 100 parts. When carelessly made, it may contain sulphuric acid, which, however, ca-n be detected by adding muriate of barytes to the solution, when a precipitate insoluble in an excess of muriatic acid will be thrown down, if sulphuric acid be present. Medical properties and uses.—Tartaric acid, largely diluted and sweetened, forms a cooling agreeable beverage in fevers, and diseases connected with an increased se- cretion of bile. mical properties, may be arranged nearly in the same manner as the acids. I. ALKALIDS COMPOSE!) OF A SIMPLE RADICAL WITH OlYGEX. Potassium 1. Potass. Sodium 2. Soda. Lithium 3. Lithia. II. Alkalies composed of a compound Ra- dical with Oxygen. f 1. AcONITA. I 2, Atuopia, 3. Brucia. I 4. Datura. Hydrogen and Carbon-^ 5. Delphia. 6. Htosciamia. 7. Morphia. 8. Strychnia. w9. Veratra. III. Alkalies composed of a compound Radical without Oxygen. Azote, Hydrogen 1. Ammonia. Of these, Potass, Soda, and Ammonia only are generally employed in an uncombined and saline state in Pharmacy : but morphia has lately been employed in combination with acetic acid. Neutral Salts, strictly speaking, have neither acid nor alkaline properties ; but salts are formed, by the combination of acids with alkalies, in which the properties of the one or the other predominates; and consequently, although these are secondary salts, yet they cannot, in strict language, be denominated neutral salts. When the acid predominates, the salt is designated by the syllable super being added to the ap- pellation of the neutral salt, formed with the same acid and alkali; but when the al- ALKALIES* AND SALTS.+ 318 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. kali is redundant, the syllable sub is added: thus, if to carbonate of potass, be added a redundance of acid, it becomes a supercar- bonate of potass ; but if there be a'deficien- cy of acid, the salt is a subcarbonate of potass. When the acid has the term oxy prefixed to its name, the same syllables are prefixed to that of the salt; thus, oxymu- ■ riate of potass, denotes a salt composed of the oxymuriatic acid and potass ; terms, the impropriety of which I have already no- ticed. When an alkali is united with an acid, the salt formed is named from the acid, and the alkali is regarded as the base :* thus, the salt formed by sulphuric acid and soda is named sulphate of soda, the soda being regarded as the base of the salt. Even when the acid is united with two bases, or is a triple salt, the compound is still named from the acid ; as, for instance, tartrate of potass and soda, which is a compound of tartaric acid, potass, and soda. The neutral and secondary salts have ve- ry different degrees of solubility; but that of almost all of them is increased by an augmented temperature, while their solu- tion is for the most part accompanied with a diminution of temperature.. They may be obtained unaltered from solutions by evapo- ration : and, if the process be slowly con- ducted, they form in regular crystallized masses, which have more or less transpa- rency according to the quantity of water which they retain in their composition. Exposure to air, heat, and moisture, vari- ously affect the appearance of crystallized salts. When they lose their transparency, and are covered with a white crust, or fall to powder, on simple exposure to the air, such salts are said to be efflorescent; if, on the contrary, they attract moisture from the atmosphere, and become fluid, they are named deliquescent; and permanent, when the air has no effect on their crystals. The circumstance of a salt first melting in a moderate heat, then becoming covered with a white crust, and ultimately being converted into a dry opaque mass, is term- ed watery fusion.; but when, instead of melting, it splits, and the fragments fly off with a crackling noise, this effect is termed decrepitation. The efflorescent and deliquescent salts ' should be preserved, and dispensed in well- stopped bottles ; while those that are per- manent will not suffer from being put up in paper. The alkalies have been employed as poisons; in which case the practitioner ought to be able to distinguish them from * Before Morveau corrected the chemical nomen- elature in 1781, the genera of salts were usually re- ferred to their bases, and the species distinguished by the acids; but the reverse of this was proposed by him, and has been since almost generally adopted. other acrid or caustic poisons. The volatile alkali is readily known by its odour; but if any of the fixed alkalies have been taken, besides the characters already enumerated, and which merely demonstrate the fact that the poison has been an alkali, the simplest method of ascertaining which of the alkalies is the poison in question, is to evaporate the solution, or some of the filtered fluid contents of the stomach to dryness in a sil- ver spoon or vessel; after which, by expos- ing the mass to the air, if the alkali be potass it will rapidly deliquesce, but it will remain dry if it be soda. Vinegar is the best antidote of the alkaline poisons, when given early enough after the poison has been swallowed. AMMONIiE SUBCARBO'NAS.f Lond. Subcarbonate of Ammonia. "Take of muriate of ammonia, a pound; prepared chalk, dried, one pound and a half. Pulverize them separately; then mix them, and sublime with a gradually in- creased heat, until the retort becomes red hot." Sub-carbonas Ammonije, Edin. Carbth nate of Ammonia. "Take of muriate of ammonia, one part; softer carbonate of lime, dried, two parts. Each being separately pulverized, mix them, and sublime from a retort into a re- ceiver kept cold." Dublin. "Take of muriate of ammonia, reduced to powder, and well dried, carbonate of soda, dried, each half a pound. Mix: then put them into an earthen retort, and su- blime with a heat gradually increased, into a receiver kept cold." Syn. Carbonate d'ammoniaque (F.), Kohlensaures ammonium (G.), Drooges Kohlenzuures ammonium (Dutch), Sotto- carbonato d'ammoniaco (/.) This salt is produced by a double decom- position of the substances employed. The lime of the chalk attracts the muriatic acid of the muriate of ammonia, while the car- bonic acid is attracted by the ammonia. The muriate of lime which is formed re- mains in the retort, while the subcarbonate of ammonia sublimes and concretes into a cake on the sides of the receiver.^ The t Ammonia prteparata, Sal cornu cervi, P. I>. 178T. X According to the new theory, however, this salt is " the result of more complicated affinities; muri- ate of ammonia consists of muriatic acid and ammo- nia, and chalk of carbonic acid and lime ; but muri- atic acid is itself a compound of chlorine and hydro- gen, and lime of the metallic body calcium, and oxy- gen. When these substances act upon each other, the muriate of ammonia and the carbonate of lime are not only decomposed, but the muriatic acid and the lime also ; the hydrogen of the former and the oxygen of the latter combine and form water, which rises in vapour, and is condensed with the carbonate of ammonia, while the chlorine of the muriatic acid PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 319 theory of the Dublin process, in which the carbonate of soda is ordered instead of chalk, is precisely the same, only less heat is required; but it is too expensive to be generally employed. The chalk, or the carbonate of soda, should be extremely well dried, and the ingredients very inti- mately mixed, that the decomposition may be as complete as possible. The retort should have a wide cylindrical neck ; and the receiver have a nearly cylindrical form, to permit the concreted salt to be taken out without breaking the glass.* Qualities.—Subcarbonate of ammonia has an ammoniacal pungent odour, and a slightly acrid, yet cooling taste. It is usually in a while, semitransparent, hard mass, which breaks with a striated fracture ; has the spe- cific gravity of 0.966|; and is totally vola- tilized, when pure, in a moderate heat. It is soluble in less than three parts of water at 60°, in an equal weight of warm water; but in the latter it effervesces, and is partially decomposed: it is insoluble in alcohol, which coagulates to a spongy mass a strong solution of the salt. It changes the vegeta- ble blues to green. Exposed to the air it gradually effloresces, and loses its pungent odour, owing either to the volatilization of the superabundant ammonia it contains, or to the absorption of carbonic acid from the air4 Bergman makes its constituents to be 45 parts of carbonic acid, 43 ammonia, and 12 water,—in 100 parts; but this statement has been shown to be erroneous; and I am inclined rather to adopt that of Mr. Phil- lips, who makes the proportions to be 55.93 carbonic acid, 28.81 ammonia, and 15.26 of water. Sir H. Davy, however, has found that the quantity of alkali varies according to the temperature that has been employed in the preparation : thus, when it is formed at a temperature of 300°, it contains rather more than 50 per cent, of ammonia; but at a temperature of 60°, it contains only 20 per cent. Subcarbonate of ammonia is decomposed by the acids, the fixed alkalies and their subcarbonates, supertartrate of potass, sul- phate of magnesia, the metallic salts, ba- rytes, and lime, and partially by magnesia. uniting with the calcium of the lime, they form chloride of calcium, which remains in the vessel act- ed on by the heat; the compound, which was formerly called dry muriate of lime, being now, ac- cording to more modern and correct views, termed chloride of lime." See Phillips's Trans, of Pharm. 1824. • This salt is prepared, on a larire scale, by subli- mation from an iron pot, to which the heat is direct- ly applied, and which is connected with a large earth- en or leaden receiver. Murray's System of Materia M-dira, ii. 228. r Annales de Chimie, xxviii. 12. } The neutral carbonate is inodorous. Medical properties and uses.—This salt is stimulant, antispasmodic, antacid, diapho- retic, and in large doses emetic. It is bene- ficially given in gout, hysteria, and dyspep- tic affections, when much acid is present in the stomach ; and in infantine convulsions connected with dentition, or with acidity of the primae viae. As a diaphoretic it is occa- sionally exhibited in chronic rheumatism, in combination with guaiacum ; and some- times, although rarely, it is employed to produce vomiting in gouty and paralytic cases. From the ammonia it contains in excess, the subcarbonate is applied as a local stimulant to the nostrils in syncope, hysteria, and languors; and with the addi- tion of a little scent, forms the common smelling salts of the shops. The ordinary dose is from grs. v. to grs. xx. formed into pills, or dissolved in any aqueous vehicle ; but to excite vomiting gss. may be given for a dose, and repeated, if necessary, as- sisting its operation by plentiful diiutlon. Officinal preparations. Liquor Ammonite Subcarbonatis, L. Liquor Ammonia Accta- tis, L. E. D. Linimentum Ammonia Sub- carbonatis, L. Cuprum ammoniatum, L. E. D. LI'QUOR AMMO'NLE,§ Lond. Solu- tion of Ammonia. " Take of muriate of ammonia, eight ounces,- lime newly burnt, six ounces; water, four pints. Pour one pint of the water up- on the lime, then cover the vessel, and set it aside for an hour. Dissolve the muriate of ammonia in the remainder of the water whilst boiling, add to it the former mixture, and again cover the vessel; after the liquor has become cold, strain it, and distil twelve fluid ounces of solution of ammonia into a receiver, the temperature of which does not exceed 50°." The specific gravity of the solution of ammonia is to that of distilled water as 0.960 to l.OO.H Aq.ua Ammonia, Edin. Water of Am- monia. " Take of muriate of ammonia, one pound; lime newly burnt, one pound and a half- dis- tilled water, one pound; water, nine ounces. Upon the lime broken to pieces pour the water in an iron or earthen vessel, cover it up, until the lime has fallen into powder and become cold, then rub the muriate to a fine powder, and triturate it with the lime in a mortar; after which put them di- rectly into a bottle glass retort. Place the $ Aqua Ammonix purse, P. L. 1787. P This process, which differs from that of the former edition of the Pharmacopoeia, was suggested by Mr. Phillips: but more water is employed than he proposed, which he conceives to be objectionable; both because more fuel and larger vessels are re- quired ; and the total product is weaker in the pro- portion of ahom 9.3 to l.i. Vide Remarks in the Edtf.o Altera <■{ the Pharm. Lond, p. 18, 320 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. r«tort in a sand-bath, and adapt to it a re- ceiver furnished with a tube passing into a phial containing distilled water : the phial, however, being sufficiently large to hold double the quantity of water. Then apply the fire, gradually raising it, until the bot- tom of the iron pot be red hot, and as long as gas and vapour are produced. The spe- cific gravity of this solution of ammonia is to that of distilled water as 939 to 1000. It should be preserved in small phials well stopped." Aq.ua Ammonije caustics, Dub. Water of caustic Ammonia. " Take of muriate of ammonia, sixteen ounces; lime newly burnt, two pounds,- water, six pints. Effuse one pint of water upon the lime placed in an earthen vessel, and cover it up. Twenty-four hours after- wards, when the lime is crumbled to pow- der, mix with it the salt, avoiding the va- pours ; then put the mixture into a retort, and pour upon it the remainder of the water. Agitate them; and having luted carefully the joinings of the vessels, distil with a moderate heat into a cooled receiver twenty-one measured ounces of the liquor. The specific gravity of this solution should be to that of distilled water 'as 934 to 1000. Syn. Dissolution d' ammmoniaque (F.), Contain of 100 parts Sp. Grav. Ammonia. Water. •9000 ' 26-00 74-00 •9054 25-37 74-63 •9166 22-07 77-93 •9255 19-54 80-46 •9326 17-52 82-48 •9335 15-88 84-12 •9435 14-53 85-47 •9476 13-46 86-54 For ordinary purposes it is useful to know, that a phial capable of containing 224 grains of distilled water, can hold no more than 216 grains of the strong solution. At 46° Fah. the ammonia in this solution crys- tallizes ; and at 68°, the fluid assumes the appearance of a thick jelly, and becomes almost inodorous. Liquid ammonia assists the oxidizement of copper and zinc; dissolves many of the metallic oxides: and unites with all the acids without effervescence, forming neu- tral salts. It dissolves oils, resins, and many other vegetable principles. Its affinity for carbonic acid is so powerful, that it rapidly attracts it from the atmosphere; and hence the necessity of preserving it in well stop- ped small phials, as directed by the Edin- burgh College. The acids, the metallic * Davy's Researches, p. 68. Atzender Ammonium-liquor ( G.), Liquore di Ammoniaco (/.). In these processes, the lime having a superior affinity for muriatic acid, decom- poses the muriate, from which the ammo- nia is disengaged, and passes over in com- bination with the watery vapour. If the temperature of the water rises to 130p, the ammonia is again separated in the form of gas; and hence the necessity of keeping the receivers cold: but water at 60°, takes up 780 times its bulk of gaseous ammonia, which increases the bulk of the liquid two thirds. The product thus obtained is a saturated solution of ammonia; while muri- ate of lime remains in the retort, and may be dissolved out by twice its weight of water. Qualities.—Liquid ammonia is a limpid colourless fluid. It has a very strong pun- gent odour, an extremely acrid taste, and corrodes the skin. Obtained according to the London College, its specific gravity is •9060, to the Edinburgh -9039, while that of the Dublin College is -9310. The follow- ing table shows the strength of liquid am- monia of different degrees of specific gra- vity within a certain range: (Temp. 50° Fah. Pressure 29-8 Barom.) Contain of 100 parts Sp. Grav. Ammonia. Water. •9513 12-40 87-60 •9545 11-56 88-44 •9573 10-82 89-18 •9597 10-17 89-83 ' •9610 9-60 90 «40 •9684 9-50 90-50 •9639 9-09 90-91 .9713 7-17 92-83* salts, and alum are incompatible in formul-e with it. The constituents of the ammonia it contains, according to the latest experi- ments of Mr. Davy, are 74 measures by bulk of hydrogen gas, and 26 of azotic gas; or, according to the analysis of Dr. Henry, 100 parts of ammonia consist of 8036 of azote, and 19-64 hydrogen by weight.f The presence of carbonic acid in solution of ammonia may be readily detected by its effervescing with acids, and by adding to it muriate of lime, which forms a precipitate if carbonic acid be present. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion of ammonia is stimulant, antacid, and rubefacient. It is usefully employed, when largely diluted, in paralysis, hysteria, and syncope ; and is perhaps superior to all the other antacids in relieving cardialgia and t Philosophical Transactions, 1809. PREPARATIONS 1 other symptoms of acidity of the stomach. As a local stimulant it is applied to the nostrils in faintings; and a rag moistened with it, and laid over the scrobiculus cordis, sometimes raises an instantaneous blister, and, by quickly inflaming the skin, always proves useful in 6pasms and gout in the stomach. Combined with a small portion of oil, it forms a saponaceous rubefacient, which is beneficially applied to the throat in inflammatory sore-throat, and as a fric- tion in deep-seated inflammation and rheu- matism. The dose of the solution is from "rTLx. to \x\xx. in a large cupful of cold wa- ter or milk. When taken as a poison, if death be not the immediate result, the best antidote is vinegar. Officinal preparation. Hydro-sulphuretum Ammonia, E. D. Oleum ammoniatum, E. Spiritus Ammonia, L. Linimentum Ammonix, L. D. Spiritus Ammonia succinatus, L. Lin. Camphora comp. Aqua ammonia diiuta, Edin. Diluted Water of Ammonia. " Take of watev of ammonia, one part; distilled water, two parts. Mix them to- gether." This preparation is probably intended for facilitating extemporaneous prescription ; but as the solution of ammonia is never given except in a diluted form, it appears to be superfluous. Ll'QUOR AMMO'NUE ACETA'TIS,* Lond. Solution of Acetate of Ammonia. " Take of subcarbonate of ammonia, two ounces ; diluted acetic acid, four pints, or a sufficient quantity. Add the acid to the subcarbonate of ammonia, until the effer- vescence ceases." Aq.ua Acetatis Ammonite, Edin. Water of Acetate of Ammonia. " Take of carbonate of Ammonia in pow- der, any quantity. Pour upon it as much weak acetic acid as will exactly saturate the ammonia." Dublin. " Take of carbonate of ammonia, two ounces. Add by small portions, with fre- quent agitation, three pints and a half of dis- tilled vinegar, or as much as will saturate the ammonia, which may be ascertained by means of litmus." Syn. Acetate d'ammoniaqueliquide (F.), Essigsaures Ammonium liquor (G.), Li- quore di Minderero (I.). The subcarbonate of ammonia employed for this preparation, is decomposed by the acetic acid of the distilled vinegar; which, combining with the ammonia, forms an ace- tate that remains dissolved in the water, while the disengaged carbonic acid flies off in the form of gas, exciting effervescence. In our experiments, distilled vinegar of a specific gravity of 1007 required 320 grains * Acjua Amnionic Acetate, 1'. L. 1787. 41 ND COMPOUNDS. 321 of the subcarbonate to saturate a pint ; hence the proportion ordered by the Lon- don and Dublin Colleges is just sufficient for saturating three pints.f Owing, how- ever, to the variable proportion of acid in distilled vinegar, this preparation cannot be obtained of a uniform strength; and pro- vided it be accurately neutralised, it is of little importance. If it be not accurately saturated, some of the metallic salts, parti- cularly those of antimony, which are often ordered in conjunction with it, are decom- posed.t Qualities.—This solution is inodorous ; has a slightly nauseous taste; and, when made with pure materials, is limpid and colourless. It is decomposed by the fixed alkalies, the strong acids, alum, magnesia, lime water, sulphate of magnesia, oxymu- riate of mercury, nitrate of silver, and the sulphates of zinc, copper, and iron, which are consequently incompatible in formulae with it.§ Medical properties and uses.—As a dia- phoretic it is in common use in febrile dis- eases ; and may be combined with opium, camphor, antimonials, or nitrate of potass. It is necessary to assist its determination to the skin with plentiful dilution, and a mode- rate degree of external heat: for by free exposure to cool air it excites the kidneys, instead of opening the skin. Externally it is employed as a discutient; as a lotion to inflamed surfaces; and when diluted with rose-water, holding in solution a small por- tion of opium, it is an excellent collyrium in chronic ophthalmia ; and still more large- ly diluted, is occasionally used as an injec- tion in the commencement of gonorrhoea. I have lately used it with the best effect as a lotion in porrigo, affecting the scalp. The ordinary dose is from fjiv. to f3xij., given every three or four hours. Ll'QUOR AMMO'NUE SUBCARBO'- NAT1S, Lond. Solution of subcarbonate of Ammonia. " Take of subcarbonate of ammonia, four ounces; distilled water, a pint. Dissolve the subcarbonate of ammonia in the water, and filter through paper." Solutio Subcarbonatis Ammonite, Edin. Solution of Carbonate of Ammonia. " Take of subcarbonate of ammonia, one t The mercury of a thermometer, the bulb of which was immersed in the solution while effervo»« cing, sunk rive degrees. t Remarks on the Kditio Altera of die Pharm. Lond. p. 36. § M. de Lassone obtained the salt crystallised by sublimation, in long, slender, flatted crystals, termi- nating in sharp points, an inch in length, and of a pearl-white colour. They are very deliquescent • impress on the tongue a sense of coldness and sweet- ness ; melt at 170°, and sublime at about 250°. Ac- cording to Richter, they consist of 68.77 acid, and | 31.28 base. Thomson's Chemistry, 4th ed. \ii. 62. 322 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. part; distilled water, four parts. Dissolve the subcarbonate in the water, and filter through part." Aq.ua Carbonatis Ammonia, Dub. Wa- ter of Carbonate of Ammonia. " Take of muriate of ammonia, a pound ,- carbonate of soda, twenty-eight ounces ; water, three pints. Distil off two pints, with a fire gradually raised. The specific gravity of this liquor is, to that of distilled water, as 1095 to 1000." Syn. Soucarbonate d'ammoniaque (F.), Kohlensaures Amonium liquor (G.), Li- quore Sotto carbonato di ammoniaco, (J.) The formula of the London and the Edin- burgh colleges for this preparation are to be preferred, inasmuch as they obtain by simple solution the same result as is produ- ced from the more complicated process of the other college. The theory of the Dub- lin process is the same as that of the pre- ceding preparation. The soda of the alkali employed unites with the muriatic acid of the muriate, while the ammonia combines with the carbonic acid, and the sub-carbo- nate of ammonia, thus formed, is volatilized and carried over with the watery vapour. Qualities.—This solution has the odour and taste of the concrete subcarbonate ; is limpid and colourless ; and when shaken with twice its bulk of alcohol, a nearly uniform coagulum is formed. Its specific gravity should be 1150. Medical properties and uses.—The same as those of the concrete salt. It is given in doses of from f^ss. to f ^j. in any bland fluid. LIQUOR VOLATILIS CORNU CER- VINI, Dublin. Volatile Liquor of Harts- horn. " Take of hartshorn, any quantity ; put it into a retort, and distil with a gradually raised heat, a volatile liquor, a salt and an - oil; then repeat the distillation of the vo- latile liquor until it becomes as limpid as water, separating, after each distillation, the oil and salt by filtration. The liquor will be more easily purified, if, after each dis- tillation, except the first, there be added to it one-sixth part of its weight of char- coal, previously made red hot, then extin- guished by covering it with sand, and pow- dered while hot. If a sufficient quantity of hartshorn cannot be procured, the bones of any land animals may supply its place." Syn. Alkali volatil fluor (F.), Wassrig- ter Kohlensaures Ammonium liquor (G.), Liquore di corno di Cervo (/.) In this process the gelatine of the horns, or the bones, is decomposed, and its ulti- mate principles, which are carbon, nitro- gen (azote), hydrogen, and oxygen, enter- ing into new combinations, form subcarbo- nate of ammonia, empyreumatic oil, and water, which are the products of the pro- ees3. The subcarbonate is obtained partly in a solid form, and partly dissolved in the water, which distils over; but, in both states, it is contaminated with the empyreu- matic oil. The subsequent distillations are intended to free it from this oil; which, al- though at one time it was supposed to add to the efficacy of the remedy, yet is now conceived to be useless, and a disadvantage: nevertheless, when it is completely remov- ed by the charcoal, this preparation does not differ from a simple solution of the sub- carbonate of ammonia in water. The volatile liquor of hartshorn found in the shops is part of the product of the dis- tillation of bones on a great scale ; and is never completely free from the empyreu- matic oil, which is very perceptible in its odour and taste, and gives it a slight yellow tinge. It is often adulterated by the addi- tion of a considerable portion of water; and this cannot be known by its pungency, which is kept up by adding to it a small quantity of liquor ammoniae. The fraud, however, may be detected by mixing a small portion of the suspected liquor with twice its bulk of alcohol ; when, if no con- siderable quantity of salt is precipitated, it is certainly adulterated. LTQUOR POTASS^,* Lond. Solution of Potass. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, a pound; lime fresh burnt, half a pound; boiling dis- tilled water, a gallon. Dissolve the subcar- bonate of potass in two pints of the water. Add the remainder of the water to the lime, mix the hot liquors together, then set the mixture aside in a covered vessel, and when it is cold, let it be strained through a cot- ton bag. If, on the addition of any diluted acid, effervescence be excited, more lime must be added, and the filtration repeated. A pint of this solution ought to weigh six- teen ounces." Aqua Potasses, Edin. Water of Potass. " Take of lime fresh burnt, eight ounces; subcarbonate of potass, six ounces; boiling water, twenty-eight ounces. Let the lime be put into an iron or earthen vessel, with twenty ounces of the water. When the ebullition ceases, immediately add the salt, dissolved in the remaining eight ounces of the water; and having thoroughly mixed the whole, cover the vessel till they cool. The mixture being cooled, agitate it well, and pour it into a glass funnel, the tube of which is obstructed with a piece of clean linen. Cover the upper orifice of the fun- nel while its tube is inserted into another glass vessel, that the solution of potass may gradually drop through the linen into the low- er vessel. When it first ceases to drop, pour a few ounces of water into the funnel, but cautiously, so that the fluid may swim above • Aqua Kali Puri,P. L. 1787. PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 323 the matter. The water of potass will again begin to drop. The affusion of water, however, must be repeated, until three pounds have filtered, which will be in the space of two or three days; then let the upper parts of the solution be mixed with the lower by agitation, and preserve it in a well stopt vessel. Aq.ua Kali caubtica, Dub. Water of Caustic Kali. "Take of lime fresh burnt, eight ounces.- subcarbonate of kali, six ounces. Pour upon the lime, put into an earthen vessel, two pints of boiling water; and when it is slack- ed, mix the salt with the lime, and cover the vessel. Pour the materials, as soon as they are cold, into a glass funnel, the tube of which is obstructed with a linen rag. Cover the funnel, and allow the lixivium to drop into a vessel placed below it, pour- ing water into the funnel occasionally, un- til three pounds are filtered. Let the solu- tion be shaken, and preserved in a well- stopped green glass bottle. " If the ley be rightly prepared it will 'be colourless, inodoious, and will scarcely effervesce when mixed with an acid. If it effervesce considerably, let a small por- tion of fresh burnt lime, in fine powder, be* added ; digest for twenty-four hours in a covered vessel, frequently agitating; and finally, filter the ley in the manner already directed. " The specific gravity of this solution is, to that of distilled water, as 1100 to 1000." Syn. Dissolution de Potasse (F.), Fliis- siges atzendes Kali (G.), Liquore di Potas- sa (I.) In considering the proportions of the two latter of these processes, there appears, a priori, a much larger proportion of lime or- dered than is necessary for the decomposi- tion of the subcarbonate of potass; but if the theory of Berthollet,* as to the effect of quantity in influencing chemical affini- ties, be just, this superabundance is neces- sary to insure the more perfect separation of the carbonic acid from the potass. If the lime, however, be well burnt, and recent, the solution is obtained almost perfectly free from carbonic acid, by the quantity or- dered in the London formula ; but unless much care be taken to exclude the air dur- ing the filtration, it will be rapidly attract- ed from the atmosphere. Calico is the best substance for stopping the mouth of the funnel, and it should be supported on a rough pebble or siliceous stone, previously dropped into the funnel, and allowed to settle itself. It should be kept in small glass bottles, fitted with ground stoppers. Qualities.—Solution of potass is inodo- rous, and so caustic as not to admit of being t;isted. It is limpid, colourless, dense, and * Chemical Statistics, vol. i. has an oily appearance when agitated; does not effervesce with acids, nor afford a pre- cipitate with lime-water; and feels soapy when rubbed between the fingers, owing to the solution of the cuticle. When per- fectly pure, it remains transparent on the addition of barytic water. Prepared ac- cording to the formula: of the pharmaco- poeias, it is not a simple solution of potass, but contains small portions of muriate and sulphate of potass, silica, and generally some lime. The presence of muriates may be discovered by saturating a portion of the solution with nitric acid, then adding ni- trate of barytes to precipitate the sulphates, if any ; and lastly, adding a solution of ni- trate of silver, which is precipitated if any muriate be present. Sulphates are disco- vered by saturating with muriatic acid, and adding muriate of barytes; and if lime be present, blowing into the solution through a tube will render it turbid; but these con- taminations do not alter its effects as a re- medy, nor as a pharmaceutical agent. One pint ofit should weigh sixteen ounces. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is diuretic, antacid, and lithontriptic. The two first properties it certainly pos- sesses in a considerable degree : but its continued use, even when much diluted, is said to debilitate, and otherwise injure the stomach. As a solvent of calculus, both in the kidneys and bladder, this alkali has long been celebrated : it acts, however, on cal- culi composed of uric acid, or of urate of ammonia, only ; the presence of which in the habit is known by a red deposit in the urine of the patient. But although the con- tinued use of solution of potass certainly renders the urine alkaline, yet there is rea- son to believe that its solvent effects on calculous matter in the kidney or the blad- der are not equivalent to the irritation it excites both in the stomach and the blad- der; and as a prophylactic, its place can be much better supplied by magnesia and the alkaline carbonates. Dr. Willan says, he has seen the most beneficial effects expe- rienced from the internal use of this solu- tion in lepraf: and from my own expe- rience I can assert, that it may be almost regarded as a specific in the various spe- cies of psoriasis, which depends altogether on acidity of the prima; viae, and a hasty and consequently imperfect formation of the juices of the stomach. It is also used as a local stimulant, much diluted, in the form of lotion, to the joints, in rachitis and gouty swellings ; and in its concentrated state, as a caustic, to destroy the poison introduced by the bite of rabid or veno- mous animals. The dose of t».is solution may be from n\x. to fjj. taken in chicken-broth, milk, t Willan on Cutaneous Diseases, p. 141, 324 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. or almond mixture; but in cases of pso- riasis, it should be gradually increased to f ^ij. In cases of acidity of the stomach, it may be administered in some bitter infu- sion. Officinal preparations. Potassa fusa, L. E. D. Potassa cum Calce, L. E. 1). Li- quor Sulphured Kali, D. Antimonii Sulphu- retum pracipitatum, L. E. LIQUOR POTASSJE SUBCARBONA- TIS, Lond. Solution of Subcarbonate of Potass* " Take of subcarbonate of potass, a pound; distilled water, twelve fluid ounces. Dissolve the subcarbonate of potass in the water, and filter the solution through pa- per." Aq.ua Subcarbonatis Kali, Dub. Water of Subcarbonate of Kali. " Take of subcarbonate of kali, any quantity; let it be put into a wide-mouthed glass funnel, the neck of which is obstruct- ed with a piece of linen ; then set it in a cellar that the moist air may liquefy the salt. Let the ley or solution be received into a vessel placed under it." Syn. Dissolution de soucarbonate de Pot- asse (F.), Fliissiges Kohlensaures Kali ( G.), Liquore di Sotto carbonato di Potassa Of these two formulae, that of the Lon- don college is to be preferred, as it affords the preparation with greater facility, and always of a definite strengh. The bulk of the fluid is increased rather more than one- third part. In the Dublin preparation, from the length of time which is required, the deliquescing salt attracts carbonic acid from the air, and becomes nearly a neutral car- bonate. Qualities.—This solution should be per- fectly clear, colourless, and inodorous ; and possess the properties of the subcarbonate from which it is prepared. It cannot enter into extemporaneous formulas with vegeta- ble infusions containing much tannin, or with lime-water, magnesia, sulphate of mag- nesia, or the metallic salts; as these sub- stances decompose it, or are decomposed by it. Medical properties and uses.—These are the same as those of the concrete salt. The dose may be from rt^x. to f3J., in any con- venient vehicle. POTASSA CUM CALCE, Lond. Potass •with lime.\ " Take of solution of potass, three pints; lime, fresh burnt, a pound. Boil the solu- tion of potass down to a pint, then add the lime, previously slaked by the water, and intimately mix them." Potassa cum Calce ; olim, Causticum • Aq. Kali pra-paratum, P. L. 1787. f CaU e Kali Puro, P. L. 1778. commune mitiu9, Edin. Potass-with lime; formerly Milder common Caustic. " Take of the water of potass, any quan- tity. Evaporate it to one third part in a covered iron vessel: then mix with it as much newly slaked lime as will bring it to the consistence of a solid paste, which is to be preserved in a well-stopt vessel." Kali causticum cum Calce, Dub. Caus- tic Kali with Lime, " Evaporate water of caustic kali to one third part; then add as much fresh burnt lime in powder as will form a mass of a proper thickness, which is to be preserved in a well-stopt bottle.'' The addition of the lime in these prepa- rations renders the potass less deliquescent, and consequently more manageable as an escharotic. POTASSA FUSA, Lond. Fused Fot- ass.$ " Take of solution of potass, a gallon. Evaporate the water in a clean iron vessel over the fire, until, the ebullition having ceased, the potass melts, and then pour it out upon a clean iron plate into proper forms." Potassa ; olim, Cavsticum commusk Xcerrimum, Edin. Potass; formerly Strong- er common Caustic. " Take of solution of potass, any quan- tity. Evaporate in a covered very clean iron vessel, until, the ebullition being over, the saline matter flows smoothly like oil, which happens before the vessel becomes red hot. Then pour it out upon a clean iron plate ; cut it into small masses before it hardens, and let it be preserved in well- stopt. phials. Kali causticum, Dub. Caustic Kali. " Take of solution of caustic kali, any quantity. Evaporate it over the fire in a clean iron vessel, until, the ebullition hav- ing ceased, the saline matter, on increasing the heat, remains almost quiescent in the vessel. Pour out the melted salt upon a clean iron plate ; and while it is concreting, let it be cut into proper pieces, which must be immediately put into a phial closely stopt. During the evaporation the operator must avoid the drops which may be thrown out from the vessel." Syn. Potasse fondue (F.), Trocknes at- zendes Kali (G.), Pietra caustica (/). The concrete potass procured by these processes is sufficiently pure for medical pur- poses, but it still contains the same foreign ingredients as the solution. To procure it as free as possible from carbonic acid, the evaporation should be performed very quickly, and in a deep vessel, so that the watery vapour which rises may exclude the atmospheric air. It is generally run into moulds, and formed into solid cylinders, } Kali Purum, P. L. 1787. PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. S25 which are covered with paper, and kept in well-stopt bottles. The method of Ber- thollet* for obtaining it in perfect purity, which is usually described in chemical and pharmaceutical works, is too troublesome and expensive to be generally adopted. The following method proposed by Lowitz is more economical. A solution of potass must be evaporated till a pellicle forms on its surface, then al- lowed to cool; and the saline deposit, which consists chiefly of the foreign salts, care- fully separated. The evaporation is then to be renewed, skimming off the pellicles that form on the surface of the fluid, which, as soon as these cease to be produced, and the ebullition Is ended, must be removed from the fire, and constantly stirred till it is cold. The mass is next to be dissolved in twice its weight of distilled cold water, the solution filtered, and evaporated in a clean iron or silver basinf until crystals are depo- sited. If the heated fluid consolidates into a mass, in any degree, a small portion of water must be added, and the mass again heated to fluidity. The supernatant liquor is left of a brown colour, which, after being kept for some time at rest in well-stopt phials, deposits the colouring matter, and may be again evaporated and crystallised as before. The crystals obtained in the various evaporations are colourless pure potass.\ Qualities.—Concrete potass is a white, brittle substance, having the peculiar odour of slaking quick-lime, and a degree of caus- ticity which prevents it from being tasted. It attracts water rapidly from the atmos- phere, and is completely soluble in less than its own weight of that fluid at 60°. It dis- solves readily in alcohol. When heated to 360° it melts, and at red heat is volatilised. It unites with sulphur, the acids, many of the metallic oxides, and the fixed oils. Its constituents, according to the analysis of Sir H. Davy, who first ascertained its com- pound nature, are, in 100 parts, 86 of a metal which has been named potassium, and 14 of oxygen.§ It is, however, in fact a compound of potass and water, or a hy- drate, consisting of potass 84.2, and water 15.8, in 100 parts.| Medical properties and uses.—Concrete potass is used only as an escharotic, for forming issues in diseases of the hip joint, the spine, and in deep-seated inflammations. It erodes the skin and soft parts beneath it to a certain extent, destroying the life of the part, which is subsequently thrown off * Journal de Physique, xxviii. 402. t Lowitz orders the evaporation to be performed in a glass retort; but pure potass, when hot, dis- solves gliss. t Nicholson's Journal, 4to. i. 164. $ Hhil. Trans. 1808. { Phillip.'» Trims, of Pharm. lP.:i. as a slough, and an ulcer is left. To pre- vent inconvenience from its deliquescent nature, the skin should be covered with a piece of calico, spread with adhesive plas- ter, and having a hole in its centre suffi- cient to bare the part only where it is in- tended to apply the caustic. It is much and justly recommended for the removal of strictures of the urethra. POTASSiE ACETAS, Lond. Acetate of Potass. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, a pound and a half; of the stronger acetic acid, two pints; boiling distilled water, two pints. Mix the acid with the water, and pour it upon the subcarbonate of potass till all ebullition ceases, after which filter. First evaporate the solution in a water-bath until no more bubbles rise ; then expose it to a gradually augmented heat, and continue the evaporation until a pellicle forms; which should be removed, and dried on blotting paper. Repeat the evaporation again and again, removing the pellicles as they form, and drying them in the manner already described." Acetas Potassa, Edin. Acetate of Pot- ass. "Take of very pure carbonate of potass, one pound; weak acetic acid, a sufficient quantity. Boil the subcarbonate in five pounds of the acid ; and add more acid at different times, until the watery part of the former portion being nearly dissipated by evaporation, the acid newly added occa- sions no effervescence, which will be the case when about twenty pounds of acid have been consumed ; then evaporate slow- ly to dryness. Liquefy this impure salt with a gentle heat for a short time ; then let it be dissolved in water, and filtered through paper. If the liquefaction has been properly performed, the filtered fluid will be limpid ; but otherwise, of a brown colour. Afterwards evaporate this fluid in a shallow glass vessel, so that when removed from the fire, it may pass into a crystalline mass. Finally, the acetate of potass ought to be preserved in closely shut vessels." Acetas Kali, Dub. Acetate of Kali. " Take of subcarbonate of kali, any quantity. Add to it at different times about five times its weight of distilled vine- gar moderately heated. When the effer- vescence shall have ceased, and the fluid is somewhat evaporated, add, at intervals, more distilled vinegar, until the mixture en- tirely cease to effervesce : then evaporate to dryness, and having raised the fire a lit- tle, cautiously liquefy the mass. Dissolve the salt in water, after it is cold : filter the solution, and let it be boiled, until, on being removed from the fire, it concretes into a crystalline mass, which should be very white. Put this mass, at the moment, into closely stopped bottles." 326 PREPARATIONS . Syn. Kan" Acetatum, P. L. 1787. Ace- tatede Potasse (F-), Essigsaures Kali (G.), Acetato di Potassa (/.). In these processes, the acetic acid of the distilled vinegar combines with the potass of the subcarbonate, and expels the carbo- nate acid in a gaseous form, exciting effer- vescence. Owing to the largely diluted state of the acid in distilled vinegar, a very considerable quantity is required to satu- rate the potass. The London college, therefore, in order to obviate this disadvan- tage, now order the pyroligneous acid di- luted with an equal quantity of water, to be used instead of distilled vinegar. To- wards the point of saturation, the solution acquires a reddish brown colour, and during the evaporation a quantity of carbonaceous matter is deposited, arising from the distil- led vinegar retaining some of the extrac- tive of the common vinegar ; or if the li- quor be evaporated to dryness, a brownish- coloured salt is obtained. The filtering the evaporated fluid, or fusing the salt, and keeping it for a little time fluid, then dis- solving it in water, and filtering it, frees it almost entirely from colour, and a light carbonaceous matter remains on the filter. The filtered solution is nearly limpid and colourless; and when again evaporated forms a nearly colourless salt.* It is ren- dered still more colourless, if a portion of animal charcoal be added to the solution.f This salt may also be prepared with the residue after the distillation of vinegar; but the process is not more economical than when distilled vinegar is used.+ Qualities.— Acetate of potass has a slight, peculiar odour, and a warm, sharp taste. It is usually in white masses, of a foliated soft texture, shining, and becoming soon moist if exposed to the air. One fluid ounce of distilled water at 60° dissolves 504 grains; or 100 parts of it are soluble in 102 parts of water, and in twice its weight of alcohol. It is sometimes adulte- rated with tartrate of potass, which may be detected by adding to a solution of the salt a solution of tartaric acid, which, if tar- trate of potass be present, will occasion a copious precipitate. The same adultera- tion may be detected by the acetate oflead * A very pure and beautiful salt, but too expen- sive for common use, may be prepared by adding to a solution of two parts of superacetate of lead, a solution of one part of subcarbonate of potass, and after filtering the liquor, adding to it a small portion of sulphate of potass, and filtering again before evaporation. Vide Journ. de Pharm. Maii, 1818. p. 203. t Ann. de Chim. lxxxvi. p. 44. X This salt was first describe'd by Raymond Stilly, and has been known by a great variety of names ; as, for instance, Arcanum tartari, secret foliated earth of tartar, essential salt of wine, regenerated It/Co/-, diuretic salt, and digestive salt of sylvius. lND COMPOUNDS. forming a precipitate, soluble in acetic acid. Sulphates are detected by adding a solution of nitrate of barytes; and muriates, by add- ing nitrate of silver. In the watery solu- tion it is spontaneously decomposed ; and is also decomposed by the strong acids ; by a decoction of tamarinds ; the sulphates of soda and of magnesia; the muriate of am- monia ; the tartrate of potass and soda; and by solutions of oxymuriate of mercury, and of* the nitrate of silver ; which consequent- ly cannot enter into formulae with it. Its constituents, according to the experi- ments of Dr. Higgins, are 38.5 of acid, and 61.5 of alkali—in 100 parts :§ but they are more correctly stated to be 51 of acetic acid, and 49 of potass.R * Medical properties and uses.—Acetate of potass is mildly cathartic and diuretic. It is found to be occasionally beneficial in fe- brile affections and jaundice ; but its prin- cipal use is in dropsies, and other diseases iii which a copious discharge of urine is required. The manner in which this is ef- fected, is endeavoured to be explained by Dr. Paris, by assuming as a fact, that the stomach possesses "the power of readily decomposing all saline compounds, into which vegetable acids enter as ingredients, and of eliminating their alkaline base, which being in the course of the circulation carried to the kidneys, excites them into action and promotes the excretion of urine."f To produce the latter effect, the dose may be from 9j- to gj., given every three or four hours, in any bland fluid. Doses of ^ij. or ^iij. open the bowels. Officinal preparations. Acetas Hydrar- gyri, E. D. Tinctura Acetatis Ferri, D. Acidum aceticum, D. E. POTASSjE CARBONAS, Lond. Car- bonate of J*otass. " Take of the solution of subcarbonate of potass, a gallon. By means of a proper apparatus transmit carbonic acid through the solution of subcarbonate of potass, un- til it is saturated, and filter. Evaporate the filtered solution until crystals form, being careful not to raise the heat above 120°. Separate the crystals from the fluid, and dry them on blotting paper. " Carbonic acid is easily obtained from white marble and diluted sulphuric acid." Carbonas Potassje, Edin. Carbonate of Potass. " Take of pure subcarbonate of potass, two parts; water, three parts. Dissolve the salt in the water, and by means of a proper apparatus, throw into it a stream of carbonic acid gas. Filter the solution, when it ceases to absorb the acid, and then eva- porate it by a heat not exceeding 180°, § Higgins on Acetous Acid, p. 8. || Phillips's Translation of the Pharm. 1824. \ Pharmacologia. PREPARATIONS that crystals may form. The carbonic acid is easily obtained by pouring diluted sul- phuric acid on pulverized carbonate of lime." Syn. Carbonate de Potasse (F.), Kohlen- saures Kali (G.), Koolenzuure Pottasch (Dutch) Carbonato di Potassa (/.). By these processes a pure and complete- ly neutralised carbonate of potass is obtain- ed ; and any silex the subcarbonate may have contained is completely separated, The present formula is an improvement on the last, which directed this salt to be pre- pared by healing a mixed solution of sub- carbonate of potass and subcarbonate of ammonia, so as to drive off the ammonia, produced by the decomposition of the sub- carbonate, in a gaseous form. Qualities.—This salt, prepared by these formulae, is, properly speaking, a bicarbo- nate. It is inodorous, has a slightly alka- line taste, without any acrimony, and scarce- ly acts upon turmeric paper. It is in small tetrahedral rhomboidal prisms, with dihe- dral summits of a beautiful white colour, not altered by exposure to the air, soluble in four parts of water at 60°, and 5-6ths of their weight of boiling water, in which they are partially decomposed, carbonic acid gas being emitted during the solution : but it still changes to green the vegetable blues, and is therefore in strict language, not a carbonate. Its spec. grav. is 2.012, and . its constituents, according to Pelietier, are 43 acid, 41 of alkali, and 16 of water—in 100 parts..* It is incompatible in formulae with the acidulous salts, borax, muriate of ammonia, alum, sulphate of magnesia, lime- water, and all the metallic salts. Medical properties and uses.—On account of the increased quantity of carbonic acid which this salt contains, it is preferable to the common subcarbonate for effervescing draughts ; but does not differ from it in its properties as a remedy. The dose is from grs. x. to^j. POTASSiE SUBCARBONAS, Lond. Subcarbonate of Potass.f " Take of impure potass (pearl ashes), reduced to powder, three pounds,- boiling water, three pints and a half. Dissolve the potass in the water, and filler; then pour the solution into a clean iron pot, and eva- porate the water with a gentle heat until the liquor thickens ; lastly withdraw the fire, and stir assiduously with an iron spa- tula, until the salt concretes into small grains." " A purer subcarbonate of potass maybe prepared in a similar manner from Tartar, previously burnt until it is of an ash colour." Subcariionas Potass^;, Edin. Subcaroo- nate of Potass. " Ann. de Chim. t. xv. p. 33. t Kali praeparatum, P. Z.. 1787. U-TD COMPOUNDS. 327 " Let impure carbonate of potass be put into a crucible and exposed to a red heat. Then triturate it with an equal weight of water. Pour the solution, after the impu- rities have subsided, into a clean iron pot, and boil it to dryness ; stirring the salt con- stantly towards the end of the boiling, to prevent it from adhering to the vessel." Subcarbonas Kali, Dub. Subcarbonate of Kali. " Take of potashes coarsely powdered, cold water, each six pounds. Mix them by trituration, and macerate them in a wide vessel for the space of a week, with fre- quent agitation; then filter the solution, and evaporate it to dryness ; and towards the end of the process assiduously stir the saline mass with an iron spatula. In this manner having reduced it to a coarse pow- der, preserve it in well-stopt vessels. Pre- vious to dissolving the ashes in the water, if they be very impure, roast them in a cru- cible until they become white." Syn. Soucarbonate de Potasse (F.), Kohlensaures Kali (G.), Sotto-carbonatodi Potassa (/.). The potass of commerce is a heteroge- neous mass, consisting chiefly of subcarbo- nate of potass, with small portions of sul- phate of potass, muriate of potass, siliceous earth, oxide of iron, and oxide of manga- nese, in various proportions. (See Part. ii. p. 318.) The above processes are intend- ed to separate the subcarbonate of potass in as pure a state as possible ; and by fol- lowing the directions of any of the pharma- copoeias, it is obtained sufficiently pure for medicinal purposes ; while the insoluble metallic salts, and the greater part of the siliceous earth, are left on the filter w*hen the solution is strained. It may be obtain- ed in a still purer state by evaporating the solution till a pellicle forms on the surface, and allowing it to stand for some hours, in order that the muriate of potass and the sulphate of potass may be crystallized and separated ; after which the solution of the subcarbonate can be evaporated, and treat- ed as above. Qualities.—The salt obtained by the above processes is a subcarbonate in coarse white grains, which, owing to the excess of alkali, are so deliquescent, that they soon attract from the air as much water as dis- solves them, forming a fluid of the consist- ence of oil; and hence the salt must be kept in well stopt bottles. Its taste is acrid and urinous ; it changes to green the vege- table blue and red colours, combines with oils, and forms soaps, and is decomposed by acids with effervescence. Its constituents, according to Kirwan, are in 100 parts, 60 of potass, 2cf or 30 of carbonic acid, 6 of X Nicholson's Journal, 4to. hi. 21 j. 328 water, and the remainder sulphate of po- tass, muriate of potass, siliceous earth, and argil.* SUBCARBONAS POTASSJE PURIS- S1MUS, Edin. Pure Subcarbonate of Potass. "Take of impure supertartrite of potass, any quantity. Wrap it up in moist bibulous paper, or put it into a crucible; and having placed it among live coals, let it be burnt to a black mass ; which, after having reduced it to powder, expose in an open crucible to a moderate fire, until it become white, or at least ash-coloured, taking care that it be not melted. Then dissolve it in warm wa- ter ; strain the solution through a linen cloth, and evaporate it in a clean iron ves- sel, stirring constantly towards the end of the process with an iron spoon, lest any of it should adhere to the bottom of the ves- sel. A very white salt will remain, which is to be left a little longer on the fire, till the bottom of the vessel becomes red hot. Finally, when it is cold, let is be preserved in well-stopped glass vessels." Kali e Tartaro, Dub. Kali from Tar- tar. " Take of crystals of tartar, any quan- tity. Heat it to redness in a silver crucible lightly covered, until fumes cease to be emitted. Let the residue be reduced to a coarse powder, and in the same crucible left uncovered, roast it for two hours, stir- ring it frequently. Then boil it in twice its weight of water, during a quarter of an hour ; and after due subsidence of the im- purities, pour off the pure solution. Let this part of the process be three times re- peated. Filter the mixed leys, and evapo- rate them in a silver vessel; then, while the residuary salt is drying, granulate it by brisk agitation, and expose it to an obscure red heat. Take it out of the vessel before it be quite cold, and let it be preserved in well-stopped phials." Syn. Soucarbonate de Potasse (F.), Sotto carbonato di Potass, (/.) The product of these processes is a sub- carbonate of potass. The degree of heat to which the crude supertartrate is exposed decomposes its tartaric acid ; and by the re- union of two of its components, oxygen and carbon, carbonic acid is formed, which combines with the potass, while the remain- ing carbonaceous matter produced by the de- composition is burnt out by the subsequent roasting. The resulting saline mass, besides subcarbonate of potass, contains also a small portion of carbonate of lime and some ar- gil, whicli however are separated by the solution and filtration. Qualities.— These are in every respect the same as those of the salt obtained from the potashes of commerce ; it, however, * Nicholson's Journal, 4to. iii. iii. lND compounds. contains fewer impurities. Its constituents, according to Berard, are 29.79 acid, and 70.21 alkali and water, in 100 parts.f Subcarbonate of potass is often adulte- rated, or very carelessly prepared. If one part of it be dissolved in eight parts of dis- tilled water and saturated with pure nitric acid, the presence of siliceous earth will be indicated by the solution becoming tur- bid, and by weighing the precipitate, its quantity may be ascertained. A precipi- tate being formed on the addition of muri- ate of barytes indicates the presence of sulphates ; a white precipitate turning blue- ish on exposure to the light, on adding ni- trate of silver, proves the presence of muri- atic salts : and calcareous earth is rendered evident by dropping into a solution of the subcarbonate a few drops of a solution of oxalic acid or oxalate of ammonia. Medical properties and uses.—Subcarbo- nate of potass is deobstruent, diuretic, and antacid. In small doses, it is sometimes given in cases of glandular obstructions of the abdominal viscera, particularly hepatic obstructions, with seeming advantage; but it is not certain that the benefit does not arise from the effects of the remedy in cor- recting acidity of the primae viae. Its effects on the kidneys are considerable, when aid- ed by plentiful dilution. The principal use however of this salt in medicine, is for the formation of saline draughts, for which pur- pose it is given in combination with a solu- tion of citric acid, or with recent lemon juice, in the proportion of 9j. of the salt to fgiv. of the lemon juice, or of the acid solution, in febrile affections. When given as an antacid, its taste and acrimony are most perfectly covered with milk. Officinal preparations. Aqua Supercarbo- natis Potassx, E. Potassx Acetas, L. E. D. Potassa Carbonas, L. Potassa Tartras, L. E. D. Liquor Potassa, L. E. D. Li- quor Potassa Subcarbonatis, L. D. Sulphas Potassa, E. Magnesix Carbonas, L. D. Potassa Sulphuretum, L. E. D. Liquor ar- senicalis, L. Sulphur antimoniatumfuscum, D. Alcohol, L. POTASSJE SULPHAS, Lond. Sulphate of Potass.^ "Take of the salt which remains after the distillation of the nitric acid, two pounds; boiling water two gallons. Mix them so as to dissolve the salt; and then add as much subcarbonate of potass as may be sufficient to saturate the acid. Next boil till a pelli- cle forms on the surface, and after filtering the liquor set it aside to crystallize. Four t Annales de Chimie, lxxi. SB. X This name was imposed by the French chemists in 1787. The following are some of its old names: Nitrum flxum, arcanum diiplicatum, sal dr. difbus, sal polychrestus, tartarum vitriolatum, kali vitno- latum. PREPARATIONS PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 329 off the water, and dry the crystals on bibu- lous paper." Sulphas Potassje, Edin. Sulphate of Pot- ass. " Dissolve the acidulous salt, which re- mains after the distillation of nitrous acid, in hot water, and add as much carbonate of lime in powder as will saturate the super- | fluous acid, and leave the whole at rest, un- i til the faeces subside. Having poured off the fluid, filter it through paper, and eva- porate until crystals form." Sulphas Kali, Dub. Sulphate of Kali. " Dissolve the salt which remains after the distillation of nitric acid, reduced to a powder, in a sufficient quantity of warm water. Add as much potass as will saturate the superfluous acid. Let the filtered so- lution be evaporated with a gentle heat, that crystals may be formed." Syn. Sulfate de Potasse, (F.), Schwefel- saures Kali (G.), Solfato di Potassa (I.) In these preparations, the subcarbonate of potass, and the carbonate of lime, which are added to the solution of the salt, com- bine with the superfluous sulphuric acid, while the carbonic acid is expelled; and the whole of the residue is thus converted into sulphate of potass. Both the London and the Dublin formulae are objectionable on the score of expense ; the value of the salt, as obtained by the London process, at the price of the pure salt made on the large scale, being to its cost very nearly as 5 to 10.* The greater part of the sulphate of commerce is prepared from the residue of the distillation of nitrous acid from nitre and sulphate of iron. This is a mixture of sulphate of potass, and red oxide of iron, from which the sulphate is easily separated by boiling water, while the oxide remains undissolved.-)- Qualities.—Sulphate of potass has a nau- seous bitterish taste. It is usually procured in small, grouped, transparent crystals, of which the primitive form is a pyramidal do- decahedron, with isosceles triangular faces+i but this form is subject to various modifica- tions, according to the mode of conducting the evaporation. Their specific gravity is 2.4073.§ They are scarcely efflorescent; decrepitate when heated ; and are so- luble in 16 parts of water at 60°, and 5 parts of boiling water. This salt is par- tially decomposed by the nitric and muria- tic acids; and in solution is completely de- composed by muriate of barytes, muriate of lime, lime-water, oxymuriate of mercu- ry, nitrate of silver, and acetate and super- acetate of lead, which therefore cannot en- ' Vide London Medical Review, April 1810, p. 135. t This oxide, when dried, is of a deep red colour, »nd is the colcothar of commerce. X London Medical Review, April 1810. « Hasienfratz. Ann. de Chimie, xxviii, 12. 42 ter into formulae, with it. Charcoal also de- composes it at a high temperature. Its con- stituents, according to the analysis of Mr. Phillips,|! are 45.79 of arid, 54.21 of alkali; that of Berzelius 47.1 of acid, and 52.9 of alkali ; and that of Berard 42.76 of acid, and 57.24 of alkali.*} Medical properties and uses.—This salt is deobstruent and cathartic. It is given with great advantage in the visceral obstructions to which children are liable; and in combi- nation with rhubarb or with aloes, I have found it more useful than any of the other saline purgatives in jaundice and dyspeptic affections. On account of its sparing solu- bility, it is generally given in the form of powder, in doses of from grains x. to gj., according as it is intended to act as a deob- struent or purgative. Officinal preparation. Pulvis Ipecacu- anha compositus, L. E. D. POTASSJE SUPERSULPHAS, Lond. Supersulphate of Potass. " Take of the remains after the distilla- tion of the nitric acid, two pounds ; boiling water, four pints. Mix them, that the salt may be dissolved, and filter. Then boil the solution till one half is dissipated, and set it aside to crystallize. Pour off the water, and dry the crystals on bibulous paper." This salt is the Sal enixum of commerce. The solution should not be filtered until it be cold, as a copious deposition of uncrys- tallized salt takes place when it is filtered while hot. The excess of sulphuric acid is so very loosely combined with sulphate of potass, that great part of it may be washed off by water; but nevertheless, the crystallized salt differs in several respects from the neu- tral sulphate. It may be prepared, by heat- ing together three parts of sulphate of potass and one part of sulphuric acid. Qualities.—Its crystals are long, slender, hexangular prisms, impressing a sour and slightly bitter taste. It reddens the vege- table blues ; is soluble in five parts of water at 60°; in less than an equal weight of boil- ing water; and effervesces with the car- bonates of alkalies. The proportions of its constituents are stated to be, of potass 38, acid 62, in 100 parts; but these are not ac- curately ascertained. Medical use.—As a remedy its efficacy is as yet unknown; but we are informed** that it has been introduced into the phar- macopoeia from an idea that it will afford " a useful means of producing the effects of sulphuric acid combined with those of an opening salt; and it may be exhibited at once in a solid form, an indication which is || System of Chemistry, 4th edit. ii. 660. 11 Annales de Chimie, Ixxi. 47. ** Powel's Translation of the London Pbarmaeo. poeia, 2d ed. 73. 330 PREPARATIONS , often desirable." Dr. Paris* says, it forms a grateful adjunct to rhubarb. The,dose is from gr. x. to ^ij. SULPHAS FOTASSJE CUM SUL- PHURE, Edin. Sulphate of Potass with Sulphur. " Take of nitrate of potass in powder, and of sublimed sulphur, equal weights. Mix them well together, and throw the mixture in small quantities at a time into a red-hot crucible. The deflagration being finished, let the salt cool, and preserve it in a well- stopped glass vessel." In this process the sulphur is oxidized and converted partly into sulphuric acid, and partly into sulphurous acid, by uniting with the oxygen afforded by the decompo- sition of the nitric acid of the nitrate, which is effected by the degree of heat employed. During the deflagration, however, a part of the acid is volatilized in the form of nitrous oxide, and consequently the oxygen evolved is not sufficient to acidify all the sulphur, and the unaltered portion remains united with a portion of potass. The sulphuric and sulphurous acids combine with the re- mainder of the potass ; and hence the pro- duct is a mingled mass, consisting of sul- phate or supersulphate of potass ; sulphate of potass ; and sulphuret of potass. It is the preparation which was originally known under the name of sal polychrest. Qualities.—This salt has a sensibly acid taste, and reddens infusion of litmus. It is almost wholly dissolved in eight parts of water at 60° ; and by exposure to the air it is altogether converted into sulphate of potass. In general I have found that it emits no sulphureous odour on the addition of sulphuric acid, and is not precipitated by acids; but in other specimens prepared with equal care sulphur was thrown down by the muriatic acid. Medical properties and uses.—The same as those of sulphate of potass ; and conse- quently it is scarcely ever used. AQUA ALCALINA OXYMURIATIC A, Dub. Oxymuriatic Alkaline Water. " Take of muriate of soda dried, two pounds; manganese in powder, a pound; water, sulphuric acid, each two pounds. Mix together the muriate of soda and the manganese, put them into a matrass, and add the water; then by means of a pro- per apparatus, add gradually, and at in- tervals, the sulphuric acid; and transmit the disengaged gas through a solution con- sisting of four ounces of (sub) carbonate of kali, and twenty-nine ounces by measure of water. Towards the end of the opera- tion apply a moderate heat to the matrass. The specific gravity of this solution is to that of distilled water as 1087 to 1000." * Pharmacologia. ND COMPOUNDS. For this process Woulfe's apparatus is necessary; two-thirds of the alkaline solu- tion being put into the second bottle, and the remainder into the third. In this pro- cess, chlorine is extricated from the decom- position of the dried common salt, which is a chloride of sodium; and, combining with a portion of the oxygen extricated from the oxide of manganese, is changed into chloric acid, which passes over in the gaseous form into the alkaline solution, where it unites with the potass of the sub- carbonate, expelling the carbonic acid, and forming a chlorate of potass, the greater part of which remains dissolved in the water, while a small part is precipitated crystallized. But, along with the chloric acid, a portion of simple chlorine also passes over; and as this cannot unite with the alkali, it is absorbed by the solution, and remains loosely combined with it. Part of the oxygen also of the oxide of manganese unites with the sodium, and forms soda, which combines with a portion of the sul- phuric acid ; while the remainder of this acid attaches itself to the manganese, form- ing a sulphate of that metal. To prevent the inconvenience likely to result from the extrication of the carbonic acid gas, a so- lution of lime should be put into the last bottle of the range of receivers. The pro- duct in the receivers is a solution of hyper- oxymuriate (chlorate) of potass, containing some uncombined chlorine; what remains in the matrass is a mixed sulphate of soda and of manganese. When the alkaline solution is stronger, in the proportion of §xvj. of the subcarbonate to Oiv. of water, a sparingly soluble crystallized salt is pro- cured, which is regarded as hyperoxymuri- ate (chlorate) of potass, and is a more cer- tain preparation than the solution. Qualities.—This solution has in a slight degree the odour of oxymuriatic acid (chlo- rine,) and a cooling taste. It destroys the vegetable colours, owing to the chlorine it contains. Medical properties and uses.—Hyperoxy- muriate of potass is stimulant and diuretic. The supposition which prevailed, that the effects of the nitric acid in syphilis arose from its imparting oxygen to the system, brought forward this preparation as a re- medy in the same disease; and its use was soon extended to scurvy and other com- plaints which were supposed to depend on a deficiency of oxygen. But although it evidently has the power of checking for a time the action of the syphilitic virus, yet it has scarcely in any case succeeded in ef- fecting a cure; and consequently it has fallen into disrepute, and is now seldom employed in any case. POTASSJE TARTRAS, Lond. Tartrate of Potass. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, sixteen PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. tutices; supertartrate of potass, three pounds,- boiling water, a gallon. Dissolve the sub- carbonate of potass in the water, and add the supertartrate of potass reduced to powder till the effervescence ceases. Fil- ter the solution through paper; then boil it until a pellicle appears on the surface, and set it aside to crystallize. Having poured off the water from the crystals, dry them on bibulous paper." Tartras Potassa, Edin. Tartrate of Potass. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, one part; supertartrate of potass, three parts, or a sufficient quantity; boiling water, fifteen parts. To the subcarbonate dis- solved in the water add in small portions the supertartrate of potass, reduced to a fine powder, as long as it excites effeives- cence, which gradually ceases before three times the weight of the subcarbonate of potass be added ; filter the solution when it is cold, and after due evaporation, set it aside, that crystals may form." Tartras Kali, Dub. Tartrate of Kali. " Take of subcarbonate of kali, a pound; crystals of tartar reduced to a very fine powder, two pounds and a half, or a quan- tity sufficient to saturate the kali; boiling water, a gallon. To the subcarbonate of kali dissolved in the water gradually add the tartar; filter the solution through paper, evaporate, and set it aside that crystals may form as it cools." Syn. Kali T'ariarizatum, P. L. 1787. Tartrate de Potasse (F ), Weinsteinsaures Kali (G.), Tartrato di Potassa (/.). In these processes the superabundant acid of the supertartrate of potass is satura- ted by the potass of the subcarbonate, and a neutral tartrate obtained. The quantity of alkali required for this purpose must | necessarily vary, owing to the degree of j dryness of the subcarbonate employed. To I obtain regular crystals, a very slow nearly ! spontaneous evaporation is necessary : and, therefore, this salt as found in the shops, j and prepared on a large scale, is in the form of a white granular powder, which is produced by the evaporation being continu- i ed to dryness with frequent stirring. Qualities.—This salt has a bitterish, cool | taste. Its crystals are tetrahedral prisms, terminated by dihedral summits, and in this ■ state it is soluble in its own weight of wa- ! ter at 60°; but in the granular form, four parts of cold water are required for its so- lution. When long kept in solution, its acid is decomposed, and its alkali remains I in the state of a subcarbonate.* Alcohol j also dissolves it readily. It is partially de- composed by the weaker acids and the acidulous salts, and also by tamarinds and • Murray*! Chemistry, 2d ed. iv. 229. other sub-acid fruits, which reduce it to the state of supertartrate ; and it is completely decomposed by lime-water, muriate of ba- rytes, magnesia, nitrate of silver, and ace- tate and superacetate of lead. Its consti- tuents, abstracting the water of crystalliza- tion, are, in 100 parts, 58-69 of acid, and 41-31 of alkali.f Medical properties and uses.—Tartrate of potass is a valuable purgative, operating easily and without griping ; and even cor- recting the griping properties of some other substances, as of senna and the resinous pur- gatives, with which it is, therefore, usually combined. The dose is from gj. to §j. in solution. AQUA SUPERCARBONATIS POT- AS SiE, Edin. Water of Supercarbonate of Potass. " Take of water, ten pounds ; pure sub- carbonate of potass, one ounce; dissolve, and expose the solution to a current of car- bonic acid gas arising from carbonate of lime in powder, three ounces; sulphuric acid, three ounces;' And water, three pounds; gradually and cautiously mixed. The che- mical apparatus of Dr. Nooth is well adapt- ed for this preparation. But if a larger quantity of the solution be required, an ap- paratus which will admit of a sufficiently great pressure should be employed. The solution must be preserved in well-stopped vessels. This water is seldom sufficiently impreg- nated with the acid, when made on a small scale ; but in the great way, and with an apparatus from which a much greater pres- sure is obtained, a solution is prepared for sale, which contains a very large quantity of uncombined carbonic acid. Qualities.—When properly prepared, this solution has a pungent, acidulous taste, and reddens tincture of litmus; is perfectly transparent, sparkles when poured into a glass, and effervesces violently with all the acids. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is tonic, diuretic, and antacid. ' It has aiso been regarded as a lithontriptic, and is much used in calculous cases : but its pro- perties as a solvent of calculi, if it possess any, must depend upon the potass it con- tains, and, hence, the more completely it is impregnated with carbonic acid, the more its lithontriptic powers must be diminished. There is, however,reason for believing, that even pure potass when taken into the sto- mach exerts no influence on ready-formed calculi, and consequently its operation, even as a palliative or preventive, is confined to the stomach, where it neutralizes the acid that always prevails there in calculous affec- tions, and relieves ra^ny of the uneasy symp- +■ Ber.'.elius. 3j* PREPARATIONS A toms it occasions. In this view, the solu- tion of the supercarbonate is a grateful mode of exhibiting potass, as its acrimony is destroyed by its combination with the acid, which is nevertheless so weak as not to interfere with its operation as an alkali. On the same principles it proves beneficial in dyspepsia and gout, and forms with lemon juice an effervescing draught still prefera- ble to that prepared with the carbonate. The dose in calculous affections is f^viij., taken three or four times a day. SODA TARTARIZATA, Lond. Tar- tarized Soda. " Take of subcarbonate of soda, twenty ounces ; supertartrate of potass in powder, two pounds ; boiling water, ten pints. Dis- solve the subcarbonate of soda in the water, and add gradually the supertartrate of pot- ass. Filter the solution through paper; then boil till a pellicle forms on the surface, and set it aside to crystallize. Pour off the water from the crystals, and dry them on bibulous paper." Tartras Sodjb et Potasse, Edin. Tar- trate of Soda and Potass. " Take of subcarbonate of soda, one part; supertartrate of potass, three parts, or a sufficient quantity; boiling water, fifteen parts. To the subcarbonate dissolved in the water, gradually add the supertartrate rubbed to a fine powder, as long as effer- vescence is excited, which generally occurs before three times the weight of the sub- carbonate is added : when the fluid is cold, filter it through paper, and after a proper degree of evaporation, set it aside, that crystals may form." Tartras Sodje et Kali, Dub. Tartrate of Soda and Kali. " Take of carbonate of soda, twenty ounces; crystals of tartar, reduced to a very fine powder, two pounds; boiling water, ten pints. Dissolve the carbonate of soda in the water, and gradually add the tartar ; filter the solution through paper; evapo- rate it, and set it aside, that, as it slowly cools, crystals may form." Syn, Tartrate de Soude et de Potasse (F.), Natrum-weinstein (G.), Tartrato di Potassa e di Soda (/.). In these processes the superabundant acid of the supertartrate is saturated by the soda of the subcarbonate, the carbonic acid of which is dissipated in the gaseous form ; and a triple salt is obtained by the evapora- tion, instead of two distinct salts being formed from the different alkaline bases. Qualities.—This salt has a bitter saline taste. Its crystals are large, regular, trans- parent, hard, rhomboidal, six-sided prisms; very slightly efflorescent, and soluble in five parts of water at 60°. It is decom- posed by the strong acids, muriate of ba- rytes, lime, and by a red heat. The con- stituents of 100 parts of this salt, according ND COMPOUNDS. to Schulze, are 41.3 of tartaric acid, 14,3 of potass, 13.3 of soda, and 31.1 of water*; according to Vauquelin, they are, tartrate of potass, 54 parts, tartrate of soda, 46 parts; and according to Mr. Phillips, (Translation of the Pharmacopoeia,) tartaric acid 62.60, potass 22.44, soda 14.96; or tar- trate of potass 53.74, and tartrate of soda 46.26. Medical properties and uses.—Tartrate of potass and soda is a cooling and not very unpalatable cathartic. It was introduced into practice by M. Seignettef, an apothe- cary of Rochelle, and the preparation kept a secret until it was discovered and pub- lished by Boulduc and Geoffrey in 1731. It operates moderately and without excit- ing much irritation ; hence it is well suited to nephritic and puerperal cases. The dose is from ^j. to ^jss., dissolved in any conve- nient vehicle. SOD.E CARBO'NAS, Lond. Carbonate of Soda. " Take of subcarbonate of soda, a poundi distilled water, three pints. Dissolve the subcarbonate of soda in the distilled water. Then transmit carbonic acid through the solution, by means of a proper apparatus, until it is saturated, and set it apart to crys- tallize. Dry the crystals involved and com- pressed in blotting-paper. Evaporate the remainder of the solution by a heat not ex- ceeding 120°, that more crystals may be obtained. These are to be compressed and dried in the same manner as the form- er." "Take of subcarbonate of soda, tm parts; water three parts. Dissolve the salt in the water, and subject it to a streara of carbonic acid gas, until the acid be no longer absorbed. Then filter the fluid and evaporate it in a heat not exceeding 180°, that it may crystallize. The carbo- nic acid is easily obtained from equal weights of pulverised carbonate of lime and of sulphuric acid largely diluted with wa- ter." Syn. Carbonate de Soude (F), Kohlen- satires Natrum (G.), Koolenztiure Soda (Dutch), Carbonato di Soda (/.) The constituents of the neutral carbo- nate, according to Rose, are in 100 parts, 49-05 of acid, 29-85 of alkali, and 20-20 of water. This salt does not appear to possess any advantages over the subcarbonate as a remedy, but it is less nauseous. The dose is from gr. x. to gss. SO'DjE SUBCARBO'NAS, Lond. Sub- carbonate of Soda, t * Gehlen Journ. iv. 210. Thomson's Chemistry, 4th edit. iii. 96. + Hence its appellations of Sal de Seignette, Sal Ruppellensis. X Mr. Phillips properly remarks, " that this salt, ' although it i. termed a subcarbonate in the Phar- i-REPARATIONS " Take of impure soda (barilla) in pow- der, a pound; boiling distilled water, four pints. Boil the soda in the water for half an hour, and filter the solution. Evaporate it to two pints, and set it apart that crystals may form. Throw away the liquor that re- mains." Sub-carbonab Sod.k, Edin. Subcarbonate of Soda. " Take of impure carbonate of soda, any quantity. Bruise it, and then bod it in wa- ter until all the saline matter be dissolved. Filter the solution through paper, and eva- porate it in an iron vessel, so that after re- frigeration crystals may form." Dublin. " Take of barilla in powder, ten pounds; water, two gallons. Boil the barilla in the water, in a covered vessel, for two hours, occasionally stirring ; filter the liquor; then bruise the barilla that remains with an equal quantity of water, and again boil it: this may be repeated a third time. The leys being filtered and mixed, evaporate them to dryness in a wide iron vessel, taking care that the saline mass, which will remain, be not again liquefied by too great a heat: stir it with an iron spatula till it becomes white ; finally dissolve it in boiling water, and, after due evaporation, set it apart, that, as it cools, crystals may form. These will be purer if the barilla before each boiling be exposed for some time to the air. The crystallization should be effected when the air is at the freezing temperature, and in a liquor the specific gravity of which is, to that of water, as 1220 to 1000. If the salt be not very pure, repeat the solution and crystallization." Syn. Natron Preparatum, P. L. 1787. Soucarbonate de Soude (F.), Sotto carbo- nato di Soda (I.) Barilla, besides the subcarbonate of soda, contains sulphate and muriate of soda, charcoal, lime, magnesia, argil, and silex, from which these processes are intended to separate it. The earths being insoluble, are separated by the solution and filtration; while the foreign salts remain dissolved in the residuary liquor after the subcarbonate of soda has crystallized. In the London formula, the quantity of water ordered to be employed is much greater than is re- quisite : and it has been justly observed,* that the evaporation is directed to be too soon stopped. One pound of barilla yields, when properly managed, from §iij. to Sjv. of the crystallized subcarbonate. A pure subcarbonate of soda is now manufactured on a great scale, by the de- composition of sulphate of soda, and of mu- macopceia, yet, is a carbonate," as it consists of one atom of acid and one of base. Vide Trans, of the Pharm. 1824. * Lomiou Meuioat Rsview, April 1S08. 1.19. ND COMPOUNDS. 333 riate of soda, which will probably super- sede altogether the processes ordered in the pharmacopoeias.f Qualities.—Subcarbonate of soda has a mild alkalescent taste, and changes the ve- getable blue and red colours to green. Its crystals are large transparent octahedrons, truncated at the summits of the pyramids, which effloresce when exposed to a dry air, and crumble down into a white opaque powder. It undergoes the watery fusion, at 150° Fah.; is soluble in two parts of wa- ter at o0°, and in considerably less than its weight of boiling water, its abundant wa- ter of crystallization assisting the solution of the salt at that temperature. Its consti- tuents, according to the late analysis of D'Arcet,;): are, in 100 parts 16.04 of acid, 20.85 of alkali, and 63.61 of water. By treating this salt in the method described under subcarbonate of potass, any muriates or sulphates it may contain are detected, while the tartaric acid added to its solu- tion, discovers potass, by forming a preci- pitate of the supertartrate. Medical properties and uses.—This salt is antacid and deobstruent. It is less acrid than the subcarbonate of potass; and hence is in more general use in dyspepsia and acidities of the stomach, and in scrophulous affections. Its use has been lately strenu- ously recommended in hooping-cough, the protraction of which it is said to prevent. It is given, after the stomach and bowels have been duly evacuated, at first in com- bination with ipecacuanha and opium, and afterwards, when the violence of the cough has abated, with myrrh or cinchona.§ The dose of this salt is from grs. x. togj.; given twice or thrice a day. Officinal preparations. Soda Subcarbo- nas exsiccata, L. D. Sodx Carbonas, L. Aqua Supercarbonatis Sodx, E. Phosphas Soda, E. D. Soda tartarixata, L. E. D. SODjE subcarbonas exsiccata, Lond. Dried Subcarbonate of Soda. " Take of subcarbonate of soda, apound. Expose the subcarbonate of soda to a boil- ing heat in a clean iron vessel, until it be- comes perfectly dry, and at the same time stir it diligently with an iron spatula. Fi- nally rub it into a powder." Carbonas Sodje siccatum, Dub. Dried Carbonate of Soda. " Liquefy the crystals of carbonate of soda in a silver crucible over the fire ; then, in an augmented heat, stir the dissolved salt until by the evaporation of the water it be- comes dry. Reduce it to a fine powder, and preserve it in stopped phials." t For experimental purposes, it is obtained still purer from the crystallized ucetate by ignitiou. X Aniiales de Chimie, Ixxi. 208. § Medico-Cuinirgkal Transactions, vol. 1. 334 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. Syn. Soucarbonate de Sonde sec (F.), Getrocknetes Kohlensaures Natrum (G,), Soto carbonato di Soda secco (/.) Owing to the great proportion of water of crystallization this salt contains, it readi- ly undergoes the watery fusion, and is com- pletely dried by continuing the heat; but its properties-are not otherwise altered. The constituents of 100 parts, in this state, according to the analysis of Kirwan, are 40.14 of acid, and 59.86 of soda,* which nearly accords with the analysis of Dulong and Dalton. Medical properties and uses.—The chief advantage obtained from drying the subcar- bonate of soda is the facility of exhibiting it in the form of pills ; for when the crys- tallized salt is used for this purpose, the pill formed with it falls to pieces as soon as the salt effloresces. Dr. Beddoesf has extol- led it, in this form, as a remedy in calculous affections: and it certainly affords relief from the painful symptoms attending calcu- lus in the kidneys, and other urinary affec- tions : but its effects are palliative only; and depend on its destroying the prevalent acid in the stomach. The dose is from grs. x. to grs. xv., given three times a dayr. Bed- does directed it to be combined with soap and aromatics. AQUA SUPER-CARBONATIS SODJE, Edin. Water of Supercarbonate of Soda. " Take of water ten pounds, subcarbo- nate of soda, two ounces ; dissolve and sub- ject the solution to a stream of carbonic acid gas procured from three ounces of car- bonate of lime, and the same quantity of sulphuric acid, with three pounds of water, gradually and cautiously mixed together. It may be conveniently prepared in Nooth's apparatus. But if a large quantity of it be required, an apparatus capable of afford- ing a greater pressure will be requisite. The fluid must be preserved in well-corked bottles. This preparation is milder and pleasant- er than the water prepared with subcarbo- nate of potass. It is manufactured in large quantities on a great scale, of a much su- perior quality to any which the apothecary can prepare ; and is in very general use as a cooling beverage. Half a pint of it pour- ed over two table-spoonfuls of lemon-juice, sweetened with a little sugar, forms an ex- cellent and very agreeable effervescing draught; and the same quantity poured upon two ounces of boiling milk forms an excellent substitute for asses' milk4 * Nicholson's Journal. 4to. iii. 215. t Beddoes on the Nature and Cure of Calculus. X What are termed Sodaic Pou-ders, are attempted to be passed upon the public as capable of answer- ing; in every respect the purpose of soda water ; but the salt formed by the solution of these powders is a tartrate of soda, not a caibotute. The powders are SO'D-K SUL'PHAS, Lond. Sulphate of Soda. " Take of the salt which remains after the distillation of muriatic acid, two pounds; boiling water, two pints and a half. Dis- solve the salt in the water: then add gra- dually as much subcarbonate of soda as will saturate the acid. Boil the solution until a pellicle appears, and after having filtered it set it apart to crystallize. Pour the water from off the crystals, and dry them on bibulous paper." Sulphas Son^, Edin. Sulphate of Soda. "Dissolve in water the acidulous salt which remains after the distillation of mu- riatic acid, and having'mixed with it carbo- nate of lime (chalk) in powder to remove the superfluous acid, set it apart until the impurit.es subside; then, having poured off the liquor, filter it through paper, and reduce it by evaporation, that crystals may be formed." Dublin. "Dissolve the sali which remains after the distillation of muriatic acid in a suffi. cient quantity of boiling water. Evaporate the filtered solution to a proper point, and set it apart, that, as it slowly cools, crystals may form." Syn. Natrum Vitriolatum, P. L. 1787. Sulphate de Soude (F.), Krystalisirtes Na- trum ^ G.), Solfato di Soda. The theory of the London process for preparing this salt is analogous to that of the process for preparing the sulphate of potass ; but, from the low price of the salt, manufactured on a great scale (see Part ii.) it is preferable to saturate the super- abundant acid with chalk, and reject the sulphate of lime. The salt obtained by the Dublin process has a slight acidulous taste, and contains a quantity of sulphuric acid, but so lo.osely combined as scarcely to en- title it to be regarded as a superssdt; nor do its crystals differ in form from those pro- duced by the other two formulae.^ Qualities.—The taste of this salt is at first simply saline, but afterwards very dis- agreeably bitter. Its crystals are transpa- rent, six-sided, irregular, channelled prisms, with dihedral summits; efflorescent and rapidly falling to a white powder when ex- posed to the air. It is soluble in 2'86 parts of water at 60°, and 08'of boiling water; undergoes the watery fusion when heated, and in a strong heat is partially decompos- ed. According to Berzelius, 100 parts con- packed in two distinct papers, the one blue and the other white; the blue containing dr.ss. of carbonate of soda, the white gr. xxv. of tartaric acid. § The crystals of the supersulphate formed by dissolving the sulphate in sulphuric acid, and crys- tallizing, are rhomboidal. The artificial salts, sold under the name of Cheltenham Salts, owe their ac- tivity to this salt. For an account of them, see Br, Paris's Pharmacologia,- art. Sulphas Sodat. PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. .'j.'. \ tain 24-64 of acid, 19-36 of alkali, and 56 of water; and in the dried state, according to Bulcholz, 54 acid, and 46 of alkali.* Medical properties and uses.—Sulphate of soda is a very common and useful pur- gative ; but from its nauseous taste it is not very generally prescribed by the physician, although this may be readily disguised by a small quantity of lemon juice, or of cream of tartar, added to the solution. The dose is from 3ss. to ^ij., but in the effloresced state half of these quantities is sufficient. PHOSPHAS SODiE, Edin. Phosphate of Soda. " Take of bones, burnt to whiteness and reduced to powder, ten pounds ; sulphuric acid, six pounds; subcarbonate of soda, a sufficient quantity. Mix the powdered bones with the sulphuric acid in an earthen vessel; then add the water, and again mix: keep the vessel in a vapour-bath for three days : after which, dilute the matter with nine pounds more of boiling water, find strain through a strong linen cloth, pouring boiling water gradually over it until the whole of the phosphoric acid be washed out. Set the strained liquor apart that the impurities may subside, from which pour it off, and evaporate it to nine pounds. To this liquor, separated from its impurities, and heated in an earthen vessel, add a warm solution of subcarbonate of soda, until the effervescence cease : then strain, and set the liquor aside, that crystals may form. These being removed, add to the liquor, if necessary, a little subcarbonate of soda, that the phosphoric acid may be ac- curately saturated; and dispose it by eva- poration again, to yield crystals, as long as these shall be produced. Finally, let the crystals be preserved in a well-closed ves- sel." Dublin. " Take of burnt bones reduced to pow- der, five pounds,- sulphuric acid three pounds and a half. Mix the powder with the sulphuric acid in an earthen vessel ; add, gradually, five pints of water, and agitate the mixture. Digest for three days, adding from time to time more wa- ter, lest the materials should become dry, and continue the agitation ; then pour over them five pints of boiling water, and strain through a linen rag, pouring on, at inter- vals, boiling water, until all the acid be washed out. Set the liquor apart that the impurities may subside, from which decant it, and evaporate it to one half; then add three pounds ten ounces of carbonate of soda (dissolved in a sufficient quantity of warm water); filter, and obtain crystals by repeated evaporation and cooling. The crystals are to be preserved in well-closed vessels. * Nicholson's Journal, 4to. iii. 215. "If the salt be not sufficiently pure, re- peat the solution and crystallization." Syn. Phosphate de Soude (F.), Phos- phorsaures Natrum (G.), Fosfato di Soda (/-) When bones are burnt to whiteness, the residue is chiefly phosphate of lime, 100 parts of which consist of 41 parts of acid, and 59 of base,f with a small portion of carbonate of lime. The addition of sul- phuric acid, as directed in the above for- mulae, abstracts 0-40 parts of the lime, so as to form an insoluble sulphate of lime, and, involved in its mass, a soluble super- phosphate of lime, for the separation of which the digestion in vapour and the re- peated effusions of boiling water are or- dered. The soda of the subcarbonate of soda, which is added to the defecated and filtered solution, now unites with the su- perabundant phosphoric acid, by which means the lime is again left combined with as much of this acid only as renders it a neutral phosphate, which from its insolubi- lity precipitates and is easily separated from the phosphate of soda, which being solu- ble, remains dissolved in the water, and crystallizes on the subsequent evaporation of the filtered liquor. There are some niceties in the manipu- lation of this process that require to be no- ticed. In the first place, if too much sul- phuric acid be employed, sulphate of soda will be also produced; and as four parts only of sulphuric acid are required to de- compose ten parts of phosphate of lime, both the above formulae err in this particu- lar ; secondly, as the phosphate of soda does not crystallize well without an excess of base, a little more subcarbonate of soda must be added than is required simply to neutralize the excess of acid of the super- phosphate: and lastly, the evaporation must not be carried quite to the formation of a pellicle, as in this case the crystallization is indeterminate, and the whole often con- cretes into an irregular mass.£ Qualities.—This salt has a purely saline taste, resembling very much that of com- mon salt. Its crystals are large, regular, transparent, rhomboidal prisms, terminated by three-sided pyramids, having a specific gravity of 1.333, and efflorescing on expo- t Vauquelin. X A cheaper mode of preparing this salt has been given by M- Fuucke, a German chemist. He adds to the matter of calcined bones diffused in water, just enough dilute sulphuric acid to saturate the small portion of carbonate of lime it always contains. When the effervescence ceases, the whole is dissolved in nitric acid, and as much sulphate of soda added to the solution as of bone ashes used. The whole is then distilled to recover the nitric acid; and the phosphate of soda is separated from the residue which is a mixture of sulphate of lime and phosphate of soda, by solution and crystallization. 336 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. sure to the air. It is soluble in three parts of water at 60°, and in two parts of boiling water; and undergoes the watery fusion when heated. Its constituents, according to Thenard, are, in 100 parts, 19 of soda, 15 of phosphoric acid, and 66 of water ; and according to Berzelius 20.33 of acid; 17.67 of base, and 62.80 of water Muriate ©f barytes, lime, and magnesia, decompose this salt; and by the strong acids it is con- verted into biphosphate of soda. Medical properties and uses.—It is a mild cathartic, excellently adapted for children, and others who have a fastidious taste. It may be given dissolved in gruel, or broth, made without salt, by which its taste is very effectually covered. The dose is from ^vj to §ij. Although phosphate of soda was known before 1740, at which time it was described by Haupt under the name of sal mirabile perlatum, yet, it was not introduced into medical use as a purgative until about thirty years since, when it was recommend- ed by Dr. George Pearson of London. MURIAS SOD^E S1CCATUM, Dub. Dried Muriate of Soda. " Take of muriate of soda, any quantity. Roast it over the fire in an iron vessel slight- ly covered, until it cease to decrepitate, occasionally agitating." Syn. Muriate de Soude sec (F.), Getrock- netes salzsaures Natrum (G.), Muriato di Soda secco (/.). One hundred parts of crystallized muriate of soda contain, according to Kirwan, 8.12 of water, which is nearly dissipated by the heat; and the salt was thus supposed to be rendered of a more uniform strength : but in this state it contains no muriatic acid, being in' fact a chloride of sodium. It is employed chiefly for the distillation of mu- riatic acid, which is obtained colourless from the dried salt. EARTHS AND EARTHY SALTS. Earths possess peculiar properties, which distinguish them from other bodies, and constitute them a distinct class of na- tural productions. They are opaque, solid, uninflammable, of very difficult fusibility. very sparingly soluble in water, and of a specific gravity not exceeding 4.9. Some of them resemble the alkalies in several particulars; are caustic, change to green the vegetable blues and reds, and neutral- ize acids; and have, therefore, been deno- minated Alkaline Earths ; but neverthe- less are in truth metallic oxides. Of this division three are medicinally employed ; namely, Lime, Magnesia, and Barytes ; but the two former only are used as reme- dies in their pure state. Those earths which do not possess alkaline properties, although they, also, are metallic oxides, are denomi- nated Proper Earths ; of which one only, Alumina, is a medicinal agent; and it is not used in its uncombined state. Although some of the old chemists con- jectured that the pure earths were metallic oxides, yet no direct proofs in support of the supposition were obtained, and they were generally supposed to be simple bo- dies, until the discoveries of Sir H. Davy revived the idea of their metallic nature. The action of the pure earths on the ani- mal economy is very similar to that of the alkalies. The Earthy Salts* are compounds of the acids with the pure earths, resembling the salts formed by the combination of acids with alkalies. Some of them are crystalli- zable, and soluble in water; others are nearly insoluble: some of them exert scarcely any action on the animal economy; while others are possessed of great activity, and produce very striking effects. In extemporaneous prescription, it is ab- solutely necessary to avoid combining the earths or earthy salts with substances with which they form insoluble compounds. The following table shows the solubility of the above earths, and of the compounds which they form with acids. * We prefer the title Earths and Earthy Salts to that of Earths and their Salts, whieh is the title of this section in the London Pharmacopoeia, for the same reason that we preferred the term Neutral Satis to that of Alkaline Salts, PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 337 Acius which , in combination with these Pure Earths. Solubility in one part of Water. Earths, form Soluble Compounds Insoluble Compounds. scarcely soluble Compounds. 0.002 Nitric Sulphuric Oxalic Muriatic Boracic Phosphoric Acetic Succinic Carbonic Benzoic Tartaric Arsenic Magnesia , 0.000 Malic Sulphuric Tartaric Boracic Phosphoric Oxalic Nitric Muriatic Carbonic Acetic Benzoic Succinic Barytes.. 0.050 Malic Nitric Succinic Sulphuric Muriatic Carbonic Oxalic Acetic Citric Phosphoric Benzoic Boracic Alumina 0.000 Tartaric Arsenic Sulphuric Boracic Phosphoric Nitric Arsenic Muriatic Carbonic Acetic Benzoic Oxalic Tartaric ALUMEN EXSICCATUM, Lond. Dried Alum. " Melt alum in an earthen vessel over the fire, and increase the heat until the ebulli- tion cease." Edinburgh. " Melt the alum in an earthen or iron vessel, and let it be kept over the fire until it cease to boil: then rub it into a powder." Alumen ustum, Dub. Burnt Alum, " Take of alum any quantity. Expose to the heat of a strong fire in an earthen ves- sel until it cease to boil." Syn. Sulphate d'Alumine S6c (F.) Ge- brannter Alaun (G.), Alume calcinato (/.). In these processes the alum loses its wa- ter of crystallization ; but if the heat be too great, its acid is partly expelled, and par- tially decomposed. According to Kirwan, alum desiccated at 700° loses more than half its acid. By our experiments, English alum lost 0.43 in a moderate heat, and 0.46 in a red: Levant alum, 0.41 in a moderate heat, and 0.44 in a red heat. Chaptal found that in a red heat alum of his own manufacture lost 0.67 ; Roman alum 0.50 ; English, 0.47; and Levant alum, 0.40. Qualities.—Dried alum has a more as- tringent taste than the crystallized salt. It is obtained in the form of a light, opaque, white, spongy, friable mass, 100 parts of which consist of 36.25 acid, and 63.75 alu- mina. Medical properties and uses.—It is chiefly used as an escharotic to destroy fungus in ulcers; but has also been given internally to the extent of Qj. for a dose in cases of colic, the pain of which it is said to allay, while at the same time it gently opens the bowels. CA'LCIS MU'RIAS, Lond. Muriate of Lime. "Take of the salt which remains after the distillation of subcarbonate of ammonia, two pounds,- water, a pint. Mix, and filter the solution through paper. Evaporate the liquor until the salt remains dry. Preserve it in a closely stopped vessel." Syn. Muriate de Chaux (F.), Salzsaure Kalkerde (G.), Muriato di Calce (/.). Qualities.—Muriate of lime is inodorous, and has a disagreeable, bitter, acrid taste. It is soluble in half its weight of cold wa- ter, and to any extent in boiling water. It 4,3 338 PREPARATIONS A rapidly deliquesces in the air, and under- goes the watery fusion when heated. Ac- cording to Dr. Marcet it is composed of 49 parts of acid and 57 of lime. CALX, Lond. Lime. "Take of limestone, a pound. Break it into small pieces, and expose it in a cruci- ble to a very strong fire for an hour, or un- til the carbonic acid be so completely ex- pelled, that on the addition of acetic acid no air-bubbles are extricated. Calx e Testis, Lond. Lime from shells. "In the same manner lime is also made from shells." Syn. Chaux (F.), Kalkerde (G.), Calce (/.), Calviva (5.). Lime prepared on the great scale for the ordinary purposes of art, is sufficiently pure for medicinal use; but for some pharma- ceutical purposes it is required to be more completely burnt than is usually the case of that which is obtained from the kilns ; and perhaps it is with this view that the above preparation has been ordered by the Lon- don College. It may, however, be observed, that neither of the substances ordered af- fords lime in a state of absolute purity; limestone frequently containing silex, alu- mina, magnesia, and marine shells ; and a portion of phosphate of lime whicli is not decomposed by the fire. To obtain per- fectly pure lime, dissolve white marble or clean oyster-shells in diluted muriatic acid, and to the filtered solution add solution of ammonia as long as any precipitate falls ; then filter again, and decompose the mu- riate by a solution of pure carbonate of potass; wash the precipitate, and expose it to violent heat in a platina crucible, till it cease to lose weight. The result is pure lime. Qualities.—Well-prepared lime is of a white colour, moderately hard, and brittle. Its specific gravity is 23. Its taste is hot, pungent, and bitter ; on animal matter it operates as a most powerful caustic; changes the vegetable blues to green, and is in- fusible. Water poured on it is absorbed with a hissing noise, much heat is evolved, and the lime swells, falls to pieces, and is then said to be slaked; in which state it readily combines with sulphur, forming a sulphuret, and is to a certain degree soluble in water. It appears to be a compound of a peculiar metal which has been named calcium,* and oxygen. Use.—Lime in this state is chiefly em- ployed for pharmaceutical purposes and for forming the solution. * This metal has the colour and appearance of silver, is solid, four times heavier than water, absorbs oxygen, and burns brilliantly in the open air, and by being oxidized is converted into quicklime. Phil. Trans. 1808. tfD COMPOUNDS. Officinal preparations. Liquor Calci L. E. D. Potassa cum Calce, L. CRETA PREPARATA, Lond. Prepared Chalk. " Take of chalk, a pound. Add a little water to the chalk, and triturate it to a fine powder. Throw this into a large vessel of water, stir it, and after a short interval pour off the supernatant turbid water into an- other vessel, and set it apart that the pow- der may subside : lastly, let the water be poured off, and dry the powder." Carbonas Calcis pu.bparatus, Edin. Prepared Carbonate of Lime. " Let carbonate of lime, triturated to pow- der in an iron mortar, and levigated with a little water, on a porphyry stone, be put into a large vessel: then pour water upon it, which, after frequently shaking the ves- sel, is to be poured off loaded with the fine powder. The subtile powder which tub- sides, when the water remains at rest, is to be dried. Let the coarse powder which the water could not suspend be again levigated, and treated in the same manner. Creta prjeparata, Dub. Prepared Chalk. "Let it be triturated to powder in an earthen mortar, with the addition of a little water; then mix this with a sufficiently large quantity of water by agitation, and after a short interval, when the coarser par- ticles have subsided, pour off the fluid. This may be frequently repeated, always previously triturating; and finally, collect the very fine powder, which after some time will subside, and dry it upon an absorbent stone, or paper." Syn. Craie prepare (F.), Rein Kreide (G.), Carbonato di Calce preparato (/.). By the suspension of the finer particles of the levigated chalk in water, they are reduced to a more impalpable form, and are more effectually separated from the coarser particles than could be accomplished by any other mechanical means ; but the chalk is not freed from the foreign earths it gene- rally contains, (see Calx, Part ii.) although it be sufficiently pure for medicinal use. Medical properties and uses.—Chalk is antacid and absorbent. It is exhibited ad- vantageously in acidities of the primae viae; and in diarrhoeas, after all irritating matters have been removed from the bowels by previous evacuation. As an external appli- cation it is sprinkled over ulcers discharg- ing a thin ichorous matter, which is thus absorbed by the chalk, and prevented from excoriating the neighbouring sound skin. In cases of burns it is applied in a similar manner, and a poultice laid over it, by which the skinning of the sore is much hastened.t The dose of chalk is from grs. x. to 9'ij.» or more. t Kentish on Burns, passim. PREPARATIONS Al Officinal preparations. Mistura Creix, L. E. Hydrargyrus cum Creta, L. Pulvis Creta compositus, L. E. Pulvis opiatus, E. Trochisci Carbonatis Calcis, E. Confectio aromatica, L. E. CRETA PRECIP1TATA, Dub. Precipi- tated Chalk.. " Take of solution of muriate of lime, any quantity. Add to it as much (sub) car- bonate of soda, dissolved in four times its weight of hot distilled water, as may be sufficient to precipitate the chalk. Mash the precipitate three times in a sufficient quantity of water ; then collect it, and dry it on a chalk stone or on bibulous paper." A double exchange takes place in this process; the muriatic acid separates from the lime and unites with the soda, while the carbonic acid of the subcarbonate com- bines with the lime ; the muriate of soda thus formed remains dissolved in the water, but the carbonate of lime is precipitated in the form of a white powder. It is an ex- pensive preparation, and the benefit to be derived from a great degree of purity in this substance is not very obvious. Officinal preparations. Hydrargyrum cum Creta, D. Electuarium aromaticum, D. * Mistura Cretx, 1). MURIAS BARYTJE, Edin. Muriate of Barytes. " Take of carbonate of barytes, muriatic acid, each, one part ; water, three parts. To the water and the acid mixed together add the carbonate broken into small pieces. The effervescence being finished, digest for an hour; then filter, and after due eva- poration set the solution apart that crystals may form. Repeat the evaporation as long as any crystals are formed. " If the carbonate of barytes cannot be procured, the muriate may be prepared from sulphate of barytes in the following manner: "Take of sulphate of barytes, two pounds,- charcoal in powder, four ounces ,- muriatic acid, a sufficient quantity. Roast the sul- phate, that it may be the more easily re- duced to a very fine powder, and mix it with the powder of charcoal. Put the mixture into a crucible, and having fitted to it a cover, let it be exposed to a strong fire for six hours ; then, having well tritura- ted the matter, put it into six pounds of boiling water, in a glass or earthen vessel, and mix by agitation, preventing, as much as possible, the action of the air. " Let the vessel stand in a vapour-bath until the undissolved part shall have sub- sided, and then pour off the liquor. Pour upon the residue four pounds of boiling water, which, after agitation and subsi- dence, add to the former liquor: and then, while it is still hot, or, if it shall have cool- ed, after it is again heated, let muriatic acid be dropped into it as long as any eflerves- D COMPOUNDS. 339 cence is excited. Then let the solution be filtered and evaporated, that crystals may be formed." Syn. Muriate de Baryte (F.), Salzsaure Schwererde (G.), Muriato di Barita (/.). The simplicity of the first of these pro- cesses, in which the superior affinity of the muriatic acid for barytes effects the de- composition of the carbonate, recommends its general adoption ; and we believe this mineral can now be procured without dif- ficulty, and in abundance. The second, however, may sometimes be required to be performed: it is somewhat complicated, but its theory is sufficiently obvious. The charcoal, by the assistance of heat, decomposes the sulphuric acid of the sul- phate of barytes, attracting its oxygen, and and forming with it carbonic acid, which is dissipated in a gaseous form, while the sul- phur remains united with the barytes. The boiling water added to this sulphuret dissolves it; but during the solution the water is partially decomposed, a portion of the sulphur attracts the oxygen of the decomposed water, and forming sulphuric acid, unites with a little of the barytes, so as to reproduce some sulphate which preci- pitates; while its hydrogen unites with ano- ther portion of the sulphur, and forms sul- phuretted hydrogen, the combination of which with the remaining sulphuret, con- verts it into a hydroguretted sulphuret, and prevents its further decomposition. Lastly, the muriatic acid added to the hot aqueous solution of these sulphurets de- composes them, disengages the sulphuret- ted hydrogen in the form of gas, and preci- pitate's the sulphur; while at the same time it unites with the earth, and muriate of ba- rytes remains in solution. Several other methods have been pro- posed for the preparation of this salt; the following is that recommended by Bouillon La Grange.* Pulverise together equal parts of sulphate of barytes and muriate of lime; project the mixture into a red hot crucible, and let the fire be continued till the whole be melted, which is then to be poured out on a heated tile. After it is cold, reduce the mass to powder ; boil it for some minutes in six times its weight of dis- tilled water, and filter the solution: then evaporate the liquor to a pellicle, and set it aside to crystallize. The crystals re- quire to be redissolved and again crystal- lized, to free them from any of the calcare- ous muriate they may retain on the first crystallization. The Edinburgh process, however, is still preferable to this of La Grange, as the previous calcination reduces any metallic salts that may be combined with the sulphate ; and being thus rendered * Annales de Umiiin, xlvii. 131. LND COMPOUNDS. 340 PREPARATIONS * insoluble, they are separated during the first solution of the sulphuret.* Qualities.—Muriate of barytes has an acrid, very nauseous, bitter taste. It crys- tallines in grouped quadrangular tables, bevelled on the edges: transparent, white, and very brilliant; of a specific gravity of 28257: and not alterable from expo- sure to the air. When heated, it decre- pitates, becomes opaque, and ultimately melts, but is not decomposed. One part requires three of water at 60° for its solution, and 2-20 of hot water. Accord- ing to Berzelius, the constituents of 100 parts of this crystallized salt are 6r85 of barytes, 23"35 of muriatic acid, and 14-80 of water :f but it is more probable that it is a chloride of Barium ; in which case its composition, according to Sir II. Davy, is of Barium 66-04, chlorine 33-96 in 100 parts. It is used only for forming the following so- lution. Solutio Muutatis Baryt.b, Edin. So- lution of Muriate of Barytes. "Take of muriate of barytes, one part; distilled water, three parts. Dissolve." Syn. Dissolution de Muriate de Baryte (F-), Soluzione di Muriato di Barite (I). Qualities.—This solution possesses all the chemical and medicinal properties of the muriate. It is limpid, transparent, and colourless; but is rapidly decomposed by the earthy, metallic, and alkaline, sulphates and nitrates; the alkaline, phosphates, bo- rates, and carbonates, being precipitated in the form of a white powder. Its affinity for sulphuric acid is so great, that, as a re- agent, it is capable of detecting 0.00009 of that acid in any fluid. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is stimulant and deobstruent, and in large doses poisonous. It was introduced into practice by the late Dr. Crawford as a remedy for cancer and scrophula: and it is strongly recommended by Professor Hufe- land in the latter affection when it attacks organs endowed with exquisite irritability, as the eyes and lungs, lis use was after- wards extended to syphilis. When taken in moderate doses, it appears to increase the secretion by the skin, augments the flow of urine, and improves the tone of the system ; but by large doses, violent vomi- ting, purging, vertigo, and the most dan- gerous symptoms, are produced. When death is the consequence, it is owing, as Mr. Brodie has ascertained, to the poison * Goetling advises muriate of soda to be added to the charcoal, by which a smaller quantity of char- coal is capable of reducing a larger quantity of sul- phate of barytes. A mixture of one part of muri- ate of sodx and two parts of muriate of lime i, suffi- cient to decompose six of the sulphate. t Nicholson's Journal, 4to. in. 25. acting on the brain and heart. It has un- doubtedly been found beneficial in several instances of scrophula, in some cutaneous affections, and in ulcerations connected with elephantiasis; while in syphilis it has the power of suspending some of the symptoms for a short period. But although it be a medicine of some efficacy, yet, to use the words of Mr. Pearson, in whose opi- nion of its deficient powers as an antisyphi- litic we place implicit faith, " its good qua- lities are uncertain in their operation, and narrowly circumscribed ; nor is it a prepa- ration on which great confidence can be placed for the cure of any disease."\, The dose requires to be carefully apportioned, and very gradually increased, from nTv, which are sufficient at first, until TTLxx are taken twice a day ; or more, if nausea be not excited. . It is sometimes used exter- nally as as an escharotic to fungous ulcers and specks on the cornea. As antidotes of muriate of barytes, when it has been taken as a poison, M. Orfila has proposed the soluble sulphates, " if admin- istered before a quantity of the salt suffi- cient to exert its fatal influence on the ner- , vous system be absorbed."^ j LIQUOR CALCIrf, Lond. Lime-water. " Take of lime half a pound,- boiling distilled water, twelve pints. Pour the water upon the lime, and agitate them to- gether ; cover the vessel directly, and set it apart for three hours ; then preserve the solution upon the undissolved lime, in well stopped glass bottles, and pour off the clear fluid when it is wanted for use." Solutio Calcis, sive Aq.ua Calcis, Edin. Solution of Lime or Lime Water. " Take of lime fresh burnt, half a pound. Put it into an earthen vessel, and sprinkle upon it four ounces of water, keeping the vessel covered until the lime becomes hot, and falls into powder ; then pour on it twelve pounds of water, and mix the lime with water by agitation. After the lime shall have subsided, repeat the agitation; and let this be done about ten times, the vessel being kept shut that the free access of the air may be prevented. Finally, let the water be strained through paper, inter- posing between it and the funnel glass rods, that the water may pass through as quickly as possible. It is to be preserved in very well stopped bottles." Dublin. "Take of fresh burnt lime, a pound; boiling water, a pint. Put the lime into an earthern vessel, and sprinkle the water upon it, keeping the vessel shut until it be- comes hot, and falls into powder; then pour upon it three gallons of water. The vessel being again shut, let the mixure be fre- X Observations on Remedies for Lues Venerea, *2. § Traite des Poisons, &ct, vol. i. p. 182. PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. 341 quently shaken for twenty-four hours ; and then filter the solution through paper placed in a covered funnel, and preserve it in well stopped bottles." Syn. Eau de Chaux (F.), Kalkwasser (G.), Aqua di Calce (/.). Of these formulae, that of the London College is to be preferred : as by keeping the solution upon the lime it is always in a completely saturated state, and the superna- tant fluid is generally sufficiently clear to allow it to be decanted off without filtra- tion. It is however adviseable, in making the solution, first to slack the lime with a small portion of water, before the whole quantity be added ; as by this it is prevent- ed from running into a paste, which con- fines the action of the water. The direction of the Dublin College to use the water for slacking the lime in a boiling state, is su- perfluous. Cold water acts more powerfully on lime than hot water: in Mr. Phillip's ex- periments 10000 grains of water at 212° dissolve 7-8 grains of lime, whereas 10000 grains of water at 32° dissolve 15-2 grains ; and by heating cold saturated lime water a crystalline deposition of hydrate of lime was thrown down. Water at 60° retains in solution rather less than 0-002 parts, or one six hundredth part of lime. Qualities.—Lime water is inodorous, has a strong, styptic, acrid taste ; is limpid and colourless ; and changes to green, the ve- getable blue and red colours. It unites with oil, forming an imperfect soap. When exposed to the air, it attracts carbonic acid, which, combining with part of the lime held in solution, forms on its surface a pellicle of carbonate of lime, which thick- ens, cracks, and sinks to the bottom of the vessel, leaving its place to be supplied by another pellicle; and thus, by successive formations, the whole of the lime is abstract- ed from the water. Hence the necessity of preserving the solution in well-closed bottles. It is decomposed by the acids and sulphur, the alkaline carbonates, phos- phates, borates, tartrates, and citrates ; the infusions of orange-peel, columba, cincho- na, rhubarb, and senna, whicli are conse- quently incompatible in formulae with it. Medical properties and uses.—Lime-wa- ter is tonic, antacid, anthelmintic and ex- ternally detergent. It proves very useful in dyspepsia attended with much acidity of the stomach, by neutralizing the acid, and dissolving the sordid mucus with which it is often loaded in this disease ; and has also been found efficacious in diarrhoea, di- abetes, and leucorrhcea. It destroys intes- tinal worms, and dissolves the mucus which forms their nidus; and for the same reason proves serviceable in slimy bowels. Its in- ternal use, however, should be occasionally suspended for a few days, as its long con- tinued action on the stomach is apt to prove hurtful. Externally it is applied as a lo- tion to foul and cancerous ulcers, tinea ca- pitis, and scabies, but with little advan- tage. The dose is from fgij to Oss., alone, or diluted with milk. Officinal preparations. Oleum Lini cum Calce, E. D. Aqua Calcis composita, D. LIQUOR ALUMIN1S COMPOS1TUS, Lond. Compound Solution of Alum. " Take of alum, sulphate of zinc, each half an ounce,- boiling water, two pints. Dis- solve the alum and the sulphate of zinc to- gether in the water; then filter the solu- tion." Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is astringent and detergent. It is em- ployed as a lotion for cleansing ulcers, and in some cases of cutaneous eruptions. When properly diluted, it forms a useful collyrium in ophthalmia, and an injection in gleet, and in fluor albus when the discharge pro- ceeds only from the vagina. LTQUOR MURIATis CALCIS, Lond. Solution of Muriate of Lime. " Take of muriate of lime, two ounces,- distilled water, three fluid ounces. Dissolve the muriate of lime in the water, and strain the solution through paper." Solutio Muriatis Calcis, Edin. Solu- tion of Muriate of Lime. " Take of the harder variety of carbo- nate of lime (namely white marble) broken into small pieces, nine ounces; muriatic acid, sixteen ounces; water, eight ounces. Mix the acid with the water, and gradually add the pieces of carbonate of lime. The ef- fervescence being finished, digest for an hour. Pour off' the fluid, and reduce it by evaporation to dryness. Dissolve the resi- due in its weight and a half of water, and filter the solution." Aq.ua Muriatis Calcis, Dub. Water of Muriate of Lime. " Take of chalk reduced to a coarse pow- der, one ounce; diluted muriatic acid, two- ounces. Add gradually the acid to the chalk, and when the effervescence is finish- ed, filter the solution." Syn. Dissolution de Muriate de Chaux (F.), Liquore di Muriato di Calce, (/.) In these processes the muriatic acid unites with the lime of the carbonate, and disen- gages the carbonic acid, which is dissipated in the gaseous form, while the muriate of lime remains dissolved in the water. The evaporation is unnecessary, if an acid of a determinate specific gravity be employed, as ordered by the Dublin College. Qualities.—This solution is colourless, and has a disagreeable, bitter, acrid taste. It is decomposed by the sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric, fluoric, and boracic acids ; the neutral salts into which these enter ; and the alkalies and alkaline carbonates, which precipitate the lime. In the solid state, 100 342 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. parts of dry muriate of lime, after being exposed to a red heat, consist of 49 of acid, 51 of lime.* By mixing four parts of it with an equal quantity of snow, a degree of cold is produced capable of sinking the mercury in the thermometer from 32° to 40° below 0 of Fahrenheit. Medical properties and uses.—Muriate of lime is deobstruent and tonic. It was in- troduced into practice by Fourcroy, and has been much recommended as a remedy- in scrophulous and glandular diseases. I have given it with evident advantage in bronchocele ; and have witnessed more be- nefit result from its continued use in the varied forms of scrophula, than from any other remedy. Its operation is similar to that of muriate of barytes; but the danger of an overdose is less to be dreaded, and its good effects are more uuiform and cer- tain. The dose of the solution is from "n^ xx. to fgi., increased gradually to 3iv., in a sufficient quantity of water or milk, repeat- ed twice or thrice a day. MAGNESIA, Lond. Magnesia. " Take of subcarbonate of magnesia,/o?^r ounces. Burn the subcarbonate in a very strong fire for two hours, or until no effer- vescence is excited when acetic acid is dropped on it." Edinburgh. " Let (sub) carbonate of magnesia be ex- posed in a crucible to a red heat for two hours; after which preserve it in close stop- ped bottles." Magnesia usta, Dub. Calcined Magnesia. "Take of magnesia any quantity. Let it be put into a crucible, and subjected to a strong heat for two hours ; and when it has cooled preserve it in a well closed glass ves- sel." Syn. Magnesie (F.), Gebranuto Magne- sia (G.), Magnesia (J.) The carbonic acid is expelled by the heat, and the pure earth remains in the proportion of five-twelfths of the weight of the subcarbonate employed: or 5j. leaves 200 grs. of magnesia.f Qualities.— It is inodorous and insipid; in the form of a white, very light, soft pow- der, having a specific gravity of 2.3. It turns to green the more delicate vegeta- ble blues ; does not effervesce with acids ; is infusible ; and requires for its solution 2000 parts of water at 60.° When expos- ed to the air it attracts slowly carbonic acid. Sir H. Davy has ascertained that, like the other alkaline earths, it is a compound of a peculiar metal, which he has named magne- sium, and oxygen. Medical properties and uses.—The same as those of the subcarbonate. It sometimes contains lime, which is discovered by a precipitate falling when oxalate of ainmo- * Marcet. t Black, on Magnesia Alba, ~t>. nia is added to its solution in sulphuric acid. Its dose is from grs. x. to ^ss. taken in wa- ter or milk. MAGNE'SIjE SUBCARBO'NAS, Lond* Carbonate of Magnesia. "Take of sulphate of magnesia, a pound; subcarbonate of potass, nine ounces ; water, three gallons. Dissolve separately the subcarbonate of potass in three pints of wa- ter, and the sulphate of magnesia in five pints, and filter : then add the rest of the water to the solution of sulphate of magne- sia, and boil it, adding to it while it is boil- ing ihe solution of the subcarbonate, with constant stirring ; and strain through linen. Lastly, wash the powder repeatedly with boiling water, and dry it upon bibulous pa- per with a heat of 200°." Carbonas Magnesia, Edin. Carbonate of Magnesia. " Take of sulphate of magnesia, four parts; subcarbonate of potass, three parts; boiling water, a sufficient quantity. Dis- solve the salts separately in twice their weight of water, and strain, or otherwise free from impurities; then mix them, and instantly add eight times their weight of boiling water. Boil the liquor for a short time, stirring it; then let it remain at rest until the heat be a little diminished, and strain it through linen, upon which the car- bonate of magnesia will remain. The car- bonate after being well washed with pure water, is to be dried with a gentle heat." Magnlsia, Dub. Magnesia. "Take of sulphate of magnesia, subcar- bonate of potass, each two pounds ; boiling water, twenty pints. Dissolve the sulphate of magnesia and the alkali, each in ten pounds of water. Mix together the defe- cated liquors ; then boil the mixture for a short time, and strain it while it is hot through linen stretched in a proper manner for collecting the magnesia. Wash away the sulphate of kali by repeated affusions of boiling water ; and finally, dry the mag- nesia." Syn. Carbonate de Magnesie (F.), Koh- lensaure Magnesia (G.), Carbonato di Mag- nesia (/.) The product of these processes is an in- soluble subcarbonate of magnesia. Both the salts are decomposed, and a double exchange takes place : the sulphuric acid separates from the magnesia, and unites with the potass of the subcarbonate, dis- engaging the carbonic acid, which in its turn combines with the magnesia. The suc- X This preparation is now properly denominated Subcarbonas Magnesia:. Carbonate of magnesia " obtained by using a larger proportion of the subcar- bonate, and allowing the filtered solution to remain at rest for three days. It crystallizes in small trans- parent hexagonal prisms, terminated by a hexagonal plane, bee Rutin sur la Mugnesic. PREPARATIONS cess of the operation depends very much on the degree of attention which is paid to the following circumstances. The water employed in every part of the process must be very soft, either rain water or pure dis- tilled water; the subcarbonate of potass should be previously freed as completely as possible from any admixture of silica, by passing through the alkaline solution a current of carbonic acid, or exposing it to the air' for some time before it be used, and the mixing the salts in small portions of water; and after boiling the mixture, throwing it into a large quantity of water. The large proportion of water ordered, and the boiling, are necessary for dissolving the sulphate of potass, and for expelling any redundant carbonic acid which might occasion the magnesia to crystallize, and render it gritty. Mr. Henry recommends to pour off the water by inclination, and to put the precipitate upon chalk-stones for a little time ; after which it is to be wrapped up in sheets of white paper, and dried be- fore the fire.* The greater part, however, of the sub- carbonate of magnesia found in the shops is prepared, on a great scale, from bittern, the liquor remaining after the crystallization of common salt from sea water. The bittern is heated to 212°, a solution of impure sub- carbonate of potass instantly added to it, and the fire withdrawn. The other steps of the process resemble those above de- tailed. It is frequently adulterated with chalk, and sometimes gypsum: the former is detected by adding a little diluted sul- phuric acid, which converts the magnesia into soluble sulphate, but produces an in- soluble salt with the lime of the chalk. Gvpsum is detected by boiling a portion of the magnesia in distilled water, and adding to the solution muriate of barytes, which * Henry's Experiments on the Preparation, &c. of Magnesia, 8vo. Lond. 1773. iND COMPOUNDS. 343 will produce an insoluble precipitate, if gypsum be present. Qualities.—Carbonate of magnesia is ino- dorous and insipid ; perfectly white, very light, smooth to the touch, nearly insoluble in water, and effervesces with acids. Its specific gravity is 0.294.f It is decomposed by all the acids, the alkalies, the neutral and metallic salts, lime, barytes, alumina, and by a strong heat. According to Dal- ton, the constituents of 100 parts are 40 of acid, 43 of magnesia, and 17 of water. Medical properties and uses.—Subcarbo- nate of magnesia is antacid. It is a useful remedy in acidity of the primae viae, parti- cularly of children, in aphthous fever, and that which attends dentition. The com- pound formed by its union with an acid in the stomach is purgative ; but if no acid be present, magnesia does not appear to increase in any degree the peristaltic mo- tion of the bowels. It is preferable to chalk and other absorbents in heartburn, when the bowels are costive ; and has been given with advantage in dysentery, combined with ipecacuanha and opium, and the dose followed by a draught of lemonade. In calculus, when the concretions are formed in the kidney, no remedy is so efficacious. The extrication of the carbonic acid in the gaseous state, when the carbonate is de- composed by acid in the stomach, some- times proves inconvenient from the disten- tion it occasions; but more generally it is beneficial. The usual dose is from ^ss. to 3'ij., taken in water or milk4 Officinal preparations. Magnesia, L. E. D. Hydrargyrum cum Magnesia, Ft. t Hoffmanni Op. iv. 473. X The empirical nostrum, sold under the name of Dalby's Carminative, consists of carbonate of magne- sia scr. ii. oil of peppermint min. i. oil of nutmeg min. ii. oil of anniseed min. iii. tincture of castor min. xxx. tincture of assafcetida min. xv. spirit of pennyroyal min. xv. compound tincture of cardamoms min. xxx. and peppermint water f oz. ii. 344 PREPARATIONS AND COMPOUNDS. Tablp. presenting a synoptical view of the Neutral salts with alkaline and earthy bases, employed as remedies, or for pharmaceutical purposes,* retaining the names in the British Pharmacopoeias. Solubility in 100 Action parts of Water. Action Salts. Taste. Figura of Crystals. of Air.' of Heat. at 60« at 212° Sulphate of barytes None Rhomboidal prisms None 0 0.002 Decrepitates. potass Bitter Six-sided prisms None 6.35 24 Decrepitates. soda Bitter Six-sided prisms Effloresces 35 125 Watery fusion. magnesia Bitter Four-sided prisms None 100 133 Watery fusion. Alum Astringent Octahedrons Little 20 33 Watery fusion. Nitrate of potass Cooling Six-sided prisms None 14.3 100 Fuses. Muriate of barytes Astringent Four-sided prisms None 20 30 Decrepitates. soda Salt Cubes None 35.46 36.10 Decrepitates. lime Bitter Six-sided prisms Deliquesces 400 Watery fusion. ammonia Acrid Four-sided pyramids Subdeliquvs- 31 SO Sublimes. magnesia Bitter Needles Deliquesces 151 Watery fusion. (Iyperoxymuriate of Cooling Rhomboidal plates None 6 40 Gives out oxy- potass gen. Phosphate of lime None Six-sided prisms None 0 0 Vitrifies. soda Salt Rhomboidal prisms Effloresces 25 50 Watery fusion. Borax Styptio Six-sided prisms Effloresces 0.023 16.8 Watery fusion. Carbonate of barytes None Rhomboidal prisms None 0.043 Little. lime None Various None 0 0 Decrepitates. potass Alkaline Four-sid^d prisms None 25 83 £ Watery fusion. soda Alkaline Octahedral truncated Effloresces 50 100-f- Watery fusion. magnesia None Six-sided prisms Effloresces 2 Decrepitates. ammonia Urinous Irregular None 50-f- 100 Evaporates. Acetate of potass Hot Plates Deliquesces 99 Melts. ammonia Cool Slender prisms Deliquesces very s oluble Melts and sub-limes. Tartar Acid Irregular prisms None 1 3h Melts. tartrate of potass Bitter Four-sided prisms None 25 50 Melts.' Tartrate of potass and Bitter Eight-sided prisms Effloresces 50 30 Melts. soda • We have formed this table from the more general table of Dr. Thomson, correcting some of the pro- portions by experiment. See System of Chemistry, 4th ed. iii. 36S. METALLIC PREPARATIONS. The pure metals exert no action on the animal system ; for, although iron be given in its metallic state, yet it must be changed by acid in the stomach before it can prove active as a remedy. Tin operates only by mechanical attrition ; and mercury, which has also been given internally in the metal- lic form, on mistaken principles, cannot act otherwise than as a mechanical body : but when metals suffer oxidizement, or are changed by acids to the state of salts, they constitute a class of remedies of great ac- tivity and importance. The following are a. employed as remedies in a metallic state, TIN, MERCURY ? A. variously combined with oxygen, acids, sulphur, and some other varieties of dyspepsia; in which cases we have usually combined it with extract of hops ; and when there has oeen merely atony of the digestive organs, without organic mischief, it has proved al- most uniformly successful.* The dose of the subnitrate is from one grain to twelve or fifteen grains. In very large doses, however, the subnitrate of bis- muth acts with great violence, producing nausea, vomiting of a white ropy matter, pains in the stomach, acute colic, heat of the chest, and alarming anxiety : and when these symptoms are accompanied with ri- gors, sighing, vertigo, and convulsions, the poison always proves fatal. Post mortem examinations exhibit appearances of inflam- mation and ulceration of the stomach ; in- flammation of the duodenum and jejunum ; the luniks gorged with blood of a deep-red colour, so as to resemble liver. It is easy to explain the inflammatory and corrosive effects of the subnitrate on the coat cf the stomach into which it is introduced; but the effect on the lungs is less obviously ex- plained ; unless we suppose the poison lo act sympathetically through the nerves as well as locally on the animal fibre. In cases of poisoning by subnitrate of bismuth, both general and local blood-letting must be re- sorted to ; whilst the patient should drink freely of milk and mucilaginous fluids. Fo- mentations and emollient glysters are also necessary ; the degree of inflammation being such as to render the employment of ordi- nary purgatives hazardous. When subnitrate of bismuth has been employed as a. poison, and the whole has not been taken, it is detected by the che- mical properties, and the effects of re- agents upon it, which we have already no- ticed ; but, when the whole has been taken, , the only certain method of ascertaining the nature of the poison is to dry a portion of the vomited matter, or of the contents of the stomach if it have proved fatal; and to calcine the mass, mixed with charcoal, in a covered crucible, so as to reduce the metal, in which state it is easily recognised. PREP All AT A E CUPRO. Preparations of Copper. JERUGO PRJEPARATA, Dub. Pre- pared Verdegris. "Let the verdegris be reduced i, Dub. Black Oxide of Iron. " Let the scales of iron, found at the blacksmith's anvil, be purified by the ap- plication of the magnet. Then reduce them to a powder, the finest parts of which which are to be separated in the manner ordered for the preparation of chalk.3' Syn. L'oxidee d'noir de Fer (F.), Schwarzes gesuartes Eisin (G.), Ossido nerodi Ferro (/.) The scales struck off from red hot iron by the hammer of the blacksmith are im- perfectly oxidized, but still retain their magnetic quality in a sufficient degree to ndmit of being purified in the above man- ner. Medical properties and uses.—This im- perfect oxide is tonic, deobstruent, and an- thelmintic. It is efficaciously administered in general debility, dyspepsia, chlorosis, and worm cases. Its utility is determined by its meeting with acid in the stomach, which is known to be the case by the disa- greeable eructations it produces, and the black colour of the alvine evacuations. The dose is from grs. v. to ^j., combined with any aromatic powder, or formed into an electuary with honey, and taken twice a day. FER'RUM AMMONIATUM, Lond. Am- moniated Iron.* " Take of subcarbonate of iron, muriatic acid, muriate of ammonia, each a pound. Pour the muriatic acid upon the subcarbo- nate of iron, and set it aside until bubbles cease to arise. Filter the solution through paper, and boil it to dryness. Mix the re- siduum intimately with the muriate of am- monia; then instantly subhme, by the "ap- plication of a strong heat; finally, reduce the sublimed matter to powder." Mcrtas Ajimoni.b et Ferri, Edin. Mu- riate of Ammonia and of Iron, " Take of red oxide of iron washed and again dried, muriate of ammonia, each equal parts by weight. Mix them well to- gether, and sublime by a quick fire. Re- duce the sublimation to powder and pre- serve it in a well-stopped phial." Mitrias Ammonias et Ferri, Dub. Mu- riate of Ammonia and of Iron. " Take of red oxide of iron, muriate of ammonia, each equal parts by weight. Hav. ing mixed them well together, sublime them with a sudden and sufficiently strong heat." Syn. Fleurs de Mars ammoniacles (F.), Eisenhaliges Salzaures Ammonium (G.) In these processes of the Edinburgh and Dublin colleges, the theory of the opera- tion is obvious; the sudden application of an intense heat enables the oxide of iron to decompose the muriate of ammonia, and to unite with part of its muriatic acid, and at the same time it probably enters into that degree of combination with the ammonia, which exists in triple salts, the product be- ing either a muriate of iron and ammonia, or a mixed mass of submuriate of ammo- nia, and submuriate of iron: some differ- ence, however, takes place in that ordered by the London college. The subcarbonate of iron is intended to be converted in,dry muriate, but the whole is not dissolved in acid, thence the formation of ferrum ammo- niatum is never the same. The preparation is a mixture of muriate of ammonia, and permuriate of iron. Qualities.—Muriate of ammonia and iron has an odour, resembling, in some degree, that of saffron, and a styptic taste. It is in * Ferrum ammoniacle, P. L. 1787, METALLIC PREPARATIONS 35J crystalline grains, of an orange-yellow co- lour ; soluble in two parts of water, and also very soluble in alcohol, and deliques- cent ; on which account this salt requires to be preserved in very well stopped phials, j Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration of iron is tonic, emmenagogue, and aperient. It was formerly much used in epilepsy, hysteria, chlorosis, scrophula, and rickets ; but on account of the uncer- tainty of the preparation it is now seldom prescribed. The dose is from grs. iij. to grs. xv. given twice or thrice a day. Officinal preparations. Tinctura .Ferri ammoniati, L. SUBCARBONAS FERRI PR.EPARA- TUS, Edin. Prepared Subcarbonate of Iron " Let purified filings of iron be frequent- ly moistened with water, till they fall into rust, which is to be rubbed to powder. Ferri ruhigo, Dub. Rust of iron. " Take of iron wire, any quantity. Cut it into small pieces, which are to be expo- sed to the air, and frequently moistened with water, until they be converted into rust; let this be rubbed in an iron mortar, :tnd by pouring water on it, wash over the finest part of the powder, which is to be dried." Syn. Carbonate de Fer (F.), Kohlen- saures eisen Rost (G.), Ossido Carbonato di Ferro (/.), Sudud til hidud (Arab.), Eerumbo tuppoo (Tan.) In these processes the iron is oxidized at the expense of the water which is decom- posed, while at the same time carbonic acid is attracted from the atmosphere, and com- bined with the oxide. The product is a subcarbonate of oxide of iron ; for the quantity of acid is not equivalent to the neutralization of the oxide. According to my experiments, it consists of eighty-five parts.of oxide of iron, and fif- teen of carbonic acid: but these propor- tions must necessarily vary from variations in the mode of conducting the process. Qualities.— It is inodorous, has a styptic taste, and a reddish-brown colour; dissolves in acids with effervescence ; and is decom- posed by heat. JMedicalproperties and uses.—The rust of iron is tonic and emmenagogue. Next to the black oxide it is the least active of the preparations of this metal. It has lately betn recommended with much confidence, both as an internal remedy, and an external application in cancer:* and is perhaps one of the best remedies that has yet been tried in tic douloureux. I have had an opportu- nity of proving its powers in several well marked cases of this disease, in which it proved successful; but its use required to be long persisted in, aa the disease returned • Carraic 'iael on the U»e of Carbonate of Iron in Cancer. in two of the instances, when its use was too soon discontinued. In large doses it often occasions uneasiness at the stomach ; yet Cullen says, " We have always found the simple rust as effectual as any other pre- paration ; and the stomach bears it better than any other."f It is given in the form of- pills, combined with aromatics and bit- ter extracts. The dose is from grs. iv. to ^j. given twice a day. Officinal preparation. Tinctura Muriatis Ferri, D. FERRI SUBCARBONAS, Lond. Sub- carbonate of\ Iron. " Take of sulphate of iron, eight ounces ; subcarbonate of soda, six ounces; boiling water, a gallon. Dissolve separately the sulphate of iron and the subcarbonate of soda in eight pints of water, then mix to- gether the solutions, and set the mixture aside, that the powder may subside ; then pour off the supernatant fluid, wash the subcarbonate of iron in hot water, and dry it, wrapped up in bibulous paper, with a gentle heat." Carhonas Ferri PRP.npiTATus, Edin, Precipitated Carbonate of Iron. Carbonas Ferri, Dub. Garbonate of Iron. " Take of sulphate of iron, four ounces ; subcarboi e of soda, five ounces,- water, ten pounds. Dissolve the sulphate in the water: then add the subcarbonate previous- ly dissolved in the water, and mix them to- gether. Let the carbonate of iron, which is precipitated, be washed with tepid wa- ter, and afterwards dried." This preparation is also a subcarbonate of iron. By mixing the solutions together, a double decomposition is effected; the sulphuric acid of the sulphate of iron com- bines with the soda, while the iron attracts the disengaged carbonic acid of the subcar- bonate of soda; and thence the products are an insoluble subcarbmate of iron, and a soluble sulphate of soda, which are easily separated by washing and filtration. When first precipitated, the subcarbonate of iron has a deep green colour, and is at a mini- mum of oxidizement; but while drying, ir attracts oxygen rapidly from the atmos- phere, and is converted into the red oxide, or a peroxide, containing, according to Proust, 48 per cent, of oxygen. I have found that the precipitate combines with the largest proportion of carbonic acid, when the solutions are mixed at a tempera- ture of 150° of Fahrenheit; and filtration t It is the carbonate of iron which is contained in chalybeate waters, held in solution by the excess of carbonic acid. By exposing these waters to the air, the carbonic acid Hies off, oxygen is attracted. and the carbonate falU duwn in the form of a yel- lowish sediment. t Chalybs pneparatus eL acsto, et sine aceto, P. J,, 1720. Chalybis rnbigo pneparata. P. 1,. 1745. Fer- ri rubijo. P. L. 17C7. 358 METALLIC PREPARATIONS. is necessary for separating it, the decanta- tion of the clear fluid being very difficult, owing to the lightness of the precipitate. The great solubility of the sulphate of soda renders much subsequent washing unne-1 cessary ; and the precipitate, after being washed, should be dried in the paper on which it is filtered, by a heat not exceeding 200°. Qualities.—Precipitated subcarbonate of iron is inodorous, has a slightly styptic taste ; and when properly prepared is of a choco- late-brown colour. It is insoluble in water, but acids dissolve it with effervescence, dis- engaging the carbonic acid in the gaseous form. It is decomposed by heat, and con- verted into the black oxide of the metal. In my experiments, ten grains of the dried subcarbonate, prepared with effloresced subcarbonate of soda, lost 2-3 grains, when dissolved in muriatic acid ; and the same quantity, prepared with the crystallized al- kali, and dried with great care, lost 1-4 ; so that, prepared in the former method, it con- tained 23 per cent, of carbonic acid, and in the latter 14 per cent. Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration differs little from the former pre- paration in its Effects, except that it sits easier on the stomach. The dose is from grs. iv. to grs. xxx. ; given three times a day, combined with myrrh, or aromatics. Officinal preparations. Ferrum ammonia- turn, L. Tartarum Ferri, D. Tinctura Ferri Muriatis, L. FERRI SULPHAS, Lond. Sulphate of Iron* "Take of iron, sulphuric acid, each eight ounces,- water, fowpints. Mix the sulphu- ric acid with the water in a glass vessel, and to these add the iron ; then, when the effer- vescence is over, filter the solution through paper, and evaporate it over the fire, so that crystals may form as it cools. Pour off the water, and dry the crystals upon bibu- lous paper." Sulphas Ferri, Edin. Sulphate of Iron. "Take of purified filings of iron, siz ounces; sulphuric acid, eight ounces; water, two pounds and a half. Mix, and when the effervescence is over, digest the mixture for some time upon hot sand ; then filter the solution through paper, and after due evaporation set it apart, that crystals may form." Sulphas Ferri, Dub. Sulphate of Iron. "Take of iron wire, two ounces ; sulphu- ric acid, three ounces and a half; water, one pint. Mix gradually the acid with the water; then add the wire cut into pieces, and di- gest the mixture that the metal be dissolv- ed, after which filter the solution through paper ; finally, after due evaporation, set it * Old names of this ■niln—misy, sory. calchantum , (Pliny) sal mortis, sal ehalybis vilriolum ferri, vitri- qlutH mortis- apart, that crystals may form by slow cool- ing." Syn. Sulfate de Fer (F.), Schwefelsaures Eisen (G.), Solfato di Ferro (/.), Una Baydie (Tarn.), Casis (Hind.). In these processes part of the water i& decomposed, the iron is oxidized by com- bining with its oxygen, while its hydrogen is dissipated in the gaseous form ; and the oxide thus produced unites with the acid, and forms sulphate of iron, or rather sul- phate of oxide of iron • which is dissolved in the undecomposed portion of the water. Concentrated sulphuric acid, nevertheless, scarcely exerts any action on iron at a low temperature, and water alone is very slowly decomposed by it, so that the rapid decom- position of the diluted acid by the iron must be ascribed to the sum of the affinities of the base of the acid for oxygen, and of the iron for oxygen being superior to that of the oxygen to the hydrogen of the water, which is therefore decomposed. The solu- tion is of a pale green colour, and when evaporated directly, yields crystals of sul- phate of iron ;+■ but if it be exposed for some time to the atmosphere it attracts oxygen, becomes turbid, a subsulphate is precipitated, and the salt obtained is an oxysulphate. Qualities.—Sulphate of iron has a strong styptic taste : it crystallizes in transparent rhomboidal prisms, of a fine green colour, which redden the vegetable blues; are so- luble in two parts of water at 60° and three- fourths of their weight of boiling water, and are insoluble in alcohol. When exposed to the air, the crystals become opaque, and are covered with a yellow powder, owing to the attraction of the oxygen of the atmo- sphere by the salt, during its efflorescence. Exposed to heat, sulphate of iron undergoes the watery fusion ; and in an increased heat the acid is driven off, and the base remains in the state of a red oxide, the colcothar of vitriol of commerce. According to Dr. Thomson,* 100 parts of the green sulphate consist of 26-7 of sulphuric acid, 28-3 oxide of iron, in the state of protoxide and 450 of water.§ The following substances decom- pose sulphate of iron ; the earths, the alka- lies and their carbonates ; borate of soda, phosphate of soda, muriate of barytes, ni- trate of silver, acetate and superacetate of lead, and every salt the base of which forms t This salt which in commerce is known by the name of green vitriol, is prepared on the great scale from native sulphurets of iron, by exposing them to the air and moistening them, till a crust of sulphate of iron is formed on their surface, which is after- wards obtained in crystals by solution and evapo- ration. X System of Chemistry, 4th edit. iii. 225. £ Of this quantity of water, 8 parts are water of composition, the oxide being ia the state of a hydrate. METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 359 in insoluble compound with si Iphuric acid and soaps : thence these are incompatible in formulx with this salt. Medical properties and uses.—Sulphate of iron is tonic, emmenagogue, and anthel- mintic* It is a useful remedy when exhi- bited with due caution, in all cases in which preparations of iron are indicated ; but in improper doses it occasions pain of the bow- els, nausea, and vomiting, and often proves hurtful by being too long taken. It has been given with advantage in diabetes, in the latter stage of phthisis, and in amenorr- hoea depending on a weakened action of the blood-vessels. The dose is from gr. j. to v. combined with ammoniacum, rhubarb, myrrh, or bitter extracts. It has lately been used dissolved in water as a lotion to can- cerous and phagedenic ulcers.t Oflicinal preparation. Tinctura Ferri Muriatis, D. SULPHAS FERRI EXSICCATUS, Edin. Dried Sulphate of Iron. " Take of sulphate of iron, any quantity. Let it be heated in an unglazed earthen vessel, on a moderate fire, until it become white, and perfectly dry." Sulphas Ferri exsiccatu.m, Dub. Dried Sulphate of Iron. "Take of sulphate of iron any quantity. Let it be whitened by exposing it in an un- glazed earthen vessel to a high tempera- ture." " In these processes the degree of heat should not exceed 212° of Fahrenheit. The salt is merely deprived of its water of crystallization, without undergoing any chemical change. Officinal preparation. Oxidum Ferri rubrum, E. D. OXIDUM FERRI RUBRUM, Edin. Red Oxide of Iron. " Let dried sulphate of iron be exposed to a violent heat, until it is converted into a red-coloured substance." Oxidum Ferri rubrum, Dub. Red Oxide of Iron. " Let dried sulphate of iron be roasted in a strong fire until it is converted into a red substance; then let this be washed till the water poured from it does not indicate, by the test of litmus, the presence of any acid; and lastly, dry it upon bibulous pa- per." Syn. Oxide de fer rouge (F.), Eissen- oxyd (G.), Perossido roso di Ferro (/.). By the degree of heat employed, the sulphuric acid of the sulphate is partly driven off in a highly concentrated state, * It was used as an anihelmintic in the time of Pliny, who says, " Sumilur ad depellenda ventris animalia drachmae pondere cum melle." Nat. Hist. lib. xxxiv. cap. 12. tEdinburgh Med. and Surg. Journal, ii. 373. and partly decomposed, sulphurous acid being disengaged, and the oxide more highly oxidized. The residue is the red oxide of iron, combined with a portion of the red sulphate, which renders it delique- scent ,- and which should therefore be sepa- rated by washing, as directed by the Dublin college. According to Proust, the red ox- ide at the highest degree of oxidizement consists of 48 parts of oxygen and 52 of iron. Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration is possessed of the same medici- nal properties as the other oxides of iron. Officinal preparation. Murias Ammonix et Ferri, E. D. FERRUM TART ARIZ ATUM, Lond. Tartarized Iron. "Take of iron, a pound; supertartrate of potass, in powder, one pound; water, five pints. Rub the iron and the supertartrate of potass together, and expose the mixture in an open glass vessel with a pint of water, to the action of the air for twenty days; keeping the mass always moist by additions of distilled water. Then boil it in four pints of distilled water, for fifteen minutes, and filter the solution. Evaporate in a water bath, until the tartarized iron be per- fectly dried ; reduce it to powder, and pre- serve it in a stopped bottle. Tartras Potassa et Ferri, Edin. Tar- trale of Potass and of Iron. " Take of purified filings of iron, one part; supertartrate of potass powdered, two parts ; water one part. Rub them to- gether and expose them to the air in a shal- low earthen vessel for fifteen days, stirring the mass daily with a spatula, and keeping it moist by frequent additions of water. Then boil the whole for a short time m four times its weight of water, and pour off the solution from the other faxes. Evaporate the solution to dryness in a water-bath, and having rubbed the mass into powder, pre- serve it in a well-stopped bottle." Tartarum I'erri^, Dub. Tartar of Iron. "Take of carbonate of iron, half an ounce; crystals of t artar in very fine powder, an ounce; distilled water, a pint. Let them be put into a glass vessel, then boiled for an hour over a slow fire, and the liquor filtered through paper; when this is cold, filter it again, and evaporate it until a pellicle ap- pears on the surface : the liquor, as it cools, will concrete into a saline mass, which is to be reduced to powder, and preserved in closely stopped phials." Syn. Tartrate de Fer et de Potasse (F.), X It is remarkable, that both the London and Dublin colleges should err in giving a name to this triple salt so dissonant to the principles of the reformed nomenclature of their Pharmacopoeias. 360 METALLIC PREPARATIONS. Eissenweinstein (/.), Tartrato di Potassa e di ossido di Ferro (G.) Of these three processes, that of the Dublin college is to be preferred, as it af- fords a perfect triple salt; whereas much of the iron employed in the LondSn and the Edinburgh processes remains unaltered, or is at least only in the form of a simple oxide. In the London process, the iron is first oxidized by the partial decomposition of the water, aided by the action of the air, and the oxide thus formed unites with the superabundant acid of the supertar-"' trate of potass: hence the dried mass con- sists of tartrate of potass and of iron, mixed with oxide of iron, and some metallic iron. The subsequent addition of water, and re- exposure to the air, are intended to render the oxidizement complete, and convert the whole to the state of the triple salt; but as this is not effected, it is probable that the proportion of supertartrate of potass order- ed, is insufficient for the large quantity of the metal directed to be used. In the Dublin process, the superabundant acid of the supertartrate of potass dissolves as much of the oxide of the carbonate of iron as it can take up ; and a clear solution is obtained, which, by evaporation, yields a true tartrate of potass and of iron. As it is almost impossible to procure this salt in crystals, the solution may be evaporated to dryness. Qualities.—Tartrate of potass and of iron is inodorous, has a slightly styptic taste, and is of a brownish green colour. It is very soluble in water; and deliquesces, in some degree, when exposed to the air, so as to require to be kept in closely stopped phials. The cold solution of the alkalies and their subcarbonates do not decompose this salt; but it is instantly decomposed when boiled with any one of them except ammonia and its subcarbonate, which in neither state affect it. The strong acids, lime-water, hydro-sulphuret of potass and infusions of astringent vegetables decom- pose it, and are therefore incompatible in formulae with it. Medical properties and uses.—This salt possesses the same medicinal powers as the other preparations of iron; but from its mildness, slight taste, and ready solubility, it is a more convenient form for the admi- nistration of iron to children, and in many cases in which the other saline prepara- tions of it prove nauseating, and sit uneasy on the stomach. It is advantageously given in all the cases in which chalybeates prove useful: and is also extolled as a remedy in dropsy, in which it is supposed to exert both a diuretic and a tonic power. The dose is from grs. x. to £ss., given either in a state of solution, or in the form of pow- der or bolus, combined with an aromatic, or a bitter. LIQUOR FERRI ALKALINE Lond. So- lution of Alkaline Iron.' " Take of iron, two drachms and a half; nitric acid, two fluid ounces ; disiilk 1 wa- ter, six fluid ounces ; solution of subcarbo- nate of potass, six fluid ounces. Mix to- gether the acid and the water, pour the mixture over the iron, and when the effer- vtscence has ceased, pour off the acid so. lution. Add this gradually, and at inter- vals, to the solution of subcarbonate of ,potass, frequently agitating until it become of a brownish red colour, and no more ef- fervescence is excited. Finally, set it aside for six hours, and pour off the liquor. Syn. Teinture martiale alkaline de Stahl (F.), Tiutura di martealkalina de Stahl (/.) Although this composition has been long known, yet it is not well understood. The diluted acidj- acts violently upon the iron and oxidizes it, while heat is evolved, and red fumes are extricated, consisting of ni- trous gas and nitrous oxide. If this action be moderated by the iron being in a lump, and putting the vessel in which it is dis- solving into cold water, the solution is of a pale green colour, and the iron is at the minimum of oxidizement; but if heat be applied, or the effervescence be allowed to proceed with violence, the solution is of a reddish brown colour, and contains oxyni- trateofiron; a great excess of acid being present in both cases. On each addition of the solution of the subcarbonate of pot- ass to either of these solutions, efferves- cence is excited by the disengagement of carbonic acid, and a red precipitate, is in- stantly produced, which is however kept suspended by agitation, and ultimately re- dissolved by the excess of alkali. By allow- ing the mixture to stand for six htpurs as di- rected, particularly if the weather be cold; the whole becomes involved in a spongy- mass of acicular crystals of nitrate of potass, from which the alkaline metallic solution is to be poured off: it is clear, and of a deep brownish red colour, if the acid solution contain the metal at the minimum of oxi- dizement : but if at the maximum, it is turbid and of a redder hue. The first of these is the preparation of the London Col- lege. Qualities.—This preparation has an al- kaline, slightly styptic taste, and excites the sensation of coldness in the mouth pro- duced by nitrate of potass, but in an infe- rior degree. The metallic part is precipi- tated by water;):; and the clear supernatant * This name has been justly criticised, as imply- ing an unknown substance, "alkaline iron; it should have been Liquor alkalinus ferri oxidi. t The concentratid acid scarcely acts on iron. X This precipitate, when the iron has been rapidly dissolved in the acid and heat employed, is a combi- nation of peroxide of iron and carbonic acid. It et- METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 361 fluid, when evaporated, yields crystals of nitrate of potass, proving that the solution contains this salt mixed with the alkaline oxide of iron, if not a nitrate of potass and of iron. On the addition of alcohol to this solution the whole of the solitl ingredients are thrown down in a concreted nia«s ; it is also decomposed by the strong acids, and the pure alkalies; and after being kept for Borne time, if not very well excluded from the air, it becomes gradually turbid, per- haps owing to the abstraction of oxygen from the atmosphere more completely oxi- dizing the metal, and much of the oxide is deposited. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion very probably agrees with the other preparations of iron in its medicinal pro- perties ; but, setting aside the difficulty of procuring it always of a uniform strength, and the many circumstances in conducting the process, that may alter altogether the nature of the product, we do not know in what mode it can be given ; as water, and consequently all infusions and decoctions, decompose it, and precipitate the metal. It is therefore difficult to conceive for what purpose it has been introduced into the London Pharmacopoeia. TINCTURA FERRI AMMONIATI, Lond. Tincture of ammoniated Iron. " Take of ammoniated iron, four ounces; proof spirit, a pint. Digest and filter." This being merely a spirituous solution of ammoniated iron, it seems to be unnecessa- rily introduced into the Pharmacopoeia by the London college. TINCTURA FERRI MURIATIS, Lond. Tincture of Muriate of Iron. " Take of carbonate of iron, half a pound,- muriatic acid, a pint; rectified spirit, three pints. Pour the acid over the carbonate of iron, in a glass vessel, and shake them occa- sionally for three days. Set apart the li- quor, that the fasces, if there be any, may subside; then pour off the solution, and add the spirit to it." Edinburgh. " Take of black oxide of iron, purified and reduced to powder, three ounces ; mu- riatic acid, about ten ounces, or as much as may be sufficient to dissolve the powder. Digest with a gentle heat, and the powder being dissolved, add as much alcohol as will make the whole liquor amount to two pounds and a half." Dublin. "Take of rust of iron, half a pound; mu- riatic acid, three pounds,- rectified spirit of wine, three pints. Put the rust into a glass vessel, pour on the acid, and agitate it oc- casionally ; then set it aside that the faeces may subside, and pour off" the liquor : eva- fervesees strongly with muriatic acid, and gi\t« off cirbumc acid dining the solution. porate this slowly to one pint, and when it is cold, add the spirit." TINCTURA MURIATIS FERRI CUM OXIDO RUBRO, Dub. Tincture of Muri- ate of Iron, with the Red Oxide. " Take of red oxide of iron, an ounce ; muriatic acid, four fluid ounces; rectified spirit of wine, a sufficient quantity. Digest the oxide with the acid for twenty-four hours ; then boil the solution for half an hour: evaporate the filtered solution to the thickness of honey, and, when it is cold, add rectified spirit of wine, with fre- quent agitation, until the specific gravity of the tincture be, to that of distilled water, as 1050 to 1000. Syn. Koch salzaure Eissentinktur (G.), Tinctura di muriato di Ferro (/.). Of the formulae given for the preparation of this tincture, those of the London and the Dublin Pharmacopoeias are to be pre- ferred. The metal, as ordered in them, is in a higher state of oxidizement, and formi at once, by its combination with the acid, a uniform compound soluble in alcohol; whereas, by following the Edinburgh pro- cess, the solution is a mixture of the above muriate, and of the less soluble* or green muriate,* the black oxide not being all completely oxidized ; and it is not till after the exposure to air, and by attracting oxy- gen, that it is converted altogether into the more soluble muriate. Hence the Edin- burgh preparation cannot be always of a uniform and fixed strength, which, for an active medicine, is a matter of much im- portance. The introduction of the last pre- paration by the Dublin college is super- fluous. Qualities.—The alcoholic solution of mu- riate of iron is of a brownish yellow colour, has a peculiar odour, and a very styptic taste. It contains the iron in the state of a chlorate ; and when it is distilled, a black oxide of iron remains in the retort. With the alkalies and their carbonates it gives a red precipitate ; strikes a black colour with infusions of astringent vegetables; and forms with mucilage of acacia gum an orange-coloured jelly. Hence these sub- stances cannot enter into compositions with this tincture. Medical properties and uses.—This is an active and elegant preparation of iron, well adapted for all the diseases in which chaly- beates prove serviceable. I have found it more useful than any other tonic,'in scro- phula ; when it is given in doses, gradually increased, until one hundred and twenty drops be taken for a dose, twice a day. It is also recommended in dysury depending * When iron filings are dissolved in muriatic acid, and completely excluded from the air, a muriate is formed insoluble in spirit ol wine. Davy's He- searches, p. 180. 362 METALLIC PREPARATIONS. on spasmodic stricture of the urethra, in which case it is given in doses of five or six drops, repeated every ten or fifteen mi- nutes, until nausea be induced. It is used externally, as a styptic in cancerous and loose fungous sores. The usual dose is from n\,x. to mjcxx. in a glass of water: but it may be gradually increased to n\cxx. ACETAS FERRI, Dub. Acetate of Iron. " Take of carbonate of iron, half an ounce; acetic acid, three fluid ounces. Digest for three days and filter." Syn. Acetate de Fer (F.) Acetato di Fer- ro (/.) This preparation is a mild and efficacious chalybeate; but if the variety of forms in which iron is ordered to be prepared for medicinal purposes be considered, it will obviouslv appear to be superfluous. TINCTURA ACETAT1S FERRI, Dub. Tincture of Acetate of Iron. "Take of acetate of kali, two ounces,- sul- phate of iron, one ounce; rectified spirit of wine, two pints. Rub together the acetate of kali and the sulphate of iron, in a stone- ware mortar, until they unite into a soft mass; dry this with a moderate heat, and triturate it with the spirit; then put the mixture into a phial; cork it closely, and digest for seven days, frequently shaking it: finally, pour the clear tincture from off the faeces." Tinctura Acetatib Ferri cum Alco- hole, Dub. Tincture of Acetate of Iron with Alcohol. "Take of sulphate of iron, acetate of ka- li, each an ounce; alcohol, two pints. Rub together the acetate of kali and the sul- phate of iron in a stone-ware mortar, until they unite into a soft mass; then dry this with a moderate heat, and when it is cold triturate it with the alcohol. Put the mix- ture into a phial, c^"k it closely, and digest for twenty-four hours, frequently shaking it: finally, pour the clear tincture from off the faeces." Syn. Teinture de 1'Acetate tie Fer (F.), Tinturo di marte astringente (L). These two preparations differ in scarcely any thing except in strength ; the theory of the formation of the acetate of iron being the same in both cases. During the pro- cess a double decomposition takes place; the sulphuric acid of the sulphate of iron leaves the iron and unites with the potass of the acetate of potass, while the disen- gaged acetic acid of the latter salt combines with the iron, forming acetate of iron, which is soluble in the alcohol. It is also probable that the oxide of iron absorbs oxygen du- ring the trituration, and being thus more completely oxidized, the mass must con- tain, instead of an acetate, an oxyacetate of iron, which is more readily dissolved in the alcohol. The sulphate of potass remains undissolved in both processes, with a small portion of uncombined oxide of iron, in the form of a brownish precipitate. Qualities.—These tinctures have a pecu- liar odour, a warm styptic taste, and a red- dish-brown colour. They are decomposed by the alkalies and their carbonates, and the strong acids, and by infusions of astrin- gent vegetables, Which are therefore in- compatible in formulae with them. Medical properties and uses.—These spi- , rituous solutions of acetate of iron possess the same properties as the other prepara- tions of this metal; but if the introduction of the simple acetate be superfluous, the double form of its spirituous solution is still more objectionable. Indeed, every advan- tage that can be expected from any of these forms of the acetate can be equally obtained from the tartrate of iron and of potass (fer- rum tartarizatum.) And we cannot con- ceive that any particular benefit can result to practice from loading the list of remedies with all the multifarious states of combina- tion of which the same substance is suscep- tible. The dose of either of these tinctures may be from tr^x. to fgj. given in a suffi- cient quantity of water, or any other proper vehicle. YT'NUM FER'RI, Lond. Wine of Iron. " Take of iron, one drachm; supertartrate of potass powdered, six drachms ; distilled water, two pints, or as much as will be re- quired : proof spirit, twenty fluid ounces. Rub together the iron and the supertartrate of potass, and expose them in an open glass vessel, with one fluid ounce of water, to the air for six weeks, stirring daily with a spa- tula ; and adding frequently as much dis- tilled water as may be necessary to keep the mass moist. Then dry it with a gentle heat; rub it to powder, and mix it with thirty fluid ounces of distilled water. Filter the solution and add the spirit." Dublin. " Take of iron wire cut in pieces, four ounces; white Rhenish wine, four pints. Sprinkle a little of the wine over the iron filings, and expose them to the air, until they be covered with rust, then add the re- mainder of the wine ; digest for seven days, frequently agitating; and, lastly, filter." Syn. Vinum chalybeatum, P. L. 1745. Eissenwein (G.) The iron is oxidized and dissolved in the acid of the supertartrate of potass. It is therefore a solution of tartrate of iron and of potass ; and when prepared in the mode ordered by the London college, each pint contains about grs. xvi. of peroxide of iron. The strength of the Dublin preparations must altogether depend upon the state of the wine : and it is to be regretted that the college did not order a given portion offer- rum tartarizatum, which readily dissolves in wine, and forms a permanent solution. Medical properties and uses.—This is the METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 363 least unpleasant of the preparations of iron. It is chiefly employed in chlorosis, and the relaxed habits of young females. The dose is from f^j.to f^vj. given twice or three times a day. FRAEPARATA EX HTDRARGYRO. Preparations or Mercury. HYDRARGY'RI NITRICO-OX'YDUM, Lond.* Nitric Oxide of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, three pounds,- nitric acid (by weight) a pound and a half,■ distilled water, two pints. Mix them in a glass vessel, and boil until the mercury be dissolved, and a white mass remain after the evaporation of the water. Rub this into powder, and put it into another vessel very shallow ; then expose it to a gentle heat, and gradually raise the fire until it cease to emit red vapours. OXTDUM HlIJRARGTRI RUBRUM PER Aci- dum nitricum, Edin. Red Oxide of Mer- cury by Nitric Acid. " Take of purified mercury, three parts,- diluted nitrous acid, four parts. Dissolve the mercury, and evaporate the solution over a gentle fire to a white dry mass, which, being rubbed to a powder, is to be put in- to a glass cucurbite, and covered with a thick plate of glass. Then adapt a capital to the vessel, and having placed it in a sand- bath, let the contained matter be roasted with a fire gradually raised until it pass in- to small very red scales." OXTDUM HYnRAROTRI NITRICUM, Dub. Nitric Oxide of JMercury. " Take of purified mercury, ten ounces ,- diluted nitrous acid, tenfiuid ounces. Let them be mixed in a glass, and the mercu- ry dissolved with a gradually raised heat; then increase the fire until the residuary matter in the bottom of the vessel be con- verted into red scales." Syn. Oxyde mercure rouge par l'acide nitrique (F.), Rother pracipitatat (G.), Mercurio Precipitato Rosso (/.) In this process the mercury is first oxi- dized at the expense of part of the acid employed, and the oxide, which is in a high state of oxidizement, combines with the undecomposed acid, so as to form a nitrate of mercury. By augmenting the heat, this nitrate is decomposed, the acid and water are nearly altogether expelled, and the ox- ide is left of a bright red colour, or rather the subnitrate, for it is combined with a small portion of acid. However simple the process may appear to be, yet it has been always found difficult to produce the bright red scaly appearance, which the product should have when it is properly prepared. Much of the success of the process appears to depend on the purity of the acid ; the • Hydrarg) rus nitratus ruber, P. L. 1787, proper regulation of the heat, which, at the utmost, should not be 600°;-|- and the scale on which it is formed, the heat being more steadily maintained, and acting with more uniformity, on a large than on a small quan- tity of materials. Hence the red precipi- tate prepared in Holland, where it is ma- nufactured largely, has always been consi- dered better than any prepared in this country. The proportions used by the Dutch chemists are fifty pounds of pure mercury-, and seventy of pure nitrous acid of a spe- cific gravity 1.3. The decomposition is conducted in very large flat vessels, the fire being raised when the gaseous nitrous acid ceases to be sensibly disengaged ; and the test of its perfection is the inflammation of a match which has been just blown out, by introducing it into the vapour arising from the decomposing oxide.£ Qualities.—When properly prepared, this subnitrate of mercury is in small scales of a bright red colour, very acrid and corro- sive ; insoluble in water, but totally soluble in nitric acid without effervescence. It is completely volatilized in a red heat, and at the same time decomposed. We have found the observation of Dr. Murray correct, that " if the preparation be boiled for a short time with five or six times its weight of wa- ter, the liquor, when filtered, has the styp- tic metallic taste, and gives a white preci- pitate with W'ater of ammonia or carbonate of potass; a plain proof that it holds dis- solved nitrate of mercury ."§ According to Paysse, 100 parts contain 82 of mercury, and 18 of oxygen. It is sometimes adulte- rated with red oxide of lead, which may be detected by dissolving one part of the ox- ide in four of acetic acid ; if lead be pre- sent, the solution has a sweetish taste; and when sulphuretted water is dropped into it, a dirty dark precipitate is thrown down. Medical properties and uses.—Nitric ox- ide of mercury is stimulant and escharotic. It is an external application only, being used, when rubbed into a fine powder, as a stimulant to old sores, and for destroying fungus. As a powder, in the proportion of gr. ss. to grs. iv. of sugar, it is blown into the eye to remove specks on the cornea; and formed into an ointment with lard, it is a useful application to ulcerations of the eyelids, and to chancres. Officinal preparation. Unguentum Hy- drargyri Nitrico-Oxidi, L. E. D. ACETAS HYDRARGYRI, Edin. Ace- tate of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, three ounces,- diluted nitrous acid, your ounces and a half, t Higgins, Essays, i. 1S3. X M. Puyssd, Annales de Chimie, li. 202. § System of Materia Medica, ii. 329. Dr. Murray suggests that it should have been named Sub nit rat Hydrargyri ruber. 364 METALLIC PREPARATIONS. or a little more than may be required for dis- solving the mercury; acetate of potass, three ounces; boiling water, eight pounds. Mix the mercury with the acid; and, towards the cessation of the effervescence, digest, if necessary, until the mercury be com- pletely dissolved. Then dissolve the ace- tate of potass in the boiling water; and im- mediately to this solution, still hot, add the former, and mix them together by agitation. Set the mixture aside to crystallize ; then wash the crystals placed in a funnel with cold distilled water; and finally dry them with a very gentle heat. " In preparing acetate of mercury, it is necessary that all the vessels, and the fun- nel, which are used, be of glass." Acetas Hydrargyri, Dub. • Acetate of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, three oun- ces ; diluted nitrous acid, three fluid oun- ces ; acetate of kali, three ounces ; boiling distilled water, eight pints. Add the acid to the mercury, and when the effervescence is over, d'gest upon hot sand, that the metal may be dissolved ; mix this solution imme- diately with the boiling water in which the acetate of kali has been previously dis- solved, and then let the mixture be passed as quickly as possible through a double linen cloth. Cool it, that crystals may form ; wash these with cold distilled water, and dry them upon paper with a very gentle heat. "In the whole of this process glass ves- sels must be used." Syn. Acetate de Mercure (F.), Essig- saures Quecksilber (G.) Acelato di Mercu- rk>(/.); Acetic acid scarcely acts on mercury, but by either of the above processes the ace- tate may be formed. Nitrate of mercury is first obtained by the action of the nitric acid on the mercury; and this is decom- posed by the acetate of potass, the alkali of which unites with the acid of the metal- lic salt, and forms nitrate of potass, which remains in solution ; while the disengaged acetic acid combines with the oxide of mer- cury, and forms the acetate of mercury, which readily crystallizes, and is thus easily separated. By preparing the solution of the nitrate of mercury with a gentle heat, when there is an excess of acid, the portion of mild acetate of mercury produced is considerable ; but if the quantity of acid be sufficient for the saturation only of the ox- ide, a sudden decomposition of the solution is effected by the hot water which contains the acetate of potass in solution, indepen- dent of the action of the acetate, and a subnitrate of mercury of a yellow colour is precipitated. Hence the propriety of the direction of the Edinburgh college to use more acid " than is required for dissolving the mercury." It is of much importance also that the degrees of heat be low; for if a high temperature be employed, the metal is oxidized to a maximum, and the product of the subsequent part of the process is an oxyacetate, which is very acrid and soluble, instead of the salt intended to be produced. For the success of the process, which often fails, the solution of the acetate of potass should not be used immediately after it is made, but should be scarcely more than te- pid when it is mixed with the solution of nitrate of mercury ; and to the water em- ployed for washing the salt, should be add- ed about fgj. of distilled vinegar for every Oss. of water; which prevents the partial decomposition of the acetate, and the con- sequent yellow colour, of the crystals, that sometimes occur in the washing. Qualities.—This salt, when properly pre- pared, is in small flat crystals, of a silvery whiteness, acrid to the taste, soluble in hot water, but scarcely soluble in cold water. ft is insoluble in alcohol. The alkalies de- compose it, and it is readily decomposed by heat. Light also has this effect, blacken- ing the salt. The proportion of its consti- tuents has not yet been ascertained. Medical properties and uses.—Acetate of mercury is antisyphilitic and alterative; but it is scarcely ever used, unless as the active ingredient of Keyser's pills. As an external application, a solution of it, in the proportion of grs. ij. in f^ij. of rose-water, is used in some cutaneous affections. The internal dose is gr. j., night and morning, HYDRARGYRI OXYDUM CINEREUM, Lond. Gray Oxide of Mercury. " Take of submuriate of mercury, an ounce,- lime-water a gallon. Boil the sub- muriate of mercury in the lime-water, stir- ring it assiduously, until the gray oxide of mercury subside. Wash this with distilled water, and then dry it." Oxidum Hydiiargtri cinereum, Edin. Gray Oxide of Mercury. "Take of submuriate of mercury, half an ounce ; lime-water five pounds. Boil the submuriate in the solution for a quarter of an hour in a slightly covered vessel. Pour off the supernatant fluid, then wash the ox- ide with distilled water; and dry it." Pulvis Hydrargyri cinereus, Dub. Gray Powder of Mercury. " Take of mercury, two ounces; diluted nitrous acid, i wo fluid ounces,- dissolve the mercury in a slow heat, and dilute the so- lution with eight fluid ounces of cold water; then drop into it one ounce and a half 'of the water of carbonate of ammonia, or as much as may be sufficient for precipitating the whole of the metal,' which is to be washed with boiling distilled water, until the pour- ed off fluid yield no sediment when water of sulphuret of ammonia is dropt into it. Finally, let the precipitate be dried." Syn. Oxide gns de Mercure (F>)» METALLIC PREPARATIONS. • 365 Schwarzes gesauertes Quecksilber (G-), I Protossido cinereo di Mercurio (/.)- The appellations given to these prepara- tions would lead to the supposition that they were essentially the same, although the Dublin process differs from the other two ; and scarcely any difference, indeed, exists between the products of the three processes, when they are properly con- ducted. In the London and Edinburgh processes, the lime-water decomposes the mercurial salt; its lime unites with the acid of the mild muriate, and the insoluble ox- ide, which is at a low state of oxidize- ment, remains of a greyish colour, while the muriate of lime which is formed, being soluble, is easily separated by washing. In the Dublin process it is intended, first, to produce a nitrate of mercury with the metal, at a low state of oxidizement; so that by the addition of the carbonate of ammonia a decomposition may be effected, and grey oxide of mercury, and nitrate of ammonia formed, which are to be separated by the subsequent washings. But if the nitrate of mercury be formed, with the as- sistance of heat, as ordered by the Dublin college ; or even if the solution be quickly made without heat, the metal becomes too highly oxidized, and the result is not the grey oxide, which the college intends should be produced, but is a mixture of the grey oxide, and a triple compound of oxide, mercury, ammonia, and nitric acid.* The directions of this formula are not suffi- ciently distinct to produce the effect in- tended ; and, therefore, the following di- rections given by Hahneman for this pre- paration are absolutely necessary to be followed for obtaining the grey oxide in a purer form. Dilute the acid with two parts of water, and add the mercury in small quantities at a time, placing the vessel in cold water to moderate the rise of tem- perature during the solution, which thus proceeds very slowly. When the acid has taken up as much of the metal as will sa- turate it, dilute the solution with twenty parts of distilled water, and drop in solu- tion of ammonia as long as any precipitate is produced. Wash the precipitate imme- diately in water, and dry it on bibulous paper before the fire.f The same effect is produced if subcarbonates of ammonia be used, the carbonic acid being disen- gaged. Qualities.—Grey oxide of mercury, pro- perly prepared, is in the form of an im- palpable, blackish, grey-coloured powder, which becomes paler if exposed to air and light. It is inodorous, insipid, and inso- luble in water. In the state in which it * Green's Chemistry, (translation) ii- 230. 1" Murray's Chemistry, 2d edit. iii. 178. is usually found in the shops, it is of a light grey colour, almost approaching to a white, in which state it contains the triple salt above mentioned. When prepared according to the London formula, it has been supposed,:); that the lime not being able to abstract the whole of the acid, the product is strictly a submuriate of mer- cury. We find from experiment, that this is actually the case, and it is not improba- ble that a minute portion of the lime may also be precipitated in the state of carbo- nate. The constituents of the grey oxide are supposed to be 96 parts of mercury, and 4 of oxygen, in 100 parts.§ Medical properties and uses.—The grey oxide of mercury, when well prepared, may be used as a substitute for the oxide prepared by trituration; and as it is more likely to be always of an uniform strength, it may of course be more depended on than that preparation. It has been, how- ever, objected to for forming ointment for the purposes of mercurial frictions; (see Ung. Oxydi Hydrargyri cinerei)— but perhaps the objections have originated from that form of the preparation having been used which contains the triple salt. We have seen it used with advantage for fumigation, both locally applied to assist the healing of venereal ulcers ; and, gene- rally, to bring the habit under the influence of mercury, when it could not be introdu- ced by the ordinary mode. The dose of this oxide is from gr. i. to grs. iij. given in the form of pill twice a day. Officinal preparations. Unguentum Oxi- di Hydrargyri cinerei, E. HYDRARGYRI OXYDUM RUBRUM, Lond.|| Red Oxide of Mercury. "Take of purified mercury, a pound. Put the mercury into a glass vessel with a narrow mouth and broad at the bottom. Expose this vessel open to a heat of 600°, until the mercury be converted into red scales; then rub these to a fine powder." Oxydum Hydrargyri, Dub. Oxide of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, any quantity. Put it into an open glass vessel with a narrow mouth and a broader bottom, and expose it to a heat of about 600°, until it be converted into red scales." Syn. Oxide de Mercure rouge par le feu (F.), Rothes Quecksilberoxyd (G.), Perossido rosso di Mercurio (/.). In this process the mercury is brought nearly to the boiling point,*! so as to be volatilized, in which state it decomposes at- X Murray's System of Materia Medica, ii. 326. $ Fourcroy. || Hydrargyrus Calcinatus, P. L. 1787. V Irvine makes the boiling; point of mercury to be 6729 ; Crichton, 655* ; and Dalton, 6(i0°. 366 METALLIC P mospherical air attracting its oxygen, and is converted into a red oxide. A small quantity of mercury requires several weeks to be thus oxidized; and therefore as much only is introduced into the vessel as can cover its bottom ; and both on this account, and in order to prevent the dissipation of the volatilized metal, the shape of the vessel is of some importance. It should have a wide bottom and a long neck, the extremity of which is extended almost to a point; and it should be heated in a sand- bath, the sand not rising higher round the vessel than the mercury stands within it. By maintaining a steady heat, a constant circulation of the mercurial vapour is kept up in the upper part of the matrass, and as it combines with oxygen, a dull film first forms on the surface of the mercury, which is next converted into a black powder, and then into red shining scales. A part of the mercury is always lost; and as the process requires much attention, and so long a time for its completion, the preparation is ne- cessarily expensive. Qualities.—Red oxide of mercury is ob- tained in the form of minute, crystalline, very brilliant, sparkling, deep red scales, inodorous, but acrid and caustic, although less so than the former preparation. It is soluble in several of the acids without de- composition. It is soluble in water also, and the solution changes to green the syrup of violets. When rubbed with running mer- cury, both are changed into black oxide; and when heated to ignition in a glass re- tort, it is decomposed; very pure oxygen being obtained, and the metal again returns to the state of running mercury. According to Lavoisier, 100 parts of this oxide contain 7 of oxygen; Fourcroy makes the propor- tion of oxygen 8; and Chenevix, 15 parts. The light partially decomposes the red oxide, hence it should be kept in opaque bottles. Medical properties anfl uses.—This is a very active preparation of mercury, and has been employed by some very celebrat- ed practitioners* as an internal remedy in syphilis. It is, however, very apt to occa- sion vomiting, purging, and otherwise vio- lently to affect the stomach and bowels; consequently it is now scarcely ever exhi- bited internally, or employed as an antisy- philitic. The dose may be gr. j. com- bined with gr. ss. of opium, in the form of pill, night and morning. It is chiefly used as an external stimulant and escharotic, in the same cases as the nitric oxide ; being previously rubbed to a fine powder, and either sprinkled over the ulcers : or united with lard, and applied as an ointment. HYDRARGYRI OXYMUR1AS, Lond. Oxymuriate of Mercury. * John Hunter. " Take of purified mercury, two pounds; sulphuric acid, thirty ounces (by weight); dried muriate of soda, four pounds. Boil the mercury with the sulphuric acid in a glass vessel, until the sulphate of mercury becomes dry : rub this, when it is cold, with the muriate of soda in an earthen-ware mortar ; then sublime it in a glass cucurbit with a gradually raised heat." Murias Hydrargyri corrosivus, Edin. Corrosive Muriate of Mercury. "Take of purified mercury, two pounds; sulphuric acid, two pounds and a half; dri- ed muriate of soda, four pounds. Boil the mercury with the sulphuric acid in a glass vessel placed in a sand-bath, until the mat- ter becomes dry. Mix this, when it is cold, in a glass vessel, with the muriate of soda; then sublime in a glass cucurbit with a gra- dually raised heat. Separate the sublimed matter from the scoriae." Murias Hydrargyri corrosivum, Dub. Corrosive Muriate of Mercury. "Take of purified mercury, two pounds; sulphuric acid, three pounds ,- dried muriate of soda, two pounds and a half. Dissolve the mercury in the acid, and gradually in- crease the heat until the matter become al- most dry; let this when it is cold, be rubbed with the muriate of soda in an earthen-ware mortar; and then sublime it in a proper vessel with a gradually raised heat." Syn. Muriate de Mercure corrosif (F.)t Azzendes alssaures Quecksilber (G.), Mer- curio sublimato corrosivo (/.) Sulphuric acid does not act upon mercu- ry at a low temperature; but when three parts of this acid are boiled upon two of mercury, the metal decomposes the acid, and is oxidized, sulphurous gas being emitted with effervescence ; and there re- mains a dry mass of a fine white colour, which is an oxysulphate of mercury com- bined with an excess of acid. By triturat- ing this salt with dried muriate of soda, (chloride of sodium) and exposing the mixture to heat, a double decomposition is effected. According to the old doctrines, the muriatic acid leaves the soda, and com- bines with the oxide of mercury of the oxysulphate, while the sulphuric acid unites with the soda, thus forming muriate of mercury and sulphate of soda, the form- er of which, being easily volatilized, is se- parated from the latter by suhlimation. But, according to the latest doctrines, the chlorine of the common salt leaves the so- dium, and uniting with the mercury of the oxysulphate, forms a bichloride of mercu- ry, which sublimes ; while the oxygen of the oxide of mercury combining with the sodium converts it into soda, which unites with the sulphuric acid and forms sulphate of soda which "remains in the bottom of the cucurbit. This process was first proposed METALLIC Pl by Kunkle, but no salt has been prepared by a greater variety of methods: and as it is now generally manufactured on the large scale, the proportions of the ingredients ordered by the Colleges are perhaps but seldom adopted. Of the three formulae of the British Colleges, however, that of the Dublin college is to be preferred, as by the larger proportion of sulphuric acid, and the smaller of muriate of soda, a more com- plete decomposition of the muriate of soda is effected; and consequently a greater quantity of chlorine being evolved, a larg- er proportion of the mercury must neces- sarily be converted into chloride. Sixteen ounces of mercury should yield about §xx of corrosive muriate. The most simple process, and perhaps the best, is the direct solution of the red oxide of mer- cury in muriatic acid, by which the salt is obtained by spontaneous crystallization* ; but it is too expensive for general purpo- ses." Qualities.—Corrosive muriate of mercu- ryf is obtained by the above processes in the form of a white, shining, semi-trans- parent, easily pulverized mass, made up of small acicular crystals. When the process is very carefully and slowly conducted, the crystals are separate, regular, tetrahedrons, compressed and pointed. On exposure to the air the mass effloresces on the surface. Its specific gravity is 5-1398. It is inodo- rous, and has a very acrid, disagreeable metallic taste ; changes to green several of the vegetable colours; is soluble in 11 parts of water at 60°, two parts at 212°, and in 4 parts of alcohol at 60°. It is soluble also in the sulphuric, nitric, and muriatic acid?, and may be again obtained unaltered by evaporating the solutions. The fixed alka- lies and alkaline earths decompose it, pre- cipitating it from its solution of an orange- yellow colour, which becomes brick-red. It is also partially decomposed by exposure to light, and by some metals; and changed into calomel.+ The carbonates of the fixed alkalies precipitate it of a fixed yellow hue, and ammonia forms with it a white triple insoluble compound, containing muriate of ammonia and oxide of mercury. When * Annales de Chimie, xxviii. 12. t This appellation, which is that of the Edinburgh and Dublin Colleges, is certainly preferable to that of the London College. But as the name oxymuri- ate is improper in a strictly chemical sense, perhaps the name deutomuriate, or deutochloride of mercury, which most justly designates its chemical character, would be less exceptionable than any other. The old names were Hydrargyrus muriatus, Mercurius tublimatits corrosivus. X Mr. Chenevix found, "that if a bit of copper be put into a solution of corrosive sublimate, a white powder shortly falls, to the bottom, and that powder h calomel. When washed, it does not contain an atom of copper, nor of corrosive sublimate." 367 triturated with olive oil, the oil is whiten- ed ; and when boiled with it, a small por- tion of calomel is thrown down; and the same is the case when it is boiled with su- gar. The volatile oils reduce it. it is also decomposed by solutions of tartrate of potass and antimony ; nitrate of silver and superacetate of lead ; and forms precipi- tates in infusions and decoctions of the fol- lowing vegetable substances; chamomile flowers, horse-radish root, columba root, catechu, cinchona bark, rhubarb root, sen- na leaves, simaruba bark, oak bark, tea, and in the almond mixture : consequently, it is incompatible in extemporaneous formulae with these substances. The components of this salt are 25'46 parts of chlorine, and 7454 of mercury in 100 parts : taking the analysis of Zaboada, and correcting it so as to make it correspond with the real com position of the per-chloride.§ Medical properties and uses.—This salt has been long known to chemists.|| It is a powerful stimulant and alterative ; and in large doses is one of the most violent of the metallic poisons. As an antisyphilitic it was early much extolled, and is the active ingredient of many a celebrated empirical nostrum ; but modern practice has fixed its real merits much lower than they were for- merly placed. When taken in over-doses, either by mistake, or designedly as a poi- son, the best antidote is white of egg di- luted with water, and given in large fre- quently repeated doses. The albumen decomposes the corrosive muriate, reduc- ing it to the state of the mild muriate, while the compound which it forms with it, exerts no deleterious effect on the stomach.f The presence of corrosive sublimate in any so- lution suspected to contain it, may be de- tected by putting into the fluid a small piece of clean polished copper, which, if the poison be present, will be covered with a white coating, or white streaks that ac- quire a metallic lustre when rubbed. As it is of importance to be able to distinguish calomel from corrosive sublimate in the stomach or intestines of a person supposed to be poisoned, (for the latter salt may be reduced almost to the state of calomel by the contents of the stomach,) Orfila has laid down the following rules for our guidance in determining this point. If the salt be found in the form of a white powder, easily separable from the contents of the alimen- tary canal or its membranes, and acquire a black colour when put into lime water, we pronounce that calomel has been taken ; but if the salt be not found as a white pow- $ Thomson's Chemistry, 5th ed. vol. i. p. 465. || The preparation is said to have been long known to the Chinese, and it is mentioned by Khazis and Avieenna. Bergman, iv, 281. H Orfila. Traiti des Poisons, t. i. part i. 101. tEPARATIONS. 368 METALLIC PREPARATIONS. der, but intimately combined with the con- tents of the stomach, and these suffer no change of colour when mixed with lime water, while the presence of a mercurial salt is nevertheless ascertained, then we may conclude that the poison has been cor- rosive sublimate.* A very ingenious gal- vanic mode of detecting it has also been proposed by Mr. Sylvester. Bend a piece of iron wire three inches long into this shape IT ; and tie the two ends to a com- mon gold wedding ring: on a plate of glass placed horizontal, drop some sulphuric acid, diluted with six parts by weight of water, till it spreads the size of a halfpenny; and then at a little distance, some of the solution supposed to contain the sublimate, till the two edges of the liquids join, and place the wire and the ring in such a manner, that the wire may touch the acid and the ring the solution. If any sublimate be present, the ring will in a few minutes be coated with mercury where it touched the solution. Corrosive muriate of mercury sometimes succeeds in curing the primary symptoms of syphilis, but it as often fails; and although it checks the progress of the secondary symptoms, relieving venereal pains, and healing ulcers of the throat, " yet, even in these cases," says Mr. Pearson, " it never confers permanent benefit; for new symp- toms will appear during the use of it; and on many occasions it will fail of affording the least advantage to the patient from first to last."-}- It is given with more advantage in some other affections, as old ulcers, chro- nic rheumatism, and in some cutaneous dis- eases, particularly lepra, in which Willan says, it is the only useful preparation of mercury, " its operation being promoted by giving at the same time an antimonialf;" and the decoction of the woods. Its sensi- ble operation is by urine; but sometimes it occasions the most violent nausea, griping, and purging, in which cases it should be combined with opium ; and it is always ne- cessary to take, during its use, some muci- laginous fluid, to moderate the irritation it is apt to induce. It is also used as an ex- ternal application ; in which case the best vehicle is the bitter almond emulsion ; and it has the property of preventing this emul- sion from fermenting. The dose is from gr. one-eighth to gr. one-fourth twice a day, made into a pill with crum of bread or ex- tract of poppies. Officinal preparations. Liquor Hydrar- gyri Oxymuriulis, L. Hydrargyri Submnri- as, L. E. D. Hydrargyri Precipitatus al- bus, L. HYDRARGYItl SUBMUR1AS,§ Lond. Submuriate of Mercury. * Nouveau Journ. de Medicine, torn. x. p. 147. t Pearson on Remedies for Lues Venerea, &c. 116. X Willan on Cutaneous Diseases, 140. § OM nanus, Arjuilu alba, Aquila mitigjtu, Man- '•Take of purified mercury, four pounds; sulphuric acid, by weight thirty ounces ,- muriate of soda, one pound and a half; mu- riate of ammonia, eight ounces. Boil two pounds of the mercury with the sulphuric acid in a glass vessel, until the sulphate of mercury is dry; when this is cold triturate it with two pounds of mercury in an earthen mortar, that they may be perfectly mixed. Then add the muriate of soda, and rub them together until all the globules disappear; afterwards sublime. Reduce the sublimed matter to a very fine powder, pass it through a sieve, and mix it carefully with the muri- ate of ammonia previously dissolved in a gallon of boiling distilled water. Set it aside that the powder may subside. Pour off the solution, and wash the powder re- peatedly with boiling distilled water, until solution of ammonia dropped into it throws nothing down. Finally, reduce to a very fine powder, in the same manner as is di- rected for the prepared chalk." SUKMURIAS HYIlHAItGYIlI MITIS, SlVe Ca- lomelas, Edin. Mild Submuriate of Mer- cury, or Calomel. " Take of muriate of mercury,/our-/iarf*; purified mercury, three parts. Rub the mu- riate in a glass mortar with a little water, in order to prevent the acrid powder from ris- ing, then add the mercury, and again tritu- rate until it be extinguished; put the dried mass into an oblong phial, one-third of which only it shall fill, and sublime it in a sand- bath. Again triturate the sublimed pow- der, and again sublime it, then reduce it to a fine powder, which is, lastly, to be well washed with boiling distilled water." SUBMURIAS HyDRAHRYHI SUB L1M ATUM, sive Calomelas, Dub. Sublimed Submuri- ate of Mercury, or Calomel. " Take of corrosive muriate of mercury, a pound; purified mercury, fdne ounces. Kub them together until the globules disappear, and sublime with a sufficient degree of heat. Let the sublimed matter be rubbed to pow- der, and again sublimed. Pulverize it, and wash it with frequent affusions of distilled water, until the poured off solution no lon- ger lets any sediment fall on the addition of a few drops of carbonate of kali. Finally, dry it." Syn. Muriate de Mercure doux (F.), Mildes Salzsaures Quecksilber (G.), Mer- curio dolce sublimato (/.) This very important preparation is a pro- tochloride of mercury-B In the process of na Metallorum, Panchymagogum minerale, Paucity- magngus quercetanus, Sublimatum dulce, Mercurius dulcis sublintatus, Calomelas. || It is very remarkable that all the Colleges have erred in naming this preparation, which in no point of view can be regarded as a submuriate, but is as much a muriate as the corrosive sublimate; ll'« sole difli rente depending on the degree of oxidize- uient of the imtal, which in this preparation is ul a METALLIC PR the London college, the mercury is first formed into a persulphate, which is mixed with the common salt, and converted into corrosive sublimate, but which at the mo- ment of its formation, is again decomposed by the ammonia of the muriate of ammonia, and converted into calomel. By triturating metallic mercury, as directed by the two other colleges, with the corrosive muriate, the whole mass assumes a grey colour. The sublimations render the combination of the mercury with the chloride, and its reduc- tion to the state of a protochloride, com- plete; but this is not the case in the first sublimation ; for both metallic mercury and corrosive muriate are found unchanged in the sublimed mass ; and hence the neces- sity of the second trituration and the subse- quent sublimations. By repeating, how- ever, the sublimations too often, the product is injured, as corrosive muriate is formed in each sublimation. The final trituration and levigation are intended to separate any cor- rosive muriate that may have been formed, and the test of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia ought always to be had recourse to for as- certaining this point. In performing the process, the addition of a little water during the trituration of the ingredients, in the first instance, is very necessary ; as other- wise, the operator is apt to suffer extreme- ly from the acrid powder of the corrosive muriate which is elevated. Qualities.—Calomel is obtained by the above processes in the form of a dull white, semitransparent mass, the specific gravity of which is 7.175. It is inodorous, insipid,. and when pulverized has a light yellow or ivory colour, which deepens by long expo- sure to the light, owing perhaps to a partial decomposition. It is regarded as insoluble, one part requiring 1152 parts of water at 212° for its solution.* Nitric acid converts it into corrosive muriate, much nitrous gas being evolved ; and the same change is ef- fected by oxymuriatic acid (chlorine.) Lime water and the alkalies, when triturated with it, instantly render it black, a circumstance which supplies us with a test of its purity, for if it contain any corrosive muriate, a yellow tint is mingled with the black on the addition of lime-water. It is also de- composed by sulphuretted hydrogen ; and the hydrosulphurets by antimony, iron, lead, copper, and soap. According to Che- nevix, using the terms of the old doctrine, 100 parts ofit contain 1T5 of muriatic acid, and 88*5 protoxide of mercury, consisting minimum. In a medical point of view, we are of opinion that the name calomel, however absurd, ought to have been retained, as the syllables oxy and sub are scarcely sufficient to distinguish the two salts to blundering assistants and apprentices, by whom the most dangerous mistakes may be com- mitted. ■ Rouelle. 47 REPARATIONS. 369 of 79 of mercury and 95 of oxygen : but- according to Zaboada, the proportions are, 10-6 of acid, and 89-4 of oxide, consisting of 85 of mercury and 4-4 of oxygen. Correct- ing these statements, and using the new terms, the true constituents of this salt ap- pear to be, Chenevix. Zaboada, Chlorine - 14-9 - 14-04 Mercury - 851 - 85-96 100-0 100-00+ According to Mr. Phillips, " considered as a chloride or protochloride, it is composed of Chlorine 15-25 or 1 atom Chlorine — 36 Mercury 84-75 1 atom Mercury — 200 100-00 weight of its atom — 236"4 Medical properties and uses.—This is the most useful of the preparations of mercury, and is more generally employed than al- most any other remedy in the whole range of the materia medica. It is antisyphilitic, antispasmodic, alterative, deobstruent, pur- gative, and errhine. As a remedy in syphi- lis, it can be fully confided in, when its dis- position to run off by the bowels is coun- teracted by opium. In the same state of combination, it is also found efficacious in several convulsive affections, as epilepsy, trismus, and tetanus ; and in that species of spasmodic stricture which occurs in viru- lent gonorrhoea. As an alterative and deob- struent, it is employed with advantage in cutaneous eruptions, as lepra, and scabies, in which cases it is combined with antimo- nials and guaiacum; and in hepatitis, and glandular obstructions. In dropsies it as- sists the action of squill and fox-glove ; and as a purgative it may be employed with safety in almost every form of disease not attended with visceral inflammation, or where there is not great irritability and de- licacy of habit. Calomel, however, does not act with certainty as a purgative even in large doses, and therefore it is generally combined with scammony, jalap, or some other active cathartic. The usual dose to affect the habit and produce ptyalism is from gr. j. to grs. ij. in a pill with opium, given night and morning; and from grs. iij. to grs. viij. act in general as a purgative: but in some complaints, as yellow f :ver, hy- drocephalus, and croup for e> ample, in which it is supposed to exert a : pecific ef- fect, this dose has been repeated every two or three hours, until upwards of 100 grains have been taken in a very short space of time. On account of its insolubility and great specific gravity, it can be given only in the form of pills and powders. SUBMURIAS HYDRARGYRI PRjECI- t Thomson's Chemistry, 5th edit. i. p. 467. t Trans, of the Luuduu Phariu, 1824, METALLIC PREPARATIONS. PITATUS, Edin. Precipitated Submuriate of Mercury. " Take of diluted nitrous acid, purified mercury, of each eight ounces ; muriate of soda, four ounces and a half; boiling water, eight pounds. Mix the mercury with the diluted nitrous acid, and towards the termi- nation of the effervescence digest with a gentle heat, frequently shaking the vessel. It is requisite, however, that more mercury be mixed with the acid than it can dissolve, so that a completely saturated solution be obtained. " Dissolve at the same time the muriate of soda in the boiling water; then to this add the other solution while it is yet warm, and mix them very quickly together. After the precipitate has subsided, pour off the saline fluid, and wash the submuriate of mercury by frequent affusions of warm wa- ter, which are to be poured off each time after the precipitate subsides, until the wa- ter comes off tasteless." Submurias Hydrargyri PR^ciriTATUM, Dub. Precipitated Submuriate of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, seven ounces,- diluted nitrous acid, five fluid ounces. Pour the acid upon the mercury in a glass vessel, and when the effervescence has ceased, digest with a gentle heat for six hours, with frequent agitation. Then raise the heat, that the solution may boil a little, which is to be poured off from the residual mercury, and quickly mixed with ten pounds of boil- ing water, in which four ounces of muriate of soda have been previously dissolved ; wash the powder that subsides with warm distilled water, as long as the fluid poured off from it yields a precipitate on the addi- tion of a few drops of the solution of (sub) carbonate of kali; lastly, let it be dried." These processes are framed on the pro- cess originally suggested by Scheele, and the error into which he was led by reason- ing from a false analogy has not been cor- rected by the Colleges ; the product of the above process being a mild muriate of mer- cury mixed with subnitrate of mercury which modifies its powers; a smaller pro- portion also of mild muriate being obtained than should follow from the quantity of mercury employed. The cause of this effect is, that by dissolving mercury in nitric acid with the assistance of heat, the metal con- tained in the acid solution is oxidized to a maximum, and when water is added to it, a subnitrate is precipitated, while a super- nitrate remains in solution. Hence, on the addition of the watery solution of muriate of soda, the water occasions the subnitrate to be precipitated, before the decomposi- tion which takes place is effected ; at the same time part of the oxide combines with the chlorine of the muriate of soda, and forms a portion of corrosive muriate, which is held in solution with the newly formed nitrate of soda, while the mild muriate is precipitated in combination with insoluble subnitrate of mercury. To obtain, therefore, the greatest propor. tion of pure mild muriate of mercury by precipitation, the nitrate must be prepared slowly, and without the aid of heat, which should not be employed in any part of the process. Dr. Murray ascertained, that "the quantity of mild muriate obtained from a solution of ^j. of mercury in diluted nitric acid in the cold, is a little more than §j.; whereas, from the same quantity dissolved with the application of heat, the precipitate did not exceed §ss., and the liquor held much more corrosive muriate in solution than the other.* Qualities.—Precipitated mild muriate of mercury, when properly prepared, is in- odorous and insipid. It is whiter, smoother, and lighter, than the sublimed preparation, but otherwise agrees with it, both in its chemical qualities and medicinal effects. Aa prepared, however, according to the direc- tions of the pharmacopoeias, subnitrate of mercury, which it contains, may have some effect in altering its powers in a small de- gree. Medical properties and uses.—It is said to be more liable to run off by the bowels than common calomel; but as its properties are essentially the same, it may be regarded as a superfluous preparation. HYDRARGYRI SULPHURE'TUM NI- GRUM,! Lond. Black Sulphuret of Mer- cury. " Take of purified mercury, one pound; sublimed sulphur, a pound. Triturate them together until the globules disappear." SULPHURETUM HYDRARGYRI NI- GRUM, Edin. Dub. Black Sulphuret of Mercury. " Take of purified mercury, sublimed sulphur, of each equal weights. Rub thera together in a glass mortar with a glass pestle, until the globules of mercury altogether disappear. It may be made with double the quantity also of mercury." Syn. Sulphure de Mercure noir (F.), Schwarzes Schwefelquecksilber (G.), Sol- furo di Mercurio nero (/.). During the trituration of the mercury with the sulphur, Fourcroy supposes that the metal is imperfectly oxidized by attract- ing oxygen from the atmosphere; but this opinion has been disproved by the experi- ments of Proust;+ and although a chemical combination be effected between the mer- cury and the sulphur, yet the real nature of the preparation is not understood. Qualities.—Black sulphuret of mercury is in the form of a very black, impalpable, * System of Materia Medica, &c. ii. 319. t Hydrargyrus e Sulphure, P. L. 1787. X Journal de Physique, Uii, 92, METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 371 inodorous, insipid powder. When heated in an open vessel it emits sulphurous acid gas ; becomes first of a deep violet hue, and afterwards sublimes of a brilliant red colour. It is insoluble in nitric acid, but is totally dissolved by a solution of pure potass, from which the acids precipitate it unchanged. It is often ill prepared, which may be known by rubbing a portion ofit on gold ; to which, if it be good, no whiteness will be commu- nicated. It is, also, sometimes adulterated with ivory-black, which may be detected in it by throwing a little of the suspected sul- phuret on a red-hot iron ; if ivory-black be present, some ashes will be left after the volatilization, which will not be the case when it is good, the pure sulphuret being completely dissipated. Medical properties and uses.—This mer- curial preparation is alterative and anthel- mintic. It is chiefly employed against scro- phulous swellings, and in cutaneous affec- tions; and has been found useful in asca- rides. But it is on the whole a very uncer- tain preparation, and requires to be long used to produce any sensible effects. The dose is from grs. v. to £ss, given twice or three times a day. HYDRAR'GYRI SULPHURETUM* RU'BRUM. Lond. Red Sulphuret of Mercury, "Take of purified mercury, forty ounces; sublimed sulphur, eight ounces. Having melted the sulphur over the fire, mix in the mercury, and, immediately the mass swells, remove the vessel from the fire, and cover it with force to prevent it from catching fire ; then rub it into powder and sublime." Sulphuretum Hydrargyri Rubrum. Dub. Red Sulphuret of J\fercury. " Take of purified mercury, forty ounces,- sublimed sulphur, eight ounces. Mix the mercury with the melted sulphur ; and if the mixture take fire, extinguish it by co- vering the vessel; then rub the mass to powder, and sublime it." Syn. Sulphure de Mercure rouge (F.), Zinnober (G.), Solfuro di Mercurio rosso (/.), Shengerf (H.). By these processes the mercury and sulphur are more intimately combined, and a more complete sulphuret produced than in the former preparation. The inflamma- tion which is apt to happen after the mix- ture of the mercury with the melted sul- phur, when the mass swells and explodes, as frequently occurs, is similar to the com- bustion during the union of sulphur by heat with some other metals, independent of the presence of air: hence, covering the vessel, without removing it from the fire, * Cinnabaris factitia, P. L. 1744. Hydiargyrua su'phuretus ruber, P. L. 1787. does not check the combustion, although, by excluding the air, a real inflammation of the materials may be prevented. In the second part of the process great caution is necessary to prevent the neck of the vessel in which it is sublimed from being choaked up by the sublimed sulphuret; as by the occurrence of such an accident the vessel would be burst by the confined vapours. To avoid this, a wide-necked vessel should be used. The cinnabar of commerce, which is chiefly used as a pigment, is manufactured in Holland, on a very extensive scalej-; and the following method has been pro- posed by Mr. Kirchoff, for obtaining it in the humid way. First, form ethiops mine- ral, by triturating, in a porcelain cup with a glass pestle, 300 grains of mercury, and 68 of sulphur, moistened with a few drops of solution of potass, and then add to it 160 grains of potass, dissolved in an equal weight of water. Heat the vessel with the ingredients over the flame of a candle, continuing the trituration, and adding, as the fluid evaporates, pure water from time to time, so as to keep the ingredients covered to the depth of an inch. At the end of two hours, if the trituration has been continued, the colour of the mixture changes from black to brown, and then to red; after which no more water should be added, but the trituration must be uninter- ruptedly continued until the mass have ac- quired the consistence of a jelly, and the red colour attained considerable brightness and beauty: the heat must be then imme- diately withdrawn, otherwise the red soon changes to a dirty brown.+ Qualities.—Red sulphuret of mercury sublimes in the form of a vivid red crystal- line cake, and yields, by trituration, a powder of a very bright red colour, which is inodorous, insipid, and insoluble in water, alcohol, and the majority of acids. It is decomposed, however, by nitro-muriatic acid, which combines with the mercury, and disengages the sulphur; but is not altered by solutions of the alkalies, even when boiled with them ; although potass, soda, and most of the other metals decom- pose it when melted with it. Vauquelin supposed that it contains the metal in a state of high oxidizement; a supposition, which the experiments of Proust and Se- guin have completely disproved. Accord- ing to Proust, 100 parts of the sulphuret consist of 85 of unoxidized mercury, and 15 of sulphur; but according to the later experiments of Guibourt,§ the proportions t See a description of the method, Annales de Chimie, li. 196. t Nicholson's Journal, 4to. ii. 1. J Journ. de Pharmacie, Aout, leio. p. 371, 372 METALLIC P are 86-1803 of mercury and 138197 of sul- phur. This preparation is sometimes adul- terated with red-lead, dragon's blood, and chalk ; the first is discovered by the same process as was described for discovering it in the red oxide; spirit of wine detects the second by extracting the colouring matter; and the last is discovered by an efferves- cence being excited by muriatic acid ; and the production of sulphate of lime on add- ing sulphuric acid. Medical properties and uses.—Red sul- phuret of mercury is alterative and deob- struent. It was formerly much used in cutaneous diseases, gouty and rheumatic affections, and in worms. It is now, how- ever, scarcely ever prescribed. It has been recommended for fumigations in sy- philis; but, on account of the sulphurous vapours, it is less fit for this purpose than the grey oxide. The dose for internal use is from grs. x. to sjss. made into an electua- ry or bolus. SUB-SULPHAS HYDRARGYRI FLA- VUS.* Edin. Yellow Sub-Sulphate of Mercury, " Take of purified mercury, two parts; sulphuric acid, three parts. Put them into a glass cucurbit, placed in a sand-bath, and boil them to dryness. Pulverize the white mass which is left at the bottom of the vessel, and throw it into boiling water. It will immediately be converted into a yellow powder, which is to be washed with frequent affusions of warm water." Oxydum Hydrahgtri sulphuricum, Dub. Sulphuric Oxide of Mercury. "Take of purified mercury, a pound; sulphuric acid, a pound and a half Dis- solve in a glass vessel, with a sufficiently strong heat, and gradually raise the fire un- til the mass be completely dried. This, by the affusion of a large quantity of hot wa- ter, will immediately become yellow and fall into powder, which is to be well triturated with the water in an earthenware mortar. " After pouring off the supernatant fluid, let the powder be washed with repeated ef- fusions of hot distilled water, as long as any {jrecipitate is produced in the decanted iquor on the addition of a few drops of water of subcarbonate of kali; and, lastly, dry it." Syn. Subsulphate de Mercure (F.), Gelbes Schwefelsaures Quecksilberoxyd (G.) Turpeto Minerale Mercuriale (/.). Sulphuric acid scarcely acts on mercury unless aided by a high temperature. When it is boiled on it, as directed in these pro- cesses, the acid is partially decomposed by the metal which is oxidized, while sulphu- rous gas is evolved : and the oxide thus formed uniting with the remaining acid, the • Hjrtrarg-yms vitriolatus, F. %.. 1787. tEPARATIONS. whole becomes a supersulphate of mercu- ry. By continuing the application of heat, at a higher temperature, a considerable portion of the acid is expelled, and partly decomposed, by which the metal is still more highly oxidized, and the resulting dry mass is a subsulphate of mercury. When boiling water is poured on this salt, the fluid, acting by its powerful affinity for sulphuric acid, decomposes it, abstracts the acid, and precipitates the oxide ; but as the acid still holds combined with it a small portion of oxide, and the precipitated oxide retains some acid, the result of this part of the process is a supersulphate of mercury held in solution by the water, and a subsul- phate precipitated in the form of a yellow powder. To obtain this effect completely, the saline mass must be made entirely dry before pouring over it the hot water ; for if the vessel be sooner taken from the fire, the precipitation is partial only, the great- er part of the salt being dissolved without being decomposed. Perhaps the best mode is to continue the exsiccation until a little of the white mass dissolved in cold water docs not redden litmus paper. The pro- portions for obtaining the largest quantity of product are two parts of acid, and one of mercury: hence, while the quan- tity ordered by the Dublin College is rather too small, the proportions of the Edinburgh formula are productive of a very unneces- sary waste of acid. , Qualities.—Subsulphate of mercury is in- odorous, and acrid to the taste. It is ob- tained in the form of a beautiful bright yellow powder, of a specific gravity of 6-444, and nearly insoluble in water, requi- ring 2000 parts at 60°, and 600 at 212°, for its solution, which is colourless. By tritu- ration with nrarcury it is changed into the black oxide ; and at a red heat is decom- posed, the oxygen being given out and the metal reduced. According to the analysis of Braumcamp and Segueira, its constitu- ents are 84-7 parts of oxide of mercury, 15 of sulphuric acid, and three of waterf; while Fourcroy makes them 87 of oxide, 10 of acid, and three of water. Medical properties and uses.—This prepa- ration is emetic, discutient, alterative, and errhine ; but from the violence of its action it is seldom administered as an internal re- medy. As an errhine, however, it has been found extremely useful in chronic ophthal- mia, and diseases of the head ; but even for this purpose its acrimony requires to be sheathed with some bland powder, as starch, or liquorice root powder, in the pro* portion of grs. v. to gr. j. of the subsul- phate. In doses of grs. v. it operates as a very powerful emetic. t Anr.ales de Chimie, liv. 123. METALLIC PREPARATIONS, 3fS HYDRAR'GYRUM CUM CRETA, Lond. Mercury with Chalk.* " Take of purified mercury, three oun- ces ,- prepared chalk, five ounces. Rub them together until the globules disappear. Hydrargyrum cum Creta, Dub. Mer- cury with Chalk. " It is prepared in the same manner as the mercury with magnesia, only instead of magnesia employing precipitated chalk." In these processes the mercury is slightly oxidized during the trituration, and is in the state of the black oxide, 100 parts of which, according to Fourcroy, contain, when well prepared, about 4 of oxygen. Medical properties and uses.—It is altera- tive, and is occasionally prescribed in tinea capitis, and other cutaneous affections. It merits attention as a mild alterative for children. The dose may be from grs. v. to Jss. given twice a day, mixed in any viscid substance. HYDRARGYRUM CUM MAGNESIA, Dub. Mercury with Magnesia. " Take of mercury, manna, of each an ounce; magnesia, half an ounce. Tritu- rate the mercury with the manna in an earthen mortar, adding as many drops of water as will give to the mixture the thick- ness of syrup, and continue the rubbing un- til the metallic globules completely disap- pear ; then add, still triturating, a drachm of magnesia; and after the whole is well mixed together, add a pint of hot water, and agitate the mixture. Allow the mixture to remain for some time at rest, in order that the sediment may subside, from which the fluid is to be decanted. Repeat the washing a second and a third time, that the whole of the manna may be removed ; and add the remainder of the magnesia to the sediment while it is still moist. Finally, dry the powder upon bibulous paper." The addition of the manna in this pro- cess, and in the former preparation with chalk of the Dublin college, is intended only to facilitate the oxidizement of the mercury ; and therefore it is afterwards re- moved by the subsequent washings, so that the product remains a grey or black oxide of mercury, mixed with magnesia. It is a preparation which might well be rejected. HYDRAR'GYRUM PRJECIPITATUM ALBUM.f Lond. White Precipitated Mer- cury.* " Take of oxymuriate of mercury, half a pound; muriate of ammonia, four ounces,- ' Mercurius alkalizatus, P. L. 1745. t This name is completely at variance with the principles on which the reformed nomenclature is founded; and the reasons which might have ex- cused the adoption of calomel, and some other equal- ly barbarous terms, cannot be advanced in justifica- tion in this instance. t Mercurius pnecipitatns albus, P. L. 1744. Calx hydrargyri alba, P. L. 1787. solution of subcarbonate of potass, half a pint; distilled water, four pints. Dissolve first the muriate of ammonia, then the oxy- muriate of mercury, in the distilled water, and add to the mixed solution the solution of subcarbonate of potass. Wash the pre- cipitated powder until it become tasteless, and then dry it." Submurias Hydbargtri ammojuatum, Dub. Ammoniated Submuriate of Mercury. " Add to the fluid which has been pour- ed off from the precipitated submuriate of mercury a quantity of water of caustic am- monia sufficient to precipitate the whole of the metallic salt. Wash the precipitate with cold distilled water, and dry it upon bibulous paper." Syn. Muriate de mercure precipite" (F.), Salzsaures Quecksilber prazipitat (G.), Precipitate bianco di mercurio (/.). As the products of these two processes are precisely the same, that of the Dublin college is to be preferred, both on account of its economy, and its greater simplicity. The fluid, which it orders to be used, is that which is decanted from the precipitated mild muriate of mercury, prepared by heat; and which, as we have already observed, holds the corrosive muriate in solution : so that the oxide of this salt is precipitated by the ammonia, combined with a portion of acM and also of ammonia, forming a ternary compound, or a submuriate of mercury and ammonia. In the London process, the muriate of ammonia, and the oxymuriate of mercury, when dissolved in the water, com- bine together, and form a solution of a ter- nary compound of muriatic acid, ammonia, and oxide of mercury, or a soluble super- muriate of mercury and ammonia. By the addition of the subcarbonate of potass, k great part of the acid of the muriate of am- monia is abstracted, and the same triple in- soluble compound is precipitated as in the former process ; and the fluid retains in so- lution muriate of potass, the carbonic acid having been dissipated in the gaseous form. It is to be regretted, that the quantity or- dered is inadequate to the effect intended. Qualities.—This muriate of mercury and of ammonia is inodorous and insipid : of a snowy whiteness, smooth, and insoluble in water, and does not become black when triturated with lime water. It is decom- posed by the sulphuric and nitric acids, the former of which converts it into oxymuriate of mercury and sulphate of mercury and of ammonia, and the latter into the oxy- muriate also, and nitrate of ammonia and of mercury. Muriatic acid restores it to the state of soluble supermuriate, the sal alem- roth of the old chemists. It is sometimes adul- terated with white lead; to discover which, digest one part ofit in four parts of acetic acid, and add to the solution a small quantity of sulphuret of ammonia; a black precipitate 374 METALLIC PF insoluble in sulphuric acid indicates the presence of lead. Chalk and starch are also sometimes mixed with it; and may be de- tected by heating the preparation in an iron spoon : if pure, it is completely volatilized ; but if adulterated with starch, a black coai is left; or, if with chalk, a white powder, at the bottom of the spoon. Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration is only used, in combination with lard, as an ointment for the cure of itch, and some other cutaneous eruptions. Officinal preparation. Unguentum Hy- drargyri prw.cipitati albi, L. D. HYDRARGYRUM PURIFICATUM, Lond. Purified Mercury.* " Pour mercury into an iron retort, and heat being applied, distil the purified mer- cury." Hydrargyrus Purificatus, Edin. Pu- rified Mercury. " Take of mercury, six parts ; filings of iron, one part. Rub them together, and dis- til from an iron retort." Hydrargyrum Puhificatum, Dub. Pu- rified Mercury. " Take of mercury, six pounds. Distil off slowly four pounds." Syn. Mercure (F.), Quecksilber (G.), Mercurio (/.), Azogogue (S.). By this mode of treating mercury it is certainly obtained more bright and mobilg ; but although it is generally supposed that the iron operates by exerting a superior affinity for the foreign metals with which the mercury of commerce is supposed to be alloyed, yet this is altogether hypothetical, and the necessity of the process may be well questioned. LIQUOR HYDRARGYRI OXYMURIA- TIS, Lond. Solution of Oxymuriate of Mer- cury. •* Take of oxymuriate of mercury, eight grains ,- distilled water, fifteen fluid ounces ; rectified spirit, a fluid ounce. Dissolve the oxymuriate of mercury in the water, and add to it the spirit." This solution is intended to facilitate the administration of minute doses of oxymu- riate of mercury, each fluid ounce of the solution containing half a grain of the salt. It ought not to be long kept or exposed to a clear light, as the oxymuriate is gradually decomposed, and calomel precipitated. It is, however, the most safe and convenient form of administering this active salt; and maybe given as an antisyphilitic in doses of from fjss. to fgij. in f^ij. of linseed infusion, or of water and syrup, and in more minute doses, when its alterative effects only are required. As a local application, this solu- tion, diluted with two parts of water, forms a useful gargle in venereal sore throat; and without dilution we have found it service- * Argentina vivutn purificatum, F. L. 1745. EPARATIONS. able as a gargle for breaking the abscess in cynanche tonsillaris, when suppuration takes place. Diluted with an equal quan- tity of water, it is employed as a wash against tetters and scabies ; and very largely diluted, it may be used as an injection in gonorrhoea, or given in the form of enema, when the stomach will not receive it. In concluding the account of the prepa- rations of mercury, it may not be improper to observe that the exhibition of any of them in certain states of the habit, and at the same time the body is under exposure to cold, is apt to excite an erythematic eruption of the skin, accompanied with much fever. This disease does not at all depend on the use of any particular prepa- ration of the remedy ; but, as far as I have been able to observe, it is liable to show itself in such an irritable state of the habit as produces hysteria in females, when the body is very suddenly exposed to a current of cold air, or to a cold moist atmosphere, while under the influence of mercury, When it occurs, the mercurials must be im- mediately discontinued, bark, opium, and purgatives internally administered, and the affected surface sprinkled with dry flour, or covered with the linimentum aqux calcis of the Edinburgh and Dublin pharmacopoeias; while at the same time the warm bath is to be used at least twice a day. Under this treatment the disease generally disappears, and the use of the mercurial may be renew- ed ; but sometimes the morbid symptoms increase under every mode of treatment, and a fatal termination of the disease en- sues. PRA1PARATA E ST ANNO. Preparations or Tin. PULVIS STANNI, Dub. Powder of Tin. " Take of tin, any quantity. Melt it over the fire in an iron mortar, and stir it while it is cooling, until it becomes a powder, which, when cold, is to be passed through a sieve. Syn. Poudre d'Etain (F.), Zinn (G.), Stagno in polvere (/.). By this process tin is reduced to the form of a fine granular powder, and perhaps, by the constant stirring, it is also very slightly oxidized, for the powder has less brilliancy than the entire metal. Medical properties and uses.—Powder of tin is a mechanical anthelmintic. It has been chiefly given to expel the t..pe-worm; and is supposed to operate by the grittiness of its particles irritating the worm, and dis- lodging it from the mucus in which it is imbedded. It is given in doses of 3J- or 3»J- mixed in treacle, for two or three successive mornings, and a brisk cathartic afterwards exhibited. But it is likely to be, henceforth METALLIC PR seldom used, oil of turpentine being a much superior remedy for the expulsion of tape- worm. PRAZPARATA E PLUMB0. Preparations op Lead. Ll'QUOR PLUM'BI SUBACETA'TIS, Lond. Solution of Subacetate of Lead.* " Take of semi-vitrified oxide of lead, two pounds,- acetic acid (distilled vinegar), a gallon. Mix them, and boil down to six pints, assiduously stirring; then set the so- lution aside, that the impurities may sub- side, and strain it." LlQ.UOR SUBACETATIS LlTHARGYRI, Dllb, Solution of Subacetate of Lead. "Take of litharge, a pound; distilled vinegar, eight pints. Put them into a glass vessel, and boil to six pints, assiduously stirring; then set the solution aside, and strain it after the faeces have subsided." Syn. Acetate de Plomb liquide (F.) Blai- wasser (G.), Aceto di Saturno (/.) In these processes, the acetic acid, which the distilled vinegar contains in a highly diluted state, attracts a portion of the oxide oflead, and forms an acetate, which remains dissolved in the water. The two colleges err in naming it a subacetate. The pro- portion of litharge ordered in both formulae is too large, a gallon of distilled vinegar of the specific gravity 1-007, being capable of dissolving ten ounces only of the oxide. Qualities.—This solution of acetate of lead, when properly prepared, is of a green- ish straw colour, has a slight acetous odour, and an austere, somewhat sweetish, taste. It is partially decomposed when largely di- luted with distilled water ; and with pump water, a heavy precipitate instantly takes place : it is also precipitated in the form of a white sub-salt by the alkalies and their carbonates; and a black precipitate is pro- duced by the alkaline sulphurets. It is, in- deed, the best test for estimating sulphu- retted hydrogen in any compound. The quantity of sulphur is always 2-15ths of the sulphuret of lead, to which if we add l-15th, we obtain the weight of the sulphuretted hy- drogen. This solution is also incompatible with solutions of mucilage, the gum of which it coagulates ; and, indeed, it is the most delicate test for mucilage with which we are acquainted. According to the ex- periments of Dr. Bostock.f the constituents of 100 parts of the saturated solution are 23*1 of oxide of lead, 5 of acetic acid, and 71-9 of water, which agree with the state- ment of Thenard,+ who found that the salt, when crystallized, consists of 17 parts of " Aqua lithargyri aeetati, P. L. 1T87. t Nicholson's Journal, xi. 75. X Ibid, vi, 223. REPARATIONS. 375 acid, 78 of oxide of lead, and 5 of water, in 100 parts.§ Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is used only externally, and when di- luted with water forms a very useful cool- ing, discutient application to phlegmonous inflammations and burns. It was introduced into practice by M. Goulard, a surgeon of Montpelier; and thence its appellation of Goulard's Extract. Ll'QUOR PLUM'BI SUBACETA'TIS DILU'TUS, Lond. Diluted Solution of Sub- acetate of Lead. \\ " Take of solution of subacetate oflead, a fluid drachm ; distilled water, a pint; proof spirit, a fluid drachm. Mix." Liq.uor Subacetatis Lithargyri com- positus, Dub. Compound Solution of Sub- acetate of Litharge. The same as the London formula,, with double the quantity of each of the ingre- dients. This preparation, as an article in the pharmacopoeia, is superfluous, every sur- geon being in the habit of ordering lotions with different proportions ofthe solution of acetate of lead, according to the circum- stances ofthe case. PLUM'BI ACETAS, Lond. Acetate of Lead.% " Take of subcarbonate oflead, a pound ; strong acetic acid, one pint,- boiling distilled water, one pint and a half. Mix the acid with the water; add the subcarbonate of lead gradually ; then filter the solution through paper, and, having evaporated it until a pellicle appears on its surface, set it apart that crystals may form. Pour off the fluid, and dry the crystals upon bibulous paper." Acetas Plumbi, Edin. Acetate of Lead. " Take of white oxide of lead, any quan- tity; weaker acetic acid a sufficient quantity. Put the oxide into a cucurbit, and pour over it ten times its weight of the acid. Let the mixture stand upon a warm sand bath until the acid becomes sweet; then let this be poured off, and add fresh portions of acid successively, until no more sweetness § The nature of the salt in this solution was first pointed out by Scheele, who changed a solution of the acetate of lead into Goulard's extract, by keep- ing it in a plate of lead for the space of a day ; but this experiment was overlooked until Dr. Bostock's analysis of the preparation. An excellent mode of preparing it is employed in the French hospitals. Three parts of acetate of lead is dissolved in a suf- ficient quantity of hot distilled water, and to the solution one part of semivitreous oxide of lead is added, in fine powder. The whole is then evapo- rated until it marks 28° of Heaume's areometer; and when cold, is filtered. Vide Journ. de Pharm, Dec. 1315. p. £65. || Aqua lithargyri aeetati composita, P. L. 1787. 1 Saceharum saturui, P. L. 1720-45. Cerusssi acetata, P. L. 17B7. REPARATIONS. 376 METALLIC PI is communicated. Evaporate all the fluid, freed from impurities, in a glass vessel to the consistence of thin honey, and set it aside in a cold place that crystals may form, which are to be dried in the shade. Eva- porate again the residuary liquor, that new crystals may be obtained ; and repeat the evaporation until no more are formed." Acetas Plumbi, Dub. Acetate of Lead. " Take of subacetate of lead, called Ce- russa, any quantity ,- distilled vinegar, ten times its weight. Digest them in a glass vessel until the vinegar becomes sweet ; and having poured this off, add more, until it ceases to become sweet. Filter the solu- tion, and crystallize by alternate slow eva- poration and cooling. Dry the crystals in the shade." Syn. Acetate de Plomb cristallise' (F.) Essigsaures Blei (G.) Zucchero di Satur- no(/.) In the London process the acetic acid unites with the subcarbonate of lead, ex- pelling the carbonic acid ; and by the sub- sequent evaporations the salt crystallizes in the form of an acetate. But on account of the smallness of the quantity of product, the trouble and expense of the process, and the difficulty of obtaining the white lead perfectly free from the whitening (carbo- nate of lime,) with which it is generally adulterated, the preparation of this salt is seldom undertaken by the apothecary ; so that the acetate usually found in the shops is the salt which is manufactured on a large scale, for the use of the calico printers, pu- rified. It is chiefly prepared in Holland, in the following manner: Sheets oflead, coil- ed up, are put into pots, in which they are half immersed in distilled vinegar, and di- gested a sufficient time. Before long, the upper half, or that which is not immersed, is covered with an efflorescence ofcerusse, after which it is immersed in the vinegar, and the part which was before immersed is now brought up to be converted into ce- russe as before, when the plate is again turned; and this is repeated two or three times a day, until the vinegar becomes milky. This solution is next boiled in tin- ned vessels down to about one-third of the original quantity, then strained, and the salt crystallized by slow cooling. The crystals obtained by a second evaporation of the mo- ther-water are browner and deliquescent :* and the whole requires to be again dissolv- ed in rain or distilled water, and re-crystal- lized. Qualities.—This salt, when pure, is ino- dorous, has a sweet, astringent taste, and crystallizes' in white, glossy, right oblique- angledt prisms, terminated by dihedral • Aikin's Dictionary of Chemistry, ii. 26. t Phillips'* Trans, of the Pharm. lR-'a. summits, which are generally aggregated into irregular masses that have the appear- ance of lumps of sugar. Its specific gravity is 2-354 Acetate of lead slightly efflores- ces, is soluble in 25 parts of distilled water either hot or cold; but after standing for some time, a slight decomposition takes place, and a small portion of white powder is deposited, which is an insoluble carbo- nate. It is also soluble in alcohol. In pump or hard water, which always contain carbo- nic acid, it is instantly decomposed, forming a milky solution, and a copious precipitate falls. It is decomposed by the alkalies and their carbonates, most of the acids, and neutral salts, lime, magnesia, and all the sul- phurets ; but it is not affected by a solution of gum. The constituents of 100 parts are 59-25 of oxide of lead, 26-45 of acid, and 14-30 of water.§ Medical properties and uses.—Taken in- ternally, acetate of lead is a very powerful astringent and sedative. It requires to be exhibited, however, with caution, and is admissible only in cases of very urgent danger, as in violent pulmonary and intes- tinal haemorrhages, in restraining which it has a very powerful influence. Combining it with opium prevents the deleterious ef- fects which salts of lead are apt to produce when taken into the stomach; but, even when so combined, the smallest dose, in certain habits, is productive of very serious mischief. Some years ago, Dr. Hildebrand of Lemberg tried this salt in combination with opium with seeming advantage in phthisis; and it has been since occasionally used in this country; but from the effects ofit in that disease, as far as I have observ- ed, it is not likely to be generally employed by British practitioners. Dissolved in a large proportion of water, with a small quantity of distilled vinegar to prevent de- composition, it forms an excellent collyrium in ophthalmia; and somewhat less diluted, its solution is in common use as an external application in superficial inflammation. Ob- jections have, nevertheless, been raised to the long-continued external use ofthe pre- parations of lead ; but the daily extensive employment of them in this form, without any bad effects, is a sufficient proof that, if they occasionally have produced mischief, it is rather to be attributed to some peculiar idiosyncrasy, than to the nature of the remedy. The dose of acetate of lead, when inter- nally exhibited, should not exceed gr. ss. given every six or eight hours. It may be made into a pill with crumb of bread, and a proportion of opium, according to the cir- cumstances of the case. As a collyrium or { Hassenfratz. 5 Phillips' Trans, ofthe Pharm. 1824. METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 377 lotion, the proportions may be from gr. x, to 9j- ofthe salt in f^ viij. of distilled wa- ter. The addition of a small quantity of distilled vinegar is necessary to prevent decomposition, when distilled water is not employed. Officinal preparation. Ceratum Plumbi Acetatis, L. PRAHPARATA E ZINCO.] Preparations op Zinc. CALAMINA PRJEPARATA, Lond. Prepared Calamine. *' Burn the. calamine, and beat it to pow- der ; then bring it into the state of a very fine powder, in the manner directed for the preparation of chalk." Carbonas Zinci impurus pr^eparatus, E. Prepared impure Carbonate of Zinc. " Impure carbonate of zinc, roasted by those who make brass, being rubbed to powder in an iron mortar, and levigated with a little water on a porphyry, is to be put into a large vessel, and water poured over it, which, after frequently agitating the vessel, is to be poured off loaded with the powder. The fine powder which sub- sides after the water has remained at rest, is then to be dried. The coarse, which the water cannot suspend, is to be again levi- gated, and treated as before." Lapis Calaminaris prjefaratus, Dub. Prepared Calamine Stone. " Reduce calcined calamine stone to powder, and separate the very fine parts in the manner directed for the preparation of chalk." Syn. Calamine prepare* (F.), Galmei (G.), Kalmei (Dutch), Galmija (Russ.) Ca- lamina (/.), Calamina (S.). The nature of this ore of zinc has been already stated, (Part ii.) As it is frequent- ly used in the form of a dry powder to ex- coriations, ichorous ulcers, and superficial inflammations, dusted on the part, it re- quires to be rendered extremely fine. Officinal preparations. Ceratum Cala- mina, L. E. Unguentum Calaminaris, D. Oxidum Zinci impurum rRBPARATUM, Edin. Prepared impure Oxide of Zinc. " It is prepared in the same manner as the impure carbonate of zinc." This substance, the nature of which has been already stated, (Part ii.) is used for the same purposes as the former article. ZINCI OXYDUM, Lond. Oxide of Zinc* " Take of sulphate of zinc, one pound; solution of ammonia, one pint, or as much as may be required,- distilled water, one pint. • The ancients, who were acquainted with it, call- ed it pompholyx; and by the early chemists, it was named Nihil album, Lana philosophica, and Flores rind. Zinctim caloinatum, P. L. 1787. 48 Dissolve the sulphate of zinc in the distilled water, and add as much solution of ammonia as may be requisite to precipitate the oxide of zinc entirely. Pour off the solution, wash the powder repeatedly with distilled water, and dry it upon a sand bath." Oxikum Zinci, Edin. Oxide of Zinc. " Let a large crucible be placed in a fur- nace filled with burning coals, in such a manner as to be somewhat inclined to its mouth, and when the bottom of it is heated to a moderate degree of redness, throw into it a piece of zinc about the weight of one drachm. The zinc is soon inflamed, and converted into white flocculi, which are occasionally to be removed from the surface of the metal by means of an iron spatula, that the combustion may be more complete; and when the inflammation is over, remove the oxide of zinc from the crucible. Throw in then another piece, and let the operation be repeated as often as is necessary. Finally, let the oxide of zinc be prepared in the same manner as the impure carbonate of zinc." Dublin. "Take of zinc broken into small pieces, any quantity. Throw these, at intervals, into a sufficiently large crucible heated to whiteness, and placed with its mouth in- clined towards the mouth of the furnace. After each piece of zinc is thrown in in- vert over the crucible another crucible, but loosely so as not to exclude the air Pre- serve the light, very white, sublimed pow- der for use." Syn. Oxide de Zinc (F.), Weisser Zink- oxyd(G.), Per Ossido di Zinco; fiori di Zinco (/.). In the process of the London college, too small a quantity of water is ordered for the solution of the sulphate of zinc. In the two other processes the crucible must be heated above 700° of Farenheit, which is the point of ignition of zinc. At this temperature the metal inflames, burning with a dazzling white and green flame j and by attracting the oxygen of the air is converted into a white oxide, which is partly volatilized in the form of very light flocculi. The elevation of these flocculi, however, is owing to the current of air ex- cited by the force of the combustion ; for the oxide itself is not volatile, but accumu- lates in the crucible so rapidly, that it must be withdrawn to allow the access ofthe air for keeping up the combustion. If the crucible be sufficiently capacious, there is no necessity for covering it with another, by which the operation is always im- peded, j- t This oxide may also be readily prepared by dis. solving zinc in diluted sulphuric or nitric acid, anil precipitating; by potass, a process proposed by Mara- j7& METALLIC PREPARATIONS. Qualities.—Oxide of zinc thus prepared is inodorous, insipid, of a pure white co- lour, infusible in the fire, insoluble in water and alcohol, but entirely soluble in acids, and is not altered by exposure to the air. According to Proust, 100 parts of it consist of 80 of zinc, and 20 of oxygen; or 100 zinc -j- 25 oxygen. It often contains small portions of carbonic acid.* It is often adulterated with chalk, and some- times "contains white lead. By pouring sulphuric acid on the specimen, the first is discovered by the effervescence that is excited, the second by an insoluble sul- ^ phate of lead being formed. Medical properties and uses.—Oxide of zinc is tonic and antispasmodic; and has been advantageously used in chorea, epi- lepsy ,-j- and some other spasmodic affections. It has been employed in hooping-cough on the continent; and Lceffler recommends it to be used externally as well as internally in that disease. He employs a liniment composed of linseed oil, and oxide of zinc. It is chiefly used as an external application. (See Ung. Zinci.) The dose, as an internal remedy, may be from gr. j. to grs. vj. given twice a day. Officinal preparation. Unguentum Zinci, L. E D. ZINCI SULPHAS,* Lond. Sulphate of Zinc. " Take of zinc broken into small pieces, four ounces ; sulphuric acid, by weight six- ounces ; water, four pints. Mix them in a glass vessel, and the effervescence being over, filter the*solution through paper; then boil it until a pellicle begins to form on the surface, and set it aside to crystal- lize." Edinburgh. " Take of zinc cut into small pieces, three parts,- sulphuric acid, five parts; water, twenty parts. Mix them, and the efferves- cence being finished, digest for a short time on hot sand. Then filter the decanted so- lution through paper, and after due evapo- ration, set it apart that crystals may be formed." Dublin. " Take of zinc reduced to powder in the same manner as tin, three ounces,- sulphuric acid, five ounces ,- water, a pint. Pour the acid previously diluted with the water upon the zinc, put into a glass vessel; digest for a short time after the effervescence ceases; belli, Professor of Pharmacy at Pavia, in 1798. The washed precipitate is oxide of zinc, containing;, ac- cording to Vauquelin, 0.21 of oxygen. * Annales de Chimie, xxxv. 51. The more recent experiments of Dr. Thomson make the proportions lo be metal 100 + 24.16 oxygen; those of Berzelius, ■netal 1004.24.4 oxygen. t Duncan's Med. Comment, iii. 216. I Zincuni vitnolatum, P. L. 1787. then evaporate to a proper point the strain- ed solution, and set it aside to crystallize." Syn. Sulphate de Zinc (F.), Schwefel- saures Zink (G.), Solfato di Zinco (/.); Vi- triolo bianco (S.). The directions of the Dublin college for granulating the zinc are to be adopted in preference to those of the other colleges for dividing it. In these processes, the acid enables the zinc to decompose the water, and the metal is oxidized by attracting its oxygen, while its hydrogen is disengaged with effervescence. The oxide thus formed combines with the acid, forming sulphate of zinc, which is obtained in crystals by the subsequent evaporation. The greater part, however, of the sulphate of zinc ofthe shops is prepared on a large scale, and purified in the manner that shall be immediately no- ticed. It is denominated white vitriol in the language of commerce, and is manufactured largely both in Germany^ and England. In Germany it is prepared by exposing roast- ed blende to the air and humidity; by which means the metal is gradually oxidiz- ed, and combined with the sulphuric acid also formed from the sulphur contained in the blende. The sulphate thus produced is separated from the earthy parts of the blende by lixiviation, and after being boiled down is crystallized, or rather concreted, into hard granular masses resembling loaf' sugar, which generally contain sulphate of iron, of lead, and sometimes of copper. In England it is prepared generally by the direct combination of its constituents; but although purer than the foreign salt, yet the English white vitriol, almost always, contains iron. Both kinds are purified by solution in water, and then allowing the solution to evaporate very slowly in an open vessel containing some granulated zinc; the sulphate of lead will subside, and the other foreign salts he decomposed by the metallic zinc. The purified sulphate of zinc may be then crystallized by lixiviation and evaporation.! Qualities.—Pure sulphate of zinc, or ra- ther supersulphate, for it contains an excess of acid, and reddens the vegetable blues, is inodorous, and has a slightly acidulous, styptic, metallic taste. It crystallizes in transparent, colourless, right rhombic prisms,-"j terminated by quadrangular py- ramids ; effloresces slightly in the air; is soluble in 2.5 times its weight of water at 60°, and in less than its own weight of boiling water. It is decomposed by ihe al- kalies, earths and hydrosulphurets; and } Becftman in his History of Inventions, says, it was first made at Itamehberg, in Germany, about the middle of the lfith century ; and ascribes the invention to Julius, duke of Brunswick. |l Aikin's Dictionary of Chemistry. ' Phillips' Trans. if Pharm. 1824. METALLIC PREPARATIONS. 379 .hrows down a dirty-looking precipitate from astringent vegetable infusions, with which, therefore, it is incompatible in pre- scriptions. According to the analysis of Dr. Wollaston, the constituents of 100 parts ofthe pure crystallized salt are 28.4 of ox- ide of zinc, 27.3 of acid, and 44.3 of water. Medical properties and uses.—Sulphate of zinc is tonic and astringent, and in large doses emetic. As a tonic, it is less heating and stimulant than sulphate of iron, and hence is preferable in phthisis and other diseases attended with great irritability and general weakness. It is also useful in dys- pepsia, fluor albus, and some convulsive affections, as pertussis, chorea, and epilep- sy; in which diseases it is generally com- bined with myrrh, bitter extracts, opium, extract of hemlock, or digitalis, according to the circumstances of the case. As an emetic it operates almost instantaneously, and therefore is often employed to empty the stomach at the commencement of the paroxysm of intermittent fever, and in ether cases in which quick vomiting is re- quired. As an external application this salt dissolved in rose-water, in the proportion of grs. ifs. to f^ j. of rose-water, forms an excellent collyrium in the latter stage of ophthalmia, after the inflammatory action has subsided ; it is a good injection in a si. milar stage of gonorrhoea ; and a lotion in some kinds of superficial inflammations. In double the strength, this solution is the best application that can be used to scrophulous tumours, after they have suppurated, and the abscess has been discharged. The dose to produce vomiting is from grs. x. to 3ss-> and as a tonic from gr. j. to grs. ij. may be given twice a day. Officinal preparations. Solutio Sulphatis Zinci, E. Liquor Aluminis compositus, L. Solutio Acetatis Zinci, E. D. SOLUTIO SULPHATIS ZINCI, Edin. Solution of Sulphate of Zinc. " Take of sulphate of zinc, sixteen grains; water, eight ounces,- diluted sul- phuric acid, sixteen drops. Dissolve the sul- phate of zinc in the water, and having ad- ded the acid, filter the solution through paper." This formula is given under the idea of the common sulphate of zinc, (which often contains some excess of oxide, and some oxide of iron,) being employed. The su- perabundant oxide, if present, is dissolved by the acid, so that a solution of a uniform strength is always obtained. It is rather too strong for the purposes of a collyrium in chronic ophthalmia; and the addition of the acid renders it less fit to be used as an injection in gonorrhoea. SOLUTIO ACETATIS ZINCI, Edin. Solution of Acetate of Zinc. "Take of sulphate of zinc, one drachm; acetate (superacetate) of \ea.d, four scruples ; distilled water, twenty ounces. Dissolve. Mix the salts separately in ten ounces of the water; then mix the solutions, and after the precipitate subsides, filter." Syn. Dissolution d'Acetatede Zinc (F-), Liquore de l'Acetato di Zinco (I.) In this process a double decomposition „ takes place : the sulphuric acid of the sul- phate of zinc unites with the oxide of lead of the superacetate of lead, whilst its acid combines with the disengaged oxide of zinc. The former salt being insoluble, is precipitated in the form of a heavy white powder, but the acetate of zinc remains dis- solved ; and thus its solution, which is co- lourless and limpid, is easily separated by filtration. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion is astringent: and was long employed before it was introduced into the pharma- copoeia, and even before its nature was clearly understood. It is a useful colly- rium in chronic ophthalmia, and in the acute variety of this disease after the in- flamed vessels.are unloaded, and the inflam- matory action subdued. It is also a use- ful injection in the advanced stage of go- norrhoea. TINCTURA ACETATIS ZINCI, Dub. Tincture of Acetate of Zinc. " Take of sulphate of zinc, acetate of kali, of each, an ounce. Rub them together, and add of rectified spirit of wine, one pint. Macerate for a week with occasional agita- tion, and filter through paper." In this process, a double decomposition also takes place, acetate of zinc, and sul- phate of potass being produced : the former of which is dissolved in the spirit, while the latter remains undissolved, and there- fore is easily separated. It is a tedious pro- cess, and possesses no advantages over the former to recommend it. Medical properties and uses.—This tinc- ture is astringent; but requires to be dilut- ed with water, before it can be used either as a collyrium or an injection. It might be advantageously employed as an internal re- medy in dyspepsia, and other debiliti^E of the stomach, b3'> PREPARATIONS PREPARATIONS Pure SuLrnun is generally regarded a I simple substance, but according to Sir II. Davy's experiments, it is a triple com- pound of oxygen, hydrogen, and a peculiar unknown base. It unites readily with me- tals, some oxides, earths, and the fixed al- kalies, forming compounds which have been denominated sulphurets. These are formed by the fusion o« the substances in a dry state ; and the compounds require to be carefully preserved from the atmos- phere, as they attract moisture from it, de- liquesce, and are decomposed. When, how- ever, the union of sulphur and alkaline or earthy bases is effected by means of water, the products are not simple sulphurets, but sulphurets combined with sulphuretted hy- drogen, and have been named hydroguret- ted sulphurets. They are equally suscepti- ble of decomposition by exposure to the air as the sulphurets. OLEU M SULPHURA'TUM*, Lond. Sulphuretted Oil. " Take of washed sulphur, two ounces ,- olive oil, a pint. Add the sulphur gradual- ly to the oil heated in a very large iron pot, and stir the mixture after each addition till they have united." Edinburgh. "Take of olive oil, eight parts ; sublimed sulphur, one part. Boil them with a gentle heat in a large iron vessel, stirring con- stantly, until they unite." Syn. Huile sulphur (F.), Oleo solfurato (/.). Great attention is required in these pro- cesses to prevent the mixture from boiling over, or its vapour from catching fire. If either of these accidents occur, the com- bustion may be stopped by instantly cover- ing the pot with a close lid. The iron pot should be sufficient to contain thrice the bulk ofthe ingredients. Qualities.—The odour of this solution of sulphur is extremely foetid, and the taste acrid. It is of a reddish brown colour; has a thick consistence ; and when heated emits sulphuretted hydrogen. When it is much concentrated, the sulphur crystallizes in octahedrons. Medical properties and uses.—Sulphuret- ted oil is stimulant, and externally deter- gent. It was formerly regarded as balsamic, and recommended in catarrh, asthma, and phthisical affections : but its internal use is now properly exploded. It is sometimes still externally applied for cleansing foul ulcers. The dose was from Tl^v. to tr^xxx. taken in water. * Balsamum Sulphuris simplex, P. L. 1745. OF SULPHUR. OF SULPHUR. POTA'SS.E SULPHURE'TUM,f Lond. Sulphuret of Potass. " Take of washed sulphur, an ounce ; sub- carbonate of potass, two ounces. Rub them together, and place the mixture over the fire in a covered crucible until they unite." Sulphuretum Potass.e, Edin. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, two parts,- sublimed sulphur, one part. Rub them together, and put them into a large covered crucible, to which, having adapted a cover, apply the fire cautiously, until they melt. Preserve the mass in a well-closed vessel." Sulpburetum Kali, Dub. Sulphuret of Kali. "Take of subcarbonate of kali, sublimed sulphur, each two ounces. Having mixed them together, put them into a crucible, and having adapted to it a cover, expose it to a fire gradually raised until they unite." Syn. Sulphure de Potasse (F.), Schwel- flichtes Kali (G.), Solfuro di Potassa (/.). This sulphuret cannot be properly formed by following the directions of any of the colleges; for, to render the combination complete, it is necessary to expose the sub- carbonate in a crucible to a red heat, pre- viously to its being rubbed with the sulphur: the water of the subcarbonate is thus dis- sipated, and at the same time a portion of the carbonic acid is expelled, both of which, when not driven off, alter the product. When the fusion is effected, the mixture is to be poured upon a marble slab, and, as soon as it concretes, the mass must be broken in pieces and preserved in a closely- stopped bottle. Qualities.—Well prepared sulphuret of potass is inodorous while dry; but when moistened or dissolved in water, a partial decomposition of both the water and the sulphuret is effected, and it emits the foetid odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. It has an acrid bitter taste ; changes the vegetable blues to green ; is hard, brittle, breaking with a glassy fracture, of a liver-brown co- lour, and stains the skin brown.i By ex- posure to the air it attracts moisture; its colour changes to a pale green, the fpetid odour noticed above is emitted, and it is gradually converted into hydroguretted suf i phuret of potass, combined with a small portion of sulphate of potass. It is also de- composed by all the acids, the sulphur being precipitated ; and in a violent heat the sul- phur sublimes, leaving the potass. Medical properties and uses.—Sulphuret of potass is expectorant and diaphoretic. It t Kali Sulphuratum, P L. 1787. % Hence its old name, Hepar Sulphuris, has been frequently given in chronic asthma and chronic catarrh, without much benefit; but has been found useful in arthritic, rheu- matic, and herpetic affections ; and in com- bination with cicuta as a palliative in can- cerous cases.* It has also been employed in France, for the cure of scabies, in the form of an ointment made with one part of the sulphuret, sixteen of soap, and thirty- two of oil. From a theory founded on its chemical action on metallic salts out of the body, it has, also, been strongly recommend- ed as an antidote against arsenical, satur- nine, and mercurial preparations, when these have been taken in doses sufficient to produce deleterious effects -, but it has hith- erto been too seldom employed to ascertain its real value in these cases. The usual dose is grs. iij. or grs. iv. com- bined with soap, in the form of pills, for the first-mentioned cases ; or from grs. v. to grs. x. as an adjunct to cicuta in cancer, given several times a dav. SUL'PHUR LOTUM, Lond. Washed Sulphur.jr " Take sublimed sulphur, a pound. Pour upon it boiling water, that the acid, if there be any, may be entirely washed away; then dry it." Sulphur sublimatum lotum, Edin, Washed sublimed Sulphur. "Take of sublimed sulphur, one part; water, four parts. Boil the sulphur for a short time in the water; then pour off this water, and by repeated affusions of cold water, wash away all the acid: lastly, dry the sulphur." Dublin. " Let warm water be poured upon sublim- ed sulphur, and the washing be repeated as long as the water employed shall appear acid. This is known by means of litmus. Dry the sulphur on bibulous paper." Syn. Soufre lave (F.), Schwefel (G.), Zolfo Iavato (/.). In subliming sulphur, a small portion of it is apt to be acidified, by attracting the oxygen of the heated air of the vessels, or the chamber in which the process is con- ducted. The quantity is however very mi- nute, and is completely removed by the above processes. The sulphur does not af- terwards undergo any change from expo- sure to the air at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere. SUL'PHUR PR-ECIPITATUM, Lond. Precipitated Sulphur.*. "Take of sublimed Sulphur, a pound; fresh burnt Lime, two pounds,- water, four gallons. Boil the sulphur and the lime to- gether in the water; then filter the liquor * Pearson's Practical Synopsis, &e. i. 283. t Flores Sulphuris loti, P. L. 1787. t lac Sulphuris, P. L. 1720. Sulphur prccipi- tatum, P. I.. 1787. 3 OF SULPHUR. 381 through paper, and drop into it as much muriatic acid as may be sufficient to pre- cipitate the sulphur. Finally, wash this with repeated affusions of water, until it be- comes tasteless." Syn. Soufre precipite" (F.), Schwefel- niederschlag (G.), Zolfo Precipitato (/.). In the first part of this process, a hydro- gureted sulphuret of lime is produced, by the combination of the lime and sulphur occasioning a decomposition of a part of the water, the hydrogen of which unites with a portion of the sulphur, and forms a hydro- sulphuret ; while the oxygen with another portion forms sulphuric acid that combines with part of the lime : and thus the solution contains a small portion of sulphate of lime, and a sulphuret of lime combined with sul- phureted hydrogen. This hydrogureted sulphuret is then decomposed by the muri- atic acid, which unites with the lime, and forms a soluble muriate, while the sulphur is precipitated, and sulphureted hydrogen gas disengaged. Qualities.—Precipitated sulphur is white, with a very slight greenish tinge. When heated in a retort in a low heat, it acquires the colour of common sulphur, and water is deposited in the beak of the retort ; from which circumstance, and the same degree of whiteness being produced when sulphur is sublimed into a vessel filled with steam, there is reason for supposing that precipi- tated sulphur owes its whiteness to the presence of a little water. It differs in no other respect from sublimed sulphur, and is an unnecessary refinement for the sake of appearance in the composition of oint- ments. AQUA SULPHURETI KALI, Dub. Water of Sulphuret of Kali. " Take of sublimed Sulphur, half an ounce; water of caustic Kali, nine fluid ounces. Boil them together for ten minutes, and filter through paper. Preserve the preparation in well-stopped phials. The specific gravity of this liquor is, to that of distilled water, as 1120 to 1000." Syn. Liquore di solfuro di Potassa (/.), The name given to this preparation con- veys an erroneous idea of its nature. When an alkaline sulphuret is dissolved in water, changes exactly similar to those we have mentioned (Sulphurpracipitatum) as taking place during the solution of an earthy sul- phuret occur, altering the character of the product; and as the same happen by the direct combination of sulphur with a liquid alkali, this preparation is not a simple aqueous solution of sulphuret of potass, but, in fact, a solution of hydrogureted sulphu- ret of potuss, or sulphuret of potass com- bined with sulphureted hydrogen.§ § It was formerly denominated Liquid Hepar, or Liquid Liver of Sulphur. 382 PREPARATIONS OF SULPHUR. Qualities. -—This solution has a slightly I fetid odour, and a nauseous, acrid, bitter taste. Its colour is reddish yellow, ap- | proaching to deep orange ; its feel soapy ; and it stains the cuticle a greenish black. Acids decompose it, precipitating the sul- phu , and disengaging a portion of sulphu- retted hydrogen gas ; and it is also decom- posed by exposure to the air, the oxygen of which being absorbed by the sulphur forms sulphuric acid, which produces a sulphate with the potass ; so that in process of time the whole is changed into a solution of sul- phate of potass. Hence the necessity of preserving it in well stopped phials. Medical properties and uses.—This solu- tion does not differ in its medicinal proper- ties from the solid sulphuret of potass. It is, however, chiefly employed as an external application ; and as such has been found very beneficial in tinea capitis, scabies, and herpetic eruptions. When given internally, the dose is from H"lxx. to fgiss. twice a day. HYDRO-SULl'HURETUM AMMO- NliE, Edin. Hydro-Sulphuret of Ammonia, "Take of water of Ammonia, Sulphuret of iron, of each four ounces,- Muriatic acid, eight ounces,- water, two pounds and a half. Pour the acid, previously mixed with the water, on the sulphuret, and transmit the gas evolved, through the water of ammonia. Preserve the solution in well-stopped phi- als." Sulphuretum Ferri, Dub. Sulphuret of Iron. " Take of filings of Iron, six ounces .- sub- limed Sulphur, two ounces. Mix them, and expose them in a covered crucible to a gen- tle heat until they unite." HvnRO-SULFHURETUM AmMOU'I.E, I) lib. Hydro-Sulphuret of Ammonia. "Take of Sulphuret of Iron in coarse powder, four ounces,- Muriatic acid, seven fluid ounces,- water, two pints,- water of caustic ammonia, four ounces. Put the sul- phuret of iron into a matrass, and gradually pour over it the acid diluted with water; and in a proper apparatus transmit the gas evolved from it through water of ammonia. Toward the conclusion ofthe operation ap- ply a moderate heat to the matrass." The proportions of the ingredients or- dered in the Dublin formula for producing the sulphuret of iron enable them to unite at a low heat; and the combination is at- tended with a brilliant ignition, which takes place without the presence of air. The compound is of a grey colour intermixed with yellow, resembling bronze ; has a me- tallic lustre, and a crystalline texture, with a considerable degree of brittleness, and when pulverized yields a black powder. According to Proust, 100 parts of it con- sist of 62-5 of iron, and 37'5 of sulphur.* The addition of the diluted muriatic aciJ. by oxidizing the iron, enables it to decom- pose the water, the hydrogen of which dis- solving, part ofthe sulphur escapes, in the form of sulphureted hydrogen gas, which combines at a low temperature with the ammonia of the solution through which it is made to pass. Mr. Cruikshankf advises the sulphuret of iron to be prepared " by raising a piece of iron in a smith's forge to a white heat, and then rubbing it against the end of a roll of sulphur; the iron, at this temperature, immediately combines with the sulphur, and forms globules of pyrites (sulphuret), which should be receiv- ed into a vessel filled with water; these globules are to be reduced to powder, and introduced into the proof, to which a suf- ficient quantity of the muriatic acid is to be added." Various other means have been also recommended for the preparation of the sulphuret; but the process directed by the Dublin college is easy and perfectly adequate for the purpose. Qualities.—Hydro-sulphuret of ammonia is of a dark green colour; has a very foetid odour, and an acrid, disagreeable taste. It is decomposed by the acids. Medical properties and uses.—This pre- paration is a powerful sedative, lessening the action ofthe stomach, and of the arte- rial system in a remarkable degree ; and even in moderate doses producing sickness, vomiting, and vertigo. It was first propos- ed as a remedy by Mr. Cruikshank, with the view of diminishing the morbid appe- tite and powerful action of the digestive organs, which attend those labouring under diabetes mellitus; and its subsequent use has been confined to the treatment of that disease. The dose to an adult should not at first exceed "rn^v. or TT^vj. given in a large tumbler of water, three or four times a day ; and the number of drops should be gradually increased, until a slight degree of giddiness takes place, when any further in- crease must be stopped. AQUA SULPHURETI AMMONLK, Dub. Water of Sulphuret of Ammonia. " Take of lime recently prepared, MurUfr ate of Ammonia in powder, of each four ounces; sublimed sulphur, hot water, of each two fluid ounces. Sprinkle the water on the lime, in an earthen vessel, and co- ver it until the lime fall to powder; mix this when cold by trituration with the sul- phur and muriate of ammonia, avoiding the vapours ; then put the mixture into a re- tort, and distil with a strong heat suddenly raised. Preserve the liquor thus obtained in a phial closely stopped with a glass stop- per." In this process the lime decomposes the muriate of ammonia, attracting its acid, • Journal de Physique, liii. 89. t Rollo on Diabetes and Lues Venerea. PREPARATION OF VEGETABLES. 38j and forming a muriate of lime ; while the disengaged ammonia unites with the sul- phur, one part of which, however, is con- verted into a hydro-sulphuret, by hydrogen arising from partial decomposition of the water, which, combining with the sulphu- ret of ammonia, thus produces a hydrogu- reted sulphuret of ammonia. It was for- merly known by the name of Fuming Li- quor of Boyle, having been first prepared by that philosopher. Qualities.—This liquid is of a deep orange-colour, has a strong ammoniacal foetid odour, and emits white fumes, owing, as Berthollet ascertained, to an excess of ammonia. The addition of an acid preci- pitates sulphur, and occasions the disen- gagement of sulphureted hydrogen gas. It consists of hydrosulphuret of ammonia holding an excess of sulphur, which it gra- dually deposits, losing the property of fum- ing, and is then a nearly pure hydrosulphu- ret of ammonia.* We are ignorant of any medicinal use to which this preparation has been applied. VEGETABILIA. Vegetables. The collection of vegetables cannot be attended to by the apothecary, and, conse- quently, the directions necessary for that purpose are of less importance to him than a knowledge of the botanical characters of plants, and the appearances they assume when they are collected under proper cir- cumstances and well dried: for inert plants are often introduced by the collectors among those which possess the most active properties; and from a careless or an im- proper mode of drying them, the medici- nal virtues ofthe majority of plants are al- together destroyed. When, however, op- portunities permit the apothecary to be his own collector, these should not be neglect- ed ; and the collection and drying of some plants, particularly foxglove and hemlock, should never be left to the common collec- tor. . The following general directions are, ^.Jk^refore, given in the London Pharmaco- poeia for collecting vegetable substances. " Vegetables are to be gathered from the soil and situations where they sponta- neously grow, in a dry season, and when no dew is upon them : they are to be col- lected every year, and any which shall have been longer kept are to be thrown away." " Roots, for the most part, are to be dug up before their stems or leaves shoot forth." This direction may be followed when the roots are cultivated : but if the prior direc- tions be attended to, it is not easy to con- ceive by what means the roots are to be discovered before the stems and leaves are * Thor'non'' Cheinist'-y. jth edit. iii. ■''So put forth. The object of the order is the obtaining the roots with their active prin- ciples in the most concentrated state; and this may be effected by digging them up late in autumn, or early in winter, after the sap is completely detruded to the root, and the stem is withered, but yet attached to the root, by which its situation is pointed out. If any change in the composition of the juices takes place during the cessation of vegetation in winter, it is probable that the same will happen, if the root, after be- ing dug up, be preserved in sand. " Barks are to be collected at that sea- son in which they are more easily separated from the wood." Spring is the season here alluded to ; as at this time, after the sap begins to ascend, the bark is in general very easily separated. But a mole important reason may be given for preferring this pe- riod, as in spring the active principles de- posited in the proper cells of the bark are most abundant: thus, oak bark collected in spring contains four times more tannin than that which is collected in winter.f " Leaves are to be gathered after the flowers have expanded, and before the seeds are mature." These should be in the most perfect state, free from disease, and full grown. " Flowers are to be gathered when just opened." There is, however, one excep- tion to this rule in the red rose, which must be gathered before the buds are expanded. " Seeds are to be collected when they are ripe, and before they drop from the plant. They ought to be preserved in their seed vessels." VEGETABIL1UM PRA^PARATIO, Lond. Preparation of Vegetables, "Vegetables soon after they are gather- ed, except those which are to be used in the recent state, are to be lightly spread out, and dried as quickly as possible, with a heat so gentle that their colour will not be altered ; and then preserved in proper situ- ations or vessels, where the light and mois- ture are excluded." When plants cannot be dried immediately on being gathered, they should be revived by immersing their stalks in water for twelve hours. When the leaves are the parts intended to be em- ployed, these are then to be carefully freed from the stalks, and laid in thin layers in baskets of willow stripped of its bark, in a drying room kept quite dark. They should then be exposed to a temperature of 140° Faht. for six or eight hours. When the leaves begin to shrivel, they should be turned, and the same temperature conti- nued, until they crumble readily in the t Vrtle Biggin's Table. I'bil. Trans, 17dw. 384 PREPARATION OF VEGETABLES. hand. When the process has been well conducted, the leaves should retain their green colour and their medicinal* proper- ties. The vessels best adapted for preserv- ing them are oil jars made perfectly clean and dry ; closely covered and kept in a dry warm situation. It is better to preserve those leaves, the virtues of which are parti- cularly connected with their colour, as hemlock and foxglove, in this state, than in the form of powder, a small portion only being occasionally powdered for current use. " Roots, which are required to be pre- _ served fresh, should be buried in dry sand. The Sq.uill nooT (bulb), before drying it, is to be denuded of the arid coats, and cut transversely into thin slices. " Pulpt fruits, if they be unripe, or ripe and dried, are to be placed in a damp situation, until they become soft: then press out the pulp through a hair sieve : after- wards boil with a gentle heat, frequently stirring; and finally, dissipate the water in a water-bath, until the pulp acquires a pro- per consistence. " Over the bruised pods of Cassia, pour boiling- water, so as to wash out the pulp, which is to be first pressed through a sieve with large holes, and afterwards through a hair sieve; then dissipate the water in a water-bath, until the pulp acquires a proper consistence. " Press through a sieve the pulp or juice of ripe and fresh fruits, without boiling them." VEGETAB1LIUM EXSICCATIO, Edin. The Drying of Herbs and Flowers. "Herbs and flowers are to be dried by ihe gentle heat of a stove or a common fire, in such a quantity at once as will admit of fhe operation being very quickly finished: for by this means their powers are better preserved; the indication of which is the perfect preservation of their natural colour. "The leaves of Hemlock, (Conium ma- culatum) and of other plants containing a subtile, volatile matter, are, when dried, to be immediately reduced to powder, and preserved in well stopped glass vessels." "The root (bulb) of the Seas«.uill, (Scilla muritima,) freed from its external coat, is to be cut transversely into thin slices. The indication of its being proper- ly dried is the retention of its bitterness and acrimony after it has become friable." The directions of the Dublin College are similar. (See Pulvis Scilla among the Powders.) After the squill has been pro- * The above is the method adopted by Mr. Batt- iey, of Fore Street, whose attempts to improve r>harmacy deserve the thanks ofthe profession. perly dried, in which operation it loses seven-eigtiths of its weight, it must be kept in a dry place, as it is apt to retain itsmois- ture in some degree, and become mouldy. It cannot, however, be long preserved in the state of powder without becoming al- most inert. HERBARUM EXSICCATIO, Dub. The Drying of Herbs. " Put the fresh leaves of the herb, ga- thered when it is in flower, into paper bags, and expose them to a low heat for an hour; then strew them lightly upon a sieve, and dry them as quickly as possible, taking care that their green colour be not injured by too much heat; but if the herbs are to be used under the form of powder, let them be immediately powdered, and the powder preserved in well closed, opaque phials. " Herbs and flowers from which oils and distilled waters are to be obtained, should be dried as soon as they are collected." P ULPAR UM EXTRA CTIO, Edin. Extraction of Pulps. " Fruits which afford a pulp, if unripe, or if ripe and dry, are to be boiled in a small portion of water, till they become soft -, then the pulp is to be pressed through a hair sieve, and afterwards boiled in an earthen vessel with a gentle heat, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning, until it acquires the consistence of honey. " In like manner the pulp of Cassia fis- tula is to be boiled out from the bruised pod, and then brought to a proper consis- tence by evaporating the water. " The pulps of recent and ripe fruits are to be pressed through a sieve without be- ing previously boiled." Dublin. " If the fruits, the pulps of which are to be extracted, be unripe, or ripe and dry, they are to be boiled in a small portion of water until they become soft; and then the pulps, pressed through a hair sieve, are to be reduced by slow evaporation to a proper thickness." SUCCI SP1SSATI, Edin. Inspissated Juices. "Beat the fresh substance, and press it strongly through a canvass bag, in order to obtain the juice; which being put into a wide shallow vessel, and heated by means of boiling water saturated with sea salt, is to be reduced to the consistence of honey. The mass, when cold, is to be put into glaz- ed earthen vessels, and moistened with strong alcohol." The juices of fresh vegetables obtained .OF GUM RESINS. 385 by expression contain, besides the sap of which they chiefly consist, mucilage, fecu- la, extractive matter, and the other proper juices of the plant. When newly express- ed, these matters are mixed together, and form a viscid heterogeneous fluid, which gradually separates, by rest, into two parts; the one formed of a deposit of all the inso- luble components of the juice generally in- volved in mucilaginous matter; the other a clear liquor, consisting of water, holding some mucilage in solution, with the acids and salts, if any, and other soluble princi- ples of the juice. As the clear liquor is that which is wished to be obtained for me- dical use, it is separated by first decanting it from the deposit, then filtering it repeat- edly through a linen cloth, and adding about one-fortieth part of its weight of alcohol; after which it is allowed to remain at rest for some time, and again filtered previous to being put into the bottles in which it is intended to be preserved. The bottles should be kept in a cool cellar, and sunk up to the neck in sand. Various other methods, also, are employ- ed for depurating vegetable juices; but as these preparations are now almost obsolete, we do not think it necessary to detail them. By whatever means they are prepared, ve- getable juices undergo chemical changes, and spontaneous decompositions from keep- ing, which must necessarily affect their virtues as medicines. They are therefore properly rejected from all the Pharmaco- poeias. The articles given in the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia under the title Succi spissati being associated by the London College with the extracts, and the difference be- tween these preparations being scarcely sufficient to constitute a generic distinc- tion, we have thought it proper not to alter the London arrangement in this respect, and have therefore placed the whole under the title Extracts. GUM RESINS. GUMMT-RESIXiE. Lond. "Separate Opium very carefully from all extraneous matters, particularly those ad- hering to its outside. Let it be kept in a soft state fit for forming pills; and in a hard state, such as can be produced by drying it in the heat of a water-bath, capable of be- ing rubbed into powder. "Those GuM-nEsivs are to be preferred which can be selected in such a state of purity as to require no purification. If, however, they appear to be less pure, boil them in water until they soften, and ex- press them by a press through a hempen bag: then set them aside, that the resinous part may subside. Pour off the super- natant fluid, and evaporate it by the heat of a water-bath, adding the resinous part towards the end of the operation, and mixing it intimately with the gummy part so as to form one mass. " Those Gum-resins which easily liquefy are to be purified by putting them into an os bladder, and holding them in boiling water, until they become soft enough to be freed from their impurities by pressing them through a hempen bag. " Dissolve the Balsam of storax in rec- tified spirit, and strain it; then distil off the spirit by a gentle heat, until the balsam acquire a proper consistence." Gum-resins which require to be treated in the above manner are unfit for internal use, and should be kept chiefly for form- ing plasters and for other external pur- poses. The degree of heat, although not 49 more than sufficient for the liquefaction of the substances, is nevertheless enough to dissipate many of their odorous and vola- tile principles, and occasion some changes of composition. The directions for the treatment of opium are sufficient for free- ing it from all the grosser impurities 4 and as the remedy remains unaltered, its strength is preserved unimpaired ; where- as when spirit is employed, as was former- ly ordered in the London Pharmacopoeia, and is still ordered by the Dublin college, it always suffers in efficacy. OPIUM PURIF1CATUM. Dub. Pu- rified Opium. Syn. Opium pur (F.), Mohnsaft (G.), Oppio puro (/.), Oppio puro (■*>.). " Take of opium cut into small pieces, one pound; proof spirit, twelve pints. Di- gest with a gentle heat and frequent agi- tation, until the opium be dissolved: then filter the solution through paper, and distil it from a retort to separate the spirits; pour out the residuary liquor, and evapo- rate it until the extract be of a proper thickness. Purified opium must be kept in two states ; one soft, proper for forming pills, and one hard, capable of being'redu- ced to powder." STYRAX PURIFICATA. Dub. Purified Storax. Syn. Styrax in Kdrnern (G.), Storace depurato (/.). " Digest the storax in tepid water until it softens ; then press it in a press between 386 EXPRESSED OILS. iron plates heated with boiling water ; and finally, separate it from the water." In this process a considerable part ofthe benzoic acid of the storax is dissipated by the heat of the iron plates, and the efficacy of the remedy consequently diminished. Hence the directions of the London col- lege for purifying this substance are to be preferred. OLEA EXPRESSA. Expressed Oils. Vegetables yield two distinct species of oil, one of which is volatile at a high tem- perature, but the other cannot be volati- lized without suffering decomposition. The first of these is termed Volatile Oils, the second, Fixed Oils. The latter name is properly adopted by the Edinburgh col- lege, and is more suitable than Expressed Oils, the epithet given to this class of sub- stances by the London and the Dublin col- leges. Fixed Oils are obtained from fruits and seeds either by expression or decoction with water. The dicotyledons, or seeds with two seed-lobes, yield the greatest proportion of oil. When the first process is employed, the fruit or seed is put into a strong hempen or hair bag, and subjected to the press ; during the action of which, the oil is forced out, generally combined with some other of the vegetable princi- ples, which are afterwards separated by subsidence. The process is facilitated, and the quantity of oil increased, by heating the plates ofthe press, or previously roast- ing the seeds ; but the oil thus obtained is more liable to become rancid, and hence the cold-drawn oils are always preferred for medicinal purposes. When the oil is to be obtained by decoction, the fruits or seeds are to be bruised previously to being boiled ; and the oil which is separated is to be skimmed off from the surface ofthe wa- ter on which it swims. Fixed oils have different degrees of con- sistence ; they are, 1. Fluid at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, congealing in a temperature a little higher than the freezing point of water. 2. Concrete at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, and require a higher degree for their lique- faction. The first are denominated fluid oils ; the second, vegetable butters. 1. Fluid Fixed Oils are generally ino- dorous.and nearly insipid, or have a mild taste. They are transparent, viscid so as to run in streaks upon the sides of glass ves- sels, and have generally a slight tinge of co- lour, which may be removed by digestion with charcoal. They are generally lighter than water, but differ from each other in specific gravity. At about 600° of Fahren- heit they boil, and are then volatilised, but in a state of partial decomposition ; the va- pour readily catches fire, and burns with a yellow flame. When exposed to the atmos- phere at a high natural temperature, such as exists in summer, or in heated rooms, the fixed oils expressed without heat become thick, lose much of their transparency, ac- quire a sharp taste and a disagreeable odour, and are then said to be rancid : but when heat has been used in their expression, they only become thick, and acquire resinous properties. In both cases the changes are produced by the absorption of oxygen; but in the first case, owing to the combina- tion of the oxygen with some of the vege- table mucilage present in the cold-drawn oil, sebacic acid is formed ; and by its dif- fusion through the oil, the change in its properties is produced. Fixed oils are insoluble in water; but they may be mingled through water, and kept suspended in it by means of mucilage or yolk of egg. They are, with one or two exceptions, nearly insoluble in alcohol and ether ; but unite readily with each other, with volatile oils, and with resinous sub- stances. They dissolve sulphur, and form a kind of balsam with it. With the alkalies they combine, and form soaps; but with the acids undergo decomposition: and when boiled with some of the metallic oxides, tough solid compounds or plasters are pro- duced. 2. Concrete fixed oils possess nearly the same properties as the fluid fixed oils. They are, however, more soluble in alcohol and ether, but are not capable of entering so readily into combinations with the alkalies. The ultimate constituents of fixed oil are carbon and hydrogen. For medicinal purposes, these oils are required to be free from rancidity ; conse- quently, they must be preserved in closed vessels, and carefully excluded from the air. OLEUM AMYGDALARUM, Lond. Oil of Almonds. " Macerate Almonds, either bitter or sweet, in cold water, for twelve hours, and bruise them; afterwards express the oil without heat." Oleum Amtgdali communis. Edin. Oil of the Almond. " Take of fresh Almonds, and bruise them in a stone mortar, then put them into a hempen sack, and express the oil by a press, without heat." Oleum Amtgdalarum. Dub. Oil of Al- monds. " Bruise fresh Almonds in a mortar; and then express the oil by a press, without heat." Syn. Huile d'Amandes (F.), Mandelnolh (G.), Olio di Mandarleh (/.), Vadomcottay ' unnay (Tarn.). DISTILLED, OR VOLATILE OILS. 387 The oil obtained from both the sweet and the bitter almond is equally free from bitterness, if heat be not employed. Six- teen ounces of almonds yield about five ounces* of a bland inodorous oil, of a very slightly sweetish taste, which is at first a little turbid, but soon becomes clear. Its colour is a very pale greenish yellow, and its specific gravity ,932.f The oil from the bitter almond, it is said, keeps longer with- out growing rancid than that from the sweet almond. It is soluble in ether, in the proportion of f^x. to f^iv. of ether. Medical properties and uses.—This oil is demulcent and emollient, and is used in coughs and other pulmonary complaints, united with water by means of mucilage or the yolk of egg and sugar. A mixture of f ^iv. of almond oil, and nLviij. of acetate of lead, forms a useful injection at the com- mencement of gonorrhoea. The dose of the oil is from fgiv. to f 3; j. OLEUM LINI, Lond. Dub. OLEUM LINI USITATISSIMI, Edin. Oil of Lin- seed. " Bruise the seeds of common Flax, and afterwards express the oil without heat." Syn. Huile de graine de lin (F.), Lei- nbhl (G.), Olio di Lino (/.), Azeyte de Laxor (S.). The proportion of oil thus obtained is about 20 per cent, of the seed employed. It is combined with a considerable portion of mucilage, + has a strong disagreeable odour, and a nauseous taste; is not con- gealed except by a cold below 0° of Fah- renheit ; and boils at 600° ofthe same scale. Its colour is a high yellow ; and its specific gravity .932. § Four ounces of alcohol are required to dissolve one drachm of it: but the same quantity of ether takes up a fluid ounce and a half. Medical properties and uses.—Linseed oil is emollient, demulcent, and slightly laxa- tive. On account of its nauseous taste, it is seldom used as an internal remedy, al- though it has been given with advantage in ileus when purgatives have failed. It is chiefly employed in the form of glyster, in flatulent colic, attended with costive- ness, and in abrasions ofthe rectum : and is a useful application to burns, especially when combined with lime water. The dose, when taken by the mouth, is from ^ss. to anum. Officinal preparation Calcis, E. Linimentum Aqua • About oz.iij. more may be obtained by impreg- nating the marc with the steam of boiling water. t Fabroni. t The oil usually prepared on a great scale is more free from mucilage, the seeds being roasted before they are Mibjecttd to the press. $ Shaw's Bcin, ii, .31?. OLEUM RICINI, Lond. Castor Oil. " Bruise Castor seeds, previously decor- ticated ; and express the oil without heat." Syn. Huile de Ricin (F.), Rizinusohl (G.), Olio di Ricino (/.), Sitt. amamaha unnay (Tarn.) The mode of obtaining this oil, with its qualities and medicinal virtues, have been already noticed. The purer it is, the more soluble it is in alcohol of spec. grav. "820. (See Ricinus, Part ii.) OLEA DISTILLATA. Distilled, or Volatile Oils. Volatile Oils, as they are properly de- nominated by the Edinburgh college, are vegetable products, found in almost every part of the vegetable body, except the co- tyledons of the seeds, the part in which, almost always, the fixed oils are contained. In some plants, the volatile oil exists in distinct vesicles, and is obtained by simple expression; but in general it can only be obtained by distillation ; whence the name Distilled Oils, given to this class of sub- stances by the London college : and as the odour of plants generally depends on their volatile oils, the Dublin college, following the example ofthe elder chemists, who de- nominated them Essences, have adopted the term Essential Oils. The expressed volatile oils are now rejected from all the Pharmacopoeias ; and the whole of those used in pharmacy retained, are produced by distillation. Volatile oil is obtained from both recent and dried plants. When fresh plants are to be employed, they require no previous treatment; but when the plants are dry, or woods or barks are to be employed, the plants must be macerated in water for some time, and the woods and barks be pre- viously rasped. The distillation is perform- ed in the following manner. The plants, or the parts of them containing the oil, are to be put into a tinned copper still, and closely pressed down ; after which, as much water is to be poured in as will be sufficient to cover the materials. The head of the still, which should be low, is then to be luted on ; the fire lighted, and so regulated as to keep the contents ofthe still scarcely up to the boiling point; and the distillation f 3 j-j butfgvj. may be given at once, per ^continued, until the condensed vapour comes over nearly insipid and inodorous During this process the volatile oil rises with the watery vapour, from which, how- ever, the greater part ofit again separates, after it has remained at rest for some hours in a cool place, and either floats on the sur- face of the water, or sinks to the bottom, according to its specific gravity. The com- plete separation ofthe oil is effected by an instrument called a separatbry (see Part i) ; and the water is to be again osed for a 388 DISTILLED, OR VOLATILE OILS. second distillation of fresh materials, by which, as it is already impregnated with as much of the oil as it can dissolve, the pro- duct of oil of the second, and every subse- quent distillation, will be consequently greater than that of the first; but it is not till " the tenth distillation, in some cases, that the produce ofthe oil attains its maxi- mum."* By the same process, volatile oils are obtained from bajsams, resins, gum-re- sins, and turpentines. They have not their characteristic qualities in perfection imme- diately after their distillation, but have a disagreeable empyreumatic odour : to dissi- pate which they must be allowed to stand for some days in vessels loosely covered with paper, before they be put into the bot- tles in which they are to be preserved, which should be opaque. Although all volatile oils agree in their chemical properties sufficiently to consti- tute them members of the same class of substances, yet they differ greatly in their qualities from each other, and in the pro- portions in which they are obtained. Volatile oils have a penetrating odour, and hot taste. They are completely eva- porated when heated in the open air ; a pro- perty which is taken advantage of as a test of their purity ; for if they be adulterated with fixed oil, which is not unfrequently the case, by heating a small portion ofthe oil on a piece of clean paper, a greasy spot will remain, whereas if the volatile oil be pure, the paper will be left perfectly clean. In a higher temperature, volatile oils are readily ignited, and burn with a bright white flame, emitting a large quantity of black dense smoke ; and with the produc- tion of a large proportion of carbonic acid and water. Volatile oils exposed to the light are changed in colour, or become colourless; when exposed to the air, they become more viscid, less odorous, redden the tincture of turnsole, and gradually assume the form of resins. These changes, Dr. Priestley ascertained,-j- depend upon the absorption of oxygen; and hence the necessity of preserving volatile oils in small phials, completely full, and well corked. An oil which has become thick and scentless, may be rectified by re-distilling it, with some ofthe same kind of plant from which or sulphuric ether ;t a limpid odorous oil comes over, and resin remains in the re- tort. These oils are very sparingly soluble in water, and render it milky when agitated with it, communicating to it their odour: they are all soluble in alcohol, ether, and * Aikin's Dictionary of Chemistry, Art. Oil. T Priestley on Air, ij. 232. } Nicholson's Journal, 8vo. vii. 68. the fixed oils in various proportions. From their solubility in alcohol they are some- times adulterated with that fluid ; but the fraud may be detected by agitating some of the suspected oil with water; when if the oil contain alcohol, an increase of tem- perature will be indicated by the thermo- meter, but not if the oil be pure.§ The more expensive oils are also occasionally adulterated with the cheaper, particularly with oil of turpentine, which however is readily discovered by its peculiar odour, if a piece of paper be dipped in the suspected oil, and dried with a gentle heat. They are also sometimes adulterated with castor oil; and as the mixture, when the ingredi- ents are in equal proportions, is soluble in alcohol, the fraud cannot be detected by that test; but it is rendered obvious by the adulterated oil leaving a greasy stain upon paper, which has been touched with it, and held before the fire, whereas no stain is left by the genuine oil. Volatile, oils unite with sulphur, in a temperature sufficient to melt it, and form brown-coloured foetid mixtures, which have been denominated balsams of sulphur. The alkalies and earths combine imperfectly with them, and constitute a class of bodies which the French chemists have denomi- nated saponules. The action of the acids is much more violent than on the fixed oils; and several of them detonate when rubbed with oxymuriate (chlorate) of potass. As medical agents, volatile oils are stimu- lant and aromatic. They are chiefly em- ployed to remove nausea and flatulence, to correct the griping qualities of some pur- gatives, and the disagreeable taste of other remedies. They may be given, triturated with water and mucilage ; or dropped first on a lump of sugar, and through its me- dium diffused in water, forming a solution of what has been denominated oleum sac- charum. The quantity of sugar must be more than ten times the weight ofthe oil; and when they are well triturated together, the oil becomes thus completely soluble in water, and may be diluted to any extent. Some ofthe more stimulant of these oils are added to embrocations to be used a» rubefacients in cases of numbness, pains, and paralytic affections of the joints. The three British colleges give the fol- it was originally extracted, or with alcohol Rowing general rules for the preparation of volatile oils. OLEA DISTILLATA, Lond. Distilled Oils. The seeds of Anise and Carraway, the flowers of Chamomile and Lavender, the berries of Juniper and All-spice, the tops § Marqueron, Annales de Chimie, xlviii. 267. DISTILLED, OR VOLATILE OILS. 389 of Rosemary, and the entire plants of the other articles, dried, are to be employed. " Put any one of these into an alembic, then pour in as much water as will cover it, and distil the oil into a large refrigera- tory. " The water which distils over the oils of carraway, peppermint, spearmint, all-spice, and penny-royal, is to be preserved for use." OLEA VOLATILIA, Edin. Volatile Oils. " As much water only is to be employed as will prevent empyreuma during the dis- tillation. The distillation may be imme- diately commenced after a proper mace- ration .- and the oil afterwards separated from the water. " It is also necessary to observe, in pre- paring these oils and the distilled waters, that the quality of the substances, their texture, the season of the year, and similar circumstances, musf occasion so many dif- ferences, that it is scarcely possible to give any certain and general rules which shall strictly apply to every example. Many things, therefore, which must be regulated , by the judgment of the operator, are omit- ted, and the more general only given." OLEA ESSENTIALIA, Dub. Essential Oils. " Let the oil be extracted by distillation, from the substance previously macerated in water, as much water being added during the distillation as may be sufficient to pre- vent empyreuma. " In distilling Fennel, Peppermint, Spear- mint, Penny-royal, and All-spice, the watery fluid which comes over in distillation with the oil is to be preserved for use according to the directions under the head of Distilled Waters." Few of the volatile oils are prepared by the apothecary. The oils of Anise, Chamo- mile, Juniper, Origanum, Rosemary, and Pimento are usually imported into this coun- try; while those of Lavender, Peppermint, Spearmint, and Penny-royal, are annually prepared on a large scale.* OLEUM ANISI, Lond. Oleum Volatile Pimj?inell;e Anisi, Edin. Oleum Seminum Anisi, Dub. Oil of Anniseed. Syn. Huile d' Anis (F.), Anisbhl (G.), Olio di Anice (/.). This oil is of a whitish or a pale straw- colour, has the odour of the plant, and a slightly pungent, bitter, sweetish taste. It crystallizes at 50° in flat tables. Sixteen pounds of Anise-seeds yield about seven ounces of oil. It is sometimes adulterated • London Medical Review, April 18;0. 140. with wax, Spermaceti, or Camphor; but the fraud is easily detected, for on moderately warming the genuine oil the crystals dis- solve, which is not the case with sophisti- cated.-|- Medical properties and uses.—This oil is used chiefly as a carminative; and as it is less pungent than many of the other volatile oils, it is better adapted for relieving flatu- lence in children. It is given in doses of from n\,v. to nT,xv. triturated with sugar. OLEUM ANTHEMIDIS, Lond. Oleum Volatile Anthemidis Nobilis, Edin. Oil of Chamomile. Syn. Huile de Camomille Romaine (F.), Kamillenbhl (G.), Olio di Camamilla Ro- mana (/.), Azeyte de Manganella de Bo- tera (S.). The odour of this oil is unpleasant, and the taste pungent. When recently distilled the colour is cserulean blue, but by expo- sure to light it changes to yellow. Eighty. two pounds of chamomile flowers yield eighteen drachms of oil.$ Medical properties and uses.—This oil is supposed to possess antispasmodic powers, and is therefore sometimes recommended in cramp ofthe stomach, and as an adjunct to purgative pills. The dose is from m^v. to Tt\,x. but it is seldom used. OLEUM CARUI, Lond. Oleum Seminum Carui, Dub. Oil of Carraway. Syn. Huile de Carvi (F.), Kiimmelbhl (G.), Olio di Carvi (I), Azeyte de Alcoro- vea (S.). Six pounds of Carraway-seeds yield four ounces and a half of oil.§ It has an aromatic odour, and a sweetish pungent taste; is viscid, and of a yellow colour. Its specific gravity is -946.| Medical properties and uses.—Oil of car- raway is stimulant and carminative. It is chiefly used as an adjunct to purgative pills, and to cover the disagreeable flavour of other substances. The dose is from ttlj. to TTLx. OLEUM SEMINUM FUNICULI DUL- CIS, Dub. Oil of Fennel Seeds. Syn. Huile essentiale de Fenoule (F.), Fenchelohl (G.), Olio di Finoichio (/.), Azey de l'Eneldo hinojo (S.). Seventy-five pounds of Fennel seeds yield thirty ounces of oil,f which is colourless, and congeals at 50°. It has the odour of the plant, and a hot sweetish taste. Its specific gravity is -997.** Medical properties and uses.—The same as those ofthe plant. The usual dose is from Jnjj. to \x\xx, it is rarely used. t Baum£. X Ibid. $ Ibid. || Ibid. U Dehne. *• Lewis. 390 DISTILLED, OR VOLATILE OILS. OLEUM JUNIPERI, Lond. Oleum Vol- atile Juniperi communis, Edin. Oleum Baccarum Juniperi, Dub. Oil of Jumper, Syn. Huile essentiale de Genevrier (F.), Wachholder beerbhl (G.), Olio di Ginepro (/.). , Forty-eight pounds of bruised Juniper berries yield six ounces of oil,* of a specific gravity -61 l.-j- Its odour is similar to that of turpentine, and the taste hot and acrid. It has a greenish yellow colour, is viscid, and deposits a feculent matter when long kept. When genuine it is soluble in al- cohol. Medical properties and uses.—This oil is carminative, diaphoretic, and diuretic. It is sometimes given in dropsy, and may be added to Foxglove when it is exhibited in the form of pills. The dose is from Tnjj. to Tx\x. combined with water by means of .sugar or of mucilage. OLEUM LAVANDULAE, Lond. Oleum Volatile Lavandula Spice, Edin. Oleum Florum Lavandula, Dub. Oil of Laven- der. Syn. Huille essentiale de Lavendeldhl (G.), Olio di Lavanda (/.), Azeyte del' Espliego (S.). One pound nine ounces of this oil are ob- tained from eighty pounds of Lavender flowers. The odour is very fragrant, and the taste warm and agreeable. Its colour is a very pale lemon yellow, and its specific gravity -9364 Medical properties and uses.—This oil is stimulant and cordial. It is chiefly used in hysteria and nervous headach, in doses of from try. to Yl\v. given on a lump of sugar. OLEUM VOLATILE LAURI SASSA- FRAS, Edin. Oleum Corticis et Ligni Sassafras, Dub. Oil of Sassafras. Sixty pounds of bruised Sassafras yield twelve ounces§ of a viscid yellow oil, hea- vier than water, its specific gravity being 1-094. ft Its odour is fragrant, and its taste hot and acrid, excoriating the lips when in- cautiously tasted. The Edinburgh college orders it to be distilled from the bruised root. Medical properties and uses.—This oil is stimulant, and supposed to be also sudorific and diuretic. It has been given in chronic rheumatism, scurvy, and some cutaneous af- fections. The dose is from '"i.ij. to Tn^x. but it is scarcely ever ordered. OLEUM MENTHA P1PERITJE, Lond. Oleum Volatile Menthjb Piperita, Edin. Oleum Herbje florescentis Menth.35 Pi- peritidis, Dub. Oil of Peppermint. Syn. Huile essentiale de Menthe Poivre"e * Dehne. t Lewis. X Ibid. § Ban ml. jj Ibid. (F.) Pfeffermunzbhl(G.) Olio di Menta pi- pentide (I.) Four pounds of the dried plant yield three drachms of this oil.Tf Its odour is strong, and its taste very pungent, but at the same time impressing a sensation of coldness. Its colour is brownish-yellow ; but it becomes white when exposed to the light. Medical properties and uses.—Oil of Pep- permint is stimulant and carminative. It is a common domestic remedy in cramp of the stomach, flatulent colic, and anorexia ; and is usually rubbed up with sugar or muci- lage. The dose is from nl, j. to ITLiij. OLEUM MENTHiE VIRIDIS, Lond. Oleum Herbje florescentis Menthje Sa- tire, Dub. Oil of Spearmint. Syn. Huile essentiale de Baume* verte (F.) This oil has a flavour similar to that of Peppermint, but less grateful; its taste is warm and less pungent; its specific gravity ■975**; and its colour greenish. Medical properties and uses.—The same as those of oil of Peppermint. The dose is from nT_ij. to rt\,v. given on a lump of sugar. Officinal preparation. Infusum Mentha compositum. OLEUM ORIGANI, Lond. Oleum Vo- latile Origani Marjoran^, Edin. Oleum Heris2b florescentis Origani, Dub. Oil of common Marjoram. Syn. Huile essentiale d'Oriang (F.) Dos- tbhl (G.) Olio di Origano (/.) Azeyte de Origane Sylvestre (S.) One hundred and fifty pounds of dried leaves of common Marjoram yield fifteen ounces of oil.f -j- of a yellow colour, having the odour ofthe plant, and a hot acrid taste. Its specific gravity is -9404t Medical properties and uses.—On account of its acrid quality this oil is never exhibited internally. As a local stimulant it is some- times used to allay the pain of tooth-ach, two or three drops on a piece of cotton be- ing put into the carious tooth. OLEUM PIMENTJE, Lond. Oleum Vo- latile MyrtiPiment2e, Edin. Oleum Bag- carum Pimentje, Dub. Oil of Pimento. Syn. Huile essentiale de Poivre de Ja- maique (F.) Nelherpfefferbhl (G.) Olio di Pimento (I.) This oil has the agreeable odour of the Pimento, with its pungent taste in an in- creased degree. It is of a reddish brown colour, and is heavier than water. Medical properties and uses.—It has the same properties as Allspice in a greater de- gree ; and is given in dyspeptic affections, colic, and tympanitis, in doses of from ttyij. 1 Baume. *• Lewis. tt Baiim*. XX Ibid. DISTILLED, OR VOLATILE OILS. 391 to TTLv. rubbed with sugar, or in any proper vehicle. OLEUM PULEGII, Lond. Oleum Her- »" florescentis Pulegii, Dub. Oil of Pennyroyal. Syn. Huile essentiale de Menthe Peuliot (F.) Poleiohl (G.) Olio di Puleggio, (I.) Azeyte de Peleo (S.) This oil is of a reddish-yellow colour and resembles in its other qualities the oil of Peppermint. Its specific gravity is *978.* Medical properties and uses. —It is stimu- lant and antispasmodic, but is scarcely ever used. The dose may be from y\\ j. to "n^v. given on a lump of sugar. OLEUM ROSMARINI, Lond. Oleum Volatile Rorismarini officinalis, Edin. Oleum Herbje florescentis Rorismarini, Dub. Oil of Rosemary. Syn. Huile essentiale de Romarin (F.) Rosmarinohl (G.) Olio di Rosmarino (/.) Twenty-four pounds of the plant yield one ounce of a fluid colourless oil,7 the odour of which is less agreeable than that ofthe plant. It deposits crystals of Cam- phor when long kept. Its specific gravity is -9344 Medical properties and uses.—It is stimu- lant; and frequently enters into the compo- sition of liniments. The dose, as an internal remedy, may be from ttljj. to n\vj. but it is scarcely ever ordered. OLEUM HERB#: FLORESCENTIS RUTiE, Dub. Oil of Rue. Twenty-one pounds of Rue yield fifty- nine grains of § oil, which has the strong ungrateful odour and taste of the plant. When recently drawn the colour is yellow, but it deepens to a brcrWn by age, and de- posits a brownish resinous sediment. It congeals at 40° Fahrenheit. Medical properties and uses.—Oil of Rue is stimulant and antispasmodic. It is some- times given in hysteria, and the convulsive affections of infants attendant on dentition ; and is sometimes used as a rubefacient in palsy. The dose is from TTiij. to ttl,v. tri- turated with sugar or mucilage. OLEUM HEKBjE JUNIPERI SABINE, Edin. Oleum Foliorum Sabine, Dub. Oil of Savine. Syn. Huile essentiale de Sabine (F.), Sevenbaumdhl (G.), Olio di Sabina (/.), Azeyt de Enebrio Sabina (S.) Two pounds of Savine are said to yield five ounces of ft oil. It is limpid, has the odour of the plant, and is extremely acrid to the taste. Its colour is yellow ; but it be- comes colourless on being kept exposed to light. * Lewis. t Baume. X Lewis. $ Baume. || Murray. Medical properties and uses.—This oil is the principle on which the virtues of Sa- vine depend ; hence it possesses the same properties, and is applicable to the same purposes as the plant. The dose may be from n\ij. to n\vj. triturated with sugar. OLEUM CORNU CERVINI RECTIFI- CATUM, Dub. Rectified Oil of Hartshorn. " Take of the oil which rises in the dis- tillation ofthe volatile liquor of Hartshorn, three pounds ; water, six pints. " Distil the oil, then remix it with the water, and redistil, repeating the distilla- tions until the oil become limpid. It ought to be preserved in a dark place, in small phials completely filled, and closely stopped." This empyreumatic oil is first formed by the decomposition of animal matter by heat; and arises from a new combination of part ofthe hydrogen and carbon ofthe substance distilled. As first obtained it is thick, of a dark colour, and has a very offensive odour: but by the rectification above or- dered, it is rendered thinner, and less of- fensive. Qualities.—Rectified oil of hartshorn is nearly colourless and transparent; has a strong, slightly aromatic odour, and a pe- netrating taste. It is very light and vola- tile, strikes a green colour with syrup of violets; is partially soluble in water, and unites readily with alcohol, ether, and oils. The acids form with it a thick saponaceous compound ; and with the alkalies it forms a true soap. Exposure to light and air de- stroys its transparency, and gives it a deep brown colour. Medical properties and uses__This oil is stimulant, antispasmodic, anodyne, and su- dorific. It was formerly regarded as a re- medy of much efficacy in fever, particular- ly when given a few hours before the ac- cession of the paroxysm of intermittents ; and was also much employed in epilepsy, hysteria, and all convulsive affections. It is now almost discarded from practice, being only occasionally used as an external application to paralytic limbs. The dose may be from n\,x. to n\xxx. in a sufficient quantity of water. OLEUM SUCCINI, Lond. Oil of Amber. "Put the Amber into an alembic, and distil from a sand-bath, with a fire gradually raised, an acid liquor, the oil, and a salt im- pregnated with the oil. Then redistil the oil twice." Oleum Succini, Edin. Oil of Amber. " Take of Amber in powder and of pure sand, equal parts. Mix them together in a glass retort, the capacity of which the mixture only half fills ; and having adapted to it a large receiver, distil in a sand-bath, with a gradually augmented heat. An aqueous fluid tinged with a little yellow oil v. dl first come over; then a yellow oil with 392 DISTILLED, OR an acid salt, and, lastly, a black and reddish oil. Pour the fluid from the receiver and separate the oil from the water." Oleum Succini Purissimum, Edin. Pure Oil of Amber. " Distil the oil of amber mixed with six times its quantity of water, from a glass re- tort until two-thirds of the water pass over into the receiver. Then separate this pu- rified volatile oil from the water, and keep it in well stopped phials." Oleum Succini rectificatum, Dub. Rec- tified Oil of Amber. " Take of the oil which comes over in the preparation of Succinic acid, a pound; wa- ter, six pints. Distil until two thirds of the water have passed into the receiver .- then separate the oil." Syn. Huile de Succin (F.), Bernstei- nbhl (G.), Olio di Succino Rettificato (/.) The oil of Amber, as immediately pro- cured by the distillation of Amber, is of a dark colour, a thick consistence, and has a very foetid odour ; but by successive dis- tillations it is rendered thinner, of a lighter colour, and at length is obtained nearly limpid. Qualities.—Rectified oil of Amber has a strong ungrateful odour, and a hot acrid taste. It is light, volatile, and inflammable, insoluble in water, and only partially solo- ble in alcohol. Medical properties and uses.—Oil of Am- ber is stimulant, antispasmodic, and rubefa- cient. It has been found serviceable in deficient menstruation, and in hysteria, epi- lepsy, and some other convulsive affec- tions ; but it is now scarcely ever adminis- tered as an internal remedy. The dose may be from \r\v. to ir^xy. combined with any distilled water by means of mucilage. It is more generally employed externally as a rubefacient in rheumatism and paralysis ; and a mixture of f^j. of this oil with f^ss. of tincture of opium has been found bene- ficial as a friction to the affected part in tic doloureux ; and in hooping-cough, rubbed upon the chest twice or three times a day.* Officinal preparation. Spiritus Ammonix. succinatus. OLEUM TEREBINTHINE,E, Dub. Oil of Turpentine. " Take of common Turpentine, five pounds,- water, four pints. Distil the oil from a copper alembic. Yellow resin will remain in the retort after the distillation." OLEUM TEREBINTHlNiE RECTIFI- CATUM, Lond. Dub. Rectified Oil of Turpentine. " Take of oil of Turpentine, a pint (two * The empirical nostrum, known by the name of Roche's Embrocation, for hooping cough, consists of two parti of Olive oil, one part of oil of Amber, and one part of oil of Cloves. VOLATILE OILS. pints, Dub.); water, four pints. Distil the oil (a pint and a half of the oil, Dub.) Oleum volatile Pini purissimum, Edin. Purified Oil of Turpentine. " Take of oil of Turpentine, one pint; water, four parts. Distil as long as any oil passes over." Syn. Huile essentiale de Tirebenthine (F.), Terbenthinbhl(G.), Olio di Tremen- tina (/.), Azeyte de Pino (S.). The chemical qualities and medicinal properties of oil of Turpentine have been already noticed. (See Pinus, Part ii.). The rectification of it is a troublesome pro- cess, and on account of the great inflam- mability of the vapours, much caution is required to prevent them from escaping through the lutings of the vessels, and catching fire. The rectified oil is a little lighter tnan the common oil, and completely free from any resinous admixture; but in other respects it has no peculiar excellence to recommend it. What remains in the retort is a thick resinous matter, and is de- nominated balsam of turpentine. Medical properties and uses.—These hare been already mentioned ( Part ii.). I have had several opportunities of ascertaining the efficacy of oil of Turpentine as a reme- dy for tape-worm. In every case in which I have administered it, the worm has been expelled, and the symptoms relieved. In general, the animal has been voided of a livid hue, and evidently killed ; but in one instance, in which a portion of five feet in length was passed after two fluid ounces of the oil had been taken, it was not livid, and when voided, exhJ-dted evident signs of animation. In noTnstance have we per- ceived that the large doses of the oil, which were taken for the above purpose, pro- duced any particular effect on the urinary organs. The more usual sensible effects are temporary intoxication, accompanied with considerable nausea, and sometimes vomiting, which, after two or three alvine evacuations, subside, and leave a degree of languor for ten or twelve hours. The pain of the stomach and side, which is a usual concomitant of the disease, is always re- moved by the oil. I have also given this oil in combination with Cinchona, with evi- dent benefit in rheumatism ; particularly in that modification of the disease, which attacks one side only of the head, and is periodical; the paroxysms generally coming once or twice in the twenty-four hours. Tincture of capsicum, in doses of ttliij., >s a useful adjunct to the bark and turpentine in this affection. In some persons, however, Turpentine affects the kidney, producing pain and bloody urine, and in others, its ad- ministration has produced a severe erythe- matic eruption over the body. The dose in rheumatism is fgi. repeated every four hours; but in taenia it may be given in doses DISTILLED WATERS. 393 °ff3J- combined with syrup of poppies, repeated every six hours until the worm is expelled. AQUJE DISTILLATE. Distilled Waters. It has been already remarked that the volatile oil, on the presence of which the odour and the taste of plants in a conside- rable degree depend, is elevated during distillation with water; and a portion of it being retained in solution, the water thus acquires the odour and taste ofthe vegeta- ble with which it is distilled. The qualities, however, thus acquired by water, are scarcely, in any case, sufficient to give it much power as a remedy ; and hence, the distilled waters are generally employed as elegant vehicles only for the exhibition of more active substances. The following general directions are given by the London college for the pre- paration of these waters. " Waters are to be distilled from dried plants, unless it be otherwise ordered, be- cause fresh plants cannot be procured at all times ofthe year. When fresh plants are employed, the weight of them ordered is to be doubled. " To every gallon of these waters add five fluid ounces of proof spirit, to pre- serve them from spoiling." The Edinburgh college orders half an ounce of proof spirit, and the Dublin col- lege half a fluid ounce of rectified spirit, to be added to each pound of the water. Waters distilled from aromatic plants are more grateful when the plant is used in the dried state; but when delicate odorous flowers or herbs are employed, and the water acquires little more than odour by the distillation, the vegetable should al- ways, if possible, be used in the recent state. Much care is required in conduct- ing the process, to prevent any of the ve- getable matter from being scorched, and to stop the distillation before the water is tainted by empyreuma. Notwithstanding, however, every attention that can be given, distilled waters, when newly prepared, have a very disagreeable empyreumatic odour, to dissipate which the vessels hold- ing the waters must be left open to the air as long as any ofthe unpleasant odour remains; but, afterwards, it is essential for the pre- servation of the waters that they be pre- served in closely corked vessels. When long kept, many of the distilled waters undergo a species of decomposition ; they become slightly sour, and a ropy vis- cid matter forms in them, owing to the essential oil they contain, undergoing de- composition, and changing into mucilage. The addition of the spirit is intended to prevent this from taking place, but it is not adequate to the effect intended; and a much preferable mode is to redistil the waters, after which they will keep good for several years. Several of these waters are prepared on a great scale of a superior quality to any that the apothecary can prepare, and cheaper. AQUA DISTILLATA, Lond. Distilled Water. " Take of water, ten gallons. First distil four pints, which are to be rejected, and then distil four gallons. Preserve the dis- tilled water in a glass bottle." Edinburgh. " Let water be distilled in clean vessels, until two thirds of the quantity employed have distilled over." Dublin. " Take of spring water, twenty pounds. Put them into a glass retort, and having rejected the first pound which comes over, let one gallon be distilled over with a gen- tle heat." Syn. Eau distille (F.), Einfaches destil- lirtes wasser (G.), Acqua Distillata (/.), Aqua Distillada (S.). Water is almost universally diffused over the surface ofthe earth, but it is not found perfectly pure in any place, which is owing to its great solvent powers enabling it to take up a portion of many substances with which it must come into contact in its na- tural state. These impregnations, how- ever, in spring and in river water, are not sufficient in general to give them any very sensible taste, or render them unfit for the ordinary purposes of life ; but for many pharmaceutical purposes it is necessary that the water be absolutely free from every foreign ingredient. Rain water is the pur- est kind of natural water, but it neverthe- less contains a portion of carbonic acid gas, and minute quantities of carbonate of lime, and of muriate of lime ; in spring water, besides these ingredients, is found a small portion of muriate of soda: well water, which is spring water obtained from a greater depth, holds in solution a much larger portion of carbonic acid, and several earthy salts, the principal of which are sul- phate and carbonate of lime ; and river wa- ter is impregnated with different propor- tions of carbonate of lime, sulphate of lime, and muriate of soda. By distillation water is freed from these ingredients, and render. ed nearly pure. The process should be conducted slowly, with a moderate degree of heat, and not continued longer than the time specified in the formulae, otherwise a minute portion ofthe saline matter con- tained in the natural water passes over in the distillation. Although the necessity of distilled water for many pharmaceutical operations is very obvious, yet, by too much refinement in 394 DISTILLED WATERS. this particular having been erroneously insisted upon in the former London Phar- macopoeia, apothecaries have of late years almost altogether neglected its use, even in cases where it is absolutely necessary. This error the college has avoided in its present Pharmacopoeia, and therefore it may be expected that the directions for using it will be strictly attended to. But, as it is not always easy for the apothecary to prepare distilled water, rain water, fil- tered through alternate strata of well, wash- ed sand, or powdered flints and charcoal, will answer every purpose for which distil- led water is required. Soft water is a more powerful menstruum of vegetable matter than hard water ; and resinous substances cannot easily be mixed with water contain- ing calcareous matter, even when mucilage is used, whereas they readily mix with very soft or distilled water. Perhaps it should be a rule to use filtered rain water only in all pharmaceutical operations. In extempora- neous prescriptions distilled water is often ordered, when there is no necessity for its use, and often neglected to be ordered when it is absolutely necessary. 11 may, therefore, be useful to know that it is ne- cessary in formulae containing any of the following substances : Acidum sulphuricum, Acidum citricum, Antimonium tartarizatum, Argenti Nitras, Cuprum ammoniatum, Fer- rum tartarizatum, Hydrargyri Oxymurias, Liquor Ammonia, Liquor Plumbi Acetatis, Liquor Potassa, Plumbi Superacetas, Solu- tio Muriatis Baryta, Vinum Ferri, Zinci Sulphas, Ferri Sulphas. AQUA ANETHI, Lond. Dill water. Syn. Eau d'Aneth puant (F.), Acqua di Aneto Puzzolente (/.). "Take of Dill seeds bruised, a pound. Pour on them so much water, that during the distillation there may be a sufficiency to prevent empyreuma. Distil one gallon." This water has an unpleasant odour and little pungency. It is used principally as a carminative for infants. AQUA CARUI, Lond. Carraway Water. Syn. Eau de Carvi (/V, Feldkumel was- ser (G.) Acqua di Carvi (/.) "Take of Carraway seeds bruised, a pound. Pour on them so much water, that during the distillation there may be a suffi- ciency to prevent empyreuma. Distil a gallon." Carraway water possesses a considerable share of the aromatic flavour and pungen- cy of the seeds, and may be used for the same purposes. AQUA CITRI AURANTII, Edin. Water of Orange-peel. Syn. Eau d'Orange (F.) Pomeranzen wasser(G.) Acqua de Arancio (/.) "Take of fresh Orange-peel, two pounds. Add so much water that when ten pounds have been drawn off by distillation, there | shall remain a quantity sufficient to prevent empyreuma. After due maceration distil ten pounds, to which add five ounces of di- luted alcohol." The water has the flavour only of the orange-peel. AQUA CITRI MEDICJE, Edin. Water of Lemon-peel. Syn. Eau de Citronier (F.) Citronen was- ser (G.), Acqua de Limone (/.) This is prepared in the same manner as the former; ten pounds of water being dis- tilled from two pounds of fresh lemon- peel. It has the flavour ofthe peel, but is seldom used. AQUA CINNAMOMI, Lond., Dub. Ao.ua Lauri Cinnamomi, Edin. Cinnamon wa- ter. Syn. Eau de Cannelle (F.), Zimmt wasser (G.\ Acqua di Cinamomo (/.) " Take of Cinnamon bark bruised, a pound; water, a pint. Macerate the bark in the water for twenty-four hours ; then add a sufficient quantity of water to prevent empyreuma during the distillation. Distil a gallon." This water is milky, and has the agree- able flavour and pungency of the Cinna- mon ; but the oil being ponderous is apt to separate, leaving the water clear and insi- pid. It is a gentle stimulant and aromatic, but is chefly used to cover the nauseous taste of other medicines. AQUA LAURI CASSIA], Edin. Water of Cassia Bark. Syn. Eau de Casse (F.), Acqua di Can- nella(7.) This is prepared from one pound of bruis- ed Cassia bark, in the same manner as the former, for which it is often substituted, being less expensive ; but it is also less agreeable. AQUA FUNICULI, Lond. Aq.ua Fu- niculi dulcis, Dub. Fennel Water. Syn. Eau de Fenouil (F.) Fenchel wasser (G.) Acqua di Finocchio (I.) "Take of Fennel seeds bruised a pound. Pour over them as much water as will pre- vent empyreuma during the distillation. Distil a gallon." AQUA MENTHJE PIPERITA, Lond. Edin. Aq_ua Mentha Piperitidis, Dub. Peppermint JFater, Syn. Eau de Menthe poivrde (F.) Pfeff- ermunz wasser, (G.) Acqua di Menta Pi- peritide (I.) " Take of Peppermint a pound and a half (three pounds, Edin.) Pour over it as much water as will prevent empyreuma during the distillation. Distil a gallon, (ten pounds, Edin.") Peppermint water has the flavour and taste of the plant in a considerable degree. It is sometimes used alone as a carminative, but more generally for the purpose of co- | vering the taste of other medicines. SIONS. 395 INFU! AQUA MENTHA VIRIDIS, Lond. AauA Mixthb satiyjk, Dub. Spearmint Water. " Take of Spearmint, a pound and a half. Distil a gallon of water in the same manner as above." AQUA PIMENTJE, Lond. Aq.ua Myr- ti Piment.-b, Edin. Ao.ua Pimento, Dub. Pimenta Water. Syn. Eau de poivr^e de Jamaique (F.) Nelherpfeffer wasser (G.), Acqua di Pi- menti (/.) "Take of Pimento berries bruised, half a pound,- water, a pint. Macerate the berries in the water for twenty-four hours ; and with a sufficient quantity of water to prevent empyreuma, distil a gallon, (ten pounds, Edin.") This water has the odour and aromatic quality of the Jamaica pepper, but is not very agreeable to the taste. It is used as a carminative in dyspepsia. AQUA PULEGII, Lond. Dub. Ao.ua Mentuje Pulegii, Edin. Pennyroyal Wa- ter. Syn. Eau de Menthe peuliot (F.) Poley wasser (G.), Acqua di Puleggio (/.). " Take of Pennyroyal, a pound and a half (three pounds, Edin.) Pour over it a sufficient quantity of water to prevent em- pyreuma, and distil a gallon, (ten pounds, Edin.) Pennyroyal water has the flavour and taste of the green herb. It is used for the same purposes as peppermint water. AQUA ROSiE, Lond. Aq.ua Ros;e cen- tifoli.e, Edin. Rose Water. Syn. Eau des Roses (F.), Rosin wasser (G.) Acqua di Rose (/.), Agua rosada (S.). " Take of the petals of the hundred-leav- ed Rose, eight pounds, (six pounds, Edin.) Pour over them as much water as will pre- vent empyreuma during the distillation. Distil a gallon, (ten pounds, Edin") Aq.ua Rosje, Dub. Rose Water. " Take ofthe fresh petals ofthe Damask rose freed from their claws, six pounds ,- water, a sufficient quantity to prevent empy- reuma. Distil a gallon." This water has the agreeable odour of the rose in great perfection when properly prepared; which, however, is seldom the case, except when it is made on a large scale. It is very apt to spoil, unless it be rectified by a second distillation. As rose water is perfectly free from any acrimony, and, except in point of odour, does not differ from simple distilled water, it is very generally employed in collyria, with acetate and superacetate of lead, and acetate and sulphate of zinc. INFUSA. Infusions. These are solutions of vegetable matter, obtained by uucer.tUou cither in cold or boiling water. As in the case of decoction, the substance must be sliced or bruised if in a recent state, or pulverized if dry, in order to expose a large surface to the action of the menstruum. The term Infusion, in pharmaceutical language, is confined to watery solutions. The substances which water, without the aid of boiling, can extract from vegetable matter submitted to its action, are gum, mucus, extractive, tannin, the bitter and narcotic principles, gum-resin, volatile oil, acids, and alkalies, a range which includes most of the principles on which the medi- cinal properties of plants depend. These principles, also, are less liable to be altered by infusion than by decoction, and, conse- quently, this form of preparation is to be preferred in every instance to which it is applicable. The strength and quality ofthe infusions are varied by the degree of tem- perature of the water: those made with hot water being necessarily stronger, but par- ticularly in the case of bitters: cold infu- sions are more grateful. In making infusions, when heat is re- quired, the vessel is to be placed near the fire, so that the temperature of the water may be kept up to the necessary point for a sufficient length of time to produce Ihe effect intended. Perhaps it might be an advantage, were the external surface of in- fusion pots covered with a metallic coating and polished ; by which, as the heat would be much more slowly radiated than from the vessels usually, employed, the effect of it would be more uniform and certain in promoting the solvent powers ofthe water. Infusions, like decoctions, are liable to undergo spontaneous decomposition, if kept even for a few days; and therefore the London college has properly directed half a pint only to be made at one time, thus regarding them as extemporaneous prepa- rations. INFUSUM ANTHEMIDIS, Lond. In- fusum Anthemidis Nobilis, Edin. Infusion of Chamomile. "Take of chamomile flowers, two drachms ; boiling water, half a pint. Mace- rate for ten minutes (twenty-four hours, Edin.) in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion is clear, of a pale yellow colour, and has the odour and taste of the flowers. It precipitates solution of Isinglass, whitish ; infusion of yellow Cinchona bark, white; solution of Sulphate of Iron and of tincture of Muriate of Iron, black; solution of Nitrate of Silver, white ; of Oxymuriate of Mercury, pale brown ; and of Acetate and Superacetate of Lead, yellowish white. These substances, therefore, are incompati- ble in prescriptions with this infusion. Medical properties and uses.—It is a good stomachic and tonic; and may be given in 396 INFUSIONS. dyspepsia and other complaints attended with debility of the stomach, in doses of from f^j. to fgij. two or three times a day. When exhibited warm it excites nausea, and is occasionally employed to assist the operation of emetics. INFUSUM ARMORACLE COMPOSI- TUM, Lond. Compound Infusion of Horse- radish. " Take of fresh Horse-radish root, sliced, Mustard seed, bruised, of each, an ounce ,- boiling water, a pint. Macerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain ; then add of compound spirit of Horse-radish one fluid ounce." This infusion, after it is strained, deposits by rest a whitish feculent matter, which should be separated. The supernatant clear part is of a sulphur yellow colour, and holds dissolved in every fluid ounce rather more than grs. x. of solid matter. It has a very pungent odour, and a hot biting taste ; pre- cipitates infusion of galls yellowish, and in- fusion of yellow Cinchona bark white. The solutions of the pure alkalies do not affect it: but with their carbonates whitish pre- cipitates are produced, as is also the case with solution of Oxymuriate of Mercury ; while nitrate of silver produces one of a brown colour. Hence all those substances, except the pure alkalies, are incompatible in formula with this infusion. This infusion soon spoils in hot weather, and emits an of- fensive odour. Medical properties and uses.—This is not an unusual form of giving Horse-radish, the stimulant property of which is aided by that ofthe Mustard. It is particularly serviceable in paralysis, and in dropsies occurring after intermittents. The dose is from t'3J. to fgiij. given three or four times a day. INFUSUM AURANTII COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound Infusion of Orange-Peel. " Take of dried Orange-peel, two drachms; fresh Lemon-peel, one drachm,- Cloves, bruised, half a drachm,- boiling water, half a pint. Macerate for fifteen minutes in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion has the agreeable compound odour and taste of the ingredients from which it is made. It is clear, and has the brown hue of deep-coloured sherry wine. It precipitates Sulphate of Iron black; and also produces precipitates with Superace- tate of Lead, infusion of yellow Cinchona bark, and lime-water. Medical properties and uses.—It is an ex- cellent and grateful stomachic. The. dose may be from f 5 j. to f §iv. given twice or thrice a day. INFUSUM CALUMBiE, Lond. Infusum Columbje, Edin. Infusion of Calumba. " Take of Calumba root, sliced, one drachm: boiling water, half a pint. Mace- rate for two hours in a lightly covered ves- sel, and strain." The active matter of Calumba is not all extracted by water. The infusion is inodo- rous, and tastes bitter. It is clear and of a pale brown colour: affords precipitates with infusion of yellow Cinchona bark, Lime-water, and solution of Oxymuriate of Mercury, which, therefore, ought not to be ordered in conjunction with it. This infu- sion soon spoils. Medical properties and uses.—Infusion of Calumba is a good stomachic bitter in dys- peptic cases, and for restraining the nausea and severe vomiting which occur in pr'eg. nancy. It is also useful in the severe diar- rhoea and vomiting which often attend den- tion. The dose may be from f§jss. to f ^iij. given several times a day. INFUSUM CARYOPHYLLORUM, Lond. Infusion of Cloves. "Take of bruised Cloves, a drachm; boiling water, half a pint. Macerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion contains all the active mat- ter of the Cloves ; one fluid ounce holding nearly grs. vj. in solution. It is of a deep clear brown colour, has an aromatic odour, and a bitterish aromatic taste, and affords precipitates with infusion of yellow Cin- chona bark, the strong acids, and Lime- water. Solution of Sulphate of iron occa- sions a copious black precipitate; sulphate of Zinc, Superacetate of Lead, and Nitrate of Silver, brown precipitates. It also de- composes tartarized antimony. Medical properties and uses.—It is a warm and grateful stomachic ; and may be advan- tageously used in dyspepsia, particularly when it arises from the abuse of ardent spirits, accompanied with a sensation of coldness at the stomach ; in chronic gout, and flatulent colic. The dose is from f% jss. to f §ij. given three or four times a day. INFUSUM CASCARILL.E, Lond. Infusion of Cascarilla. " Take of Cascarilla bark, bruised, half an ounce ; boiling water, half a pint. Mace- rate for two hours in a lightly covered ves- sel, and strain." This is a clear, pale reddish brown infu- sion, having the aromatic odour of the bark, and a bitterish aromatic taste. It is incom- patible in formulae with the following sub- stances, which it precipitates ; lime-water, infusion of galls, infusion of yellow Cin- chona bark, solutions of Nitrate of Silver, acetate and superacetate of Lead, sulphate of Zinc, and sulphate of Iron, which is slowly thrown down, of a pale olive colour. Medical properties and uses.—It is alight stimulant, and tonic ; and is advantageously given in some alvine fluxes, particularly such as occur after measles; and in the aphtha gangrenosa of infants. In combina- tion with carbonate of Soda, it forms an ex- cellent tonic in those affections of children INFUS1 which are dependent on a weak state of the digestive organs, and accompanied with acidity. The dose may be from f ^ jss. to INFUSUM CAT'ECHU COMPOST- TUM, Lond. Compound Infusion of Cate- chu. " Take of extract of Catechu, two drachms and a half; Cinnamon bark, bruised, half a drachm ; boiling water, half a pint. Ma- cerate for an hour in a lightly covered ves- sel, and strain." Infusum Acacia Catechu, Edin. Infu- sion of Catechu. " Take of pulverized extract of Catechu, two drachms and a half; Cinnamon bark, bruised, half a drachm,- boiling water, seven ounces; simple syrup, one ounce. Macerate the extract and bark with the water for two hours, in a covered vessel; then strain, and add the syrup. Syn. Infusion de Cachou (F.), Kathechu infusum (G.), lnfuso di Cato (/.). In these formulae it is intended that the whole ofthe soluble matter ofthe Catechu taken up by the boiling water should remain dissolved after the infusion cools; but we find that a considerable portion is deposit- ed. When the extract is triturated with water at 212°, as much of it is dissolved as the water can hold in solution, so that a pre- paration similar to this infusion may be im- mediately made by simply triturating the materials together. The addition of the syrup ordered by the Edinburgh college prevents' the preparation from keeping longer than two or three days, although without the syrup it will keep good for months. Qualities.—This infusion is inodorous, and has a slightly bitter austere taste, leav- ing, even when it contains no syrup, an agreeable sweetness in the mouth. The colour when the pale Catechu is used, is a light brown or ale colour ; but when the dark Catechu is employed, a deep red brown. The following substances precipi- tate its tannin, or otherwise alter its pro- perties, and therefore ought not to be or- dered in formulae with it; solution of Isin- glass, infusion of yellow Cinchona bark, the strong acids, Sulphate of Iron, Sulphate of Zinc, Oxymuriate of Mercury, tartarized. Antimony, and Superacetate of Lead. The alkalies only deepen the colour. Medical properties and uses.—This infu- sion, which is a powerful, agreeable astrin- gent, is the best form under which Catechu can be prescribed; and is very useful in lpng continued diarrhoea, and other fluxes, proceeding from a weakened state of the intestines. The dose is from fgj. to f §iij. given after every liquid dejection, or every four hours. INFU'SUM CINCHO'NJE, Lond. Infu- sion of dnchuua Bark. IONS. 397 Syn. Infusion de Quinquina (F.), Chi- nainfusum (G.), lnfuso di China (/.) " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark,* bruised, half an ounce ; boiling water, half a pint. Macerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion contains a very considera- ble portion of the febrifuge matter of the bark ; it is slightly turbid, has a pale pink- ish yellow colour, more of the aromatic odour of the bark than the decoction pos- sesses, and an equal degree of bitterness and astringency. It ferments spontaneous- ly in the course of a few days during sum- mer. It affords precipitates with the fol- lowing substances; the strong acids, the alkaline carbonates, lime-water, solutions of Sulphate of Iron, Sulphate of Zinc, Nitrate of Silver, Oxymuriate of Mercury, Oxide of Arsenic, Subcarbonate of Potass, and tarta- rized Antimony : the aqueous infusions and decoctions of Chamomile flowers, Calum- ba, Cascarilla, Horse-radish, Cloves, Ca- techu, Orange-peel, Foxglove, Senna, Rhu- barb, Valerian, Simaruba, and Elm bark. Any considerable portion of the tinctures also produces precipitates in this infusion. Some of these precipitates take place im- mediately, others not till after several hours have elapsed ; the febrifuge virtue is perhaps not always destroyed by them, but the mixtures are certainly rendered inelegant. The sulphuric acid destroys the bitterness of the infusion, but not its astringency; and adds considerably to its efficacy. Medical properties and uses.—The Cin- chona in this form agrees better with most stomachs than when in powder ; but its powers are necessarily diminished. It is chiefly serviceable in dyspepsia, and con- valescences, particularly after the matura- tion of the pustules in Ecthyma vulgare. The dose is from f^j. to f 3HJ. three or four times a day. INFUSUM CINCHONiE LANCIFO- LLE, Edin. Infusion of Cinchona. Infusum Cinchonje sine Calore, Dub. Cold Infusion of Cinchona. " Take of Cinchona bark, bruised, one ounce ; water, one pound (twelve ounces by measure, Dub.) Macerate for twenty-four hours, agitating frequently, and strain. (Triturate the bark with a little of the wa- ter, and whilst triturating add the remain- der ; then macerate for twenty-four hours, occasionally agitating, and decant the clear liquor. Dub." The directions of the Dublin college for making this infusion are preferable to those of the Edinburgh college. It is nearly clear, but deposits by rest a small quantity • The other species of Cinchona may be used in the same manner and proportions. 398 INFUSIONS. of a brick red sediment. It is affected by the same substances, and its properties and use are the same as those of the former preparation, from which it differs chiefly in strength. The residuum may be used for some purposes, as its active matter is not nearly exhausted. INFUSUM CUSPARLE, Lond. Infusion of Cusparia. "Take of Cusparia bark, bruised, two drachms; boiling water, half a pint. Mace- rate for two hours in a lightly covered ves- sel, and strain." This infusion is slightly turbid, and of a brownish colour ; has a somewhat aromatic odour, and a bitter taste. The solution of Sulphate of Iron throws down a greenish yellow precipitate, and Sulphate of Zinc a yellowish one; Nitrate of Silver, Oxymu- riate of Mercury, Superacetate of Lead, in- fusions of Galls, and of Catechu also, pro- duce precipitates in it. Tartarized Anti- mony is slowly decomposed. These sub- stances, therefore, cannot properly be or- dered in formulae with this infusion. Medical properties and uses.—This infu- sion possesses the stimulant and tonic pro- perties ofthe bark, and is a useful form of giving it in typhoid fevers, obstinate bilious diarrhoea, and in dysentery, after proper evacuations. The tincture of Cinnamon both covers its taste, and makes it sit light- er on the stomach. The dose is from fgj. to f^iij. given every three or four hours. INFUSUM DIGITALIS, Lond. Infusion of Foxglove. " Take of dried Foxglove leaves, a drachm ; boiling water, half a pint. Mace- rate for four hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain ; then add of spirit of cin- namon, half a fluid ounce." Infusum Digitalis purpurea, Edin. In- fusion of Foxglove. " Take of dried Foxglove leaves, one drachm ; boiling water, eight ounces ; spirit of Cinnamon, one ounce. Macerate the leaves with the water for four hours in a lightly covered vessel; then, having added the spirit, strain." Syn. Infusion de Digitale purpurine (F.), Fingerhut aufguss (G.), lnfuso di Digitale porporina (/.). The faint odour and nauseous bitter taste ofthe Foxglove are covered by the spirit of Cinnamon in these infusions, which are clear, and of a brownish yellow colour. The solution of sulphate of Iron slowly throws down in them a pale olive precipi- tate ; superacetate of Lead and infusion or decoction of yellow Cinchona produce in- stantaneous and copious precipitates. Medical properties and uses.—These in- fusions do not differ materially from the formula of Withering, and are well calcu- lated to obtain speedily the diuretic effects of the remedy. The dose is from f ^ss. to fgj. given twice a day; or every eight hours, if the patient be strong, and the symptoms very urgent. For the necessary cautions to be observed in administering them, see the article Digitalis, Part ii. INFUSUM GENTIANJE COMPOSI- TUM, London. Compound Infusion of Gentian. " Take of Gentian root, sliced, Orange- peel, dried, of each, a drachm,- fresh Lemon-peel, two drachms,- boiling water, twelve fluid ounces. Macerate for an hour in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." Edinburgh. " Take of Gentian root, sliced, half an ounce,- dried Orange-peel, bruised, Cori- ander seeds, bruised, of each a drachm,- diluted Alcohol, four ounces ,- water, one pound. First, pour on the alcohol, and, after three hours, the water; then mace- rate without heat for twelve hours, and strain." Dublin. " Take of Gentian root, bruised, two drachma ; fresh Lemon-peel, half an ounce ,- dried Orange peel, a drachm and a half; proof spirit, four ounces by measure,- boil- ing water, twelve ounces by measure. First, pour on the spirit, and, three hours after- wards, the water ; then macerate for the space of two days, and strain." The spirit ordered by the Edinburgh and Dublin colleges, is intended to aid the solvent power of the water, and to pre- serve the infusion, which in summer very soon becomes ropy, and spoils; but as in- fusions can always easily be prepared, and boiling water takes up the greater part of the active matter of the ingredients, the spirituous addition, and the length of time ordered for the maceration, are certainly objectionable. The formula of the London college is free from both these objections, and produces a clear infusion, of a yellow- ish colour, with the agreeable odour ofthe Orange-peel, and a pleasant bitter taste. The solution of acetate of Lead throws down a copious precipitate in this infusion ; and sulphate of Iron strikes a brown co- lour, but no precipitate takes place for twelve hours. Medical properties and uses.—These are very common and elegant tonic and sto- machic infusions. They are given in dys- pepsia and chlorosis, united with the cha- lybeates, or with alkalies; in atonic gout and diarrhoea, with absorbents and aroma- tics ; in jaundice, with Rhubarb and saline purgatives; and in dropsies, with squills and neutral salts. From f^j. to f3>j- may be given for a dose, three or four times a day. INFUSUM LINI COMPOSlTUM.Lond. Compound Infusion of Linseed. "Take of Linseed, bruised, an ounce; Liquorice root, sliced, half an ounce; boil- INF US ing water, two pints. Macerate for four hours near the fire, in a covered vessel, and strain." Infusum Lini Usitatissimi, Edin. In- fusion of Linseed. "Take of Linseed, an ounce,- Liquorice root, bruised, two drachms,- boiling Water, two pounds. Digest for. four hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." Syn. Infusion de Sentence de Lin (F.), Leinsamen aufguss (G.), lnfuso di Semi di Lino (A). This infusion is a solution of mucus near- ly in its pure state. It is clear, colourless, inodorous, and nearly insipid. Alcohol precipitates the mucus in white flocculi; and precipitates are also produced by sub- acetate and acetate of Lead, and the tinc- ture of muriated Iron; hence these sub- stances are incompatible in formulae with this infusion. Medical properties and uses.—Infusion of Linseed is a cheap and very useful demul- cent, in the various cases in which this class of remedies is indicated, and during the internal exhibition of corrosive muriate of mercury. The dose is f^ij. frequently, repeated. INFUSUM MENTH.E COMPOSITUM, Dub. Compound Infusion of Mint. " Take of the leaves of Spearmint, dried, two drachms; boiling water, a sufficient quantity to afford six ounces by measure when strained. Digest for half an hour in a covered vessel, and strain the liquor when cold; then add of refined sugar, two drachms, oil of Spearmint, three drops, dis- solved in half an ounce (fluid?) of com- pound tincture of .Cardamoms. Let them be mixed." Medical properties and uses.—This is a grateful stomachic, and is also slightly dia- phoretic. It may prove serviceable in anorexia and nausea, and as a vehicle to cover the disagreeable taste of other me- dicines. The dose may be from f'^j. to f^i'j- or ad libitum. INFUSUM QUASSIiE, Lond. Infusion of Quassia. " Take of quassia wood, chipped, a scru- ple ,- boiling water, half a pint. Macerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." Infusum Quassia excelsjb, Edin. Infu- sion of Quassia. " Take of Quassia wood, rasped, half a drachm ,- boiling water, eight ounces. Mace- rate for two hours in a lightly covered ves- sel, and strain." The active matter of Quassia taken up by water appears to be a pure, simple bit- ter. It is not altered by any of the sub- stances usually employed as adjuncts to bitters ; and by two only of the metallic salts. Nitrate of Silver slowly throws down >NS. 399 soft, yellow flakes ; and acetate of Lead, a white precipitate. Medical properties and uses.—This infu- sion is a light tonic, very efficacious in dys- pepsia, and other cases in which tonics are indicated. In hysteria it may be combined with purgatives and tincture of Valerian ; in atonic gout, with aromatics; and in dys- peptic affections with chalybeates, sulphate of Zinc, or mineral acids. The dose is from f^j. to f ^iij. given twice or thrice a day. INFUSUM RHEI, Lond. Infusion of Rhubarb. " Take of Rhubarb root, sliced, a drachm ; boiling water, half a pint. Macerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." Edinburgh. " Take of Rhubarb root, bruised, half an ounce,- boiling water, eight ounces; spirit of Cinnamon, one ounce. Macerate the root with the water in a covered vessel for twelve hours; then add the spirit, and strain." Syn. Infusion de Rhubarbe (F.), Rha- barber aufguss (G.), lnfuso de Rabarbaro These infusions differ chiefly in point of strength ; and the Edinburgh is rendered pleasanter by the spirituous addition. Nei- ther of them is quite clear ; and both have a reddish brown colour, which is very much deepened by the addition of alkalies. The following substances either occasion preci- pitates in these infusions, or otherwise alter their properties, and are therefore incom- patible in formulae with them ; the strong acids, and Lime-water, solutions of sulphate of Iron, sulphate of Zinc, nitrate of Silver, oxymuriate of Mercury, superacetate of Lead, and tartarized Antimony; infusions of Catechu, Cinchona, and Cusparia. Medical properties and uses.—These in- fusions are good forms for exhibiting rhu- barb, when it is intended to act on the bowels : but they are considerably less ac- tive than the powder. The dose of the London infusion may be from f §j. to f^iv. and ofthe Edinburgh half the quantity, uni- ted with neutral salts or aromatics, as cir- cumstances may direct. INFUSUM ROSjE COMPOSITUM, Lond. Dub. Compound Infusion of Roses. "Take of the dried petals of the red Rose, half an ounce ,- boiling water, two pints and a half (three pounds by measure. Dub.); diluted sulphuric acid, three fluid drachms (three drachms by weight, Dub.) ; double refined Sugar, an ounce and a half. Pour the water on the Rose petals in a co- vered glass vessel; then drop in the acid, and macerate for half an hour. Finally, strain the liquor, and add the sugar to it." Infusum Rose Gali.ic.v., Edin. Infusion of Red Roses. 400 " Take of the dried petals of the red Rose, one ounce ; boiling water, two pounds and a half; sulphuric acid diluted, half an ounce; refined Sugar, one ounce. Mace- rate the petals with the water in an earthen vessel, which has not been glazed with lead, for four hours ; then pour in the acid, strain the liquor, and add the sugar." Syn. Infusion de Roses (F.), Rosen auf- guss (G.), lnfuso di Rose (/.) This infusion is clear, of a beautiful red colour, and has an acid, pleasantly austere taste.* The addition of the sugar prevents it from keeping so long as it might other- wise be kept. The incompatible substances are those which are decomposed by the sul- phuric acid. The sulphates of Iron and of Zinc, although they do not immediately al- ter it, yet slowly produce dark-coloured precipitates after some hours. Medical properties and uses.—Infusion of roses is indebted for any astringency it pos- sesses chiefly to the acid it contains. It is used alone in the colliquative sweats of phthisis; and as a gargle in cynanche ton- sillaris ; but it is chiefly employed as an elegant vehicle for more active remedies, particularly Sulphate of Magnesia, the nau- seous taste of which it completely covers. The dose is from f §ij. to f ^iv. INFUSUM SENNaE COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound I.ifusion of Senna. " Take of Senna leaves, an ounce and a half; Ginger root, sliced, a drachm,- boil- ing water, a pint. Macerate for an hour, in a lightly covered vessel, and strain the liquor." Infusum Cassia Sennje, Edin. "Take of Senna leaves, six drachms,- Ginger root, bruised, a scruple ,- boiling wa- ter, nine ounces. Macerate for an hour in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." Infusum Senn.tj, Dub. Infusion of Sen- na. "Take of Senna leaves, three drachms ,- lesser Cardamom seeds, freed from the cap- sules and bruised, half a drachm ; boiling water, as much as will yield, when strained, six ounces by measure. Digest for an hour, and when the liquor is cold, strain it." Syn. Infusion de Sene (F.), Senna auf- guss (G.), lnfuso di Senna (/.) These infusions should be clear, and have a deep red brown, nearly black colour ; with a slightly bitter, mawkish taste, which is scarcely corrected by the aromatic. In warm weather they spoil in forty-eight hours ; and by simple exposure to the air attract oxygen, which occasions a yellowish precipitate of oxidized extractive, that is not purgative, but gripes violently. On this account they should be preserved in a well closed vessel, or made only when wanted. * Dr. Clarke, of Cambridge, supposes he has de- tected iron in the petals of the Rose. Dr. Paris (Pharmacologia) observes, that the nauseous taste of these infusions is com- pletely covered by the addition of Bohea tea. Decoction of Guaiac is, also, said to increase their powers, and to render them milder. They are also precipitated by the strong acids, the alkaline carbonates, lime- water, solutions of nitrate of Silver, oxy- muriate of Mercury, superacetate of Lead, tartarized Antimony, and infusion of yel- low Cinchona bark, which are consequent- ly incompatible in formulae with these infusions. Medical properties and uses.—Both these infusions contain all the purgative princi- ples of the plant, whilst the aromatics cor- rect its griping properties: but there is perhaps a waste of Senna in the London formula. They are given alone, or more generally combined with neutral salts and manna. The dose ofthe simple infusions may be from f 3;iij. to f 5'iv.; but with the addition of gj. of the tartrate of potass, or giij. of the sulphate of Magnesia, which are the usual adjuncts, f^ij. are sufficient. INFUSUM SENNiE COMPOSITUM, Edin. Infusion of Tamarinds and Senna. " Take of preserved Tamarinds, one ounce; Senna leaves, one drachm,- Corian- der seeds, bruised, half a drachm; raw Su- gar, half an ounce; boiling water, eight ounces. Macerate in a covered earthen ves- sel, which is not glazed with lead, shaking frequently, and after four hours strain. " It may be made also with double or triple the proportion of Senna." Infusum Sennj; cum Tamarindis, Dub. Infusion of Senna and Tamarinds. Made in the same manner as the infusion of Senna, except that Jj. of Tamarinds is added before straining the liquor. These infusions are pleasanter than the simple infusions, the nauseous taste being well covered by the sugar and the acid of the Tamarinds: in other respects they agree both in their properties, and in the effects of the incompatible substances; to which, however, must be added all salts having potass for their base. INFUSUM SLMAROUBiE, Lond. Infu- sion of Simaruba. " Take of Simaruba bark, bruised, half a drachm ; boiling water, half a pint. Ma- cerate for two hours in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion is inodorous ; has a slightly bitter taste, is clear, and of a greenish straw- colour. The alkaline carbonates and lime- water, render it milky, and the following substances occasion precipitates: Nitrate of Silver, Oxymuriate of Mercury, Super- acetate of Lead ; infusions of Galls, Cate- chu, and yellow Cinchona bark. Medical properties and uses.—Simaruba infusion possesses the same properties as the bark, and is the best form of exhibiting INFUl MUCILAGES. 401 the remedy, but it is not much used in this country. The dose is fgij. combined with tincture of Opium, or an aromatic. INFUSUM TABACI, Lond. Infusion of Tobacco. "Take of Tobacco leaves, a drachm,- boiling water, a pint. Macerate for an hour in a lightly covered vessel, and strain." This infusion is clear, of a reddish brown colour; has the odour ofthe plant in a slight degree, and a hot, very acrid taste. Medical properties and uses.—Tobacco infusion is chiefly intended to be given un- der the form of enema ; for although it has been occasionally employed as an emetic, it cannot be recommended. As an enema, it has.been found useful in ileus, colica pic- tonum, incarcerated hernia and dysury ■ the practice of employing it in cases of suspended animation is now justly con- demned. INFUSUM VALERIANAE, Dub. Infu- sion of Valerian. " Take of Valerian root, coarsely pow- dered, two drachms ,- boiling water, seven ounces by measure. Digest for an hour, and when the liquor is cold, strain." Valerian infusion is clear, of a pale brown colour; with the odour of the valerian, and a bitterish pungent taste. Solutions of Nitrate of Silver, Sulphate of Iron, and in- fusion of yellow Cinchona, afford precipi- tates with this infusion ; and are therefore incompatible in formulae with it. Medical properties and uses.—This is a useful form of giving Valerian in hysterical and nervous affections, in which the sto-< mach will not always bear the powder.— The dose may be from Hjjss. to f'gij. twice or thrice a day. AQUA CALCIS COMPOSITA, Dub. Compound Lime-water. " Take of raspings of Guaiacum wood, half a pound,- Liquorice root, sliced and bruised, an ounce ; Sassafras bark, bruised, half an ounce; Coriander seeds, three drachms ; Lime-water, six pints. Macerate without heat for two days, and strain." This is a very inert preparation; and un- less great care be taken to exclude the air completely from the vessel in whicli it is made, the lime-water will be decomposed. AQUA PICIS LIQU1D.E, Dub. Tar Water. " Take of Tar, two pints ,- water, a gallon. Mix, stirring with a wooden rod for a quar- ter of an hour; then, after the Tar shall have subsided, let the liquor be strained, and preserve it in well-corked bottles.'' Water readily dissolves a portion of Tar ; and is impregnated with empyreumatic oil, a small portion of resinous matter, and acet- ic acid, the components of the Tar. The solution has the colour of Ma leira wine, and a sharp empyreumatic taste. Mid.'cal properties nn,i uses.— far water 51 is stimulant and diuretic; but to produce the latter effect, its operation requires to be aided by bodily exercise. It may prove use- ful in scurvy, and some cutaneous diseases; but the reputation which it obtained on the faith of the judgment of the worthy Bishop of Cloyne* has long since been lost, and it is now scarcely ever employed. From Oj. to Oij. may betaken in the course of a day. MUC1LAGINES. Mucilages. Mucilages, correctly speaking, are sim- ple solutions of gum or mucus in water; but the term Mucilage, in pharmaceutical language, implies also any solution of a thick and adhesive nature, resembling in its appearance the solutions of gum. MUCILAGO ACACLE, Lond.f Mucil- age of Acacia. " Take of Acacia gum, in powder, four ounces; boiling water, half a pint. Rubthe gum with the water, gradually added, until it forms a mucilage." Mucilago Acacije Arabic.e, Edin. Mu- cilage of Gum Arabic. •' Take of Gum Arabic, in powder, one part, boiling wafer, two parts. Digest with occasional agitation, until the gum be dis- solved ; then strain the mucilage through linen." Mucilaoo Gummi Arabici, Dub. Mu- cilage of Gum Arabic. " Take of Gum Arabic, in coarse powder, four ounces ,- boiling water, eight ounces.— Digest with frequent agitation, until the gum be dissolved ; then strain the mucilage through linen." Syn. Mucilage de Gomme Arabique (/•'.) Schlieim de Arabiche Gummi (G.), Mucilagine de Gomma Arabica (/.) The straining through linen is very neces- sary, as the gum is often mixed with small pieces of wood and other impurities. The mucilage thus obtained is viscid, thick, and adhesive ; seniipellucid, and nearly colour- less, if the gum be good. It has a faint, pe- culiar odour, is insipid, and may be kept without altering for a considerable time; but at length it becomes sour, and acetic acid is formed. The strong acids act on it as they do on gum ; but when diluted, they do not alter mucilage. Alcohol converts it into a white curd ; but proof spirit produ- ces scarcely any alteration ; no change is produced by spirit of nitric Ether; but sul- phuric Ether and compound spirit of Ether precipitate a thick, white, tenacious curd. ' Berkley's Siris—passim. t This appellation is certainly exceptionable. It is a mucilage of gum of tne Acacia vera. The Edinburgh name is liuble to nearly the same objec- tion, except that the specific name of the plant is Used, wlieivas Acacta u tlie name of the genus. 402 DECOCTIONS. Tincture of Muriate of Iron, even when di luted, converts mucilage into a brownish or orange-coloured, insoluble jelly ; and acet- ate of Lead gives a copious, dense, flaky precipitate ; while no change is produced by the solutions of the following metallic substances: Superacetate of Lead, green sulphate of Iron, sulphate of Zinc, oxymu- riate of Mercury, and tartarized Antimony; nor by the alkalies or the neutral salts.— Mucilage, like gum, serves to combine re sins, oils, and balsams with water, for which purpose, and to give tenacity to pills, it is much employed in pharmacy. Medical properties and uses.—The pro- perties of mucilage are the same as those of gum. (See Part ii.) It is the usual ba- sis of demulcent mixtures for allaying the tickling which excites cough in catarrh and phthisis; and combined with Opium and other narcotics, it is useful in diarrhoea, dys- entery, calculous affections, and ardor uri- nae. The dose of mucilage may be from f^ss. to f§j. frequently repeated. Officinal preparations. Mistura Guaiaci, L. Potio Carbonatis Calcis, E. MUCILAGO ASTRAGALI TRAGA- CANTHiE, Edin. Mucilage of Tragacanth. "Take of Gum Tragacanth, in powder, two drachms; boiling water, eight ounces. Macerate for twenty-four hours, and tritu- rate the gum carefully, that it may be dis- solved ; then strain the mucilage through linen." Mucilago Gummi Tragacanthje, Dub. Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth. "Take of Gum Tragacanth, in powder, two drachms ;■ water, eight fluid ounces.— Macerate in a covered vessel until the gum be dissolved; then strain the mucilage through linen." Syn. Mucilage de gomme Adraganthe, (F.), Schlieim de Traganth (G.), Mucila- gine di gomma Adragante (/.) Tragacanth treated in this manner forms a thick, soft, very viscid mucilage, but the diffusion in the water is not uniform; nor does it become so even when boiled. The water separates from the Tragacanth, on standing; and this separation is increased, if mucilage of gum be mixed with the Tra- gacanth. It may be used in the same cases as mucilage of Gum arabic ; and has been recommended by M. Blaire, a French sur- geon, as a remedy in burns. He directs linen rags, or bibulous paper soaked in the mucilage, to be applied over the affected part, which must be also kept moist with the mucilage for some days.* It is chiefly employed for making pills and troches. MUCILAGO AMYLI, Lond., Edin., Dub. Mucilage of Starch. " Take of Starch, three drachms ; water, a pint. Rub the starch, gradually adding • Vide London Med. Repository, vol. iii. p. 257. the water to it; then boil till a mucilage be produced." Starch thus treated forms a strong, insi- pid, inodorous, opaline-coloured, gelatinous mucilage. In cases of phthisis, hectic fever, and abrasions of the stomach, it is given as a demulcent by the mouth ; but it is more generally, and more advantageously exhi- bited in the form of enema in diarrhoea, dy- sentery, and abrasions of the rectum. It is the common vehicle for exhibiting Opium in the form of enema. DECOCTA. Decoctions. These are aqueous solutions of the active principles of vegetables obtained by boil- ing. They are intended to afford more powerful remedies than can be obtained by the simple infusion of the same substances in cold or even in boiling water; but, al- though, by the operation of boiling, the sol- vent power of the water is increased, and a greater quantity of the soluble parts of any vegetable body is consequently taken up by it, yet it does not always follow, that the medicinal virtues of decoctions are greater than those of infusions. On the contrary, if the active principles of a plant be volatile, or if they consist chiefly of ex- tractive matter, this form of preparation of- ten renders the remedy altogether inert, either by dissipating the volatile matters, or by favouring- the oxidizement ofthe ex- tractive, which, in a continued temperature of 212°, attracts the oxygen of the atmo- sphere so rapidly, that it is soon converted info a soluble, insipid, inert matter, and precipitated in the fluid. This is the case with some substances, which are neverthe- less ordered to be prepared in this form by the colleges, and which we shall particular- ly notice in treating of the individual de- coctions. For making decoctions, the substances employed must be divided, if in the dry state, by pulverization, or, if fresh, by slic- ing, so as to expose an extended surface to the action of the water; which is thus en- abled to take up their soluble principles in a shorter space of time, a circumstance, for the reasons already stated, of much import- ance in the preparation of decoctions. By covering the vessel in which they are made, the action of the air is prevented from af- fecting the ingredients ; but there is reason for believing, that by long coction in water, even in covered vessels, the constituents of some vegetable bodies re-act upon one an- other, and produce entirely new com- pounds, possessed of properties altogether different from those which they previously constituted. On this account, decoctions should be quickly made ; and when aro- DECOCTIONS. 403 matic or volatile ingredients are to enter into them, these should not be boiled with the more fixed substances, but the decoc- tion, after it is made, should be poured over them, and allowed to remain covered up until it is nearly cold, before it be strained. In general, however, it is better to strain decoctions while they are hot through a sieve : for as boiling water dissolves a larger proportion of vegetable matter than it can retain in solution at a lower temperature, a deposit almost always takes place as the decoction cools; and if this be of active matter, it is lost by deferring the straining; whereas by straining the decoction while hot, the deposit can be mingled, by being shaken, with the clear fluid, when it enters into extemporaneous compositions, or when the dose of it is taken. Decoctions, from the nature of their con- stituents, very soon ferment and spoil: con- sequently, they should be prepared in small quantities only, and never used, particu- larly in summer, forty-eight hours after they have been made. DECOCTUM ALOES COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound Decoction of Aloes. " lake of extract of Liquorice, half an ounce ; Subcarbonate of Potass, two scru- ples ,- extract of spiked Aloes, powdered, Myrrh, powdered, Saffron, of each a drachm; water, a pint. Boil down to twelve fluid ounces, and strain : then add of com- pound tincture of Cardamons, four fluid ounces." By the addition of the alkali in this pre- paration, the water is enabled to hold in solution a greater portion of the Aloes than it could otherwise hold, whde another por- tion is suspended by the mucilage of the Liquorice and the Myrrh. The addition of the tincture prevents any spontaneous de- composition from taking place. The taste ofthe decoction is extremely nauseous, not- withstanding the bitter of the Aloes is in some degree covered by the Liquorice. It is decomposed, and a flaky precipitate thrown down in it by all the strong acids; corrosive muriate of mercury produces a pale brown precipitate, while tartarized an- timony, sulphate of zinc, and superacetate of lead, produce white curdy precipitates: hence these substances are incompatible in formulae with this decoction. This decoc- tion maybe kept for a much longer time than any other without spoiling. .Medical properties and uses.—It is gently cathartic and emmenagogue; and is intro- duced as being analogous to the well-known Beaume de Vie. It may be given with ad- vantage in habitual cosliveness, dyspepsia, hypochondriasis, jaundice, and chlorosis, in the dose of from f'Sjss. to i'o'j- taken in the morning. DECOCTUM ALTHJETE OFFICINA- LIS, Edin. Decoction of Marsh .Mallows. " Take of marsh Mallow root, dried and bruised, four ounces ; Raisins stoned, twt> ounces; water, seven pounds. Boil down to five pounds ; set aside the strained liquor until the dregs have subsided, and then de- cant it," Marsh Mallow roots contain a consider- able quantity of mucus, which is thus ex- tracted unaltered by water. The simple decoction of the roots is viscid, of a pale yellow colour, sweetish, and has a peculiar odour resembling that of boiled turnips. In the above preparation, the raisins increase its sweetness, and render it more palatable. Medical properties and uses.—This de- coction is a useful demulcent in visceral in- flammations, calculous affections, gonor- rhoca, strangury, and other diseases of the urinary organs ; and is supposed to be par- ticularly indicated in inflammation of the kidneys after the abscess bursts. The dose is a cupful frequently taken ; but in inflam- mation of the urinary organs, and in similar cases, it may be drunk ad libitum, as com- mon beverage. DECOCTUM ANTHEMIDIS NOBILIS, Edin. Decoction of Chamomile. " Take of Chamomile flowers, dried, one ounce; Carraway seeds, bruised, half an ounce,- water, five pounds. Boil for a quar- ter of an hour, and strain." Decoctum Chamiemeli compositum, Dub. Compound Decoction of Chamomile. " Take of Chamomile flowers, dried, half an ounce; Fennel seeds, two drachms; wa- ter, a pint. Boil a little, and strain." These decoctions contain in solution bit- ter extractive, and a small portion of essen- tial oil. Were their mode of preparation a matter of any consequence, we would re- commend the aromatic seeds not to be add- ed till towards the conclusion of the boiling; but for the purposes 6f fomentation and glyster, for which they are intended, as much benefit is probably derived from the warm water, as the principles it holds in solution. DECOCTUM CINCHONA, Lond. De- coction of Cinchona. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark bruised, an ounce ,- water, a pint. Boil for ten minutes in a lightly covered vessel, and strain the liquor while it is hot." Decoctum Cinchonje lancifolije, Edin. Decoction of Lance-Uaved Cinchona. "Take of Cinchona bark in powder, one ounce ; water, one pound and a half Boil for ten minutes in a covered vessel, and strain the liquor while it is hot." Decoctum Corticis Cinchona, Dub. Decoction of Cinchona Bark. " Take of Cinchona bark in coarse pow- der, an ounce,- water, a pint. Boil for ten minutes in a vessel almost covered, and strain the liquor through a linen cloth while it is hot." • 404 "DECOC'1 TIONS. Syn. Decoction de Quinquina (F.), Chi- nadekokte (G.), Decotto di China (/.). Cinchona bark is one of those substances which suffers by long coction with water; and therefore, the Colleges have properly limited the time of boiling to ten minutes, and ordered the vessel to, be covered, and the liquor to be strained while it is hot. As the strained decoction cools, it becomes turbid, and lets fall a reddish or yellowish powder, according to the kind of bark used: this, however, must not be rejected, but diffused through the clear decoction when it is about to be used in compounding ex- temporaneous mixtures, or when the dose is to be taken. According to the kind of bark employed, the decoction contains either a Kinate of Cinchonia, or of Quinia, or of both these salts; and on these their peculiar properties depend. This .decoction is more bitter, but less aromatic than the infusion. It is effected by the same re-agents, and used in the same cases, and in similar doses, as the infusion. (See Infusum Cinchonse.) DECOCTUM CYDONLE,* Lond. Decoc- tion of Quince Seeds. " Take of Quince seeds, two drachms ,- water, a pint. Boil them over a gentle fire for ten minutes, then strain." Quince seeds abound with mucus, which is extracted by boiling water. It is consi- derably viscid, transparent, nearly colour- less, insipid, and inodorous. It is coagulat- ed by Alcohol, acids, and most of the me- tallic salts, which, therefore, are incompa- tible in formulae with it; and it must be used as soon as it is made, for it soon spoils, owing perhaps to its containing some of the other constituents of the seeds. Medical properties and uses.—This is of- ten preferred to the other mucilages as a local demulcent fh tenesmus, and in aph- thous affections and excoriations of the mouth. A diluted solution of it injected beneath the eye-lids is useful for obtund- ing the acrimony of the discharge in violent inflammations ofthe eye. DECOCTUM DAPHNES MEZERI1, Edin. Decoction of Mezereon. " Take ofthe bark of Mezereon root, two drachms ; Liquorice root, bruised, half an ounce,- water, three pounds. Boil with a gentle fire down to two pounds, and strain." Syn. Decoction de Daphne mezereon (F.), Scioblbastrinde-dekokte (G.), Decot- to di Daphne Mezereon (/.) This decoction is slightly mucilaginous, of a yellowish brown colour; has the Sweet taste of the liquorice root with a slight de- gree of bitterness; and leaves in the mouth a sensation of heat and pungency, which, *- This title would lead to the inference, that the preparation is a decoction of the quince, and not of the seeds. It should have been Cydonia: Seminum. however, is scarcely felt until a few minutes after the dose has been swallowed. Medical properties and uses.—This decoc- tion wa9 first made public by Dr. Alexan- der Rusself as an appropriate remedy for venereal nodes, arising from a thickening of the periosteum ; and for removing those nocturnal pains with which venereal pa- tients are afflicted. This opinion, howev- er, has not been supported by experience; and Mr. Pearson} asserts, that it " has not the power of curing the venereal disease in any one stage, or any one form ;" and adds, " except in an instance or two of lepra, in which the decoction conferred a temporary benefit, I have very seldom found it pos- sessed of medicinal virtue, either in syphi- lis, or in the sequelae of that disease, in scrophula, or in cutaneous affections." It has been given with seeming benefit in chronic rheumatism. The dose is from i i|iv. to f §vi. three or four times a day. * DECOCTUM DIGITALIS, Dub. De- coction of Foxglove. "Take of Foxglove leaves dried, a drachm ,- water, as much as will afford of strained liquor eight fluid ounces. Place the vessel over a gentle fire, and as soon as the liquor boils, remove it; then digest for a quarter of an hour, and strain." This decoction is almost inodorous, and has a bitter nauseous taste. It is affected by the same re-agents as the infusion, and used in dropsies with the same intention. (See Infusum Digitalis.)^ DECOCTUM DULCAMARJE, Londi Decoction of woody Nightshade. " Take of the stalks of woody Nightshade sliced, one ounce ,- water, a pint and a half. Boil down to a pint, and strain." This decoction appears to have been in- troduced into the pharmacopoeia merely to fix the proportions of the ingredients. It has a strong unpleasant odour, and a bitter, nauseous taste, followed by a degree of sweetness. Medical properties and uses.—It is pos- sessed of diuretic and narcotic properties ; and has been found useful in humoral asthma, dropsy, lepra vulgaris and alphos, and ptyriasis. The dose is from f Jiv. to f Jj. combined with any aromatic tincture, given three times a day. DECOCTUM GEOFFRCE.K INERMIS, Edin. Decoction of Cabbage-tree Bark. " Take of Cabbage-tree bark in powder, one ounce ,- water, two pounds. Boil with a gentle heat down • to one pound, and strain." t Medical Observations and Inquiries, vol. iii. X l'earson on ihe Remedies for Lues Venerea, p. 47. J For eases of the successful use of this decoction, in making which, however, the fresh leaves were employed instead of the- dried, see Darwin's Zuono- mia, vol. j. p. Zlt. 331. DECOC TIONS. 405 This decoction has the colour of Madeira wine, a disagreeable odour, and a bitter mucilaginous taste. It is given to children in doses of fgij. and to adults to the amount of f,|ij. An overdose, or drinking cold water during its use, produces vomiting, fever, and delirium : effects which are to be remedied by castor oil, warm water, and acids. It is seldom employed in this coun- try. DECOCTUM GUAIACI COMPOSI- TUM, Edin. Compound Decoction of Guai- acum. " Take of Guaiacum wood rasped, three ounces,- Raisins, two ounces ; Sassafras root sliced, Liquorice root bruised, of each, one ounce,- water, ten pounds. Boil the Guaia- cum wood and the Raisins in the water over a gentle fire down to five pounds, ad- ding the roots towards the end of the boil- ing ; then strain." Syn. Decoction de Guajac compose"e(F.), Guajack-dekokte (G.), Decotto di Guajaco composito (/.). This decoction derives less of its efficacy from the Guaiacum than is generally ima- gined, a small portion of extractive matter only being taken up by the water. It is, however, supposed to be useful in chronic rheumatism, some cutaneous diseases, and in syphilis during a mercurial course ; but, probably, at best it is only serviceable as a demulcent. It may be taken in divided closes, to the amount of Oj, or Oij. in the day. DECOCTUM HORDEI, Lond. Dub. Decoctum Hordei Disticui, Edin. De- coction of Barley. " Take of pearl Barley, two ounces,- wa- ter, four pints and a half, (five pounds, Edin.) First wash away any extraneous substances that may adhere to the Barley ; then, having poured on it half a pint of water, boil for a few minutes. This, water being thrown away, let the remainder be added boiling; then boil down to two pints, and strain." DECOCTUM HORDEI COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound Decoction of Bar lay. " Take of decoction of Barley, two pints: Figs sliced; two ounces,- Liquorice, root sliced and bruised, half an ounce ; Raisins stoned, two ounces; water, a pint. Boil down to two pints, and strain." Dublin. " Take of decoction of Barley, four pints ; Raisins stoned, Figs sliced, of each, two ounces; Liquorice root sliced and bruised, half an ounce. During the boiling add first the raisins, then the figs, and last- ly, the liquorice root a short time before it is finished; when it is completed, the strained liquor ought to measure two pints." Syn. Decoction d'Orge (F.), Gerstede- kokte (G.), Decotto d'Orzo (A). The preparation of these decoctions is generally intrusted to nurses and the at- tendants of the sick-room ; but a practi- tioner ought not to be ignorant ofthe best manner of making them, as his directions may be occasionally necessary. They are elegant and useful demulcents in cases of fever, phthisis, gonorrhoea, and strangury ; and indeed in all acute diseases, given ad libitum. A few drops of tincture of Opium may be added to the compound decoction, to obviate its laxative effect, where this might prove hurtful. Equal parts of this decoction, and of decoction of bark, form an excellent gargle in cynanche maligna. The simple decoction mixed with an equal quantity of good milk and a small portion of sugar, is an excellent substitute for the breast milk, in those cases, in which infants are so unfortunate as to require being brought up with the spoon. DECOCTUM L1CHENIS,* Lond. De- coctum Lichenis Islandici, Edin. Decoc- tion of Liverwort. " Take of Liverwort, an ounce ,- water, a pint and a half, (two pounds, Edin.) Bod down to a pint, and strain." Decoctum. Lichenis Islandici, Dub. Decoction of Iceland Liverwort. " Take of Iceland liverwort, half an ounce .- boiling water, a pint. Digest for two hours ; then boil for a quarter of an hour, and strain the liquor while it is hot." In these decoctions the bitter principle of the lichen is united with its fecula, which is thus rendered extremely nauseous; and although its operation in the stomach may be thus augmented, yet few patients will be persuaded to take it in this form. The dose is from f^iv. to f^ij. three times a day. We have already stated its use as a demulcent, when freed from the bitter, and the mode of preparing it. (See Lichen, Part ii.) DECOCTUM MALViE COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound Decoction of JMallowsA "Take of Mallows dried, an ounce,- Chamomile flowers dried, half an ounce ,- water, a pint. Boil for a quarter of an hour, and strain." This decoction is intended for fomenta- tions and enemas, for which purposes it an- swers sufficiently well. DECOCTUM PAPAVERIS, Lond. De- coction of Poppy, j "Take ofthe capsules of the white Poppy bruised, four ounces; water, four pints. Boil for a quarter of an hour, and strain." * The impropriety of using1 the generic name only of the plant is here very obvious, particularly as another species of this extensive family, the Lichen roccella, is now introduced into the Dublin Pharma- copoeia. t Decoctum pro enemate, P. I,. 1787. } Decoctum pro fomento, P. L. 1787. 406 DECOC In making this decoction, the seeds should not be rejected, as they contain a considerable portion of bland oil, which, added to the mucilage and narcotic princi- ple of the capsule, increases the emollient quality of the decoction. It is a very use- ful fomentation in painful swellings, and in the excoriations produced by the thin acrid discharge of ulcers, and those common to infants. DECOCTUM QUERCUS, Lond. De- coctum Quercus Roboris, Edin. Decoction of Oak Bark. "Take of Oak bark, an ounce; water, two pints, (two pounds and a half,Fd\n.) Boil down to a pint, and strain." From Oak bark thus treated the greater part of its astringent matter is extracted. The decoction is nearly inodorous, has a brown colour, and the austere taste of the bark. It reddens tincture of Litmus, and is precipitated by solutions of Isinglass, infusion of yellow Cinchona bark, the car- bonates of the alkalies, the aromatic spirit of Ammonia, Lime-water, and solutions of sulphate of Iron, acetate and superacetate of Lead, oxymuriate of Mercury, and sul- phate of Zinc, which are, therefore, incom- patible in formulae with it. The precipi- tates produced by the two last salts do not take place for a considerable time. Medical properties and uses.—This is the usual form under which oak bark is ex- hibited. We have already noticed its in- ternal use. (See Quercus, Part ii.) Asa local astringent it is used as a gargle in cynanche and relaxation of the uvula; as an injection in passive uterine haemor- rhages, in leucorrhoea.'and the gleety dis- charge which often remains after miscar- riages. It is also a useful wash in piles and procidentia recti. DECOCTUM SARSAPARILLA, Lond. Decoction of Sarsaparilla. " Take of Sarsaparilla root sliced, four ounces; boiling water, four pints. Macerate for four hours in a vessel lightly covered, and placed near the fire ; then take out the Sarsaparilla, and bruise it. Return it again to the liquor, and macerate in a similar manner for two hours more; then boil it down to two pints, and strain." Decoctum Smilacis SARSAi'ARiLLas, Edin. Decoction of Sarsaparilla. " Take of Sarsaparilla sliced, six ounces ; water, eight pounds. Digest for two hours in a temperature of about 195°, then take out the root and bruise it; in this state put it again into the liquor, and boil it with a gentle, fire down to four pounds-; then ex- press it, and strain." • Decoctum Sarsaparills;, Dub. Decoc- tion of Sarsaparilla. " Take of Sarsaparilla root sliced, an ounce and a half; boiling water, two pints. Digest for two hours in a moderate heat; then take out the Sarsaparilla, and bruise it; return it to the liquor, and again digest for two hours; then boil down to one half, express, and strain the liqxior through a linen cloth." Syn. Decoction de Sarseparille (F.), Sarsaparille-dekokte (G.), Decotto di Sar- saparilla (/.). We have already stated the claims which Sarsaparilla has to the attention of the practitioner as a remedy in syphilis. All the above formulae display a great defi- ciency of enquiry, in those who introduced them into the Pharmacopoeias : for, as the whole of the active matter of the root re- sides in the cortical part, and can be ex- traded from this by infusion as well as by decoction, there is no necessity for the various macerations and boilings ordered by the colleges; which, in fact, injure the remedy. The entire root, merely bruised, and macerated in warm water, will yield up all its medicinal properties.* This de- coction may be regarded as useful during the exhibition of Mercury ; and is found to be so in dysuria, and incontinence of urine arising from a morbid irritability of the bladder. It affords precipitates with Lime- water, solution of muriate of Barytes and of superacetate of Lead, which are there- fore incompatible in formulae with it. DECOCTUM SARSAPARILLA COM- POSITUM, Lond. Compound Decoction of Sarsaparilla. "Take of decoction of Sarsaparilla boil- ing, four pints,- Sassafras root sliced, Guaia- cum root rasped, Liquorice root bruised, of each, an ounce; bark of Mezereon root, three drachms. Boil for a quarter of an hour, and strain." Dublin. " Take of Sarsaparilla root sliced and bruised, one ounce and a half; raspings of Guaiacum wood, bark of Sassafras root, li- quorice root bruised, of each, two drachms ,- bark of Mezereon root, a drachm,- boiling water, three pints. Digest the Sarsapa- rilla, the Guaiacum, and the Sassafras, in the water, with a moderate heat, for six hours ; then boil down to one half, adding towards the end of the coction the Liquo- rice and the Mezereon ; finally, strain." This decoction is an imitation ofthe once celebrated Lisbon Diet-drink. Its efficacy depends chiefly on the Mezereon root bark,, the quantity of which, therefore, ordered by the Dublin college is undoubt- edly too small. It operates as a diapho- retic and alterative, and is found to be use- ful in the treatment of secondary syphilis, chronic rheumatism, and in lepra, and some * The profession is indebted to Mr. Battlef, of Fore-Street, for his remarks on this subject. See London Med. Repot, vol. xi. 130, EXTRACTS. 407 other cutaneous affections. The dose is from f^tv. to fsjvj. taken three or four times a day. DECOCTUM SENEGJE, Lond. De- coctum PoLYGALaj Senegje, Edin. Decoc- tion of Seneka. " Take of Seneka root, an ounce; wa- ter, two pints. Boil down to a pint, and strain." Syn. Decoction de Polygale Senege (F.), Senegawurzel-dekokte (G.), Decotto di Poligala Senega (/.). This decoction is of a brownish olive co- lour, inodorous, and has a hot pungent taste. Its virtues have been already discussed under the account of the root. (Part ii.) The dose is from f^jss. to f§nj. taken three or four times a day. DECOCTUM ULMI, Lond. Dub. De- coctum Ulmi Campestris, Edin. Decoc- tion of Elm Bark. "Take of fresh Elm bark bruised,/oMr ounces ,- water, four pints, (five pints, Edin.) Boil to two pints, and strain." This decoction is thick, slightly mucila- ginous, and of a brown colour ; has a faint odour and a bitterish taste. Alcohol added to it produces a precipitate of light brown flakes; tinctures, therefore, in any consi- derable quantity, are inadmissible in for- mulae with it. Its medicinal properties have been already noticed. (See U/mus, Part ii.) The dose is from f.^iv. to f§vj. taken twice or three times a day. DECOCTUM VERATRI, Lond. Decoc- tion of White Hellebore. " Take of white Hellebore root bruised, an ounce ; water two pints,- rectified Spirit, two fluid ounces. Boil the Hellebore root with the water down to a pint, and strain ; then, when the decoction is cold, add the spirit.'^ This decoction is stimulant, acrid, and cathartic; but its operation is too violent for interna} use. As a lotion it often proves beneficial in scabies, tinea capitis, and other cutaneous eruptions; but it requires to be used with caution even as an external re- medy. EXTRACT A. Extracts. Trbsf. are preparations obtained by eva- porating aqueous and alcoholic solutions of vegetable substances, until a mass of a somewhat firm tenacious consistence re- mains. When water has been employed for making the solution, the extract may consist of Gum*or Mucilage, Extractive, Tannin, Cinchonin, Saccharine matter, and the salts which the vegetable contained, and is termed a Watery Extract; but if al- cohol has been the menstruum, Resin, Ex- tractive, and all the above matters, except the gum, may be the ingredients, and the extract is denominated a Spirituous Ex- tract. The latter appellation also is used if proof spirit be employed. The proper men- struum, therefore, for the preparation of any extract, must be that fluid which most readily dissolves the peculiar princi- ples on which the medicinal efficacy of the vegetable is supposed to depend. When water is to be employed, the sub- stance to be subjected to its action should be in the dried state, and coarsely powder- ed ; and the solution, whether made by de- coction or infusion, should be evaporated immediately after it is strained, and whilst it is yet hot; for, as we observed in treat- ing of Decoctions, water at the tempera- ture of 212° takes up much more ofthe ac- tive matter of vegetables than it can hold in solution at a lower temperature: therefore, by allowing them to cool, with the view of defecation, and evaporating the clear fluid only, a considerable portion of the active matter does not enter into the extract, and is necessarily lost. In performing the eva- poration, a higher temperature than that of boiling water must not be employed ; but it must, nevertheless, be conducted as quickly as possible; and therefore the evaporating vessel should be broad and shallow, and set in boiling water; or the water bath recommended by Dr. Powell* should be employed. (See Instruments, Part i.) A method of preparing extracts in vacuo has lately been introduced by Mr. Barry; and certainly, if the presence of air is likely to alter the properties of extracts, considerable advantages will accrue from Mr. Barry's mode of conducting the eva- poration.! Alcohol is used only in cases where the active ingredient of the vegetable is chiefly resin, or too volatile to bear the heat which is necessary for evaporating the water without being dissipated, or without suffer- ing some decomposition, which would ma- terially alter its properties. A tincture of the substance is first obtained, which is then evaporated by a very gentle heat in a wa- ter bath ; but the alcohol need not be allow- ed to evaporate in the air, as by employing a distilling apparatus, the greater part of it may be again obtained, either altogether free from any vegetable principle, or con- taining a small portion only ofthe more vo-. latile ; which renders it fitter for being again employed for the preparation of the same kind of extract. Whether water, proof spirit, or pure al- cohol be employed, the medicinal proper- " Translation ofthe London Pharmacoprpirt, p. 201. t For a description of the apparatus Mr. Barry employs, see Journal "f Science and the Arts, vol. viii. p. o60. 408 EXTRACTS. ties of the extract are always in some de- gree injured, the volatile parts are dissipa- ted, and some ofthe fixed decomposed by the degree of heat required for the evapo- ration, particularly if water be the men- struum ; or the proper extractive is oxidiz- ed, and consequently rendered inert. These are strong objections to this form of pre- paration ; and, as Dr. Murray has properly observed, " with the exception of some of the pure bitters, as Gentian ; or some of the saccharine vegetables, as Liquorice ; there is no medicine perhaps but what may be given with more advantage under some other form."* Extracts require to.be kept in a hard and a soft state. A hard extract should be in such a state as to admit of its being easily pulverized, and the soft extract should be such as to retain the round form of a pill, without the addition of any powder. Both kinds should be preserved in a dry place ; and the soft should be wrapped in oiled bladder, and kept in covered pots. The London college does not arrange the extracts under the titles Watery and Spi- rituous, which is the arrangement of the Edinburgh college, or Simple and Resinous, which is that of the Dublin: and the Lon- don Pharmacopoeia being our text book, we have followed its arrangement. The fol- lowing general directions are given by the London College for the preparation of ex- tracts. " In preparing all kinds of extracts, evapo- rate the fluid as quickly as possible in a ' broad shallow dish placed in a water-bath, until the extract acquires a consistence pro- per for forming pills, and towards the end of the operation stir assiduously with a spa- tula. " Sprinkle a small quantity of rectified spirit upon all the softer extracts." The Edinburgh College gives its gene- ral directions for the preparation of the Extracts by Water, under the Extract of Gentian ; and for the Extracts by Water and Alcohol, under the Extract of Bark.-j- * System of Materia Medica, &c. ii. 119. t The following method of preparing narcotic ex- tracts, invented by Mr. Battley, Chemist, Fore-Street, London, has been found to answer every purpose in preserving the green colour and the medicinal pro- perties ofthe plants. "Plants which from circumstances cannot be ope- rated upon immediately after they are collected, must be revived by immersing their stalks in water for twelve or eighteen hours. Such as perfectly re- cover by this means, which will be known by the leaves becoming as fresh as when growing, are to be bruised and pressed ; and the juice from them passed through a fine hair sieve, and immediately placed on the fire. Some time before it is raised to the boil- ing temperature, a quantity of green coloured mat- ter begins to float on the surface of the fluid: in the the juice of some plants this matter is very considera- ble : it is to be carefully removed by means of a thin EXTRACTA SIMPLIC10RA, Dub. Simple Extracts. " All simple extracts, unless otherwise ordered, are to be prepared according to the following rule. "The vegetable matter is to be boiled in eight times its weight of water, which is to be reduced by boiling to one half; the li- quor is then to be expressed, and after the faeces have subsided, to be filtered, and evaporated by the heat of boiling water, until it begins to thicken; and is to be, finally, inspissated by a medium heat, fre- quently stirring, until it acquires a consist- ence proper for forming pills. " All extracts, when they begin to thick- en, ought to be frequently stirred with a clean iron spatula. They'may be reduced to a proper degree of thickness by means of a stove heated for the purpose. " They ought to be preserved as much as possible from the contact of the air; and the softer ones are to be sprinkled with rectified spirit." EXTRACTUM CACUMINUM ABSYN- TH1I, Dub. Extract of Wormwood. Syn. Extrait d'Absynthe (F.), Wermulh- extrakt (G.), Estratto d' Assenzo (/.). This is ordered to be prepared according to the above directions. It is nearly a simple bitter, the volatile oil being dissipated dur- ing the evaporation. It may be used in those cases for which bitters are commonly prescribed ; but it is scarcely ever used. The dose is from gr. x. to ^j. taken three times a day. EXTRACTUM ACONI'TI, Lond. Ex- tract of Aconite or Wolfsbane. " Take of fresh leaves of Aconite, a perforated tin dish.- By the time the licjuorJboils,or soon afterwards, the green matter ceases reappear. The boiling is to be continued until rather more than half the fluid has been evaporated, when the decoc- tion is to be put into a conical pan, and suffered to stand in it until cold. A large precipitation of dark green-coloured feculent matter will thin be found to have taken place: from which the supernatant fluid is to be poured off, and again exposed to eva- poration, until half of it is consumed ; when it is tu stand for precipitation. " The precipitated matter from the second coc- tion is by no means so green as the first. The re- maining fluid is now to be suffered to boil till it in- quires the consistence of syrup; when the matter which had been collected at the commencement by filtration and precipitation is to be mixed with n, and placed in a metallic pan in a water-bath, ami further evaporated till of the consistence of an ex- tract. In this latter part ofthe process, the operator must give his constant attention until it be qu'ie . completed. It is not necessary tj^at the matter should be kept constantly stirred ; but the operator ought never to suffer it to stick, or become hard on the sides of the pan; for, if it be allowed to harden, the c.uratt loses its green colour; and in proportion to such loss is the deterioration of its medicinal virtues. London Medical Repository, toI. iv. p. 198. ' EXTRACTS. 409 pound. Bruise them in a stone mortar, sprinkling over them a little water ; then express the juice, and without any depura- tion, evaporate it to a proper consistence." Succus spissatus Aconiti Napelli, Edin. Inspissated Juice of Aconite. " Let fresh leaves of Aconite be bruised; inclose them in a hempen bag, and press them strongly, until they yield their juice ; which is to be evaporated in flat vessels, heated with boiling water saturated with Muriate of Soda (common salt), and imme- diately reduced to the consistence of thick honey. " After the mass is cold, let it be put in- to glazed earthen vessels, and moistened with alcohol." Syn. Extrait d'Aconit (F.), Eisenhiitlein- extrakt (G.), Estratto d' Aconito Napello (/.). This extract, or inspissated juice, is the form under which Stoerk introduced Wolfs- bane into practiccl.lt has an obscure, brown- ish red colour, a disagreeable odour, and an acrid, slightly styptic taste. Its medicinal properties are the same as those of the plant, but it is very seldom used. (See Part ii.) The dose at first should be gr. $ only, and gradually increased to grs. vj. taken night and morning. EXTRACTUM ALOES PURIFICA- TUM, Lond. Extract of Aloes. " Take of extract of spiked Aloes in powder, a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for three days in a gentle heat, then strain the solution, and set it aside that the dregs may subside. Pour off the clear liquor, and evaporate it to a proper consist- ence." Syn. Extrait d'Aloes (F.) Aloeextrakt (G.) Estratto d'Aloe (/.) This extract consists chiefly of the mu- cus and extractive matter of the Aloes; but as during the inspissation the extractive is partially oxidized, and rendered less so- luble, the extract is not completely soluble in water. It is employed in the same cases as the aloes, and is said to be less stimulant and griping. The dose is from grs. x. to grs. xv. given in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM ANTHEMIDIS,* Lond. Extractum Anthemidis xobilis, Edin. Extractum Florum Chamtemeli, Dub. Extract of Chamomile Flowers. " Take of Chamomile flowers dried, a pound; water, a gallon. Boil down to four pints, and strain the liquor while it is hot; then evaporate it to a proper consistence." Syn. Extrait de Camomille romaine (F.) Kamillenextrakt (G.) Estratto di fiori di Camomillo (/.) The Edinburgh extract is to be prepared in the same manner as the extract of gen- tian of that college ; the Dublin, after the • Extractum Chanv.emeli, P. I.. 1787. 52 manner directed for the preparation of the simple extracts. In these processes the volatile oil is dis- sipated, and a simple bitter extract remains, possessing scarcely any of the properties of the plant. It is of a deep brown colour, and has a grateful bitter taste, but scarcely any odour. It has scarcely any efficacy when used alone ; but is a useful adjunct to rhu- barb, and sulphate of zinc as a stomachic pill. The dose may be from grs. x. to 9j. given twice or thrice a day. EXTRACTUM BELLADONNA, Lond. Succus spissatus Atrofs: Belladonna, Edin. Extract of Bellado nna. " Take of fresh leaves of Belladonna, a pound. Bruise them in a stone mortar, sprinkling a little water over them ; then express the juice, and, without any separa- tion of the sediment, evaporate it to a pro- per consistence." Syn. Extrait de Belladonne (F.) Bella- donnaextrakt ( G.) Estratto de Perba di Bel- ladonna (/.) The inspissated juice of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia is to be prepared in the same manner as the inspissated juice of Aconite. This extract is inodorous, and has abitter- ish taste. Its medicinal properties are the same as those of the plant, but weaker.— The dose is from gr. j. gradually increased to grs. v. given in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM CASCARILLA RESIN- OSUM.Dub. Resinous Extract of Cascarilla. " Take of Cascarilla bark in coarse pow- der, a pound ; rectified Spirit of vrine,four pints. Digest for four days, then pour off the coloured spirit, and filter. Boil what remains of the Cascarilla in ten pints of water down to two pints; then evaporate the strained decoction, and at the same time dis- til the tincture from a retort, until both be- gin to thicken; then mix them together, and evaporate the mixture to a consistence proper for making pills. Lastly, mix the extracts intimately together." Syn. Extrait de Cascarille (F.), Casca- rillenextrakt (G.) This preparation is expensive, and does not appear to possess any peculiar advanta- ges to recommend it. The dose is from grs. x. to J}j. given twice or thrice a day, in the form of pil}s. EXTRACTUM CINCHONA, Lond.f— Extract of Bark. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark bruised, a pound; water, a gallon. Boil down to six pints, and strain the liquor while it is warm. In the same manner boil it down again four successive times, in an equal quantity of water, and strain. Final- ly, mix the solutions together, and evapo- rate the mixture to a proper consistence. r Extract n in Cortu'i. Peruvian*, P. L. 1751. 410 EXTRACTS. "This extract ought to be kept in a soft state fit for making pills, and in a hard state that it may be reduced to powder." Dublin. " Take of Cinchona bark in coarse pow- der, a pound,- water, six pounds. Boil for a quarter of an hour in a vessel nearly co- vered ; then filter the decoction while it is yet hot, and set it aside. Boil the residue again in the same quantity of water, and filter it in the same manner : repeat this a third time ; and finally, mix all the liquors, and evaporate the mixture to a proper con- sistence. " This extract should be kept in two states: one soft, fit for making pills; and the other hard, or in a state proper to be reduced to powder." Syn. Extrait de Quinquina (F.), Wass rigtes Chinaextrakt (G), Estratto di China aquosa (/.) The operation of the same causes as those which we stated to be unfavorable to decoction, as a form of preparation for the exhibition of Cinchona, are still more hurt- ful to its efficacy in the form of extract; and, according to Sir John Pringle, the ex- tract is less efficacious, even in equal quan- tities, than the simple powder. The ex- tract, however, is not devoid of utility, and often sits very lightly on the stomach when the powder is rejected. It is usually order- ed in doses of from grs. x. to gss. dissolved in any distilled water ; but it is necessary to observe, that, owing to the oxidizement of the extractive matter, the solubility of the extract is diminished during its formation: scarcely more than one half is soluble in water. It has a very bitter taste, but is less austere than the bark. EXTRACTUM CINCHONA RES1NO- SUM, Lond. Resinous Extract of Bark. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark, bruised, a pound; rectified Spirit, four pints. Macerate for four days, and strain. Distil the tincture in a water-hath, until the extract has acquired a due consistence." Extractim Cinchona Lancuolia, Edin. Extract of officinal Cinchona Bark. "Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark in powder, one pound; Alcohol, four pounds. Digest for four days, and pour off the tincture. Boil the residue in five pounds of distilled water for fifteen minutes, and strain the decoction while it is hot through a linen cloth. Repeat this coction with an equal quantity of distilled water, strain again, and evaporate the liquor to the consistence of thin honey. Distil the Al- cohol from the tincture, until it be reduced to a similar consistence. Then mix the inspissated liquors, and evaporate them to a proper consistence in a bath of boiling water, saturated with Muriate of Soda." Extractum Cinchona Rubra Resino- sum, Dub. Resinous Extract of Red Ciw chona Bark. This is ordered to be prepared in the same manner as the resinous extract of Cascarilla. Syn. Extrait resineux de Quinquina (F.), Estratto di China collaresina (/.). The extract prepared by these processes has the bitter austere taste of the bark, which it nearly equals in efficacy, and is more grateful to the stomach. It is alto- gether a preferable preparation to the wa- tery extract; for, by the separate action of the spirit and the water, all the soluble and active principles ofthe drug are taken up : less heat is required to evaporate the menstruum ; and, owing to the presence of the Alcohol, the extractive matter absorbs less oxygen : indeed, the expense of the spirit, of which there is always some waste, is the only objection to its general use. The dose is from grs. x. to grs. xxx. formed into pills. EXTRACTUM COLOCYNTHIDIS, Lond. Extract of Colocynth. " Take ofthe pulp of Colocynth, a pound; water, a gallon. Boil down to four pints, and strain the liquor while it is hot; then evaporate it to a proper consistence." Syn. Koloquinthen-extrakt (G.). This extract is a milder but less power- ful cathartic than the pulp from which it is prepared, and with the addition of Calo- mel forms an excellent purgative pill, which operates without griping. From grs. v. to gss. is the usual dose. EXTRACTUM COLOCYNTHIDIS COMPOSTTUM,* Lond. Compound Ex- tract of Colocynth. "Take of Colocynth pulp, sliced, six ounces,- extract of the spiked Aloe, pow- dered, twelve ounces,- Scammony, pow- dered, four ounces,- Cardamom seeds, powdered, one ounce; hard Soap, three ounces,- P roof spirit, one gallon. Macerate the Colocynth pulp in the spirit, with a gentle heat, for four days. Strain the li- quor, and add to it the Aloes, the Scam- mony, and the Soap ; then evaporate it to a proper consistence, and towards the end of the inspissation mix in the Cardamom seeds." Dublin. "Take of the pulp of Colocynth, cut small, six drachms ; hepatic Aloes, an ounce and a half; Scammony, half an ounce; lesser Cardamom seeds, husked, a drachm; Castile soap softened with water, so as to have a gelatinous appearance, three drachms,- hot water, a pint. Digest the Colocynth in the water in a covered ves- sel, with a medium heat, for four days ; * Extractum catharticum, P.L. 1745. F.XTR acts 415 express and strain the liquor, and add to it the Aloes and Scammony, first separate- ly reduced to powder; then evaporate the mixture with a medium heat to a pro- per consistence for making pills, and to- wards the end of the inspissation add the gelatinized soap and the powdered seeds, and with frequent stirring mix the whole intimately together." By this combination of powerful cathar- tic substances a purgative mass is obtained, more manageable and less irritating than any of its components separately taken. It forms a very useful pill for relieving the habitual costiveness of leuco-phlegmatic habits; and in obstinate visceral obstruc- tions when combined with Calomel, which is not decomposed, as might a priori be sup- posed. The dose is from gr. vj. to gss. repeated every eight hours until it ope- rates.* EXTRACTUM CO'NII, Lond. Succus spissatus Conii Maculati, Edin. Extract of Hemlock. " Take of fresh Hemlock, a pound. Bruise it in a stone mortar, sprinkling over it a little water; then express the juice, and without separating the sediment, eva- porate it to a proper consistence. The Edinburgh preparation is to be made according to the directions ordered for the preparation of inspissated juices. Succus spissatus Cicuta, Dub. Inspis- sated Juice of Hemlock. " Express Hemlock leaves, gathered when the flowers are about to appear, and allow the juice to remain six hours to de- posit the faeces; then evaporate the pure juice to a proper consistence with a mo- derate heat." Syn. Extrait de Cique (F.), Schierlings- extrakt (G.), Estratto del' erba della Ci- cuta (/.) This extract, or inspissated juice, has a foetid odour, a bitterish saline taste, and a dark olive colour. Although it be the form in which Stoerk introduced Hemlock into practice, yet the narcotic power of the re- medy is always impaired by this mode of preparation, and it is still more weakened by keeping, being nearly lost when a sa- line efflorescence begins to appear on the surface of the extract. It is used in the same cases as the powder, with which it is frequently mixed when it is to be made in- to pills : and is a useful adjunct to mercu- rials in cutaneous affections. Bergius re- commends it in impotency.-J" The dose is * Barclay's Antibilious Pills are composed of Ext. of colocynth dr.ij.. ext. of jalap dr.j., almond soap dr.iss., guaiac dr.iij., tartarized antimony gr. viij., oils of juniper, of carraway and of rosemary, of each tour drops; syrup of buckthorn, sufficient to form a mass, which is to be divided into sixty-four pills. ,' t Impotentiam virilem sub usu Conii curatain ob- icrvavi, in viro quuddiii plusquAm quadrageimrio, gr. iij. gradually increased to J)j. given twice or thrio* a day. EXTRACTUM ELATERII, Lond. Ex- tract of Elaterium. " Slice ripe wild Cucumbers, express the juice very gently, and pass it through a ve- ry fine hair sieve into a glass vessel: then set it aside for some hours, until the thick- er part has subsided. Reject the thinner supernatant part, and dry the thicker part with a gentle heat." Syn. Elaterium (F.), Estratto del frutto della Momordica (/.) ELATERIUM, Dub. Elaterium. " Slice ripe wild Cucumbers, and strain the juice very lightly, expressed through a fine hair sieve into a glass vessel; then set it aside for some hours until the thicker part subsides ; reject the. supernatant li- quor, and dry the fecula, laid upon a linen cloth and covered with another, by a me- dium heat." The substance obtained by these proces- ses is neither an extract nor an inspissated juice, but a peculiar modification of fecula combined with some very active principle which is deposited with it; and which has been named Elatin by Dr. Paris. It is con- tained in the juice which surrounds the seeds only ; and subsides from this juice obtained without pressure. From Dr. Clutterbuck's experiments^ the quantity of elaterium in the fruit appears to be so small, that he obtained six grains ofit only from forty cucumbers. Dr. Paris found that ten grains of the best elaterium, as it is found in the shops, contain one grain on- ly of elatin ,- and in general it is adulterat- ed with starch, on which account we scarce- ly ever obtain two samples of it of the same strength. When good, it is of a greenish grey colour, has a bitter taste, is light and pulverulent. The name adopted by the Dublin college is more appropriate than that imposed by the London college. It is very remarkable that the Edinburgh college has rejected so important a re- medy from the last edition of its Pharma- copoeia. ' Medical properties and uses.—Elaterium is'a very powerful hydragogue, and excites sickness, severe vomiting, and hyperca- tharsis, if it be not cautiously administered. On this account it is seldom used as a ca- thartic ; but in ascites it often produces the entire evacuation of the fluid, when gam- boge and crystals of tartar, foxglove, and every other remedy have failed. The best mode of administering it is to give it in di- vided doses of gr. 1-8 each, every fourth hour, until it begin to operate. qui omnem ereetionem penis perdiderat, posiinde lamen plures liberos prucreuvit. Bergius, Mat. Med. i. 195. t London Med. Hepos, vol. xii. 412 EXTRACTS. EXTRACTUM CACUMINUM GENIS- TA, Dub. Extract of Broom Tops. This extract is to be prepared in the same manner as the extract of Wormwood. It is said to be diuretic, but its efficacy is doubtful, and it is scarcely ever employed. The dose is from gss. to gj. or more. EXTRACTUM GENTIAN A, Lond. Ex- tractum Rabicis Gentiana, Dub. Extract of Gentian. " Take of Gentian root, sliced, a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then boil down to four pints, strain the liquor while it is hot, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." Extractum Gentiana lutea, Edin. Ex- tract of Gentian. "Take of gentian root, any quantity. Having sliced and bruised it, pour upon it eight times its weight of boiling water. Boil down to one half, express the liquor strongly, and strain it. Evaporate the de- coction immediately to the consistence of thick honey, in a bath of boiling water sa- turated with Muriate of Soda." Syn. Extrait de Gentiane (F.), Enzian- extrakt (G.), Estratto di Gentiana (/.) The bitter principle of Gentian root is not injured by this form of preparation. The extract is inodorous, very bitter, black, shining, and tenacious. It is chiefly used as a vehicle for the exhibition of the metallic oxides. The dose is from grs. x. to gss. given twice or thrice a day. EXTRACTUM GLYCYRRHTZA, Lond. Dub. Extract of Liquorice, " Take of Liquorice root, sliced, a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twen- ty-four hours; then boil down to four pints; strain the hot solution, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." There is scarcely any of this extract pre- pared by the apothecary; the pure extract of Liquorice sold in the shops under the name of refined Liquorice being prepared from the impure extract of commerce, by dissolving it in water, straining and inspis- sating it in the usual manner. It is a use- ful demulcent for allaying tickling cough, as from its tenacity it hangs about and sheathes the fauces. ' Officinal preparations. Pilula opiata, E. Pilula scillitica, E. Trochisci Glycyrrhiza glabra, E. Trochisci Glycyrrhiza cum Opio, E. EXTRACTUM HAMATOX'YLI,* Lond. Extractum Hamatoxtli Campe- chiani, Edin. Extractum Scobis He- matoxyli, Dub. Extract of Logwood. "Take of Logwood rasped, a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twen- ty-four hours; then boil down to four pints; strain the hot liquor, and evaporate to a proper consistence." • Extractum Lijni Campackensis, P. L. 1745. Syn. Campecheholz-extrakt (G.). This extract is almost inodorous, has a sweet austere taste, and a deep ruby colour. It becomes extremely brittle when kept. It is a useful astringent in the protracted stage of diarrhoea and dysentery. The dose is from grs. x. to gss. dissolved in cinnamon water or peppermint w-ater. EXTRACTUM RAD1CIS HELLEBO- RI NIGRI, Edin. Dub. Extract of Black Hellebore Root. Syn. Extrait d'Ellebore (F.), Schwarz Niesenwurz-extrakt (G.). This is to be prepared from the bruised root, after the manner directed for the ex- tract of Gentian by the Edinburgh college, and the extract of Wormwood by the Dub- lin college. EXTRACTUM HU'MULI, Lond. Ex- tract of Hops. " Take of the strobiles ofthe Hop, four ounces ,- water, a gallon. Boil down to four pints ; strain the hot liquor; and evaporate it to a proper consistence." This extract is inodorous ; and has the bitter taste peculiar to the Hop. We have found it a useful anodyne in gout, acute rheumatism, and cases which do not admit of the use of opium. The dose is from grs. v. to 3j- given in the form of pills, or dis- solved in any aqueous vehicle. EXTRACTUM HYOSCY'AMI, Lond. Succus spissatus Hyoscyami nigri, Edin. Succus spissatus Hyoscyami, Dub. Ex- tract of Henbane. " Take of fresh leaves of Henbane, a pound. Bruise them in a stone mortar, sprinkle on them a little water; then press out the juice, and without separating the sediment, evaporate it to a proper consist- ence." Syn. Extrait de Jusquiame (F.), Hyos. zyamus-extrakt (G.), Estratta di Giusqui- ama nera (/.). This extract has a disagreeable slightly foetid odour, and a nauseous, bitterish, sub- saline taste. It is possessed of considerable narcotic powers, and is used as a substitute for Opium in nervous affections, mania, gout, rheumatism, and all painful complaints, in which it is wished to avoid the costive- ness which opium is apt to induce. A solu- tion of it in water, in the proportion of one drachm to the ounce, dropped into the eye, dilates very much the pupil; and has been used, on the recommendation of Professor Himly, for facilitating the operation for cata- ract ; and also in contracted pupils not ac- companied by adhesion of the iris to the capsule.-j- The dose is from grs. iij. to v)j. given in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM JALA'PA,* Lond. Ex- tract of Jalap. t Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, vol. ix. p. 6. 11. i Extractum Jalapii, P. L. 1745. EXT ft " Take of Jalap root powdered, a pound; rectified Spirit, four pints ; water, one gal- lon. Macerate the Jalap root in the spirit for four days, and decant the tincture. Boil the residue in the water down to two pints. Then strain separately the tincture and the decoction; distil the former, and evaporate the latter, until both begin to thicken. Lastly, mix the extract with the resin, and evaporate the mixture to a proper consist- ence." " This extract should be kept in a soft state, fit for forming pills, and in a hard state, so that it may be reduced to pow- der." Extractum Convolvula Jalapa, Edin. Extract of Jalap. This is ordered to be prepared from the root, in the same manner as the extract of Cinchona bark. (Edin.). Extractum Jalapa, Dub. Extract of Jalap. " Let it be prepared in the same manner as the resinous extract of Cascarilla." Syn. Extrait de Jalap (F.). These extracts contain all the active prin- ciples of the Jalap root. They are, how- ever, apt to gripe during their operation : hence, particularly when given to children, they should be triturated with sugar and almonds, or mucilage, so as to form an emulsion, in which state they operate freely and without griping. The dose to an adult is from grs. x. to Qj. EXTRACTUM RADICIS JALAPA, Dub. Extract of Jalap Root. This is to be prepared with water alone, after the manner directed for the prepara- tion ofthe simple extracts. (Dub.) It con- tains chiefly the gummy part of the Jalap, very little of the resin being taken up by the water. It is milder in its operation than the root, and may be given to infants, in doses of from grs. vi. to grs. xij. triturated with sugar or testaceous powders. EXTRACTUM LACTUCA, Lond. Ex- tract of Lettuce. "Take of fresh lettuce leaves, one pound; bruise them in a stone- mortar, sprinkling a little water over them ; then express the juice, and evaporate it unstrained, until it acquire a proper con- sistence." SUCCUS SPISSATUS LACTUCA SATIVA, Edin. Inspissated Juice of Gar- den Lettuce. Syn. Extraite de Laitue (F.). This is to be prepared from the fresh leaves, according to the general directions for preparing inspissated juices. SUCCUS SPISSATUS LACTUCA VIROSA, Edin. Inspissated Juice of the Wild Lettuce. Syn. Extrait de Laitue vireuse (F.), Es- tratto dell' erba della Lactuca (/.). To be prepared from the fresh herb, in iCTS. 413 the same manner as the other inspissated juices. The extracts of both the above species of Lactuca are exhibited as substitutes for Opium, in cases in which the intention is rather to allay irritation than to produce the full effect of a narcotic. The dose is grs. vj. gradually increased. EXTRACTUM OPII, Lond. Extract of Opium. "Take of Opium sliced, sixteen ounces; water, one gallon. Pour a small portion of the water upon the Opium, and macerate for twelve hours that it may become soft; then adding gradually the remaining water, rub them together till they be well mixed, and set the mixture apart that the faeculen- cies may subside. Lastly, strain the liquor, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." Extractum Opii aq.uosum, Dub .Watery Extract of Opium. " Take of Opium two ounces,- boiling wa- ter, a pint. Rub the Opium in the water for ten minutes, and after a little pour off the solution; rub the residuary opium in an equal quantity of boiling water for the same space of time, pouring off also this solution; and repeat the operation a third time. Mix together the decanted solutions, and expose the mixture in a broad open vessel to the air for two days. Lastly, strain it through linen, and by slow evapo- ration form it into an extract." Syn. Extrait d'Opium (F.), Opiums ex- trakt (G.), Estratto d'Oppio (/.). Water takes up a certain proportion of all the constituents of crude Opium, but less of the resinous than of the gummy part; and the watery solution contains more of morphia, on which depends the remedial quality of Opium.* In the Dub- lin preparation the quantity of active mat- ter must necessarily be greater, owing to the employment of boiling water for the second and third triturations. This ex- tract, therefore, differs very little from Opium ; but as the inspissation cannot al- ways be conducted exactly in the same manner, its strength must consequently vary. From ibss. of crude Opium gijss. only of extract are obtained, by following the directions of the London College. Qualities. This extract is inodorous; has a bitter taste, and is of a very deep * This extract, however, contains some of De- rosnes salt also, or Narcotinc, as it has been lately termed; and this is supposed to produce that excite- ment which even the aqueous extract occasions pre- vious to its sedative effect. M. Robiquet (Journ. de Pharm. May 1821,) proposes to free it of this princi- ple, by agitating the extract as soon as it acquires the consistence of syrup with ether; and repeating this agitation with fresh portions of ether, as long as the ether or distillation deposits any crystals of Narcotine. The extract thus prepared contains only morphia, gum, and extractive. 414 EXTRACTS. brown colour. It is not altogether soluble in water, but is not precipitated from its solution by alcohol. It, however, affords precipitates with the following substances, which ought not, therefore, to enter into prescriptions with its solution ; viz. solu- tions of astringent vegetables, the alkaline carbonates, corrosive muriate of Mercury, sulphate of Copper, sulphate of Zinc, ace- tate of Lead, and nitrate of Silver. Medical properties and uses.—This ex- tract is supposed to produce the effects of Opium, but with less subsequent derange- ment of the nervous system. It is there- fore supposed to be well adapted for the diseases of children and very irritable hab- its. The dose is from gr. j. to grs. vj. for an adult. Officinal preparation. Syrupus Opii,T>. EXTRACTUM PAPAVERIS, Lond. Extractum Papaveris somniferi, Edin. Extract of Poppies. " Take of the capsules of the Poppy, freed from the seeds, and bruised, a pound ; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then boil clown to four pints; strain the hot liquor, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." Syn. Extrait de Pavot (F.) This extract possesses nearly the same medicinal properties as Opium, but in a much weaker degree ; and is less apt to occasion the nausea, head-ach, and deliri- um, which Opium not unfrequently produ- ces. It is, therefore, to be preferred for procuring sleep in diseases in which the head is much affected. The dose is from grs. ij. to 9J. given in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM CORTICIS QUERCUS, Dub. Extract of Oak Bark. Syn. Estratto della Quercia (/.). This extract consists principally of tan- nin, which is, therefore, not liable to be in- jured by this form of preparation ; but it possesses no peculiar advantages to recom- mend it. EXTRACTUM RHEI, Lond. Extract of Rhubarb. " Take of Rhubarb root bruised, a pound; proof Spirit, a pint; water, seven pints.— Macerate for four days in a gentle heat, then strain the solution, and set it apart that the faeculencies may subside. Pour off the clear liquor, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." Syn. Extrait de Rhubarbe (F.), Rhabar- ber-extrakt ( G.). Although the purgative properties of the Rhubarb be obtained to a certain degree in this extract, yet its virtues are certainly im- paired during the inspissation; and the simple infusion is in every respect a pre- ferable form of preparation. The dose is from grs. x. to gss. given in the form of pills. .EXTRACTUM RUT A GRAYEOLEN- TIS, Edin. Extiactum Foliorum Ruta, Dub. Extract of Rue. The Edinburgh extract is to be prepared in the same manner as the extract of Gen- tian ; the Dublin after the manner of the simple extracts. Prepared by either pro- cess, this extract is inodorous, and ha9 a bitter acrid taste. Its medicinal properties are different from those of the plant, the stimulant and narcotic powers of which de- pend on the volatile oil it contains, which is dissipated during the inspissation ofthe ex- tract. The dose is from grs. x. to Qj. in pills. ' EXTRACTUM FOLIORUM SABINA, Dub. Extract of Savine. To be prepared in the same manner as the simple extracts. It is a simple bitter of little efficacy, for the acrid volatile oil on which the efficacy of savine depends is dis- sipated by the heat employed during the inspissation. The dose is from grs. x. to gss. in pills. SUCCUS SPISSATUS SAMBUCI NI- GRA, Edin. The inspissated Juice of the Black elder. " Take of the ripe berries of the black F\der, five parts ; purified Sugar, one part. Boil with a gentle heat to the consistence of thick honey. Syn. Eingedicker Fliedersaft (G.). We are perfectly unacquainted with the use to which this extract can be put, as a remedial agent. EXTRACTUM SARSAPARILLA, Lond. Extract of Sarsaparilla. " Take of Sarsaparilla root, sliced, a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twenty-four hours, then boil down to four pints; strain the solution while it is hot, and evaporate it to a proper consistence." When properly prepared, without much heat, this extract possesses all the medicinal virtues ofthe root; but prepared according to the above formula, it has nothing to re- commend it to practice. The dose is from grs. ix. to ^j. dissolved in the decoction, or given in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM STRAMONII, Lond. Extract of Thorn Apple. " Take of Thorn apple seeds, one pound; boiling water, one gallon. Macerate for four hours in a covered vessel near the fire; then take out the seeds ; bruise them in a stone mortar, and put them again into the liquor. Finally evaporate it until it acquires a pro- per consistence." The medicinal powers of this extract are less to be depended on than those of a tinc- ture prepared with ^ij. of the herb, and f^xvj. of proof spirit. The dose ofthe ex- tract is ^ss. to ^ij- in the form of pills. EXTRACTUM TARAXACI, Lond. Ex- tractum Herba et Radicis Taraxaci, Dub. Extract of Dandelion. " Take of fresh Dandelion root, bruised, MIXTURES. 415 a pound; boiling water, a gallon. Macerate for twenty-four hours; then boil down to four pints, strain the hot liquor, and evapo- rate it to a proper consistence." Syn. Lowenzahn-extrakt (G.), Estratto di Tarassaco (/.). The medicinal powers of Dandelion have been already noticed. (See Pari ii.) Dr. Pemberton affirms, that he has seen great advantage result from the use of this ex- tract in doses of Jss. in chronic inflamma- tion and incipient scirrhus ofthe liver, and in chronic derangement of the stomach.* The usual dose is from grs. x. to 5j. united with sulphate of Potass. EXTRACTUM VALERIANA, Dub. Extract of Valerian. " Take of Valerian root in coarse powder, six ounces,- boiling water, six pints. Mix and digest for twenty-four hours with a moderate heat in a covered vessel; then express the liquor, and reduce it by evapo- ration to a proper consistence." Syn. Baldrian-extrakt (G.). The odour of the plant is almost entirely dissipated in preparing this extract ; and if the efficacy of the remedy be connected with that quality, wliich is extremely pro- bable, it must be much inferior to the infu- sion, or the tincture. The usual dose is from grs. x. to 9j. given in the form of pills. MISTURAH. Mixtures. The term Mixture in pharmaceutical lan- guage denotes a mingled compound, in which different ingredients are held sus- pended in a fluid medium by means of mu- cilaginous or of saccharine matter. The London college has placed under this title those medicines, also, which consist of the fixed oil of seeds, diffused through water by means of the mucilage, fecula, or sac- charine matter of the seeds, and which are denominated Emulsions. Both these kinds of preparations should always be extempo- raneous ; and in prescribing them attention is required not to bring together incompa- tible substances, nor to order in mixtures insoluble matters of a specific gravity too great to be suspended, in the fluid vehicle, by the ordinary means. MISTUUA AMMONIACI, Lond. Mix- ture of Ammoniac. " Take of Ammoniac, two drachms,- water, half a pint. Triturate the Ammoniac, gra- dually adding the water until they be tho- roughly mixed." Lac Ammoniaci, Dub. Milk of Ammo- niac. " Take of gum Ammoniac, a drachm ,- Pennyroyal water, eight fluid ounces. Tri- * On Diseases of the Abdominal Viscera, p. 43. turate the gum, gradually adding the Pen- nyroyal water, until the mixture acquire the appearance of milk, which is to be strained through linen." The resinous part of the Ammoniac is suspended in the water by means of the gummy part; but after a-little time the great- ter portion of the resin subsides. It is co- agulated by distilled vinegar, the Oxymels, Ether, spirit of nitric Ether, Supertartrate of Potass, and Oxymuriate of Mercury, which are therefore incompatible in pre- scriptions with mixture of Ammoniac. It is advantageously employed as an expecto- rant in doses of from f^ss. to f^j- combin- ed with an equal quantity of Almond mix- ture. MISTURA AMYGDALARUM, Lond. Almond Mixture. " Take of Almond confection, two ounces,- distilled water, a pint. Add the water gra- dually to the Almond confection whilst tri- turating, and then strain." Emulsio Amygdali communis, Edin. Al- mond emulsion. "Take of sweet Almonds, an ounce ; re- fined Sugar, half an ounce; water, two pounds and a half. Beat diligently the blanched Almonds in a stone mortar, ad- ding the water gradually; then strain." Lac Amygdala, Dub. Almond Milk. " Take of sweet Almonds, blanched, an ounce and a half; purified Sugar, half art ounce ; water, two pints and a half. Rub the Almonds with the sugar, adding the water gradually ; then strain." EMULSIO ACACIA ARABICA, Edin. Emulsion of Gum Arabic. " Take of mucilage of Gum Arabic, two ounces ; Almonds, an ounce,- refined Sugar, half an ounce ; water, two pounds and a half. Blanch the Almonds, and then beat them in a stone mortar with the sugar and the mu- cilage, gradually adding the water ; then strain through linen." Emulsio Arabica, Dub. Arabic Emul- sion. "Take of Gum Arabic in powder, two drachms; sweet Almonds blanched, purified Sugar, of each, half an ounce,- decoction of Barley, a pint. Dissolve the gum in the warm decoction, and when it is almost cold, pour it gradually upon the almonds pre- viously beaten to a paste with the sugar, triturating at the same lime so as to form a milky mixture ; then strain." Syn. Emulsion d'Amandes (F.), Mandel- milch (G.), Latte di Mandorle (/.). In these preparations the oil of Almonds is diffused through the water, and suspend- [ ed in it by the mucilage and fecula the AI- .1 monds contain ; the gum in the two latter preparations contributing nothing to this effect. The confection ordered by the London college affords an expeditious mode of making the mixture, but does not pre- . 416 vent the necessity of straining. The use of distilled water is an unnecessary refine- ment. Qualities.—These emulsions are inodo- rous, bland, milky fluids. The oil, after some time, rises like a thick cream to the surface; and in forty-eight hours the ace- tous fermentation commences, and the mix- tures become sour. They are decomposed by acids, Oxymel, and syrup of Squill, spi- rits, and tinctures, (unless these be in small quantity,) tartrate and supertartrate of Po- tass, supersulphate of Potass, oxymuriate of Mercury, acetate of Lead, and spirit of ni- tric Ether, which are therefore incompati- ble in prescriptions with almond emulsions. Medical properties and uses.—These mix- tures are in common use as diluents and demulcents in inflammatory fevers, stran- gury, dysury, and other affections of the urinary organs; but they are chiefly useful as pleasant vehicles for the exhibition of more active remedies. The dose is from f.^ij. toOss. frequently repeated. ' MISTURA ASSAFOETIDA, Lond. Mix- ture of Assafoetida. " Take of Assafoetida, two drachms ; wa- ter, half a pint. Triturate the Assafoetida, gradually adding the water to it, until they be thoroughly mixed." Lac AssAFffiTinA, Dub. Milk of Assa- fcetida. " Take of Assafoetida, a drachm ,- Penny- royal water, eight fluid ounces. Triturate the Assafoetida, gradually adding the water until it forms an emulsion." Owing to the disagreeable flavour of As- safoetida, it is seldom given by the mouth in this form, which is chiefly employed as an enema in flatulent colic, worms, and the convulsions of infants arising from irritations ofthe bowels during dentition. When given by the mouth, the dose may be from f§ss. to f 3 jss. frequently repeated. ' MISTURA CAMPHORA, Lond. Mix- lure of Camphor. " Take of Camphor, half a drachm ; rec- tified Spirit, ten minims,- water, a pint. Rub the camphor first with the spirit, then add the water gradually, and strain." Mistura camphouata, Dub. Campho- rated Mixture. " Take of Camphor, a scruple ; rectified Spirit of Wine, ten drops; refined Sugar, half an ounce,- water, a pint. Rub the Cam- phor first with the spirit, and then with the sugar ; add the water during the trituration, and strain the mixture through linen." Syn. Mixture Camphre (F.), Kampfer- mixtur (G.), Mistura Canforata (/.) A pint of water takes up scarcely more than one half the quantity of Camphor or- dered by the London college ; but it com- municates to it both odour and taste in a considerable degree. Solution of pure Po- tass separates the Camphor. It is an ele- gant vehicle for more active remedies'in low fevers and nervous affections. The dose is from f3J. to f^ij. given every three or four hours. EMULSIO CAMPHORA, Edin. Cam- phor Emulsion. " Take of Camphor, a scruple; sweet Almonds blanched, refined Sugar, each, half an ounce,- water, a pint and a half. It is to be made in the same manner as the common Almond emulsion." In this preparation the whole of the Cam- phor is diffused through the mixture; the medicinal powers of which are consequent- ly more considerable than those of the fore- going preparation. It is less apt to excite nausea and uneasiness at the stomach than Camphor taken in the solid state, and is given with advantage in typhus and nervous cases in doses of f §ij. every three or four hours. Its preparation should always be extemporaneous, as the Camphor separates and swims on the surface of the mixture after a few days. MISTURA CORNU USTI, Lond. De- coctum Cornu cervini, Dub. Mixture of burnt Hartshorn. " Take of burnt Hartshorn, two ounces ; Acacia gum, in powder, an ounce (three drachms, Dub.); water, three pints. Boil down to two pints, constantly stirring, and strain." This is the most unchemical, injudicious, and useless of any of the preparations in the pharmacopoeias which have admitted it; being a simple diffusion of insoluble phos- phate of Lime in a thin mucilage. MISTURA CRETA, Lond. Dub. Mix- ture of Chalk. "Take of prepared Chalk, half an ounce; refined Sugar, three drachms,- Aca- cia gum, in powder, half an ounce,- (an ounce, Dub.) ; water, a pint. Mix, by tritu- ration." Potio Carbonatis Calcis, Edin. Chalk Potion. " Take of prepared carbonate of Lime (chalk), one ounce ; refined Sugar, half an ounce,- mucilage of Gum Arabic, two ounces. Rub them together, and then gra- dually add of water, two pounds and a half,- spirit of Cinnamon, two ounces. Mix them." These are common and useful forms of giving chalk in acidity of the primae viae; and combined with Opium or^Catechu in diarrhoea. The dose is from f §.)• to f^'j- given every three or four hours; or after every liquid evacuation. MISTURA FERRI COMPOSlTA.Lond.' Compound Mixture of Iron. _____ * This name is certainly improper; but it is »"* easy to invent one which would be descriptive of the compound, and yet be sufficiently concise : Mis- tura subcarbonntis ferri cum myrrha would havt been less objectionable. MIXT1 EXTRACTS. 417 " Take of Myrrh in powder, a drachm,- subcarbonate of Potass, twenty-five grains ,- Rose-water, seven fluid ounces and a half,- sulphate of Iron, in powder, a scruple,- spirit of Nutmeg, half a fluid ounce ; refin- ed Sugar, d drachm. Rub together the Myrrh, the subcarbonate of Potass, and the Sugar, and while triturating, add first the Rose-water and the spirit of Nutmeg, and afterwards the sulphate of Iron. Put the mixture immediately into a proper glass vessel, and keep it closely stopped." In this mixture the sulphate of Iron is decomposed by the subcarbonate of potass forming, by the change of constituents which takes place, sulphate of Potass and subcarbonate of Iron ; the former of which is dissolved, while the latter is diffused through the mixture, and kept suspended by the Myrrh, which forms a saponaceous compound with the excess of alkali. The Iron is in the state of a suboxide; and as it rapidly attracts oxygen in this state, and is converted into the red oxide, it is neces- sary to keep the mixture very well exclud- ed from the air. Medical properties and uses.—This mix- ture, which is nearly the same as the cele- brated antihectic mixture of Dr. Griffith, is a useful tonic, in all cases in which prepa- rations of Iron are indicated, particularly in hysteria and chlorosis, and in phthisis, when no active inflammatory diathesis sub- sists. The dose is from f§j. to f^ij. given two or three times a day. MISTURA GUAIACI, Lond. Mixture of Guaiac. " Take of Guaiac, a drachm and a half; refined Sugar, two drachms; mucilage of Acacia gum, two fluid drachms ,- Cinnamon water, eight fluid ounces. Rub the Guaiac with the sugar, then with the mucilage, and during the trituration add gradually the Cinnamon water." This is a convenient mode of exhibiting Guaiac. It is given in doses of from f ^ss. to f ^ij. two or three times a day ; diluting freely with tepid barley-water or gruel to assist its operation. MISTURA MOSCHI, Lond. Mixture of Musk. " Take of Musk, Acacia gum, in powder, refined Sugar, of each a drachm,- Rose-wa- ter, six fluid ounces. Rub the musk with the sugar, then with the gum, and add gra- dually the Rose-water." Syn. Mixture avec le muse (F.), Mixtu- ra Muschiato (/.) The quantity of gum ordered is scarcely sufficient to retain the Musk suspended in the npxture. It is a convenient form of exhibiting the remedy, and may be given to the extent of fgij. every three or four hours in spasmodic affections, and the sink- ing state of typhus. The late Mr. White of Manchester, found this mixture combin- 53 ed with Ammonia ^ss. spirit of Lavender f^j. and spirit of Juniper fgj. of great uti- lity in sloughing phagedenic ulcers of a sy- philitic and strumous nature. ENEMA CATHARTICUM, Dub. Purg- ing- Clyster. "Take of Manna, an ounce,- dissolve it in compound decoction of Chamomile, ten fluid ounces ,- then add of'Olive oil, an ounce; sulphate of Magnesia, half an ounce. Mix ■ them." ENEMA FffiTlDUM, Dub. Fatid Clys- ter. " It is to be prepared by adding to the purging clyster two drachms of assafoetida." SPIRITUS. Spirits. Under this title are placed alcohol and spirituous solutions of vegetable matters, formed by simple mixture, by maceration, and by distillation. They are uniform, transparent, unchanging solutions, contain- ing, in general, a large proportion of vola- tile oil; and when well prepared, are free from empyreuma. Pure alcohol is more volatile than many of the volatile oils, which do not therefore rise in distillation with it; and consequently, proof or distilled spirit is employed. As medicinal agents the spirits are stimulant and cordial; but sometimes bad habits are acquired from their conti- nued use. They are employed to cover the taste and flavour of disagreeable medicines; and to make some, which are apt to pro- dupe nausea, sit light upon the stomach. ALCOHOL, Lond. Alcohol. " Take of rectified Spirit, a gallon,- Sub- carbonate of Potass, three pounds. Add a pound ofthe subcarbonate previously heat- ed to 300p to the spirit, and macerate for twenty-fours, frequently shaking the mix- ture ; then pour off the spirit, and add the remainder of the subcarbonate heated to the same degree: lastly, distil the alcohol from a water-bath, and preserve it in a well- closed vessel. The specific gravity of al- cohol is to that of distilled water, as -815 to 1-000." Alcohol, Dub. Alcohol. " Take of rectified Spirit of Wine, a gallon; Pearl-ashes dried, at a heat of 300°, and still hot, a pound; caustic Kali, in pow- der, an ounce; muriate of Lime, dried, half a pound. Mix the spirit and the kali ; add the pearl-ashes, previously reduced to powder, and digest the mixture for three days in a closed vessel, frequently shaking it; then pour off the spirit; mix with it the muriate of lime ; and, lastly, distil with a moderate heat, until the residue begins to thicken. The specific gravity of this spirit is to that of distilled water, as -815 to 1-000. 418 SPIRITS. "The muriate of Lime may be conveni- ently obtained from the residue of the dis- tillation of water of Ammonia." Syn. Alcohol (F.), Hbchst rektifizirter Weingiest (G.), Alcoole (/.). Rectified spirit, ofthe specific gravity of 835°, contains about fifteen per cent, of water; and to free it from this is the inten- tion of the above processes. The affinity of the alkali and the muriate of lime for water is much greater than that of the spirit; it is therefore attracted by these substances, and prevented from rising with the spirit during the distillation, by which means the alcohol comes over in a very highly concentrated state. The process of the Dublin college is to be preferred, muriate of Lime being a much more powerful agent for separating the water than subcarbonate of Potass. By its means, Dr. Black obtained alcohol of the specific gravity of 800°; and Richter procured it so low as 0-792, in the tempe- rature of 68° Fahrenheit,* at which de- * Crell's Annals, 1796, ii. 211. gree of concentration it may be regarded almost as pure alcohol, or alcohol perfectly free from water. The alcohol of the phar- macopoeias, therefore, is not free from wa- ter, but it is sufficiently concentrated for all the purposes of pharmacy. Alcohol chemically combines with water: the hulk of the resulting mixture is less than the mean of the two liquids before admixture ; and much caloric is evolved. It is highly inflammable; and during its combustion, water and carbonic acid are formed, the quantity ofthe water exceeding that ofthe alcohol consumed. Alcohol boils at 176°, and as its boiling point is higher the more water it contains, its strength may be known by the degree at which it boils ; allowing for the atmospheric pressure under which it is tried. It cannot be frozen by any known degree of cold. As a pharmaceu- tical agent, alcohol, both in its pure and di- luted state, is of the utmost importance. SPIRITS, 419 The following Table drawn up by Lowitz, with an additional column by Dr. Thomson, shows the Specific Gravity of different Mixtures of pure Alcohol of a specific gravity "791, and Distilled Water, at the temperature of 60° and 68° of Fahrenheit. 100 iarts too jarts 100 parts by weight. Sp. Gravity. by weight, Sp. G ravity. by weight. Sp. Gravity. Alco. Wat. at 68° at 60° Alco. Wat. at 68° at 60° Alco. Wat. at 68° at 60° 100 _ 791 796 66 34 877 880 32 68 952 955 99 1 794 798 65 35 880 883 31 69 954 957 98 2 797 801 64 36 882 886 30 70 956 958 97 3 800 804 63 37 885 889 29 71 957 960 96 4 803 807 62 38 887 891 28 72 959 962 95 5 805 809 61 39 889 893 27 73 961 963 94 6 808 812 60 40 892 896 26 74 963 965 93 7 811 •815 59 41 894 898 25 75 965 967 92 8 813 817 58 42 896 900 24 76 966 968 91 9 816 820 57 43 899 903 23 77 968 970 90 10 818 822 56 44 901 904 22 78 970 972 89 11 821 825 55 45 903 906 21 79 971 973 88 12 823 827 54 46 905 908 20 80 973 974 87 13 826 830 53 47 907 910 19 81 974 975 86 14 828 832 52 48 909 912 18 82 976 85 15 831 f835 51 49 912 915 17 83 977 84 16 834 838 50 50 914 917 16 84 978 83 17 836 840 49 51 917 920 15 85 980 82 18 839 843 48 52 919 922 14 86 981 81 19 842 846 47 53 921 924 13 87 983 80 20 844 848 46 54 923 926 12 88 985 79 21 847 851 45 55 925 928 11 89 985 78 22 849 853 44 56 927 +930 10 90 987 77 23 851 855 43 57 930 933 9 91 988 76 24 853 857 42 58 932 935 8 92 989 75 25 856 860 41 59 934 937 7 93 991 74 26 859 863 40 60 936 939 6 94 992 73 27 861 865 39 61 938 941 5 95 994 72 28 863 867 38 62 940 943 4 96 995 71 29 866 870 37 63 942 945 3 97 997 70 30 868 871 36 64 944 947 2 98 998 69 31 870 874 35 65 946 949 I 99 999 68 32 872 875 34 66 948 j 951 100 1000 67 33 875 879 33 67 950 9.53 * Alcohol of the Lond. and the Dub, Pharm. t Ditto, (Edin.) rectified spirit, (Lond.J { Rectified spirit, (Dllb.) X Proof spirit. (Lond. Dub.) fl Ditto (Edin.} 420 SPIRITS Table, extracted from the Tables of Mr. Gilpin, showing the Real Specific Gravity of different Mixtures of Spirit and Water at every 5° of temperature from 50° to 70°.* The standard spirit employed was of the specific gravity 0*825; or contained 89 pure alcohol, and 11 water, in 100 parts. Proportions Real Specific Gravity. by wei gnt ot Spirit. Water.! it 50°. it 55°. it 60°. ; it 65°. ; it 70°. 100 _ •82977 •82736 •82500 •82262 •82023 100 5 •84076 •83834 + 83599 ■83362 83124 100 10 •85042 •84802 •84568 ■84334 •84092 100 15 •85902 •85664 •85430 85193 ■84951 100 20 •86676 •86441 •86208 •85975 •85736 100 25 •87384 •87150 •86918 86680 ■86415 100 30 -88030 •87796 •87569 87337 •87105 100 35 88626 ■88393 •88169 ■87938 •87705 190 40 89174 ■88945 88720 ■88490 •88254 100 45 89684 •89458 •89232 •89006 •88773 100 50 90160 ■89933 ■89707 ■89479 •89252 100 55 90596 •90367 •90144 •89920 •89695 100 60 90997 90768 •90549 •90328 •90104 100 65 91370 91144 ■90927 ■90707 •90484 100 70 91723 91502 •91227 ■91066 •90847 100 75 92051 91837 •91622 •91400 ■91181 100 80 92358 92145 •91933 •91715 •91493 100 85 92647 92436 92215 4 •92010 •91793 100 90 92919 92707 92499 •92283 •92069 100 95 93177 92960 92758 •92546 •92333 100 100 93419 93208 93002 •92794 •92580 100 95 93658 93462 93247 •93040 •92828 109 90 93897 93696 93493 93285 •93076 j 100 85 94149 93948 93749 •93546 93337 j 100 80 94414 94213 94018 93822 93616 105 75 94683 94486 94296 94099 93898 100 70 94958 94767 94579 94388 94193 1 100 65 95243 95087 94876 94689 94500 100 60 95534 95467 95181 95000 94813 100 55 95831 95662 95493 95318 95139 100 50 96126 95966 9.5804 95635 95469 100 45 96420 96262 96122 95962 95802 J 100 40 96708 96595 96437 96288 96143 100 35 96995 96277 96752 96620 96484 100 30 97284 97181 97074 96959 96836 100 25 97589 97800 97410 97309 97203 100 20 97920 97887 97771 97688 97596 100 15 98293 98289 98176 98106 98028 100 10 98745 98702 98654 98594 98527 100 5 99316 99284 99244 99194 | • 99134 * Phil. Trans, for 1794, p. 320—370. t Alcohol, (Edin.) Rectified spirit, (Lond.) \ Proof spirit. (Lond. Dub\) § Proof spirit, (Edir..) SPIRITS. 421 SPIR'ITUS AMMO'NLE,* Lond. Spirit of Ammonia. " Take qf rectified Spirit, three pints ,- Muriate of Ammonia, four ounces; Subcar- bonate of Potass, six ounces. Mix, and, by a gentle heat, distil over a pint and a half of spirit of Ammonia into a receiver which is kept cold." Alcohol ammoniatl m, Edin. Ammonia- ted Alcohol. " Take of Alcohol (835), thirty-two ounces; Lime, recently burnt, twelve ounces; Muriate of Ammonia, eight ounces,- water, six ounces. From these ammoniated Al- cohol is prepared exactly in the same man- ner as water of Ammonia." Spiritus Ammonite, Dub. Spirit of Am- monia. " Take of proof Spirit, three pints,- Muri- ate of Ammonia, four ounces,- Potass, six ounces. Mix them, and distil with a mode- rate heat two pints." Syn. Alcohol Ammoniacal (F.), Gristi- ger Ammonium liquor (G.), Alcoole Am moniato (I). In these processes, the muriate of am- monia is decomposed by the lime, which attracts the muriatic acid, while the am- monia is extricated in a pure state, volatili- zed, and readily combines with the alcohol. Muriate of lime remains in the retort. The present formula of the London and of the Dublin colleges is the same. It does not yield a solution of pure ammonia in alcohol, but a mixed solution of a small portion of ammonia in spirit, and a portion of subcai- i bonate of ammonia in water; a portion of subcarbonate of ammonia also sublimes, and remains undissolved in the distilled product. This spirit properly prepared has the pungent odour and acrid taste of ammonia, with which it coincides in its medicinal pro- perties. It is chiefly used for pharmaceu- tical purposes. Officinal preparations. Spiritus Ammo- nia compositus,Li. E. D. Spiritus Ammonia fcetidus, L. E. 1). Tinctura Castorei com- posita, E. Tinctura Guaiaci composita, E. Tinctura Opii ammoniata, E. SPIRITUS AMMONITE AROMATI- CUS,T Lond. Aromatic Spirit of Ammo- nia. " Take of Cinnamon bark bruised, Cloves bruised, of each, two drachms,- Le;non- pee\,four ounces ,- Subcarbonate of Potass, half a pound; Muriate of Ammonia, five ounces; rectified Spirit, four pints ,- water, a gallon. Mix, and distil over six pints." Alcohol ammoniatum akomaticujh, Edin. Aromatic, ammoniated Tincture. * Spiritus Salis ammoniaci dulcis P. L. 1745. t Spiritus volatilis Aromaticus, P. L. 1748. Spi- ritus Salis volatilis oleosus, P. L. 1720. Spiritus am- iu»nir. coinpositus, P. L. 173". "Take of ammoniated Alcohol, eight ounces ; volatile oil of Rosemary, a drachm and a half; volatile oil of Lemons, a drachm. Mix them so as to dissolve the oils." Spiritus Ammonia aromaticus, Dub. Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia. " Take of spirit of Ammonia, two pints ; essential oil of Lemons, two drachms ; Nut- megs, bruised, half an ounce. Digest in a covered vessel for three days, frequently shaking the vessel; then distil a pound and a half." For these latter preparations it is neces- sary that the oils be pure ; for if they con- tain fixed oil, as is often the case with the volatile oils imported into this country, the mixture is rendered turbid and coloured. It is turbid also with pure oils if the spirit of ammonia contain any carbonate of am- monia, as must be the case in the Dublin preparation ; in which case it is necessary to distil the mixtures. Medical properties and uses.—This spirit is a useful stimulant in languors, and fla- tulent colic; and the oils render it more grateful to the stomach than the simple spirit of ammonia. The dose is from fgss. to f %'}. in any convenient vehicle. Officinal preparations. Tinctura Guaiaci ammoniata, L. D. Tinctura Valerianae am- moniata, L. D. SPIRITUS AMMO'NIjE FCETTDUS,} Lond. Dub. Fostid Spirit of Ammonia. "Take of spirit of Ammonia, two pints,- Assafoetida, two ounces, (one ounce and a quarter, Dub.) Macerate for twelve hours (for three days, in a covered vessel, with frequent agitation, Dub.) ; then by a gentle fire distil one pint and a half into a cold receiver." TINCTURA ASSAFOZTIDiE AMMO- NIATA, Edin. Ammoniated Tincture of Ammonia. " Tiike of ammoniated Alcohol, eight ounces ,- Assafoetida, half an ounce. Digest them in a close vessel for twreive hours j then distil eight ounces by the heat of boiling water." In these processes the foetid volatile oil ofthe gum resin is dissolved in the spirit of ammonia, and its odour and flavour com- municated to it; but very little else is taken up. Its medicinal properties are not different from those of the preceding spirit; and its dose is the same. It acquires colour from age. SPIR'ITUS AMMO'NIiE SUCCINA'- TUS, Lond. Succinated Spirit of Ammo- nia. "Take of Mastich, three drachms,- Al- cohol, nine fluid drachms,- oil of Laven- der, fourteen minims,- oil of Amber, four minims,- solution of Ammonia, ten fluid X Spiritus volatilis foctidus. P. L. 17-1J. 422 SPIRITS. ounces. Macerate the mastich in the alco- hol, that it may be dissolved, and pour off the clear tincture ; then add the other in- gredients, and mix them by agitation." Syn. Eau de Luce (F.), Ammoniaca Succinata(7.). The preparation of this name in the Pharmacopoeia of 1787 did not preserve the milky appearance characteristic of the Eau-de-luce, for which it was intended to be a substitute : and therefore the present formula is given as furnishing a compound capable of preserving its milkiness for a very considerable time. It is stimulant and antispasmodic: and has been success- fully used in India against the bite of the rattlesnake. The dose is from Vl\x. to f^ss. given in any convenient vehicle. SPIRITUS ANISI, Lond. Spirit of Ani- seed. " Take of Aniseeds bruised, half a pound,- proof Spirit, a gallon ; water, a sufficient quantity to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then distil by a gentle fire." Spiritus Anisi compositus, Dub. Compound Spirit of Aniseed. " Take of Aniseeds bruised, Angelica seeds bruised, of each, half a pound; proof Spirit, a gallon,- water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Distil one gallon." Syn. Alcohol d'Anis (F.), Alcoole Ani- sato (/.). These are pleasant carminatives in flatu- lent colic, and similar affections. The dose is from f gss. tof 5,iv. in water. SPIRITUS ARMORACIJE COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Compound Spirit of Horse-Ra- dish. " Take of fresh Horse-radish, sliced, Orange-peel dried, of each, a pound; Nu;- megs bruised, half an ounce ; proof Spirit, a gallon ,- water, sufficient to prevent empy- reuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours; and distil a galion by a gentle fire." Spibitcs Rapiian-i compositus, Dub. Compound Spirit of Horse Radish. "Take of fresh Horse-radish dried, peel of Seville oranges, of each, two pounds; fresh garden Scurvy-grass, four pounds,- Nutmegs bruised, an ounce; proof Spirit, two gallons; water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Distil two gallons." These spirits were formerly used as anti- scorbutics, but they possess little value as such ; and are now chiefly used in dropsies attended with much debility. The dose is from f'5j. to f'5'iv. combined with infusion of fox-glove or of juniper berries. SPIRITUS CAMPHORiE, Lond. Spiri- tus camphoratus, Dub. Spirit of Cam- phor. " Take of Camphor, four ounces ,- recti- fied Spirit, two pints. Mix, that the Cam- phor mav be dissolved." Tinctura Camphorj?, Edin. Tincture of Camphor. " Take of Camphor, an ounce ,- Alcohol (sp. grav. 835), a pound. Mix, that the Camphor may be dissolved. It may also be made with double or triple the quantity of Camphor." Syn. Alcfihol Camphre (F.), Kampfer Spiritus (G.), Alcoole Canforato (/.). The strength of the spirit renders this preparation unfit to be given internally; and the addition of water separates the camphor. It is a useful application to chilblains, and in chronic rheumatism, para- lytic numbness, and gangrene. SPIRITUS CARUI, Lond. Dub. Spirit of Carraway. " Take of Carraway seeds bruised, a pound and a half, (half a pound, Dub.) ; proof Spirit, a gallon,- water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty- four hours, then distil a gallon by a gentle fire." Spiritus Cari Carui, Edin. Spirit of Carraway. " Take of Carraway seeds bruised, half a pound,- proof Spirit nine pounds. Macerate for two days in a close vessel; then add a sufficient quantity of water to prevent empyreuma, and distil nine pounds." Syn. Alcoole con Carvi (/.). A useful carminative, and adjunct to griping purgatives. SPIRITUS CINNAMOMI, Lond. Dub. Spirit of Cinnamon. " Take of Oil of Cinnamon by weight, five scruples ,- rectified Spirit, four pints and a half. Add the spirit to the oil, with the addition of as much water as will be sufficient to prevent empyreuma; then distil a gallon by a slow fire." Spiritus Lauri Cinnamomi, Edin. Spi- rit of Cinnamon. " To be prepared with a pound of Cinna- mon bark, in the same manner as the spirit of carraway." This spirit is an agreeable cordial in languor and debility. The dose is from f^j. tof^iv. in any convenient vehicle. # Officinal preparation. Infusum Digitalis, SPIRITUS COLCHICI AMMONIA- TUS, Lond. Ammoniated Spirit of Colchi- cum. " Take of seeds of Colchicum bruised, two ounces,- Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia, a pint. Macerate for fourteen days and strain." The least useful of the preparations of Meadow Saffron. The dose is from f^ss. to f"jj. in water or any mild vehicle. SPIRITUS JUNIPERI COMPOSITUS, Lond. Dub. Edin. Compound Spirit of Juniper. " Take of Juniper berries bruised, a SPIRITS. 423 pound; Carraway seeds bruised, Fennel seeds bruised, of each, an ounce and a half ,- proof Spirit, a gallon (nine pounds, Edin.) ; water, sufficient to prevent empy- reuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours (two days, Edin. Dub.) ; then distil a gal- lon (nine pounds, Edin.) by a gentle heat." This spirit is a grateful and useful addi- tion to infusions of fox-glove, and other diuretic*;, in dropsy. SPIRITUS LAVANDULAE, Lond. Spirit of Lavender. "Take of fresh Lavender flowers, two pounds; rectified Spirit, a gallon ,- water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours; then distil a gallon by a gentle heat." Dublin. "Take of fresh flowers of Lavender, a pound and a half; proof Spirit, a gallon ,- water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Dis- til five pints by a moderate fire." Spiritus Lavandula Spice, Edin. Spi- rit of Lavender. " Take of fresh flowers of Lavender, two pounds ,- Alcohol, eight pounds. Distil, with the heat of a water bath, seven pounds." Syn. Teinture alcoholique de Lavande (F.), Lavandel-spiritus (G.). The oil of Lavender is sufficiently volatile to be brought over with rectified spirit, which is also required to extract all the oil from the flowers; for this reason, the Dub- lin process produces a spirit less highly im- pregnated with the oil. Spirit of Lavender is chiefly used as a perfume. Officinal preparations. Spiritus Lavan- dula compositus, L. E. D. Linimentum Cam- phora compositum, L. SPIRITUS LAVANDULA COMPOSI- TUS, Lond., Dub. Compound Spirit of Lavender. "Take of spirit of Lavender, three pints ,- spirit of Rosemary, a pint; Cinnamon bark bruised, Nutmegs bruised, of each, half an ounce; (Cloves, two drachms, Dub.) ; red Saunders-wood chipped, an ounce. Mace- rate for fourteen days, (ten days, Dub.) and strain." Edinburgh. "Take of spirit of Lavender, three pounds,- spirit of Rosemary, one pound; Cinnamon bark bruised, an ounce,- Nutmegs bruised, two drachms; red Saunders-wood rasped, three drachms. Macerate seven days, and strain." The addition of these aromatics to the spirit of Lavender renders it a grateful cor- dial and stimulant; useful in languors and faintings, and as an adjunct to tonic and stomachic infusions. Its dose is from rr^xxx. to f 3ij. SPIRITUS MENTHA PIPERITA, Lond. Edin. Spirit of Peppermint. "Take of Peppermint dried, a pound and a half- proof Spirit, a gallon, (nine pounds, Edin.); water, sufficient to prevent empyreu- ma. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then distil a gallon (nine pounds, Edin.) by a gentle heat." Syn. Teinture alcoholique de Menthe Poivree (F.), Alcoole con Menta piperitide A useful carminative in nausea and fla- tulence, and as an adjunct to purgative re- medies. SPIRITUS MENTHJE VIRIDIS, Lond, Spirit of Spearmint. " Take of Spearmint dried, a pound and a half,- proof spirit, a gallon,- water, suffi- cient to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then distil a gallon by a gentle heat." In the same cases as the former. SPIRITUS MYRlSTlCiE, Lond. Spiri- tus myristick moschata, Edin. Spiritus Nucis moscuat.u, Spirit of Nutmeg. " Take of Nutmegs bruised, two ounces,- proof Spirit, a gallon (nine pounds, Edin.); water, sufficient to prevent empyreuma. Ma- cerate for twenty-four hours ; then distil a gallon (nine pounds, Edin.) by a gentle heat." SPIRITUS PIMENTJE, Lond. Spiritus Pimento, Dub. Spirit of Pimenta. " Take of Pimenta berries bruised, two ounces (three ounces, Dub.) ; proof spirit, a gallon ; water, sufficient to prevent empyreu- ma. Macerate for twenty-four hours; then distil a gallon by a gentle heat." Spiritus Myrti Pimento, Edin. Spirit of Pimenta. " It is to be prepared with half a pound of bruised Pimenta berries, in the same manner as spirit of Carraway." A useful carminative in flatulent colic, atonic gout and dyspepsia. SPIRITUS PULEGII, Lond. Spirit of Pennyroyal. " Take of Pennyroyal dried, a pound and a half,- proof spirit, a gallon ; water, suffi- cient to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours; then distil a gallon by a gentle fire." Similar to spirit of Spearmint in its qua- lities and medicinal properties. SPIRITUS ROSMARINI, Lond. Spirit of Rosemary, " Take of fresh Rosemary tops, two pounds ; proof spirit, a gallon .- water, suffi- cient to prevent empyreuma. Macerate for twenty-four hours ; then distil a gallon in a gentle heat." t/Wr ounces,- proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days (seven days, Dub.), and filter." Tinctura Crotonis Eleutherus, Edin. Tincture of Croton Eleutheria, or Casca- rilla. " Take of Croton eleutheria bruised, four ounces i proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days and filter through paper." Syn. Cascarillentinktur (G.). This tincture may be regarded as super* fluous, as it is scarcely ever ordered. TINCTURA CASTOREI, Lond. Tinc- tura Castorei (rossici, canadensis), Dub. Tincture of Castor. " Take of Castor powdered, two ounces ,- rectified Spirit, (proof spirit, Dub.) two pints. Macerate for seven days,'and filter." Edinburgh. " Take of Castor powdered, an ounce and a half; Alcohol, a pound. Macerate for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Castor (F.), Castoreums- tinktur (G.), Tintura di Castoro (/.). Rectified spirit is the preferable solvent for the active parts of castor, which are resin and a volatile oil; and it also affords a more grateful tincture than that made with proof spirit. The tincture is supposed to possess the medical properties of the cas- tor, and is used in similar cases. The dose is from Tl^xx. tofgij. The Dublin college orders a " Tincture of Russian Castor," and a " tincture of Ca- nadian Castor," which is an unnecessary refinement. The Russian Castor is the best, and should always be preferred when it can be obtained. TINCTU'RA CASTOREI COMPOSITA, Edin. Compound Tincture of Castor. " Take of Russian Castor powdered, an ounce; Assafoetida, half an ounce; ammo- niated Alcohol, one pound. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This is a more active preparation than the former, and is advantageously given in hysteria, cramp of the stomach, and flatu- lent colic, to the extent of f gij. for a dose. TINCTU'RA CAT'ECHU,* Lond. Dub. Tincture of Catechu. " Take of extract of Catechu, three ounces: Cinnamon bark bruised, two ounces: proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days, Dub.) and filter." Tinctura Catecuu Acaci.ze, Edin. Tinc- ture of Catechu. " Take of extract of Catechu in powder, three ounces,- Cinnamon bark bruised, two ounces,- proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Cachou(F-), Katechu- tinktur (G.). Proof spirit dissolves all the soluble parts of catechu, except the mucilage, which in §iij. of Bengal catechu amounts to 94 grains; besides which 72 grains of impu- rities remain undissolved. The tincture is a solution of tannin, extractive matter, and the,volatile oil of Cinnamon. It is a grate- • Tinctura Japonica, P. L. 1745. 4-25 TINCTURES. ful warm astringent, useful in all cases in which astringents are indicated. The dose is from fs; j. to fgiij. taken in water or in wine, or the cretaceous mixture of the pharmacopoeias. TINCTURA CINCHONA,* Lond. Tincture of Cinchona. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark in powder, seven ounces ; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, and filter." Tinctura Cinchona, Edin. Tinctura LANCIF0LI.3J Cincuonjb, Dub. Tincture of Lance-leaved Cinchona. " Take of Cinchona bark in powder, four ounces ; proof Spirit, two pounds and a half, (two pints, Dub.). Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Quinquina (J1.), China- tinktur (G.), Tintura di China (/.). Although this tincture contains the active principles of Cinchona bark in considerable quantity, yet, from the nature of the vehi- cle, it cannot be given in sufficiently large doses to produce the beneficial effects of the bark in substance ; it is therefore used chiefly as an adjunct to the infusion or de- coction. The dose is from f ^ j. to f giv. Tinctura Cinchonje Ammoniata, Lond. Ammoniated Tincture of Bark. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark powdered,four ounces; aromatic spirit of Ammonia, two pints. Macerate for ten days, and filter." This is the formula of 1787, which was rejected without any proper reason in 1809. It is extremely useful in dyspeptic com- plaints attended with much acidity. TINCTU'RA CINCHO'N.ffi COMPOS'I- TA, Lond. Edin. Dub. Compound Tinc- ture of Cinchona. " Take of lance-leaved Cinchona bark powdered, two ounces ; dried Orange-peel, one ounce and a half, (half an ounce, Dub.) ; Virginian Snake-root bruised, three drachms ; Saffron, a drachm ,- Cochineal in powder, two scruples ; proof Spirit, twenty fluid ounces. Macerate for fourteen (seven, Edin.) days, and filter." Syn. Zusammengesetzte Chinatinktur (G.). This tincture is more grateful than the former; and although it contains less cin- chona, yet the addition of the other ingre- dients renders it moce useful both as a stomachic and a febrifuge. It is the same as the celebrated tincture of Huxham,f ■who generally gave it in intermittents and low nervous fevers, in diluted wine or any proper vehicle, with ten or fifteen drops of elixir of vitriol, (aromatic sulphuric acid, Edin.). The dose is from f 3J. to f giij. or more in intermittents. TINCTU'RA CINNAMO'MI, Lond. Dub.+ Tinctura Lauri Cinnamomi, Edin. Tincture of Cinnamon. " Take of Cinnamon bark bruised, three ounces; (three ounces and a half, Dub.) proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for four- teen days (seven days, Dub.), and filter." Syn. Teinture de Canelle (F.), Zimmt- tinktur (G.), Tintura di Cinnamomo (/.). This tincture contains the active princi- ples ofthe bark, and is an elegant and use- ful adjunct to the chalk mixture and as- tringent infusions. The dose is from f 3j, to f s-'iij. TINCTU'RA CINNAMO'MI COMPOSI- TA^ Lond. Dub. Compound Tincture of Cinnamon. " Take of Cinnamon bark bruised, six drachms,- Cardamom seeds bruised, three drachms ,- long Pepper powdered, Ginger- root sliced, of each, two drachms; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days, Dub.), and filter. Tinctura Cinnamomi composita, Edin. Compound Tincture of Cinnamon. "Take of Cinnamon bark bruised, lesser Cardamom seeds bruised, of each one ounce,- long Pepper in powder, two drachms; proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Saffron (F.). This is a much warmer aromatic than the simple tincture ; and is frequently ad- vantageously used in flatulencies, atonic gout, languors, and debility, in doses of f'3j. or fjij. properly diluted. Officinal preparation. Aether sulphuricus cum Alcohole aromaticus, E. TINCTURA CONII MACULATI, Edin. Tincture of Hemlock. " Take of dried leaves of Hemlock, two ounces,- Cardamom seeds, bruised, half an ounce; proof Spirit, sixteen ounces. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This is an elegant form of administering Conium ; and admits of its being added to mixtures. It possesses all the active pro- perties ofthe plant. TINCTURA CROCI SATIVA, Edin. Tinctura Croci, Dub. Tincture of Saf- fron. " Take of English Saffron cut in shreds, one ounce; proof Spirit, fifteen ounces, (a pint, Dub.). Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This tincture contains almost pure extrac- tive, and is supposed to be stimulant and diaphoretic, but its chief value perhaps arises from its colour. » Tinctura ccrtifis Veruviauae simplex. P. L. 1745. t Essay on Fever, 122. t Aqua Cinnamomi fortn, F. I... 1720. j 1 mctuia aiomatica, F. L 1/45. TINC'I TURES. 429 TINCTURA DIGITA'LIS, Lond. Tine ture of Fox-glove. "Take of Fox-glove leaves dried, four ounces; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, and filter." Syn. Teinture de Digitale (F.), Finger- hautinktur (G.), Tintura di-Digitale por- porrina (/.). Dublin. " Take of Fox-glove leaves (the larger ones being rejected) dried and reduced to coarse powder, two ounces,- proof Spirit, a pint. Digest for seven days, and filter." Tinctura Digitalis Purpurea, Edin. Tincture of Fox-glove. " Take of Fox-glove leaves dried, one ounce,- proof Spirit, eight ounces. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This is a convenient form for exhibiting Fox-glove. It contains all the virtues of the plant, and has the advantage of pre- serving them unimpaired for any length of time. The dose should be R\x. at first, and gradually increased, the same cautions being necessary as in the exhibition ofthe plant in substance. TINCTURA GALBANI, Dub. Tincture of Galbanum. " Take of Galbanum cut into small pieces, two ounces ,- proof Spirit, two pints. Digest for seven days, then filter." It is used in the same cases as tincture of Assafoetida; but, if less nauseous, it is also less powerful. TINCTURA GALLARUM, Edin. Dub. Tincture of Galls. " Take of Galls in powder, two ounces (four ounces, Dub.); proof spirit, sixteen ounces, (two pints, Dub.). Macerate for seven days, then filter through paper." Proof Spirit dissolves tannin; consequent- ly this tincture contains all the astringency ofthe galls, and may be employed in the same cases. The dose is from f 3j. to f 3"j. TINCTURA GENTIA'NjE COMPOST- TA,* Lond. Dub. Compound Tincture of Gentian. " Take of Gentian root cut, two ounces; Orange-peel dried, an ounce; Cardamom seeds bruised, half an ounce; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days,Dub.) and filter." Tinctura Gentian ;e composita, Edin. Compound Tincture of Gentian, commonly called Stomachic Tincture. "Take of yellow Gentian root sliced and bruised, two ounces ,- Orange-peel dried and bruised, one ounce,- Canella alba bruised, half an ounce; Cochineal in powder, half a drachm ; proof Spirit, two pints and a half Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." • Tinctura amata, V, L. It-it. Syn. Teinture de Genfiane composee (F.), Enziantinktur (G.), Tintura di Gen- ziana (/.). This is an elegant stomachic bitter and cordial; but in dyspepsia, in which it is more particularly indicated, the infusion is preferable. TINCTURA GUAI'ACI, Lond., Dub. Tincture of Guaiac. " Take of Guaiac powdered, half a pound (four ounces, Dub.); proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days, Dub.) and filter." Tinctura Guaiaci officinalis, Edin. Tincture of Guaiac. " Take of Guaiac, in powder, six ounces ,- Alcohol, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Guajac (F.), Guajak- tinktur (G.), Tintura di Guajac (/.). The difference in the proportion of the Guaiac in these formulae is much to be re- gretted. It is separated from the alcohol by the addition of water; and therefore when this tincture is to be given in the form of draught, it must be triturated with yolk of egg, or with mucilage, to enable it to combine with water. The dose is from f Zi- t0 f3uj- in any convenient vehicle. TINCTU'RA GUAIA'CI AMMONIA. TA,f Lond., Dub., Edin. Ammoniated Tinc- ture of Guaiacum. " Take of Guaiac, in powder, four ounces; aromatic Spirit of Ammonia, one pint and a half. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days, Edin., Dub.) and filter. Syn. Teinture Ammoniacal de Guajac (F.), Ammonium guajaktinktur (G.) Al- coole Ammoniato con Guajaco; Tintura Guajachina volatile (/.). As the ammonia coincides with the ope- ration of Guaiac more than spirit, this tinc- ture is more efficacious as a stimulating su- dorific than the former preparation. Wa- ter decomposes it, separating the Guaiac in dark curdy flakes. Chlorine, nitrous acid, and the spirit of nitric ether separate the Guaiac into curdy coagulated masses, and impart to the whole an intense bluish green colour: but sulphuric and muriatic acids produce no change. Dr. Paris, from whose Pharmacologia the above remark is quoted, adds, " if equal parts of quicklime and pow- der Guaiacum be rubbed together, and a quantity of water be poured over them, and the mixture allowed to stand until it becomes fine, we shall obtain a solution of this substance, which will mix, in any pro- portion, with aqueous vehicles without de- composition, and to which the aromatic spirit of ammonia may be subsequently added with effect." The dose 13 from f'^j. to f 3'j-> triturated with any mucous or vis- cid matter. t Tinct. Guaiarina volatilis, I", i,. 1715. 430 TINCT URE* TINCTURA HELLEBO'Rl NI'GRl,* Lond. Tincture of black Hellebore. " Take of the root of black Hellebore sliced, four ounces ; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, and filter." Edinburgh. Dublin. ** Take of black Hellebore-root bruised, (powdered, Dub.) two ounces,- Cochineal in powder, fifteen grains, (two scruples, Dub.); proof Spirit, fifteen ounces, (two pints, Dub. Digest for seven days, then filter through paper." Syn. Teinture d'Ellebore noir (F.),Tin- tura d'EHeboro (/.). The smallnessot the fibres ofthe root of black Hellebore, which are the parts me- dicinally employed, renders it almost im- possible to follow the direction ofthe Lon- don formula; and it is better to powder it coarsely, as ordered by the Dublin college. This tincture was regarded by Dr. Mead as a powerful emmenaTogue, and is still order- ed in uterine obstructions, and in some cuta- neous affections. The dose is from Tti^xxx. to fsjj. in any appropriate vehicle. TINCTU'RA HU'MILI, Lond., Edin. Tincture of Hops. " Take of Hops, five ounces; proof Spirit, two pints, (two pounds and a half, Edin.) Macerate for fourteen days, and strain ; (se- ven days ; express the tincture, and filter through paper, Edin.)" The lightness and bulk of the hops ren- der it difficult to make the quantity of spirit here ordered act equally on the ingredients, therefore their surface should be several times changed by stirring, during the ma- ceration, and the tincture expressed as or- dered by the Edinburgh college. The tinc- ture is supposed to possess the tonic and narcotic properties of the plant, and has been recommended as a substitute for tinc- ture of opium in gout and rheumatism,-}- butfrom the experiments of Dr. Bigsby, its efficacy is very* problematical. The dose is from fgss. to fgij. or more. TINCTURA HYOSCYA'MI, Lond.— Tincture of Henbane. "Take of the dried leaves of Henbane, four ounces ,- proof Spirit, two pints. Ma- cerate for fourteen days and filter." Dublin. " Take of the dried leaves of black Hen- bane in coarse powder, two ounces and a quarter,- proof Spirit, a pint. Digest for seven days ; then strain." Tinctura Hyoscyami nigri, Edin. Tinc- ture of Black Henbane. " Take of the dried leaves of black Hen- bane, an ounce,- proof Spirit, eight ounces, * Tinctura Melantpodii, P. L. 1745. \ Freak's Observations on the Humulm Lupulus, 9. et passim. { London Medical Repository. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." I have found this a more useful substi- tute for tincture of opium, than the tincture of hops. In a dose of f^j it seldom fails of procuring sleep and quiet; and does not affect the head, or produce costiveness. In cases of diarrhoea, when this tincture is given, it will be necessary to add a few drops of tincture of opium to counteract the tendency it has to run off by the bow- els. TINCTURA JAL'APJE, Lond.§ Tine ture of Jalap. Take of Jalap-root, powdered, eight ounces,- proof Spirit, two pints. Digest for fourteen days, then filter." Dublin. " Take of Jalap-root in coarse powder, five ounces,- proof Spirit, two pints. Digest for seven days, then filter." Tinctura Contolvuli Jalaps, Edin.— Tincture of Jalap. "Take of Jalap-root in powder, three ounces; proof Spirit, fifteen ounces. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Both water and alcohol separately ex- tract part of the active principles of jalap, and proof spirit extracts the whole of them ; the combination ofthe gum, extractive, and resin of the root being requisite for the production of its full cathartic effect. The great difference in point of strength, of these tinctures is much to be regretted. TINCTURA KI'NO, Lond. Tincture of Kino. " Take of Kino, in powder, three ounces ,• proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for four- teen days, and strain." Edinburgh. Dublin. "Take of Kino, two ounces,- (three ounces, Dub.;) proof Spirit, a pint and a half. Di- gest for seven days, and filter through pa- per." Syn. Teinture de Kino (F.) The matter in solution in this tincture is chiefly tannin. It is administered in chro- nic diarrhoea, the latter stage of dysentery, fluor albus, and in all cases in which astrin- gents are indicated ; but it is less certain in its operation than the tincture of catechu. The dose is from fgj. tofgij. TINCTURA MOSCHI, Dub. Tincture of Musk. " Take of Musk in powder, two drachms; rectified Spirit, a pint. Digest for seven da)'s, then strain." Syn. Teinture de Muse (F.), Tintura di Muschio (/.). The only effectual form in which musk can be exhibited is in powder ; much larger doses of it being requisite to do any good than can be given in a spirituous vehicle. $ Tinctura Jalapa:, P. L. 1745, 1787. TINCT ukes. 431 TINCTURA MYRRHJE, Loud.* Tinc- ture of Myrrh. " Take of Myrrh bruised, four ounces,- rectified Spirit, three pints. Macerate for fourteen days, and filter." Edinburgh. *• Take of Myrrh in powder, three oun- ces ; Alcohol, twenty ounces,- Water, ten ounces. Digest for seven days and filter through paper." Dublin. Take of Myrrh bruised, three ounces : proof Spirit, a pint and a half: rectified Spirit, half a pint. Digest for seven days, then strain." Syn. Teinture de Myrrhe (F.), Myrrhen- tinktur (G,), Tintura de Mirra (/.). A transparent tincture of a golden yel- low colour may be prepared by treating myrrh with alcohol alone; but, when wa- ter is used, a rather turbid tincture is ob- tained ; a circumstance which, d priori, might have been suspected. This tincture is tonic and deobstruent; but it is more generally used in gargles, combined with infusion of Roses and acids; or as an ap- plication to foul ulcers, and exfoliating bones; or diluted with water, as a wash for the mouth when the gums are spongy. The dose is from fgss. to fgj. TINCTURA OPII, Lond. Tincture of Opium. " Take of hard Opium powdered, two ounces and a half; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, and strain." Tinctura Opii, sive Thebaica ; vulgo, Laudanum liq.uidum, Edin. Tincture of Opium, or Thebaic Tincture, commonly, Liquid Laudanum. "1'ake of Opium, two ounces; proof Spirit, two pounds. Macerate for seven days, and filter through paper." Tinctura Opii, sive Tinctura Theba- ica, Dub. Tincture of Opium, or Thebaic Tincture. " Take of purified hard Opium in coarse powder, ten drachms ; proof Spirit, a pint. Digest for seven days, then strain." Syn. Teinture d'opium (F.), Opiums- tinktur (G.), Laudano liquido; Alcoole opiato (/.). Owing to crude opium being now order- ed by the London college instead of hard purified opium, the strength of the tincture formerly prepared is to that ofthe present tincture as 3 to 2 ; or nxxiv. ofthe old tinc- ture contained one grain of opium, and were equal to TT\,xix. of the present tinc- ture. The Edinburgh tincture is of the same strength as the present London tinc- ture ; but the Dublin is stronger, TT^xiv. of it containing one grain of opium. This tincture is used in all cases in which opium • Tiuct. Myrrhae simplex, P. I.. 1720. is indicated, and is a very convenient and elegant form of giving the remedy,\ The usual dose is from n^x. to TT\lx.; but in some morbid states of the habit very large doses can be borne, and are even necessa- ry'. In colica pictonum, fgj. given before using purges, facilitates their action, and renders the relief more speedy; and in tetanus f^vss. have been given in divided doses, with advantage, in twenty-six hours.! As an external application, the tincture rubbed upon the skin produces its ano- dyne effects in a smaller degree, allays local pains, and assists in relaxing the spasm in lock-jaw and similar affections. Its powers as an external remedy are very much increased by combining it with vine- gar ; an acetate of morphia being thus produced. TINCTURA OPII AMMONIATA ; olim. Elixir Paregoricum, Edin. Ammoniated Tincture of Opium; formerly Paregoric Elixer. " Take of Opium, two drachms ; Benzo- ic acid, Saffron, cut in shreds, of each, three drachms ,- volatile oil of Aniseed, half a drachm ; ammoniated Alcohol, six- teen ounces. Digest for seven days and filter through paper." This tincture is useful in hooping-cough and spasmodic-asthma. Each fsjj. con- tains gr. j. of opium. TINCTURA QUASSLE EXCELS^), Edin. Tincture of Quassia. " Take of Quassia wood rasped, one ounce ; proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Tinctura Quassia, Dub. Tincture of Quassia. " Take of chips of Quassia wood, an ounce ; proof Spirit, two pints. DigesVfor seven days, then strain." Syn. Teinture de Quassia (F.). This tincture contains the bitter of the wood in perfection, and may be used in the same cases as the infusion. * TINCTU'RA RHET§, Lond. Tincture of Rhubarb. " Take of Rhubarb root sliced, two ounces: Cardamom seeds bruised, an ounce and a half: Saffron, two drachms ; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days in a gentle heat, and filter." Dublin. " Take of Rhubarb root sliced, two ounces,- lesser Cardamom seeds husked and bruis- ed, Liquorice root bruised, of each, half an t It ought to be kept in opaque bottles ; as light, according to the experiments of Vogel, has the power of decomposing it. Vide Journ. Pharm, Maii, 1815. p. 199. X Tinctura Rhabarbari, P. L. 1720. 1787, § Clinic's Report on Cold Water, i. 138. 432 TINCTURES. ounce ; Saffron, two drachms ,- proof Spirit, two pints. Digest for seven days, then filter." Tinctura Rhei, Edin. Tincture of Rhu- barb. " Take of Rhubarb root sliced, three ounces.- lesser Cardamom seeds bruised, half an ounce : proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Teinture de Rhubarbe (F.), Rha- barbertinktur (G.), Tinctura de Rhabarba- ro (/.). TINCTURA RHET COMPOSITA*, Lond. Compound Tincture of Rhubarb. " Take of Rhubarb root sliced, two ounces ,- Liquorice root bruised, half an ounce ; Gin- ger root sliced, Saffron, of each, two drachms,- proof Spirit, a pint,- Water, twelve fluid ounces. Macerate for fourteen days in a gentle heat, and filter." TINCTURA RHEI ET ALOES, Edin. Tincture of Rhubarb and Aloes,- formerly, Sacred Elixir. " Take of Rhubarb root, sliced, ten drachms,- Socotorine Aloes powdered, six drachms ,- lesser Cardamom seeds, bruised, half an ounce ; proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." Syn. Alcohol avec Aloe" et Rhubarbe^.), Alcoole Aloe-Rabarbarato (/.). TINCTURA RHEI ET GENTIANS, Edin. Tincture of Rhubarb and Gentian. ".Take of Rhubarb root sliced, two ounces,- Gentian root, sliced, half an ounce,- proof Spirit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." All these tinctures of rhubarb are purga- tive and stomachic ; but the strength ofthe menstruum is too great to permit of their general use for the first intention, and they are more usually employed as adjuncts to saline purgatives, to give them warmth, or to stomachic infusions in dyspepsia, flatu- lent colic, diarrhoea, the costiveness of old people and of those of cold phlegmatic habits. The dose to operate as a purgative is f ,"5vj. and from f 3 j. to f giij. to produce stomachic effects. TINCTURA SCILLA, Lond. Edin. Dub. Tincture of Squills. " Take of recent Squill root (bulb) dried, four ounces, (two ounces, Edin.); proof Spirit, two pints, (sixteen ounces, Edin.) Macerate for fourteen days, and filter." (Digest for seven days, then set it aside until the dregs are subsided, and pour off the clear liquor, Dub.) Proof spirit takes up the active principles of the squill, and affords a convenient form of exhibiting it in all the cases in which it is indicated. The dose is from rt^x. to • Tinctura Rhabarbari composita, P. L. 17,87 fTLxxx. given in almond mixture, ammoniac mixture, or mucilage. TINCTURA SENNiE, Lond. Tincture of Senna.-\ "Take of Senna leaves, three ounces,- Carraway seeds bruised, three drachm ,• Cardamom seeds bruised, a drachm,- Raisins stoned, four ounces,- proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days in a gentle heat, and filter." Dublin. " Take of Senna leaves, a pound; Car- raway seeds bruised, one ounce and a half; lesser Cardamom seeds husked and bruised, half an ounce,- proof Spirit, a gallon. Digest for fourteen days, then filter." Tinctura Senn.e composita, Edin. Compound Tincture of Senna. " Take of the leaves of Senna, two ounces; Jalap root bruised, one ounce,- Coriander seeds bruised, half an ounci,- proof Spirit, three pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and to the filtered tincture add of re- fined Sugar, four ounces." These tinctures are stomachic and pur- gative. They are very efficacious in flatu- lent colic, atonic gout, and as an opening medicine for those whose bowels have been weakened by intemperance. The dose is from f gij. to f 3j j. in any appropriate vehi- TINCTURA SERPENTARLE, Lond. Dub. Tincture of Snake Root. " Take of Snake root, (cut and bruised, Dub.) three ounces ,- proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (,seven days, Dub.) and filter." Tinctura Aristolochix Serpentarib, Edin. Tincture of Snake Root. " Take of Snake root, bruised, two ounces; Cochineal in powder, a drachm,- proof Spi- rit, two pounds and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This tincture is a useful addition to infu- sion of Cinchona bark, in typhoid and pu- trid fevers, gout, and periodic head-ache. The dose is from fgss. to fgxy, or, when taken in water, as much as can be taken without the operation ofthe spirit proving hurtful. TINCTURA TOLUIFER.3E BALSAM I, Edin. Tincture of Balsam of Tolu. " Take of Balsam of Tolu, an ounce and a half; Alcohol, a pound. Digest until the balsam is dissolved, and filter through pa- per." Tincture of balsam of Tolu is scarcely ever used except on account of its agreea- ble flavour. As it is decomposed by water, it is necessary to triturate it with mucilage, in order to mix it with any aqueous fluid. It is chiefly used for making the syrup. Officinal preparation. Syrupus Toluiferz Balsami, E. t Elixir Salutis, P. L. 1720. TINCTURES. 433 TINCTURA VALERIANAE, Lond. Dub. Tincture of Valerian. " Take of Valerian root in powder, four ounces ,- proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for fourteen days, (seven days, Dub.) and filter." Syn. Teinture de Valeriane (F.), Bald- rian tinktur (G.), Tintura di Valeriana (/.). Proof spririt extracts the active matter of the valerian, but the tincture cannot be given in doses sufficiently large to prove very efficacious. TINCTURA VALERIANAE AMMONI- ATA, Lond. Ammoniated Tincture of Vale- rian* " Take of Valerian root, four ounces ,- aromatic spirit of Ammonia, two pints. Ma- cerate for fourteen days, and filter." Dublin. " Take of Valerian root in powder, two ounces ; spirit of Ammonia, a pint. Digest for seven days, then filter." Sun. BaldiiantinkturmitAmmonium liquor (<*■)• , . . As the Ammonia corresponds in virtue * Tinctura Valerianic volatilis, P. L. 1745, with the valerian, this tincture is more pow- erful than the foregoing. It is advantage- ously employed in hysteria and other ner- vous affections, in doses of f^j. or f£ij. given in milk, or some other bland fluid. TINCTURA VERATRI ALBI, Edin. Tincture of White Hellebore. " Take of white Hellebore root, bruised, eight ounces ,- proof Spirit, one pound and a half. Digest for seven days, and filter through paper." This tincture is sometimes employed to excite vomiting in maniacal and apoplectic cases ; and as an alterative in cutaneous eruptions. It is given in doses of tx\v. to ITl^x. but it is a very unmanageable remedy, producing sometimes the most violent ef- fects. TINCTURA ZINGIRERIS, Lond. Dub. Tinctura Amomi Zingiberis, Edin. Tinc- ture of Ginger. " Take of Ginger root sliced, two ounces; proof Spirit, two pints. Macerate for four- teen days, (seven days, Dub. Edin.) and filter." This tincture possesses all the pungency ofthe ginger, and is useful as a stimulant and c.irminalive, in atonic gout, when it attacks the stomach, in flatulent colic, anil as a conigenl to griping purgatives. ~~t 4,,-i TlN(Tlf{f> Table of Tinctures. Tinciures prepared with rectified spirit of the Tinctures prepared with proof spirit of the f Spec. grav. 83S. Spec. grav. 930. Tinctura Aides, Tinctura Aurantii, --------Aloes et Myrrhre, ----.----Bonplandix trifoliatx, --------Assafoetidse, -—■-----Calumbae, ■-------Benzoini comp. —------Camphorae comp. —-----Castorei, -------Capsici, --------Ferri Muriatis, -------Cardamomi, ■-------Guaiaci, --------Cardamomi comp. -------Myrrhx, ------— Cascarillae, --------Moschi, --------Catechu, --------Toluiferae tfihami. -------Cinchon e, ———— Cinchona comp. ■ --------Cinnamomi, —-----Cinnamomi comp. --------Conii maculati, --------Croci sativi, --------Digitalis, --------Ferri Ammoniati, --------Galbani, --------Gallarum, --------Gentianae comp. --------Hellebori nigri, --------Humuli, --------Hyosciami, --------Jalapae, --------Kino, • T i'tt-p -L,y"-i'cj --------Opii, ' --------Quassiae Excelsx, --------Rhei, --------Rhei composita, --------Rhei et Aloes, --------Rhei et Gentianx, --------Scillx, -------- Sennx, --------Serpentarix, --------Valerianae, .—'■-----Veratri albi, --------Zingiberis. JETHEREA. Preparations of Ether. The action ofthe strong acids on alcohol produces an order of compounds which possess both important chemical proper- ties and medicinal virtues. These are named Ethers, and agree in certain gene- r ' properties, but vary in some of their qualities according as they are produced from different acids. They are all ex- tremely volatile, and require to be pre- served in closely-stopt phials.* Tl ^ fol- lowing are medicinally used. /ETHER SULPIIURICUS, Lond. Sul- phuric Ether. * The phial proposed by Dr. Dewar is the best for this purpose. It consists of a stopt phial, having a circular rim round its shoulder, not rising qliite so high as the mouth of the bottle, and a glass cup with u heavy bottom, which, when inverted over the mouth "Take of rectified Spirit, Sulpnunc acid, of each, one pound and a half. Pour the spirit into a glass retort, and add the acid gradually to it, shaking it frequently, and taking care that the temperature of the mixture do not exceed 120°, until it be completed. Then cautiously place the re- tort in a sand-bath, previously heated to 200°, that the liquor may boil as quickly as possible, and the ether pass into a tubu- lated receiver to which another receiver is adapted, which is to be cooled by ice or water. Distil until a heavier fluid begins to pass over, which is seen in the bottom of the receiver below the ether. Pour on the liquor which remains in the retort twelve fluid ounces more of rectified spirit, and distil another portion of ether in a si- milar manner." of the phial into mercury, poured into the rim, her- metically closes it. Annals of Phil. vol. x. p. 20. PREPAKATIO> Edinburgh. "Take of Sulphuric, acid, Alcohol, of each, thirty-two ounces. Pour the alcohol into a glass retort, capable of sustaining a sudden heat; then pour the acid on it in an uninterrupted stream. Mix them gra- dually by frequent and gentle agitation ; then immediately distil from a sand-bath, previously heated for the purpose, into a receiver kept cold with water or snow. Let the fire be so regulated that the fluid may boil as soon as possible, and continue to boil until sixteen ounces shall have dis- tilled over; then let the retort be removed from the sand-bath. " To the distilled liquor, add two drachms of Potass; then distil again from a high re- tort, with a very gentle heat, into a re- ceiver kept cold, until ten ounces have passed over. " If sixteen ounces of Alcohol be added to the residuary acid after the first distilla- tion, and the distillation repeated, ether will be reproduced. And this may be often repeated." jETHER RECTIFICATUS, Lond. Rec- tified Ether* "Take of Sulphuric ether, fourteen fluid ounces ,- fused Potass, half an ounce ; distil- led Water, two fluid ounces. First dissolve the potass in the water, and add the ether to it, shaking them well together, until they be mixed; lastly, in a heat of 120°, distil from a large retort into a cold receiv- er twelve fluid ounces of rectified ether." iETHER sulphuricus, Dub. Sulphuric Ether. " Take of sulphuric Ethereal liquor, twenty fluid ounces,- Subcarbonate of Kali dried and in powder, two drachms. Mix, them, and distil from a high retort by means of a very gentle heat, into a receiver kept cold, twelve fluid ounces. The specific gravity of this fluid is to that of distilled water, as 765 to 1000." Syn. Ether (.P.), Schwefelatther (G.), Etere (/.) The admixture of alcohol and sulphuric acid produces an almost instantaneous for- mation of ether, which is made sensible by the odour of the mixture; while by the mu- tual action of the spirit and the acid on each other a considerable evolution of ca- loric takes place, and the temperature of the mixture is raised to 180°. Whatever can encourage these effects in the first in- stance is to be avoided, as by the sudden rise of temperature, and the disengage- ment of ethereal vapours before the appa- ratus be adjusted, not only is the retort in danger of being broken, but a considerable waste of product also takes place. The proper mode for forming the mixture is un- doubtedly that of the London college, if • Ether vitriolicut, P, L. J7S7. i35 the retort be cooled after the addition of each portion of the acid. The retort should be thin and the sand-bath previously heated to 208°, so that the liquor may boil imme- diately ; for the ether is formed, and distils over at this temperature : whereas, by gra- dually raising the heat to this point, part of the alcohol comes over unaltered. The ether, as it distils, is condensed in the cool receivers, in the form of a colourless, lim- pid, transparent fluid; but towards the end ofthe operation, a white vapour also comes over, on the appearance of which the dis- tillation should be stopt. The receivers ought to be ample, and kept cool with ice or snow, or cold water, which we have found to be preferable to ice or snow. The best mode of applying it is to lay narrow shreds of woollen cloth over the receivers, with one end of each immersed in a vessel of cold water placed higher than the re- ceivers, by which means the water is made to trickle constantly over them ; and, by the evaporation which it suffers, the re- ceivers are kept in a sufficiently low tem- perature, and at the same time, the nature of their contents is distinctly seen, which cannot be conveniently done when they are immersed in snow, or ice, or even wa- ter. The luting which answers best in this operation is common paste, spread on slips of cloth, first applied, and then surrounded with pieces of wet bladder. The product of the first distillation is sulphuric ether combined with water, some alcohol, and a small portion of sulphurous acid, forming an impure ether ofthe speci- fic gravity -768 ; and that of the second dis- tillation, or after the addition of a new por- tion of alcohol, is a similar ether ofthe spe- cific gravity -807 : on mixing these, a fluid of the specific gravity -788 is obtained, which is the unrectified ether of the present London Pharmacopoeia.f By the rectifica- tion of this ether according to the direc- tions of the British colleges, it is deprived of the sulphurous acid and nearly all the water, and its specific gravity reduced to ■732, or when highly rectified to -725; but it still contains some water and alcohol, as ether of a specific gravity so low as -632 in the temperature of 60° has been obtained.t The use of the alkali in the rectification is to separate and detain the acid and the t London Medical Review, April 1S10, p. 163. X Lowitz procured ether of this gravity by the following process. To ether reduced to .7/16 spe- cific gravity by means of subcarbonate of potass m the usual met?:'n when it is in a state of fermentation. The dose is from f gj. to f ^j. according to the age of the patient. SYRUPUS RHC3AD0S, Lond. Syrup ofthe Red Poppy. " Take of the recent petals of the red Poppy, a pound,- boiling Water, a pint and two fluid ounces ; refined Sugar, a pound and a half. To the water, heated in a wa- ter bath, add gradually the petals of the red poppy, stirring them occasionally ; then having removed the vessel, macerate for twelve hours ; press out the liquor, and set it aside, that the impurities may subside ; lastly, add the sugar in the manner direct- ed for making syrup. Syrupus Papaveris erratici, Dub. Sy- rup of the Red Poppy. "Take of the fresh petals of the red Poppy, a pound; boiling Water, twenty fluid ounces. Add the flowers gradually to the boding water; then, having removed the vessel from the fire, macerate in a low- er heat for twelve hours; express the li- quor, and set it aside that the faeces may subside ; finally, let the sugar be added so as to make a syrup." Syn. Sirop de Coquelicot (F.), Klap- prosen-syiup (G.). By attending strictly to the directions of either ofthe above formulae, the petals yield their fine rich colour, for which alone the syrup is valued. SYRUPUS RHAMNI,* Lond. Syrup of Buckthorn. " Take of the fresh juice of Buckthorn berries, four pints,- Ginger root sliced, Pi- menta berries bruised, of each half an ounce ; refined Sugar, three pounds and a ha[f. Set apart the juice for three days that the faeces may subside, and strain it. To a pint of the defecated juice add the ginger root, and pimenta berries; then macerate by a gentle heat for four hours, and strain. Boil the remainder of the juice down to a pint and a half; mix the liquors, and add the sugar in the manner directed for making syrup." Syrui'ls Rhamni Cathartici, Edin, Syrup of Buckthorn. "Take of the clarified juice of ripe Buckthorn berries, two parts,- refined Sugar, one part. Boil so as to form a syrup." Of these two formulae, that of the Lon- don college is to be preferred, as the addi- tion of the ginger and all-spice tends r*b cover the unpleasant .taste of the buck- thorn juice, and prevent the violent griping which it is apt to induce. It is a brisk cathartic; but owing to the unpleasant- ness of its operation, and the dryness of the mouth and fauces it occasions, it is * Syr. de Spina cervina, P. L. 1720. Syrupu? Spina', cervine. P. L. 1787. 448 SYRUPS. seldom used, except as a horse medicine. The dose is from f5ss. to f§j. drinking freely of tepid demulcent fluids during its operation. SYRUPUS ROS.E,* Lond. Syrup of] Roses. "Take of the petals of the Hundred- leaved Rose dried, seven ounces,- refined Sugar, six pounds,- boiling Water, four pints. Macerate the rose petals in the wa- ter for twelve hours, and strain. Evaporate the strained liquor in a water-bath down to two pints and a half,- then add the sugar so as to make a syrup." Syrupus Ros;e centifolia;, Edin. Sy- rup of Damask Roses. " Take of the fresh petals of the Damask- rose, one part ; boiling Water, four parts; refined Sugar, three parts. Macerate the petals in the water for twelve hours ; then add the sugar to the strained liquor, and boil, so as to form a syrup." This syrup has none of the agreeable odour of the rose, but possesses a weak purgative property; on which/account it is given as a laxative in very delicate habits, and to infants. The dose is from f 3'ij. to f ^xij. or more. SYRUPUS ROSJE GALLICJE, Edin. Syrup of Red Roses. "Take of the petals of the Red-rose dried, one part,- boiling Water, nine parts ; refined Sugar, ten parts. Macerate the petals in the water for twelve hours; then boil a little, and strain. Add the sugar to the straiued liquor, and again boil a little, so as to form a syrup." Syn. Sirop de Roses rouges (F.), Rosen syrup (G.), Sciroppo di Rose Rosse (/.). This syrup is a very weak astringent; and as such is added to astringent and sto- machic infusions and gargles. SYRUPUS SARSAPARILLA, Lond. Syrup of Sarsaparilla. "Take of Sarsaparilla root, one pound; boiling Water, one gallon,- refined Sugar, one pound. Macerate the root in the water for twenty-four hours; then boil down to four pints, and strain the liquor whilst it is hot; lastly add the sugar, and evaporate to a proper consistence." This is a trifling preparation, and of no use but as an adjunct to the decoction of sarsaparilla, which can be much better and more easily supplied by rubbing up a few grains of the extract, with some simple syrup. " SYRUPUS SCILLJE MARITIME, Edin. Syrup of Squill. " Take of vinegar of Squill, four parts; refined Sugar powdered, seven parts. Dis- solve the sugar by a gentle heat, so as tu make a syrup." Syn. Sirop aceteux de Scille (F.), Sci- roppo di Squilla marino acetoso (L). This syrup has the same properties as the oxymel of squill. The dose is from f a*j. to fgij. given in any aromatic distilled water. SYRUPUS SENNJE, Lond. Syrup of Senna. " Take of Senna leaves, two ounces ,• Fennel seeds bruised, an ounce,- Manna, three ounces ; refined Sugar, a pound; boil- ing Water, a pint. Mar.era'e the senna leaves and the fennel seeds in the water in a gentle heat for twelve hours; strain the liquor, mix with it the manna and the sugar; and boil to a proper consistence." Syiiupus Cassije Sennje, Edin. Syrup of Senna. "Take of Senna leaves, two ounces; boiling Water, a pound and a half,- burnt Syrup, eight ounces. Macerate the leaves in the water in a covered vessel for four hours, and strain ; then add the syrup, and boil with a gentle heat until the whole ac- quires the consistence of the burnt syrup. Dublin. " Take of Manna, refined Sugar, of each, a pound; Senna leaves, half an ounce; boiling Water, a pint. Let the senna leaves be macerated in the water in a co- vered vessel for twelve hours; then dis- solve the manna and the sugar in the strained liquor." This syrup contains the purgative pro- perties of the senna, and is chiefly intended for children. SYRUPUS TOLUTANUS, Lond. Sy- rup of Tolu.\ " Take of Balsam of Tolu, an ounce ,-■ boiling Water, a pint; refined Sugar, two pounds. Boil the balsam in the water for an hour in a close vessel, frequently stir- ring it, and strain the liquor when it is cold ; then add the sugar so as to make a syrup." Syrupus Toluifer;e Balsami, Edin. Syrup of Tolu. "Take of Simple-syrup, two pounds; Tincture of Balsam of Tolu, one ounce. To the syrup immediately after it is made, and before it is quite cold, add the tincture gra- dually, frequently stirring." Syn. Sirop Bafsamique (F.). By following the London formula a more elegant and grateful syrup is obtained than that produced by the Edinburgh method: but the syrup ordered by the Edinburgh college is sufficient for all the uses to which it can be applied. It is whitish and turbid, owing to a partial decomposition of the * Syr. e Rosis siccis, P. L. 1720. Syr, Rosarum solntivus, P. L. 1745. + Syr. balsamicus, P. L. 1720. CONFEC tincture, which deposits its resin when mixed with the syrup. It is used to give a pleasant flavour to draughts and mix- tures. SYRUPUS VIOLA ODORATiE, Edin. Syrup of Violet. " Take of flowers of the odorous Violet, two parts ; boiling Water, eight parts; re- fined Sugar, fifteen parts. Macerate the flowers in the water for twenty-four hours, in a covered glass or glazed earthenware vessel; then strain without expression, and add the sugar." Syrupus Vioeje, Dub. Syrup of Violet. " Take of the fresh petals of the Violet, two pounds; boiling Water, five pints. Ma- cerate for twenty-four hours ; then strain the liquor through fine linen with expres- sion ; and add a sufficient quantity of sugar to make a syrup." Syn. Sirop de Violettes (F.), Violensy- rups (G.), Sciroppo di Viole (I.). This syrup has a deep blue colour, and a very agreeable flavour. The colour, how- ever, which constitutes its chief value, is apt to suffer by keeping ; and, hence, the syrup is often counterfeited with materials, the colour of which is more permanent, and which are more easily obtained. This fraud is easily detected by adding a little acid or alkali to a portion of the suspected syrup : if it be genuine, the acid will change the blue colour to red, and the alkali to green; but if it be counterfeit, these changes will not take place, except in the case of the juice of the red cabbage being substituted for violets : but in this case the fraud is a very innocent one. Medical properties and uses.—This syrup acts as a gentle laxative when given to in- fants ; but it is chiefly used as a test ofthe presence of acids and alkalies. SYRUPUS ZING1BERIS, Lond. Syrup of Ginger. " Take of Ginger root sliced, two ounces; boiling Water, a pint; refined Sugar, two pounds. Macerate the ginger root in the water for four hours, and strain ; then add the sugar so as to make a syrup." Dublin. " Take of Ginger root bruised, four ounces; boiling Water, three pints. Mace- rate for twenty-four hours ; then strain the liquor, and add sugar so as to make a sy- rup." Syrupus Amomi Zixgiberis, Edin. Sy- rup of Ginger. " Take of Ginger root powdered, six drachms,- boiling Water, one pound; re- fined Sugar, twenty-two ounces. Macerate the root in the water, in a covered vessel, for twenty-four hours ;. then add the sugar to the strained infusion, and dissolve by a gentle heat." Syn. Sirop de Gingembre (F.), Sciroppo d'Amomo Zenzero (/.). 57 mONS. 449 This syrup is moderately stimulant and carminative ; and is a useful adjunct to bit- ter and tonic infusions. Officinal preparations. Electuarium Cate- chu, D. Electuarium opiatum, D. CONFECTIONES. Confections. Under this title the London college com- prehends the Conserves and Electuaries of its former Pharmacopoeia, and of the pre- sent Edinburgh and Dublin Pharmacopoeias. There is, however, a distinction between confections or conserves and electuaries, which prevents them in strict propriety from being classed together ; and which we shall point out, although at the same time we adhere to the title of the London college. Confections or Consertes consist of fresh vegetable matters beat into a uniform mass with refined sugar. They are designed to preserve, as nearly as possible, unalter- ed, the virtues or properties of recent vege- tables ; and to prevent the decomposition to which they would otherwise be liable : and although several delicate flowers and fruits and juicy plants can be well preserv- ed by this means, yet this form of prepara- tion is not adapted for all plants; and in almost all cases the active ingredients are injured by keeping in this state. As reme- dies, confections scarcely ever possess great activity ; and are chiefly useful as vehicles for the exhibition of more active substances. They should be kept in closely covered jars, in order to preserve their proper degree of moisture. Electuaries* are mixtures of vegetable and light earthy powders, combined by means of honey or of syrup so as to form masses of a moderate consistence. All sub- stances of this description may, therefore, be made into electuaries ; but as the inten- tion of this form of preparation, is to render remedies as palatable as possible, those matters only- can be employed to form elec- tuaries, the taste of which is not too un- grateful to be covered by syrup or honey. They are more active remedies than con- serves ; but still the more powerful vegeta- ble substances cannot well be exhibited in this form, on account of their taste; and the metallic salts are too ponderous to re- main suspended in either syrup or honey. In making electuaries, the degree of con- sistence must always be regulated by the nature of the substances which enter into them. " In conserves," as Mr. Murray justly ob- serves,, " the addition of the saccharine matter is in much larger proportion, and is designed to preserve the vegetable matter; * 'Ex/uxtov Hippocratis. 450 in electuaries, the syrup is designed mere- ly to communicate the required form." The following general rule is given by the London college for restoring the con- sistence of confections and electuaries, when they have become hard by keeping : "If confections have become hard from long keeping, they are to be moistened with water, so as to restore their proper consistence." CONFECTIO AMYGDALARUM, Lond. Confection of Almonds. "Take of sweet Almonds, an ounce; Acacia gum in powder, a drachm ,- refined Sugar, half an ounce. Macerate the almonds in water to free them from their cuticle, then beat all the ingredients together, un- til they be thoroughly incorporated." This preparation is introduced as afford- ing an easy and expeditious mode of pre- paring the almond mixture, the extempo- raneous preparation of which is tedious. A little of this paste, triturated with a suffi- cient portion of water, immediately forms an emulsion. CONFECTIO AROMATICA, Lond. Aro- matic Confection. "Take of Cinnamon bark, Nutmegs, of each, two ounces ,- cloves, an ounce ; Carda- mom seeds, half an ounce,- Saffron dried, two ounces; prepared Shells, sixteen ounces,- refined Sugar powdered, two pounds,- Wa- ter, a pint. Rub the dry substances mixed together into a very fine powder; then add the water gradually, and mix until the whole be thoroughly incorporated." Electuarium aromaticum, Edin. Aro- matic Electuary. " Take of the aromatic powder, one part ,- syrup of Orange, two parts. Mix and beat them well together so as to form an elec- tuary." Dublin. " Take of Cinnamon bark, Nutmegs, of each, half an ounce; refined Sugar, Saffron, of each, an ounce ; lesser Cardamom seeds husked, Cloves, of each, two drachms,- pre- cipitated Chalk, two ounces,- syrup of Orange, a sufficient quantity. Reduce the aromatics separately to powder, and then mix them with the syrup." Syn. Electuaire Aromatique (F.), Ge- wiirzlatwerge (G.), Elettuario Aromatico These combinations of aromatics are stimulant, and cordial. They are given with advantage in typhoid fevers, atonic gout, and nervous languors; either alone in the form of bolus, or combined with cam- phor and syrup of orange-peel, in the form of mixture. The dose is from gr. x. to gj. or more. CONFECTIO AURANTIORUM, Lond. Confection of Oranges. *' Take of the external rind ofthe fresh Orange, separated by rasping, a pound; refined Sugar, three pounds. Beat tha rind in a stone mortar with a wooden pes- tie; then add the sugar, and continue the beating until they be thoroughly incorpo- rated." Conserva Aurantii, Dub. Conserve of Orange. "To the rind of Seville Orange rasped off, add three times its weight of refined sugar, while beating it." Conserva Citri Aurantii, Edin. Cons serve of Orange. " Grate off the exterior rind of Seville Oranges, beat it into a pulp, andduringthe beating add gradually three times its weight of refined sugar." This confection is gently stomachic, and is a pleasant vehicle for the exhibition of tonic powders. CONFECTIO CASSIA, Lond. Confec- tion of Cassia. " lake of fresh Cassia pulp, half a pound; Manna, two ounces ,- Tamarind pulp, an ounce; syrup of Roses, half a pound. Bruise the manna ; then dissolve it in the syrup, by the heat of a water-bath, and, having mixed in the pulp, evaporate down to a proper consistence." Electuarium Cassije Fistula, Edin. Electuary of Cassia. " Take of Cassia pulp, four parts ; Ta- marind pulp, Manna, of each one part,- sy- rup of Damask Roses, four,parts. Bruise the manna in a mortar, and dissolve it in the syrup, by means of a gentle heat; then add the pulps, and by a continued heat re- duce the mixture to a proper consistence." Electuarium Cassia, Dub. Electuary of Cassia. " Take of fresh extracted Cassia pulp, half a pound,- Manna, two ounces ; Tama- rind pulp, an ounce,- syrup of Orange, half a pound. Bruise the manna, then dissolve it in the syrup by means of a moderate heat, and add the pulp ; lastly, evaporate slowly the mixture to a proper consist- ence." This electuary is gently laxative, and is used to relieve habitual costiveness; as a purge for children ; and as a vehicle for the exhibition of other more powerful pur- gatives. CONFECTIO OPII, Lond. Confection of Opium. " Take of hard Opium powdered, six drachms; long Pepper, an ounce; Ginger root, two ounces; Carraway seeds, three ounces; Syrup, a pint. Rub the opium with the syrup made hot, then add the re- maining articles reduced to powder, and mix." Electuarium opiatum ; olim, Electu- arium Thebaicum, Edin. Opiate Electuary; formerly, Thebaic Electuary. " Take of Aromatic powder, six ounces; Virginian Snake-root, in fine powder, three CONFEC CONFECTIONS. 451 ounces; Opium, diffused in a sufficient quantity of Spanish white wine, half an ounce,- Syrup of Ginger, a pound. Mix, so as to make an electuary. Syn. Electuaire Opiate (F.), Theriaklat- werge (G.), Elettuario Oppiato (/.). The operation of the opium, in these preparations, is modified by the aromatics. They are intended as substitutes for the mithridate and theriaca of the old pharma- copoeias, which were too long allowed to disgrace modern pharmacy. They are stimulant narcotics; and are usefully em- ployed in atonic gout, flatulent colic, and in diarrhoeas, unattended by any inflammato- ry symptoms. Thirty-six grains of the Lon- don confection contain one grain of opium, and the same quantity is contained in forty- three of the Edinburgh electuary. The dose is from grs. x. to fsjj. Confectio Piperis nigri, Lond. Confec- tion of Black Pepper. "Take of Black Pepper, Elecampane root, of each one pound; Fennel-seeds, three pounds; Honey, refined Sugar, of each, three pounds. Rub together the dry ingredients to a fine powder; then add the honey, and beat the whole into one mass." This preparation, although a warm stim- ulant, yet, is intended as a substitute for Ward's Paste in haemorrhoids. The dose is from gj. to gij. ELECTUARIUM CATECHU COMPO- SITUM, Edin. Compound Electuary of Catechu. " Take of extract of Catechu, four oun- ces ,- Kino, three ounces; Cinnamon bark, Nutmegs,of each one ounce,- Opium, diffu- sed in a sufficient quantity of Spanish white Wine, a drachm and a half,- syrup of Red-roses boiled to the thickness of ho- ney, two pounds and a quarter. Reduce the solid ingredients to powder ; then mix them with the opium and syrup, so as to form an electuary." Dublin. " Take of Catechu, four ounces ,- Cinna- mon bark, two ounces,- Kino, three ounces ,- rub them to powder, and add, of hard re- fined Opium diffused in Spanish white wine, a drachm and a half; Syrup of Gin- ger boiled to the consistence of honey, two pounds and a quarter. Mix them." These are useful combinations of astrin- gents and aromatics ; and may be effica- ciously given in diarrhoeas, and the last stage of dysentery, either in the form of bolus, or diffused in some distilled water. The dose is from 3J. to £ij. Ten scru- ples contain one grain of opium. CONFECTIO ROSA CANINA, Lond. Confection of the Dog-Rose. " Take of the pulp of the Dog-Rose, a pound; refined Sugar in powder, twenty ounces. Rub them together until they be well incorporated." Edinburgh, " Take the fresh fruit of the Dog-rose, carefully freed from the seeds and inclosed spiculae, beat it to a pulp, and while beat- ing add gradually three times its weight of double-refined sugar." CONFECTIO ROSA GALL1CA, Lond. Confection of the Red Rose. " Take of the unblown petals of the Red Rose, freed from the claws, a pound; refi- ned Sugar, three pounds. Beat the petals in a stone mortar ; then add the sugar, and beat again until the whole be thoroughly incorporated." Edinburgh, " Beat the unblown petals of the Red rose to a pulp ; and add during the beat- ing three times their weight of refined su- gar." Conserve Rosje, Dub. Conserve of Ro- ses. " Beat the unblown petals of the Red- rose, freed from their claws ; adding gradu- ally three times their weight of refined sugar." Syn. Conserve de Roses rouges (F.), Rosenconserve (G.), Conserva di Rose rosse (/.). The confection of the red rose possesses a small degree of astringency, and is some- times given dissolved in new milk, as a tonic in early convalescence from acute diseases ; but the chief use of the confec- tions of both kinds of roses, is to form plea- sant vehicles for more active remedies. CONFECTIO RUTA, Lond. Confec- tion of Rue. " Take of Rue leaves dried, Carraway seeds, Laurel berries, of each an ounce and a half; Sagapenum, half an ounce ,- black Pepper, two drachms,- clarified Honey, sixteen ounces. Rub the dry articles to- gether to a very fine powder; then add the honey, and mix the whole together." This electuary, we are informed, is in- troduced as a substitute for the old Bay Berry Electuary. It possesses antispasmo- dic virtues, and since the medicinal powers of Prussic acid have been investiga- ted, I am inclined to think this confection might be given with advantage in chronic, spasmodic cough, as Prussic acid is the ac- tive principle of the laurel berries. At present it is used in the form of enema only ; from 9j- to gj. dissolved in Oss. of gruel, being administered in the convul- sive affections of infants, and flatulent co- lic. CONFECTIO SCAMMONEA,* Lond. Confection of Scammony. ' Electuarium caryucostinuni, P. L. 1720. Elec- tuarium e scaminonio, P. L. 1745. Electuarium scammonii, P. L. 1787, 452 POWDERS. " Take of Scammony powdered, an ounce and a half; Cloves bruised, Ginger root powdered, of each six drachms,- oil of Car- raway, half a drachm ; syrup of Roses, a sufficient quantity. Rub the dry substance into a very fine powder; then add gradual- ly the syrup, and rub them again : lastly, after adding the oil of carraway, mix the whole together." Electuarium Scammonii, Dub. Electu- ary of Scammony. " Take of Scammony, Ginger root, of each reduced to powder, an ounce,- oil of Cloves, a scruple; syrup of Orange, a sufficient quantity. Mix the ginger in powder with the syrup of orange, then add the scam- mony, and lastly the oil." This is a stimulating cathartic; and may be given in a dose of from f^ss. to f^j. but it is seldom ordered." CONFECTIO SENNA,* Lond. Confec- tion of Senna. "Take of Senna leaves, eight ounces; Figs, apourul; Tamarind pulp, Cassia pulp, the pulp of Prunes, of each half a pound; Coriander seeds, four ounces,- Liquorice root, three ounces,- refined Sugar, two pounds and a half. Powder the senna leaves with the coriander seeds, and sepa- rate by sifting ten ounces of the mixed pow- der. Boil the residue with the figs and li-' quorice root, in four pints of water, until it be reduced one half; then press out and strain the liquor. Evaporate the strained liquor in a water-bath, until a pint and a half only remains of the whole ; then the sugar being added, make a syrup. Finally, mix gradually the pulps with the syrup ; and, having added the sifted powder, mix the whole together." Electuarium Senn;e Compositum, Edin. Compound Electuary of Senna, "Take of Senna leaves, eight ounces; Coriander seeds, four ounces,- Liquorice root bruised, three ounces,- Figs, pulp of Prunes, of each a pound,- pulp of Tama- rinds, half a pound,- refined Sugar, two pounds and a half; Water, four pounds.— Rub the senna with the coriander, and sep- arate by sifting ten ounces of the mixed powder. Boil the residue with the figs and liquorice root, in the water, down to one half: then express and strain. Evaporate the strained liquor to about a pound and a half. Add the sugar, and gradually the pulps ; and, lastly, mix in the powder." Electuarium Senn.>e, Dub. Electuary of Senna. " Take of Senna leaves, in very fine powr- der, four ounces,- pulp of Prunes, a pound ; pulp of Tamarinds, two ounces ; Molasses, one pint and a half; essential oil of Carra- * Electuarium lenitivum, P. L. 1720. Electua- rium Sennae, P. L. 3 787. way, two drachms. Boil the pulps with the syrup, to the thickness of honey ; then add the powder, and, when the mixture is near- ly cold, the oil; finally, mix the whole thoroughly together." Any of these electuaries, when properly prepared, is a mild and pleasant purgative, and well adapted for those who are afflict- ed with habitual costiveness; and for preg- nant women. The dose is from gj. to 3'iv. or more, taken at bed time. PULVERES. Powders. This form of preparing medicines is the simplest, and perhaps the least objectiona- ble : but it is not applicable to all the arti- cles of the materia medica. Those reme- dies, which are very unpleasant to the taste; those which deliquesce rapidly when exposed to the air, or are very volatile; and those which require to be given in large doses, or which are not diffused readily in water, cannot with propriety be administer- ed in the form of powder. Some substan- ces cannot be reduced to powder, unless they be very much dried; and the heat ne- cessary for that purpose alters their proper- ties : even the impalpable form given to powders is injurious to some resinous sub- stances ; and we cannot be surprised that a great alteration shoiild be effected in a short time, by the action of the air, on so great an extension of surface as takes place in the operation usually adopted for redu- cing drugs to fine powder. Cinchona, Rhu- barb, Ipecacuanha, and Guaiacum, operate much less powerfully in the state of impal- pable powder, than when reduced to that degree of fineness only, which can be effec- ted by simply beating them in a mortar, and passing them through a coarser seive than is employed in the former case. As powders are generally affected by the action of the air and light, all powders should be kept in opaque or green glass bottles. The effect of light on the majority of powders is rendered obvious by the la- belled sides of clear bottles containing them, which are always turned to the light, be- coming encrusted with the powder chang- ed in its colour, while the other side re- mains clear and transparent. In forming compound powders, it is ne- cessary to sift the mixture after it has been well triturated. The following general rule for the formation of powders is given by the Dublin college. " Let the substances to be powdered be first dried,f and then beaten t Mr. Battley, a respectable druggist in London, has proposed the following method of drying nar- cotic plants for powders. Previous to the process of drying the leaves of plants, the same rules must be carefully observed in POWDERS. 453 in an iron mortar; then separate the finer powder by shaking it through a hair sieve, and preserve it in close vessels." PULVIS ALOES COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Aloes* " Take of extract of spiked Aloes, an ounce and a half; Guaiac gum-resin, an ounce,- compound powder of Cinnamon, half an ounce. Powder the extract of Aloes and the Guaiac separately; then mix them with the compound powder of Cinnamon." Pulvis Aloes cum Guaiaco, Dub. Pow- der of Aloes with Guaiac. " Take of hepatic Aloes, an ounce and a half,- Guaiac gum-resin, an ounce; Aro- matic powder, half an ounce. Rub the Aloes and the Guaiac separately to powder ; then mix them with the.-Aromatic powder." Both the active substances in these pow- ders are ill adapted for this form of prepa- ration ; and the addition of the aromatic sufficient to cover the nauseous taste of the Aloes. They are warm sudorific cathartics, and may be given in doses of from gr. x. to 9J- but are seldom ordered. PULVIS ALOES CUM CANELLA, Dub. Powder of Aloes with Canella. " Take of Hepatic aloes, a pound; white Canella, three ounces.*Rub them separately to powder, and then mix them." This powder is liable to the same objec- tion as the former, although the Canella covers the taste better than the aromatic powder. It has been long known in the shops under the name of Hiera Picra ; and is used as a domestic remedy, infused in wine or spirits. From grs. x. to Qj. may be given for a dose. PULVIS ASARI COMPOSITUS, Edin. Compound Powder of Asarabacca. " Take of the leaves of Asarabacca, three reviving them, which were recommended previous to their being pressed for extraols. The leaves being in a high state of preservation, and entirely freed from the stalks, and as much as possible from external moisture, must be laid in thin layers in baskets of willow stripped of its bark, in a drying room, from which the light is quite excluded. They should be then exposed to a temperature of not less than from 130° to 140° of Fahrenheit's thermometer for three or four hours, or until the leaves begin to shrivel. They are then to be turned in the same temperature, and the heat kept up for six or eighthours longer, when the operation is gene- rally finished; which is known by the leaves crum- bling without much difficulty in the hand. If the process has been in all its parts properly managed, the result will be, that the leaves retain a beautiful green colour, and also in a high degree the medical properties of the plant to which they belong. To preserve them in this desirable state, oil jars, made perfectly clean and dry, are found to answer best. Place the leaves lightly in the jars, and her- metically seal them. The filled jars ought to be kept in a dry and warm situation. • Pilula de Diambne, P. L. 1720. Pulvis Aloes cum (viaiaco, P. L. 1787. parts; the leaves of Marjoram, flowers of Lavender, of each one part. Rub them to- gether to a powder." Dublin. " Take of dried leaves of Asarabacca, an ounce; Lavender flowers dried, two drachms. Rub them together to a powder." A few grains of this powder snuffed up the nostrils for several successive evenings at bed-time, excite sneezing and a copious discharge of mucus, which continues to flow on the succeeding days. It has been par- ticularly used in tooth-ach and chronic oph- thalmia. PULVIS CINNAMOMI COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Cinnamon.^ "Take of Cinnamon bark, two ounces,- Cardamom seeds, an ounce and a half; Gin- ger root, an ounce ; Long pepper, half an ounce. Rub them together to a very fine powder." Pulvis Aromaticus, Edin. Aromatic Powder. " Take of Cinnamon bark, Cardamom seeds, Ginger root, of each equal parts. Rub them to a very fine powder, which is to be preserved in a well stopped phial." Dublin. " Take of Cinnamon bark, an ounce; les- ser Cardamom seeds freed from the husks, Ginger, Long pepper, of each an ounce. Rub them together to a powder." Syn. Poudre aromatique (F.), Gewur- pulver (G.), Polvere aromatica (/.). These combinations of aromatics are stimulant and carminative, and may be used to promote digestion, and expel flatus in cold phlegmatic habits ; but they are more generally employed to give warmth to other compositions. The dose is from gr. viij. to 9j. given in the form of bolus, or diffused in water. Officinal preparations. Pulvis Aloes com- positus, L. D. Electuarium aromaticum, E. Electuarium opiatum, E. PULVIS CONTRAYERVA COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Contra- yerva.% " Take of Contrayerva root powdered, five ounces ; prepared Shells, a pound and a half. Mix them." This powder is stimulant and sudorific; and is given with advantage in typhoid fevers; the malignant exanthemata; the sinking stage of dysentery; and in atonic gout. The dose is from gr. x. to gr. xl. given either diffused in simple water, or rubbed up with mucilage and mint water. PULVIS CORNU CERVINI USTI, Dub. Powder of Burnt Hartshorn. t Species Diambra: sine odoratis, P. L. 1720. Species aromalicae, P. L. 1745. Pulvis aromaticus, P. L. 1787. X Lapis contrajerva;, P. L. 1720, so named from its having been made into balls. 454 POWDERS. "Let pieces of Hartshorn be burnt until they become white, then reduce them to a very fine powder." PULVIS CORNU USTI CUM OPIO, Lond. Powder of burnt Hartshorn with Opium. "Take of hard Opium powdered, a drachm; Hartshorn burnt and prepared, an ounce; Cochineal powder, a drachm. Mix them." Pulvis oriATUs, Edin. Opiate Powder* " Take of Opium, one part,- prepared carbonate of Lime, nine parts. Rub them together to a fine powder." Syn. Poudre opiate (F.), Opiumspulver (G.), Polvere oppiata (/.). Ten grains of either of these powders con- tain one grain of Opium. They are intend- ed chiefly for exhibiting Opium in very small doses. The substances used to di- vide the Opium are of no consequence as to the effect of the remedy; and, there- fore, the burnt Hartshorn being more brit- tle than the Chalk, i6 better fitted for this purpose. PULVIS CRETA COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Chalk. " Take of prepared Chalk, half a pound; Cinnamon bark, four ounces; Tormentil root, Acacia gum, of each, three ounces,- Long pepper, half an ounce. Rub them separately to fine powder, then mix them." Pulvis Carbonatis Calcis compositus, Edin. Compound Powder of Carbonate of Lime. " Take of prepared carbonate of Lime, four ounces ; Cinnamon bark, a drachm and a half; Nutmegs, hulfa drachm. Rub them together to a powder." The London preparation, owing to the larger proportion of aromatics it contains, and the addition of the Tormentil root, is better adapted for checking diarrhoea con- nected with acidity of the primae viae, than the Edinburgh powder, which may be re- garded as a simple but grateful antacid. The dose is from gr. v. to Qj. given generally in the form of mixture rubbed up with mucilage and some distilled wa- ter. PULVIS CRETA COMPOSITUS CUM OPIO, Lond. Compound Powder of Chalk with Opium. " Take of compound powder of Chalk, six ounces and a half; hard Opium powder- ed, four scruples. Mix them." The addition of Opium to the compound powder of Chalk renders it more useful in diarrhoea ; and from the minute division of the Opium, one grain only being contained in two scruples of the powder, it forms a usefal opiate powder for children suffering under the irritative diarrhoea of teething. The dose is from Qj. to 3J. for adults. PULVIS JALAPA COMPOSITUS, Edin. Compound Powder of Jalap. " Take of powder of Jalap root, one part,- Supertartrate of Potass, two parts. Rub them together to a fine powder." The addition of the Supertartrate, be- sides dividing the Jalap very minutely, mo- difies also its purgative operation. This powder is a useful purgative in habitual costiveness; it is also very serviceable to children with tumid bellies, in worm cases, and in dropsy. The dose is from $j. to ►)ij. for adults. PULVIS IPECACUANHA COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Dub. Compound powder of Ipecacuanha. " Take of Ipecacuanha root powdered, hard Opium powdered, of each, a drachm,- Sulphate of Potass powdered, an ounce, Mix them." Pulvis Ipecacuanha et Opii, Edin. Powder of Ipecacuanha and Opium. " Take of Ipecacuanha root powdered, Opium, of each, one part,- Sulphate of Potass, eight parts. Rub them together to a fine powder." Syn. Poudre dTpecacuanha et d'opium (F.), Davers schmerzstillendespulver (G.), Polvere dTpecacuanha ed oppio (/.). In this powder the Sulphate of Potass is intended chiefly to divide the Opium mechanically ; but it modifies also the ac- tion ofthe Opium and Ipecacuanha.f Com- pound Ipecacuanha powder operates as a powerful sudorific; and is very efficacious- ly given in all cases, whether inflammatory or not, in which full sweating is indicated. The dose is from grs. v. to 9j. given dif- fused in water, or in the form of bolus, and assisted by plentiful dilution with tepid fluids ; but these must not be dr;ank imme- diately after taking the powder, as from t In the original Dover's Powder, the saline in- gredient was procured by deflagrating a mixture of equal parts of nitrate of potass, and sulphate of pot- ass ; and the nitre is still retained as an ingredient in the Compound Powder of Ipecacuanha and Opium of the French Codex. The Pharmacopceia Danica and the Pharmacopceia Austriaca, order sugar instead of any salt; but it is less calculated to assist in the pulverization of the opium, and is apt also to attract moisture, and form the powder into a solid mass. The following table shows the proportion of opium in this powder, as ordered in the principal Pharma- copoeias of Europe. * P ulvis opiatus, P. L. 1787. B O i-l c ■3 W 0 in a 3 u a a il 3 < I 1 0 i TIT 1 TT 1 1 Tff 1 To- tit POWDERS. 455 Buch a circumstance it is very apt to be re- jected by vomiting. Ten grains of this powder contain one grain of opium. PULVIS KINO COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Kino. "Take of Kino, fifteen drachms; Cinna- mon bark, half an ounce ; hard Opium, a drachm. Rub them separately to a very fine powder, and then mix." This is an astringent anodyne powder, now, for the first time, introduced into the Pharmacopoeia. The dose is from grs. x. to 9j. Twenty grains of the powder con- tain one grain of Opium. PULVIS QUERCUS MARINA, Dub. Powder of Yellow Bladder-wrack. "Take of Bladder-wrack in flower, any quantity. Let it be dried, and freed from the sordes, then exposed to heat in an iron vessel, or a crucible, to which a perforated lid is adapted, until, the vapours ceasing, it becomes obscurely red hot. Reduce the carbonaceous matter which remains to pow- der." This powder is a mixture of soda, Iodine, and charcoal. For its medicinal effects see (Fuats, Part ii.) PULVIS SALINUS COMPOSITUS, Edin. Compound Saline Powder. " Take of pure Muriate of Soda, Sulphate of Magnesia, of each, four parts ; Sulphate of Potass, three parts. Dry the salts with a gentle heat, then pulverize them sepa- rately, and afterwards rub them together. Preserve the powder in a well-stopped phial." This powder is a simple purgative, and does not appear to possess any peculiar ad- vantages. PULVIS SCAMMONIA COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Scam- mony. " Take of Scammony, hard extract of Jalap, of each, two ounces,- Ginger root, half an ounce. Rub them separately to a very fine powder, and then mix them." Pulvis Scammonii compositus, Edin. Compound Powder of Scammony. " Take of Scammony, Supertartrate of Potass, of each, equal parts. Rub them to- gether to a very fine powder." Syn. Poudre de Scammonee composee (F.) These powders, although agreeing in name, differ very considerably in their na- ture. In the first, the activity and the stimulating quality of the Scammony are increased by the Jalap, while the griping effect ofthe mixture is in some degree ob- viated by the Ginger. In the second, the addition ofthe Supertartrate of Potass, de- tracts from the violence of the operation of the Scammony, and renders it less irritat- ing ; although, at the same time, it renders it more certain. The dose of the first is from grs. x. to grs. xv.; that of the second, from grs. x. to ^ss. They are chiefly used in hydropic and worm cases, and to remove mucous obstructions. PULVIS SCILLA, Dub. Powder of Squill. "Let Squill roots (bulbs) freed from their membranous integuments and cut in transverse slices, be dried upon a sieve with a low degree of heat; and then reduce them to powder, which must be preserved in well-stopped glass phials." PULVIS SENNA COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Senna. "Take of Senna leaves, Supertartrate of Potass, of each, two ounces; Scammony, half an ounce,- Ginger root, two drachms. Reduce to very fine powder, the Scammo- ny by itself, and the other ingredients to- gether ; then mix the whole." Syn. Poudre composee de Senna (F.), Polvere di Senna composta (/.) This powder is hydragogue and cathar- tic ; but it is an inconvenient form of pre- paratidh, owing to the bulk of the dose, which is very considerable although from 9J- to 3J- only in weight. PULVIS SPONGIA USTA, Dub. Pow- der of burnt Sponge. " Let Sponge cut into small pieces be beaten so as to free it from little stones ; then burn it in a covered iron vessel, until it becomes black and friable; finally, re- duce it to powder." PULVIS ALUMINIS COMPOSITUS, Edin. Compound powder of Alum. " Take of Sulphate of Alum, four parts ; Kino, one part. Rub them together to a fine powder." - This is a powerful astringent powder, and is sometimes used internally in menor- rhagia and diarrhoea ; but is more generally employed as an external application. The dose is from grs. x. to grs. xv. ; but it must be taken in the dry state, as the Kino is de- composed by the Alum, when a fluid vehi- cle is employed. PULVIS TRAGACANTH A COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Compound powder of Traga- canth. " Take of Tragacanth powdered, Acacia gum powdered, starch, of each, an ounce and a half,- refined Sugar, three ounces. Rub the starch and the sugar together to a powder; then add the Tragacanth and the Acacia gum, and mix the whole together." Syn. Poudre composee de Tragacanthe (F.), Tragacanthe Gummi pulver (G.), Polvere di Tragacanta composta (/.) In this composition the starch might well be omitted, as it is insoluble in cold water. This compound powder is efficaciously used as a demulcent in hectic fever, and to allay the tickling cough of catarrh : in go- norrhoea and strangury it is given combin- ed with nitre ; and in dysentery^ with ipe- 456 pi: cacuanha powder. The dose is from ^ss. to giij. mixed in water or any bland fluid. PILULAS. Pills. Pills are masses of a consistence suffi- cient to preserve a round form, yet not so hard as to be of too difficult solution in the stomach. This form of preparation is par- ticularly adapted for medicines which have a very nauseous taste or flavour, and such as operate in minute doses. Extracts, when not too hard, may be formed into pills with- out any addition ; but more generally pills are composed of either vegetable, or earthy, or metallic powders, combined by means of syrup into a coherent mass. Salts also may be formed into pills, except such as are de- liquescent; and when efflorescent salts are used, they should be first freed from the water of crystallization, for the pills formed with uneffloresced salts which are apt to effloresce, fall into powder as they dry. The masses, which are ordered to be kept prepared for the formation of pills, require to be preserved in covered pots, wrapped in bladders, and occasionally moistened. When they are to be formed into pills, a given portion of the mass is rolled into a cylinder, the length of which is regulated by the number of pills into which it is to be divided ; and the division is effected either as equally as possible by the hand, or by a machine invented for the purpose, (See Instruments, Part i.) After the round form is given to each ofthe pills, by rolling the divided pieces between the fingers, they are covered by some dried powder, as, for instance, subcarbonate of magnesia or starch, to prevent them from adhering, With the same intention pills were formerly gilded; but as simple dry powders answer all the purposes of this covering, it is now altogether laid aside. PILULA ALOES COMPOSITA, Lond. Compound Aloetic Pills. " Take of extract of spiked Aloes pow- dered, an ounce; extract of Gentian, half an ounce,- oil of Carraway, forty minims ,- Syrup, a sufficient quantity. Beat thern to- gether until they combine into a uniform mass." PiLULas aloeticje, Edin. Aloetic Pills. " Take of Socotorine Aloes in powder, Soap, of each equal parts. Beat them with simple syrup, so as to make a mass fit for forming pills." Pilul.b Aloes cum Zingibere, Dub. Pills of Aloes and Ginger. " Take of hepatic Aloes, an ounce,- Gin- ger root in powder, a drachm; Soap, half an ounce,- essential oil of Peppermint, half a drachm. Let the aloes and the ginger be rubbed together to a powder; then add the soap and the oil so as to form a mass." Syn. Pilules d'Aloe composee (F.), Pil- lole d'Aloe composte (/.). In the London preparation, the quantity of extract of Gentian ordered is too large ; for, owing to its re-action on the aloes, the mass becomes rather too soft to form into pills : at all events, no syrup is required in this instance. The soap ordered in the two other formulae is well adapted for giving consistence and form to the aloes. This is a useful pill, and is advantageously employ- ed for obviating the habitual costiveness of the sedentary, and of leucophlegmatic ha- bits. The dose is from grs. x. to grs. xv. or more. PiLULA ALOES ET ASSAFffiTIDA, Edin. Pills of Aloes and Assafatida. " Take of Socotorine Aloes in powder, Assafoetida, Soap, of each, equal parts. Beat them into a mass with mucilage of Gum- arabic." Syn. Pilules d'Aloe avec assafcetida (F.), Pillules Bloeteche con assafetida (I). These pills are anodyne and cathartic, allaying any irritability of the bowels, at the same time that they open them free- ly. They have been found extremely use- ful in dyspepsia attended with flatulence. The dose is grs. x. given twice a day. PILULA ALOES CUM MYRRHA, Lond. Pills of Aloes with Myrrh.* " Take of extract of spiked Aloes, two ounces,- Saffron, Myrrh, of each an ounce; Syrup, a sufficient quantity. Rub separately to powder the aloes and the myrrh ; then beat all the ingredients together until they form a uniform mass." Dublin. " Take of hepatic Aloes, an ounce; Myrrh, half an ounce ; Saffron, two drachms; essential oil of Carraway, half a drachm. Rub the myrrh and the aloes separately to powder, and beat the whole together into a mass. Pilule Aloes et Mvrrh;e, Edin. Pills of Aloes and Myrrh. " Take of Socotorine Aloes, four parts ; Myrrh, two parts ,- Saffron; one part. Beat them into a mass with simple syrup." Syn. Pilules d'Aloe avec la Myrrh (F.), Pillole Aloetiche con Mirra (/.). These pills have been employed since be- fore the time of Rhazes, to stimulate and open the bowels in chlorotic, hypochon- driacal, and cachectic habits ; and are not the less valuable because they are of very ancient origin. The dose is from grs. x. to 9 j. given twice a day. PILULA AMMONLARETI CUPRI, Edin. Pills of Ammoniaret of Copper. " Take of Ammoniaret of Copper rubbed to fine powder, sixteen grains ; crumb of Bread, four scruples ; water of Carbonate of Ammonia, a sufficient quantity. Beat them * Pilulae Ruffi seu communes, P. L. 1720. PILLS. 457 into a mass, and divide it into thirty-two equal pills." Syn. Pilules cuivreuses de S wediaur ( F.), _ This is a convenient form for the exhibi- tion of the ammoniaret of copper, half a grain of which is contained in each of the pills. They are given in epilepsy and other spasmodic diseases. One pill given night and morning is sufficient at first; but the number may be gradually increased till five be taken for a dose. PILULA CAMBOGIA COMPOSITA, Lond. Edin. Compound Pills of Gamboge. " Take of Gamboge in powder, extract of spiked Aloes in powder, compound pow- der of Cinnamon, of each a drachm ; Soap, two drachms. Mix the powders together ; then add the soap, and beat the whole to- gether into a uniform mass." This is considerably more active than the aloetic pills- The dose is from grs. x. to 9j. given at bed-time in obstinate costive- ness. PILULA COLOCYNTHIDIS COMPO- SITA, Edin. Compound Colocynth Pills. " Take Socotorine Aloes, Scammony, of each eight parts,- Colocynth pulp, four parts ,- Sulphate of Potass, oil of Cloves, of each one part. Beat the extract, gum resin, and sulphate together into powder, then, with the colocynth pulp rubbed to fine powder, mix them with the oil, and, finally, beat the whole into a mass with mucilage of gum." Dublin. " Take of Colocynth pith, half an ounce,- hepatic Aloes, Scammony, of each one ounce,- Castile Soap, two drachms ; oil of Cloves, one drachm. Pulverize separately the aloes, scammony, and colocynth, then triturate them with the soi-p and oil, and form them into a mass by means of syrup." Both these are excellent forms of pur- gative pills. They are more powerful in their operation than the other aloetic pills ; and do not so soon, lose their power when taken for any considerable length of time in habitual costiveness. PILULA FERRI COMPOSITA, Lond. Pills of Iron with JMyrrh. " Take of Myrrh in powder, two drachms ; Subcarbonate of Soda, Sulphate of Iron, Sugar, of each a drachm. Rub the myrrh with the subcarbonate of soda ; then hav- ing added the sulphate of iron, rub again; and, lastly, beat the whole into a uniform mass." This is a useful emmenagogue pill, simi- lar in its properties to Griffith's mixture. The dose is from grs. x. to 9j. given twice or three times a-day. PILULA GALBANI COMPOSITA, Lond. Compound Pills of Galbanum.* " Take of Galbanum, an ounce ,- Myrrh, * Pilulse gummosa', P. L. 1720. 5$ Sagapenum, of each an ounce and a half; Assafoetida, half an ounce ; Syrup, a suffici- ent quantity. Beat them together into a uniform mass." Pilule Assafo2tii>;b composite, Edin. Compound Assafcetidu Pills. " Take of Assafoetida, Galbanum, Myrrh, of each eight parts ; p urified oil of Amber, one part. Beat them into a mass with sim- ple syrup. Pilulie Myrrhs composite, Dub. Com- pound Pills of Myrrh. " Take of Assafoetida, Myrrh in powder, Galbanum, of each an ounce,- oil of Amber, half a drachm. Rub them together, and make them into a mass with simple syrup." Syn. Pilules de Galbanum composee (F.), Pillole di Galbano composte (/.). These preparations are useful antispas- modics and emmenagogues ; and are given with advantage in chlorosis, hysteria, and hypochondriasis. The dose is from grs. x. to 9j- taken every night at bed-time. Of the three appellations employed by the Pharmacopoeias, that of the Edinburgh is the least objectionable, the assafoetida being undoubtedly the most powerful arti- cle. PILULA HYDRARGYRI, Lond., Dub. Mercurial Pills. " Take of purified Mercury, two drachms; Confection of red Roses, three drachms; Li- quorice root in powder, a drachm. Rub the mercury with the confection until the globules disappear ; then add the liquorice root, and beat the whole into a uniform mass." Edinburgh. " Take of purified Mercury, Conserve of the red..Rose, of each an ounce,- Starch, two ottoices. Rub the mercury with the conserve in a glass mortar until the globules entirely disappear, adding, if necessary, a little mucilage of gum arabic ; then add the starch, and with a little water beat the whole into a mass, which is to be directly divided into four hundred and eighty equal- sized pills." Syn. Pilules mercurieles (F.), Pillole mercuriale (/.). One grain of mercury is contained in three grains of the mass, made according to the London and Dublin formulae, and in four grains according to the Edinburgh. In these preparations the mercury is first minutely divided by the viscosity of the conserve, the substance with which it is triturated : and formerly it was believed that this mechanical division was all that was effected by the trituration. It is now, however, generally, and with much proba- bility, supposed that the metal is oxidized ; and that the great extension of surface, and, in some degree, the substance used in the trituration facilitate this effect. Syrup, hnnry, mucilage, soap, guaiac, and other 458 PILLS. matters, have been occasionally employed ; but the colleges have agreed in preferring conserve of roses ; and it is not improbable that the operation is shortened by the weak acid which the conserve contains. On the continent the oil of eggs has been em- ployed for dividing mercury,* and certainly no substance so rapidly assists in produc- ing the desired effect as this oil, when it has been kept for some time. In the above preparations, therefore, the mercury is nearly in the state of the black oxide, and on this combination of oxygen its activity as a remedy altogether depends. The more assiduously the trituration is continued, so as to bring the surfaces of the globules of mercury quickly and repeatedly into con- tact with the air, the more perfect is the preparation. The oxidizement of the whole of the globules, or the extinction or killing of the mercury, as it is termed in the com- mon language of the laboratory, is known to be completed, when, on rubbing a small portion of the mass with the point of the finger on a piece of clean paper, no metal- lic globules are perceptible. The mass must be then immediately formed into pills, as it very rapidly becomes too hard, if al- lowed to remain. Medical properties and uses.—These pills are stimulant and antisyphilitic, and are the most common form of preparation under which mercury is exhibited for the cure of venereal affections, being much less liable to act on the bowels than any of the other forms. The common dose is grs. vj. to grs. viij.ortwo pills, given, twice a day until the mouth be affected. Larger doses are apt to excite purging. PILULA HYDRARGYRI SUBMURIA- TIS COMPOSITA, Lond. Edin. Hills of Submuriate of Mercury. " Take of Submuriate of Mercury (calo- mel), precipitated Sulphuret of Antimony, of each, a drachm ; Guaiac gum-resin, two drachms. Rub the Submuriate of Mercury with the precipitated Sulphuret of Antimo- ny, then with the Guaiac, and add a suffi- cient quantity of mucilage of gum to give the mass a proper consistence." This preparation was introduced into practice by Dr. Plummer, and admitted into the Edinburgh Pharmacopceia under the name of Plummer's pill. It was, how- ever, afterwards expunged ; but as it con- tinued to be much used in practice, the London college has now given it a place in its Pharmacopoeia. It is a very useful alte- rative in lepra, in secondary syphilis affect- ing the skin, and in other cutaneous dis- eases. The dose is from grs. v. to grs. x. given night and morning. PILULA RHEI COMPOSITA, Edin. Compound Rhubarb Pills. * Yide Lond. Sled. Repository, vol. v. p. J06. " Take of Rhubarb root in powder, one ounce; Socotorine Aloes, six drachms; Myrrh, half an ounce ; volatile oil of Pep- permint, half a drachm. Beat them into a mass with Syrup of Orange peel." Syn. Pilules de Rhubarbe composee (F.), Pillole di Rhabarbaro composte (/.) This is a warm, stomachic, laxative pill, very useful for obviating costiveness, and at the same time giving tone to the bowels in dyspepsia and hypochondriasis. The dosa is from grs. x. to J}j. given twice a day. PILULA SAPONIS CUM OPIO, Lond. Pills of Soap and Opium. " Take of hard Opium powdered, half an ounce ; hard Soap, two ounces. Beat them together into a uniform mass." Five grains contain one grain of Opium. Pilule Opiate ; olim, Pilule Thebai- ct., Edin. Opiate Pills ; formerly, Thebaic Pills, " Take of Opium, one part; extract of Li- quorice, seven parts ,- Pimenta berries, two parts. Mix the Opium and the extract, separately softened with diluted alcohol, and beat them into a pulp ; then add the Jamaica pepper rubbed to powder, and beat the whole to a mass." Ten grains contain one grain of Opium. Pilul7e e S-rriiACE, Dub. Storax Pills. " Take of purified Storax, three drachms; soft purified Opium, Saffron, of each a drachm. Mix them well together by beat- ing." Five grains contain one grain of Opium. Syn. Pilules d'Opium (F.), Storaxpillen (G.), Pillole d'Oppio (/.). The substances with which the opium is combined in these pills do not inter- fere with its operation as an anodyne ,but are intended chiefly to co-*er its odour, and taste, in cases where the patient or his friends have an objection to opium: and as it is also sometimes necessary that it should not appeal- even in the prescription, the name adopted by the Dublin college is preferable to the others. The dose of the three preparations differs, and must be regulated by the quantity of opium contained in that one which is adopted. PILULA SCILLA COMPOSITA, Lond. Compound Squill Pills. " Take of fresh Squill root (bulb) dried and powdered, one drachm; Ginger root powdered, hard Soap, of each, three drachms,- Ammoniacum powdered, two drachms. Mix the powders together; then beat them with the soap, as much syrup being added as will give them a proper consistence." Pilul.b scilliticje, Edin. SquillPills. "Take of.Squill root (bulb) dried, and rubbed to a fine powder, one scruple,- Am- moniacum, Cardamom seeds powdered, ex- tract of Liquorice, one drachm. Beat them with syrup into a mass." TROCHES. 459 PlLUL.TS SCII.L.F, CUM ZlITOIBBRB, Dub. Pills of Squill with Ginger. " Take of Powder of Squill, a drachm ,- Ginger root in powder, two drachms,- es- sential oil of Anniseed, ten drops. Beat them together, and form them into a mass with jelly of Soap." Syn. Pilules de Scille (F.), Pillole Squi- litiche (/.). These pills are useful expectorants in chronic catarrh, dyspnoea, and asthma; and combined with calomel and digitalis 5n hydropic affections. They are liable, however, to the same objections as the equill powder, the efficacy of the squill being much injured by keeping in either form; and it is perhaps better that it should be always given under an extempo- raneous form, except when the tincture is used. The dose is from grs. iv. to xj. given three or four times a-day. PILULA SUBCARBONATIS SODA, Edin. Pills of Subcarbonate of Soda. Take of exsiccated Subcarbonate of Soda, four parts ; hard Soap, three parts. Beat into a mass with simple syrup. This preparation was recommended by the late Dr. Beddoes; and has been found occasionally useful. PlLUL/TJ SuLrHATIS FERRI COMPOSITE, Edin. Compound Pills of Sulphate of Iron. " Take of. Sulphate of Iron reduced to powder, one ounce; extract of Chamo- mile flowers, one ounce and a half; oil of Peppermint, a drachm. Beat into a mass with simple syrup." _ This is a useful tonic pill, and may be given with advantage in dyspepsia and other affections in which steel is indicated. A five graiivpill will contain two grains and a half of the sulphate of iron. TROCHISCI. Troches. These are little cakes or tablets com- posed of powders combined with sugar and mucilage. They are hard and dry, but readily dissolve in the mouth, for which purpose they are chiefly intended; and, therefore, such remedies only as are de- signed to produce a local effect are given in this form. They are of little importance as remedies: and the preparation of them ought to be left entirely to the confectioner; or they should be altogether rejected from the Edinburgh Pharmacopceia, as has been done by the London and the Dublin col- leges. TROCHISCI CARBONATIS CALCIS, Edin. Troches of Carbonate of Lime. " Take of prepared Carbonate of Lime, four ounces,- Acacia yum, an ounce,- Nut- megs, one drachm ; refined Sugar, six ounces. Rub them to powder, and form them by- means of water into a mass fit for making troches." " These troches are intended as antacids; but in the state of the stomach when it requires the use of these remedies, the effect of the carbonate of lime is counter- acted by the sugar." TROCHISCI CARBONATIS MAGNE- SIA, Edin. Troches of Carbonate of Mag- nesia. " Take of Carbonate of Magnesia, six ounces,- refined Sugar, three ounces ,• Nut- megs, a scruple. Beat them into powder and form them into troches with mucilage of Tragacanth. These are used in the same cases as the former; and are more serviceable when the bowels are confined. TROCHISCI GLYCYRRHIZA GLA- BRA, Edin. Troches of Liquorice. "Take of extract of Liquorice, Gum Arabic, of each one part; refined Sugar, two parts; boiling Water, a sufficient quantity. Dissolve and strain, then evapo- rate the solution, by a gentle heat, to a pro- per consistence for forming troches." These troches are demulcent, and from the viscid nature of the extract of Liquor- ice are well adapted for allaying the tick- ling irritation which induces coughing ; but they are not more useful than the simple extract of liquorice refined by straining and inspissation, such as is found in the shops under the name of refined liquorice. TROCHISCI GLYCYRRHIZA CUM OPIO, Edin. Liquorice Troches with Opium. " Take of Opium, two drachms; tinc- ture of Balsam of Tolu, half an ounce ; simple Syrup, eight ounces ; extract of Li- quorice, softened by hot water, Gum Ara- bic in powder, of each, five ounces. First rub the Opium well with the tincture ; then add gradually the syrup and the ex- tract ; afterwards sprinkle in the powdered gum arabic ; lastly, dry the mass, and form it into troches, each weighing ten grains." These troches are used for the same pur- poses as the former; and from the opium they contain are more efficacious in allay- ing tickling cough. Six troches contain one grain of opium ; and from six to ten mav be taken in twenty-four hours. TROCHISCI GUMMOSI, Edin. Gmhi Troches. " Take of Gum Arabic, four parts; Starch, one part,- refined Sugar, twelve parts. Rub the whole to powder, and form it into a mass with rose water fit for form- ing troches." These troches are simple demulcents, and answer sufficiently well for allaying the tickling irritation of the fauces which ex- cites coughing. TROCHISCI NITRATIS POTASSA,, Edin. Troches of Nitrate of Potass. 460 PREPARATIONS FROM ANIMALS. " Take of Nitrate of Potass, one part ,- refined Sugar, three parts. Beat them to powder, and form them into a mass fit for forming troches by means of mucilage of Tragacanth." These troches afford an agreeable form of taking Nitre in the dry state ; and are useful for cooling the mouth in salivations, and in stopping the progress of inflamma- tory sore throat, when taken at its com- mencement. They may also be used as a general refrigerant in fevers, diluting large- ly during their use. The dose is one or two taken every second or third hour. PRA^PARATA EX ANIMALIBUS. Preparations from Animals. The substances of this division are few in number, and are not remedies of much efficacy. AD EPS PRAPARATA, Lond, Pre- pared Lard* " Cut the Fat into small fragments ; then melt it by a gentle heat, and press it through linen." Adeps Suillus trjeparatus, Dub. Pre- pared Hog's Lard. "Let fresh Lard, cut into small pieces, be melted by a moderate heat, and strained by pressing it through a linen cloth. " Lard, whicli is prepared by the deal- ers, and is preserved with salt, is to be melted with twice its weight of boiling water, and the mixture well stirred: it is then to be allowed to cool, when the lard may be separated." SEVUM PRAPARATUM, Lond. Pre- pared Suet.f "Cut the Suet in pieces; then melt it by a gentle heat, and press it through linen." The properties of Lard and Suet have been already detailed. (Part ii.) The above processes are intended to purify them; but, in order to obtain them very pure, it is necessary that they be washed in water until the water come off colour- less, before they be melted. Any water that may remain attached to the fat is eva- porated during the melting; and that it is all evaporated, is known by throwing a little ofthe melted fat into the fire, when it will crackle if any water be present. The heat must not be raised above 97°, the melting point of fat; as otherwise the fat is decomposed, rendered acrid, and assumes a yellow colour. This purification is sel- dom attempted by the apothecary, as both kinds of fat can be procured very well purified from the dealers. To keep lard * Adeps Sulll.e preparata, P. L. 1787. t Sevum Ovilluin prtparatum, P. L. 1787, clean, and preserve it from the action of the air, it is generally run into bladders while in the liquid state. CORNU USTUM, Lond. Burnt Harts- horn.% " Burn pieces of Hart's horn in an open fire until they become thoroughly white; then powder them, and prepare them in the manner directed for the preparation of chalk." From the Latin title given to this pre- paration, one might be led to suppose that any kind of horn would serve as a substi- tute for Hart's horn, which is intended to be designated: but the properties of Hart's horn are more similar to those of bone than ofthe horns of other animals, the chief dif- ference being in the proportion of cartilage, which is greater in the Hart's horn than in bone. — In performing this operation the fire must not be too violent, as the horn is apt to suffer a species of vitrification ofthe sur- face, when exposed to a very strong heat, which prevents the internal parts from be- ing completely burnt. The residue of 100 parts of Hart's horn consists, after the burning, of 57'5 of Phosphate of Lime, one of Carbonate of Lime, and a minute portion of Phosphate of Magnesia. Medical properties and uses.—Phosphate of lime is perfectly inert when taken into the stomach; and the analysis of burnt Hart's horn has clearly proved, that the former idea of its antacid properties was erroneous. It has been proposed as a re- medy in rickets and mollities ossium; but 'we cannot easily conceive how it can be taken up by the absorbents, and thrown upon the bones ; and experience has not yet confirmed the theory, nor, indeed, utili- ty, of burnt Hart's horn for any purpose as a remedy. Officinal prepauaUon. Mistura Cornu usti, L. SPONGIA USTA, Lond. Burnt Sponge. " Cut Sponge into small pieces and bruise it, in order to free it from any ad- hering extraneous substances: then burn it in a covered iron vessel, until it become black and friable; finally, rub it to a very fine powder." The properties of fresh sponge have been already noticed : when burnt, the residue consists of carbonate and phosphate of lime, subcarbonate of soda, iodine, and charcoal. The active ingredients are the subcarbonate of soda and the iodine. Medical properties and uses.—Burnt Sponge is tonic, deobstruent, and antacid. It has been much recommended in bron- chocele, scrophulous affections, and herpe- tic eruptions: and I have witnessed its effi- X Coinu Ceivi ustuin, P. L. 1787. cy in scirrhous testicle, when given in com- bination with cinchona bark. It seems to derive its efficacy from the iodine it con- tains. (See Appendix, No. 1.) The dose is from gj. to giij. mixed into the form of an electuary, with powdered cinnamon and honey. In bronchocele the patient is di- rected to swallow the portion of electuary very slowly, from a supposition that some local effect is produced. TESTA PRAPARATA, Lond. Pre- pared Shells. "Wash the shells with boiling water, having previously freed them from extra- neous matters, then prepare them in the manner directed for the preparation of chalk." 08TREARUM Tf.STjE FR2EPARAT.iE, Dub. Prepared Oyster Shells. " These are to be prepared in the same manner as chalk." OVORUM TESTA PRAPARATA, Dub. Prepared Egg Shells. " These are to be prepared in the same manner as chalk." Both in oyster and egg shells the predo- minating ingredient is carbonate of lime, and therefore these prepared shells do not differ from chalk, except in containing a small portion of gelatin or albumen. But as this does not in any degree affect their me- dical properties, which are exactly the same as those of chalk, they might well be spared from the list of preparations. The dose is from grs. x. to gij. or more. EMPLASTRA. Plasters. These are solid, tenacious compounds, adhesive in the ordinary heat of the human body. The base of the majority of plasters is a chemical combination of the semivi- treous oxide of lead and oil; but some of them owe their consistence to wax and re- sin; and others contain no oily nor fatty matter whatsoever. Deyeux proposes* to confine the name of plasters to the combi- nations of metallic oxides with oils or fat; and to give those not containing oxides, the term solid ointments : but this definition would include among the plasters some of the ointments, and exclude many of the plasters. Plasters should not adhere to the hand when cold; they should be easily spread when heated ; and should remain tenacious and pliant after they are spread; but should not be so soft as to run when heated by the skin. All plasters become too consistent and brittle when long kept; but in this case, those which are unctuous may be re- melted by a gentle heat, and some oil added * Annales de Chiinie, xxxiit. 52. TERS. 461 to them. They are usually formed into rolls, each of which "is wrapt in paper ; and when they are to be used, they are melted and spread on leather, calico, linen, or silk. Those that contain metallic oxides ought to be melted by boiling water, for in a greater degree of heat the fatty matter is apt to reduce the oxide. Plasters are employed as local remedies to answer various indications. When the materials of which they are formed are soft and bland, they are used simply as cover- ings to sores and abraded surfaces, to pro- tect them from the action of the air, and give support to the parts; but in many in- stances they contain acrid and stimulating substances, and operate as rubefacients, or as blisters. , EMPLASTRUM AMMONIACI, Lond. Edin. Ammoniac Plaster. " Take of purified Ammoniac, five ounces; Acetic acid, (distilled vinegar,) half a pint. Dissolve the Ammoniac in the Vinegar, then evaporate the solution in an iron vessel placed in a water-bath, constantly stirring until it acquire a proper consistence." This plaster is stimulant and resolvent. It is applied to scrophulous tumours and white swellings; and sometimes over the scaln, in tinea capitis. EMPLASTRUM AMMONIACI, CUM HYDRARGYRO, Lond. Ammoniac Plas- ter with Mercury. "Take of purified Ammoniac, a pound; purified Mercury, three ounces ,- Sulphuret- ed Oil, a fluid drachm. Rub the Mercury with the Sulphureted oil until the globules disappear: then add gradually the Ammo- niac previously melted, and mix the whole together." Dublin. "Take of pure gum Ammoniac, a pound; purified Mercury, three ounces,- Turpen- tine, two drachms. Rub the Mercury with the Turpentine until the globules disap- pear; then add gradually the Ammoniae previously melted, and melt the whole to- gether." In these plasters the Mercury is in the state of oxide, with a minimum of oxygen. They are discutients, and are applied to in- durated glands, hydarthrus, nodes, tophi, and indolent tumours. EMPLASTRUM AROMATICUM, Dub. Aromatic Plaster. . " Take of Frankincense, three ounces; yellow Wax, half an ounce ,- Cinnamon bark in powder, six drachms; oil of Pimen- ta, oil of Lemons, of each two drachms.— Melt the frankincense and the wax togeth- er, and strain the mixture; when it thick- ens by cooling, mix with it the powder of cinnamon previously rubbed with the oils, and form them into a plaster." This plaster, which is an elegant stimu- lant, is applied on the region of Uic ulumacli 462 PLASTERS, in dyspepsia, and increased irritability of that viscus, to allay pain and vomiting ; and to expel flatus. As the oils are very vola- tile, it must be spread with the thumb with- out being melted. It requires to be fre- quently renewed, and is consequently not very adhesive. EMPLASTRUM ASSAFOETIDA, Edin. Assafcetida Plaster. " Take of plaster of semivitreous oxide of Lead, Assafcetida, of each two parts ,- Gal- banum, yellow Wax, of each one part." This plaster is sometimes applied over the umbilical region, in flatulence and hys- EMPLASTRUM CALEFACIENS,Dub. Warm Plaster. "Take of plaster of Cantharides, one part; Burgundy pitch, seven parts. Melt them together with a moderate heat, and mix them so as to form a plaster." This plaster is stimulant and rubefacient, and is applied with advantage in catarrh, hooping-cough, sciatica, and local pains. EMPLASTRUM CERA, Lond. Wax Plaster. " Take of yellow Wax, prepared Suet, of each three pounds ; yellow Resin, a pound. Melt them together, and strain." Emplastrum simplex, Edin. Simple Plaster. " Take of yellow Wax, three parts,- mut- ton Suet, white Resin, of each two parts." These plasters were originally intended for dressing blistered parts, with the view of promoting a discharge ; but owing to the pain and irritation they induce, they are now seldom employed. They may be spread with a hot iron. Officinal preparation. Emplastrum Lyt- tx, L. EMPLASTRUM CUMINI, Lond. Cu- min Plaster. " Take of Cumin seeds, Carraway Seeds, Laurel berries, of each three ounces,- dried Pitch, three pounds,- yellow Wax, three ounces. Melt the pitch and the wax to- gether, then add the other ingredients in powder, and mix." This plaster is stimulant and discutient. It is applied to the hypogastric region in flatulence and a cold feeling of the bowels, and to indolent tumours. EMPLASTRUM GALBANI COMPOSI- TUM, Lond. Compound Galbanum Plaster, " Take of purified Galbanum, eight oun- ces ; plaster of Lead, three pounds,- com- mon Turpentine, ten drachms,- Resin ofthe Spruce-fir powdered, three ounces. Having melted the galbanum and the turpentine together, mix in first the resin, and then the plaster of lead previously melted by a slow fire, and mix the whole together." EMi'LAarituM gummosum, Edin. Gum Plaster. " 'lake of plaster of semivitreous oxide of Lead, eight parts,- Ammoniac gum-resin, Galbanum, yellow Wax, of each one part. Add the gum resins to the melted plaster and wax, and mix." Emplastrum Galbani, Dub. Plaster of Galbanum. " Take of Litharge plaster, two pounds: Galbanum, half a pound; yellow Wax sliced, four ounces. To the galbanum melted by heat add the litharge plaster and the wax; then melt the whole together by a gentle heat." These plasters are stimulant and suppu- rative. They are applied with advantage to scrophulous tumours; to joints which have been long affected with arthritic pains; and to the loins in rickets. As a suppura- tive they are applied to indolent tumours, and to reduce the induration which often remains around abscesses, after they are dis- charged. EMPLASTRUM HYDRARGYRI, Lond. Mercurial Plaster. " Take of purified Mercury, three ounces ,- Sulphuretted Oil, a fluid drachm; plaster of Lead, a pound. Rub the mercury with the sulphureted oil until the globules disappear; then add by degrees the lead plaster melted, and mix the whole." Edinburgh. " Take of Olive oil, Resin, of each one part,- Mercury, three parts,- Plaster of se- mivitreous oxide of Lead, six parts. Rub the mercury with the oil and the resin previ- ously melted together and cooled, until the globules disappear ; then add gradually the plaster of semivitreous oxide of lead melt- ed, and let the whole be carefully mixed together." Syn. Quecksilberpflaster (G.) The mercury in these plasters is in the state of oxide, with a minimum of oxygen; and the sulphureted oil, ordered by the London college, is intended to diminish the labor required for this oxidizement of the metal. The plasters are powerful discu- tients, and are applied to buboes, venereal tumours, nodes, when they are not very painful to the touch, and indurations -, they are also applied to joints affected with ob- stinate syphilitic pains. EMPLASTRUM CANTHARIDIS,Lond. Blistering Plaster. " Take of Blistering flies reduced to a very fine powder, a pound; Wax plaster, a pound anda half; prepared Lard, apound. Melt the plaster and the lard together, and having removed them from the fire, when the mixture is just about to become solid, sprinkle in the blistering flies, and mix the whole together." Emplastrum Cantharidis vesicatori.is, Edin. Blistering Fluster. " Take of mutton Suet, Wax, white Resin, Blistering flies reduced to a very fine pow- der, of each equal wights. Mix the pow PLASTERS. 463 der with the other articles previously melt- ed together, and removed from the fire; then stir until the mixture stiffens in cool- ing." Emplastrum Cantharidis, Dub. Blis- tering Plaster. " Take of purified yellow Wax, mutton Suet, of each a pound ; yellow Resin, four ounces,- Blistering flies in fine powder, a pound. Melt the wax, the suet, and the resin together, and a little before they con- crete in becoming cold, sprinkle in the blistering flies, and form the whole into a plaster." Syn. Emplatre de Cantharides (F.), Kanthariden pflaster (G.), Emplastro di Cantarelle (1.) These plasters are of a moderately soft consistence, so as to admit of being spread without the assistance of heat, which de- stroys the acrimony and epispastic proper- ty of' the flies ; but they seldom fail of rais- ing a blister, if the flies be good, and have not been added when the other ingredients were too hot. When they are to be used, a piece of leather of a proper shape and size is first spread with adhesive plaster, and over this the blistering plaster is extend- ed of a moderate degree of thickness, and as smooth as possible, by the means of the thumb ; a proper margin being left, so as to enable it to adhere closely to the skin. There is, however, an evident waste of flies, as those flies only which are on the surface ofthe plaster, when it is spread, act on the skin; and it has been suggested by Par- mentier,* that the same effect would be more economically produced by sprinkling the powdered flies on a piece of farinace- ous paste, spread on linen or leather. Blis- tering plasters require to remain applied for twelve hours to raise a perfect blister; they are then to be removed, the vesicle is to be cut at the most depending part, and without removing the cuticle, the vesicated part is to be dressed with simple cerate or spermaceti ointment spread on lint,- and the old cuticle allowed to remain until a new one is formed under it, when it peels off, and the whole is healed in the course of a few days. The application of these plas- ters, however, is sometimes attended with strangury and bloody urine, which arise from the active principles ofthe insect be- ing absorbed, and irritating the kidneys and urethra. This effect is very much increas-. ed if the blister be applied over an abraded surface, as, for example, on the head imme- diately after it has been shaved ; and it also occurs if the plaster remain too long appli- ed. To prevent strangury, camphor has been recommended to be mixed with the blistering composition, but it has no good effect; and it is better obviated by copious * Annates de C'li mie, xlviii. dilution with milk, or mucilaginous fluids, and fomentations of warm milk and water to the blistered part, after the removal of the plaster. When the head is the part in- tended to be blistered, it should be shaved at least ten hours before the plaster is ap- plied ; and in all cases it is perhaps a good rule to interpose a thin piece of gauze be- tween the vesicatory and the skin, wetted with vinegar, and applied smooth and very close over the plaster. In some diseases of irritation, particularly in children, the blistered part, instead of healing kindly, becomes a spreading sore : the cutis vera is destroyed, and the part can- not be healed until the irritability of habit which induced this unpleasant state is allay- ed. In such cases, the best local applica- tion is a warm emollient poultice; and bath- ing the denuded surface frequently with tepid milk and water; while at the same time Cinchona bark is internally adminis- tered. EMPLASTRUM CANTHARIDIS VE- SICATORIA COMPOSITUM, Edin.— Compound Plaster of Spanish Flies. " Take of Venice-turpentine, eighteen parts; Burgundy pitch, Blistering flies, of each twelve parts ,- yellow Wax, four parts ; Subacetate of Copper, two parts,- white Mustard seeds, black Pepper, of each one part. Melt the Burgundy pitch and the wax, and add to them the turpentine.— While these remain still warm, after being melted, sprinkle in the other ingredients re- duced to fine powder, and mix them, stir- ring constantly, so as to form a plaster." This plaster is intended to raise a blister more quickly than the former ; and thence is adapted for cases of gout and cramps of the stomach, in which the effect ofthe blis- ter must be almost instantly produced. Its operation is accompanied with great pain, and a very pungent sense of heat; and it is apt to produce very unpleasant ulceration if allowed to remain too long applied. EMPLASTRUM OPII, Lond. Edin.— Plaster of Opium. "Take of hard Opium powdered, half an ounce,- resin of the Spruce-fir powder- ed, three ounces; Lead plaster, a pound. Melt the plaster- and the resin together, then add the opium, and mix the whole." Syn. Opiumspflaster (G.). This plaster is anodyne, and supposed to be useful in relieving rheumatism and local pains: but although it is undoubt- edly certain that opium, in that state of minute division in which it exists in the tincture, or when it is dissolved in oil, pro- duces its specific effect on the system when externally applied ; yet we doubt whether the anodyne properties of this plaster are such as to sanction its employment. EMPLASTRUM OXIDI FERRI RUBRI, Edin. Fluster of Red Oxide of Iron. 464 PLASTERS. " Take of plaster of semivitreous oxide of Lead, twenty-four parts,- white Resin, six parts; yellow wax, Olive oil, of each, three parts ; red oxide of Iron, eight parts. Rub the red oxide of iron with the oil, and adding the other ingredients melted, mix the whole well together." Emplastrum Thuris, Dub. Plaster of Frankincense. " Take of Litharge plaster, two pounds ; Frankincense, half a pound; red oxide of Iron, three ounces. To the plaster and frankincense melted together add the ox- ide, stirring them together so as to form a plaster." These plasters are supposed to be tonic, and are used in muscular relaxations, and weakness of the joints after sprains; but they act chiefly in affording mechanical support to the parts. EMPLASTRUM PICIS COMPOSITUM, Lond. Compound Pitch Plaster. " Take of Burgundy Pitch, two pounds; Resin of the Spruce-fir, a pound; yellow- Resin, yellow Wax, of each, four ounces ; expressed oil of Nutmeg, an ounce; Olive Oil, Water, of each, two fluid ounces. To the pitch, resin, and wax, melted together, add first the resin of the spruce-fir, then the oil of nutmeg, the olive oil, and the water : mix the whole, and reduce to a pro- per consistence. This plaster is stimulant and rubefacient. It is used in catarrh, and other pulmonary affections, applied to the thorax ; and in head-ache and chronic ophthalmia, applied to the temples. When a serous exudation takes place, the plaster should be frequent- ly renewed. EMPLASTRUM PLUMBI, Lond. Lead Plaster. " Take of semivitreous oxide of Lead, rubbed to a very fine powder, five pounds ,- Olive oil, a gallom,- Water, two pints. Boil them together over a slow fire, stir- ring constantly until the oil and oxide of lead cohere into the consistence of a plas- ter. It will be necessary, however, to add a little boiling water, if that which was em- ployed in the beginning shall be consumed before the end ofthe process." Emplastrum Oxidi Plumbi semi-vitrei, Edin. Plaster of Semivitreous Oxide of Lead. " Take ofthe semivitreous oxide of Lead, one part,- Olive oil, two parts,- WTater, a suf- ficient quantity. Boil them, stirring con- stantly, until the oil and the oxide unite into a plaster." Emplastrum Litiiargtri, Dub. Litharge Plaster. "Take of Litharge in fine powder,five pounds; Olive oil, nine pounds; boiling Water, two pints. Mix them at a high tem- perature, constantly stirring, until the oil and the litharge unite so as to form a plas- ter; supplying occasionally any waste of water that may take place." Syn. Emplatre de diachylon (F.), Blei- pflaster'(G.). The use ofthe water in the formation of these plasters is to moderate the heat of the mixture, until the oil and the oxide combine, by which means the reduction of the metal is prevented ; a circumstance which is apt to take place from the strong attraction ofthe oil for oxygen when raised to a high temperature. By continuing the boiling the water is dissipated ; and the temperature can then be increased to a suf. ficient degree to give the plaster the neces- sary consistency. The water which is ad- ded should be previously made hot; as cold water is apt to produce an explosion. When long kept, these plasters change their colour, and lose most of their sensible properties. They are intended chiefly to defend excoriated surfaces from the action of the air ; and to form the basis of some other plasters. Officinal preparations. Emplastrum Hy- drargyri, L. E. Emplastrum Opii, L. Em- plastrum Assafostidce, E. Emplastrum gum- mosum, E. Emplastrum Galbani, D. Em- plastrum Galbani compositum, L. Emplas- trum Oxidi Ferri rubri, E. Emplastrum Resinas, L. E. D. Emplastrum Saponis, L. E. D. Emplastrum Thuris, D. EMPLASTRUM RESINA, Lond. Resin Plaster. " Take of yellow Resin, half a pound; Lead plaster, three pounds. Melt the lead plaster by a gentle heat, then add the resin in powder, and mix." Emplastrum Resinosum, Edin. Resinous Plaster. " Take of plaster of semivitreous oxide of Lead, five parts,- Resin, one part. Melt them with a gentle heat; then continue stirring the mixture until it becomes stiff in cooling." Emplastrum Lithargyri cum Resina, Dub. Litharge Plaster with Resin. " Take of Litharge plaster, three pounds and a half; yellow Resin, half a pound. Melt the Litharge plaster by a moderate heat, then add the resfn reduced to very fine powder, that it may melt quickly, and form a plaster." Syn. Harzigtes Bleipflaster (G.). These plasters are defensive, adhesive, and gently stimulant. They are used for re- taining together the lips of recent wounds, when it is wished to heal them by the first intention; to give support to ulcerated parts ; and to assist their granulation and cicatrization, according to the excellent method of Mr. Baynton. The plaster, how- ever, orig'inally used by Mr. Baynton con- tained less resin ; t""jvj. only being added to lb. j. of the litharge plaster; but this pre- paration answers the purpose equally well, CERATES. 465 except in very irritable habits. The best substance for spreading it on for the above purpose is calico ; and it is of some import- ance to spread it equally and thin ; to effect which the calico must be stretched, and the plaster melted and beginning to cool, must be poured on one end ofit, and equally ex- tended over the whole surface by means of a spatula, held horizontally, and one edge of the blade raised to an angle of 45 de- grees : or it may be still more equally done by passing the calico, on which the fluid plaster has been poured, through a machine formed of a straight blade of steel, fixed by screws, at a proper distance from a polish- ed plate ofthe same metal. It is sold ready spread. EMPLASTRUM SAPONIS, Lond. Dub. Soap Plaster. " Take of hard Soap sliced, half a pound,- Lead plaster, three pounds. Mix the soap with the melted plaster; then boil it down to a proper consistence." Emplastrum saponaceum, Edin. Soap Plaster. " Take of semivitreous oxide of Lead, four parts ; Gum plaster, two parts ; Soap sliced, one part. Mix the soap with the plasters melted together; then boil them a little so as to form a plaster." Syn. Seifenpflaster(G.) Dr. Powell properly observes, that the soap plaster of the London college ,e must be formed into rolls when it begins to thicken, for afterwards, although it be still somewhat soft, it loses its tenacity, and will break to pieces."* Soap plaster is discutient; and is applied to lymphatic tumours : but it is much less useful than the mercurial plaster. CERATA. Cerates. These are unctuous compositions posses- sing a certain degree of firmness, interme- diate between that of plasters and that of ointments. Their consistence depends on the wax they contain : and from it they de- rive their generic appellation. The most important circumstance to be attended to in their preparation is the freshness of the fat and the oils employed; and their preser- vation in this state. CERATUM SIMPLEX, Lond. Cerate. "Take of Olive oil four fluid ounces; yellow Wax, four ounces. Add the oil to the melted wax, and mix." Syn. Cerat simple (F.), Cerotto sem- plice (/.). This is a useful simple emollient dress- ing to excoriations and sores. * Powil's Trjinslalioil of the 1.million Phanuaeo- pu-ia, 2d edit 3il. 59 CERATUM CALAMINA, Lond. Ca- lamine Cerate. "Take of prepared Calamine, yellow Wax, of each half a pound; Olive oil, apint. Mix the oil with the melted wax ; then re- move the mixture from the fire, and as soon as it begins to thicken, add the calamine, stirring constantly until it be cold." Ceratum Carbonatis Zinci imfurt, Edin. Cerate of Impure Carbonate of Zinc. " Take of simple Cerate, five parts ; pre- pared impure Carbonate of Zinc, one part. Mix." Unguentum calaminare, Dub. Cala- mine Ointment. "Take of ointment of yellow W&x,five pounds; prepared Calamine, a pound. Make them into an ointment." These preparations are very useful dress- ings to excoriations and ulcers ; and as they are in some degree desiccative, they are also applied to burns after the inflammation is abated; and to the eye-lids in ophthal- mia tarsi. They have been long known in practice under the name of Turner's cerate. CERATUM CETACELLond. Sperma- ceti Cerate. "Take of Spermaceti, half an ounce; white Wax, two ounces ; Olive oil, four fluid ounces. Melt the spermaceti and the wax together, then add the oil, and stir them until they be cold." Ceratum simplex, Edin. Simple Cerate. " Take of Olive oil, six parts,- white Wax, three parts,- Spermaceti, one part. Melt the wax and spermaceti in the oil, with a gentle heat;; then keep constantly stirring until the mixture stiffens in cool- ing." Syn. Cerat deblanc de balaine (F.), Ce- rotto di Spermaceti (/.). These are soft cooling dressings. Officinal preparations. Ceratum Cantha- ridis, L. Ceratum Carbonatis Zinci impuri, E. CERATUM CANTHARIDIS, Lond. Cerate of Blistering Flies. " Take of Spermaceti cerate, six drachms; Blistering flies reduced to a very fine pow- der, a drachm. Add the Blistering flies to the Cerate, softened by the fire, and mix them together." Syn. Cerat de Cantharides (F.), Cerotto di Cantarille (/.). This cerate is intended to promote a pu- rulent discharge from a blistered surface ; and in general it answers this intention without occasioning much irritation. In some habits, however, it occasions strangu- ry, great pain of the part, swellings of the lymphatics, and so much general irritation as to produce cedematose swellings and ery- sipelas ofthe neighbouring parts.f 1 In nut -. Calcis Hydrargyri albi, P. L. 1787. V1ENTS. 470 OINTJ These ointments are stimulant and de- tergent. They are recommended by Werl- hoff, and some other German authors, as a remedy for itch, which may be safely used on infants. UNGUENTUM CANTHARIDIS,* Lond. Blistering Ointment. " Take of Blistering flies finely powder- ed, two ounces ; distilled Water, eight fluid ounces; Resin Cerate, eight ounces. Boil the water with the blistering flies to half its quantity, and strain. Mix the cerate into the strained liquor, and evaporate it to a proper consistence. Syn. Kantharidensalbe (G.). UNGUENTUM INFUSI CANTHARI- DIS VESICATORIA, Edin. Ointment of Infusion of Blistering Flies. " Take of Blistering flies, Resin, yellow Wax, of each, one part,- Venice Turpen- tine, Hog's lard, of each, two parts,- boil- ing Water, four parts. Macerate the flies in the water for a night, and strain the li- quor, expressing it strongly ; add the liquor to the fat, and boil until the water be evaporated; then add the wax and the resin, and when these are melted, remove the mixture from the fire ; add the Venice turpentine, and mix." These ointments are sufficiently mild, but they do not always succeed in keep- ing open a blistered surface, the purpose for which they are designed. Little effica- cy can be ascribed to the blistering flies, the acrimony of which is destroyed by the heat employed for the evaporation of the water.f UNGUENTUM JUNIPERI SABINA, Edin. Ointment of Savine. " Take of fresh leaves of Savine, two parts; yellow Wax, one part; Lard, four parts. Melt the wax and lard together, then boil the leaves in the mixture, and express through a cloth." This ointment is intended for keeping a blistered surface discharging, and answers the purpose of the cerate of Savine. UNGUENTUM CARBONATIS PLUM- BI, Edin. Ointment of Carbonate of Lead. "Take of simple Ointment, five parts; Carbonate of Lead, onepart. Mix." Unguentum Cerussje sive Subacetatis Plumbi, Dub. Ointment of Cerussa, or Subacetate of Lead. " Take of ointment of white Wax, a pound; Cerussa reduced to a very fine • Unguentum Cantharidis, P. L. 1787. ^ t Galen employed an ointment made Jg^ acerat- ing the entire insect in melted lard for twenty-four Lours, and then straining by expression. Boerhaave proposed to boil the flies in water, then to pour off the liquid, and make an ointment of the boiled in- sects with the addition of lard. powder, two ounces. Form them Into an ointment." Syn. Onguent blanc (F.), Bleiweissal. be (G.), Unguento bianco (/.). These are useful, cooling, desiccativc ointments. UNGUENTUM OXIDI ZINCI IMPU- RI, Edin. Ointment of impure Oxide of Zinc. "Take of simple Liniment, five parts; prepared impure Oxide of Zinc, one part. Mix." Unguentum Tvtim, Dub. Ointment of Tutty. " Take of Ointment of white Wax, ten ounces; prepared Tutty, two ounces. Form them into an ointment." Syn. Onguent de Tuthie (F.), Ungu- ento di Tuzia (/.). These ointments were formerly much used in ophthalmia tarsi; but they are now seldom employed. UNGUENTUM PICIS LIQUIDAt, Lond. Tar Ointment. " Take of Tar, prepared Suet, of each, a pound. Melt them together, and strain the mixture through a linen cloth." « Unguentum Picis LiauiDje, Edin. Tar Ointment. " Take of Tar, five parts ; yellow Wax, two parts. Melt the wax with a gentle heat; then add the tar, and stir until the mixture stiffens in cooling." Unguentum Picis lihuidje, Dub. Tar Ointment. " Take of Tar, mutton Suet, of each, half a pound. Melt them together, and strain them^through a sieve." Although the pitch and the tar oint- ments differ in their sensible qualities, yet they are both used with advantage as de- tergents in scabby, foul eruptions, and tinea capitis. Unguentum Picn kiobjb, Lond, Oint- ment of Black Pitch. "Take of Black Pitch, yellow Resin, of each, nine ounces; Olive oil, one pint. Melt them together, and strain through a linen cloth." This ointment is digestive and stimulant. UNGUENTUM P1PERIS NIGRI, Dub. Ointment of Black Pepper. " Take of prepared Hog's lard, a pound; Black Pepper in powder, four ounces. Form them into an ointment." We are ignorant of the purpose for which this irritating ointment is designed. UNGUENTUM PULVERIS CANTHA- RIDIS VESICATORIA, Edin. Ointment of the Powder of Blistering Flies. " Take of resinous Ointment, seven parts; powdered Blistering flies, one part. Sprin- X Unguentum e Pice, P. L. 1745. Unguentum Picis, P. L. 1787. kle the powder into the melted ointment: and stir the mixture until it stiffens in cool- ing. Unguentum Cantharidis, Dub. Oint- ment of Blistering Flies. "Take of Ointment of yellow Wax, half a pound; Blistering flies in powder, one ounce. Form them into an ointment." These ointments are intended for pro- moting a purulent discharge from blistered surfaces, and produce this effect sufficiently well when the irritation they excite can be supported, which however cannot always be done. The flies should be reduced to a very fine powder, and very intimately mixed with the ointment. UNGUENTUM RESINA NIGRA,* Lond. Black Resin Ointment. " Take of black Resin, yellow Wax, yel- low Resin, of each, nine ounces; Olive-oil, a pint. Melt them together, and strain through a linen cloth." UNGUENTUM SAMBUCI.f Lond. Elder Ointment. " Take of Elder flowers, prepared Lard, of each, two pounds. Boil the elder flowers in the lard, until they become crisp, then strain the ointment through a linen cloth." Dublin. " Take of fresh Elder flowers, three pounds ; prepared Hog's lard, four pounds; mutton Suet, two pounds. Make an oint- ment of these in the manner directed for the preparation of the savine ointment." These ointments are simply emollient, and possess no advantages over simple ointment. They are vestiges of the re- dundant practice of former times. UNGUENTUM SIMPLEX, Edin. Sim. pie Ointment. "Take of Olive-oil, five parts; white Wax, two parts. Melt the wax in the oil; then stir the mixture until it stiffens in cooling." A useful emollient ointment for soften- ing the skin. Officinal preparations. Unguentum Oxidi Plumbi albi, E. Une-uentum Acetatis Plum- bi, E. * UNGUENTUM SUBACETAT1S CU- PRI, Edin. Ointment of Subacetate of Cop- per. "Take of resinous Ointment, fifteen parts; Subacetate of Copper, one part. Sprinkle the subacetate into the melted ointment, and stir until the mixture stiffens in cooling." Unguentum Aruginis, Dub. Ointment of Verdegris. "Take of ointment of white Wax, a pound; prepared Verdigris, hulf an ounce. Make them into an ointment. * Unguentum basilicum nigrum, vel tetra phar- macum, P. L. 1745. t Ungocntuin sambucinum, P. L. 1720. [ENTS. 471 Syn. Unguento Eglziaco (/.). 'these ointments are escharotic and de- tergent. They are used as an occasional dressing to foul, flabby ulcers ; and as an application to scrophulous ulcerations of the tarsi. They can scarcely be used in the undiluted state, unless to act as a caus- tic for taking down fungous flesh. UNGUENTUM SULPHURIS, Lond. Sulphur Ointment. " Take of sublimed Sulphur, three ounces; prepared Lard, half a pound. Mix them." Edinburgh. " Take of Hog's lard, four parts ; sub- limed Sulphur, one part. Mix." Dublin. " Take of prepared Hog's lard, four pounds,- sublimed Sulphur, a pound. Form them into an ointment." Syn. Onguent soufre (F.), Schemfelsalbe (G.), Unguento Solforato (/.). These ointments are specific in itch. They should be rubbed on the body every night until the disease be cured, but not more than one-fourth part of the body should be covered with it at a time.:": UNGUENTUM SULPHURIS COMPO- SITUM, Lond. Compound Ointment of Sul- phur. "Take of sublimed Sulphur, half a pound; white Hellebore root in powder, two ounces ; nitrate of Potass, a drachm ; soft Soap, half a pound; prepared Lard, a pound and a half. Mix them." Syn. Onguent soufre composed (F.)t Unguento solforato composto (/.), This ointment is employed in the same cases as the simple ointment. It is sup- posed to derive more efficacy from the ad- dition of the white hellebore, but it often excites too much irritation. UNGUENTUM VERATRI, Lond. Oint- ment of White Hellebore.^ "Tatoe of white Hellebore root pow- dered, two ounces ; prepared Lard, eight ounces,- oil of lemon, twenty minims. Mix them." Unguentum Hellebori albi, Dub. Oint- ment of White Hellebore. " Take of prepared Lard, a pound,- white Hellebore root in powder, three ounces. Make them into an ointment. These ointments are sometimes used for the cure of scabies, when the smell of the sulphtir ointment is objected to ; but they are less certain remedies. X As the smell ofthe sulphur ointments is object- ed to by many people, the following combination ha» been recommended. " Take of subcarbonate of potass, half an ounce ; rose water, one ounce; red sulphuret of mercury, one drachm ; essential oil of bergomot, half a fluid drachm ; sublimed sulphur, hog's lard, of each, eleven ounces. Mix them." Batemcn on Cutaneous Dis- eases, p. 200. note. $ Unguentum Hellebori albi, P. L. 1787. 472 LINIMENTS. UNGUENTUM ZINCI, Lond. Unguen- Tum Oxidi Zimci, Edin. Zinc Ointment. " Take of oxide of Zinc, an ounce; pre- pared Lard, six ounces. Mix them." Unguentum Oxidi Zinci, Edin. Oint- ment of Oxide of Zinc. "Take of simple Liniment, six parts; oxide of Zinc, one part. Mix." Dublin. " Take of ointment of white Wax, a pound,- oxide of Zinc, an ounce and a half. Make them into an ointment." Syn. Onguent de Zinc (F.), Zinksalbe (G.), Unguento di Zinco (/.). These ointments are moderately astrin- gent and stimulant. They are generally applied in chronic inflammation ofthe eye, depending on a relaxed state of the ves- sels : we find them also of very consider- able use in sore nipples ; and for removing ring-worm, particularly when it attacks the sculp. LINIMENTA. Liniments. These are compositions which have the consistence of oil or balsam ; so as to allow them to be easily rubbed upon the skin. They arc in general more active remedies than cerates or ointments ; and act as local stimulants, relieving deep seated inflam- mations and pains. LINIMENTUM ARUG1NIS, Lond. Li- niment of Verdegris. "Take of Verdegris powdered, an ounce; Vinegar, seven fluid ounces; clarified Ho- ney, fourteen ounces. Dissolve the verde- gris in the vinegar, and strain it through a linen cloth ; then having added the honey, boil down the mixture to a proper consis- tence." Oxymel Aruginis, Dub. Oxymel of Verdegris. " Take of prepared Verdegris, one ounce; wine Vinegar, seven fluid ounces ; clarified Honey, fourteen ounces. Dissolve the ver- degris in the vinegar, and strain it through a linen cloth ; add the honey, and boil the mixture to a proper thickness." This preparation, which is improperly named a liniment by the London college, is detergent and escharotic. In the above state it is used for taking down fungous flesh ; and considerably diluted, is a useful stimulant to foul-ulcers, which it clears and excites to a more healthy action. It has been employed as a gargle in venereal ul- cerations of the mouth and fauces ; but we cannot recommend it. LINIMENTUM AMMONIA FORTIUS, Lond. Stronger Liniment of Ammonia. " Take of solution of Ammonia, a fluid ounce,- Olive oil, two fluid ounces. Shake them together until they unite." Oleum ammoniatux, Edin. Ammoniated Oil. " Take of Olive oil, eight parts ; water of Ammonia, one part. Mix them." Linimentum Ammonijb, Dub. Liniment of Ammonia. " Take of caustic water of Ammonia, two fluid drachms; Olive oil, two fluid ounces. Mix them." Syn. Liniment volatil (F.), Ammonium liniment (G.), Linamento volatile (I.). In these preparations a chemical union takes place between the alkali and the fix- ed oil, and produces a white soap, which is kept fluid by the water of the solution of ammonia. It is an excellent rubefacient, and is efficaciously employed in cynanche tonsillaris, spread on a piece of flannel, and applied round the throat; and to relieve rheumatic pains, rubbed upon the skin over the affected part, often with the addition of a little camphor. We have found a medi- um proportion of solution of ammonia, or half a fluid ounce to two fluid ounces of oil, form a preparation better fitted for general use than the above. LINIMENTUM AMMONIA SUBCAR- BONATIS, Lond. Liniment of Carbonate of Ammonia.* " Take of solution of Subcarbonate of Ammonia, a fluid ounce; Olive oil, three fluid ounces. Shake them together until they unite." This preparation is also a fluid soap, but the combination ofthe oil and alkali is pre- vented from being so perfect by the carbo- nic acid of the subcarbonate. It is also much less soluble in water, and after a lit- tle time, the soapy matter separates from the water. It is intended for the same pur- poses as the strong liniment, which can be readily rendered as mild by the addition of oil; and therefore this may be regarded as a superfluous preparation. LINIMENTUM AQUA CALCIS ; sive OLEUM LINI CUM CALCE, Edin. Lini- ment of Lime Water. "Take of Linseed oil, Lime water, of each, equal parts. Mix them." Linimentum Calcis, Dub. Liniment of Lime. " Take of Lime-water, Olive-oil, of each, three fluid ounces. Mix them." These are solutions of earthy soaps, formed by the chemical union of the lime and the oil. They are thick, of a white colour, and devoid of acrimony, and are very advantageously applied to burns and scalds. The soapy matter separates from the water, when it is kept for a little time, and therefore it is always better to prepare it only when it is wanted. * Linimentum volatile, P. L. 1745. Linimentum Ammonia:, 1'. L. 1787. LINIMENTS. A73 LINIMENTUM CAMPHORA, Lond. Liniment of Camphor. " Take of Camphor, half an ounce ,- Olive-oil, two fluid ounces. Dissolve the camphor in the oil." Oleum Campuoratum, Edin. Camphor- ated Oil. " Take of 01ive-oil,/eur parts,- Camphor, one part. Mix them so as to dissolve the camphor." Oleum Camphoratum, Dub. Camphor- ated Oil. " Take of Camphor, half an ounce,- Olive- oil, two fluid ounces. Rub them together." These solutions of camphor in fixed oil are very useful embrocations to glandular swellings, sprains, bruises, and to joints affected with rheumatic pains. Mr. Ware recommends them with the addition of half an ounce ofthe solution of subcarbonate of potass, to be applied to the eye-lids night and morning in incipient amaurosis. LINIMENTUM CAMPHORA COMPO- SITUM, Lond. Compound Liniment of Camphor. " Take of Camphor, two ounces,- solution of Ammonia, six fluid ounces,- Spirit of Lavender, a pint. Mix the solution of am- monia with the spirit; then from a glass retort, by a gentle heat, distil a pint. Lastly, dissolve the camphor in this distil- led liquor." This is a very useful stimulant application to sprains, bruises, and rheumatic pains. It is also an excellent vehicle for intro- ducing opium into the habit by means of friction. An embrocation composed of f Jjss. of this liniment, and f §ss. of tincture of opium, warmed and rubbed over the surface of the abdomen, very quickly allays the pains of flatulent colic. LINIMENTUM HYDRARGYRI, Lond. Liniment of Mercury. " Take of the stronger Mercurial oint- ment, prepared Lard, of each, four ounces ; , Camphor, an ounce,- rectified Spirit, fifteen minims,- solution of Ammonia, four fluid ounces. First rub the camphor with the spirit, then with the lard and mercurial ointment: lastly, drop in gradually the so- lution of ammonia, and mix the whole." This liniment is stimulant and discutient. It is employed as at* embrocation to parts affected with chronic venereal pains, nodes, and tophi; to indolent swellings, and to discuss morbid collections of fluid. One drachm should be rubbed on the affected part night and morning. When largely used, it salivates sooner than mercurial ointment. LINIMENTUM SAPONIS COMPO- SITUM, Lond. Compound Soap Lini- ment.* * Linimentum saponaceum, P. L. 174?. 60 " Take of hard Soap, three ounces,- Cam- phor, an ounce,- Spirit of Rosemary, apint. Dissolve the Camphor in the spirit, then add the soap, and macerate in the heat of a sand-bath, until they be dissolved." Tinctura Saponis Camphorata ; vulgo, Linimentum sapoxaceum, Edin. Campho- rated Tincture of Soap ,- commonly called, Liniment of Soap. "Take of hard Soap sliced,four ounces; Camphor, two ounces,- volatile oil of Rose- mary-, half an ounce,- Alcohol, two pounds. Digest the soap in the alcohol for three days, then add the camphor and the oil, frequently shaking the mixture." Syn. Kampferliniment (G.). These preparations are stimulant and anodyne, and may be advantageously ap- plied against local pains, and in bruises rub- bed upon the parts. TINCTURA SAPONIS ET OPII; vulgo, LINIMENTUM ANODYNUM, Edin. Tinc- ture of Soap and Opium,- commonly called Anodyne Liniment. "Take of hard Soap sliced, four ounces ; Opium, one ounce,- Camphor, two ounces ; oil of Rosemary, half an ounce; Alcohol, two pounds. Digest the soap in the alcohol for three days; then to the strained solution add the camphor and the oil, frequently shaking the mixture." The addition of the opium to the soap liniment, renders it in many cases of rheu- matism and local pains, more useful than the simple liniment: but if any effect is particularly desired from the external ap- plication of opium, that will be obtained with more certainty by dissolving the opium in olive oil. LINIMENTUM TEREBINTH1NA, Lond. Turpentine Liniment. "Take of Cerate of Resin, a pound; oil of Turpentine, half apint. Melt the cerate, then add to it the oil of turpentine, and mix them." This liniment was introduced into prac- tice by Dr. Kentish, at that time a surgeon in Newcastle, as a dressing to burns imme- diately after they happen, and until the loosening of the eschars. Dr. Kentish's plan was first to bathe the parts with warm ! oil of turpentine, and then to apply over them plasters thickly spread, of this lini- ment ; at the same time that he sup- ! ported the strength with wine, opium, and : cordials. After the life ofthe parts appear- ' ed to be restored, purges were given, the j cordials omitted, and mild emollient dress- ings applied.f We have had several op- ! portunities of witnessing the good effects | of this plan of treatment. j t Essays on Bnrns, &c. by Edward Kentish. 1797 and 1800. ■*;vi OPiUM IN SOME CATAPLASMATA. Cataplasms. ' Cataplasms are in general extempora- neous preparations ; but the two following formulae are introduced into the Pharma- copoeias to fix the proportions of the ingre- dients. CATAPLASMA FERMENTI, Lond.— Yeast Catasplasm. " Take of Flour, a pound; Yeast of beer, half a pint. Mix, and expose the mixture to a gentle heat, until it begins to swell." The inflation is produced by the extrica- tion of carbonic acid gas, on which the ef- ficacy ofthe cataplasm depends ; and which is evolved by the heat applied to the mix- ture exciting the fermentative process. In this state it is applied to painful, gangre- nous, or foul ulcers ; and soon corrects the foetor of the discharge, while at the same time it hastens the sloughing ofthe sores." CATAPLASMA SINAPIS, Lond. Ca- taplasm of Mustard. " Take of Mustard seed, Linseed, of each in powder, half a pound; hot Vinegar, a sufficient quantity. Mix them to the thick- ness of a cataplasm." Cataplasma Sinapeos, Dub. Mustard Cataplasm. " Take of Mustard seed in powder, crumb of Bread, of each half a pound; Vinegar, a sufficient quantity. Mix them so as to make a cataplasm. This preparation may be rendered more acrid by adding two ounces of Horse-radish finely scraped." These cataplasms are powerful local stim- ulants, and rubefacients. They are to be spread on cloths to the thickness of abodt half an inch, and applied to the soles ofthe feet, in the low stage of typhous fever, par- ticularly when stupor or delirium is pres- ent; and in apoplexy, coma, and other cases in which there is a great determination to the head. Their rubefacient effects are verv quickly produced, and often so power- fully, as to raise blisters on the part. TABLE, Showing the Proportion in whicli Opium and certain Preparations of Iron, Antimony, Arsenic, and Mercury, are contained in some compound Medicines. OPIUM. CONFECTIO OPII, Lond. Confection of Opium. Thirty-six grains contain one grain of opium. ELECTUARIUM OPIATUM, Edin.— Opiate Electuary, contains in each drachm about one grain and a half of opium. ELECTUARIUM CATECHU COMPO- SITUM, Edin. Electuary of Catechu, con- tains in each ounce about two grains and a half of opium : or one hundred and ninety- three grains contain one grain of opium. MEDICINES. ELECTUARIUM CATECHU COMPO- SITUM, Dub. Compound E actuary of Catechu, contains in each ounce about two grains and a half of purified opium. PILULA SAPONIS CUM OPIO, Lond. Pills of Soap and of Opium. Five grains contain one grain of opium. PILULA OPIATA, Edin. Opiate, for- mcrly Thebaic, Pills. Each drachm con- tains six grains of opium. A pill of five grains contains half a grain of opium. PILULA STYRAC1S, Dub. Storax Pills contain, in five grains of the mass, one grain of purified opium. PULVIS CORNU USTI CUM OPIO, Lond. Powder of Burnt Hartshorn with Opium. Ten grains contain one grain of opium. PULVIS CRETA COMPOSITUS CUM OPIO, Lond. Compound Powder of Chalk with Opium. Two scruples contain one grain of opium. PULVIS IPECACUANHA COMPOSI- TUS, Lond. Dub. Compound Powder of Ipecacuanha. Ten grains contain one grain of opium. PULVIS IPECACUANHA ET OPII, Edin. Powder of Ipecacuanha and Opium. Each drachm contains six grains of opium, or one grain in ten grains of the powder. PULVIS KINO COMPOSITUS, Lond. Compound Powder of Kino. Each scruple contains one grain of opium. SYRUPUS OPII, Dub. Syrup of Opium, contains in one fluid ounce about one grain of the watery extract of opium : for the li- quor is more than doubled in bulk by the addition of the sugar. TINCTURA OPII, Lond. Tincture of Opium. Nineteen minims contain about one grain of opium. TINCTURA OPII, Edin. Tincture of Opium is made with two scruples of opium in each ounce of liquid, or each drachm should contain five grains. But one drachm ofthe tincture, when evaporated, yields on- ly three grains and a half of opium. TINCTURA OPII, Dub.^ Tincture of Opium contains in one fluid'drachm about four grains and a half of purified opium. TINCTURA CAMPHORA COMPOSI- TA, Lond. Compound Tincture of Camphor, Tinctura Opii Camphohata, Edin. Haifa fluid ounce contains nearly one grain of opium. TINCTURA OPII AMMONIATA, Edin. Ammoniated Tincture of Opium, is made with about eight grains of opium in each ounce of liquid; or each drachm should contain nearly one grain of opium. TINCTURA OPII CAMPHORATA,Dub. Camphorated Tincture of Opium. Four fluid drachms and a half contain nearly one grain of purified opium. TINCTURA SAPONIS ET OPII, Edin. Tincture of Soap ajid Opium, is made with IRO N—ANTIMONY—: one scruple of opium in each ounce of the liquid. TROCHISCI GLYCYRRHIZA CUM OPIO, Edin. Troches of Liquorice with Opi- um. Each drachm contains nearly one grain of opium. IRON. TINCTURA ACETATIS FERRI CUM ALCOHOLE, Dub. Tincture of Acetate of Iron with Alcohol. Each fluid drachm con- tains about one grain of dry acetate of iron ANTIMONY. LIQUOR ANTIMONII TARTARIZATI, Lond. Solution of Tartarized Antimony con- tains in each fluid ounce two grains of tar- tarized antimony. VINUM TARTRIT1S ANTIMONII, Edin. Wine of Tartrate of Antimony con- tains in each ounce two grains of tartrate of antimony. MERCURY. EMPLASTRUM HYDRARGYRI, Edin. Mercurial Plaster. Each drachm contains about sixteen grains of mercury, (fifteen grains, Lond.) HYDRARGYRUS CUM MAGNESIA, Dub. Mercury with Magnesia. Three grains contain two of mercury. HYDRARGYRUM CUM CRETA, Lond. Mercury with Chalk. Three grains contain one grain of mercury. LIQUOR HYDRARGYRI OXYMURIA- TIS, Lond. Solution of Oxymuriate of Mer- cury. One fluid ounce contains half a grain of oxymuriate of mercury. LINIMENTUM HYDRARGYRI, Lond. Mercurial Liniment. Six drachms contain one drachm of mercury. PILULA HYDRARGYRI, Lond. Dub. IERCURY—ARSENIC. 4.75 I Mercurial Pills. Three grains contain one grain of mercury. PILULA HYDRARGYRI, Edin. Mer- curial Pills. Each drachm contains fifteen' grains of mercury. Each five grain pill con- tains one and one-fourth grain of mercury. PILULA HYDRARGYRI SUBMURIA- TIS COMPOSITA, Lond. Edin. Pills of Submuriate of .Mercury. About four grains contain one grain of submuriate of mercury'. UNGUENTUM HYDRARGYRI FOR- TIUS, Lond. Dub. Stronger Mercurial Ointment. Two drachms contain one drachm of mercury. UNGUENTUM HYDRARGYRI MITIUS, Lond. Weaker Mercurial Ointment. Six drachms contain one drachm of mercury. UNGUENTUM HYDRARGYRI, Edin. Mercurial Ointment. Each drachm contains twelve grains of mercury; made with double the quantity of mercury, each drachm con- tains twenty grains. UNGUENTUM NITRATIS HYDRAR- GYRI FORTIUS, Edin. Stronger Ointment of Nitrate of Mercury. Each drachm con- tains four grains of mercury. * UNGUENTUM NITRATIS HYDRAR- GYRI MIIIUS, Edin. Milder Ointment of Nitrate of Mercury. Each scruple contains half a grain of mercury. UNGUENTUM OXIDI HYDRARGYRI CINEREI, Edin. Each drachm contains fif- teen grains of the oxide. UNGUENTUM OXIDI HYDRARGYRI RUBRI, Edin. Ointment of Red Oxide of Mercury. Each drachm contains seven grains ofthe oxide. ARSENIC. LIQUOR ARSENICALIS, Lond. SO. LU IIO ARSENICALIS, Edin. Arsenica Solution. One fluid ounce contains four grains of oxide of arsenic, TABLE OF NEW NAMES; Showing to what Name of the former London Pharmacopceia each belongs. New Names. Former Names, Ahietis resina * Thus Absinthium......Absinthium vulgare Acacise Gummi......Arabicum Gummi Acetosa.....- - Acetosa pratensis Acidum aceticum dilutum .... Acidum aceticum ------arseniosum .... Arsenici oxydum ------benzoicum.....Flores Benzoes —— - nitricum.....Acidum nitrosum ------sulphuricum.....-------vitriolicum Aloes spicatse extractum .... Aloe socotorina, succus spissatus -----vulgaris extractum - - ----barbadensis, succus spissatus Ammonix Murias ----- Sal Ammoniacus --------Subcarbonas - Ammonia praeparata Anthemidis flores --.--, Chdxnxmelum, flos simplex Antimonii Sulphuretum - Antimonium ------.— Sulphuretum praecipitatum - Sulphur Antimonii praecipitatum Argenti Nitras .... - Argentum nitratum Armoraciae radix ----- Raphanus rusticanus, radix Arsenicum album.....Arsenici oxydum --------sublimatum ....-------sublimatum. B. Benzoinum - - - - - - Benzoe. C. Calami radix......Calamus aromaticus, radix Calamina.....- - - Lapis Calaminaris Calumba.......Colomba, radix Cambogia......Gambogia Canella cortex......Canella alba, cortex Cantharis.....- - Lytta -------vesicatoria.....----vesicatoria Capsici baccs - - - - - - Piper indicum, capsula , „. C Caryophvllus aromatica, perkarpium imma- Caryophylh - - - - - -^ ^j^- Cassiae pulpa ------ Cassia fistularis,/rttc^HS Castoreum.....# - Castoreum Rossicum Ceratum Plumbi compositum - - - Ceratum Lithargyri aeetati compositum -------------acetatis - - - - ------- Plumbi superacetatis -------Cantharidis ...---------Lyttae , ,----Resinac ----- Unguentum Resinae flavrc Cetaceum......Sperma Ceti Cinchona lancifolia: cortex ... Cinchonae cortex .-------cordifolias cortex ... Vulgo cortex flavus -------oblongifoliae cortex ...----------ruber Coccus.......Coccinella Confectio Aurantii ----- Conserva Aurantii ————— Cassiae ----- Electuarium Cassiae _______Opii - - - - - - Confectio opiata ——— Rosae caninae .... Conserva Cynosbati _______Rosae gallicae » --------Rosae ________Scammoniae ... - Electuarium Scammonii --------Sennae.....----------Sennas Conii folia......Cicuta, herba Copaiba.......Balsamum Copaivae Cucumis Colocynthidis, peponum pulpa - Cucumis Colocynthidis,^o»norMmpu//);d after precipitating the muriate of lime, by dropping into it a little barytic water, and exposing it to the atmosphere until the pre- cipitate be totally deposited, it is sufficiently pure for most pharmaceutical purposes % When rain water, however, is collected in towns, or from the roofs of houses, it con- tains a small portion of sulphate oflime, soot, and other impurities, and requires to be boiled and filtered before dropping in the barytic water. Snow water, when newly melted, is des- t tule of air, which is the reason that fish cannot live in it; but, when allowed to re- main for some time exposed to the atmos- phere, it does not differ in its qualities from rain water. 2. Spring water, if it has not filtered through a very soluble soil, is almost as pure as rain water. The best springs are those which rise through sand or gravel, at a small depth § It generally contains, besides the ingredients which are found in rain water, a small portion of muriate of soda. Well or pump water, whicli is spring water obtained by digging to a considerable depth is by no means so pure. It is commonly distinguished by a property named hardness, implving an incapability of dis-olving soap ;|j % Morveau, Ann. de Chimie, xxiv. 320. § The water conveyed to Hodsdon, in Hertford- shire, rises through a fine, white sand, and is so pure, that Dr. Hales affirms it left no incrustation in a boiler which had been in constant use for fifteen ytirs. Statical Essays, ii. 242. || Soap when agitated with hard water is decom- posed ; the alkali of the soap uniting with the acid of th« earthy salts, while the oil and earths combiue and form new, nearly insoluble soaps, which swim in a curdy form on the surface ofthe water. 484 APPENDIX.—No. I. which is owing to its containing many ear- thy salts, the principal of which is sulphate of lime It, also, contains more carbonic acid gas than common spring-water. Many of the foreign ingredients contained in hard water are simply suspended in it; for pump water is rendered softer and purer by only passing it through a filtering 9tone. The best mode of freeing hard water of its earthy salts, is first to boil it; then, after it has cooled, to drop into it an alkaline carbonate and, lastly, filter'it. li cannot be employed for pharmaceutical purposes. 3. River water, when the stream is rapid, and runs over a pebbly or a siliceous chan- nel, is as pure as the softer spring water ; but when the current is slow, and the bed clayey, it approaches nearer to the nature of well water, and frequently contains pu- trefied vegetable and animal matters, as is generally the case in the water of lakes and marshes. Such are the foreign ingredients contained in common water. Boiling frees it from air and gases, and precipitates many of the earthy salts; but distillation in glass vessels frees it entirely from these ingredients, and it is obtained almost perfectly pure, transparent, colourless, insipid, and inodoroUs. The varieties of water enumerated above may be almost indiscriminately employed as diluents, the small proportion of foreign ingredients they contain occasioning no difference in their diluent properties. When the quantity of sulphate of lime and alumi- nous matter, however, is verv considerable, as is the case in the water of many pumps, there is some reason for concluding that deleterious effects may arise from the use of the water; although it may be doubled whether the scrophulous and glandular swellings, peculiar to some populous town, can be justly ascribed to this cause.* Even a few of the waters which are regarded as mineral waters owe more to the diluent property of the water for their efficacy, than to the impregnations they contain. This is particularly the case with the Malvern spring, which has been found to contain very littie fore gn matter. The diluting power of water is much modified by temperature; warm or tepid water being a much better diluent than cold water. The medicinal properties of water as a diluent were well known to the ancients ; and cold water, used as a drink in fevers, was the principal remedy ofthe father of phy- sic in these complaints. The temperature of 60° is the proper degree, when it is intended that water should produce its diluent effects without the aid of heat. Under 45° it pro- duces a sedative and astringent effect; above 60° and under 100°, it relaxes the fibres • Pei'cival ascribes the glandular swellings com- mon in Manchester to this cause. See Essays, i. 291. ofthe stomach, and is apt to induce nausea, particularly when bulk is added to this range of temperature; but at a higher temperature, the stimulus of heat, in the same manner as the addition of other stimulants, prevents that effect. Simple water may supersede the use of all other diluents ; but animal and vegetable infusions are generally em- ployed ; or toast water (infusum panis tosti), which is more agreeable to most palates, and is an excellent diluent in fevers and in- flammatory disease1-. The temperature of water as a diluent should be regulated by the nature of the disease; in internal hx- morrhagies the temperature should not ex- ceed 45°, but it may be 60° in fevers ; un. less in the cold stage of the paroxysm of fever, when thirst should be allayed by tepid or warm water or other bland fluids ; and the same precaution is necessary when the sweat has become general and profuse. In cases in which there exists a morbid increase of bile disturbing the functions of the sto- mach and irritating the bowels, the tem- perature of the water used as drink may be from 90° to 114° ; and in some cases of dyspepsia, which are attended with the sensation of coldness at the stomach, and with cold extremities, a cup full of water, taken as hot as it can be drank, affords very considerable relief. In cases of re- dundant bile, by drinking half a pint of tepid water every morning before break- fast, and taking immediately afterwards moderate exercise, the acrid bile is dilu- ted, and its passage through the bowels assisted,.without the irritation which, in its undiluted state, it always excites; and it produces the same benefit in cholera morbus in the commencement of the disease, the sto- mach being rendered by it more fit to receive opiates and other remedies. Some medicines, as sudoi ifics, diuretics, and emetics, scarcely produce their effects, unless their operation be assisted by copious dilution with water, or watery fluids. Water is also an external remedy of great importance, but its effects are much modi- fied by the degree of temperature at which it is applied. Cold Water, or of a temperature under 70°, gives the sensation of cold to the skin, and is applied under the form of bath and of affusion. The cold Bath, (balneum fyigidum,) is water of any temperature, from 42° to 85° of Fahrenheit. When the body is immersed in it, it first induces the sensation of cold, excites shivering, renders ihe skin pale, and contracts it so as to produce the papillous appearance denominated goose skin (cutis anserina) ; the respiration at the same time is quickened and rendered irregular, pro- ducing sobbing; and the pulse is diminished in force and velocity, but is also rendered I firmer and more regular. If the immersion APPENDIX—No, I. 485 be not long continued, re-action takes place on coming out of the bath, a glow, or agreeable sensation of heat, is felt over the whole body, the tone and vigour of the muscles are increased, a buoyancy of spirit and aptitude for action succeed, and a sense of general refreshment is experienced by the bather. The protraction, however, of the immersion for a considerable space of time, particularly if the temperature of the bath be under 50°, is not followed by this re-action, but the cold water operates as a powerful sedative; the action of the heart and arteries becomes languid, the pulse ceases at the wrist, the animal heat is ra- pidly diminished, and a sensation of coldness at the stomach is felt, which is succeeded by faintness, to delirium, torpor, and some- times death. These unpleasant effects are oc- casionally experienced in some degree, even when the immersion is not protracted, and the temperature of the bath is not under 60°; in which case cold bathing proves always hurtful, and ought not to be repealed : but when the contrary effects are experien- ced it is found to be useful in many diseases of debility, particularly in scrophula, if the water be impregnated with salt, or sea-bath- ing be resorted to. The debilitated, how- ever, in whom the use of sea-bathing pro- duces these effects, when it is employed before breakfast, are not always affected in the same manner when it is used after break- fast, or when the stomach is full; but, on the contrary, receive the same benefit from it,as those with whom it agrees at all times. The use of cold water as a general bath is never employed with a view of producing its sedative effects : but for this purpose it is partially applied, either by the immersion ofthe affected parts, or by means of cloths dipped in very cold water, and laid over or near the parts. It is used as a remedy in active uterine hxmorrhagies, burns, and scalds, and in local inflammations, even when arising from general disease, as gout and acute rheumatism, when the surface ofthe pained part appears red and inflamed. The cold affusion, or the suddenly pouring cold water over the whole surface of the body, operates as a powerful remedy, al- though its effects as such are of short dura- tion. They are produced by the sudden- ness of the application affecting the nervous energy, and by the shock rousing the dor- mant sensibility, so as to induce a new action, * The culd affusion was employed by Antouius Musii, physician to Augustus, when that emperor ■auj affected with a bowel complaint, which had re- sisted every other remedy. Vide Q. Horatii F. Epis- tol. lib. xv. ad Sum. Valam. C. Sueton. Trang. Oe- tavius Aug. ii. cap. SI. p. 104. Cold affusions in the fevers of Asia are also prescribed by the Koran, and used in India by lh« Mahomedan and Hindoo physi- cians in various diseases. t Cnn-ie—Reports on Colli tVater, i. 31, as it were, of the nervous system, dissolving the spasm on the extreme vessels of the surface, carrying off a large portion of mor- bid heat by general evaporation, and the remainder by insensible perspiration ; thence restoring the healthy action of the exhalants and the capillaries." In typhus fever this mode of applying cold water has been pro- ductive of the best effects * It should be applied in the first hot stage of the disease, if possible, and repeated every time the morbid heat returns. If the water can be impregnated with salt, so much the better; but when the disease is advanced, its tem- perature should not be more than 26°f under the heat of the body. It often stops suddenly the disease, if it be used during the three first days, and sometimes so late even as the fifth ; but after this period it can be regarded as an useful auxiliary only even when properly employed. In tetanus, Currie affirms! that the coid affusion also proves useful, particularly when the shock is considerable, and applied during the con- vulsions. It is, however, in idiopathic te- tanus only that it proves useful, no advan- tage being obtained from using it in tetanus arising from wounds. § Its utility has also been proved in many of the exanthemata ; for instance, during the hot stage ofthe eruptive fever of small-pox; and we can bear ample testimony to its efficacy in scar- latina maligna, when the heat arises to above 100°.|j This remedy, however, is produc- tive of much mischief when misapplied ; and therefore it is necessary to observe that it is contra-indicated in the cold stage of fevers, and when a sense of chilliness is present, although the thermometer indicate the real heat to be more than natural. It is also said to be improper in fevers, when diarrhoea or dysentery are piesent; after the sweating stage in intermittents is formed; after the eruption is completely formed in confluent small-pox ; and in symptomatic fever occasioned by great local inflamma- tion ; but Dr. Nicoll has found it useful in India, in remittent and intermittent fevers accompanied with dysentery,- when the heat of the surface has exceeded 98° Fahren- heit ; for as in these cases the dysenteric symptoms seem to depend on the degree of febrile excitement, the cold water, by pro- ducing a solution of these, allays the griping and tenesmus, and natural stools follow. The affusion should always, in such cases, be t Ibid. i. 138. § Ibid. i. HO. || Currie gives the following results of the affu- sion :—The heat of the body iu fever, as indicated by the thermometer, being 1039, was by it reduced to 98° in half an hour; and the pulse from 112 to 80 beats, (vol. i. 22.); the heat 101° was reduced to 99° ; and the pulse from 112 to 98 in the same time. The heat 106° was reduced to 98°; and the pulse fyom 130 to 90, Vol. i. 46. 486 APPEND] preceded by bleeding and other depletory * means. The water should be dashed from a height often or twenty feet; and its tern perature should be nearly that ofthe air at the time. The cold affusion, in the form of the shower-bath is advantageously employed as a stimulant and tonic in diseases of gen- eral debility, when no fever or increased heat is present. I know of no remedy so generally useful in those affections which are known by the name of nervous complaints Warm avater, or of a temperature from Sfio to 100°, gives the sensation of warmth to the body, and is applied both locally and generally in the form of vapour, fomentation, and bath Water is found in a state of nature combined with different quantities of caloric within the above range of tempera- ture. In the Buxton hot springs the tem- perature is about 82°; at Bristol it is from 76° to 84°; and at Bath the range is from 110° to 114°.t The necessary- degree of temperature, however, is generally obtained by artificially heating the water. The general application of warm water is obtained by means of baths. When the greater part ofthe entire body is immersed, the water constitutes properly a bath (bal- neum) ; but when half only is i' mersed, it is a half bath (semicupium). These ma) be either, a The hot bath (balneum calidum), from 97° to 100°. b. The tepid bath (balneum tepidum), from 86c to 97°. c. The vapour bath (balneum vaporis) from 100° to 130°. The two first differ in temperature only; but the last, from the water being applied in a very minutely divided state, acts with much greater effect than water in the liquid form. The operation ofthe first of these forms of applying water is stimulant; it augments the action of heart and arteries renders the skin red, quickens respiration, and pro. duces a copious flow of sweat; but the others, although they excite the sensation of heat, yet lessen the frequency ofthe pulse, relax powerfully the skin and simple solids, and diminish generally increased excitement. It has been a question of some interest, whether water be ever taken into the body by the cutaneous absoi bents ? Thai it is taken in has been denied by many philoso- phers, and facts brought forward to support * I.ond. Med. Repository, vol. ix. p. 123. t The temperature ofthe Cross Bath pump is 110*; the King's Bath, 112-; and tke Hot Bath, 114°. X A very simple and convenient vapour bath for military practice has been recommended by my friend Dr. A. Nicoll. It may be formed of a com- mon beer or spirit barrel, with a false bottom, placed about a foot from the bottom of th« cask, that is, the end on whicli it is standing, and perforated with iinmerous small holes. A gun barrel connected X—No. I. the opinion. Dr. Currie and Dr. Pearson, after half an hour's immersion in the Buxton bath, at 82°. found that the weight of the body was raiher diminished than increased; and in a case of dysphagia, in which neither food nor drink was taken by the mouth for a considerable lime, the patient, when put into the tepid bath, felt his thirst alleviated, and received much comfort, without his weight being at all increased. Dr. Currie supposed, that the abatement of thirst in this case arose f.-om the relaxation of the exhalants <>f the -u. face produced by the bath, and those of the stomach sympathising; and that although the exhalants terminate by open mouihs, which pierce the epidermis, yet as the mouths of the absorbents terminate under it, and do not come into contact with the open air; so while the epidermis remains unirritated and entire, no absorption of fluid can there- fore take place from the smface. Many experiments made by Seguin are also in favour ofthe opinion that no cutaneous ab- sorption-is effected in the bath. Among others, he immersed venereal patients in baths containing oxymuriate of m rcury in solution, and found that while the cuticle re- mained entire, no solution nor other effect of the mercury on the system, was apparent; but the specific effect ofthe remedy always took place when the epidermis was injured, or destroyed, as in itch. It must, however, be observed, that in the case of dysphagia the urine flowed as if drink had been taken by the mouth ; a circumstance which Currie supposes to depend on the absorption from the atmosphere by the lungs. This however, is an assumed position ; the free exhalation from the lungs is evident, but it is by no means proved that any absorption takes place. It is true that the weight of the body in the above case was diminished; but from the sum of this loss we must ab- stract the cutaneous exhalation of the part of the body not immersed, the pulmonary exhalation, and the weight of the egesta; and were a supposition to be admitted as argument, it might be suggested that the relaxant power ofthe warm water acting on the epidermis as on inert matter, may open a way through it to the mouths of the ab- sorbents The question is still undecided, and, fortunately, it is not of much impor- tance in a practical point of view. Warm and vapour baths^ a»-e efficaciously employed in acute rheumatism, inflamma- with the spout of a tea-kettle placed on a fire, is to be introduced into an opening in the side of the cask between the real and false bottom; and the pa- tient being seated on the false bottom, the steam or vapour from the boiling kettle soon surrounds him by rising through the holes. It must be prevented froines.upiiig by means of a blanket, which should cover i li^ open end ofthe cask, and apply closely round the neck of the patient. APPENDIX—No. I. 487 tion ofthe abdominal viscera, of the kidneys, bladder, and uterus ; in suppression of urine, and in spasmodic affections, particularly those to which infants are liable, arising from deniition and other irritations. The general relaxation produced by their use has been taken advantage of, also, for assist- ing the reduction of strangulated hernia; for, although the effec be not topical as it regards the hernial tumour, yet the general relaxation produced gives a disposition to all uV parts to regain their pioper place. The tepid bath is found to be very useful in the rigidities which follow some acute diseases, as gout and rheumatism, nodosities of the joints,* and according to some, the rigidities attendant on old age.-J- Its effects in promoting the natural excretions by the skin render it very serviceable in promoting the cure of herpetic eruptions; in slight . cases of lepra the use of it with friction is all that it is required; and in all cutanoeus foulnesses it is a most important auxiliary It has also been found very beneficial in cases of insanity In general the period of immer- sion should not be less than twenty minutes, nor exceed one hour4 The partial application of warm water as a remedy is made by means of 1. a. The foot bath (pediluviunt) ; b. The hip bath (coxxluvium); and c. The hand bath (manuluvium). 2. d. Fomentations of vegetable decoc- tions; and e. Flannel cloths wrung out of boiling water, by which the moisture is applied in a state of vapour These partial baths are useful in the same diseases for which the general baths are em- ployed ; but are better adapted for relieving the rigidity of single joints, and topical in- flammation ; and the hip bath has lately been found to be very beneficial in suppressed menstruation, and for relieving the pains of cancer in utero. For fomentations it is the practice to em- ploy vegetable decoctions; but the best of these can be regarded only as vehicles for retaining the heat and moisture. At all times, flannel cloths wrung out of boiling water are superior; both because the water is applied in the form of vapour, and also, while they continue as long warm, they do * Haygarth, Clinical History of Diseases, 8vo. Lond. 1805. t Tepid bathing with friction is said by one author, "vitam saepe per pl a res menses, interdum etiam per aliquot annos, protraxisse."— Gregory, Conspectus Med, ii. 100. \ The Arabian physicians used the vapour bath in a singular mode, in scrophulous affections, which they denominated Bother, " ponatur sub puero olla plena aqua calida, in principio apparitiones pustu larum, ut attrahat ab interioribus superfluum hu- morem ad corporis superficiem." Rhazcs de Morbis infant, cap. 19. by Willan, p. 31. not wet the bed and linen of the patient. The flannel cloths should be each about two yards long, with the ends sewed together, so that by means of two sticks, one being at each end, turned in opposite directions, they may be wrung much dryer, when taken out of the boiling water, than could be effected by the hands. The principal circumstance to be attended to in the application of fo- mentations is the frequent renewal of them, in order that a steady and constant heat may be applied to the fomented part. MINERAL WATERS.§ It has been already noticed, that although no natural water is found in a state of abso- lute purity, yet that in general the quantity of foreign matters is not sufficient to give it any very sensible taste or odour. In some instances, however, these are so considera- ble, and of such a nature, as to prevent the water from forming a part of the nourish- ment of animals; in which case it is deno- minated a mineral water, and can be use- ful to mankind only in a medicinal point of view. The substances found in mineral waters may be arranged under four heads. I. Air and Gases ; 1. Atmospheric Air (very common). It is generally in the proportion of 1 28th ofthe bulk of the water. 2. Oxygen Gas, (rore.)|| 3. Azotic Gas. (Buxton^, Harrowgate,** Lymington Priors.)f\ 4. Sulphureted Hydrogen Gas, (Harrow gate, Moffat.) II. Acids, in a free state: 1. Carbonic Acid, (very common.)$\ 2. Sulphureous Acid, (some hot springs in Italy.) 3. Boracic Acid, (some lakes in Italy.) III. Alkalies and Earths : 1. Soda, (Geyzer, Ryhum, hot springs in Iceland.)§§ 2. Silicia, ( Geyzer, Rykum, Carlsbad, Pon- gues, Pu.)\\ || 3. Lime, (doubtful) IV. Compound Salts : 1. Sulphate of Soda, (very common.) 2.----------Ammonia, (some volcanic springs.) 3. —--------Lime, (very common )*|ftl 4.----------Magnesia, (Epsom and ma- ny other spt ings.)*** 5.----------Alumina, (very rare.) § The greater part of the chemical observations on mineral waters has been taken from Thomson's System of Chemistry. || First detected by Scheele. U Dr. Pearson. ** Dr. Garnet, tt Dr. Lambe. tt Dr. Brownrigg. §§ Dr. Black. |||| Dr. Bergman. *" Dr. Lister, in 1682. *»* Dr. Grew, in 1610. 438 APPENJ 6. Sulphate of Iron, (volcanic springs.) 7. —--------Copper, (waters from cop- per mines ) 8. Nitrate of Potash, (some springs in Hun- gary, rare.) 9.----------Lime, (some springs in Ara- bia.)* 10.----------Magnesia, (rare.) 11. Muriate of Potash, (Uhleaborg, Sweden, rare.)\ 12. ———----Soda, (very common.) 13.----------Ammonia, (some springs in Italy and Siberia.) 14. —--------Barytes, (very uncommon.) 15.----------Lime, (very common. 16.----------Magnesia, (very common.) 17.----------Alumina, (uncommon.)^ 18.----------Manganese, (Lymington Priors )§ 19.----------Carbonate of Potash,(rare ) 20. —■■----Soda, (very common.) 21.----------Ammonia, (rare.) 22.----------Iron, (common.) 23. Hydrosulphuret of } (not uncommon Lime, v» in sulphureous 24.-------—— Soda^ j springs.) 25. Subborate of Soda, (lakes in Persia and Thibet.) These substances are not all contained in any mineral water, seldom more than five or six being present together, and they are ge- nerally in very minute quantity, the charac- ter and properties of the water depending on one or two ingredients which predomi- nate. This allows mineral waters to be ar- ranged into the four following classes: 1. Acidulous waters; 2 Chalybeate wa- ters ; 3. Sulphureous waters ; 4. Saline waters. We shall give a sketch of the physical characters and medicinal properties of each of these classes; and then describe the method of determining the ingredients, and their proportions, contained in any mi- neral water. 1. Acidulous waters owe their properties chiefly to carbonic acid. They sparkle when drawn from the spring, or when poured into a glass; have an acidulous taste, and become vapid when exposed to the air. Besides free carbonic acid, on the presence of which these qualities depend, acidulous waters contain generally also carbonates of soda, of lime, of magnesia, and of iron; and sometimes muriate of soda. They may be divided into thermal or warm acidulous waters, and cold acidulous waters; the temperature of the former, however, does not exceed 72°, while that of the latter is generally about 55-° The most celebrated springs of this class are Pyrmont, Seltzer, Spa, and Carlsbad. They are tonic and diuretic; and in large doses pioduce a sensible degree of exhilara- tion. They all afford a grateful and mode- * Dr. Home, in 17S5. t Julin. i Dr. Withering. § Bergman. HX—No. I. rate stimulus to the stomach; but the Pyr- mont, Spa, and Carlsbad, containing carbo- nate of iron, are especially useful in all cases of impaired digestion; while those which contain alkaline carbonates, as the Carlsbad and Seltzer, are more particularly employed as palliatives in calculous affections 2. Chalybeate waters owe their proper- ties to iron in combination generally with carbonic acid; and as this is usually in ex- cess, they are often acidulous as well as chalybeate. The metal is found also in the form of a sulphate, but the instances of this are very rare. Chalybeate waters have a styptic or inky taste; they are, when newly drawn, transpa- rent, and strike a black with tincture of nut- galls; but an ochrey sediment soon falls, and the water loses its taste. If the iron be in the state of sulphate, however, no sediment falls; and the black colour is produced by , the above test, even after the water has been boiled and filtered. There are many chaly- beates in Great Britain; but the most cele- brated are Tunbridge, Brighton, and Peter- head; the Cheltenham spring also contains carbonate of iron; but on account of the large proportion of saline matter, and its strong purgative properties, it is not ranked in this class. The Spa springs also belong to this class. Chalybeate waters are powerful tonics, and are employed in dyspepsia, scrophulous affections, cancer, amenorrhoea, chlorosis, and the other diseases of debility for which the artificial preparations of iron are used. Much of the benefit derived from the use of chalybeate waters depends on the extreme division of the metallic salts they contain, as well as the vehicle in which it is held in solution; while at the same time their ope- ration is much modified by the cavbonic acid by which the iron is suspended. When the water is a carbonated chalybeate, it should be drank the moment it is drawn from the spring; but the same precaution is not ne- cessary with a water containing sulphate of iron. 3. Sulphureous waters derive their cha- racter chiefly from sulphureted hydrogen gas; which in some of them is uncombined, while in others it is united with lime or an alkali. They are transparent when newly drawn from the spring, and have the foetid odour of rotten eggs, which is gradually lost from exposure to the air, and the water becomes turbid. When they are strongly impregnated with the gas, they redden in- fusion of litmus, and exhibit some other oi the characteristics of acids; and even in a weak state blacken silver and lead. Besides containing sulphureted hydrogen gas, they are not unfrequently, also, impregnated with carbonic acid. They generally contain mu- riate of magnesia or other saline matters, which modify their powers as a remedy. APPENDIX_No. I. 489 The most important sulphureous springs in this island are those of Kilburn, Harrow- gate, and Moffat; on the continent, Aix-la- Chapelle and Barege; which are resorted to chiefly for the cure of cutaneous eruptions, and are applied locally as well as drunk. They are slightly sudorific and diuretic, and are apt to occasion in some patients head- ach of short duration, directly after they are drunk. They are also employed for curing visceral and scrophulous obstructions, tor- por of the intestines, and some dyspeptic and hypochondriac cases. 4. Saline Mineral waters owe their properties altogether to saline compounds. Those which predominate, and give their characters to the waters of this class, are either, 1. Salts, the basis of which is lime; 2. Muriates of soda and magnesia; S. Sulphate of magnesia; 4. Alkaline carbonates; particularly carbonate of soda. They are mostly purgative, the powers of the salts they contain being very much in- creased by the large proportion of water in which they are exhibited. The most cele- brated Saline springs are those of Chelten- ham and Leamington, in England; Pitcaithly in Scotland; and Seidlitz, on the continent. They are employed in diseases which re- quire continued and moderate intestinal eva- cuations; such as dyspepsia, hypochondria- sis, chronic hepatitis, j aundice, and strumous swellings. They are more grateful to the stomach when carbonic acid also is present; and when they contain iron, as in the case of the Cheltenham spring, their tonic pow- ers, combined with their purgative qualities, render them still more useful in dyspeptic complaints and amenorrhcea. To this class the water of the ocean be- longs. The quantity of saline matter sea water contains varies in different latitudes: thus between 10° and 20° it is rather more than l-24th; at the equator it is l-25th; and at 57° north it is only l-27th. The saline ingredients in 10,000 parts of sea water, ac- cording to the last analysis of Dr. Murray,* are, muriate of soda, 220-01; muriate of lime, 7-84; muriate of magnesia, 42.08; and sulphate of soda, 33-16. When brought up from a great depth, its taste is purely saline; but when taken from the surface it is disa- greeably bitter, owing, perhaps, to the ani- mal and vegetable matters suspended in it. Its specific gravity varies from 10269 to 1-0285; and it does not freeze until cooled down to 28-5° Fahrenheit. Its medicinal pro- perties are the same as those of the saline purging waters, but more powerful; and as a bath, its efficacy is much superior to that of fresh water. The general effects of mineral waters are modified by temperature, whether they be taken internally, or be externally applied. In some springs, as those of Bath, Matlock, and Buxton, their virtues depend almost al- together on temperature; and in others, as Malvern, which has been found to contain scarcely any foreign matter, the simple di- luent power of the pure water seems to pro- duce the benefit that results from drinking them. Some of the good effects of all of them, however, must be allowed to proceed from change of scene, relaxation from busi- ness, amusement, temperance, and regular hours; and in these circumstances the drink- ing the waters at the springs possesses ad- vantages which cannot be obtained from ar« tificial waters, however excellent the imita- tions may be; nor even from the natural wa- ters, when bottled and conveyed to a distance from the springs. * Edinburgh Transactions, vol. viii. p. 205. The water was taken from the Frith of Forth, and was of the specific gravity 1.029. 62 TOXICOLOGICAL TABLES, In which are exhibited at one view, the Symptoms, Treatment, and modes of Detecting the various POISONS, MINERAL, VEGETABLE, AND ANIMAL ; ACCORDING TO THE LATEST EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS. BY A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN LONDON, MINERAL POISONS. ci o o o SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. TESTS. ARSENIC. Arsenious Acid, or White Arsenic. Orpiment, or Tilloio Arsenic. Realgar ur Red Arsenic. An austere taste, fetid breath, pyta- lism, constriction of the pharynx and cesopbagus, hiccup, nausea, and vomit- ing of brown or bloody matter; anxiety and faintings, heat and violent pain at the pit of the stomach ; stools black and offensive; pulse small, frequent and irregular; palpitations; great thirst and burning heat s breathing dif- ficult; urine scanty, red, and bloody: delirium, convulsions of an epileptic character, and death. Vomiting to he excited or encouraged by large draughts of sugared water, linseed tea, or other emollient fluids. Lime water or chalk and water, may be drank freely, if the arsenic has been taken in solution. Fat, oil, vinegar, charcoal powder, alkaline sulphu- rets, and vegetable decoctions, which have been recommended, are worse than useless. Inflammatory symptoms are to be combated The ammoniacal sulphat of copper added to solutions of arsenic, produces for the most part a beautiful grass green precipitate, but if dissolved in wine, the precipitate would be blackish blue. Sulphureted hydrogen precipitates arsenic from tea of a beautiful yellow colour. From albumen, gelatin, and bile containing arsenic in solution, uitrat of silver produces a white precipitate. The ammoniaco-nitrat of silver produces a yellow precipitate, soluble in nitric acid and ammonia; but the presence of muriats, or phosphats, or their by bleeding from the arm, and by leeches ;'acids, renders this test fallacious. fomentations, frequent emollient glystersJ The most certain test is the reduction of the metal, by calcining the dried and other remedies as symptoms may de-suspected matter in a glass tube, with equal parts of charcoal and potash, mand. No specific antidote vet known. ^ when, if arsenic be present in very minute quantity, it will be sublimed and . If ladhere to the inside of the tube, in the form of a shining metallic coating. MINERAL POISONS. ANTIMONY. Tartarized Anti- mony, or Emetic Tartar. Muriat of Antimony. or iuiltrr of Antimony Vitrifieil Oxyd, or Glass of Antimony. SYMPTOMS. Similar to those occasioned by acids, with abundant and obstinate vomitin copious stools, constriction of the throat, cramps, symptoms of intoxica- tion, and prostration of strength. Vomiting to be excited by tickling the throat with a feather or the finger, and by large draughts of mild fluids; or allayed by opium according to the previous effect of the poison. The best antidotes are, deeoctions of astringent vegetables, such as oak or wil ow bark, or gall nuts, strong tea, &c. TREATMENT, Tartarized antimony is precipitated from its solution of an orange or deep brownish red colour by sulphureted hydrogen and the hydro-sulphurets; white, by sulphuric acid, alkalies, lime, and barytes waters. Alkaline ami earthy neutral salts do not affect it, but salts with excess of acid do. Infu- sion of galls occasions a copious whitish yellow precipitate. . The muriat is a dark heavy fluid, to which, if water be added, a white pre- cipitate is formed. The oxyd is soluble in muriatic acid, forming the muriat. All the preparations of antimony are readily reduced to the metallic state. by calcination with charcoal and potash. BISMUTH. The Nitrat. The Oxyd Hake White, or Face Fo-vder. Similar to those of other corrosive poisons, with great heat in the chest and very difficult breathing. lo specific antidote known. Milk and mild mucilaginous fluids to be drank plenti- fully to facilitate vomiting, and purgatives should be given. The Sulfihat or Blue Vitriol. The Sul-Acetat, or rertUnris. food cooked in foul ( npper vessels, and I'ickles made green In, Copper. Taste acrid and coppery; tongue dry and parched ; constriction of the throat and coppery eructations: severe r'omitings, or fruitless efforts to vomit; Iraggingatthe stomaeh, dreadful colic; frequent black bloody stools, with te- nesmus ; abdomen distended, pulse mall, hard, and quick ; syncope, great thirst and anxiety; cold sweats, scanty urine, cephalalgia, vertigo, cramps, convulsions, death. Large draughts of milk and water to en- courage vomiting. Whites of eggs stirred up with water and taken freely. Inflamma- tory consequences to be subdued on general principles, and the nervous symptoms by anodynes and antispasmodics. Sugar is not a specific antidote. The nitrat boiled with distilled water is decomposed; part being precipi- tated as a *u6-nitrat, and parr remaining dissolved, being a supcr-Taxtr&i; this solution is colourless, reddens litmus paper, and the hydro-sulphurets pro- duce a black insoluble sulphuret of bismuth. The *ufi-nitrat is soluble with little heat in nitric acid, from which the alkalies precipitate the white oxyd, which is easily reduced by calcination. The salts of copper are mostly of a bright green or blue colour, and are easily reduced by charcoal at an elevated temperature. The sulphat is partly decomposed by alkalies and alkaline earths. Potash precipitates a *ud-sulphat of a green colour from it. Ammonia added to a solution of any cupreous salt, gives a blue or greenish precipitate, according to the quantity ; but if added in excess, it re-dissolves the precipitate, and forms a deep blue transparent solution. MINERAL POISONS. SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. TESTS. GOLD. The Muriat. Fulminating Gold. Probably like those of other corro- sive poisons, but not known. No specific antidote known, but vomiting should be excited or encouraged by large draughts of warm mucilaginous fluids. Muriat of gold is decomposed by nitrat of silver. A muriat of silver is precipitated of a reddish brown colour, owing perhaps to some oxyd of gold being carried down with it. Ammonia added to the precipitate dissolves all the muriat of silver, and leaves the oxyd of gold of a beautiful canary yel- low colour. Tin added to the solution of gold forms the purple powder of Cassius. SILVER. Nitrat or Lunar Cauttk. Muriat, Used by Dyers, Oxyd or Putty Powder. ZINC. Sulphat or White Vitriol, Oxyd. Similar to those occasioned by other corrosive poisons. A table spoonful of common salt to be dissolved in a pint of water, and a wine glassful to be taken every five minutes to decompose the poison; after which mucila ginous drinks may be given, or purgatives may be administered. Nitrat of silver is precipitated white by muriat of soda; yellow, by phos- phat and chromat of soda ; if placed on burning coals, it animates them, leaving a coating of silver; calcined with charcoal and potash, the silver il reduced to its metallic state. Taste austere, metallic, constriction of the throat, vomitings with pain over the whole abdomen; copious stools, pulse small, hard, and frequent; con vulsive movements of the extremities and face; sometimes paralytic, and mostly death. Milk to be given ; first in large quantities to distend the stomach and produce vomiting, and afterwards to decompose the remains of the poison. An acerb taste, a sensation of choak- ing, nausea and vomiting, pain in the stomach, frequent stools, difficult breathing, quickened pulse, paleness of faee, coldness of the extremities; but seldom death, owing to the emetic quality of the poison. The Muriat precipitates gold from its solution of a purple colour; it is itself precipitated of a bright yellow colour, by strong tea or alcoholic infu- sion of galls. Albumen and gelatin occasion a copious flocculent precipitate. The oxyd may be volatilize*; by heat, is sol uble in nitric acid, combines with earths by fusion, and with fixed alkalies forms enamel; it is easily reduced by calcination. Vomiting, which is the usual consequence of large doses of sulphat of zinc, to be ren- dered easy by draughts of warm water, and particular symptoms to be met by appropri ate remedies. The pure sulphat is precipitated white by potash and ammonia ; yellowish white by the alkaline hydro-sulphurets, and of an orange colour by the chro. mat of lead. The oxyd is readily reduced by calcination with charcoal and nitre. H O o s 65 O > r H > a r w MINERAL POISONS. POISONS. SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. TESTS. LEAD. When taken in large quantity, a su-gary astringent metallic taste; constric-tion of the throat, pain in the region of the stomach, obstinate, painful, and of-ten bloody vomitings, hiccup, convul-sions, and death. When taken in small long-continued doses, it produces colica pictonum, and paralytic symptoms. The same as that recommended for the salts of barytes.— Vide Alkaline Earths. All the preparations of lead are easily reduced to the metallic state by cal-cination with charcoal. Super-Acetat, or Sugar of Lead. Red Oxyd or Red Lead. Carbonat or Wliitt Lead. Wines tioeetened by Lead. The super-acetate dissolved in wate» is precipitated white by sulphuric acid; of a canary yellow colour by chromat of potash and chromic acid; these precipitates being easily reduced by calcination. The alkaline sulphu-rets precipitate the super-acetat of lead of a blackish colour. MERCURY. Acrid metallic taste, thirst, fulness, and burning at the throat; anxiety, tearing pains of the stomach and bow-els; nausea and vomiting of various coloured fluids, sometimes bloody; di-arrhrea and dysuria. Pulse quick, small and hard; faintings, great debility, dif-ficult breathing, cramp, cold sweats, insensibility, convulsions, and death. White of eggs to be mixed with water, and one to be given every two or three mi-nutes to promote vomiting, and to lessen the virulence ofthe poison. Milk in large quan-tities, gum water, or linseed tea, sugar and water, or water itself at about 80°. Inflam-matory consequences to be anticipated, and to he subdued by the usual remedies. Mercurial preparations heated to redness in a glass tube with potash, are decomposed, the quicksilver being volatilized. The oxymuriat is precipi- Oxy-Murial or Sublimate. Nitric Oxyd, or Red Precipitate. Sulphuret or Vermillion. tated white by ammonia, yellow by potash, and of an orange colour by lime water; by nitrat of tin a copious dark brown precipitate is formed, and by albumen mixed with cold water, a white flocculent one. The red and nitric oxyds may be dissolved in muriatic acid, and converted into sublimate. Vermillion is insoluble in water or muriatic acid; but is entirely volatilized by heat. MINERAL POISONS. POISONS. ACIDS. Sulphuric, or Oil of Viti iol. Nitric, or Aqua Fortis, Muriatic, or Spirit of Salt. Oxalic, or Aaid of Sugar. Phosphoric. fluoric. Tartaric. Prussic, SYMPTOMS. Acrid burning taste, acute pain in the throat, stomach, and bowels, fre- quent vomiting of bloody fluid, which effervesces with chalk or alkaline car- bonats, and reddens litmus paper; hie cup, copious stools, more or less bloody; tenderness of the abdomen ; difficult breathing, irregular pulse, excessive thirst, drink increasing the pain, and seldom staying down; frequent but vain efforts to make water; cold sweats, altered countenance, convulsions, and death. The most virulent of poisons, pro- ducing almost instant death, when ap plied even in small quantities to the sur- face of the body. TREATMENT. Mix an ounce of calcined magnesia with a quart of water, and give a glassful every two minutes. Soap or chalk and water may be used till magnesia can be procured. Car- bonated alkalies are objectionable, on account of the great extrication of gas in the stomach, and the salts formed with them are too irri- tating for the stomach. Vomiting is to be excited by tickling the throat. Diluents to be taken after the poison is got rid of, and the return to solid food must be very gradual Inflammatory and other consequences to be treated by the usual remedies. If the vitriolic acid has been swallowed water alone should not be given, nor should calcined magnesia with water be given ; but the common carbonat of magnesia may be given freely when mixed with wnter. There is too much heat generated in the stomach if the above cautions be not attended to. If prussic acid has been taken, emetics are to be given with as little delay as possible, and after their operation oil of turpentine ammonia, brandy, and other stimulants ca- pable of rousing the system, should be per- severingly employed with warmth, friction, and blisters. Sulphuric acid is known by its great weight, by evolving heat when mixed with water; by emitting no fumes. If barytes be added to it a sulphat ii formed, which is insoluble in water or nitric acid. Nitric acid emits orange coloured fumes upon adding copper to it, and is changed blue by it; if potash be added a nitrat is formed which defla- grates when thrown on burning coals. It tinges the skin yellow. Muriatic acid emits pungent fumes; if nitrat of silver be added to it, a very while precipitate is formed of muriat of silver, soluble in ammonia, but not in nitric acid. Oxalic acid precipitates lime and all its salts from water, the precipitate being soluble in nitric, but not in excess of oxalic acid. Exposed to heat it volatilizes, leaving but little residue; it is decomposed by sulphuric acid be- coming brown: it is dissolved by heat and nitric acid, and rendered yellow; muriatic acid dissolves it with heat and decomposes it. Phosphoric acid precipitates barytes and lime waters, the precipitate being soluble in nitric acid ; it is decomposed by charcoal at a high temperature, evolving carbonic acid and phosphorus being sublimed. Fluoric acid exhales white vapours, not unlike those of muriatic acid ; heat s evolved with a hissing noise when water is added to it ; it dissolves glass. Tartaric acid produces a precipitate from lime water, soluble in an excess of acid, and in nitric also ; with potash it forms a neutral and a super-salt; it does not precipitate solution of silver, but its salts do. Prussic acid has a strong odour of bitter almonds, and is contained in that fruit, and in ihe leaves of the peach and the laurel; it is soluble in alcohol, but hardly in water, and is precipitated from its solution by nitrat of silver. MINERAL POISONS. ALKALIES. Caustic or Car- bonated. Potash. Soda. Ammonia. ALKALINE EARTHS. Lime, Pure Barytes. Carhonat. Muriat. Salt Petre. SYMPTOMS. The taste acrid, urinous, and caustic great heat in the throat; nausea and vomiting of bloody matter, which changes syrup of violets to green, and effervesces with acids if the carbonated form of the alkali has been taken; co pious stools, acute pain of the stomach colic, convulsions, derangement, and death, Violent vomitings, convulsions, palsy of the limbs, distressing pains in the abdomen, hiccup, alteration of the countenance, and very early death. Cardialgia, nausea, painful vomit- ing, purging, convulsions, syncope. (>ulse feeble, extremities cold, with '.oaring pains of the stomach and bow- els ; difficult respiration, a kind of in- toxication, and death. TREATMENT. Vinegar and other vegetable acids to be given largely, to neutralize the poison, and the consequent symptoms to be treated on general principles. If lime has been taken, vinegar and other vegetable acids are the best antidotes. If barytes in any of its forms has been swallowed, a weak solution of Epsom or Glauber's salt should be drank plentifully, to produce vomiting, and at the same time to decompose the poison, which it renders inert by forming an insoluble sulphat. Till the above salts can be had, large draughts of well water alone, or made slightly sour by sulphuric acid, may be drank pretty freely, Alkalies have many properties in common; their solutions feel joapy to the touch ; change to green, vegetable reds and blues, and yellows to brown; remain transparent when carbonic acid is added to them, which distinguishes them from solutions of the alkaline earths, barytes, strontian and lime. Nitrat of silver is precipitated by them in form of a dark coloured oxyd, soluble in nitric acid. Potash and soda may be distinguished from each other by evaporating their solutions to dryness; potash will become moist by absorbing water from the air, while soda will remain dry. Ammonia is known by its pungent smell. Solution of lime changes vegetable blues to green, and is precipitated white by carbonic and oxalic acid, while no change is produced on it by sul- phuric acid; its salts are decomposed by the fixed alkalies which precipitate the lime, but not by ammonia. Pure barytes undergoes changes similar to lime when water is added to it, and acts like it on vegetable colours ; it does not effervesce with acids. Sul- phuric acid, and all the sulphats added to a solution of it, produce a white precipitate, insoluble in water and nitric acid. Carbonat of barytes is insoluble in water, but dissolves in nitric or muriatic acid, with effervescence. Muriat of barytes dissolved in water, is not changed by pure ammonia, but its carbonat, as well as all other alkaline cabonats, throw down a white pre- cipitate, which is carbonat of barytes. Similar to that of arsenic, except that lime is not to be used. If the nitre be thrown on burning coals, it crackles, and gives a beautiful white flame ; if powdered, mid sulphuric acid be poured upon it, it gives out white vapours ; both these circumstances distinguish it from Glauber's salt. It is decomposed at a high temperature, affording oxygen gas. H O tt o o c- o £ > r H > ed r MINERAL POISONS. POISONS. SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. TESTS. Muriat Of Ammonia, or Sal Ammoniac. Excessive vomitings, with convulsions and general stiffness of the muscles, great pain in the bowels, early alteration of the features, and death. Vomiting to be rendered easy by large draughts of warm sugared water, and if not occasioned by the poison, should be excited by the finger. The consequent nervous symptoms to be calmed by anodynes and antispasmodics, and inflammatory ones counteracted by the usual means. Muriat of ammonia is soon volatilized if placed on hot coals ; if rubbed with quick lime, it gives out the odour of hartshorn. A solution of it in water is precipitated white upon the addition of nitrat of silver. Phosphorus. Occasions symptoms similar to those of concentrated acids. No specific antidote is known, but vomiting should be excited by large draughts of water, and oil or fatty substances should be avoided. If phosphorus, or the rejected contents ofthe stomach, after it lias been taken, be boiled in a retort, having its beak under water, with a solution of caustic potash, phosphureted hydrogen gas is formed, which explodes with a green flame as soon as it readies the surface of the water. Class or Enamel. If taken in very coarse powder, it pro-duces irritation and inflammation of the bowels. Large quantities of crumb of bread should be eaten to envelope the particles. An emetic of sulphat of zinc should then be given, and vomit-ing promoted by demulcent drinks. ALCOHOL. Intoxication, and when taken very free-ly, complete insensibility, with apoplexy or paralysis of one side; the countenance is swollen, and of a dark red colour; the breathing is difficult, and often stertorous, with a peculiar puffing out of the lips; the breath smells of liquors, which will distinguish the symptoms from those of spontaneous apoplexy. A powerful emetic of white vitriol, or tartai emetic, should be got into the stomach as soon as possible, and if the person has lost the power of swallowing, a flexible catheter or tube should be the means of conveying it there. The vomit-ing should be encouraged as much as possible with warm water, and large and active glysters of salt and water should be thrown up. The pa-tient should be placed erect, and if the counte-nance and other appearances are not improved after these means have been used, the jugular vein may be opened, and cold wet cloths applied to the head, particularly if the body is hotter than natural. If the extremities become cold, warmth and friction should be perseveringly used. Brandy, Wines, and all Spirituous Liquors. *' o o b o p—i o > r > a VEGETABLE POISONS. All the Vegetables thus marked • are Natives of Great Britain. — - ' IRRITATING POISONS. SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. 'Aconitum napellus . . . . Monkshood The general effects of this class of vegetable If vomiting has been occasioned by the poison, and the efforts Q* Anemone Pulsatilla . . . Pasque Flower poisons, are an acrid pungent taste, with more or are still continued, they may be rendered easier by large draughts 'Arum maculatum . , . . Wake Robin less of bitterness, excessive heat, great dryness of of warm water, or thin gruel; but if symptoms of insensibility Bryonia dioica . . . . . Bryony the mouth and throat, with sense of tightness in have co;ne on without vomiting, it ought to be immediately ex- Callicocca ipecacuanha . . . Ipecacuanha it; violent vomitings, and the efforts are conti- cited by the sulphat of zinc, or some other active emetic substance, •Chelidonium majus . . . . Celandine nued even after the stomach is emptied; purging and after its operation a sharp purgative should be given. After •Clematis vitalba . . . . . Virgins Bower with great pain in the stomach and bowels; pulse as much as possible of the poison is got rid of, a very strong infu- •Colchicum auluwnale . . Meadow Saffron strong, frequent, and regular; breathing often sion of coffee, or vinegar diluted with water, may be given with Convolvulus scammonia . . Scammony quick and difficult; appearances of intoxication; advantage. Camphor mixture with aether may be taken frequently, Cucumis colocynthis . . . Bitter Apple the pupil of the eye frequently dilated, insensibi- and if insensibility be considerable, warmth, frictions, and blis- "Ihiplme mczerctim . . . . Mezereon lity resembling death, the pulse becomes slow, and ters, may be employed. If inflammation or other dangerous con- "Daphne laureola . . . . Spurge Laurel loses its force, and death closes the scene. sequences have been induced, they are to be treated upon general Delphinium staphisagria . . Stavesacre If applied externally they, many of them, pro- principles. Euphorbia officinarum . Euphorbium duce violent inflammations of the skin, with vesi- The fruit of the Fewillea Cordifolia has been lately recom- Fritillaria ■mpcrialis . Crown Imperial cations or eruptions of pustules. mended as a powerful antidote against vegetable poisons; it is to Gratiola officinalis . . . . Hedge Hyssop be used in as recent a state as possible. "Hydrocotile vulgaris Marsh Pennywort 'Helleborus niger . , . . Black Hellebore 'HelWbovusfcrtiduf . . . . Bears Foot Juniperfls sabina . . . Savine Lobelia syphilitica . . . . Cardinal Flower Momordica elaterium . . Elaterium •Narcissus/>re«rfo narcissus . . Daffodil •CEnanthe crocata . . . Hemlock Dropwort •Pliellandrium aijuaticum . Water Hemlock •Pcdieulavis palustris . Louse-wort •Ranunculus acris . . . . Butter Cups . Water Crowfoot . Lesser Spear Wort *------------flnminula . Rhododendron c~ysanthcm um Yellow Rhododendron Rhus toxicodendron . : . Poison Oak Ricinus major .... . Purging Nut •Sedum acre..... . Wall Pepper •Sempeivivum tectorum . . Houseleek Scilla maritima ... . Squill Stalagmitis cambogoides , . Gamboge Veratrum album . . . White Hellebore •Viola tricolor .... , Hearts Ease H O o o r o £ > r H > CO r VEGETABLE POISONS. £ 03 NARCOTIC POISONS. SYMPTOMS. TREATMENT. •Actea spicata ...... Bane Berries •Aristolochia clcmatitia - - - - Birth Wort •Atropa belladonna • - - - - Deadly Night Shade •Conium macttlatum ----- Ilemloek •Datura stramonium .... Thorn Apple Ervum ei-vilia ...... Lentil •Hyosciamus niger .... - Henbane •Lactuca virosa ...... Strong Scented Lettuce Lauru^ cerasus ------ Common Laurel •Lolium temulentum - - - - Darnel Menispermum coculus - - - - Coculus Indie us Nicotiana tabacum ----- Tobacco •Papaver somniferum - - - - Opium •Paris quadrifolia ----- Herb Paris •Solanum dulcamara - - - - Woody Night Shade Strychnos mix -vomica - - - - Crow Fig The narcotic vegetable poisons, if taken into the stomach, or applied to a wound, occasion the following effects:—Stupor, numbness, heaviness in the head, desire to vomit, slight at first, but afterwards insupportable; a sort of intoxication, stupid air, pupil of the eye dilated, furious or lively delirium, sometimes pain, convulsions of different parts of the body, or palsy of the limbs. The pulse is variable, but at first generally strong and full : the breathing is quick, and there is great anxiety and dejection, which, if not speedily relieved, soon ends in death. The stomach to be effectually evacuated, by giving four or five grains of tartar emetic, or from ten to twenty of the sulphat of zinc, and repeat it every quarter of an hour, till the full effect is produced. These means may be assisted by tickling the throat with a feather or the finger. Large and strong glysters of soap dissolved in water, or of salt and gruel, should be speedily admi-nistered, to clear the bowels, and assist in getting rid of the poison, and active purgatives may be given after the vomiting has ceased. When as much as possible of the poison has been expelled, the patient may drink, alternately, a tea-cupful of strong hot infusion of coffee, and vinegar diluted with water. If the drowsiness, which is sometimes extreme, and the insensibility bordering on apoplexy, be not remedied by these means, blood may be taken from the jugular vein, blisters may be applied to the neck and leg;, and the attention roused by every means possible. If the heat declines, warmth and frictions must be perseveringly used. Vegetable acids are on no account to be given before the poison is expelled, and it is desirable that but little fluid of any kind should be given. POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. Agaricus muscarius ----- Fly Agaric --------bulbosus - . . . . Bulbous Agaric --------chantarellus - . . - Champignon Nausea, heat, and pain in the stomach and bowels, with vomiting and purging ; thirst, con-vulsions, and faintings ; pulse small and frequent, delirium, dilated pupil and stupor, cold sweats, and death. Poisonous mushrooms may be distinguished from the edible ones by their botanical charac-ters, and by the following criteria. The former grow in wet shady places, have a nauseous odour, are softer, more open, and porous; have a dirty looking surface, sometimes a gaudy colour or many very distinct hues, particularly if they have been covered with an envelope ; they have soft bulbous stalks, grow rapidly, and corrupt very quickly. The stomach and bowels to be first cleared by an emetic of tar-tarized antimony, followed by frequent doses of Glauber's or Ep-som salt, and large stimulating glysters. After the poison is eva-cuated, lethermay be administered with small quantities of brandy and water, but if inflammatory symptoms manifest themselves, such stimuli should be omitted, and other appropriate means had recourse to. POISONOUS FISH. Batistes monoceros - Old Wife Cancer astacus Sea Lobster ——.—— ruricolus - Land Crab Clupea thryssa Yellow Billed Sprat Co"&~\n\i-fuscus major - Gray Snapper Coracinus minor Hyne Coryphcena splendens Dolphin Mormvra - Blue Parrot Fish Mcricna major Conger Eel Mytilus edulis Mussel Ostracion globellum - Bottle Fish Perca major - Barracuda Perea vencnosa Grooper Perca venenata Rock Fish Scomber maximus - King Fish Scomber thynnus Bonetta Spams chrysops Porgee Tetrodon sceleratus- Tunny Tetrodon ocellalus - Blower ' POISONOUS SERPENTS. Coluber berus - - - Viper Coluberprester • - - Black Viper Coluber naja "J Crotalus horridus Y - - Rattle Snake Cobra de eapello j Coluber carinatus Gedi Paragoodoo Ratuka Kekula Poda Rodroo Pam ANIMAL POISONS. SYMPTOMS. In an hour or two, or often in a much shorter time, after stale fish have been eaten, a weight at the stomach comes on, with slight vertigo and liead-ache, with a sense of heat about the head and eyes, considerable thirst, and often an erup- tion of the skin, (urticaria,) and in many cases death has happened. A sharp pain in the wounded part, which soon extends over the limb or body; great swelling, at first hard and pale, then reddish, livid, and gan- grenous in appearance; faintings, vomitings, con- vulsions, and sometimes jaundice; pulse small. frequent, and irregular, breathing difficult, cold sweats, the sight fails, and the intellectual facul- ties are deranged. Inflammation, and often ex- tensive suppuration and gangrene, followed by death. TREATMENT. An emetic should be speedily administered, or in the absence of it, the vomiting may be excited, by tickling the throat with the finger, and taking large draughts of warm water. After full vomiting, an active purgative should be.given, to remove any of the noxious matter that may have found its way into the intes- tines. Vinegar and water may be drank after the above remedies have operated, and the body may be sponged with the same. Wa- ter made very sweet with sugar, to which aether may be added, nay be drank freely as a corrective, and a very weak solution of alkali has been recommended to obviate the effects of poison. If spasm ensue, after evacuations, laudanum, in considerable doses, is necessary. If inllammation should occur, the usual means of re- moving it must be employed. A moderately tight ligature to be applied above the bites, and the wound left to bleed after being well washed with warm water; the actual cautery, lunar caustic, or butter of antimony, to be then applied freely to it, and afterwards covered with lint, dipped in equal parts of olive oil and spirit of hartshorn. The ligature to be removed if the inflammation be considerable. Warm diluting drinks, and small doses of ammonia or hartshorn to cause perspi- ration ; to be well covered in bed, and a little warm wine given occasionally. If gangrene he threatened, wine may be given more freely, and the bark should be had recourse to. Arsenic, the principal ingredient in the Tanjore Pill, has been strongly recom- mended. O n o o 2 >> F H > a ANIMAL POISONS, POISON. SYMPTOMS. i.J i i _^JJL--------. I .. . . i . i . TREATMENT* CANTHARIDES. Nauseous odour of the breath, acrid taste, burn-ing heat in the throat, stomach and belly, frequent vomitings, often bloody, with copious bloody stools; excruciating pain in the stomach; painful and obstinate priapism, with heat in the bladder, and strangury or retention of urine; frightful convul-sions, delirium, and death. Vomiting to he excited by drinking sweet oil, sugar and water, milk, or linseed tea, very freely. Emollient glysters should be administered, and if symptoms of- inflammation of the stomach, kidney, or bladder supervene, they must be subdued by appropri-ate treatment. Camphor dissolved in oil may be rubbed over the belly and on the thighs. Spanish, or Blistering Fly. YENOMOUS INSECTS. Tarantula Scorpio ..... Scorpion Vespa crabro .... Hornet Vespa vulgaris ... Wasp Apis mellifica .... Bee Culex/ii/>!en# .... Gnat Oestrus bovis - Gad Fly In general the sting of these insects occasions only a slight degree of pain and swelling; but occasionally the symptoms are more violent, and sickness and fever are produced by the intensity of the pain. Hartshorn and oil may be rubbed on the affected part, and a piece of rag moistened in the same, or in salt and water, may be kept upon it till the pain is removed. A few drops of hartshorn may be given frequently in a little water, and a glass or two of wine may be taken. The sting may in general be removed by making strong pressure over it with the barrel of a small watch key. SALIVA OF THE RABID DOG. At an uncertain interval after the bite, gene-rally however between the twentieth day and three or four months, pain or uneasiness occurs in the bitten part, though the wound may have been long healed. Anxiety, uneasiness, languor, spasms, horror, disturbed sleep, difficult respira-tion succeed, and are soon v«ry much increased ; violent convulsions affect the whole body, hide-ously distorting the muscles of the face ; the eyes are red and protruded, the tongue swells, and often hangs out, and viscid saliva flows from the mouth : there is pain in the stomach, with bilious vomit-ings, a horror of fluids, and impossibility of drink-ing them. All these symptoms are aggravated till the sufferer is relieved by death. Hydrophobia is more easily prevented than cured, indeed it is doubtful if it ever has been cured. Mercury, arsenic, opium, musk, camphor, acids, wine, vegetable and mineral alkali, oil, va-rious herbs, and many other remedies, whose effects are quite op-posite, have been employed, but none can be relied on. Large blood-lettings, the warm and cold bath, and almost every other remedial agent have been tried without success. . The bitten part should be completely cut out, even after it has healed, if the symptoms have not yet come on ; the part should then be immersed in warm water, or washed with it as long as it will bleed, and after the most persevering ablution caustic should be applied to every part ofthe surface, and then the wound cover-ed with a poultice, and suffered to heal by granulations. No milder discipline can ensure safety. l-H n o f o > r 9 Table of the more celebrated Mineral Waters, showing fhe Ingredients contained in a given Quantity of each TT'atcr 501 Names ofthe Springs. Quan-tity of Water Gases. Carbonates of Sulphates of Muriates of grs 2.25 2 6* 1.12 0.4 5 £ grs as •I 1" grs. Tem-pera-ture. Oxy-gen. Car-bonic Acid. Sulph II) dr. Nitro-gen. Soda. Lime- bfi.d SS Iron Soda. Lime, 60* 7$ j fron Soda. s grs 06 3. bo.d SS grs 2.8 91 8.0 oi 0 rH grs. grains. cubic inches cubic inches. cubic inches. cubic inches grs. grs. grs. grs. 0.70 0.70 0.1* •3*. grains 66 75 18 2 grains grs grs grains. 13.74 1.7 0 21 32.5 6.0 615.5 36 6.21 2.4 «; fSeltzer1 - - -o | Pyrmonl1 - • |«- - - -•5 1 Carlsbad2 - . -c LKilburn10 - - 8949 8950 8933 25320 138240 .435 13068 19.6 9.8 50. 84. 36. 7. 4. 12. 5.22 1.85 38.5 44 78.3 43 1.85 125 2.4 18.5 15.25 214 67 1. 6.32 9S 4 35 1.25 5.5 5.89 135 21. 12.5 8.38 13.0 5.44 91.0 0.5 5.8 6. cold cold cold 1650 cold £ fHarrowgate14 -£ »J Moffat14 - -■3 § 1 Aix-la-ChapelleS tn IJEnghein5 - - 103643 103643 8940 92160 — 8. 1. 18.5 19. 10. 13 06 70. — 33.3 15.1 — cold cold 143° cold cold cold cold cold cold cold «j ("Sedlitz ... ;!= < Cheltenham6 -cc £Plombieres 58309 103643 — 8. 30.3 3. 5. 1. 32.5 .004 480 4.7 3. 112 41.1 40. 1.25 32.7 1444 — 5. 0.5 — 36.5 12.5 — ji.j CTunbridge3 -J2 "£ ■< Brighton4 - . OJa £Toplitz7 - . 103643 58309 22540 1.4 10.6 18. — 4. 135 16.5 — 112 0.5 122 61.3 28.5 2.25 6. r.25 . . rBaths - . . 3 y j Buxtons - -| c1 Bristol" - -J -S | Matlock " I u c l_Malvern . - 15360 58309 58309 58309 58309 = | 2.4 30.3 = 1 — 2. — 1.6 10.5 13.5 18. 2.5 11.7 minute oortion — — 6.6 15 4. — 1140 82» 740 66° cold 1 Bergman. 2 Klaproth. 3 Babington. 4 Marcet. 8 Phillips. 9 Pearson. w Schmesser.—Phil. Trans. Ixxxii. 127. 8 Fourcroy. 6 Fothergill. 1 John. 11 Carrick. 14 Garnet,—Sanders on Mineral Waters, 514. 33. 502 APPENDIX—No. I. Such are the known contents ofthe most celebrated mineral waters. Many more have been analysed, but it is unnecessary to in- troduce an account of them in this place; and I consider it to be of more importance to describe the method of determining the nature and proportion of the substances, or the analysis of mineral waters, one of the most difficult parts of practical chemistry. Metuod of Analysing Mineral Waters.* The first circumstance to be attended to in the chemical examination of any mineral water, is to determine the gross weight of the substances held in solution. This is to be done by first ascertaining the specific gravity of the mineral water; then subtract- ing from it the specific gravity of distilled water, (both expressed in whole numbers) multiplying the remainder by 1-4. The pro- duct is the gross saline contents, in a quan- tity of the water denoted by the number employed to indicate the specific gravity of distilled water.-j- Thus, if the specific gra- vity of the mineral waier be 1079, as that of distilled water is 1000, the remainder, after the subtraction of the. latter from the former, in whole numbers, will be 79, which multiplied by 14 makes 1106; and therefore 1106 is the sum of the saline contents of 1000 parts of water; or 11-06 are contained in 100 parts. The next step is to ascertain the particular substances, and the proportion of each, contained in the water. 1. The Aerial or Gaseous bodies are to be first separated by boiling for a quarter of an hour, as much of the water as will fill two-thirds of a glass retort, connected with an inverted jar, divided into cubic inches and tenths, full of mercury, and placed in a mercurial trough. The air and gases will pass over into the jar, and depress the mer. cury ; and when cool, after subtracting the air of the retort, the quantity of air expelled from the water may be easily determined. I'he only gaseous bodies contained in wa- ter are atmospheric air, oxygen gas, azotic gas, carbonic acid gas, sulphureted hydro- gen gas, and sulphurous acid: of which the following cannot exist together in the same water.— Oxygen gas and sulphureted hydrogen gas. Sulphureted hydrogen gas and sulphurous acid. If sulphureted hydrogen gas be present, it must be first separated; then the sul- phurous acid, and carbonic acid gas; and, lastly, the oxygen and azotic gases. a. Sulphureted hydrogen gas is known to be contained in water by its peculiar odour, by the water becoming turbid when exposed to the air and depositing * The following observations on this important sub- ject are chieHy extracted from the System of Chemistry of Dr. Thomson. t This useful formula was invented by Mr. Kirwan. See Essay on Mineral Waters, US. sulphur, by its reddening the infusing of litmus fugaciously, blackening paper dipped in a solution of lead, and pre- cipitating nitrate of silver black or brown. It may be separated from the air obtained from water during boiling, by carrying the jar into a tub of warm water and introducing nitric acid, which absorbs the sulphureted hydrogen. The bulk of this gas contained in any water is determined by filling a jar three- fourths with the water, inverting it in a water-trough, and introducing nitrous gas at intervals, as long as red fumes appear, or the hepatic odour continues ; when the jar is turned up and the air blown out. The nitrous gas in this ope- ration mixing with the common air in the upper part of the jar, forms nitrous acid, whicli renders the water turbid, by decomposing the sulphureted hydro- gen and precipitating sulphur. The bulk of hepatic gas is determined by the weight of the sulphur thrown down, one grain indicating the presence of 333 cubic inches of the gas. b. Sulphurous acid gas is ascertained by the same tests as discover the presence of sulphuric acid and water; (-which see). c. Carbonic acid gas is detected by lime- water occasioning a precipitate soluble with effervescence in muriatic acid; by reddening fugaciously tincture of lit- mus, and losing this property when boiled. To estimate the bulk of these gases, introduce into the air obtained by boil- ing the water, a solution of pure potass, and agitate the whole gently. These acid gases will be absorbed, and any other gases left; after which, the bulk of the residuum must be estimated, and subtracted from the bulk of the whole to obtain that ofthe acid gases absorb- ed. Evaporate next the potass slowly, nearly to dryness ; and by leaving it exposed to the atmosphere, sulphate of potass will be formed, which may be separated by dissolving the potass in diluted muriatic acid, and filtering the solution. 100 grains of sulphate of pot- ass indicate 42 72 cubic inches of sul- phureous acid gas, which being sub- tracted from the bulk of the gas ab- sorbed by the potass, leaves the bulk of the carbonic acid gas. d. Oxygen gas, after the above gases are separated, may be examined by means of the solution of sulphate of iron satu- rated with nitrous gas.$ A small gra- duated tuba filled with the air to be examined is to be plunged into this so- lution, and moved backwards and for- wards for a few minutes. The whole of t Dr. Henry. APPENDIX—No. I. 503 the oxygen is rapidly absorbed, and by marking the greatest absorption, its bulk in a given quantity of the air is ascertained. e. Azotic, or nitrogen gas is discovered by not being at all affected by eudiometri- cal processes. 2. Alkalies, and Aikaline, earthy, and metallic carbonates. Alkalies, even in minute quantities, are discovered in water by rendering infusion of turmeric or paper stained with it brown.* When the change is permanent, the fixed alkalies may be supposed to be present; when fugacious, the alkali is ammonia. An infusion of Bra- zil-wood is rendered blue by the alkalies ; but this also is the case with the alkaline and earthy carbonates-}-, and the addition of sulphuric acid produces effervescence. Tincture of nutgalls discovers iron ; the colour is violet if alkaline carbonates or earthy salts be also present; dark purple indicates other alkaline salts; purplish red, sulphureted hydrogen gas; and whitish and then black, sulphate of lime. Boiling the water precipitates the earthy and metallic carbonates. The following substances of this class set down in the first column are incompati- ble, or cannot exist in mineral waters, with the salts placed in the opposite column. TFixed alkaline sulphates. Alkalies - 1 Alum' j Sulphate of magnesia. L-------- of iron. ("Muriate of barytes. Alkaline car- 1-------of lime. - ")-------of magnesia. \_Nitrate of lime. C Sulphate of iron. £ Muriate of barytes. C Sulphate of lime. < Alum. £ Muriate of lime. Mkalies and their carbonates are ascer- tained to be present in mineral waters by the tests already mentioned; and by the water, after being boiled, throwing down a precipitate on the addition of muriate of magnesia. The volatile nature of ammo- nia easily distinguishes it if present, which is very seldom; and the best for deter- mining whether the fixed alkali be potass or soda is muriate of platina,f which forms an immediate precipitate with potass or any salt containing it, but is not at all af- fected by soda. The quantity of an alkali is determined by saturating it with sul- phuric acid, and noting the quantity of real acid+ necessary; setting down, for every 100 grains of real acid used, 12148 • This test is sufficiently delicate to detect soda when it amounts to 1.2217th part only ofthe water. t Sulphate of lime likewise produces the same effect. t For a rule to determine the quantity of real aeid in a diluted acid, see Introduction. bonates Earthy car- bonates - Carbonate of magnesia. - of potass, or 78-32 of soda; and the loss of weight produced by the effervescence on dropping in the acid, being added to the above, shows the quantity of an alka- line carbonate. b. Earthy carbonates. If the water contains sulphureted hydrogen gas, this must be separated by exposing the water for a considerable time to the air, before the quantities ofthe earthy carbonates can be estimated. After thus exposing it, boil the water for fifteen minutes, filter it when cold; and treat what remains on the filter with muriatic acid, which will dissolve the carbonates of lime, of magnesia, and of iron. The residuum, which may con- tain carbonate of alumina, and perhaps sulphate of lime, is to be dried in a red heat, and its weight noted; and then boiled in a solution ot carbonate of soda. The soda is next to be saturated with muriatic acid, and the mixture boiled for half an hour, which precipitates carbonate of lime and alumina. This precipitate being dried, the lime is to be separated by acetic acid," and the alumina that remains dried and weighed; so that by subtracting its weight from the original weight, the proportion of sulphate of lime is ascertained. To estimate the contents of the muriatic solution, add to it ammonia as long as it throws down a reddish precipitate, which is the iron united with a portion of mag- nesia. The magnesia is to be separated by acetic acid, the precipitate being pre- viously dried by exposure to the air, in a heat of 200°, and the solution added to the muriatic solution ; and to determine the weight of the iron, it is to be redis- solved m muriatic acid, then precipitated by an alkaline carbonate, and dried and weighed. Sulphuric acid is now to be added to the muriatic solution ; and the sulphate of lime, thus obtained, is to be heated to redness, and weighed; setting down for every 100 grains "of it 74 of carbonate of lime. From the solution the magnesia is lastly to be separated by subcarbonate of soda, dried and weighed; then evaporate the remaining solution to dryness, and wash the residue with distilled water, so as to dissolve the muriate of soda. This residue is subcarbonate of magnesia, the weight of which, when dried, must be add- ed to the former ; which gives the entire weight ofthe subcarbonate of magnesia. 3. Minkual acids exist in mineral water sometimes uncombined, but more gene- rally combined with alkalies and earths, forming sulphates. Sulphuric acid is readily detected by muriate of barytes, when it does not exceed the millionth part of the water. To render this test certain, however, the muriate must be diluted; the alka- 504 APPENDIX—No. I. line carbonates, if the water contain any, must be previously saturated with mu- riatic acid ; and the precipitate must be insoluble in muriatic acid. The hydro- sulphurets are precipitated by muriate of barytes, but their presence is easily detected by their odour. The proportion of sulphuric acid is easily estimated by saturating it with barytic water, and heating the precipi- tate to ignition ; every 100 grains of this sulphate of barytes indicate 34 of real sulphuric acid. , The Sulphates contained in mineral waters are six in number, and are in- compatible with the following salts placed in the opposite column. C Nitrates of lime and of Fixed alkaline sulphates. - magnesia. Muriates of lime and of Alum v. magnesia. CAlkalies. Sulphate of lime- -s Carbonate of magnesia. (_ Muriate of barytes. ("Alkalies. I Muriate of barytes. - -i Nitrate, muriate, car- bonate of lime. ^Carbonate of magnesia. C Alkalies. Sulphate of mag- J Muriate of barytes. nesia. - - "i Nitrate, muriate of (. lime. C Alkalies. Sulphate of iron. < Muriate of barytes. ^Earthy carbonates. *. 1. Sulphate of soda.—To detect this salt, first evaporate the water to one-half, and add lime-water as long as any pre- cipitate falls. This precipitates all the earths except sulphate of lime, which may be separated by evaporating the fluid till it becomes concentrated, then adding a little alcohol, and after filtra- tion a little oxalic acid. If lime-water produces a precipitate in the water thus treated, immediately, or after a little alcohol be added, either sulphate of potass or of soda is present. To deter- mine which, add acetate of barytes, which will precipitate sulphate of ba- rytes ; then filter and evaporate the fil- tered fluid to dryness, and dissolve the residue by digesting it in alcohol, and evaporate to dryness. If the sulphate be sulphate of potass, the dry salt thus obtained being acetate of potass, will deliquesce; but if it be sulphate of soda, the acetate will effloresce. The proportion of the alkaline sul- phates is found by precipitating their acid, by nitrate of barytes, from the wa- ter purified as above. If soda be the base of the salt contained in the water, for every 100 grains of this precipitate ignited, set down 612 grains of dried sulphate of Boda ; if potass be the base, for 100 grains of ignited precipitate set down 748 of dry sulphate of potass. b. 2. Sulphate of lime is detected by an im- mediate precipitate being formed by oxalic acid, or oxalate ot potass, which, although a less sensible, is, neverthe- less, a more accurate test. To deter. mine its quantity, first saturate any earthy carbonates that may be present with nitric acid ; then evaporate the fluid to a few ounces; and having precipi- tated the sulphate of lime by means of proof spirit, dry and weigh it. b. 3. Jilum is detected by carbonate of mag- nesia, muriate of lime, muriate of mag- nesia, or succinate of ammonia. Twelve grains of alumina precipitated by car- bonate of magnesia, heated to incan- descence, indicate 100 grains of crystal. lized alum, or 49 ofthe dried salt. b. 4. Sulphate of magnesia may be detected in any water ^previously freed from any al- um or uncombined acids it might have contained) by hydro-sulphuret of stron- tian, which produces an immediate pre- cipitate with this salt, and with no other. If no other earthy sulphate be pi esent, the sulphuric acid may be separated by a barytic salt; every 100 grains of the ignited precipitate indicating 51 grains of dried sulphate of magnesia. If sul- phate of iron be present, mix the water with a portion of argil, and expose it for some days to the air, during which time oxyd of iron and sulphate of alu- mina are precipitated, leaving the sul- phate of magnesia alone in solution j which may be then estimated by the above method. b. 5. Sulphate of iron is detected by tincture of galls striking a black colour with the water after it has been boiled, and has cooled. Its quantity may be estimated by precipitating the iron by prussiate of potass.* c. Muriatic acid, either uncombined or combined, in mineral water is detected by nitrate of silver, which forms with it a white precipitate, insoluble in nitric acid; but the alkaline carbonates, if any, must be first saturated by nitric acid; and any sulphuric acid removed by nitrate of barytes. The proportion of uncombined muriatic acid is ascer- tained by saturating it with barytic wa- ter, and then precipitating the barytes by sulphuric acid. For every 100 grains of the ignited precipitate set down 21 grains of real muriatic acid. d. The Muriates contained in mineral wa- * To make the calculation, the weight of a precipi- tate produced by the prussiate in a solution of a given weight of sulphate of iron iu water must be previously determined. APPEND1 ters are incom])atible with the following articles in the second column. S Sulphates. j Alkaline carbonates. ^Karthy carbonates. ("Sulphates, except of lime. Muriate of lime - - e then to be separated by the rules already mentioned, and separately weighed. For every 50 grains of lime, set down 100 of dried muriate of lime; for 30 grains of magnesia, 100 of mu- riate of magnesia ; and for 218 grains of alumina, 100 of muriate of alumina. The barytes of the muriate of barytes, which the addition of the barytes water had formed in the mineral water by precipitating the earths, is now to be separated by sulphuric acid, and its muriatic acid expelled by heat; after which the muriate of soda, which the water originally contained, is to be ob- tained by evaporation. e. Nitric acid never exists in an un- combined state in mineral waters ; and even the nitrates are comparatively of rare- occurrence. / The nitrates are incompatible with the salts, in the second column of the following table. CAlkaline carbonates. j Sulphates, except of Nitrate of lime - -^ lime. I Carbonates of magnesia (_ and alumina Nitrate of magnesia, Fixed alkaline sulphates. / 1. JVitrate of Potass may occur in mi- neral waters in conjunction with sul- phates and muriates; the former of which must be decomposed by acetate of barytes, and the latter by acetate of silver, before the nitrates can be esti- mated. After these previous steps, filter the water, then evaporate it to dryness, and feat the residue with alcohol; which dissolves the acetates, and leaves the nitre. /. 2. JVitrate of Lime is detected by first concentrating the water, and separating the sulphates by alcohol; then filtering and distilling off the alcohol, and sepa- rating any muriatic acid by acetate of silver ; afterwards, filtering again, eva- porating to dryness, and dissolving the residue in alcohol, which must be also distilled off, and the dried residue dis- solved in water. If oxalic acid detect lime in this solution, the mineral watef contains nitrate of lime ; the quantity of which may be estimated by precipi- tating with sulphuric acid, and calcu- lating the quantity of lime contained in the sulphate ; and for every 35 grains of lime setting down 100 grains of dry nitrate of lime. / 3. JVitrate of Magnesia is detected by ' nearly the same means; but to the last watery solution, instead of oxalic acid add potass, as long as any precipitate appears. Filter this solution; evaporate and treat the dry mass with alcohol. If 5Q6 Ai'l'ENUlX.—No. 1. a residue of nitre remains, the mineral water contained nitrate of magnesia. Such is -.he general method of ascertain. ing t!;e components of mineral waters, and the proportion of the ingredients contained m any particular water. To render the ana- It is a truth universally admitted, that the arm of physic has derived much addi- tional power and increased energy, from the resources which are furnished by the mix- ture and combination of medicinal bodies. 1 by no means intend to insinuate that the physician cannot frequently fulfil his most important indications by the administration of one simple remedy ; I only contend that, in many cases, by its scientific combination with oilier medicines, it will not only act with greater certainty and less inconvenience, but that its sphere of influence may be thus more widely extended, and its powers so modified or changed, as to give rise to a remedy of new powers. Such a theory is amply justified by the state of combination in which certain medicinal principles are found in our more efficient vegetable reme- dies, \< hile the medicinal practice founded upon it is thus, as it were, sanctioned by Nature's own prescriptions; enter bui her laboratory, and you will soon be satisfied, that many of her potent remedies do not owe lheir valuable powers to any one speci- fic ingredient, but to the combined or modi- fied energies of various, and sometimes op- posite principles. This view of the subject opens an interesting and unexplored field* of medical and chemical research, and I shall endeavour to avail myself of the novelties its investigation may present, and of ihe hints it may suggest tor the improvement of ex- temporaneous combination. By contempla- ting the laws by which Nature effects her wise purposes, we may learn to emulate her processes, a.nd even in some cases to correct and assist her operations :-|- such at least has been ihe happy result of oi.r labours in ihe other departments ofn.it ural know ledge. It is said for instance that by observing the means usrd by nature for preventing the diffusion of light in the eye-ball, Euler derived an impor tant hint for ihe improvement of his teles- * 1 selected it as the exclusive subject of my Lectures be'oie the Royal College of Physicians, during the year 1820. + It was wisel) said by Lord Bacon, "that inan should observe al. the work.nanship, and the particular workings oi' Nature, and meditate wh;ch of those may be transferred to the Arts." Advancement ot Learning, Book j, 148. Yov a farther illustration of these views. the partiality of an author may perhaps he excused it he refer the reader to his paper * On the Recent Sand- stone," published in the first volume of the transac- tions ofthe Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. lysis complete, many minutia: must necessa- rily be attended to ; but the detail of these would far exceed the limits which a vvoil. of this kind can admit of; and, after nl!, much must depend upon the ingenuity and expertness of the operator. cope ; and more lately, the structure of the crystalline humour of the eye has been suc- cessfully imitated in the invention of achro- matic lenses. On the other hand, it is hardly necessary to observe to what extent these instruments of art are capable of improving and multiplying the powers of that natural organ, to the contemplation of whose struc- ture and functions, we are, as I have just slated, so greatly indebted for their origin and perfection. So shall I endeavour, to show, in the progress of this work, that the combinations of nature, as exemplified in her more valuable remedies, are capable, if properly studied, of suggesting many im- portant hints for improving the arrange- ments of art; while art in return may fre- quently supply the defects, or extend the advantages of natural compounds. AN ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECTS TO BE ATTAINED BV MIXING AND COMBINING MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES. The objects to be aUained, and the re- sources which are furnished by Medicinal Combination, together with the different modes of its operation, and the laws by which it is governed, may with much prac- tical advantage be arranged in the follow- ing order. I. To Promote the Action of the Basis, oit . Principal Medicine. A.—By combining together several different Forms, or Preparations, of the same substance. v The utility of such a combination is ob- vious, whenever we desire the full and general effects of all the principles of a i medicinal body in solution; thus, where the Bark is required in the cure of an intermit- , tent fever, and the stomach will not allow • the exhibition of the powder, it will be eligible to conjoin in one formula, the tinc- ' tui e, decoction, and extract, as exemplified by Fortnuloe 42,126, 127. The necessity of [ such a combination may be expressed by the foliovvingoanon. Whenever lite chemical ON THE ART OF PRESCRIBING MEDICINES. APPENDIX—No I. SQ7 nature of the medicinal substance -will not admit of the full solution of all its active prin ciplesin any one Solvent, audits exhibition in substance is at the same time impracticable. For farther illustrations see Form. 2, 25,33, 38, 70, 109. Practitioners, probably without having reasoned upon the theory, have very gener- ally adopted the practice, of combining the different solutions of the same substance ; for in the prescriptions of practical physi- cians we commonly find, that the docoction or infusion of a vegetable remedy is quick- ened by a certain portion of a corresponding tincture. B.—By combining the Basis with Substan- ces -which are of the same nature, that is, which are individually capable of produc- ing tlie same effect, but with less energy than when in combination with each other. Dr. Fordtce first established the exis- tence of the singular and important law, that a combination of similar* remedies will produce a more certain, speedy, and consider- able effect than an equivalent dose of any single one,- a fact which does not appear to have been known to any ancient physician. The earliest mention of it that 1 can find is by Valisnieri, the favourite pupil of Mal- pighi, who filled the medical chair at Padua in 1711, nearly ninety years before Fordyce published his valuable memoir on the com- bination of medicines, but he does not at- tempt any generalization-}- ofthe subject; he merely states, as the result of careful experiments, that, twelve drachms of Cas- sia Pulp are about equivalent in purgative strength to four ounces of Manna ; and)et, says he, if we give eight drachms of Cassia Pulp, in combination with four drachms of Manna, we obtain double the effect! How, adds the professor, can this possibly hap pen ? Surely the very contrary ought to ob- tain, since four drachms of Cassia are much more than equivalent to an equal weight of Manna,- the strength of ihe former being to that of the latter as 8 to 3. * The practitioner must receive the term similar, conventionally, as expressed at page 99. Many of those substances which we are at present bound to consider similar, will no doubt, require to bo transplanted into other elasses as the progress of physiological knowledge shall elucidate their modes of action. In this attempt to teach the art of Medicinal Combination, I have en- deavoured to reduce the propositions it comprehends to the greatest degree of generality of which they are, at present, susceptible. T Numerous isolated statements of the same tendency may be adduced, hut these cannot invalidate the claim of Dr. Fordyce, as the fiist person who generalized the fact, and applied it with success to practice. Diemer- brook, in his notes upon the 1 heriaca Andiomachi, ob setTes that the composition is a more efficacious medi- cine from the concurrent powers of so many ingredi- ents, alike in virtue: and quincy in his Lectures on Pharmacy, which were published by Dr. Shaw, n 1723, says, '• those fetid gums which are generally prescribed in Hysteria as Ammoniacum, Galbanum, &c. may be conjoined with advantage, because from a concurrence of properties, they all conspire to the same end. The truth of this law of medicinal com- bination must be continualW 'elt by the practitioner in the ordinary routine of his practice, viz :— Narcotics will better fulfil the intention of allaying irritation and pain, when compo- sed of several of such medicines in combi- nation, than when they consist of any single one, even should the dose, in this latter case, be increased. See Formula: 3, 4, 5. Antispasmodics acquire increased efficacy by the application of the same principle. Form. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Bitter Tonics are also thus exalted, see Form. 39,40,41 The beneficial effects, however, which arise from combinations of this kind will admit of a satisfactory ex- planation upon another principle; we may, for instance, consider them as medicines, differing from each other in their composi- tion, and producing by their union an assem- blage of bitter, astringent, and aromatic principles Aromatic and Diffusible Stimulants. There are perhaps no remedies which re- ceive greater mutual benefit by intermixture with each other, than the individuals which compose this class ; for they not only thus acquire increased force and efficacy, but at the same time they lose mucli of their acrimony ; if, for instance, any one spice, as the dried capsule ofthe Capsicum, be taken into the stomach, it will excite a sense of heat and pain ; in like manner will a quantity of Black pepper ; but if an equivalent quan- tity of these two stimulants be given in combination with each other, no such sense of pain is produced, but, on the contrary, a pleasan: warmth is experienced, and a genial glow felt over the whole body; and if a great- er number of spices be joined together, the chance of pain and inflammation being pro- duced is still farther diminished. The truth of this law is also strikingly illustrated, as Dr. Fordyce has obsei ved, by that universal maxim in cookery, never to empoly one spice, if more can be procured; the objec<, in this case, being to make the stomach bear a large quantity of food without nausea t This same principle also finds an illustra- tion of its importance as it regards the class of stimulants, in the following prepara- tions of our Pharmacopoeia, viz. " Pulvis Cinnamomi Compositus ,• Infusum Armoracio? compositum ; Infusum Aurantii Compositum ; Spiritus Lavendulte compositus; Tinctura X Such was the nature of the " Miutacea" of the Romans, which were a species of cake used at wed- dings, and consisted of meal, aniseed, cummin, and several other aromat'Cs; their object was to remove -< or prevent the indigestion which m i;ht be occa- sioned by eating too copious I j at the lairiage en- tertainment. It must be acknowledged that ihis com- pound was better adapted .or such a purpose than the modern Bride-cake, to which it gave origin- Cato (de H. R. c. 121) has given us a receipt for the Roman j bride-cake. HX—No. I. 508 APPEND Cinchonx composita ; Tinctura. Valeriana Ammoniata; and the Confectio Opii, the elegant and scientific substitute for the celebrated Milhridate or Theviaca. The practitioner is also referred to Form. 45, 47, and to Allii Radix. The local action of these stimulants would appear to be placed under the domi- nion of the same law, and perhaps the origin ofthe custom, so long observed, of mixing together the varieties of snuff, may thus re- ceive a plausible and philosophical explana- tion ; certain it is that by such combination the harsh pungency of each ingredient will be diminished, whilst the general potency of the application, in exciting the nerves, will be increased, and rendered more grateful; the same principle will direct the formation of safe and efficient plaisters and lotions ; the Emplastrum Cumini of the London, and the Emplastrum Aromaticum of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia, offer examples of its judi- cious application. Astringents. For illustrations see Form. 51, 58. Emetics are certainly more efficient when composed of Ipecacuan united with Tartari- zed Antimony, or Sulphate of Zinc, than when they simply consist of any one of such substances in an equivalent dose. See Form. 63, 65. Cathartics not only acquire a very great increase of power by combination with each other, but they are at the same time ren- dered less irritating in their operation ; the Extractum Colocynlhidis compositum affords an excellent example of a compound purga- tive mass being much more active and ma- nageable, and less liable to irritate than any one of its components separately taken. Ad- ditional examples of this fact are furnished by Formula 70, 76, 78, 79, 81, 88. In many cases, however, the facts of purgative thus accelerating and correcting each others ope- ration may be explained by considering them as substances endow ed with different pow- ers, as already demonstrated, (p. 119,) and which will be more fully considered in the third division of this Essay. Diuretics. Under this class of medicinal agents it may be observed that, whenever a medicine is liable to produce effects different from those we desire, its combination with si- milar remedies is particularly eligible, by which the action of the basis may be directed and fixed; thus the individuals which com- pose the class of Diuretics are uncertain in their operation, and disposed when exhibited singly to produce diaphoretic, and other con- trary effects; it is., therefore, in such cases, highly judicious to unite several of them in one Formula, by which we increase their powers, and are more likely to ensure their operation Formula 101,103,108, 109, 110, 111,115, are constructed upon this principle. Diaphoretics. Our maxim ** Vls Unita Fortior," certainly applies with equal truth to this class of medicinal agents. Form. 122, 124. Expectorants. More is frequently to be gained by the co-operation of these remedies than can be obtained by the exhibition of them separately, as in Form. 134, 135. Demulcents do not appear to obtain any other benefit from combination than, occa- sionally, a convenience and efficacy of ap- plication arising from a suitable degree of consistence and solubility. See article " Tro- chisci" The operation of the law which has thus formed the first object of this inquiry, will be found, like every other, to have a natural and well defined limit; it is easy to perceive that by multiplying the number of ingre- diewts too far, we shall either so increase the quantity and bulk of the medicine as to render it nauseous and cumbersome, or so reduce the dose of each constituent as to fritter away the force and energy of the com- bination. The propriety of combining several stimu- lants of the diffusible class, in one formula, has been questioned on different grounds. Dr. Chapman, in his work on Therapeutics, adduces some argument^ on this point, which although they fail in establishing his gene- ral position, certainly suggest an important exception to the practice in question ; "by directing," says he, " stimulating remedies, separately, we shall economise our resources in many lingering diseases," The justness of this statement must be admitted to its fullest extent, and practitioners will, on cer- tain occasions, do well to act in conformity with the views that suggested it; for in- stance, in the feeble forms of protracted fe- vers, where the indications are to be met with the continued action of stimulants, it will certainly be salutary to alternate the use of camphor ammonia, and other remedies of a similar nature, in preference to present- ing them all at once in combination, so that the system may not lose its susceptibility by the continued impression of the same stimu- lant ; the same motive should induce us, on particular occasions, to employ in succes- sion different narcotics, for each of them affects sensibility in its own peculiar man. ner* The nervous system, as Richerand has very justly observed, may be compared to a soil, rich in different juices, and which re- quires the cultivator to plant the germs of a diversified vegetation to develope the whole of hs fecundity ; to ensure a perpetual re- turn, therefore, it will be right to sow a * Dr. Majendie goes so far even as to assert, that by varying the different preparations of the same Narcotic, we shall be belter able to keep up its action on the animal oeconomy, without an increase of its dose. He adds, '■ Some English writers have denied the truth of this observation ; but they have not given any reason for their scepticism—Why should it not be true ?" APPENDIX—No. I. 5w'J succession of different seeds. Hoffman also has offered us some advice on this subject ; he directs us in the treatment of chronic diseases to suspend the administration of re- medies, at intervals, and afterwards to re- sume them, lest the system should become habituated, and ultimately insensible to their influence. But there remains for our investigation a still more important precaution respecting this law of medicinal combination ;—that, in combining substances in the manner, and for the object just related, the practitioner should be well satisfied that their medicinal virtues are in reality practically Similar, or he will fall into an error of the most fatal tendency ; it has been already shown, and I hope I shall not be considered tedious by again directing the reader's attention to the fact, that medicines are not necessarily simi- lar because they have been arranged in the aame artificial division of remedies ; in or- der to establish a.perfect similarity their operations must be found by experience to continue similar under every condition of the human body ; and that, moreover, they must oive such similarity to modes of operation which are compatible with each other, and conso- nant with the general mode of cure ; we have only to refer to the history of Diuretics {page 123) for a full illustration of this important truth ; thus Squill, Calomel, and Digitalis, are each powerful Diuretics, but nevertheless they cannot be considered similar remedies, since Digitalis will entirely fail in its effects in the very cases that Calomel and Squill succeed; and Squill will prove inert when Digitalis is capable of producing the most powerful influence; this arises from their modes of operation being dissimilar, and consequently requiring for their success such different states of the living sys- tem. Squill, it will be seen, acts primarily on the urinary organs, by stimulating the secreting vessels of the kidneys ; Mer- cury, on the contrary, acts primarily on the absorbents, and secondarily on the kid- neys* whereas Digitalis produces its effects by diminishing arterial action, and increasing that of absorption. Dr. Blackall, in his " Observations upon the Cure of Dropsies," has offered some re- marks so valuable in themselves, and so il- lustrative of this important subject, that I shall take leave to quote the passage.— " Many physicians," he observes, " are fond of combining Squill, Calomel, and Digitalis, as a diuretic in dropsy ; a practice unsafe, and not very decidedly possessing the merit even of being consistent. Digitalis greatly depresses the action ofthe heart and arte- ries, and controls the circulation, and it seems most unreasonable to believe that its curative powers can be independent of such an effect; on the other hand, Mercury, if it does not pass off quickly, is always exciting- fever, and raising and hardening the pulstrrspeaking from experience.where the urine is coaguable and Digitalis agrees, both the others are, ofien at least, positively injurious. On the contrary, where ihe urine is foul, and not coaguable, and Squills with Calon^el render service, I have on that very account, made less trial of Digitalis, and cannot therefore speak of it from much experience." Sec Form. 103, and the note thereon. The individual medicines which compose the class of Diaphoretics vary no less in their primary operations, as the synoptical arrangement at page 131 very fully exem- plifies ; thus, in the cure of intermittent fe- vers, diaphoretics are useful both in the pa- roxysm, and during the intermission ; in the first case they shorten its duration ; in the second they support the tone ofthe extreme vessels, and prevent its recurrence; but in these opposite states of disease a very differ- ent kind of diaphoretic is required—to fulfil the first indication, a cooling and relaxing one is necessary; to answer the second, the stimulating Diaphoretic is exacted ; the one may be said to solicit, the other to extort perspiration. So again Em.venarogues can only be considered relative agents, since the suppression of the catamenia may depend upon, or be connected with, very different states of the system ; in some cases with a diminished, and in others with an in- creased state of excitement; for on many- occasions the suppression of the menses is the effect, and not the cause of disease; Boerhuuve has very justly observed, that it is a most dangerous error to ascribe all the diseases of young females to a retention of the catamenia, which often do not appear because the patients are disordered from other causes. If, therefore, we were to at- tempt a combination of ihe several medicines which have gained reputation as Emmena- gogues, it is very obvious, that we should bring together an assemblage of adverse and incompatible remedies ; nor would the physician be less inconsistent were he to combine Expectorants, without a due re- gard to their modes of operation ; it is only necessary to observe their classification, as presented at page 134, to become satisfied how greatly the success of such remedies must depend upon their scientific adptation to each particular case. The class of Antispasmodics may likewise embrace remedies of the most opposite ten- dency, for sp:ism may occur under the most opposite circumstances—in an extreme con- dition of weakness, as in nervous affections, and in an highly excited slate, as in cholic, &c. it is hardly necessary, therefore, to point out the mischief that must arise from the fortuitous and indiscriminate admixture of the individual substances which are thus unavoidably arranged in the same artificial classification. Bark and Steel are also too often considered as equivalent Tonics; iu j Dropsy, says Dr. Blackall, it is far otherwise. 510 APPENDIX—No. 1. the former being infinitely to be preferred after the dropsy of young persons, of acute disease, and of sound stamina; the latter being suited to a vitiated, rather than to a feeble habit, and indicated more by a pale sallow complexion of red co- lour in the blood, as shown by the paleness of the lips, than by any other signs. Need, we then adduce farther illustrations of the ob- vious but important fact, that the terms employed to denote the different classes of remedies are frequently but relative ones, expressive of effects which are produced only in reference to a particular state of the living body ? and as this necessarily varies in different states of health and dis- ease, it follows that medicines are converti- ble agents, and that when we attempt to in- stitute general rules respecting their admi nistration, without taking into consideration the constitution and circumstances of the patient upon whom they are to operate, we shall generally be disappointed in the result. We may say of medicines what Van Swie- ten said of diet, " to assert that such, or such a thing be wholesome without a know- ledge of the condition of the person for whom it is intended, is like a sailor pro- nouncing the wind to be fair without know- ing to what port the vessel is bound." Boer- haave was so fully impressed with this truth that he exclaimed, " nudum ego cognosco remedium, misi quod tempestivo usu fiat tale." Although medicines which produce the same ultimate effects by modes of operation obviously different, cannot be considered similar, in the sense affixed to the term in the present section, yet if these different modes of operation be not physiologically incompatible with each other, the union of such remedies may not only be admissible, but even useful: and it will, accordingly, constitute an object of inquiry in a succeed- ing section. (III. A.) C—By combining the Basis with Sub- stances of a different nature, and which do not exert any Chemical influence upon it, but are found, by experience, to be capable of render- ing the Stomach or System, or any particular organ, susceptible of its action Thus it is that the system is rendered more susceptible of the influence of Mer- cury, by combining it with Antimony and Opium.* Where the stomach is insensible to impressions, the exhibition of Opium pre- * It would even appear probable that in some cases me.vurial influence has, after its subsidence, been re- newed by doses of Opium; a remarkable instance, of this kind is related in Hufeland's lournal, (vol. ix.) in ■which an old woman is said to have fallen into a consi- derable salivation after every dose of Opium ; she had previously applied to the physician for an extensive ul- ceration over her body, and bad taken a considerable quantity of mercury ; but the effects had subsided, until I'eiieweo by the ojrium. , vious to, or in combination with any active medicine, often assists its operation ; this is remarkably striking in some states of ma- nia, when emetics will fail, unless the sto- mach be previously influenced and prepared by a narcotic; indeed, in ordinary cases of irritability of stomach, the addition of a small quantity of opium will render an emetic active f So again the system, when it is in that particular condition which is indicated by a hot and dry skin, is unsusceptible of the expectorant powers of Squill, unless it be in union with antimony or some powerful diaphoretic, (Form. 134.) Squill is by no means disposed to act upon the urinary organs, when exhibited singly; but calo- mel, and some other mercurial prepa- rations,:): when in conjunction with it, ap- pear to direct its influence to the kidneys, and to render these organs more susceptible of" its operation ; (130, 106 ) Upon the same principle, the Antimonial Wine quickens the operation of saline cathartics, (69;"j Opium increases the sudorific powers of Antimony, (124;) and the purgative operation of Jalap is promoted by Ipecacuan, (84.) Dr. Aikin asserts that fifteen grains of the former pur- gative when combined with two or three grains of the latter root, will purge more than double that quantity of Jalap when administered without such an adjunct. Sir John Pringle speaks of the advantages which may be obtained by combining an alkali with a bitter infusion, by which the diuretic effects of the former will be in- creased, while the latter is calculated to remove any gastric debility, and to impart a general tone to the body : there is no doubt but that Bitters, from their invigo- rating influence upon the primce vice (see t It has been observed under the history of Emetics Q). 113,) that in cases of profound intoxication, or in those of violent wounds and contusions ofthe head, vo- miting will not take place, however forcibly the sto- mach maybe goaded by an emetic, whereas if the brain be only partially influenced, as by incipient intoxica- tion, or by a less violent blow on the head, its irritability is increased instead of being paralyzed, and that vomit- ing under such circumstances is excited by the slightest causes ; just so is it with regard to Narcotics, a powerful dose so paralyzes the nervous system, that the stomach cannot be made to reject its contents, as every one must have observed in cases of narcotic poisoning, while smaller doses, like lesser injuries of the head, dispose the stomach to sickness. t Sir Gilbert Blane has advanced an ingenious hypo- thesis to explain the cause ofthe fetid breath of persons under the influence of mercury ; which might perhaps also show why certain remedies are rendered more ef- ficient by combination with mercury. One of the active effects of mercury, says Sir Gilbert, is to alter the natural sensibility ofthe Lacteals, so that when under its influ- ence, they absorb indiscriminately that which is excre- mentitious and nutritive; hence the smell ofthe breath, since the fetid particles are carried into the circulation, and thrown off in the halitus ofthe lungs, or by the sa> livary glands, in consequence of the mouth of the lac- teals losing that selecting tact, whereby in their sound state they reject whatever is oifered to them, except the chyle. Now if mercury acts as the" Soporata Offan to the lacteals, it is evident that its combination with ac- tive matter may, on some occasions, facilitate the ab- sorption of the latter. APPENDIX—No. I. 511 page 107) increase the effects of remedies whose operation is connected with changes in transitu, or with absorption, as in the ex- hibition of certain diuretics;* they also fre- quently render the stomach and bowels more susceptible of bodies that act by im- pression, as purgatives, emetics, &c. We may discover the operation of such a principle in some of the more active com- pounds presented to us by nature : many herbs owe their efficacy to a cause of this kind. Elaterium, as I have ascertained by experiment, contains a purgative element, aui generis, (Elatin) and a bitter principle, which in itself is quite inert, and yet its presence in the compound renders the ali- mentary canal more susceptible of the im- pression of the active ingredient, and there- fore increases its force. See Extract. Elate- ri. The history of Senna will afford some interesting facts in farther elucidation of this subject; the leaves of this plant, like Elaterium, appear to contain an active prin- ciple, in combination with a bitter, which latter ingredient, although destitute of pur- gative properties, considerably increases those of the former; for if this be removed, as happens when Senna is transplanted into the south of France, the purgative princi- ple is weakened, but may be again restored by the artificial addition of some bitter ex- tractive. The fruit or pods of Sennaf con- tain only the purgative principle, and are therefore comparatively feeble, unless the defect be compensated by art: Dr. Cullen has observed that a much smaller quantity of the leaves is required for a dose if they be infused in company with some bitter plant; and it has been found that the watery infusion of Rhubarb is rendered more pur- gative by the addition of Calumba. The experiments of Seguin have establish- ed beyond all doubt that the active principle of vegetable astringents is a peculiar ele- ment, to which the name of Tannin has been given ; but the efficacy of this ingre- dient is undoubtedly enhanced by the pres- ence of the gallic acid with w hich it is usually associated, although this acid, when separated from ihe native combination, is incapable of producing the least astringent effect ; that peculiar flavour which we so commonly experience in unripe fruits, and which we designate by the term acerbness, is ihe result of a combinaton ofthe astrin- gent principle with some vegetable acid. The relative sweetness of sugar, when in * In some cases, however, the energy of an active bitter would seem to be diminished by an alkali; and it may therefore be more prudent to administer such sub- btanccs at different periods. I apprehend that the pow- ers of Squill are thus invalidated by a fixed alkali. t The Arabian and Greek physicians scarcely no- ticed the leaves, but always employed the pods of Senna; a fact which will explain the operation of tots plant, as observed by them. different degrees of purity, depends upon the operation ofthe same law of combina- tion ; pure sugar, as Or Mac Culloch has very justly observed, however paradoxical it may appear, it not so sweet as that which is impure ; the sweetness of molasses, com- pared with that of refined sugar, is too well known 10 require more than a bare mention ; the vegetable extractive matter in this case, increases the effect of the saccharine prin- ciple wvh which it is combined: for the same reason grapes, differing very mate- rially in their proportion of saccharine mat- ter, may seem to the taste equally sweet, and such in fact is the case on comparing the luscious grapes of Spain, with the Chasselas of Paris; and yet the vinous produce is entirely different, the result of the one being a sweet and luscious wine, while that of the other is hard and dry, because, in truth, these grapes contain very different proportions of sugar ; and however power- fully the extractive matter may modify the effects of this principle upon the palate and organs of taste, it cannot alter the quantity of alcohol resulting from its fermentation.' Crystallized sugar also appears less sweet to the taste, than loaf sugar, but this may depend upon the different state of aggrega- tion, and consequently, the different degrees of solubility possessed by the sugar in these two forms. In some cases, the addition of certain bodies will induce the absorbents to admit and carry into the circulation remedies which, in a more simple state, they would reject as injurious ; this position is suppor- ted by the fact of mercury being more readily absorbed when in combination with animal matter, see Ung: f/ydrarg; and it is probable that iron, in the form of a tanno. guilate, will be more acceptable than when presented in a more purely mineral state; see Ferri Sulphas. Does it not therefore appear from the preceding remarks, that certain elements exist in the composition of vegetable remedies, as furnished by nature, which, although in- dividually inert, confer additional strength and impulse upon the principle of activity with which they are associated.^ X Mac Culloch on Wine. Edit. 2. p. 42. $ If the facts stated in this section be true, we are bound to recognise two orders of medicinal ele- ments,—the one comprehending those that possess an inherent and independent activity,—the other, those that are in themselves inert, but which are ca- pable of imparting impulse and increased energy to the former when combined with them. As this is a new view of the subject of vegetable combinations, no apology is necessary for the introduction of new terms for its explanation; I fherefora propose to de- designate the former of these substantive, and the latter, adjective constituents. When the structure of vegetable remedies shall have been thoroughly ex- amined uwm this principle of combination, tnuch 512 APi':.M)!\—No. I. The solutions of saline cathartics appear likewise to gain an accession of power and celerity of operation by impregnation with Carbonic acid gus, depending probably upon the intestines thus receiving a degree of' distention favourable to the action ofthe salt, (19, JS.) Certain it is that the opera- tion of emetics, as well as that of glysters, is materially increased by the stimulus of distention. In enumerating the methods to be adop- ted for increasing the energies of a remedy, by rendering the system more susceptible of its action, it is right to know that, un- der certain circumstances, Venesection de- serves a distinguished rank amongst the Aiijcyajtha. The fact is strikingly dis- covered in the exhibition of Mercurial* Preparations, and some other alterative medicines. Whether the " Vis Conservat- medicinal obscurity will be removed, and probably some pharmaceutical improvements of value sug- gested ; at all events it will teach a lesson of pru- dent caution to the pharmaceutic chemist; it will show the danger of his removing this or that ele- ment from a vegetable compound, merely because he finds, upon its separation, that it is inert. I dwell the more upon this point, because I feel that there never was a period in the history of medicine, at which such a caution was more necessary; for while the Poli-pharmacy of our ancestors has driven the physician of the present day into a simplicity of prescription that on many occasions abridges his powers and resources, the progress of chemical knowledge has diffused through the class of manu- facturing chemists a bold spirit of adventure and empiricism,—a mischievous propensity to torture our best remedies, in order to concentrate or extract the parts which they consider to constitute tiieir es- sential ingredients. A Memoir has lately been presented to the Philo- mathic Society of Paris, by M. Robiquet, on the sub- ject of Aroma, which affords some important analo- gies in proof of the law of combination, which I am now endeavouring to elucidate. From the experi- ments of this laborious chemist it would appear that odours are not, as Fourcroy supposed, the effect of the simple solution of certain bodies in air, but that for their development, some third body, (coinciding in its office with my Adjective constituent) possess- ing in itself none of the characteristic odour, is ab- solutely necessary as an intennede, varying in its nature according to that of each odorous body, in the same way that the mordant requires to be varied by the dyer, according to the nature of the colour- ing matter which it is intended to fix on the cloth ;— thus Ambergris has in itself very little odour, but the addition of Musk developes a very strong and decided one; this also happens in a less degree with Lavender, and the perfumers therefore add a small quantity of musk to the distilled water of this plant. In other cases, Ammonia lends, as it were, its vola- ility to bodies, the odour of which without such an auxiliary, would be scarcely sensible; this is exem- plified by the practice of perfumers exposing their musk and other substances to the atmosphere of pri- vies when they lose their power ; (Paul Amman : ilanduct: ad Mat: Med:) so again in order to give unncjency to snuff it Li made to suffer the commence- | r/.r," which Nature, when in a stale of health and vigour, opposes to the admission of poisonous substances into the circula- tion, be overcome by blood letting, is a question which 1 shall leave others to de- cide ; but thus much reiterated practice has taught me, that system in a strong and healthy condition frequently is overcome the moment the stomach becomes deran- ged, the circulation languid, or the general tone of the system impaired. 1 have fre- quently seen this during my Hospital prac- tice : if a patient who has been using mer- curial friction, or taking the preparations of that metal without effect, be transferred into a close and unhealthy ward, his appe- tite soon fails, the tongue becomes furred, and the system instantly yields to the in- fluence of the remedy. Nauseating doses of antimony^ frequently repeated, or the ment of fermentation, in whicli case ammonia is generated ; and it is a curious fact that the odour of the best snuff may be destroyed by mixing with it a little tartaric acid, by which its ammoniacal salt is neutralized. In some instances the adjective ingre- dient seems to be Sulphur, as in the essential oils of some cruciform plants, and particularly in that of mustard seed, for M. Robiquet found that this oil lost its odour by being kept in contact with a metal- lic surface, and that an inodorous oil remained, while the metal became a sulphuret: perhaps, adds M. Robiquet, it may be sometimes necessary for the full and exquisite development of odour in these bodies to add another vehicle, thus the addition of a little Acetic acid heightens the odour of Mustard. Iron has little or no odour; but when volatilized with hydrogen, its odour is very powerful. The smell of copper and brass must depend upon sonu circumstance not well understood. * Annie, and other practitioners of the same school, always premised a mercurial course with venesection; it is probable that many of the anoma- lies observed in the modern application of thi3 re- medy may have arisen from an inattention to the diet of those who are under mercurial influence. Mercury is in itself a most powerful stimulant, and ought therefore to be accompanied with depletion and low diet; besides which the experiments of Majendie have shown how greatly such a state of the system will expedite the effects of the mercurial remedy. t Dr. Eberle, of Philadelphia, in a work lately published, has quoted the above passage, and re- marks, that he has long been acquainted with the fact which it announces; although he proposes to account for it by a different train of reasoning ; he considers that nauseants encourage mercurial ptya- lism, by favouring an afflux to the salivary glands. The learned author must allow me to congratulate him upon this fortunate discovery; unless his pa- tients be blessed with as much apathy as was ever assumed by the Gilbertine order of Benedictines, he need never in future despair of influencing them by mercury. He has only to condemn the refractory to meagre fare, and then to tantalize them, as poor Sancho was in his government, with the sight, or rather smell, of a savoury dish, and he will without doubt secure his object,—but, to be serious, if Dr- Eberle's views be correct, how will he explain the APPENI accidental supervention of any disease of debility, will be attended with the same phenomena. My practice has also afforded me an opportunity of appreciating the debilitating effects of despondency in a case of this description ; a patient had been taking mercurial medicines, and using frictions for a considerable period without any apparent effect: under these circum- stances he was abruptly told that he would fall a victim to his disease; the unhappy man experienced an unusual shock at this opinion, and in a few hours became violently salivated.* Venesection, moreover, increases the effects of cathartic medicines. I have often noticed this fact in contending with a plethoric diathesis -. whenever the bleeding preceded the purgative, the effects ofthe latter have been uniformly more speedy and considerable ; in obstinate constipation the same fact has been observed, and mild remedies have been known to act more powerfully, when preceded by blood-letting, than potent ones have when exhibited an- tecedent to it. Venesection has certainly an extraordinary power in awakening the susceptibility of the primz vice to remedial impressions; in some diseases, as in the Cynanche Trachealis, or Croup, so great is the insensibility ofthe stomach, that Emetics frequently fail in their effects; and Dr. Hamilton has given as much as a hundred grains of Calomel in the twenty-four houi s : in such cases previous venesection affords most extraordinary assistance. Dr. Fothergill also remarks that emetics are more benefi- cial after bleeding. (Dissert. Med. Inaug. de Emet. usu.) The effects of Bark, Steel, and other tonics, are certainly influenced in the same manner; whether in any case it may be prudent or judicious to have re- course to such a practice, is a question not immediately connected with the present inquiry. Limited must have been the experience of that practitioner who has not frequently witnessed the utility of Venesection in pro- modus operandi of fear, as related in the text ? for the tendency of fear is to diminish the salivary se- cretion, as will be hereafter mentioned. * Fear, contrary to joy, decreases for a time the action of the extremities of the arterial system, as is «een by the sudiUn paleness which succeeds, and the shrinking or contraction of the vessels of the skin. M. de Haen relates the case of a painter who suffered convulsions, which were succeeded by a return of his colic. In this cose, the poison which had been for a long time admitted into his constitution, in consequence of his daily employment, was, by the passion of anger, immediately brought into action. It was formerly observed by Citois, that the inhabi- tants of the provinoe of Poitou, who had suffered anxiety of mind on account of any misfortune to tlirmsolvos or family, were particuHarly susceptible •f the disease. 65 —M t How admirably do tha results of Majendie'i Experiments coincide with this reasoning ; see page 116 ; and yet Dr. F.berle, in the work quoted below, appears unwilling to admit such a theory. i A Treatise of the Materia Medica, and Thera- peutics, by J. Ubcrle, M. D, In two volumes. Phi- ladelphia, 1S22. IX—No. 1. 513 ducing a state of system favourable to the operation of various remedies. In acute dis- eases, how frequently does an opiate suc- ceed in allaying irritation after copious bleeding, which could not be made to oc- casion any beneficial influence previous to that operation ? In Pneumonia I have re- peatedly seen such a plan of treatment act like a oharm upon the patient. Purgatives also awaken the susceptibi- lity of the body to mercurial impressions, and it is remarked by Dr. Chapman that this practice affords a resource which rarely disappoints the practitioner. This class of remedies moreover seems capable of exalt- ing the efficacy, and indeed of accelerating the benefit to be derived from many altera- tives, when administered previous to the exhibition of these latter substances; the advantages of a course of Steel medicines are undoubtedly increased by such means. The febrifugous and antiseptic properties of diluted muriatic acid (see Form. 145.) are inconsiderable, unless its exhibition be ac- companied with cathartics. I beg to refer the practitioner to some cases published by me in the Medical and Physical Journal for December 1809, in farther illustration of these views. Experience enables me also to state that Diuretics are considerably assist- ed by similar means, having many instances in my case book of the failure of these agents before, and their successful operation after, the exhibition of a cathartic. Dr. Dar- win observes that " Absorptions are always increased by Inanition" and in support of this position refers to the frequent advantage derived from evacuations in the cure of ul- cers. I have certainly seen obstinate sores in ihe leg cured by small and repeated bleedings. Dr. Chapman arrives at the same conclusion, although by a different train of reasoning; he states that the blood vessel and absorbents! are to a certain extent '* antagonising powers :" instructed by this obvious fact, we ought, says he, in the ex- hibition of diuretics to regulate the state of the system by interposing purgatives, or even venesection, as the state of the circu- lation may indicate. Ejietics also, in certain conditions of the system, would appear to render the stomach more sensible to the impression of other re- medies ; Dr. Eberle, of Philadelphia,* has remarked such an effect with respect to the administration of the Peruvian Bark. Change of Diet and of Habits may be also classed amongst the Adjuvantia, but the 514 APPENI young practitioner must be warned that he is not to exercise his Caduceus as Sancho's Doctor did his wand. I have seen a young disciple of Esculapius so vex his patient, that his food became more nauseous to him than his medicine, and I verily believe his physician was more irksome than his dis- ease. It is well observed by Dr. Percival that the prejudices of the sick should never be contemned with wantonness, or opposed with harshness; for, silenced by authority, they will operate secretly and forcibly on the mind, creating fear, anxiety, and watch- fulness. And with regard to diet it may be here stated, that no function of the body is so materially influenced by mental impres- sions as that series of actions constituting what is termed Digestion—the unexpected communication of any distressing event de- stroys the keenest appetite,* and converts the sensation of hunger into one of disgust at the bare idea of food : a fact which did not escape the penetrating eye of our immortal Shakspeare, for he represents Henry dis- missing Wolsey from his government with these words— -------Read o'er this; And after, this : and then to breakfast With what appetite you have. If feelings of disgust are excited by the re- past, the stomach will never act with healthy energy on the ingesta: and in cases of ex- treme aversion, they are either returned, or they pass through the alimentary canal almost unchanged: on the other hand, the gratification which attends a favourite meal is in itself a specific stimulus to the organs of digestion, especially in weak and debili- tated habits. Dr. Merriman has lately com- municated to me a case which affords a striking illustration of the powerful influ- ence ofthe mind upon these organs : a lady of rank labouring under menorrhagia, suf- fered with that irritable and unrelenting- state of stomach which so commonly at- tends that disease, and to such a degree that every kind of aliment and medicine was alike rejected : after the total failure of * In the same manner is the salivary secretion im- itaediately influenced by the operation of the mind; the sight of a delicious repast to a hungry man is not more effectual in exciting it, than is the operation of fear and anxiety in repressing and suspending it. Whence we are lead to believe that the Hindoo Or- deal by Rice may have occasionally assisted in the ends of justice. This ordeal was conducted in the following manner: The persons suspected of any crime being assembled in a ring, a certain portion of dried rice was given to each, which they*\vere directed to chew for some minutes, and then to turn it out of their mouths upon the leaves or bark of a tree. Those who were capable of returning it in a pulpy form were at once acquitted, while those from whose mouths it came out dry, were pronounced guilty. See Medical Jurisprudence, Inu-oduct. vol. 1. p. viii. [X—No. I. the usual expedients to appease the stomach and procure relief, she applied to Miss Pres- cott, and was magnetised, when she imme- diately, to the astonishment of all her friends, ate a beef steak, and continued to repeat the meal every day for six weeks, without the least inconvenience! but the disease itself, notwithstanding this treacher- ous amnesty of the stomach, continued with unabated violence, and shortly afterwards terminated her life. The diet of a sick person ought never to combine too much nutriment in too small a space ,-f when so given it will even in health be followed by fermentation instead ofdiges- tion ; and although we may admit the ex- pediency of that domestic maxim, " a little and often," yet this is to be received with limitation; no one, for instance, who pos- sesses any philosophical knowledge, will adapt his practice to the notions of Sir William Temple, who asserted that " the stomach of a valetudinarian was like a school-boy, always doing mischief when un- employed," and that we should therefore not allow it any interval of repose; to this I answer, that the conversion of aliment inlo blood is effected by a series of elaborate pro- cesses, several of which are only perfectly performed during the quiescence of the rest; it would seem, for instance, that the process of chylification is incompatible with that by whicli the first changes are produced in ihe stomach ; this is evident from the well-known fact, that our appetite for food ceases when the former process commences, although the repast should, at the time, have been insufficient to satisfy the craving of nature ; whereas, in diseases of imperfect, or de- praved digestion, as in Diabetes, Tabes Me- senterica, &c. we find that the appetite for food is never satisfied by the most nutritive meals. It merits notice also, that whenever the stomach be called into action during the assimilating stages of digestion, the process t The capacity of our digestive organs sufficiently tes. tifios that nature n^ver intended them for the reception of highly concentrated food, while this idea is farther strengthened by perceiving how sparingly she produces concentrated aliment; the saccharine matter of esculent fruits is generally blended with acidulous and mucila- ginous ingredients; and the oleaginous principle of seeds, kernels, and other similar substances, is combined with farinaceous matter; the capacity observable in the organs of graminivorous animals evidently shows that they were also designed for a large bulk of food, and not for provender in which the nutritive matter is con- centrated ; the gramineous and leguminous vegetables do not present their nutritive matter in a separate state, nor is the animal furnished with an apparatus by which he can separate the chaff and straw from the grain,— the obvious inference is, that he was intended to feed indiscriminately on both. Some years ago I constructed a Logometric scale of Equivalents, analogous in principle to that which I have now introduced under the title of the " Medicinal Dynameter,'" to show the relative nutritive strength of different vegetables, and to work problems connected with them; I soon found, however, that unless bulk was taken into calculation, it was incapable of furnishing even an approximation to truth. APPENDIX.—No. I. 515 will, in weak persons, be much disturbed, if not entirely suspended. These views have long since confirmed me in the propriety of treating mesenteric affections in a manner very different from that which is generally pursued; and I may add that the result has been very satisfactory. The plan to which I allude, consists in enforcing longer intervals between each meal, whicli should be scanty, and in quantity short of what the appetite may require: in this way are the unwilling absorbents induced to perform their duties with greater promptitude and activity; but it is a practice which, from extreme anxiety of friends and relatives, the feelings of craving and hunger expres- sed by the patient, and the mistaken but universal prejudice respecting diet, it is always painful to propose, and generally impossible to enforce; where, however, circumstances have given me a full and unreserved control, the advantage of the plan has been most decisive. There is still another remark which I am desirous of offering, in this place, on the sub- ject of Diet; viz.—that in all cases of feeble or imperfect digestion the Valetudinarian ought never to take his principal meal in a state of 'fatigue—and yet let me ask,'whether there is a habit more generally pursued, or more tenaciously defended ? Ay, and de- fended too upon principle—the^invalid mer- chant, the banker, the attorney, the govern- ment clerk, are all impressed with the same belief, that after the sedentary occu- pations of the day, to walk several miles to their villas, or to fatigue themselves with exercise before their dinner, or rather early supper, will sharpen their tardy stomachs, and invigorate their feeble organs of diges- tion. The consequence is obvious,—instead of curing, such a practice is calculated to perpetuate, and even to aggravate the malady under which they suffer; by calling upon the powers of digestion at a period, when the body is in a state of exhaustion from fatigue. Often have I, in the course of my practice in this town, cured the Dyspeptic invalid, by merely inducing him to abandon so mischievous a habit. II. to correct the operation of the hasis, hi obviating any unpleasant effects it shout be likely to occasion, and which would pervert its intended ACTION, AND DEFEAT TUB OBJECTS OF ITS EXHIBITION. A. By Mechanically separating, or Chem- ically neutralizing, the offending In- gredient. The scientific physician, from his know- ledge of the chemical composition of a me- dicine, and of the principles upon whicli its different qualities depend, is enabled to remove or render inert the clement which Imparts to it a deleterious operation; thus it has been found that the peculiar princi- ple in the Spanish Fly, which so frequently irritates the urinary organs, is soluble in boiling water; ebullition in water, therefore offers the means of depriving it of the power of thus acting upon the kidneys, while it does not effect any alteration in its vesica- tory properties. It is upon the same princi- ple that many vegetable substances of a very acrid nature, become harmless by boiling, or by chemical manipulation, and some of them might even in times of scar- city and want, be introduced as wholesome and nutritious articles of diet. The experi- ments of Westring show that the bitterness of the Lichen Islandicus may be entirely removed by maceration in an alkaline ley, and a tasteless, but highly nutritious fecula be thus obtained ; in the same manner the ASsculus Bippocastanum (Horse Chesnut) may be deprived of its bitterness, leaving a residuum whicli will afford a kind of bread; and according to Parmentier (Recherches sur les vegetaux nourissans,) excellent starch may be also made from it. Dr. Dar- win observes, that if the roots of White Bryony be rasped into cold water, and agi- tated with it, the acrid juice of the root along with the mucilage will be dissolved, or swim in the water; while a starch per- fectly wholesome and nutritious will sub- side, and may be advantageously used as food: by a similar species of address the French prepare from the acrid Arum the harmless but highly prized cosmetic called Cyprus powder. There are many substances which receive a much pleasanter mode of operation by ha- ving their solubilities increased or diminish- ed ; thus the griping occasioned by several drastic purgatives is obviated by the addition of some alkali; and the nauseating tendency of Camboge, which arises from its too easy solubility, is prevented by incorporating it with some insoluble body; as in the Pilulce Cambogite Comp.: but the farther considera- tion of this question will be resumed in the fourth section ofthe Analysis, (iv. c.) Numerous attempts have been made to correct the inconvenient effects of Opium, such as nausea, head-ache, and costiveness, by removing the resinous element, upon which such evils have been supposed to de- pend, and we have accordingly been at dif- ferent times presented with a variety of For- mula for the accomplishment of so desirable an object; (see Opium.) More recently, opium has been discovered to possess two active principles, viz. Morphia and JS/'arco- tine, which would appear from the re- searches of M. Majendie to exert very dif- ferent powers upon the animal system ; the former imparting to opium its soporific, the lalter its exciting property; whence it is 516 APPENDIX—No. I. proposed to remove this latter principle in order to render the operation of opium milder, and at the same time to divest it of those objectionable properties which so greatly limit its medicinal utility. Ses Opium. B. By adding some substance capable of guarding the stomach, or system, against its deleterious effects. The virtues of our most important reme- dies are frequently lost, or much invalidated, for want of proper attention to the circum- stances comprehended in this section. It may be almost admitted as an axiom that whenever an alterative medicine acts with violence upon the primx vise, its energies are uselessly expended, and the object of its exhi- bition defeated. So again, Diaphoretics, Diuretics, and many other remedies, suffer a diminution in their effects, whenever they stimulate the stomach or bowels to excess. Guaiacum thus loses its anti-arthritic, Squill its diuretic, and Antimony and Ipecacuan their diaphoretic virtues; the action of these substances may therefore require correction, and a medicine must be selected capable of fulfilling that intention. Opium has very ex- tensive powers as a corrigent. See Form. 57,100, 106, 110. Dr. Mead combined al- kaline salts, when intended to act as diure- tics, with opium, in order to prevent their action upon the bowels. Acetate of Lead, when administered in cases of haemoptysis, or uterine hemorrhage, should also be guarded by the addition of a small portion ofthe same narcotic. Dr. Sutton oi Green- wich, has lately written a paper to show, that where we wish to limit the operation of an emetic to the stomach, and to prevent its action on the bowels, we should add five or six drops of laudanum to the emetic draught, which in his experience has an- swered the purpose in question.* The griping and nauseating tendency of some remedies receives correction by the addi- tion of Aromatic stimulants, or Essential Oils, (69, 71, 78, 84, 85, 92,) or by small portions of a corresponding tincture, (70,76.) It has been already stated that the griping from Senna and resinous purgatives may be, in a great degree, obviated by the addition of alkalies; it remains to be observed, that the same remedies are also mitigated in severi- ty, by saline purgatives, (77.) I learn from Sir Henry Halford, that in his practice he has found the addition of Extract of Hyoscy- amus render the operation of the compound extract of Colocynth much more mild, and no less efficacious. Ofthe value of such a combination, I am myself able to bear ample testimony. Alum is corrected in its tenden- cy to disturb the bowels by the addition of JVulmeg, (Form. 53,) or some aromatic; and the drastic operation of Colocynth may be • Med; Repos. Nov. 1832. mitigated by trituration with Camphor, There are several substances which are deprived of their acrimonious qualities by trituration with mucilage, milk, barley-wa- ter, &c. The tendency which mercurial preparations possess of affecting the bow- els, is, with the exception of Corrosive Sub- limate, corrected by Opium, but the acrid operation of this latter salt is more securely guarded against by the decoction of Guaia- cum or Mezereon, or by the plentiful exhi- bition of mucilaginous drinks and broths. In certain diseases of the uterus and vagina, astringent lotions are indicated, but it may happen, as in the cauliflower excrescence, or in the oozing tumour ofthe labium, that such applications are too irritating; in such cases the effect of the lotign is corrected by the addition of mucilage. The enfeebling influence of Digitalis, Tobacco, and some other narcotics, is successfully opposed by aromatics and stimulants. It has already been stated that several attempts have been made to correct the operation of Opium by the application of mechanical and chemical resources ; it would, however, appear that, for obviating its effects upon the intestinal excretions, the judicious addition of some purgative will offer the most effectual corri- gent ; and according to my own experience, the Aloetic preparations are to be preferred upon such an occasion, as in Form. 11, 12, 13. In some cases, 1 have found that a combination ofthe watery infusion of Opium with some bitter, will secure the narcotic virtues without those consecutive effects upon the alimentary canal, which we are always so desirous to obviate; the Decoctum Aloes compositum also furnishes upon such an occasion a very appropriate adjunct. Let us remember that one of the effects of opium is to paralyze, for a time, the muscu- lar fibres ofthe intestines: now--experience has taught us that the remedies above di- rected have a peculiar tendency to augment the peristaltic motions of the primce vice. Upon the same principle the addition of ca- lomel will prevent the paralyzing influence of this narcotic upon the biliary functions. I have known several patients who could ne- ver take opium unless in such a form of combination. In genera], a formula contains but one corrigent; but circumstances may occur, where two different ingredients are requir- ed to obviate two very different effects, as in Form. 16, in which the JVitric add is introduced for the purpose of counter- acting the deleterious effects of the opi- um upon the nervous system, while the Aloetic preparation is calculated to obviate its particular tendency upon the alimentary canal. Sometimes the unpleasant or perverse operation of a medicine may be obviated by changing the form of its exhibition, the APPENDIX—No. I. 517 period at which it is taken, or the extent of its dose; Dr. Cullen, for instance, found that the nauseating operation of Camboge might be obviated, by repeating small doses at short intervals. (89.) Before quitting the present subject, it deserves notice, that there is frequently a chemical condition of the stomach that may interfere with the mild operation of a me- dicine, and may therefore require consi- deration : this is particularly exemplified in the action of those antimonial preparations which are liable to become emetic and drastic by the presence of an acid; it is, for this reason, very eligible to guard such substances with antacid adjuncts. See An- timonii Sulphuretum, and Form. 125, 128. There is also, upon some occasions, an irri- table state of the prinue vice depending upon a deficient secretion of mucus, which renders even small doses of any active me- dicine mischievous; mucilaginous decoc- tions in such a case will offer the readiest corrigent; see Scammonia. The vinous infusion of Colchicum appears to act more violently when acid is present in the stomach; small doses of Magnesia may therefore precede, and accompany its exhibition, with advantage. III. To obtain the joint operation of two OR MORE MEDICINES. A. By uniting those substances which are calculated to produce the same ulti- mate results, although by totally dif- ferent modes of operation. It has been already stated, (page 510,) that we may frequently combine substances together whose modes of operation are dis- similar, with considerable advantage, pro- vided they be not physiologically incom- patible with each other. We may illustrate this subject by a reference to the operation of purgatives; a series of medicinal sub- stances may be produced, each of which has the property of exciting catharsis, but by a very different mode of action; one for instance stimulates the muscular fibres of the intestines ; a second acts upon the ex- halent vessels, and mucous glands ; and a third exerts its influence upon the neigh- bouring organs, so as to produce an in- creased flow of their secretions into the bowels; but since such modes of action are quite compatible with each other, they may be simultaneously established, not only without any loss of efficacy, but with the most decided advantage; suppose for in- stance we administer a substance which, either from its insolubility or peculiar na- ture, acts exclusively upon the muscular fibres of the alimentary canal, its peristaltic motions will be undoubtedly thus increas- ed, and the contents of the bowels evacua- ted, but the operation will be slow, and probably accompanieftl with considerable tormina ; now it is evident that if to such a remedy we add those which can produce an increased flow of serous fluids, the effect will be both quicker and easier. The in- fusion of Senna is thus quickened and cor- rected by Soluble Tartar. In the same manner various substances included in the class of diuretics, which, although different, still if they be not adverse in their opera- ration, may be conjoined ; Digitalis and Potass are not similar, nor are they incom- patible, for while the alkali, through the medium of .the circulation, stimulates the secreting organs of the kidneys, the fox- glove may, by its sympathetic action, rouse the energy of the absorbents. In the ad- ministration of diaphoretics we shall fre- quently derive additional force, as well as certainty, by combining those which act by relaxing the cutaneous emunctories, with those which prove diaphoretic by impart- ing a general increase of momentum to the blood. B. By combining medicines which have entirely different powers, and which are required to obviate different symptoms, or to answer different indications. Arrangements constructed upon this prin- ciple constitute some of the most valuable remedies with which we are acquainted; they are in general extemporaneous, because their very value depends upon their be- ing varied and modified according to the symptoms and circumstances of each parti- \ cular case. The following general elucida- tion of the subject may serve to demon- strate the nature and importance of such combinations. Pursatives with Antispasmodics.—The practice suggested by Drs. Stoll and War- ren, in the treatment of Colica Pictonum, affords a striking example ofthe expedien- cy of combinations of this nature. It is found in that disease, as well as in others attended with spasmodic constriction ofthe intestinal canal, that purgatives produce no effects unless the spasm be allayed by com- bining them with Opium, (see Form. 71, 75, 76,) it is from such a cause that the purga- tive so popular with tailors and shoemakers, and which consists of Aloes with Sagapenum or Galbanum, affords such prompt relief in the spasmodic colic to which they are sub- ject. Purratives with Tonics. In the exhibi- tion of cathartics how frequently it occurs in practice that the patient's strength will hardly allow the evacuation; in such a case the addition of steel as a roborant, (Form. 72, 92, 93,) or even of nether, or ammonia, as a diffusible stimulant, is strongly indicat- ed ; the Cheltenham waters offer a natural combination of this character. So again in )IX—No. I. 518 APPEND the cure of dropsy we have often two indi- cations to fulfil—to evacuate the water, and to support the strength of the patient; hence the necessity of combining brisk and stimulating purges, such as Sammony, Jalap, &c. with active tonics, (83.) In the treat- ment of amenorrhcca the same medicinal arrangement is not unfrequently indicated. Puhgatives with Mercurial Altera- tives. In habitual costiveness, where there appears to be a deficiency of bile, a combi- nation of Pilulx Hydrargyri, with certain Aloetic compounds, may prove serviceable; for while the latter remedy will, in the ab- sence of bile, supply to the intestines a congenial stimulus, the former will tend to restore the bilious secretion by its influence upon the hepatic system. (SeeForm. 79, 81.) Purgatives with Diaphoretics. Tins combination of effects is often useful in practice, but it is desirable that the latter should not be established until the opera- tion of the purgative upon the bowels has subsided. This is accomplished by certain doses of Tartarized Antimony in conjunc- tion with some purgative. The Pulvis Aloes Compositus of our Pharmacopceia produces a somewhat similar effect. Diaphoretics with Tonics. How fre- quently is the practitioner desirous of de- termining to the skin, and at the same time of supporting the strength ofthe general system? In the progress of a continued fe- ver we are repeatedly called upon to fulfil such indications. Dr. Bree* also observes that " in the exhibition of Diaphoretics the addition of a bitter infusion, or tincture, is frequently proper; for the stomach should be gently excited and strengthened during the use of a diaphoretic draught." On the other hand, Tonics not unfrequently require the aid of a diaphoretic; for instance, in the cure of Cynanche maligna, the use of bark is indicated ; but if the skin be hot and dry, it should be accompanied with a diaphoretic. See Form. 126. Antispasmodics with Tonics, or Narco- tics. Under the history of Antispasmodics, (page 106) it is stated that there are cer- tain bodies which seem to exert an absolute control over inordinate muscular action, from whatever general cause it may have arisen; in administering such remedies, however, the intelligent practitioner will not overlook the peculiar condition of the system in its relations to the disease ; where debility is present, the Antispasmodic will be usefully combined with a Tonic; and, in certain morbid states ofthe nervous sys- tem, with a JVarcolic. Astringents with Diaphoretics. Dr. Fordyce has observed, that combinations of * A Practical Inquiry into Disordered Respiration, p. 243. this kind are often indicated in cases of Diarrhoea, where it is necessary to astringe the vessels ofthe intestines, and at the same time to relax those of the skin; such an in- dication, he says, may be fulfilled by exhi- biting Tormentil root, or any other vegeta- ble astringent, with Ipecacuan. Astringents with Narcotics, an J Absor- bents. It has been already observed, that in a Diarrhoea, depending upon the influx of acrid fluids into the intestines, there are three modes of treatment by which the ma- lady may be obviated, viz. by a narcotic, diminishing the irritability of the intestines ; by an astringent, restraining the serous ex- cretion ; and by an absorbent, neutralizing the acrid matter. As the modes of action ara not incompatible with each other, they may be simultaneously established with the greatest advantage. See Form. 52. Astringents with Tonics. A combina- tion of certain medicines belonging to these two classes is frequently indicated ; in the treatment of passive hemorrhage, we have to astringe the bleeding vessels, and, at the same time, to cure the hemorrhagic diathe- sis by remedies which are capable of restor- ing the general tone ofthe system. In the treatment ofthe chronic and humid coughs of old persons, I have very frequently wit- nessed the beneficial union of the warm and stimulating influence of Myrrh with the astringent effects of Sulphate of Zinc. Form. 69 presents the combination which I have usually adopted with success on such occa- sions. Diuretics with Tonics. As Dropsy is frequently associated with great debility, the practitioner should combine his diure- tics with some tonic medicine; but in form- ing a judgment upon the case he must be guided by those precepts which have been laid down under the consideration of Diu- retics at page 128. See Form. 114. Diuretics with Aromatic Stimulants. Such a combination will be found advanta- geous in those cases where the powers of the system require to be excited by more prompt measures than those afforded by the agency of tonics. Ethereal preparations, with Squill and other stimulating diuretics, are well calculated upon such occasions to afford valuable assistance. Form. 101— 116. Tonics with Diffusible Stimulants. In the cure of dyspepsia, we frequently require a remedy, for the purpose of obvi- ating debility, that is more sudden in its action, and prompt in its effects, than that of a bitter tonic, whose operation is almost imperceptible ; while the case may at the same time stand in need of that permanent increase of tone, which the latter remedy can alone supply; such an indication there- fore must be fulfilled by combination. Form, 40, 42. APPENDI Tonics with Purgatives. In the exhi- bition of tonic medicines it is frequently essential to accompany their operation with purgation; in intermittent fevers, for in- stance, when attended with a redundant secretion of bile, or any obstruction of the viscera, the bark must be given in combi- nation with some laxative, for which pur- pose Boerhaave has recommended Muriate of Ammonia ; Mead, Rhubarb; whilst in many cases, experience suggests the pro- priety of selecting some of the warmer cathartics, especially the Aloetic; and I 6hall take this opportunity to observe, that notwithstanding the opinion so strongly expressed by Sydenham, that " to add any thing to the bark argues either ignorance or craft," the most respectable testimony may be adduced to dembnstrate the great ad- vantages which have arisen from the vari- ous combinations of this heroic remedy. Sir George Baker has said that " there is less of reason than of severity" in the above remark of Sydenham ; for that it was found in the cure of the intermittent fever which he describes, that, according to circumstan- ces, sometimes the Virginian snake root, and in other cases Myrrh, were added with propriety and advantage; and, according to the experience of several practitioners, a drachm of the rust of iron, and the same quantity of the powder of black pepper, added to each ounce of bark, were the means of subduing the most inveterate agues. Formula 44 presents a combina- tion which we learn from Dr. Petrie's letter to Sir George Baker, constitutes a celebrated Dutch remedy for an ague, and which was tried with success in the hospi- tal at Lincoln, in those obstinate intermit- tents which prevailed in the year 1781. Hillary speaks of an epidemic intermittent at Barbadoes, in which the bark was of no avail, unless combined with saline remedies, or some of the tonic bitters. Dr. Barton has stated that Bark combined with Mer- cury in a small proportion, is one of the best remedies for removing the swelling of the spleen after an intermittent. Expectorants with Diffusible Stimu- lants. We have seen that expectorants may be usefully associated with tonics ; it sometimes occurs that these remedies re- quire the addition of some diffusible stimu- lant. In certain states of Peripneumonia notha, where the powers of life are ebbing, and the lungs become inundated with viscid mucus, I have experienced the value of a combination of some stimulating ex- pectorant and ammonia. Antacids with Tonics. In the cure of cardialgia we have obviously two indica- tions ; to neutralize the offending acid by some chemical agent, and to correct the morbid state of the digestive functions by some appropriate remedy. See Form. 152. X—No. I. 519 The same observation will apply in the treatment of certain cases of chlorosis, where cardialgia is not unfrequently a very vexatious attendant, and solicits the union of emmenagogues with antacids, or absorb- ents, as in Form. 99. Lithonthryptics with Narcotics. As a palliative in calculous irritation, the union of alkalies and opium proves a valuable resource. Henbane may likewise be advan- tageously combined with a Lithonthryptic; for, be it remembered, that few narcotics are more efficacious in allaying nephritic irritation. (Form. 156.) We have also fre- quently two important indications to fulfil in the treatment of urinary concretions; where the lithic acid diathesis prevails, it will be necessary to neutralize any acidity in the first passages, and at the same time to regulate the functions of the skin ; we have moreover to give tone to the digestive organs; so that in such cases, the art of medicinal combination is well calculated to extend our resources. In the formation of these compounds we should rarely attempt to fulfil more than two indications, although cases may occur in which it will be eligible to assail the disease with an engine of triple powers, as exemplified by Form. 52. In constructing, however, such complex arrangements, the practitioner must of course take care that he does not fall into the error of Contra-indication, and com- bine substances which possess properties essentially different, and which are at vari- ance with or directly opposed to each other; it is an error of the most serious description, and unfortunately is one of too common occurrence in the lower walks of medical practice; " crimine ab uno disce omnes." I lately met with a country prac- titioner who, upon being asked by a lady whom he attended, the intention of three different draughts which he had sent her, replied, that one would warm, the second cool her, and that the third was calculated to moderate the too violent effects of either; thus it is that discredit and contempt fall upon the use of medicines, which ought only to attach!to the ignorant pretenders, or designing knaves who administer them. Having, in the commencement of this inquiry, stated that all the principles of combination, capable of practical applica- tion in the construction of extemporaneous formulae, are exemplified in the composition of the various productions of Nature, I shall conclude the present section by showing, that many of our most valuable vegetables owe their useful properties to the joint operation of the several distinct and different ingredients which entyr into their composition. How many substances does Nature produce in the vege- table kingdom, in which the permanent tonic quality of bitterness exerts its influence in 520 APPENDIX—No. I. union with the transient stimulating powers of an aromatic principle ? indeed there is a series of vegetable remedies of this kind : commencing with those that are sim- ply bitter, we gradually proceed through the different species, each blending as we advance an increasing proportion of aroma, until we arrive at those in which the aroma* tic quality greatly preponderates. Peru- vian Bark may be said to combine within itself the properties of bitterness, as- tringency, and aroma; a fact which sug- gested the probability of our being able to produce an artificial compound that might emulate the effects of Cinchona, and to a certain extent the idea appears to have been realized ; for we are told by Dr. Cul- len that he frequently succeeded in the cure an intermittent by a combination of Oak Bark and Gentian, when neither bit- ters nor astringents, separately, produced the least impression ; and I am informed by Dr. Harrison, that in the Horncastle Dis- pensary, of which he was for many years physician, he never employed any other re- medy for curing the ague of Lincolnshire than equal parts of Bistorta (astringent) and Calamus Aromaticus (bitter and aroma- tic) neither of which plants, individually, ever produced the least benefit in such dis- eases. Berzelius attempted to produce a compound of this description by adding to the bark of the Ash some Tormentil root and Ginger ; and he observes that it acted as an excellent tonic, and that according to the experiments of his friends it seemed to cure quartan agues.* In the aromatic barks and woods, such as those ofthe Ca- nella, Orange-peel, Sassafras, &c. the aro- matic principlef is combined with a bitter ingredient; a union which proves of singu- lar service in the formidable bowel com- plaints so common in tropical climates. The great superiority of the hop, as an ingredient in our malt liquors, depends upon the fact of its containing within itself several distinct and independent elements of activity, which the other bitter herbs that have at different times been employed as its substitute, do not possess. The philoso- phy of its operation may be adduced as a striking illustration ofthe present subject; first then, it contains as bitter principle, which imparts to the beverage a tonic qua- lity and an agreeable flavour; while at the same time an aromatic ingredient adds a warm and stimulant property, and modifies the bitterness ; the hop, moreover, contains * Dr. Young's Medical Literature, Edit. 2, p. 570. 1" The vegetable kingdom presents us with many natural compounds of this kind ; several of which might he pressed into the service of medicine with much advantage. With respect to the number and variety of such substances, it must be confessed that our Pharmacopoeia contains but a meagre bill of fare. an astringent ingredient (Tannin and Gallic Acide), the effects of which are to precipi- tate vegetable mucilage, and thus to re- move from the beer the active principle of its fermentation; every attempt therefore to substitute an ordinary bitter for that of the hop must necessarily fail, unless a com- pound can be so artfully constructed as to contain in due proportions, the principles of bitterness, astringency, and aroma. Quas- sia must therefore necessarily prove but a sorry substitute; it will impart bitterness enough, but it will not be modified by agree- able aroma ; and as it contains no astringent principle, it will fail in precipitating the ve- getable mucilage, or gluten; in consequence of which the beer so manufactured will be in a perpetual state of fermentation until it is entirely spoilt.* Rhubarb is another me- dicinal plant, which may be brought for- ward in elucidation of the analogies subsist- ing between natural and artificial combina- tions ; in this case Nature has presented us with a singular and most important union of medicinal powers,—that of an astringent, with a cathartic property! virtues, which we might, without the light of experience, have pronounced to be incompatible with each other; and yet we find that in this in- stance the property of astringency never interferes with, or opposes the purgative force, since the former does not display itself unless the substance be administered in small doses; or, when given in larger ones, not until it has ceased to operate as a cathartic. IV. To OBTAIN A NEW AND ACTIVE REMEDT NOT AFFORDED BY ANT SINGLE SUBSTANCE. A. By combining medicines which excite different actions in the Stomach and System, in consequence of which New, or modified results, are produced. This constitutes by far the most obscure part ofthe subject of medicinal combination, and must ever continue so until we become better acquainted with the laws which go- vern the action of medicinal substances upon the living system. That the most valuable effects, however, are really produced by such arrangements, we have the testimony of long experience, and examples are fur- nished in the valuable and well-known operation of many officinal preparations; thus the " Pulvis Ipecacuanhce compositus" contains as its active elements, Opium and Ipecacuanha; and yet, in well regulated doses, it neither possesses the narcotic operation of the former, nor the nauseating t The same reasoning will explain why English hops, that contain more Gallic Acid and Tannin than those imported from the Continent, are luund lo be superior as prestrratires of beer. APPENDIX—No. I 521 effects of the latter; they appear to be mu- tually lost, and converted into a powerful diaphoretic: so again, the emetic opera- tion of Sulphuret of Antimony, and the speci- fic influence of Calomel, are changed by combination with each other, giving rise to a remedy eminently distinguished for its powers as an alterative. Dr. Bree observes that Tincture of Squills combined with Ex- tract of Henbane, and lhe JVitric Acid, have been proved by much experience to be ex- pectorant and sedative in a paroxysm of asthma, although each article, uncombined, had been given without success. See Form. 139. The efficacy of Hemlock, in quieting Pulmonary irritation, has been frequently- adverted to in the course of this work; I have to state, in this place, that its value, on such occasions, is generally enhanced by combination with Ipecacuanha. It is probable that many of our natural re- medies owe their efficacy to the results of a similar species of combination. In the fourth edition of this work it was stated that, according to the assertion of Dr. Chapman, "Kino, when administered in union with Coltimba, constituted a pretty certain and powerful purgative ;" since the publication of this fact, 1 have investigated what, if true, would appear to be a most extraordinary anomaly in the philosophy of medicinal combination, and I find that the statement of Dr. Chapman* is not borne out by expe- riment. That we might arrive at a just con- clusion upon this subject, I requested the assistance of my friend Dr. John Davy, whose character for experimental accuracy, and whose situation as Superintendant of the Medical Division of the General Military Hospital at Chatham, seemed to point him out as a person peculiarly adapted for such an inquiry; the result of his trials does not establish that of the experiments of Dr. Chapman, but on the contrary it seems to prove that neither Kino nor Columba, when taken separately, has a constipating effect, and that in the form of powder (especially the Calumba) each has an aperient quality, which is not increased by exhibiting the two medicines together in a state of mix- ture. The trials from which these infer- ences are drawn were made on different in- dividuals in tolerable.health, and they were repeated more than once; in some cases they were given separately, and in others mixed together, in doses varying from a scruple to a drachm of each. B. By combining Substances which have the property of acting chemically upon each other ; the result of which is the for- mation of new Compounds, or the de- composition of the original Ingredients, and the development of their more ac- tive Elements. •Therapeutics, vol. 2, p. 470, 66 A. The Formation ofJVew Compounds. It is not necessary to extend our re- searches beyond the range of the Pharma- copoeia,! to collect a variety of interesting and important examples, in illustration of f.his division of our subject; if we require a striking example ofthe agency of chemi- cal combination in destroying the identity of the original constituents, and of giving origin to a compound of new powers, it may be exemplified by the well known in- stance of Sulphate of Potass, a substance possessing but a weak affinity for water, and exerting but little energy upon the animal economy; whereas the two ingredients of which it consists are distinguished for the extreme eagerness with which they unite with water, and for the caustic activity which they display in their action upon animal matter. Under this head the class of metals will also present itself to our consideration, all the individuals of which, with the excep- tion perhaps of iron, are perfectly inert and harmless ; even arsenic, lead, copper, and mercury, which in certain states of combi- nation constitute some ofthe most virulent of known substances, exert no action upon the living system, unless they be in union with some other body ; but when so united, how valuable do they become, and what va- rious medicinal effects may they not be made to produce. . The Acetic Acid and Ammonia become neutralized by combination with each other, affording a compound of new virtues. Sul- phate of Zinc, and Acetate of Lead, when mixed together in solution, decompose each other, and the Acetate of Zinc which is formed, affords a more valuable remedy than either of the former salts, as an appli- cation in ophthalmia. The " Mistura Ferri Composita" of our Pharmacopceia offers an- other example of the same chemical re- source. 1 also beg the reader to refer to the construction of Formula 82, which pre- sents an instance of a purgative draught being produced by combination, in which the original properties of every element are entirely changed. See also Formula 87, the chemical actions of^which are more complicated, but no less instructive than the preceding one; the ingredients of the formula are the Carbonates of Soda and Magnesia,—Sulphate of Iron,—Diluted Sul- phuric Acid, and Water—and when mixed together, the following decompositions would appear to take place ; the free Sul- phuric Acid, together with that which exists in the Sulphate of Iron, being just sufficient to decompose the Carbonates of Soda and t This subject has been ably illustrated by Mr. R. Phillips, in his translation of the London Pharma- copoeia, by a series of very striking and instructive diagrams- • 322 Magnesia, forms two neutral Sulphates (viz. Sulphates of Soda undMagntsia,) and there- by disengages a volume of Carbonic Acid Gas, which not only increase-s the purgutive operation of the new saline compounds, but, by its excess, holds in solution the Car- bonate of Iron, which is formed by the de-. composition of the Sulphate, and which in that state displays an effect powerfully tonic. Before we quit the consideration of medi- cinal compounds as the results of chemical action, it is expedient to remind the practi- tioner of the essential difference between Mixture and Combination, a difference which affects the medicinal virtues no less than the chemical characters of bodies ; it is de- termined by ample experience, that sub- stances will produce effects upon the living system when presented in a state of simple mechanical mixture, very different from those which the same medicines will occa- sion when they are combined by the agen- cy of chemical affinity, as is well exemplified in the comparative effects of alcohol as ex- isting in ardent spirits, and in wine (see Vinum) ; or in the relative powers of Mer- cury in the Unguentum Hydrargyri of the London College, and the Unguentum Oxidi Hydrargyri cinerei of the Pharmacopoeia of Edinburgh, (see Unguent. Hydrargyri;) the former of whicli is a true chemical com- pound, whereas the latter is a simple mix- ture of its ingredients. B. The Development of Active Elements. The accomplishment of such an effect is in many instances the sole object of a phar- maceutical process. It is thus that we ob- tain pure Citric acid from the juice of the Lemon ; Tartaric acid, from Cream of Tar- tar ; Benzoic acid, from the resinous sub- stance known by the name of Gum Benzoin; upon the same principle, the Muriatic and JVitric acids are elicited from the saline compounds in which they exist. Ammonia, in its pungent form, is developed from its inodorous Muriate ; and the fixed alkalies are obtained in their caustic state, from the comparatively mild carbonates in which they naturally exist. But a more striking and instructive instance of the effect of chemi- cal action, in developing an active, or use- ful principle, cannot perhaps be selected than that ofthe well known stimulant Plais- ter, composed of Muriate of Ammonia, Soap and Lead Plaister, in which the alkali of the soap enters into combination with the muriatic acid, when the Ammonia, upon which the virtues of the plaister solely de- pend, is slowly disengaged in the form of gas, producing a powerfully rubefacient and stimulant effect: the " Cataplasma Fer- tnenti," or " Yeast Poultice," is indebted for its antiseptic properties to a similar agency, for they do not depend upon any virtue in the ingredients themselves, but v—No. I. upon their decomposition, and the conse- quent development of an active element, which is Carbonic Acid. The practitioner unacquainted with the modus operandi of these combinations, would inevitably fall into an error by which their efficacy must be lost: he would hardly apply them as soon as they were formed, nor would he be aware ofthe necessity of repeating them at short intervals. The decomposition of Calomel by lime water, forming the well known "black wash," and that of corrosive sublimate in the same fluid, constituting the " aqua phaga- denica," furnish remedies which derive all their peculiar efficacy from the develop- ment of the mercury in different states of oxidation. The reader will find another and a very striking illustration of the same principle in the history of " Alterative Drops," under the article " Hydrargyri Oxy-murias," in Vol. 2. A substance separated by chemical pre- cipitation is often a valuable remedy, being in a much more subtle and impalpable form than any body can be rendered by mecha- nical triture and levigation ;* for example the Carbonate of Lead, (Cerussa,) when diffusedjin water, is, according to the expe- rience of our best surgeons, far less active as a topical application than the same sub- stance when produced at once by precipi- tation from the Sub-acetate of that metal. In some cases, also, the substance obtained by precipitation is in a different state of oxidation from that which is prepared by a different process, see Mist. Ferri comp. It is a question well worthy of considera- tion, whether a more active preparation of the Antimonial powder might not be formed by obtaining the oxide by the precipitation of Tartarized Antimony. Many interesting and important illustra- tions have been lately afforded by an ex- tended knowledge of vegetable chemistry, recent analyses having developed princi- ples of extreme activity from several of our most esteemed plants; thus have Sertuerner and Robiquet succeeded in separating a narcotic element from Opium, (Morphia ,) Majendie, and Pelietier, an emetic principle from Ipecacuan (Emeta,-) and the last men- tioned chemist, together with Caventou, a tonic one from Peruvian Bark,( Cinchonia,) the properties and applications of which will be fully explained in the second vo- lume, under the history of the different substances which contain them. It is only here necessary to caution the practitioner against those fallacies into which the captivating theories ofthe che- mist may seduce him; and if the views which 1 have offered upon the subject of * See my work on Medical Chemistry: Sect. Pre- cipitation. APPENDS APPENDIX—No. I. 523 combination be correct, it will follow as a corollary, that the concentration of an ac- tive element must in many cases abridge its powers as a remedy ; for although the mat- ter thus removed may individually be quite inert, yet, in combination, it may subdivide the particles ofthe essential constituent, or modify its solubility, and give impulse and steadiness to its operation ; thus the vege- table alkali Quina, although it indisputably constitutes the active matter of bark, will be found inefficacious when separated from it, unless it be rendered soluble by the ad- dition of sulphuric, or some other acid. C. By combining- substances, between which no other chemical change is induced, than a diminution, or an increase, in the Solubilities of the principles, which are the repositories of their medicinal viriues. The degree of solubility possessed by a medicinal substance may perhaps be re- garded by some practitioners as a circum- stance of but little or no importance ; it will however appear in many cases that it not only influences the activity of a remedy, but, like its dose, goes far to determine its specif c operation; indeed, where a medicine is not, in itself, very soluble, the increase of its solubility by any chemical expedient, is tantamount to an increase of its dose. It is probably owing to the diversity which exists in the solubility ofthe active elements of certain purgatives, that so great a diver- sity occurs in their operation ; it is, for in- stance, easy to conceive that a medicine may act more immediately and specially on the stomach, small, or large intestines, ac- cording to the relative facility with which its principles of activity enter into solu- tion : that those which are dissolved before they puss the pylorus are quick and violent in their effects, and liable to affect the sto- mach, as is exemplified by the action of Gamboge, &c. whilst some resinous purga- tives, on the other hand, as they contain principles less soluble, seldom act until they have passed out of the stomach, and often not uutil they have reached the colon. Colocynth has a wider range of operation, since its principles of activity reside both in soluble and insoluble elements. Aloes again, being still farther insoluble, pass through the whole alimentary canal before they are sufficiently dissolved, and act therefore more particularly upon the rectum, by which they are liable to produce piles, te- nesmus, and the various effects which so usually attend their operation. The cha- racteristic effects of Rhubarb, Senna, Saline Cathartics, and indeed of all individual sub- stances which compose the class of the purgative medicines, will also admit of a satisfactory explanation from the applica- tion of these views. It ought moreover to enable the practitioner, by changing the solubilities of these substances, to change their medicinal effect. Experience shows that this is the fact, and that it may be ef- fected either by the intervention of substan- ces that act Chemically ; or, by the addition of Ingredients whose operation is entirely Me- chanical : thus by combining Aloes with Soap or an Alkaline Salt, we quicken their operation, and remove their tendency to ir- ritate the rectum; the Compound Decoction of Aloes affords a combination of this kind. Gamboge, whose too ready solubility it is an object to obviate should be intimately in- corporated with some insoluble purgative, as for instance Aloes,- a formula of this na- ture was introduced by Dr. George For- dyce, and it has been since simplified and admitted into our Pharmacopoeia, under the title of " Piluhe Cambogix Composite." Tartrate of Potash, which on account of its comparative solubility, has gained the name of Soluble Tartar, acts with corresponding briskness upon the small intestines ; but by increasing its proportion of Tartaric Acid, we convert it into a super tartrate or " Cream of Tartar," which is a substance characte- rized by a comparative degree of insolubi- lity, and a correspondent change is produ- ced in the medicinal activity of the salt; its purgative effects are considerably di- minished, while its diuretic powers are rendered more considerable. We may even extend this experiment by adding to the Cream of Tartar, Boracic Acid, a substance capable of increasing to a certain extent its solubility ; when we shall again find that its purgative properties are strengthened in an equal proportion. ft has been observed that a mixture of different saline cathartics is more efficient than an equivalent dose of any single one, a fact which is strikingly exemplified in the prompt and active operation of Chelten- ham Salts, in comparatively small doses, as well as in that of sea water. I submit whether this may not in some degree de- pend upon increased solubility ; for it is a law well known to the chemist, that when water has ceased to act upon a salt, in conse- quence of its having obtained the term of sa- turation, the solution may still take up an- other salt of a different kind. I apprehend that an advantageous application of this law might be frequently made in practice, and the energies of a remedy thereby consider rably extended.* Where the active principle of a cathartic is not sufficiently soluble, it is apt to vex and irritate the bowels, producing tormina instead of exciting a free and copious ex- * An ingenious application of this law has been made for the purpose of purifying Epsom Salts. See Magnesix Sulphas; and aUe my work on Mcfli. cal Chemistry, Ar'. ■St!n!i'm. 524 APPENDIX—So. I. cretion ; hence uic reason why the opera- tion of resinous purgatives is so commonly attended with griping, and why relief may be obtained by combining them with neu- tral salts. Thus also Senna, whose virtues reside in extractive matter, is apt by decoc- tion, or long exposure to the air, to act with griping, in consequence of the extractive matter becoming, by oxidation, resinous and comparatively insoluble : this effect is best counteracted by the addition of soluble Tartar, that will quicken its action, or by an alkaline salt that will increase its solu- bility. It appears then to be established as a pharmaceutical maxim, that the intensity and even specific action of a purgative medi- cine may be modified or completely changed, by changing the degree of solubility possess- ed by the principles in which its activity re- sides. The application of this principle is high- ly important in practice, directing us in the choice of the. different purgatives, accord- ing to the objects which we may wish to fulfil by them, and pointing out safe and easy methods by which we may increase, diminish, retard, or accelerate their opera- tion ; it thus enables us to construct new and powerful combinations, by imparting to established remedies fresh activity, or by mitigating the acrimony and violence of arrangements in other respects efficacious and eligible. In the exhibition of solid substances, their mechanical state of division may be capable of modifying their operation, from the influence which this condition must ne- cessarily exert upon their solubilities, al- though I am by no means disposed to as- sign to it the importance which Gaubius has ventured to express, " Sunt quae rudi- ter pulverata alvum, subtilius vero urinas, out alios humores movent,-" and Kay, speak- ing of the Asarum (Hist. p. 208,) has the following remark—" Quo tenuius est tritum, eo magis urinas movere, minus autem. alvum dticere creditur;" and Limncus* observes thatthisNsame plant, when exhibited in the state of very fine powder, uniformly acts as an emetic, but that when coarsely powder- ed it always passes the stomach, and be- comes cathartic. M. Virey has made a similar observation with respect to Helle- bore,—" L' Hellebore pulverise fait vomiter ; concusse" il purge ; et en decoction prolongee, il en devient sudorifique ou diuretique." 1 have endeavoured under the article Pulve- res to establish some useful precepts upon this subject, to which 1 beg to refer the reader. The influence of solubility upon the me- * Amcsnitates Acadeni: T. 7, p. 307. dicinal energies and specific effects of re- medies, may be farther illustrated by a com- parative examination of the virtues of the Acetate and Sub-acetate (Goulard's Extract) of Lead.- the former preserves its solubili- ty and integrity under any degree of dilu- tion, while the latter, when slightly diluted with the purest water, in consequence of the carbonic acid diffused through it, gives out a copious precipitate: the acetate therefore is undoubtedly the more imme- diately active application as a preparation of lead, but it is nevertheless perhaps less adapted to remove inflammation and abate irritation than the turbid mixture of the sub-acetate, since the slow and gradual ac- tion which is ensured by the latter is more desirable than the instantaneous operation of the same remedy, applied in a more so- luble form: the popular injection for go- norrhea, consisting of a mixed solution of Sulphate of Zinc and Acetate of Lead, pro- bably owes much of its value to the insolu- ble precipitate of Sulphate of lead which necessarily takes place, and which from be- coming entangled in the mucus of the ure- thra, produces a more permanent stimulus than what could have happened from a so- luble salt: (Form. 62) thus again,the Sul- phuret of Antimony, and some other prepa- rations of that metal, of slow solubility, es- tablish a more permanent influence than Tartarized Antimony, and may be prefera- ble to it in cases where immediate and ac- tive evacuations are not required. Of remedies composed of vegetable to- nics, the useful application of this principle is also apparent. Thus the addition of al- kalies, or lime water, to the infusions of Gentian, &c. or to the decoctions of Bark, by rendering their extractive and resinous principles more soluble, increase their ele- gance, and exalt their virtues, (Form. 39, 41,) although this law admits of an import- ant exception to be hereafter explained.— A knowledge of this principle likewise of- fers many useful hints connected with the successful exhibition of active remedies; it points out the medicines which require di- lution in order to promote their operation, and those wiiose too speedy and violent ef- fects may be retarded and checked by an abstinence from all potation. Thus, in the exhibition of Diuretics likely to become cathartic or diaphoretic, no liquid should be given for-at least an hour ufter their ad- ministration ; the same caution applies with respect to the Compound Powder of Ipeca- cuau,which has a strong tendency to excite vomiting. When the remedy has passed out of the stomach, then the ingestion of fluids may, and ought to be encouraged. To Sir Francis Milman the profession is highly indebted for hints concerning the importance of accompanying the exhibition APPENDIX—No. I. 52^ it Diuretics with plentiful dilution;* the ar- guments he adduces elucidate in a very sa- tisfactory manner the view which has been just taken of the Influence of Solcbil- itt. The influence of solubilityj- in increasing the virulence of a poisonous substance, has already!been illustrated very fully (p. 172), and it has also been shown under what cir- cumstance it may be admissible. When these active substances are administered as reme- dies, in small doses, the precept respecting their solubility is even more important, for in such cases the smallness of the quantity places their operation more immediately under the control of various incidental agents ; destroy the solubility of a medi- cine, and you will probably divest it of those properties which render it useful.— JVitrate of Silver, by coming in contact with I a Muriatic Salt, is rendered quite inert, I and may be discovered unaltered in the * See also a paper in the Medical Transactions, ] vol. 2, entitled, " Several extraordinary instances of the cure of Dropsy, by George Baker, M. O. Head | September 9, 1771." t The most subtle of all poisons,—the matter of Febrile contagion,—is certainly modified in activity i by the degree of moisture in the atmosphere inllu- encing its solubility; the plague is said to be most common in Egypt after the inundation of the Nile, a period at which the atmosphere is necessarily satu- rated with water; according to the account of Sir Robert Wilson, the English and Turkish armies that inarched to Cairo escaped contagion, while the troops that remained stationary on the moist shore of Abou- kir, were very severely visited. On the other hand the Harmattan, a wind experienced on the western coast of Africa, between the Equator and fifteen degrees North Latitude, blowing from north-east to- wards the Atlantic, and which, in consequence of its passage over a very extensive space of arid land, is necessarily characterized by excessive dryness, puts an end to all Epidemics, as the Small Pox ; and in- fection at such a time does not appear to be easily communicable even by art. Philosophical Transac- tions, vol. 21. • The difficulty of communicating infection to ani- mals during a dry state of the air, as remarked on the Western Coasts of Africa, during the blowing of the Harmattan, agrees with some observations on Plague by the French physicians, as this complaint first made its appearance in the French army during a moist state of the air in Syria, when it lay under the walls of Jaffa in February, 1800. It is a well known fact that volatile bodies are sooner converted into a gaseous state by the pre- sence of water in the atmosphere ; this is strikingly exemplified by the greater rapidity with which lime- stone is burnt and reduced to quick lime in moist weather, and by the assistance which is rendered in a dry season, l>y placing a pan of water in the ash-pit; so again, the perfume of flowers is most sensible when the air is humid, as during the fall of the eve- ning dew, or in the morning when the dew evapo- rates, and is dissipated by the rays of the rising sun ; for the same reason the stench of putrid ditches and common sewers, is conveyed to the organs of smell much more speedily in summer previous to rain, whr-n the air is cliavgetl with moisture. faeces of persons to whom it has been ad- ministered. See Argenti JVitras. Under the article Plumbi Acetas the prac- titioner will also find that the conjunction of this substance with any sulphuric salt, at once deprives it of its valuable properties as a remedy in Hemoptysis. Some practitioners, whose opinions I al- ways receive with respect, have considered these views respecting the influence of so- lubility as savouring too much of the re- finement of theory, and instances have been suggested which would appear to invalidate their pretensions; upon examination, how- ever, it will be found that such exceptions are but apparent, and depend upon the sol- vent action of the gastric fluid. Thus the Protoxide of Iron would appear to be solu- ble in the fluids of the stomach, and is con- sequently an active medicine, whereas the Peroxide of the same metal, being insoluble under such circumstances, requires to be combined with an acid, as in the Tinctura Ferri Muriatis, to render it efficacious.— The same remark will probably apply to the oxides of antimony. I shall conclude this section upon the influence of Solubility, by the relation of an anecdote which may tend to con- firm the justness of the views I have offered, more satisfactorily perhaps than any additional arguments derived from a scientific examination of chemical and me- dicinal facts ; in as much as it presents us with a practice, the utility of which has been discovered by unassisted experience, and must consequently be independent of theory. The American Indians, whenever they undertake a long journey, and are like- ly to be destitute of provisions, employ To- bacco for the purpose of counteracting the uneasy sensations of hunger, and in its pre- paration for such a purpose they adopt an expedient for modifying its powers, and protracting its effects, which affords an in- structive illustration ofthe influence of so. lability ; it consists in combining the juice of Tobacco with the , pulverized shells of snails, cockles, and oysters ;\ the mass is dried, and formed intqtpills, of a convenient size to be held between the gum and lip, which being gradually dissolved, and swal- lowed, fulfil the intention required.^ X They are previously calcined, but not burnt to lime, to an extent only that may destroy their tena- city, and render them fit for levigation. I A similar custom is common to the Indians of the whole of Asia, and of America; for the prac- tice of the South American Indians, ee Humboldt's Personal Narrative. In India, Betel, variously com- pounded, is employed for the purpose above stated. The mixture more commonly used in Ceylon con- sists of quick-lime, Areca-uut, and tobacco, wrapped in Betel leaf. On ordinary occasions it is only mas- ticated : but to repress the painful ca!h of hunger, the juice is swallowed. 526 APPENDIX—No. I. V. To AFFORD AN ELIGIBLE FORM. A. By which the efficacy of the remedy is enhanced. After the views which have been sub- mitted in the progress ofthe present inqui- ry, it is evident, that the form in which a remedy is administered may exert some in- fluence upon its medicinal effects; for ad- ditional proofs of this fact, and for more particular directions, see Decocta, Infusa, Tincturce, Misturce, Pilulx, Pulveres, &c. When a substance, or a combination of substances, requires the addition of some* other one, for the purpose of imparting a convenient, agreeable, or efficacious form, a vehicle should always be selected, whose ef- fects will be likely to correspond with the in- tention ofthe ingredients. This precept may be exemplified by a reference to Form. 80, 134, and others, the key-letters of which announce the modus operandi of their re- spective vehicles. B. By which its aspect or favour is render- ed more agreeable. It should ever be the object of the prac- titioner to accommodate, as far as he is able, the form and flavour of his medicines to the taste and caprice of his patient, provided always that he does not compromise their efficacy, and which often appears to be nearly connected with those sensible quali- ties which render them disgusting and ob- jectionable. Some medicines are more grateful to the stomach, as well as more efficacious in their operation, when exhibited in the state of effervescence. To effect this we have only to introduce an alkaline carbonate into the formula, and to direct a portion of some vegetable acid to be added just before it is swallowed. We must, however, take care that the ingredients are of a nature not likely to be decomposed by the alkali, in the first instance, or by the neutral salt, which is formed, in the second. See Form. 27, 82, 86. C. By which it is preserved from the spontaneous decomposition to which it is liable. It is sometimes adviseable to add an in- gredient for the purpose of preventing the sudden decomposition of a medicine ; thus is the Compound Tincture of Cardamoms, added to the Compound Decoction of Aloes, in order that the latter may be preserved a longer period without change. The addi- tion of sugar will prevent ointments from becoming rancid. Vegetable infusions, that are susceptible of mouldiness, are best pre- served from such deterioration by some aro- matic addition. For the knowledge of this fact we are indebted to Dr. Mac Culloch, who in a very interesting paper, lately pub- lished in the Edinburgh Philosophical Jour- nal,* has observed, that perfumes, such as Essential Oils, &c. will prevent the produc- tion and growth of those minute cryptoga- mous vegetables, upon which the pheno^ menon of mouldiness depends f Such are the objects which are to be at- tained by combining several substances in one Formula, and such the laws by which these compositions are to be regulated ; but unless a physician can satisfactorily trace the operation ef each element in his pre- scription to the accomplishment of one or more ofthe objects which 1 have enumera- ted, simplicity snould be regarded by him as the greatest desideratum. I was once « told by a practitioner in the country that the quantity, or rather complexity of the medicines which he gave his patients, for there never was any deficiency in the for- mer, was always increased in a ratio with the obscurity of their cases ; " if," said he, " 1 fire a great profusion of shot, it is very extraordinary if some do not hit the mark." Sir Gilbert Blane+ has given us a similar anecdote ; "a practitioner being asked by his patient why he put so many ingredients nto his prescription, is said to have answer- ed more facetiously than philosophically, " in order that the disease may take which it likes best." A patient in the hands of such a practitioner has not a much better chance than the Chinese Mandarin, who, upon be- * Vol. viii. p. 33. t Dr. Mac Culloch, in illustration of this subject, states, that ink, paste, and seeds, are among the com- mon articles which suffer from such a cause, and to which this remedy is easily applicable. With respect to articles of food, such as bread, cold meats, or dried fish, it is less easy to apply the remedy, on account of the taste; cloves, however, and other spices whose flavours are grateful, may sometimes be used for this end. It is notorious that gingerbread, and bread containing carraway seeds, are far less liable to mouldiness than plain bread. The effect of cloves in preventing the mouldiness of ink is generally known ; and the same result may be obtained by oil of lavender in a very minute quantity, or by any other of the perfumed oils. Russian.leather, which is perfumed with the tar of the Birch tree, is not subject to mouldiness, as must be well known to all who possess books thus bound ; they even prevent it from taking place in books which are bound in calf, and near-whicli they may happen to lie. Paste is another perishable article, and although Alum which is used by the book-binder, will certainly preserve it longer than it would remain useful without it, still it is not very effectual. Rosin, sometimes used by the shoemaker, answers the purpose better, and ap- pears to act entirely on this principle ; it is, how- ever, far ltss effectual tliau even oil of turpentine ; Lavender, and the other strong perfumes, as Pep- permint, Anise, aud Bergomot, are pi rfectlye iectual, even in a very small quantity, and paste may be thus preserved for any length of time. % Medical Logic, Edit. 2. p. 192, note. ing attacked with any disorder, calls in twelve or more physicians, and swallows in one mixture all the potions which each se- parately prescribes! Let not the young practitioner however be so deceived; he should remember that unless he be well acquainted with the mu- tual actions which bodies exert upon each other, and upon the living system, it may be laid down as an axiom, that in proportion as he complicates a medicine, he does but mul- tiply the chances of its failure. Superflua ncnq.cam son socent ; let him cherish this maxim in his remembrance, and in forming compounds, always discard from them every element which has not its mode of action clearly defined, and as thoroughly under- stood. The perfection of a Medicinal Prescrip- tion may be defined by three words; it should be Precise (in its directions,) Con- cise (in its construction,) Decisive (in its operation.) It should carry upon its very face an air of energy and decision, and speak intelligibly the indications which it is to fulfil. It may be laid down as a position which is not in much danger of being con- troverted, that where the intention of a me- dicinal compound is obscure, its operation •will be imbecile. A Medicinal Formula has been divided into four constituent parts, a division which will be found to admit of useful application to practice, in as much as it was evidently suggested with a view of accomplishing the more prominent objects which have been related in the preceding pages; or, in the language of Asclepiades, of enabling the Basis to operate " C jto," " Tcto," et " Jtj- mjnde." Quickly, Safely, and Pleasantly— thus : I. The Basis, or Principal Medicine. (curare.) II. The Adjuvans ; that which assists and promotes its operation. (" Cito.") III. The Corrigens ; that which corrects its operation. (" Tuto.") IV. The Constituents ; that which imparts an agreeable form. (" Jucunde") These elements however are not all ne- cessarily present in every scientific formula, for many medicines do not require any ad- dition to promote their operation, and the mild and tractable nature of others renders the addition of any corrective unnecessary ; whilst many again are in themselves suffi- ciently manageable, and do not therefore require the intermede of any vehicle or con- stituent. It also frequently occurs that one element is capable of fulfilling two or more ofthe objects required; the Adjuvans for instance, may at the same time act as the IX—No. T. ^27 Corrigens, or Constitceks; thus the ad- dition of Soap to Aloes, or Extract of Jalap, mitigates their acrimony, and at the same time quickens their operation (80.) So again JVeutral Salts both quicken and cor- rect the griping which attends the opera- tion of resinous purgatives. The disposi- tion of the key letters placed opposite to the elements of the following Formulae, will furnish the practitioner with a farther eluci- dation of these principles, viz: 70, 71, 76, 77, 101, 102, 105, 135, &c. This coinci- cidence, if possible, should be always at- tained, for it simplifies the formula, and by decreasing the bulk of the remedy, renders it less nauseous and more elegant.* This division also affords the best general rule for placing the ingredients of a formula in proper order, for the order should cor- respond with that ofthe arrangement; and those elements intended to act in unity should be marshalled together. The che- mical and mechanical nature however of a medicinal substance will occasionally offer exceptions to any general rule; thus the volatile ingredients should be those last added, and the constituent or vehicle should be placed next the particular element to which it is intended to impart convenience or efficacy of form, or a capability of mixing with the other ingredients, as may be seen in Formula 69,71,127,136, &c. This consi- deration induced the Committee appointed to revise the late Pharmacopoeia, to alter the order of the ingredients in the "Mistura Ferri Composita," and to place the " Spiri- tus Myristicce" next in succession to the "Potassx Subcarbonas" and Myrrh. If any substance require decoction or infusion, a question then arises, determinable only by a knowledge of its chemical composition, whether the remaining ingredients should be added previous to, during, or subsequent to, that operation ; Formula 40, which is re- commended by Pringle as a remedy for Typhous Fever, may serve to exemplify this principle. The preparation of the ingre- dients is resolved into three distinct stages, and it is easy to discover that by any other arrangement their several virtues could not be fully obtained, and secured from change. The Cinchona, for instance, yields its full powers only by decoction, a process which * It appears from what has been stated tinder Section I. B. with respect to Diuretics, that some medicines not enly assist, but actually direct the ope- ration of the substances with which they may be as- sociated, and that many remedies act in unison with those they are joined with ; thus Nitre in conjunc- tion with Squill is diuretic; in conjunction with Guaiacum, diaphoretic ; for these reasons I hesitated whether I ought not to have added a fifth constitu- ent, and restored the " Dirigens" of ancient authors ; enough, however, has been said to enable the practi- tioner to appreciate the importance of such a law of medicinal combination. 528 APPENDIX—No. I, would necessarily impair those of Serpenta- ria, connected as they are with an essential oil; whilst the addition of the acid at any other stage ofthe process than that direct- ed, would produce decompositions in the vegetable substances; and it is evident that were the Spirit of Cinnamon added pre- viously, it would be entirely lost by vapori- zation. So in making the Compound De- coction of Sarsaparilla, the Sassafras should be added after the other ingredients have undergone boiling. The Decoctions of Lichen Islandicus and Sarsaparilla, consti- tute a popular remedy on the Continent, in certain forms of Phthisis; now it is evident that as the former plant loses its virtues by long coction, and the latter requires a pro- tracted ebullition for the extraction of its virtues, they ought not to be included un- der the same general directions; each de- coction should be separately performed, and the results subsequently mixed. Compound Medicines have been divided into two classes, viz.— I. Officinal Preparations, which are those ordered in the Pharmaco- poeias, and kept ready prepared in the shops. No uniform class of medicines how- ever can answer the indications of every case, and hence the necessity of II. Magistral, or Extemporaneous For- mula. These are constructed by the practition- er at the moment, and may be either ar- rangements altogether new, or officinal pre- parations with additions or modifications. Too much importance cannot be assigned to the Art which thus enables the physician to adopt and graduate a powerful remedy to each particular case by a prompt and accu- rateprescription; without thisknowledge the practitioner of the nineteenth century, with all the collateral aid of modern science, will be as helpless in the chamber of sickness as the physicians of ancient Egypt, who were obliged by the laws to follow with servile exactness the unvarying mandates of their medical code. Extemporaneous are also pre- ferable to Officinal Formulae, whenever the powers of the compound are less liable to deterioration from being long kept; for ex- amples, see Mistura Ferri composita,- Infu- sum Sennx; Liquor Hydrargyri Oxymuria- iis, &c. The Chemical and Pharmaceutical Er- rors, WHICH MAT BE COMMITTED IN THE composition of extemporaneous for- mula, are referable to the following Sources: I.—Substances are added together which are incapable of mixing, or of forming Compounds of uniform and suitable con- sistence. This may be termed an error in the Me- chanism of the Prescription, and has been generally regarded as being moTe inconve. nient than dangerous, more fatal to the cre- dit of the Prescriber than to the case of the Patient: the observations however which are offered in this work, especially under the article Pilulx, must satisfy the practi- tioner that this error is more mischievous in its effects than has been usually supposed; it is so palpable and self-evident in its na- ture, that it will be unnecessary to illustrate it by more than one or two examples. Ca- lomel, for instance, has been ordered in an aqueous vehicle, and certain resinous tinc- tures have been directed in draughts, with- out the necessary intervention of mucilage ; so again, an intermixture of substances has been formally ordered in powder that pos- sess the perverse property of becoming li- quid by triture, (see Pulveres,) and bodies have been prescribed in the form of pills, whose consistence* renders it impossible that they should preserve the globular rorm; or else they have been so hard and insolu- ble, that they might be fired through a deal board.f In the London Pharmacopoeia of 1809, an error of this kind unfortunately passed without correction with regard to the Formula for preparing the Syrup of Senna. II. Substances are added together which mutually decompose each other, whence their original virtues are changed, or destroyed. This is a more serious, but not a less fre- quent source of error ; it has been already shown in this Analysis (IV. 15.) that the ju- dicious and scientific application of chemi- cal science has furnished new and endless resources to the physician, by exalting the efficacy and correcting the acrimony of es- tablished remedies, or by combining inert substances so as to create new and power- ful medicines. With equal truth and confi- dence it may be asserted, that the abuse of these means not only destroys the virtues ofthe most valuable articles in the Materia Medica, but that the mildest remedy may be thus converted into an instrument of torture, and even of death. In a lecture delivered at Apothecaries' Hall, Mr. Brande stated that he had seen a prescription in which the blue, or mercurial pill, was or- * Dr. Percival in his Essays, ingeniously exem- plifies this error by stating a case which occurred in his own practice. "I ordered," says he, "a combi- nation of Camphor and Balsam of Copaiba in the form of pills, but the apothecary informed me that he was unable to form them into a mass, since they liquified like treacle." I may here observe that the addition of a small portion ofthe coagulated yolk of an egg, would have rendered the mixture practicable. t This* would occur, if in making the Pilulae Ferri Compositae, we were to substitute the Liquor Po- tass* for the Sodse Subcarbonas. APPENDIX—No. I. 529 dered in conjunction with nitric acid, and that the patient was brought to "death's door" from the formation of nitrate of mer- cury in his stomach ! I have myself'lately seen a Recipe, professing to afford a prepa- ration similar to the "Black Drop," and which directed a mixture of a Tincture of Opium, made with rectified spirit, with JVitric Acid; in this case, it may be very safely inferred that the author was not only ignorant of the chemical habitudes of these bodies, but that he never performed the experiment in question, or he would have learnt from dire experience, that in conse- quence ofthe rapid evolution of nitric ether, the contents of the phial will explode with violence, to the imminent hazard of the operator's eye-sight. During the course of my professional practice I have witnessed more than an ordinary share of consumptive cases, and I can confidently state that in the treatment of Hremopthysis, the styptic properties of Acetate of Lead are entirely invalidated by combination witli Alum,* or by its exhibition being accompanied with that of the acidulated infusion of roses, or with small doses of sulphate of magnesia; and yet, I would ask, whether this practice is not usual and general ? The practitioner however cannot be too often reminded that he is not to reject a remedy whose value has been ascertained by experience, merely because it appears to be unchemical: the popular and certainly useful pill, consisting of calomel, rhubarb, and soap, may be ad- duced as an example of this kind. Of the Jilistura Ferri Composita, I will only say- that it is a most valuable combination ; and whether it be the product of accident or the result of philosophical induction, it equally deserves a distinguished place in our list of tonic remedies : but it cannot be denied that many of our esteemed arrange- ments, which are in apparent contradiction to all the laws of composition, owe their efficacy to the operation of affinities alto- gether blind and fortuitous. It has been observed that the practice of combining certain vegetable tonics with lime water, although very common, is, in cases where we are desirous to obtain their astringent effects, of very doubtful proprie- ty; for the fact is, that Tannin forms with the alkalies and alkaline earths, compounds * The " Pharmacopoeia Batcana" contains a for- mula for a " Tinctura Antiphthisica," which is stated to be " a truly good medicament in those consump- tions which proceed from ulcers of the lungs." The following is the Receipt—R. Sacch : Saturn : oz.ij— Sal Martis oz.j—Infus : Spir: Vin: lb.j----Dose from twenty to forty drops. In this case an insolu- ble Sulphate of Lead, must be formed, which will render the medicine, as far at least as its saturnine pffects are concerned, completely inert! 67 that are not soluble in water,* and which are therefore probably inefficacious. It may perhaps be said that such an argument cannot avail, because if the astringent mat- ter be even introduced into the stomach in its purest form, it will immediately form an insoluble compound on its contact with gelatine.* We know so little of the laws of gastric chemistry, that it is difficult to learn what changes take place in the animal laboratory; but it would seem probable that the powers ofthe stomach rather con- sist in decomposing the ingesta into simple forms, than in complicating them by favour- ing new combinations; besides which, if such a compound were formed, it would be subsequently decomposed in transitu ; for the experiments of Sir H. Davy show that vegetable astringent matter passes through the body unchanged, (page 111.) It is impossible to furnish any general rule that may enable the practitioner to avoid mixing together substances which are in- compatible with each other ; a knowledge of their chemical habitudes must in every case direct him, and these are enumerated in the second part of this work, under the history of each medicinal substance. The physician however will find it useful to retain in his remembrance the simple and beautiful law which has been so ably de- veloped by the eminent author ofthe "Sta- tiq.e CaiMiauE," that whenever two salts in a slate of solution are brought together, which contain, within themselves, elements capable of producing a soluble and insoluble salt, a decomposition must necessarily arise ,•§ he illustrates this law by the example of J\'i- trate of Silver and Muriate of Potass, whose elements are capable of forming within themselves a soluble salt, JVitrate of Potass, and an insoluble salt, Muriate of Silver. It deserves also to be remembered, that a table of, chemical affinity will not upon all occasions prove to the medical practitioner an unerring pilot; in those cases for in- stance, where a super or sub Salt is readily t This fact has been very satisfactorily proved by the failure of the practical attempts which were made by Dr. Macbride of Dublin, to improve the art of tanning leather by the use of lime-water, in- stead of plain water, which he conceived would ex- tract the virtues of oak bark more completely. The reader who is desirous of a more detailed account of this plan must refer to Phil. Trans, vol. lxxiii. part 1, Art. 8. X We trust these observations will not create any alarm in the worthy citizen; he may, with as much safety as pleasure, continue the laudable practice of regaling himself and friends with a cup of strong tea, in spite of the turtle soup they may have taken, and that too without the least danger of converting their stomachs into tanneries, or their food into leather. $ For a highly ingenious, and important exten- sion of theM* views, see Aqua Marina. (Note.) 530 APPENDIX—No. I. formed, a substance less weakly attracted by another than a third, will sometimes precipi- tate this third from its combination with the second: thus in the production of JVitric acid, we decompose the JVitrate of Potass by vir- tue ofthe superior affinity ofthe Sulphuric acid for its base, the nitric acid is accord- ingly disengaged, and a Sulphate of Potass remains in the retort; now, paradoxical as it may appear, if nitric acid be poured upon the Sulphate of Potass, a quantity of nitre will be re-produced, in consequence of the saturation of a portion of the base, in such proportion as to enable the remaining atoms to form a Bi-Sulphate of Potass. In the same manner the Tartrate of Potass, (Soluble Tartar) is, contrary to the usual affinities, decomposed by all Sub-acid ve- getables, which neutralize a portion of the base, and convert the salt into the Bi-tar- trate of Potass, (Cream of Tartar.) The same effect is even produced by Carbonic acid.* There are besides certain cases wherein Triple Salts are produced, which afford apparent exceptions to the usual affinities ofthe bodies involved in the combination ; we have a very good illustration of this truth in the decomposition of the Liquor Ammonite Acetatis by Magnesia,- if the practitioner refers to a table of affinities, he will perceive that Acetic acid has a greater attraction for Ammonia than for Magnesia ; but if upon this assurance he were to ad- minister these bodies together, he, or his patient, would soon discover that ammonia is developed with considerable pungency; now in this case the Magnesia forms a tri- ple Acetate with one part of the ammonia, and consequently sets the remainder at liberty. A popular error exists with respect to the subject of chemical incompatibility, against which it may be here adviseable to caution the inexperienced prescriber, viz. that 710 important change is produced, on the admixture of solutions, unless precipitation is occasioned. This however occurs only when the new compound produced is insoluble; thus Sulphuric acid may be added to Lime water, by which a Sulphate of Lime is form- ed, but as its proportion is not too large for the water to dissolve, no precipitate occurs; so again, a solution of JVitrate of Silver is not apparently disturbed by the addition of Ammonia, because the resultingAmmoniuret • M. Dire, an apothecary of Mont de Marson. has lately announced that a current of carbonic acid, when passed through a solution of tartrate of potass, partly decomposes it; and he ascribes to the same Bgent the production of the Bi-tartrate in the juice of the grape during its fermentation ; accordingly, by mixing neutral tartrate with fermentable mate- rials, we shall produce cream of tartar in the fer- mented liquof. Journal de Pharm. October 1821. p. 487. is a soluble compound. We should, never- theless, commit a great error in supposing that, for such a reason, these bodies were not incompatible. On the other hand, the medicinal powers of a solution are not neces- sarily destroyed by the occurrence of a precipitate, although such a result should always be regarded with suspicion. III. The Methods directed for the prepa- ration of the Ingredients are either ina- dequate to the accomplishment of the object, or they change and destroy the efficacy of the Substances. The observations already offered upon Formula 40, will sufficiently explain the nature ofthe various errors comprehended under this head: so, again, if the virtues of a plant reside in essential oils, which are ea- sily volatilized, or in extractive matter, which readily becomes oxidized, Decoctiun must necessarily destroy its efficacy; a striking example of this fact is presented us in the history of the Laurel and Bitter Almond; the poisonous influence of the essential oil and distilled water of these vegetable sub- stances is well known, but their watery ex- tracts are perfectly innocuous. A still more familiar example is found in the onion, or in garlic, which by simple coction is de- prived of all its acrimonious qualities. On the other hand, an error equally injurious would be committed, by directing a simple infusion of a vegetable, whose medicinal properties depended upon resino-mucilagi- nous principles. Orfila found that an ex- tract of Hemlock, prepared by boiling the dried powder in water and evaporating the decoction, was entirely destitute of activity. See Decocta, Infusa, Extracta. An instance ofthe baneful effects which may arise from an erroneous method of pre- paration happened spme time ago to fall under my immediate notice and care ; it was in preparing an infusion ofthe root of the Veratrum with Opium, as directed by Mr. James Moore, when the dispenser igno- rantly substituted a spirituous for a vinous menstruum. A very common error may be here no- ticed, which is that of prescribing a sub- stance in such a form, as not to be acted upon with any effect by the solvent; as an example it may be stated, that in preparing an infusion of Juniper Berries, unless pains be taken by strong contusion to break the seed, it will contain but little power as a medicine. The unbruised seeds of Mustard were commended by Dr. Mead.f in Ascites, and by Bergius, in intermittents; Dr. Cullen, t In one remarkable case related by this physician, the operation of the unbruised mustard-seed is stated to have been promoted by combining it with a de- coction of Broom-tops. Query, was not the adjunct in this case the only efficient part ofthe remedy ? APPENDIX—No. I. 531 however, has very properly observed that the seeds given in the above manner are never broken down or dissolved in the sto- mach, but pass away entire by stool, and cannot therefore occasion any beneficial result. It is unnecessary to multiply examples in proof of the numerous errors into which a physician must unavoidably fall, who pre- sumes to compose prescriptions without a knowledge of the chemical habitudes ofthe different substances which he combines. The file of every apothecary would furnish a volume of instances, where the ingredi- ents of the prescription are fighting toge- ther in the dark, or at least are so adverse to each other, as to constitute a most incon- gruous and chaotic mass. " Obstabat aliis aliud : quia corpore in lino Friipda pugnabant calidis humentia siccis, Molliacum duris, sine pondere, habentia pondus." Oval Metamorph. lib. 1. 19. The Doses of Medicinal Substances are specific with respect to each, and can therefore be only learnt from experience; the young and eager practitioner, however, is too often betrayed into the error of sup- posing that the powers of a remedy always increase in an equal ratio with its dose, whereas The dose alone vert often de- termines ITS SPECIFIC action. " Medi- cines," says Linnaeus, " differ from poisons, not in their nature, but in their dose," which is but a paraphrase of the well known aphorism of Pliny, " Ubi virus, ibi virtus."* So that food, remedies, and poisons, may be said to branch into eacli other by indefina- ble gradations ; Five grains of Camphor act as a mild sedative and slight diaphoretic, but twenty grains induce nausea, and act as a stimulant ; so again, Opium, in too hyge doses, instead of promoting, prevents sleep, and rather stimulates the bowels than acts as a narcotic. Two ounces of any neutral salt are apt to be emetic, one ounce even of Alum to be cathartic, and two drachms to be refrigerant; in like manner the prepara- tions of Antimony either vomit, purge, or sweat, according to the quantity exhibited. • The word " Fenenum," was employed by the ancients to signify both a poison and a medicine; in the former of these acceptations it is used by Virgil in the following passage. " Picus equum domitor, quem capta cupidine con- Junx Aurea percussum virga, versumque venenis, Fecit avem Circe, .parsitque coloribus aim." \ Mneld, Lib. vii. In the latter sense it is used by Plautus— " Quia sorbitione faciam ego te hodie mea Item, tit Medea Peliam concoxit senem, ^ Quem medicamentis, et suis venenis dicitur Feciise rursus ex tene adolescentulum Item ego te faciam." Would it not appear that powerful doses rather produce a local than a general effect ? Experience seemfc|.o prove in this respect, that the effect of an internal application is similar to that^of an external impression ; if violent, it aff'ects the part only to whicfc it * is applied, as pinching does that of the skin, whereas titillation, which may be said to differ only from the former in degree, acts upon the whole system, and occasions itch- ing and laughter, and if long continued, weakness, sickness, vomiting, and convul- sions ; in like manner Digitulis, if given in large doses, acts immediately upon the sto- mach or bowels, becoming emetic and cathartic, but in smaller proportions it pro- duces a Gkxeual effect, increasing all the excretions, especially that of urine; so, again, large doses of the Mercurial Pill act upon the bowels, and are eliminated from the body, whereas the same remedy in small doses affects the system generally, and excites a universal influence. I am well satisfied that the regulation of the dose of a medicine is even more important than it is usually supposed to**be. Substances perfectly inert and useless in one dose, may prove in another active and valuable. Hence may be explained the great efficacy of ma- ny mineral waters, whilst the ingredients which impart activity to them are found comparatively inert, when they become the elements of an artificial combination ; and hence probably the failure of many altera- tive medicines, when no other rational cause can be assigned for it. We need not seek far for an example ofthe very different and opposite effects which the same sub- stance can produce in different doses; the operation of Common Salt is familiar to us all; Sir John Pringle has shown that in quantities such as we usually take with our food, its action is highly septic, softening and resolving all meat to which it is appli- ed, whereas in larger quantities it actually preserves such substances from putrefac- tion, and therefore, when so taken, instead of promoting, destroys digestion. It is moreover probable that medicinal, like nutritive substances, are more readily absorbed into the circulating system when presented' in small quantities, than when applied in more considerable proportions. It is upon this principle that a large quan- tity of food, taken seldom, does not fatten so much as smaller quantities at shorter intervals, as is exemplified in the universal good condition of cooks and their attend- ants. It is not pressing the principle of analogy too far to suppose that the action of alteratives, which require to be absorbed, may be more effectually answered by simi- lar management; that is, by exhibiting small doses at short intervals. The operation of medicines is influenced by certain general circumstances, which 532 APPENDIX—No. I. should be also kept in mind when we ap- portion their dose; e. & Age—Sex—Tem- perament—StrengthWf the Patient— Habit—Diet—Profession—Climate—- Duration of the Diseases-State of the Stomach—Idiosynchasy—and The varia- ble Activity of the Medicinal Sub- stance. Women generally require smaller doses than men. Habit, or the protracted use of a medicine, generally diminishes its power, although certain cathartics appear to offer an exception, for when long continued, their activity is proportionally increased, as is well known to every person who is fami- liar with the operation of the Cheltenham waters. Dr. Lamb has also stated with re- gard to the operation of Lead, " that the constitution,so far from being reconciled to it by habit, is rendered more and more sen- sible to its irritation by continuance." Eme- tics also frequently become more powerful by repetition; Cullen informs us that he knew a person so accustomed to excite vo- miting in himself, that the one twentieth part of a grain of tartarized antimony was sufficient to excite a convulsive action of the stomach ; in some cases such an effect may perhaps be referred to the operation ofthe mind; for after the frequent use of an emetic, the mere sight of it, or even con- versation relative to it, has been found sufficient to excite nausea. In apportioning the dose of a very active medicine, it is of the greatest moment to determine the relative degrees of power between the system and the remedy, and to know to what extent the latter is likely to be carried, consonantly with the powers of life to resist it; thus, after a patient has been exhausted by protracted and severe suffering and watching, a dose, different to one at the commencement ofthe disease, is requisite. The importance of this precept is impressed upon my mind from having witnessed, in the course of my practice, several instances of the mischief which has arisen from a want of attention to it; that disease materially influences the condition ofthe body, and its susceptibility to remedi- al impressions, has been already demon- strated. Emetics act very readily in febrile affections, while in those of the Neuroses* they produce their effects with difficulty. In the application of external remedies to diseased parts, it especially behoves the Surgeon to take into consideration the de- gree of vitality possessed by such parts, and to graduate their strength accordingly. Mr. Henry Earlef has published a very * See the dissertation on the operation of Emetics, page 113. t Cases and observations, illustrating the influ- ence of the Nervous System, in regulating animal heat, by H. Karle, Esq.; published in the seventh volume of the Medico-Chirutgieal Transactions. interesting case in illustration of this prin- ciple. The arm of a person became para- lytic, in consequence of an injury of the axillary plexus of nerves from a fracture of the collar bone ; upon keeping the limb for nearly half an hour in a tub of warm grains, ' which were previously ascertained by the other hand not to be too hot,' the whole hand became blistered in a most alarming man- ner, and sloughs formed at the extremities of the fingers, and underneath the nails ; a considerable degree of inflammation subse- quently spread in the course of the absor- bents, and matter formed in the axilla, which was soon absorbed, and the inflam- mation assuaged. Whence it follows, that a limb deprived of its usual supply of nerv- ous energy cannot sustain, without injury, an elevation of temperature which would not be in the least prejudicial to a healthy member. Mr. Earle supports this conclu- sion by the relation of another case, in which the ulnar nerve had been divided, for the cure of a painful affection of the arm; the consequence of which operation was, that the patient was incapable of washing in water at a temperature that was quite harm- less to every duly vitalized part, without suffering from vesication and sloughs. Before we quit the subject of Dose, it may be necessary to observe, that there are many remedies that do not act with great- er violence in a large dose than in one comparatively small; Ipecacuan, for in- stance, is more certain in its operation, but not more violent, when given in a large quantity; the same may be said of Aloes, and several other medicines. The Variable Activity of a Medicine should also be appreciated, and perhaps the practitioner would act cautiously if he were to reduce the dose, should it be a very con- siderable one, whenever a fresh parcel of the medicine is commenced, especially of the powders of active vegetables liable to deterioration from being kept, as those of Digitalis, &c. The Time of the Day at which reme- dies should be administered deserves like- wise some attention. Evacuating Medi- cines ought to be exhibited late at night or early in the morning. It would seem that during sleep, the bowels are not so irrita- ble, and consequently not so easily acted upon, which allows time for the full solu- tion of the substance ; the same observa- tion applies to Alterative and other medi- cines which are liable to suffer from a vexatious irritability of the bowels ; it is on this account eligible to exhibit Guaiacum, Pilulx Hydrargyri, he. when they are not intended to purge, at bed time. On the other hand, where the effects of a remedy are likely to be lost by perspiration, as is the case with Diuretics, many of which are by external heat changed into Diaphore- APPENDIX—No. I. 533 tics, it may become a question with the ju- dicious practitioner whether he cannot se- lect some more favourable period for their exhibition. In fevers it is of importance to consult in all respects the quiet and comfort of the pa- tient ; Dr. Hamilton therefore, in his valua- ble work on Purgatives, very judiciously observes that, on this account, the exhibi- bition of purgative medicines should be so timed, that their effects may be expected during the day. In some cases the time of administering a remedy must be regulated by the stage of the disease ; thus, in fevers, a dose of opium will either increase the heat of the body, augment thirst and restlessness, or occasion tranquillity and sleep, according to the temperature of the body at the time of its administration ; for this reason Dr. Cur- rie advises us not to give the evening dose of Opium in Typhoid fevers, till very late, or about one or two o'clock in the morning, when the heat is subsiding, and moisture is coming on. Emetics administered for the cure of the slighter cases of Pyrexia should be given in the evening, as their operation leaves a tendency to sleep and diaphoresis, which it is useful to promote. Remedies that require,to be absorbed will probably be more efficient in the morning after sleep : the old custom of giving medicines on a morning fasting, is not quite so absurd as some modern practitioners have been led to suppose. Diaphoretics should be always given after the digestive process is ended, for during the performance of this function the emunctories ofthe skin are less dispos- ed to action. The Intervals between each Dose must be regulated by the nature of the re- medy and that of the objects which it is in- tended to fulfil, and whether it be desirable or not that the latter dose should support the effects ofthe preceding one, or whether there be any fear of a reaction or collapse taking place after the effect of one dose has subsided, unless immediately repeated; thus the effects of diffusible stimulants, such as ammonia and xther, are very evan- escent, they should therefore be repeated at short intervals ; the same may be said of Diaphoretics, especially the lenient ones ; we ought not to allow the period between the doses to be so remote as to occasion any striking abatement in the impression : so Opium, where its primary and stimulant operation is required, as in diseases of de- bility, such as fevers of the typhoid type, should be given in small doses at short in- tervals, so that it may enkindle and sustain a uniform and regular state of excitement: but where the object is to mitigate pain, allay irritation, and produce sleep, it ought to be exhibited in full doses, at distant in- tervals. There is a caution also which it is very necessary to impress upon the practi- tioner, respecting the power which some medicines possess of accumulating* in the system; this is notorious with regard to Lead and Mercury, and probably with the preparations of Arsenic, and some other metallic compounds. Dr. Withering has ob- served that the repetition of small doses of Digitalis, at short intervals, till it produces a sensible effect, is an unsafe practice, since a dangerous accumulation will frequently take place before any signals of forbearance present themselves. I have already alluded to the possibility of mercurial accumulation, and its development at a remote period. Constitutional Peculiarities, or Idio- syncrasies, will sometimes render the ope- ration of the mildest medicine poisonous, " Virum novi," says Gaubius, " qui cumfa- tuum lapidum cancrorum pulvisculum inges- sit, vix mitius officilur quam alii ab Arsenico." I have seen a general Erysipelas follow the application of a blister, and tormina of the bowels, no less severe than those produced by the ingestion ofArsenic, attend the ope- ration of purgatives composed of Senna ! In some constitutions Antimony has been known to produce a ptyalism ; Dr. James assured Sir George Baker that he knew six instances of it, although the patients thus affected had neither their teeth loosen- ed, nor their breath made offensive. The peculiar susceptibility of certain individuals to the effects of particular*plants is also very singular: Murray relates that unpleasant symptoms have been experienced by mere- ly keeping Aconite for some time in the hand or on the bosom. I am acquainted with two persons in whom the odour of Ipe- cacuan always produces a most distressing dyspnsea; Mr.' Chevalier informs us that he once knew a lady who could not take Pow- dered Rhubarb, without an erysipelatous efflorescence almost immediately showing itself on the skin, and yet she could take it in the form of Infusion with perfect impu- nity. There are some idiosyncrasies so singular and incredible, that nothing but unimpeachable testimony could sanction our belief in their existence. Schenkius relates a case in which the general law of astringents and cathartics was always re- * By the use of this word I wish to be distinctly understood as expressing only certain effects, with- out any regard to the causes that may produce them. The phenomena of Accumulation may on some oc- casions depend upon the absolutely increased quan- tity of the substance in the body, as in the instance of mercurial action, while in others they may per- haps arise from the system becoming more and more sensible to its stimulus. The history of poisons would afford some interesting illustrations of these views, and in another work (Medical Jurisprudence, vol. 2, p. 148,) I have proposed a new subdivision of these bodies, under the title of " Accumulative Poisons." 534 APPENDIX—No. I. versed. Donatus tells us of a boy whose jaws swelled, whose face broke out in spots, and whose lips frothed, whenever he ate an egg- The late Pope Pius VII. had such an an- tipathy to musk, that on one occasion of presentation, an individual of the company having been scented with that perfume, his holiness was obliged to dismiss the party almost immediately. * Education and early habits certainly establish very extraordinary peculiarities in different countries with re- spect to various objects of diet and luxury: what shall we say ofthe refinement of the ancients who regarded the flavour of the Citron with disgust, while the odour of pu- trid fish was deemed by them so exquisite, that they carried it about in caskets of onyx as a favourite perfume ! Custom makes the Greenlander relish his train oil ; and Dr. Herberden tells us that there is a town in North America, where the spring-water is brackish, and that, when the inhabitants vi- sit any other province, they choose to put salt into their tea or punch, in order, as they say, " to make it taste as it should do."\ Climate. Several observations have al- ready -been offered upon the influence of climate in affecting the activity of our reme- dies. \ With regard to its relations to Dose, I have only one remark to make to the English practitioner, and that by the way of caution, that he w"ill not allow his own pre- vious experience in hot climates, or the persuasions of other tropical practitioners, to induce him to administer such doses of Mercury, in England, as may have been found salutary in India, or in Other Colonies of similar temperature. The popular scheme of Gaubius for gra- duating the doses of medicine to different ages, which was published in several ofthe former editions of this work,'is now omit- ted, as being less easy of application, than the following simple formula by Dr. Young. RULE. For children under twelve years, the doses . of most Medicines must be diminished in the proportion ofthe Age, to the Age in- creased by 12. thus at two years to l-7th—viz. 2 1 2+12 7 At 21 the full dose may be given. Every general rule however respecting the doses of medicines will have excep- tions. Thus children will bear larger doses of Calomel than even adults, and many me- dicines which do not affect'adults, although * ' Diary of an Invalid." t Med. Transact, vol. 1, p. 5. t See Historical Introduction. exhibited in considerable quantities, prove injurious even in small doses to children.§ In concluding this part of the subject, it is proper to impress upon the practitioner the importance of writing his prescriptions in legible characters, and of avoiding all those abbreviations which are not generally understood, or which are capable of mis- construction.! On the Particular Forms of Remedies, and the general principles upon WHICH THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND ADMINISTRA- TION ARE TO BE REGULATED. SOLID FORMS. PULVERES. Powders. The form of powder is in many cases the most efficient and eligible mode in which a medicinal substance can be exhibited, more especially under the following circum- stances. 1. Simple Powders. 1. Whenever a remedy requires the com- bination of all, or most of its principles, to ensure its full effects, as Bark, Ipecacuan, Jalap, &c. 2. Where medicinal bodies are insoluble, and indisposed to undergo thotse essential changes, in transitu, which render them operative ; for it must be remembered that by minute division, every particle is pre- sented to the stomach in a state of activity, being more immediately exposed to the solvent or decomposing powers of that organ. 3. Where the mechanical condition of the substance is such as to occasion irrita- tionl of the stomach, as the Sulphuretum J The Mechanical Physicians attempted to adjust the doses of medicines according to the constitution, by a mathematical rule ; thus they say, "the doses are as the squares of the constitution." And in the Edinburgh Medical Essays, there is actually a for- mal attempt to correct the errors of this rule. See "An Essay towards ascertaining the doses of vomit- ing and purging medicines, by Dr. Charles Balguy, physician at Peterborough." Vol. 1, 167. j| While this sheet was passing through the press, an anecdote was related to me, which is well calcu- lated to illustrate the mischief, that may arise from abbreviated prescriptions. One of our most eminent surgeons having occasion to direct the application of a Lead Plaster (Emplast: Lythargi. P. L. 1787,) he abbreviated the term as follows—Emp. Lyth.: in the haste of compounding, the h, perhaps carelessly written, was easily mistaken for t, and the chemist accordingly sent the Emplast: Lyttx! As it was applied to the Pudenda, it is not necessary to state the distress of the patient, and the dismissal of the practitioner, which followed. t Camphor, unless it be presented to the stomach in a state of minute division, is liable to occasion heat and uneasiness in that organ. Fothergill's Med. Obscrv. vol. i. p. 432. APPENDIX-No. I. 535 Antimonii, or in external applications to produce an improper effect upon the skin, as Hydrargyri nifrico-oxydum. The degree of fineness to which substan- ces should be reduced by pulverization, in order to obtain their utmost efficacy, is a very important question. The impalpable form appears to be extremely injurious to some bodies, as to cinchona, rhubarb, guaia- cum, and to certain aromatics, in conse- quence, probably, of an essential part of their substance being dissipated, or chemi- cally changed by the operation. Fabroni, for instance, found by experiment that cin- chona yielded a much larger proportion of soluble extractive, when only coarsely pow- dered. 1 think it may be laid down as a general rule, that extreme pulverization as- sists the operation of all substances whose ac- tive principles are not easily soluble, and of compound powders whose ingredients require, for their activity, an intermixture ; whilst it certainly injures, if it does not destroy, the virtues of such as contain as their active con- stituent, a volatile principle which is easily dissipated, or extractive matter which is readily oxidized. 2. Compound Powders. The disintegration of a substance is much accelerated and extended by the addition of other materials; hence the pharmaceuti- cal aphorism of Gaubius, " Celerior atque facilior succedat composita, quam simplex pulverisatio." Thus several refractory ve- getable bodies, as myrrh, Gamboge, &c. are easily reduced by triturating them with su- gar or a hard gum ; and some gum resins, as assafoetida or scammony, by the addition of a few drops of almond oil. Upon the same principle the Pharmacopceia directs the trituration of aloes with clean white sand, in the process for preparing Vinum Aloes, to facilitate the pulverization, and to prevent the particles of aloes, when moist- ened by the liquid, from running together into masses ; some dispensers very judici- ously adopt the same mechanical expedient in making a tincture of myrrh ; so again, in ordering a watery infusion of opium, it will be judicious to advise the previous tritura- tion of the opium with some hard and in- soluble substance, as directed in the Pulvis Cornu Usticum Opio, otherwise its particles will adhere with tenacity, and the water be accordingly unable to exert a solvent ope- ration upon its substance. It is equally evi- dent that in the construction of compound medicinal powders, the addition of an inert ingredient, which the mere chemist might condemn and discard as useless, not unfre- quently acts a very important part in the combination, owing to its effects in dividing and comminuting the more active constitu- ents ; the sulphate of potass in Dover's pow- der acts merely in dividing and mixing more intimately the particles' of opium and ipe- cacuan : the phosphate of lime appears to act in the same mechanical manner in the An- timonial Powder ; so again, in the Pulvis Contrajerva compositus, the prepared oyster shells may be a necessary ingredient: in the Pulvis Jalapa compositus of the Edin- burgh College, the cream of tartar greatly increases the activity of the jalap, by break- ing down its substance and dividing its particles; and Van Swieten observes that the operation of this resinous purgative is improved by bruising it with sugar, and adding some aromatic. The old combina- tion of Pulvis Helvetii consisted of alum and dragon's blood, and there can be no doubt but that the effect of this latter in- gredient, which has been often ridiculed, was to retard the solution of alum in the stomach, in consequence of which the pre- paration was likely to produce less incon- venience, and could therefore be adminis- tered in larger doses ; the Edinburgh Col- lege has substituted Gum Kino in their Pulvis Aluminis compositus, which may have the same effect in modifying the solubility ofthe alum.* In rubbing together different substances, it is necessary to remember that there are many saline bodies, which in the dry state become moist and even liquid, by triture with each other, and that, under such cir- cumstances, they are susceptible of mutual decomposition. This change is effected by the action of water, derived from the fol- lowing sources. 1. From the water of crystallization. This always operates when the proportion con- tained in the original ingredients is greater than that which the products can dispose of; that is to say, whenever the capacity of the new compound for water is less than that of the original ingredients. By pre- viously driving off this water by heat, we shall of course avoid such a source of solu- tion, and no liquefaction can ensue. Thus, if recently burnt quicklime be triturated with calomel, the resulting mixture will be white, showing that no decomposition can have arisen, but add a few drops of water, and it instantly assumes a dark aspect. If crystallized sulphate of copper be triturated * In some cases the subject to be pulverized has been previously exposed to heat, but the doubtful influence of exalted temperature upon vegetable bodiev, ought to afford us. a lesson of extreme cau- tion; the astringency of the stalks of the Artichoke is entirely destroyed by being gently heated in an oven, for after this operation they no longer strike a black colour with the salts of iron : another example is afforded us in the effects of heat upon starch, whcih is thus changed into a species of gum, no longer producing a blue colour with Iodine, and which is known in commerce under tho name of " British Gum," 536 APPEND with Acetate of lead, the resulting mixture will assume a fine green colour, but if the sulphate of copper be previously heated, and its water of crystallization driven off, no change of colour will be produced : if, for Acetate of lead, we substitute muriate of lime, and the sulphate of copper be crys- tallized, we shall obtain a result of a yellow colour, but if the sulphate of copper be anhydrous, the product will be colourless, becoming however instantly yellow, like the former, on the addition of a drop of water; and on a farther addition of this fluid, the yellow product in both instances will be rendered blue ; which proves that a chemical decomposition has taken place, and a muriate of copper resulted ; for this salt is rendered yellow by a small, and blue by a larger proportion of water. The Cu- prum Ammoniatum presents another illus- tration, for the ingredients, when rubbed together, become extremely moist, and un- dergo a chemical decomposition. Certain resinous bodies also, as myrrh, become li- quid by triture with alkahne salts, in which case the resin and alkali form a soluble com- pound, which the water of crystallization, thus set at liberty, instantly dissolves. 2. From aqueous vapour in the atmosphere. The water of the atmosphere does not act upon these occasions, unless it be first at- tracted and absorbed by one of the tritu- rated bodies ; e. g. if Acetate of lead and recently burnt alum be triturated together, no change will be produced; but, if the burnt alum be previously exposed for a short time to the atmosphere, these bodies will, in that case, become liquid. The physician, without this chemical knowledge, will be often betrayed into the most ridiculous blunders, an instance of which very lately came to my knowledge in a prescription for the relief of cardialgia and constipation, in a case of dyspepsia; it directed sulphate of soda and carbonate of potass, in the form of a powder, but the fiat of the physician, upon this occasion, only served to excite the ridicule ofthe dispen- ser, who soon discovered that the ingredi- ents in his mortar dissolved into liquid. During the exhibition of powders con- taining insoluble matter, it is always im- portant to maintain a regularity in the alvine excretions, or an accumulation may take place attended with very distressing symptoms. Dr. Fothergill relates a case of this kind which succeeded the use of pow- dered bark; and Mr. E. Brande has com- municated a similar instance of mechanical obstruction, produced by the habitual use of magnesia. 1 could also add, if it were necessary, some striking facts of a similar tendency, which occurred from eating bread that had been adulterated with pulverized felspar. The precaution seems more par- ticularly necessary in the cast of children, X—No. I. whose bowels are very impatient of extra- neous and insoluble contents.* The dose of a powder ought not to exceed ,^j.; and, when taken, should be diffused in water, wine, or any other convenient liquid ; resi- nous and metallic powders require a thick and consistent vehicle, as syrup or honey, since they subside from those which are more fluid. PILUL-E. Pills. These are masses of a consistence suffi- cient to preserve the globular form, and yet not so hard as to be of too difficult so- lution in the stomach. The subject offers some extremely interesting points of inqui- ry. The following general rules will enable the practitioner to select those substances to which the form of pill is adapted, and to reject those to which it is not suitable, as well as to direct, extemporaneously, the most efficient mode of preparation. I. The Selection of Substances. 1. Suitable Substances are, 1, All reme- dies which operate in small doses, as Me- tallic Salts ; and 2, Those which are design- ed to act slowly and gradually, as certain Alterative Medicines, or 3, which are too easily soluble when exhibited in other forms, as Gamboge, &c. 4, Substances which are not intended to act until they reach the larger intestines, as in pills for habitual costiveness ; see Aloes. 5, Bodies whose specific gravities are too considera- ble to allow their suspension in aqueous vehicles. Efflorescent salts may also be ex- hibited in this form, but they ought to be first deprived of their water of crystalliza- tion, or the pills composed of them will crumble into powder as they dry. 2. Unsuitable Substances are, 1, Those which operate only in large doses. 2, Which deliquesce. 3, Whose consistence is such as to require a very large propor- tion of dry powders to afford them a suit- able tenacity, as oils, balsams, &c. 4, Sub- stances that are so extremely insoluble, that when exhibited in a solid form they pass through the canal unaltered, as certain extracts. Many remedies which are incompatible * It is perhaps not generally known, that the sugared plumbs sold to children consist very fre- quently of Plaister of Paris : the introduction of such a substance into the intestines may often prove a source of mischief. I also understand that it is no uncommon fraud to adulterate biscuits with the lame substance. I confess I felt a great inclination to oppose the practice, lately suggested, of improv- ing bad flour by the addition of Magnesia ; I object to the introduction of any foreign and insoluble sub- stance into our daily bread, and I am satisfied that the result of medical experience will sanction such an objection. APPENDIX—No. I. 537 with each other in solution, may be com- bined in pills, unless indeed their medicinal powers are adverse or inconsistent, or their divellent affinities sufficiently powerful to overcome their state of aggregation. II. Their Formation into Masses. This is a subject of far greater impor- tance than is usually assigned to it, as will be more fully Explained in the sequel. 1. Many substances, as vegetable extracts, may be formed into pills without any addi- tion ; others, as gum resins, become suffi- ciently soft by being beaten, or by the addition of a drop or two of spirit, or li- quor potassa. Some dry substances react upon each other, and produce, without the addition of any foreign matter, soft and appropriate masses. The Pilula Ferri Composita of our Pharmacopoeia afford a very striking example of this peculiar change of consistence, which the mutual reaction of the ingredients produces by simple triture. The Pilula Aloes Compo- site offer another instance ; for the ex- tract of gentian, upon being triturated with aloes, produces a very soft mass, so that the addition of a syrup, as directed by the Pharmacopoeia, is quite unnecessary. See Form. 12. 2. Many substances are, in themselves, so untractable, that the addition of some mat- ter foreign to the active ingredients, is absolutely essential for imparting conveni- ence of form. It is generally considered that very little skill and judgment is re- quired in the selection of ■such a substance, provided it can fulfil the mechanical inten- tion just alluded to—the fact however is, that the medicinal power of the pill may be materially controlled, modified, or even sub- verted, by the mode in which it is formed into a mass. Where the active element of a pill is likely to be improved by minute division, a gummy or resinous constituent may be usefully selected: under the history of Aloes, I have alluded to a popular pill, known by the name of the dinner-pill, in which case the mastiche divides the particles ofthe aloes, and modifies the solubility of the mass. The Pilula Opii of the former Pharmacopceia of London, consisted of equal proportions of opium and extract of liquorice, and the mass was so insoluble that its effects were extremely uncertain and precarious; in the present edition, soap has been very judiciously substituted; but in certain cases' where we wish to pro- tract the influence of opium, or that of any other active body, so as not to obtain its full effects at once, we may very advantage- ously modify its solubility, by combining it with a gum resin or some substance which will have the effect of retarding its solution in the stomach. The Pilula e Styrace ofthe Dublin College, presents itself as an effi- cient example of this species of pharmaceu- tical address; see also Form. 10, 11,12. I am well acquainted with many formulae whose utility has been sanctioned by expe- rience, and I have no hesitation in believing that their salutary mode of operation would receive a plausible explanation from this simple law of combination. Dr. Young has very justly stated in his Medical Litera- ture,* that the balsam of copaiba envelopes metallic salts, so as to lessen their activity; he says that the sub-carbonate of iron, made into pills with copaiba, was given for some weeks without any apparent effect; and that a few hours after the same quantity had been given, with the gum only, the feces were perfectly black. I do not know a more striking and instructive proof of the influence of a glutinous or viscid constitu- ent, in wrapping up a metallic salt, and de- fending the stomach from its action, than is presented in the case published by the medical attendant, Mr. Marshall, in conse- quence of the attempt of Eliz. Penning to poison the family of Mr. Turner of Chan- cery-lane by arsenic, which she providen- tially administered in a heavy yest dum- pling. Soap is very frequently used for the formation of pill-masses, and it is an excel- lent constituent for substances likely to be injured by meeting with an acid in the prima via,- many resinous bodies may also be reduced to a proper consistence by soap, although in prescribing it, its levity should be attended to, or otherwise the pills will be too bulky; in general it will combine with an equal portion of any resinous pow- der, as Rhubarb, Jalap, &.C ; it is of course ineligible where the substances are decom- posed by alkalies, as Tartarized Antimony ; this last precaution will also apply to aro- matic confection as a vehicle, on account of the carbonate of lime contained in it. The Conserve of Roses has the advantage of re- taining its consistency much longer than mucilage, but as it contains an uncombined acid, it is frequently inadmissible ; it could not for instance be with propriety employ- ed with the precipitated sulphuret of anti- mony. Pills made with mucilage, are apt to crumble when they are rolled out; this is the case with the Pilula Hydrargyri sub- muriatis ; some extract therefore would be a more convenient constituent; in this par- ticular case, however, the addition of a few drops of spirit would supersede the neces- sity of any constituent. Castor oil, in some cases, especially with some of the harder purgative extracts, will impart an eligible consistence. * Edition 2, 1823.—I shall avail myself of the present opportunity to recommend this work to the perusal of every student who is ambitious to become acquainted with the Literature of his profession. 538 APPENDI Crumb of bread furnishes a convenient vehicle for those salts which are ponderous, active in very small doses, or which are lia- ble to be decomposed by other vehicles; but an objection is attached even to this, for it is liable to become so dry and hard when kept, that pills made with it will fre- quently pass undissolved. Swediaur men- tions this fact with reference to Plenck's mercurial pill, as well as to one of corrosive sublimate, and he proposes for this reason to substitute starch ; the addition however of a small portion of sugar will prevent the bread from becoming thus indurated, and with such a precaution it may be very safely employed. For the purpose of forming ac- tive vegetable powders into pills, sucli as Digitalis, Conium, &c, I am informed by- Mr. Hume of Long Acre, that in his expe- rience molasses or treacle is the best consti- tuent that can be selected, for it undergoes no decomposition by time, but maintains a proper consistency, and preserves the sen- sible qualities of the plant quite unimpaired for many years. I have deposited in the cabinet of the College, specimens of such pills, of hemlock and foxglove, which retain the characteristic odour of these vegeta- bles, notwithstanding they have been now made for several years. Honey has likewise the property of preserving vegetable sub- stances; seeds may be kept in it for any length of time, some of which, on being taken out, washed, and planted, will even vegetate. It has also been used for the preservation of animal matter; the bodies of the Spartan kings who fell at a distance in battle, were thus preserved, in order that they might be carried home.* Water will on some occasions be found a convenient expedient; powdered Rhubarb or Jalap may be thus made into masses without any increase of bulk, but the pjlls will be apt, if kept, to become mouldy. 3. In the formation of pills, the ingredi- ents should be hastily rubbed together, whenever they are liable to be injured by long exposure to the air ; thus in the forma- tion of Pilulx Hydrargyri submuriatis com- positx, the compound is rendered less active by too long continued tritul-e. See Pul- veres. 4. In dividing pill-masses, it is usual to add to them, and envelope them in magnesia ; where calomel is present, I have satisfied myself by experiment that a muriate of magnesia is formed under such circum- stances, and It is owing to this partial de- composition, that the surface of the pill ex- hibits a greenish hue ; starch, powder of • Dr. Davy informs me that the Vcddahs,* savage race inhabiting the wilds of Ceylon, even in that hot climate, effectually preserve their venison in honey. C—No. I. liquoricc,f or orrice root, might perhaps under such circumstances be more judici- ously preferred. In Germany the powder of Lycopodium is generally used. Formerly, the pill was covered with gold leaf, which protected it from the influence ofthe sto- mach, and frequently renderedit unavailing. It has been observed that many of the pill-masses directed in our Pharmacopoeias, are liable to become so hard* and dry by being kept, that they are unfit for that di- vision for which they were originally in- tended ; indeed Dr. Powel considers it doubtful whether the greater number of articles had not better be kept in powder, and their application to the formation of pills left to extemporaneous direction ; the necessity of this is farther apparent, when we learn that it is a common practice for the dispenser to soften these masses by the application of a hot spatula, or pestle, which sometimes carbonizes, and frequently de- composes them. III. Their Form of Prescripton. In our extemporaneous directions, it is necessary to apportion with accuracy the quantitity of active materials which we may wish each pill to contain, and since the pro- portion of the constituent can rarely be ex- actly defined, the equable division of the whole mass, into a given number of pills, will be safer than defining the weight of each pill. A pill, the bulk of whose ingredient is vegetable matter, ought not to exceed five grains in weight, but where the substances which compose it are metallic and ponde- rous, it may without inconvenience weigh six or even eight grains. TROCHISCI. Troches, or Lozenges. As these are regarded as objects rather of confectionary than of pharmacy, the Lon- T There is one circumstance which sometimes ren- ders the powder of liquorice objectionable upon such occasions; it is liable to irritate the fauces and occasion coughing; for this reason I always avoid its use in cases of pulmonary irritation. i Some extracts become so hard, that in the state of pill they pass unchanged-; this has occurred to me with the extract of logwood. Astringent vegetable matter, in combination with iron, is frequently characterized by a hardness that is not exceeded by ebony, and which is perfectly insoluble; the action of iron upon the petals of the red rose furnishes a very striking instance of this fact; if the petals be beaten in an iron mortar, for some hours, they ulti- mately become converted into a paste of an intensely black hue; which, when rolled into beads and dried, is susceptible of a most beautiful polish, still re- taining the fragrance ofthe rose. I have seen a necklace of this description; indeed these beads form an article of extensive commerce with the Turks, and are imported into Europe, through Aus- tria, under die name of Rose Beads or Hose Pearls. APPENDIX—No. I. 539 don and Dublin Colleges have not conde- scended to notice them ; the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, however, contains several formula: for their preparation ; and as the form of lozenge offers a very commodious and efficacious method of "administering certain remedies, the theory of its opera- tion* deserves some notice in the present work. It is principally useful in cases where it is an object that the remedy should pass gradually into the stomach, in order to act as powerfully as possible upon the pharynx and top of the trachea, as in certain demulcents or astringents; for in- stance, JVitre, when intended to operate in relaxed or inflamed states ofthe tonsils, is best applied in this manner ; so is Sulphate of Zinc in chronic coughs, attended with inordinate secretion. In order to retard as long as possible the solution ofthe lozenge in the mouth, it ought to be composed of several demulcent substances, such as fari- naceous matter, sugar, gum, and isinglass ; for such a mixture will be found to answer the purpose better than any one of these articles taken by itself; thus the farinaceous matter will prevent the sugar and the gum from being too soon dissolved ; the viscidi- ty ofthe sugar and gum will prevent the farinaceous matter from being swallowed so soon as it would otherwise be; and the isinglass will give a softness to the whole, and thus prevent any sharp points from sti- mulating the membrane. SUPPOSITOltlA. Suppositories. This form of preparation is very ancient, and although it has of late years fallen into disuse, it affords an efficacious mode of ad- ministering many powerful remedies, and in some instances of producing effects which the same medicine would not command if given in any other form ; besides which, it is found that after the stomach by long use has lost its susceptibility to the action of medicine, such a substance will operate with fresh and unabated force if applied to the rectum. There are two great indica- tions which Suppositories are calculated to fulfil, viz. 1, The alleviation of pain and irritation, especially when it arises from diseases of the bladder, prostate gland, uterus, and other parts in the vicinity. Abortion may be thus frequently prevented. To fulfil these intentions, a mixture of opium with two parts of soap, will be found eligible. I can recommend such an application from a well grounded experience in its efficacy. 2, The production of Catharsis. In cases of Apoplexy, from the counter-irritation whicli these remedies are likely to occasion, much advantage may arise ; and in the fail- ure of more common measures, they may be applied with certain success in the cure of Ascaridcs; sec Formula 146. Where a very efficient Suppository is required, one or two grains of Elaterium rubbed up with eight grains of hard soap, will present us with a combination of great utility. ELECTUARIA. Electuaries. This is an ancient form of prescription ; for although the term "Electarium" is first used by Cadius Aurelianus, yet the exxixtov of Hippocrates, and the Antidotus, Confec- tio, Milhridatium, Diascordium, Opiatum, Orvietanum, Phihnium, Theriaca, and Re- quies of other authors, were all Electuaries. They differ from Conserves in this, that the sugar in the latter preparations is in a greater proportion, and is intended to pre- serve the ingredients; whereas in the for- mer, it is merely intended to impart con- venience of form ; see Confecliones. Elec- tuaries are in general, extemporaneous pre- parations, composed of dry powders, formed into a proper consistence by the addition of syrup, honey, or mucilage; when, however, the latter substance is employed, the elec- tuary very soon becomes dry and hard ; and when common syrup is used, the compound is apt to candy, and in a day or two to grow too hard for use ; this is owing to the crys* tallization of the sugar ; Deyeux therefore states, that the syrup should be previously exposed to the heat of a stove so long as it forms any crystals, and that the residual li- quor, which from the presence of some ve- getable acid has no tendency to crystallize, may then be advantageously applied;—Mo- lasses or Treacle may in some cases be em- ployed, and from experiments which I have repeated with some care, I am enabled to state that the peculiar flavour of this liquid is entirely removed by a simple operation, which consists in diluting it with an equal weight of water, and then boiling it with about one-eighth part of powdered char- coal for half an hour, when the liquour is to be strained, and reduced by a gentle eva- poration to a proper consistence ;* and moreover it appears, that active vegetable powders retain their characteristic qualities when immersed in. treacle, longer than in any other excipient. In selecting and prescribing this form of exhibition, the following general rules should be observed. I. Those substances which are nauseous, deliquescent, which require to be given in large doses, or which are incapable of forming an intimate union with syrup, vis fixed oils, bal- sams, &c. should never be prescribed in the form of an electuary. II. The quantity of syrup directed must be regulated by the nature and spe- cific gravities of the substances which enter into their composition, viz. • Croll's Annals, IT'JH.vol. 1. 540 APPENDIX—No. I. 1. Dry Vegetable Powders require twice .Jheir weight of syrup, or of honey. 2. Gummy and Resinous Powders re- quire an equal weight. 3. Hard Mineral Substances should be formed into an electuary with some conserve, as they are too ponderous to remain suspended in syrup. It deserves.also to be noticed, that in consequence of the readiness with which metallic preparations undergo change, it will be generally advisable to keep the active ingredients in the form of powder, and to add them to the syrup only just before they are required; the Electuary of the French Pharmacopoeia, which is commonly called " Opidta Mesen- terica," will furnish a good example, " quantumvis molle fuerit recens, pro- gressu lemporis, ob ferrum quod ipsi inest, mire indurescit." 2. Liquid Forms. MISTU1LE. Mixtures. These preparations are generally extem- poraneous, in which different ingredients are mingled together in the liquid form, or in which solid substances are diffused through liquid, by the medium of mucilage or syrup: for prescribing mixtures the following ge- neral rules may be laid down. I. Substances which are capable of enter- ing into chemical combination, or of decomposing each other, ought not to be mixed together, unless it be with a view of obtaining the new products as a remedy. II. Transparency is not a necessary con- dition,* and hence insoluble powders may be advantageously introduced into mixtures, if the fallowing pre- cautions be observed. 1. They must be divisible and mechan- ically miscible in the liquid. 2. They must not possess too great a specific gravity. 3. They must not render the liquid too mucilaginous or' thick; thus, f ^j should seldom contain more than sjss of a vegetable powder, ^ij of an elec- tuary, and conserve; or grs. xv. or Q j of an extract. III. The taste, the smell, and the general aspect of the mixture should be ren- dered as pleasant as possible ; thus milk covers the taste of bark, of the tincture of guaiacum and valerian, and that of lime-water ; and a light decoction of the liquorice root dis- guises a bitter taste more effectually than sugar. * A remedy may even owe its virtues to a preci- pitation, produced by admixture, as I have already stated. The Physician may also produce occasional changes in the appearance of his mixture, in order to reconcile a delicate taste to its continuance ; he never ought however to alter the essential part of plans which he finds advantageous. A Draught differs merely from a mix- ture in quantity; it is usually taken at once, and should not exceed fjiss ; it should be always preferred when, 1. The remedy is to be taken in a precise dose. 2. Whenever it is liable to spontaneous de- composition. 3. Whenever the action of the atmosphere occasions change. In apportioning the dose of mixtures, the following proportions are admissible, al- though not perfectly accurate. A Tablh Spoon full ( Cochleare Amplum) f^ss. Des- sert Spoon (Cochleare Mediocre) more than fgij. Tea Spoon (-Cochleare Minimum) f^j. A Wine Glass (Cyathus) although very variable, may be estimated as contain- ing f^iss. The custom of measuring the close of a liquid by dropping it from the mouth of a phial is very erroneous ;f it will therefore be proper to dilute an active me- dicine that is to be so apportioned, with at least a triple quantity of water, that its real close may not be essentially altered by any slight variation in the quantity. The temperature at which a liquid medi- cine should be given may perhaps merit a few observations. In general, the ordinary degree of heat is that which will best an- swer the intention, but in cases of dyspep- sia, the sense of weight and uneasiness, which often follows a dose of medicine, will be prevented by giving it in a tepid state. This remark will apply to the ad- ministration of the Decoction of Sarsapa- rilla ; Refrigerants should of course be gi- ven as cool as possible ; Camomile Infusion, and other vegetable Ptisans, which are de- signed to promote the operation of an emet- ic, will be more efficient when warm. In delicate chlorotic females I have sometimes found chalybeate draughts not only more efficacious, but less distressing to the sto- mach, when exhibited in a tepid state. ENEMATA. Clysters.* " Lavamenta." This form of applying a medicine fur- nishes the practitioner with many valuable resources, although the remedy has not es- caped its due share of persecution. Pa- racelsus bestowed upon it the epithet " tur- t See my work on Medical Chemistry, Sect. Co- hesion. t Clyster from *kvyu eluo, to wash out. APPENDIX—No. I. 541 pissimum medicamentum," and Van Helmont that of "pudendum medicorum subsidium." It is calculated to fulfil the following in- dications, viz:— 1. To promote the tardy operation of a Cathartic, or to evacuate the bowels, where from delicacy of stomach, medi- cines cannot be retained, or from debility of body they cannot be safely adminis- tered. In the administration of a remedy of this kind, there are two essential circumstances, independent of the strength of its ingre- dients, which will modify its activity, viz. Impulse and Quantity, by which we ob- tain the stimulus of distention ; warm wa- ter without any adjunct may thus be made the means of overcoming those unrelenting obstructions, which had refused obedience to more common measures : Clysters, how- ever, when most forcibly urged, rarely reach beyond the sigmoid flexure of the colon, and yet when the largest quantity of fluid which the bowels will admit is introduced with considerable impulse, the local impres- sion is so powerful that it is at once extend- ed by the medium of sympathy, through the whole of the alimentary canal, and very thorough and copious discharges result. 2. To induce extreme relaxation : Which is best effected by an infusion of Tobacco. See Tabaci Folia. 3. To produce Astringent and Anodyne, or Carminative effects. Common starch, with the addition of Tincture of Opium, is the most common and convenient form for this purpose. See also Assafcetida, Terebinthina Oleum, and Formula, 8, 9, 29, 30. In some cases the injection of cold water acts as a powerful astringent, and from its impression upon the rectum, will frequently afford instantaneous relief in the piles. 4.-."To destroy Ascarides. See Form. 164. 5. To act as an emollient fomentation. 6. To convey nutriment. In the administration of Clysters, for the fulfilment of any ofthe last five indications, it is obvious, that the stimulus of distention should be avoided, as being incompatible with our object; the quantity, or bulk of the solution, ought to be also carefully gradua- ted ; to prevent, for example, the opiate clyster from being too soon returned, Dr. Cullen has remarked that it seldom should be made of more bulk than that of three or four ounces of liquid, and this also of a very mild kind. In administering a bitter decoction for the cure of Ascarides, the same precaution is necessary, or the gut will suddenly contract and expel the clys- ter, which always acts with more certainty when allowed to remain for some time.— The proportions of fluid vehicle necessary for the different stages of life, under ordi- nary circumstances, may be stated as fol- lows:—An infant at its birth, or soon after, requires about one fluid ounce ; a child be- tween the age of one and five years, from three to four fluid ounces ; a youth of ten or fifteen, from six to eight fluid ounces ; and an adult may take twelve. With re- gard to the dose of the active ingredient of a Lavement, it may be estimated as tri- ple of that taken by the mouth. INJECTIONES. Under this head may be comprehended the various medicinal preparations which are employed as local applications; to the urethra for the cure of gonorrhoea, and to the vagina for that of the different dischar- ges to which females are liable. With respect to the former of these it has been truly observed, that "among the whole class of remedies employed for sur- gical purposes, there is scarcely one which has occasioned a greater diversity of opi- nion ;" to enter however into an examina- tion of this subject would be entirely for- eign to the intention of the present work ; it is only necessary to state, that for their preparation the same principles of combi- nation, and the same chemical precautions apply, as have been already investigated under the hesid Mistura. Insome cases the practitioner will find it useful to ensure the entire solution of his active ingredient: while in others, the presence of a precipi- tate may enhance the efficacy of the appli- cation, as illustrated by Form. 62. In the preparation of injections for the cure of female discharges, it must be re- membered that, if they be of a vegetable nature, their efficacy wholly depends upon the Tannin which they contain, and the prescriber must therefore take care not to invalidate the force of this principle by any incompatible additions. And it deserves to be remembered, that as Tannin has the power of coagulating animal mucus, and of forming with it an in- soluble precipitate, its administration, as an injection, is liable to occasion the evacua- tion of whitish or ash-coloured flakes, which will come away from time to time, and excite in the patient's mind, says Mr. Clarke, the I apprehension that she is voiding portions of the internal parts of the body, unless her mind be prepared for the occurrence by a I previous explanation, and which the judi I cious practitioner will not neglect to afford. ! In some cases it will be necessary to cor- rect the irritating effect ofthe astringent by the addition of a demulcent, as exemplified in Form. 61. In applying this form of reme- dy an ivory syringe should be always pre- ferred to one of pewter, whenever the so- lution is likely to be affected by the contact of a metal. 542 APPENDIX—No. I. INHALATIONES. Inhalations. Under this general title may be compre- hended two distinct classes of volatilized substances, viz. Dry Fumes (Suffitus,) and Watery Va- pours (Halitus.) Before we enter upon the consideration of this particular form of remedy, it may be necessary to state, generally, that it appears to be capable of affording a very expedi- tious and powerful mode of affecting the body by certain medicines. If the power of a remedy be so greatly modified by cir- cumstances affecting its solubility, as we have already proved, it cannot be a matter of surprise that the still farther diminution of its cohesion should occasion a corres- ponding influence upon its energies; indeed it would appear that some few substances are entirely inert, when applied under any other form, see Hydrargyrum, in Vol. II. of this work. We are, moreover, enabled by these means, to bring various bodies into immediate contact with organs, which are inaccessible to such remedies in every other state of aggregation. This observation ap. plies more particularly to the lungs, and the subject has lately occupied the attention of a worthy and skilful physician, whose work* is well entitled to the serious consideration ofthe profession. The practice of causing patients to in- hale various volatilized substances appears to have been of very ancient date. It has been already stated in this work (p. 72) that the fumes of Orpiment were directed to be breathed by Galen, and that the practice has been adopted by practitioners of later date.f Few attempts of this kind however were made, until the time of our countryman Bennet, the author of " Theatrum Tabido- rum," who arranges volatilized substances into the two classes which have been an- nounced at the head of the present section, viz; Suffitus, and Halitus. The numerous trials which have been since made with the different gases must be in the remembrance of every reader, but unfortunately, the in- judicious and empirical spirit with which these inquiries have hitherto been conduct- ed, has thrown such discredit upon the sub- ject, that the practitioner who should re- sume the investigation, must be prepared * Practical Observations on the Treatment and Cure of several Varieties of Pulmonary Consump- tion ; and on the Effects of vapour of boiling Tar in that Disease. By Sir A. CrichtonJ M. D. F. R. S. &c. London. 1823. t Pliny ('Nat. Hist. Lib. xxiii. cap. 0) has the fol- lowing interesting allusion to the subject of Tar fumes, " Silvas eas duntaxat quae picis resinaque gratia raduntur, utilissimus esse phthisicis aut qui longa aegritudine non recolligent vires, satis constat; et ilium cadi aera plus ita quam navigationum /Egyptiani proficere, plus quam lactes hcrbcdus per inontium ajstiva pot us." to hear his understanding or his integrity questioned. Suffitus. Fumes of Burning Substan- ces. The particular forms of pulmonary disease in which Tar fumes appear to be most serviceable, are of the chronic kind ; where an inflamatory diathesis prevails, or any tendency to haemopthysis exists, the practice cannot be said to be free from danger. In the treatment of hooping cough the inhalation of tar fumes ha6 been also said to be beneficial. For the mode of ap- plying this remedy, see Pix Liquida. The practice of smoking the roots of Stramonium, Tobacco, &c. might with pro- priety be noticed under this head. With respect to the former of these remed- ies, much has been said and written, and asthmatic patients have occasionally ex- pressed a belief in its palliative powers; in my own practice however, I have never met with any success that has inspired my con- fidence. See Stramonii Herba. Halitus. Aqueous Vapours. In certain catarrhal affections, when accompanied with painful and difficult expectoration, benefit may be occasionally obtained from the in- halation of the steam of hot water, or of vinegar and water, the acid in this case as- sisting the expectoration, while the whole acts as an emollient and soothing applica- tion to the tender and inflamed vessels of the internal surface ofthe bronchial tubes. The same practice is also highly servicea- ble in Cynanche Trachealis, and Tonsillaris. In Pneumonia, after the violence of the arterial excitement has been reduced by depletory measures, the inhalation of the steam of hot water, or decoctions of emol- lient herbs, will often contribute to the support of an easy expectoration. It has been already stated under the his- tory of Expectorants (page 135,) that in certain dry states ofthe air, the evaporation of water in an artificially warmed apart- ment, is frequently attended with consider- able relief to the pulmonary patient. In Dyspnaea, attended with a spasmodic condition ofthe pulmonary organs, vapours impregnated with sulphuric settler have been recommended for inhalation. Dr. Pearson also states that the efficacy of such an application is materially enhanced by dissolving in it a portion ofthe extract of Co- nium. Dr. Bootcherof Copenhagen,haslate- ly announced the utility of vapours of cam- phor, in complaints affecting the cavities of the nose, throat, and chest. He states that in the worst case of stoppage ofthe nose from catarrh, a piece of camphor need only be kept for a few minutes before it, to ob- tain great relief; the same application has been known to produce good in Cynanche Tonsillaris. In order to apply such inhalations we may employ the inhaler invented by Dr. APPENDIX—No. I. 543 Mudge, or if that instrument be not at hand, the spout of a teapot, or a common basin with an inverted funnel, will be found very convenient substitutes. REMEDIES OF EXTERNAL APPLI- CATION. This class of medicinal agents formerly comprised a much wider range'of forms that it at present contains ; such as nume- rous Epithems ; Vapours ; Aromatic Bags ; Medicated Quilts, &c. The external remedies of the present day may be divided into two orders, viz. 1. Those whose effects are entirely local, as exemplified in the application of cer- tain refrigerating embrocations, stimu- lating cataplasms, and astringent un- guents. 2. Those which excite general effects, or produce an influence upon parts remote from those to which the reme- dy is\nore immediately addressed, as illustrated by the operation of mercu- rial liniments and unguents, or by the general tonic effects of adhesive plais- ters. With respect to the former of these divi- sions it is unnecessary to multiply our re- marks; the objects which they embrace be- long more particularly to the department of surgery, and from the investigation of the different modes and forms of external ap- plication we shall hereafter derive very am- ple and instructive illustrations. In consi- dering the objects of the latter division, a very interesting and important question immediately suggests itself for our conside- ration—How far a medicinal substance, when locally applied to the surface of the body, may be capable of affecting the gene- ral system, or some of its more remote parts ?—the experienced practitioner will feel no hesitation in admitting numerous proofs of the existence of such agency; and it would seem probable that topical appli- cations may produce general effects by se- veral distinct modes of operation, viz. 1. By exciting an impression on the ner- vous system. 2. By modifying the cuticular discharge. 3. By being absorbed into the circulation. In considering the different forms of ex- ternal applications, it will appear, that, for their extemporaneous construction, prepa- ration, and application, the same scientific knowledge, practical skill, and pathological acumen will be required, as we have al- ready stated to be so indispensably requisite to enable the physician to prescribe, and the pharmaceutist to prepare the various remedies intended for internal admimstra- tion ; although in regard to the former, it may be stated generally that the prescribe!- will more frequently be called upon to ex- ercise that species of knowledge and ad- dress which enables the practitioner to im- part a convenient and efficient consistency to his remedy ; for an external application is far more dependant upon this circum- stance for its efficacy, than one intended for internal use. LOTIONES : Remedies of a liquid nature, designed for external application. Under this generic term, which strictly signifies a wash, may be comprehended se- veral species of medicines, calculated for the fulfilment of different indications, as Embrocationes, Colltria, Fomenta, Li- nimenta, &c. In some instances these ap- plications are entirely local in their effects, as where a morbid action of the skin is changed by a stimulating lotion, as exem- plified in the cure of Psora by the decoction of Hellebore, or the relaxed vessels of the tunica conjunctiva ofthe eye, by an astrin- gent collyrium; in other cases, they operate upon parts not in contact with the remedy, through the medium of sympathetic com- munication, as where colic and disorders of the bowels are abated by the application of warm fomentations to the surface of the abdomen, or where paralytic affections are relieved by pumping cold water on the part affected. Embrocationes. These, as the term* denotes, are compositions of spirit, decoc- tions, infusions, or other liquids, applied by sprinkling or rubbing them on an affected part. LiNiMENTAf are understood to differ from embrocations in consistence, the for- mer being of an oily, or mucilaginous den- sity, which increases their efficacy by im- parting a certain emollient power, in addition to their other virtues. In popular language, however, liniment and embroca- tion are generally considered synonymous terms. They constitute a valuable class of remedies, and the observations which Dr. Percival has offered on their utility well merit the attention of the medical practi- tioner. " Volatile and anti-spasmodic lini- ments are highly useful remedies, and it is to be lamented that external applications of this kind are not more frequently employ- ed, for there is just reason to apprehend that powerful effects might be expected from them in various diseases." In chronic affections of the viscera, such applications appear highly serviceable, not only from the friction to which they give origin, but from the influence of that species of sympa- thy which appears to depend upon the mere proximity and continuity of parts, and which, as Sir Gilbert Blane has observed, is par- • E^Cpoxw, from Cpi%u,irrigo. t lllinire, to besmear- 544 APPENDIX—No. I. ticularly displayed "in the containing on the contained parts, as that ofthe integuments, on the subjacent viscera." Colltria.*—Liquid applications to the eyes. The Pharmacopceia Chirurgica con- tains several different formula for lotions of this kind, some of which are simply as- tringent, while others combine also the vir- tues of a stimulant. CATAPLASMATA.f Poultices,ov Pultices. External applications of a pulpy, and somewhat coherent or tenacious consis- tence. They are generally extemporaneous pre- parations, and are calculated to answer se- veral different indications, viz. 1. As Stimulants, e. g. Cataplasmata S\- napsis, l. d. which generally inflames the surface to which it is applied so much as to raise blisters; common salt also, mu- riate of soda, constitutes the active ingre- dient of a poultice which has lately been brought into considerable repute for the reduction of indolent strumous swellings and enlargements of the glands. + 2. Antiseptics.— Calaplasma Fermenti, l. (see p. 199.) A powerfully antiseptic cataplasm may be also made by stirring finely powdered charcoal into a common linseed meal poultice. A cataplasm of the boiled carrot, beat into a pulp, has been likewise found very effectual in sweeting foul ulcers. 3. Sedatives. The most efficient of these are composed of Conium Digitalis, or Hyoscyamus, and are eminently ser- viceable in cancerous and scrophulous sores of a highly irritable and painful nature, to diminish their sensibility and correct the acrid discharges. See Form. 18. 4. Refrigerants. In the formation of a cataplasm for this purpose we must avoid the introduction of substances that are slow conductors of caloric ; suppose for example our object is to apply the sub- acetate of lead in this form, it will in such case be judicious to mix the linseed meal, with oatmeal, or crumb of bread ; for if the former substance be used singly, it is liable from its tenacity, to become hard and dry, and in that state to augment the temperature which it was designed to diminish. 5. Emollients.—(The modus operandi of these agents is explained at p. 179.)— For which purpose the common farina- * x.oh\vplov. This term was formerly ap- plied to any medicament, solid or liquid, em- ployed to restrain defiuxions ; from xukva, inhibo, to stop, and pvc,fiuxio, a running. f Y.al*7r\*o-o-c; illino to besmear. ■' \ See Pharmacopceia Chirurgica. ceous poultice Is the most eligible, made by soaking slices of bread in milk, and simmering them together over a gentle fire until they are reduced to the proper consistence, which ought to be such as to prevent its spreading farther than is designed, and yet not so hard as to occa- sion any mechanical irritation ; the whole is then to be beat smooth with a spoon, and applied as warm as the patient's feel- ings will readily admit. Some practition- ers have doubted the propriety of milk as an ingredient in this composition, and have preferred water asanexcipient, not only because the former is very liable to turn sour, but because it does not possess greater powers as an emollient than wa- ter; the observations of the editor ofthe Pharmacopix Chirurgica upon this ques- tion are judicious, and worthy our notice ; " the objection," he says, " will certainly hold good whenever stale milk is made use of, or if the same poultice be kept too long applied; but if the milk be fresh, and the poultice renewed night and morning, we do not know any thing that occasionally gives such ease and com- fort to the patient as this form of cata. plasm. If water be substituted for milk, the poultice is seldom of sufficient tena- city ; it is true that this inconvenience may be remedied by the addition of a little linseed meal, but in some instances the meal appears to fret and irritate the skin so much, that patients undergo con- siderable uneasiness from this cause ; an objection to which the cataplasm of bread and milk is seldom subject, espe- cially if it be not applied too hot." Every substance, whether liquid or solid, may become an ingredient in this species of composition, and although ju- dicious and experienced surgeons have of late very considerably improved the form of their cataplasms, yet the princi- ples of medicinal combination, which it has been the object of the present work to investigate and expound, will suggest many important hints for the farther ex- tension of their utility ; and although the direction of them is more frequently left to the nurse than to the medical practi- tioner, yet in adapting them to each par- ticular occasion some share of chemical address may be necessary ; we have al- ready seen that attention must be paid to the selection of ingredients, with re- spect to their powers of conducting heat, and it is evident that care must be taken not to reduce into pulp, by decoction, substances that contain volatile princi- ples ; while in the preparation of active liquids to be subsequently mixed with linseed meal, it is equally evident that we must be directed by the chemical na- ture of their composition. 9 APPENDIX.—No. I. 545 EMPLASTRA. L. E. D. Plaster*. These are solid and tenacious compounds, adhesive at the ordinary heat of the human body ; they owe their consistence to differ- ent causes, viz : 1. To a due admixture of wax or fatty matter, and resin, e. g. Emplast .- Cera, &c. They may be said to differ only in consis- tence from liniments, ointments, and cerates; Deyeux* accordingly proposes, to distin- guish them by the appellation of Solid Oint- ments. 2, To the chemical combination ofthe semi- vitreous oxide of lead with oils or fat, e. g. Emplast; Plumbi. 3/ To the chemical action ofthe component parts of the plaster on each other, as Emplast; Ammoniaci, &c. Plasters are generally kept in rolls, wrap- ped in paper, and when to be used they are melted and spread on leather ; in perform- ing this operation the practitioner ought not to apply a heaj above that of boiling water ; for if metallic oxides be present, the fatty matter will, at a higher temperature, reduce them, inconsequence ofthe power- ful affinity of oil for oxygen at an exalted temperature; and if aromatic substances enter as ingredients, they will thus suffer in their strength, besides which the fat it- self will undergo a very injurious change by a mismanaged application of heat, and the plaster will be less adhesive. They are employed as remedies to an- swer two general indications ; mechanically, to afford support to muscular parts and to prevent the access of air; and medicinally, to operate as stimulants, discutients, rube- facients, or anodyne applications. That by affording an artificial support to the various parts of the body, by the application of plasters, we are capable in certain diseases of effecting much benefit, is a truth to be explained upon the principles of physiology, and is daily confirmed by the results of prac- tice ; thus by giving support to the muscles of the back, how frequently the stomach is steadied and strengthened. Diseases of the kidneys are in the same way very fre- quently relieved by*tight bandages around the loins ; the existence of an intimate con- nexion between the external and internal • Annales de Chimie, vol. xxxiii. p. &2. 69 parts is strikingly exemplified by the dis- tressingeffects which are often experienced in weak habits, such as sickness, giddiness, and other uneasy sensations, from a want of any usual compression, as that of stays, un- der-wais\coats, &c. The support afforded to persons who have been tapped in Ascites is another instance. I have also lately met with a case in which a morbidly relaxed state of the bowels had harassed the patient for several years, and set at defiance every astringent medicine ; upon the application, however, of a tight bandage around the ab- domen, the healthy action of the intestines has been 'completely restored. Sir Gilbert Blane has suggested the trial of mechanical compression of the head in the cure of Hy- drocephalus, and several cases, apparently favourable, have been published. Dr. Thackrey of Cambridge has related a very interesting history in support of the prac- tice, and judiciously recommends the sub- stitution of straps of adhesive plaster for the bandages of cloth originally proposed by Sir Gilbert. In reasoning upon this treat- ment, it will be found strictly conformable with the soundest principles of physiology, and with those views in particular, for the illustration of which I have here directed the reader's attention to the subject. Where our object is simple support, we should of course select a plaster which is the most adhesive and the least irritating. Many plasters, which have gained great celebrity for their curative virtues, will be found to owe all their powers to their adhesiveness, such is the Emplastrum Oxidi Ferri Rubri of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, for it is impossible that the iron should communi- cate any tonic- effect. The same observa- tion applies to many of those empirical plasters which have at different times ac- quired so great a share of popular applause. In the cure of sore legst the importance of adhesive strapping is generally acknow- ledged, and on such occasions nothing is superior to the Emplastrum Resina. t A respectable Oilman, of the name of Sterry, in the borough, prepares a plaster of this descrip- tion, which is sought after with great avidity. What a blessing it would be upon the community if every nostrum wire equally innocuous !. ^ X Persons who are exposed to fatigue by the stand- ing posture, such as washerwomen, &c. are particu- larly liable to sores of the legs, which may be pre- vented and .cured by affording this artificial support. 546 APPENDIX—fto. I. • PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE MOST CELEBRATED PHYSI- • CIANS OF EUROPE, &c. Enumeration of the principal Er- rhines. Asarum*••Asarum Europmum. Asarabacca. Marum^^Teucrium Marum. Herb Mastick., Tabacum •••Nicotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. Veratrum [Helleborus albus.]* ••Vera- trum album. White Hellebore. Pulvis Asari cum Veratro. R. Asari Fol. exsiccat. MariFol. exsiccat. a ajiss. Veratri Radicis contritae jj. M. Fiat pulvis subtilissimus. Attrahatur naribus pauxillum, pro re nata. Vide Triller. Enumeration of the principal Siala- ooauES. Hydrargyrus. Mercury. Acidum nitricum. Nitric Acid. Maetiche«»« Pistacia Lentiscus. Mastick. Pyrethrum*••Anthemis Pyrethrum. Pellitory of Spain, Tabacum •••Nicotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. Zingiber. • • Zingibe/ officinale. Ginger. Pilula Hydrargyri Oxydi rubri. R. Hydr. Oxyd. rubri gr. j. Opii tertiam grani partem, Caryophyllorum Olei filj. Fiat pilula hora somni per hebdomadam sumenda. Vide J. Hunter. The hydrargyri oxydum rubrum is the hydrargyrus calcinatus of the former edi- tion ofthe London Pharmacopceia. It was frequently prescribed in venereal cases by the late Mr. John Hunter. It is, however, a very rough mercurial for internal use, antl may in most venereal cases be super- seded by milder preparations, such as the submuriate of quicksilver, the exhibition of which requires only a little more time. If after the space of a weejt this pill does not affect the mouth, it may be repeated evening and morning: and after the pati- ent has been accustomed to rile medicine, and it is found not to fall upon the mouth, it may be increased (says the author before quoted) to two grains in the evening, and one in the morning. The proportion of opium may be in- creased to a grain or more, according to circumstances. We are well persuaded, says Dr Cullen, that opium will, almost in every case of venereal affection, favour and expedite the effects of mercury, either in removing symptoms, or in entirely curing the disease. Pilulx Hydrargyri Oxydi Cinerei. R. Hydrarg. Oxyd. cinerei gr. xv. • Micae Panis jj. Mellis q. s. ut fiat massa in pilulas xxx. dividenda. Dosis una vel altera ter die. Vide Ph. Nosocom. Ed. Pilula Hydrargyri Oxy muriatis. R. Hydrarg. Oxymuriatis. Ammoniae Muriatis, a a gr. v. Aq. distillataefjss. Glycyrrhizac Rad. contritae ^h*. Mellis Jss. Cogantur in massam in pi- lulas xl. dividendam. Sumatur una ter quaterve de die. In lue venerea. Ad normam Ph. Nosocom. Ed. Every pill in this, prescription, which is an imitation of the Swedish formula, con- tains, when the materials are uniformly mixed together, the eighth part of a grain of oxymuriate -of quicksilver (murias hy- drargyri, Ph. Ed. murias hydrargyri corro- sivum, Ph. Eblan.) It is easy, therefore, to regulate the doses with very great nicety. Unless the water be used hot, somewhat more than the quantity here directed may be requisite for the complete solution of the mercurial salt. Solutio Hydrargyri Oxymuriatis Alcoholica. R. Hydrarg. Oxymuriatis gr. ij. Spiritus tenuioris f^iv. Solve. Detur semuncia sive cochlearium unum nocte et mane, ex haustu decocti avenae vel sarsaparillae. In lue venerea. Van Swietin. Masticatorium Pyrethri. R. Pyrethri Rad. contrit. Mastiches a a. jj. Fiant lege artis ad ignem masticatoria duo. Teneat aeger saepius in ore et man- ducet hujusmodi medicamentum, exspuat- que salivam. In odontalgia et linguae para- lysi. Vide Hartman. Masticatorium Zingiberis. R. Zingib.eris Radicis contritae Jss. Mastiches jiss. Fiant lege artis ad ignem pastilli sex, APPENDIX—No. I. 547 quorum unus in ore saepissime teneatur et volvatur. In morbis proxime recensitis.— Vide Hartman. Enumeration of the principal Expec- •> TORANTS. Allium"••Allium sativum. Garlick. Ammoniacum* • • Her&cleum gummiferuni. Gum Ammoniac. Assafoetida* • "Ferula Assafoetida. Assafoetida. Balsamum Tolutanum« • • Toluifera.Bafca- mum. ' Balsam of Tolu. Ipecacuanha^ • • • • Callicocca Ipecacuanha Brotero. Cephaelis IpecacuanhaWiMdenow. Ipecacuan. Myrrha. Myrrh. Scilla*••Scilla maritima. Squill. Senega• • •Polygala Senega. Senega. • Tabacum*••Nicotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. Ex Antimonio Praeparata. Preparations of Antimony. Quacdam ex Hydrargyro Praeparata. Certain Mercurial Preparations. Zinci Sulphas. Sulphate of Zinc. [Vitr. album. Zincum Vitriolatum. White Vitriol. Vitriolated Zinc] Vapor iEtheris Sulphurici Pulmonibus attractus. Inhalation of the Vapor of Sulphuric iEther. Vapor ex Aqua Calida Pulmonibus at- tractus. Inhaling the Steam of Hot Water. Emetica. Emetics. Demulcentia; qualia sunt Oleum Amyg- dalae, Hordeum, Glycyrrhiza, Tussi- lago, &c. Demulcents, such as Almond Oil, Pearl Barley, Liquorice, Coltsfoot, 8cc. Diure.tica quaedam ; qualia sunt Colchi- cum, Dulcamara, Digitalis. Certain Diuretics, such as Meadow Saffron, Woody Nightshade, Fox- glove. . " Pilula Tabaci. R. Tabaci Extracti ^ss. . Glycyrrhizae Rad. contrit. q. s. ut fiant pilulae xx. Sumatur una ter indies. In phthisi pul- monum. Vide Reus*. Disp. Univers. The extract of tobacco is made from the inspissated decoction of the leaves, these last being previously macerated for some hours in water, (which is then thrown away) to free them from their more acrimonious parts. See Practical Synopsis of the Mat. Med. p. 154. Linctus Oxymellis Scilla, R. Oxymellis Scillae. Syr. Althaeae. Muc'. Acaciae'a. a partes aequales. M. Dosis, cochlearium parvum unum vel alterum ter quaterve indies'. Vide Bano. _* i JMtfstura Scilla cum Antimonio tartarizato. R. Antimonii tartarizati gr. ij. Aquae Pulegii f 5jvij. Oxymellis Scillae f 3 j. M. Sumatur pars octava quartis horis. In peripneumonia. Vide Stoll. Mistura Scilla cum Potassa JVitrate. R. Oxymellis Scillae fjvj. Decoct. Hordei comp. f^vij. Potassx Nitratis Jss. M. Dosis, cochlearia tria ampla saepius. Sub finem peripneumoniae'. Vide Foxn Form. Mistura Ammoniaci cum Antimonio tartari- zato. R. Mist. Ammon. f §vj. Liquoris Antimon. tartarizat. f jj. M. Sumat aeger sextam partem quarts! qust- que hora. Vide Hartman. A small portion of tinctura opii may sometimes be a proper addition to this mixture. The liquor antimonii tartarizati is introduced into the new edition of the London Pharmacopceia, in place of the for- mer vinum antimonii tartarizati, which con- tained twice the quantity of the antimonial salt. Vapor AStheris Sulphurici. Attrahatur pulmonibus aetheris sulphurici vapor ter quotidie. In phthisi, catarrho, et pertussi. • Enumeration of the principal Emetics. Ipecacuanha"• •Callicocca Ipecacuanha. Ipecacuan. t Scilla*• • Scilla maritima. Squill. *Ex Antimonio Prxparata. Preparations of Antimony. Cupri Sulphas. Sulphate of Copper. [Vitr. Cceruleum. Cuprum vitriola- tum. Blue Vitriol. Vitriolated Cop- per.] Zinci Sulphas. * Sulphate of Zinc. [Vitr. album. Zincum vitriolatum. White Vitriol. v"itrio,lated Zinc] I 54S APPENDIX—No; I. Enumeration or the pniNcirAt Cathar- tics. Aloes spicatac Extractum*••Aloe spicata. Extract of spiked Aloe. (Socotorine Aloe.) Aloes vulgaris Extractum.••Aloe vul- garis. Extract of common Aloe. (Barbadoes Aloe.) Cambogia* • • Stalagmitis Cambogib'ides. Camboge. Cassiae Pulpa*;• Cassia Fistula. Cassia-Pulp. Colocynthis*•• Cucumis Colocynthis. Bitter Cucumber. Elaterium* • .Momordica Elaterium. , Wild Cucumber. Helleborus niger* •• Helleborus niger. Black Hellebore. Jalap*•• Convolvulus Jalapa. Jalap. Manna* • «Fraxinus annus. Rhamnus*«*Rhar:inus catharticus. Buckthorn. Rheum* • • Rheum palmatum. Rhubarb. Ricini Oleum*••Ricinus communis. Castor Oil. Sambucus • • • Sambucus nigra. Elder. Scammonea*.* Convolvulus* Scammonea. Scammony. Senna* •• Cassia Senna. Senna. Spariium. [Genista.]*••Spartium scopa- rium. Broom. Tabacum*••Nieotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. • Tamarindus* • *Tamarindus Indica. Tamarind. Taraxacum*• "Leontodon Taraxacum. Dandelion. Veratrum. [Helleborus albus.-]...Vera- trum album. White Hellebore. Magnesia. Magnesia. [Magnesia usta. Calcined Magnesia.] Magnesias Carbonas. Carbonate of Mag- nesia. [Magnesia alba. White Mag- nesia.] Magnesix Sulphas. Sulphate of Magne- sia. [Sal Catharticus Amarus. Ep- som Salts. Magnesia vitriolata. Vi- triolated Magnesia.] t Sodx Murias. Muriate of Soda. [Natron muriatum. Muriated Natron. Sal muriaticus. Common Salt.] Sodx Sulphas. Sulphate of Soda. [Sal Glauberi. Glauber's Salt. Natron vitriolatum. .Vitriolated Natron.] Soda tartarizata. Tartarized Soda. [Sal Rupellensis. .Rochelle Salt. Natron tartarizatum. Tartarized Natron.] Potassx Tartras, Tartrate of Potash. [Tartarum Solubile. Soluble Tartar. Kali tartarizatum. Tartarized Kali.] Potassx Supertartras. Supertartrate of Potash. [Cremor Tartari, Cream of Tartar. Tartari Crystalli. Crystals of Tartar.] • Potassae Sulphas. Sulphate of Potash. [Kali vitriolatum. Vitriolated Tar- ' tar.] Potassae Supersulphas. Supersulphate . of Potash. [Sal Polychrestus. Po- lychrest Salt.] Sapo. Soap. Sulphur. Sulphur. Hydrargyrus purificatus. Purified Mer- cury. Hydrargyri Submurias. Submuriate of Mercury. [Calomelas. Calomel.] Hydrargyri Oxydum cinereum. Grey Oxyd of Mercury. Aqua marina. Sea Water. Aqux Fontium Salinorum, quales sunt in hisce regionibus Fontes apud Chel- tenham, Epsom, Scarborough, &c. The Waters of Saline Springs, such as, in this country, the Springs at Chel- tenham, Epsom, Scarborough, &c. Hauslus Senna cum Magnesia Sulphate. R. Infus. Seftnae Hjj. Magnes. Sulphatis jij. Fiat haustus altera qu'aque hora sumen- flus, donee alvus soluta fuerit. Hujusmodi medicamentum adversus colicam pictonum praecipere solebat. Warren. Previously to the exhibition of these draughts, the physician last mentioned was in the habit of prescribing an opiate, baing of opinion that the colica pictonum (colic of Poictou, Devonshire colic, painter's colic, or dry bellyach) consists in a spasmodic constriction of the intestines, which the ir- ritating effects of cathartics are at first apt to increase. Agreeably to these notions, he withheld purgative medicines till the third or fourth day, until the pain and ten- sion ofthe belly were removed; and then he only prescribed a mildMaxative, such as the above. A practice,similar to this of Dr. Warren's, was adopted by the late Dr. Stoll, for the cure of the same species of colic. The Vienna physician employed the anodyne so freely, that in the course of one night, a patient took 13 grs. of opium. He was frequently astonished to find, he says, that the belly, which could not before be opened by any means, after giving a large dose of opium, either became loose of it- self, or yielded to the glysters which had been repeatedly thrown up, but to no pur- pose, before; or la*stly, stools might then be procured by the use of a mild purge. Solutio Magnesia Sulphatis*. R. Magnesix Sulphatis 3J. APPENDIX—No. I. 549 Aqux distillatx fgviij. Dentur cochlear!* duo omni semihora donee alvus respondent. In ileo. Vide . .Prinole. This medicine was recommended to Sir J. Pringle by Dr. Heberden, who found, that, although it has a disagreeable taste, the stomach will often retain it wrfen more grateful liquors are rejected. . Decoctum Tamarindorum cum Magnesia * Sulphate. R. Tamarindor. Pulpx ^ij. Magnes. Sulphatis gj. Aqux^jurx f^xvij. Solve coquendo et cola. Sumantur fgij. ad f^iv. pro dosi. In febribus biliosis. Vide Tissot. Enumeration of the principal Diuretics. Lytta. [Cantharis.]...Lytta vesicatoria. Spanish Fly. Blistering Fly. Colchicum•• .Colchicum autumnale. Meadow Saffron. Cambogia. •.. Stalagmitis Cambogioides. Gamboge. Digitalis.• .Digitalis purpurea. Foxglove. • ' Dulcamara.».Sora^ium Dulcamara. Woody Nightshade. a Juniperus**.Juniperus communis. Juniper. Pix liquida*».Pinus sylvestris. Tar. Sarsaparilla...Smilax Sarsaparilla. Sarsaparilla. ' Senega...Polygala Senega. Senega. Scilla.*.Scilla maritima. Squill. Spartium.' [Genista.]...Spartium sco-. parium. Broom. Tabacum. ..Nicotiana* Tabacum. Tobacco. Te^ebinthina.• •Pinus sylvestris. Turpentine. Ulmus«»»Ulmus Campestrit' Elm. Potassx Supertartras. Supertartrate of Potash. [Crystalli Tartari. Crystals of Tartar.] Potassx Subcarbonas. Subcarbonate of Potash. [Alkali, Vegetabile mite., Mild'Vegetable Alkali. Kali prx- paratum. Prepared Kali.] Potassx Carbonas. Carbonate of Potash. Potassx Acetas. Acetate of Potash. [Sal Diureticus. Diuretic Salt. Kali acetatum. Acetated Kali.] Potassae Nitras. (Nitrum.) Nitrate of Potash. (Nitre.) [Kali nitratum. Nitrated Kali.] Liquor Potassx Citratis. Solution of Ci- trate of Potash. (Mistura Salina. Saline Mixture.) Spiritus iEtheris nitrici. Spirit of Nitric JEther. [Sp. Nitri dulcis. Sweet Spirits of Nitre. Sp. iEtheris nitrosi. Sp. of Nitrous JEther.] Sodx Subcarbonas. Subcarbonate of Soda. [Alkali Fossile mite. Mild Fossil Alkali. Natron prxparatum, Prepared Natron.] Sodx Carbonas. Carbonate of Soda. Murias Calcis, [Calx salita.] • , Muriate of Lime. Aqua communis. Common Water. Aqux Fontium Salinorum. Saline mineral Waters. Aqux ferrum continentes. Chalybeate Waters. Aqux gas acido carbonico foetx. Waters ^abounding in carbonic acid gas. Aqux gas hydrosulphureto foetx. Waters impregnated with hydrosul- phuretted gas. (Sulphureous mi- neral waters.) Haustus cum Aceto Scilla. R. Potassx Subcarbonatis 3ss. Succ Limon. rec. fjvj. Misce et adjice Aq. Cinnamom. ffiss. Sp. Menth. pip. f^ss. Acet. Scillx fjiss. Syr. Aurant. fjj. M. Fiat haustus bis indies sumendus. In hydrope. Mead. Haustus cum Oxymelle Colchici. R. Potassx Acetatis Jj. Oxymellis Colchici f jij. Aqux purx f^j. Sp. Juniperi comp. f^ss. Sp. iEther. nitrici Tt^ xx. Fiat haustus«,bis die sumendus. In hy- drope. Vide • • Hartman. Mistura Ammoniaci cum Scilld. R. Mist. Ammoniaci f§vj. Potasse Nitratis Jj. Acet. Scillx fjvj. Sp. Junip. comp. f^iss. M. Dentur coch(!§aria majora duo vel tria quartis horis. In hydrope. Vide Vooleh. Dr. Bang, in his Diarium,*relates many instances of dropsies removed by the use of ammoniacum joined with squill, as in this mixture. He prescribes the oxymel in- stead ofthe vinegar of squill. Ofthe two, however, the last preparation seems to be best suited to such cases. The nitre may be retained or omitted according to circum- stances ; and a few drops of tincture of opium will, in general, prove a useful addi- tion. 550 ■ APPENDIX—No. I. Infusum Juniperi. R. Baccarum Junip. contus. ^ij. Sem. Anisi contus. Jij. Aqux ferventis Oj. Macera per ij vel»iij horas, dein cola.— Dosis, cyathus subinde. Vide Bang. To this infusion it may sometimes be pro- per to add a couple of ounces of *he com- pound spirit of juniper, ahd sometimes a drachm or two of tincture of squill. Infusum Juniperi cum Potassx JVitrate'. R. Bacc. Juniperi contus. ^ij. Aqux ferventis. Oj. Digerantur vase clauso in loco calicto. Colaturx adjice Potassx Nitratis jij. t Syr. Zingiberis f^j. M. Sumatur f£j vel f^iss tertiis Yel quartis horis. In hydrope. Vide • Hartman. Enumeration of the principal Diapho- retics. Ex Antimonio Prxparata. Preparations of Antimony. Ammonix Carbonas. [Sal C. C. Alkali volatile mite.] (Ammonia prxparata.) Carbonate of Ammonia. [Salt of Harts- horn. Mild Volatile Alkali.] Pre- pared Ammonia. Liquor Ammonix Carbonatis. [Sp. Salis Volatilis.] (Aqua Ammonix.) Solution of Carbonate of Ammonia.— [Volatile Spirit.] (Water of Am- monia.) Spiritus Ammonix. [Sp. Salis Ammonr aci.] Alcohol Ammoniatum, Ph. Ed. "' Spirit of Ammonia. [Spirit of Sal Ammoniac] Ammoniated Alcohol. Liquor Ammonix Acetatis. [Sp. Minder- eri.] (Aqua Ammonix Ac^tatx.) Solution of Acetate p/ Ammonia.— [Mindererus'sSpirit.] (Water ofAce- tated Ammonia.) Aconitum«««Aconitum JVapellus. Aconite or Monkshood. Camphora»«.Laurus Camphora. Camphor. • » '' Contrayerva«»»Dorstenia Contrajerva. Contrayerva. Guaiacum • • • Guaiacum officinale. Guaiacum. Ipecacuanha"••Callicocca. Ipecacuanha (Broter.) Ipecacuan. Cephaelis Ipecac. (Will- den.) Sambucus*••Sambucus nigra. Elder. Sassafras"••Laurus Sassafras. Sassafras. Senega* ••Polygala Senega. Senega. Serpentaria*• • Aristolochia Serpentaria. Virginian Snake root. * Potassx Nitras. [Nitrum.] (Kali nitra- tum.) Nitrate of Potash. [Nitre.] (Nitrated Kali.) Spiritus iEtheris nitrici. [Sp. Nitri dul- cis.] (Sp. iEtheris Nitrosi.) Spirit of Nitric iEther. [Sweet Spirit of Nitre.] (Spirit of Nitrous iEther.) Oxymel. , (Mel acetatum.) • Oxymel. (Acetated Honey.) Serum lactis vinosum. Wine Whey. * Serum lactis sinapinum. Mustard Whey. Aqux minerales gas hydresulphurcto foetx. Mineral Waters impregnated with hy- drosulphurejted gas. (Sulphureous Mineral Waters.) Balneum Aqux calidx.' Hot Water Bath. Balneum Vaporis. Vapor Bath. Balneum a'e'ris calefacti (Laconicum Celsi.) Dry Bagnio. Thermx, quales sunt Bathonicx et Bux- tonienses. The natural hot baths,.such as those of # Bath and Buxton. Frictio vel manu vel strigili facta. Rubbing the body either with the hand or with a fleshbrush. Indusium laneum. Flannel worn next the skin. The diaphoretic operation of aconite is considerably promoted by joining antimo- nials with it, as in the following formula: Pulvis Aconiti cum Antimonio. R. Aconiti Folior. exsiccatbr. Antimon. Sulphuret. prxcip. aa gr. j. Magnes. Carbonatis ^ss. M. Fiat pulvis. Detur in arthritide et rheu- matismo. Vide Vogler. Pulvis Guaiaci cum Potassx Supertartrate. R. Guaiaci Resinx Jss. Potassx Supertartratis jj. M. Fiat pulvis h. s. sumendus e cyatho seri vinosi tepidi. In rheumatismo acuto. Weickrahd. Pulvis Guaiacitcum Potassx JVitrate: It. Guaiaci Resinx Jss. Potassx Nitratis Qj. M. Fiat pulvis h. s. sumendus ex haustu De- cocti Avenx. In rheumatismo acuto. Vide • *" Donald Monro. Bolus Guaiaci cum Antimonio tartarizato. R. Guaiaci Resinx Qj. Antimon. tartarizat. Opii purificat. aa gr. j. Syr. q. s. ut fiat bolus bis die sumen- dus. APPENDIX—No. I. 551 ^ In rheumatismo et hydrope. Vide Hugh Smith. The proportion of guaiacum may be in- creased according to circumstances. In the original, the quantity of tartarized an- timony and opium is too great for the ge- nerality of patients. On the other hand, the trifling addition of only four grains of camphor there directed can contribute little to the efficacy of the medicine, and therefore this addition is omitted. Bolus Guaiaci cum Opio et Ipecacuanha. R. Guaiaci Resinx ^ss. Pulv. Ipecac, et Opii, Ph. Ed. gr. v. Conf. Rosx Gallicx q. s. ut fiat bolus. In rheumatismo. Vide Ph. Nosocom. Ed. Haustus Antimonialis cum Tinctura Opii. R. Mist. Camphorx f ^iss. Liquor. Ammon. Acetat. f ^ss. Vin. Antimonii gtts. xl. Tinct. Opii gtts. xx. Misce. Sumatur h. s. In rheumatismo acuto. Blane, Who remarks, that if repeated oftener than once in twenty-four hours, one half thequantity of tincture of opium should be given. Mistura Oxymellis. R. Mellis optimi ^j. Aceti distillati f (f j. Aqux ferventis f jxiv. M. Sumatur cyathus tepide. In febribus. BOERHAAVE. Mistura Guaiaci. R. Guaiaci Resinx. Sacchar. purifi«at. aa §ss., Acacix Gummi jij. Simul bene tritis adjiciantur , Aqux Menth. viridis.f ^ix. M. Sumatur f^j. nocte et mane, cum largo haustu d^ecocti hordei vel decocti avenx. In rheumatismo et arthritide. Berger. Sir J. Pringle used to give in rheumatic cases a scruple of the guaiacum twice or thrice a cmy, diffused by means of yolk of egg in an ounce and a half of common wa- ter, and joined with five grains of salt of hartshorn. Enumeration of the principal Emmena- gogues. Aloesspicatx Extractum*••Aloe spicata. Extract of spiked Aloe. (Socotorine Aloe.) Aloe's vulgaris Extractum» •• Aloe vulga- ris. Extuact of commorf'Aloe. (Barbadoes Aloe.) Galbanum.• «Bubon Galbanum. Galbanum. Helleborus niger* • .Helleborus niger. Black Hellebore. Myrrha. Myrrh. Rubia.^.Rubia tinctorum. Madder. Sabina...Juniperus Sabina, Savine. Ferrum. * Iron. Hydrargyrus. Mercury. Pediluvium calidum. Bathing the Feet in Hot Water. Aqux Bathonicx. Bath Waters. Electrizatio. Electrization. Emetica. • Emetics. Tonica. Tonics. Antispasmodica. Antispasmodics. Enumeration of the principal Diluents, Aqua communis. Common Water. Infusum Panis tosti. Toast and Water. Infusum Melissx. Balm Tea. * Infusum Thex. Common Tea. Decoctum Avenx. Gruel. Decoctum Hordei. Barley Water. Jusculum carnis bubulx dilutum. Beef Tea. Jusculum pullinum dilutum. Chicken Water. Serum Lactis. * Whey. Enumeration of the principal Demul- cents. Ichthyocolla* • • Acipenser Huso. Isinglass. Cetaceum (Sperma Ceti,)»»»Physeter Macrocephalus. Peculiar sebaceous matter ofthe phy- seter whale. Acacix Gummi (Gummi Arabicum»»« Acacia vera. Gum Arabic. Althxa« • • Althxa officinalis. Marshmallow. Amygdalx dulces* • Amygdalus communis. Sweet Almonds. Amylum««•Triticum hybemum. ' Starch. Avenx semina decorticata eorumque fa- rina' • • Avena sativa. Groats and Oatmeal. 55? APPENDIX—No. I. Glycyrrhiza* • • Glycyrrhiza glabra. Liquorice. Hordei semina decorticata.».Hordeum distichon. Pearl Barley. Lichen Islandicus*..Lichen islandicus. Iceland liver-wort. Lini semen...Linum usitatissimum. Linseed. Malva. • • Malva sylvestris. Mallow. Maranta«..Maranta arundinacea. Indian Arrow Root. Olivx oleum...Olea Europaa. Olive Oil. Orchidis radix...Orchis mascula. Or- chis morio, &c. . Salep. Sagu».«Metroxylon Sage. Rottboll. See Annals of Botany, No. II. Vol. I. Sago. Tragacantha...Astragalus verus. Gum Tragacanth. Tussilago... Tussilago Farfara. Coltsfoot. Cera. Wax. Pulvis Tragacantha compositus, Ph. Lond. Dosis, Jj. vel Jij. Mistura Cera. R. Cerx albx (vel flav;e) jiij. Saponis duri jj. Aqux Purx f Jj. Liquefiant lento igne in vase fexreo, agi- tando spatha lignea; dein eff'unde in morta- rium et adde paulatim Aqux purx Oij. Syr. Althxx. Sp. Cinnam. aa f ^j. Terendo.optime ut fiat mistura. Detur cyathiis subinde. In dysenteria. Vide Donald Monro. This, as Si* J. Pringle has remarked, makes a smooth mixture of no disagreeable taste, of which the patient should take as much at proper intervals, as to consume a pint in a day. It was frequently used with much success in the military hospitals in America, both by Dr. Hack Saunders and by Mr. W. Russell. In the Emulsio Cerata of the Fulda dispensatory, there are six drachms of wax to a qua*vt ofthe decoction of marsh-mallow roots. Enumeration of the principal Absorb- ents. Ammonix Carbonas. [Alkali Volatile mite. SalC.C.]- (Ammonia prxparata.) Carbonate of Ammonia. [Mild Vola- tile Alkali. Salt of Hartshorn.] (Prepared Ammonia.) Liquor Ammonix Carbonatis. (Aqua Carbonatis Ammonix.) Solution of Carbonate of Ammonia. (Water of Carbonate Ammonia.) Spiritus Ammonix. (Alcohol Ammonia- turn, Ph. Ed.) Spirit of Ammonia. (Ammoniated Alcohol.) Cornu ustum.«.Cervus'£/apA«». , Burnt Hartshorn. Testx Prxparatx...Dstrea edulis. Prepared Shells. Spongia usta...Spongia officinalis. Burnt Sponge. Potassx Subcarbonas. [Alkali Vegeta- ble mite. Sal Tartari.] (Kali prxpara- tum.) Subcarbonate of Potasb. [Mild Vege- • table-Alkali. Salt of Tartar.] (Pre- pared Kali.) Potassx Carbonas. Carbonate of Potash. Liquor Potassx Subcarbonatis. [Lixivi- um Tartari.] (Aqua Kali prxparati.) Solution of Subcarbonate of Potash. [Ley of Tartar.] (Water of prepa- red Kali.) Aqua Supercarbonatis Potassx, Ph. Ed. (Aqua mephitica alkalina.) Water of Supercarbonate of Potash. (Mephitic Alkaline Water.) Liquor Potassx. (Lixivium Saponarium. Lixivium Causticum.) (Aqua Kali puri.) Solution of Potash. (Soap Ley. Caus- tic Ley.) (Water of Pure Kali^ Sodx Subcarbonas. (Alkali fossile mite.) (Natron prxparatum.) Subcarbonate of Soda. (Mild Fossil Alkali.) (Prepared Natron.) Sodx Carbonas. Carbonate of Soda. Aqua Supercarbonatis Sodx, Ph. Ed. Water of Supercarbonate^ of Soda. (Soda Water.) Creta prxparata. Carbonas Calcis, Ph. Ed. Prepared Chalk. Carbonate of Lime. Liquor Calcis. (Aqua Calcis.) Solutio Calcis, Ph. Ed. ' Solution of Lime. (Lime-Water.) Solution of Lime. Magnesia. (Magnesia usta.). Magnesia. (Calcined Magnesia.) Magnesix Carbonas. (Magnesia alba.) Carbonate of Magnesia. (WfJlte Mag- nesia.) "Aqua Bristolica. Bristol Water. Pulvis Cretx cum Rheo. R. Pulv. Cretx composit. Ph. Lond. J)j. Rhei Radicis contrit. gr. xv. M. F. pulvis, h. s. sumendus. In pyrosi et cardialgia. Vide ' Nicolia. Pulvis Carbonatis Magnesix cum Fanicuh. R. Magnesix Carbonatis ^s*. Aurantii Cort. exsiccati Foeniculi Seminum Sacch. purificat. aa jj. APPENDIX—No. I. 553 Terantur in pulverem. Dosis, quantum cultri apice capi potest, s;cpius de die. Rosenstein. This composition is intended for women who give suck to children that are troubled with gripes. As much as will lie on the point of a knife is a very indefinite dose, which is directed to be taken four or five times a day in a little warm water. Dr. Rosenstein knew a wet-nurse who was ob- liged to go on taking it night and morning, for eight months successively. Whenever she left it off' for a couple of days, the child was again seized with gripes. Enumeration of the principal Refrige- rants. Aqua frigida. Cold Water. A'er frigidus. Cold Air. Acidum aceticum. (Acetum distillatum.) Aeetic Acid. (Distilled Vinegar.) Potassx Acetas. (Kali Acetatum.) Acetate of Potash. (Acetated Kali.) Potassx Nitras. [Nitrum.] (Kali nitra- tum.) Nitrate of Potash. [Nitre.] (Nitrated Kali.) Potassx Supertartras. (Tartari Crystalli.) Supertartrate of Potash. (Crystals of Tartar.) Liquor Potassx Citratis. (Mistura Salina.) Solution of Citrate of Potash. (Saline Mixture.) Spiritus iEtheris Nitrici. [Sp. Nitri dul- cis.] (Sp. iEther. nitrosi.) Spirit of Nitric iEther. [Sweet Spirit of Nitre.] (Spirit of Nitrous iEther.) Ammonix Murias. [Sal Ammoniacus.] (Ammonia muriata.) Muriate of Ammonia. [Sal Ammoniac] (Muriated Ammonia.) Liquor Plumbi Acetatis dilutus. [Aqua Goulard.] (Aqua Lythargyri aeetati comp.) Diluted Solution of Acetate of Lead. [Goulard Water.] (Compound Wa- ter of Acetated Litharge.) Plumbi Superacetas. [Saccharum Sa- turni.] (Cerussa Acetata.) Superacetate of Lead. [Sugar of Lead.] (Acetated Cerusse.) Zinci Sulphas. [Vitriolum album.] (Zin- cum vitriolatum.) Sulphate of Zinc. [White Vitriol.] (Vi- triolated Zinc.) Alumen. (Sulphas Aluminx.—Supersul- phas Aluminx et Potassx.) Alum. (Sulphate of Alumina.—Super- sulphate of Alumina and Potash.) Sanguinis Detractio per Phlebotomiam ; per Cucurbitulas ; per Hirudines. Bleeding by the Lancet; by Cupping; by Leeches. Mcdicamenta Cathartics. Purging Medicines. 70 Cataplasma Plumbi Acetatis. R. Micx panis q. v. Liquoris Plumbi Acetatis q. s. ut ma. descat panis. Ad normam Pu. Nosocom. Ed. Ceratum Plumbi Superacetatis, Ph. Lond. Unguentum Plumbi Acetatis, Ph. Ed. et Ebl. Incautiously applied to the sore nipples of women who give suck, infants at the breast have taken in some of it, and been destroyed. Sir G.Baker relates, that twelve infants died at Dartmouth in convulsions occasioned by an ointment of this kind, ap- plied to the nipples of their nurses. The ointment was sold by a woman, famous for her skill in treating this complaint. It is added, that more children would probably have shared the same fate, had not the cause been accidentally discovered. A per- son, employed in drawing the breast of a woman whose nipple had been thus anoint- ed, being affected with great sickness and pain in the stomach, the ointment was exa- mined and ascertained. Enumeration of the principal Antisep- tics. Aqua frigida. Cold water. Acidum Aceticum. (Acetum distillatum.) Acetic Acid. (Distilled Vinegar.) Acidum Citricum. (Sal essentiale Limo- num. Citric Acid. (Essential Salt of Le- mons. Acidum Muriaticum. (Spiritus Salis.) Muriatic Acid. (Spirit of Salt.) Acidum Sulphuricum. (Acidum Vitrioli- cum.) Sulphuric Acid. (Vitriolic Acid.) Acidum nitricum. [AquaFortis.] (Aci- dum nitrosum.) Nitric Acid. [Aqua Fortis.] (Nitrous Acid.) Absinthium.• .Artemisia Absinthium. Common Wormwood. Anthemis. [[Chamxtnelum.]"• .Anthemis nobilis. Chamomile. Camphora...Laurus Camphora. Camphor. Cinchona communis. [Cort. Peruv. com- mun.] • • • Cinchona lancifolia. Common pale Peruvian Bark. Cinchona rubra. [Cort. Per. ruber.].•• Cinchona oblongifolia. Red Peruvian Bark. Cinchona flava. [Cort. Per. flavus.]... Cinchona cordifolia. Yellow Peruvian Bark. Conium. [Cicuta.]."Conium macula- turn. Hemlock. Limon* •• Citrus medica. Lemon. 554 APPENDIX—No. I. Myrrha. Myrrh. Opium*• • Papaver somniferum. Alumen* •• Sulphas Aluminx, Ph. Ed. Supersulphas Aluminx et Potassx. Alum.—Sulphate of Alum.—Supersul- phate of Alum and Potash. Aqua gas acido carbonico foeta. Water impregnated with carbonic acid gasi commonly called Fixed Air. Liquores fermentati, sc. cerevisia, vinum, &c Fermented liquors, viz. Beer, Ale, Porter, Wine, &c Alcohol sive Spiritus Vinosus. Alcohol or Spirit of Wine. Suffimenta Acida. Acid Fumigations. Refrigerantia. Refrigerants. Mistura Camphora cum Succo Limonum. R. Camphorx, Alcoholis pauxillo solutx, Sacchar. purificat. ^fss. Simul tritis ad- jiciantur Succ. Limon. rec. f^ij- Aq. Mentha virid. f^vj. M. Dosis, f ^iss tertia. quaque hora. In typho et gangrxna. Vide Collin. In many cases tincture of opium, in the usual proportions, may be added to this mixture. Both Lewis and Cullen have no- ticed the advantages of combining, in this manner, camphor with the acid juice of lemons. Enumeration of the principal Astrin- gents. Bistorta* • .Polygonum Bistorta. Bistort. Catechu. (Terra Japonica.) • • • • -Acacia Catechu. Catechu. Granatum (Balaustia.)*».Punica Grana- tum. Pomegranate. Hxmatoxylum.(LignumCampechianum.) Hxmatoxylum Campechianum. Logwood. Kino. Kino. Quercus et Gallx ••• Quercus peduncu- lata. '-----Robur. Oak and Gallnuts.------Cerris. Rosa. (Rosarubra.)• • • RosaGallica. Red Rose. Salix*••Salix Caprea. Willow. Salvia* •• Salvia officinalis. Sage. Tormentilla*• •Tormcntilla officinalis. Tormentil. Alumen. Sulphas Aluminx. Supersulphas aluminx et potassx. Alum. Plumbi Superacetas. [Saccharum Sa- turni.] (Cerussa Acetata.) Super- acetate of Lead. [Sugar of Lead.] (Acetated Cerusse.) Zinci Sulphas. (Vitriolum album.) Zin- cum vitriolatum.) Sulphate of Zinc. (White Vitriol.) (Vitriolated Zinc.) Absorbentia quxdam et imprimis Creta. Certain Absorbents and particularly Chalk. Opium et ex eo Prxparata. Opium and its Preparations. Tonica. Tonics. Fomentum Gallarum, R. Gallarum contus. ^j. Aqux Ojss. Coque ad colaturx octarium unum. Sit pro fomento, in hxmorrhoidibus, quod cum pannis laneis parti affectx admoveatur mane et nocte. In uteri procidentia. Ad nor- mam Ph. Nosocom. Ed. Enumeration of the principal Tonics. Absinthium* • 'Artemisia Absinthium. Wormwood. Anthemis (Chamxmelum.)««•Anthemis n obi lis. Chamomile. Arnica«« • Arnica montana. Leopard's bane. Aurantii Cortex. (Aurantium Hispalen- se.)««•Citrus Aurantium. Seville Orange. Cascarilla*• • Croton Cascarilla. Cascarilla. Centaurium*«»Chironia Centaurium. Common Centaury. Cinchona communis. (Cort. Peruv. com- mun.)»••Cinchona lancifolia. Common Pale Peruvian Bark. Cinchona rubra. (Cort. Per. ruber.) Cinchona oblongifolia. Red Peruvian Bark. Cinchona flava. (Cort. Per. flavus.) Cin- ehona cordifolia. Yellow Peruvian Bark. Calumba. Columbo-root. Cusparia. (Angusturx Cortex.)•• •Cus- paria feb rifuga. Angustura-bark. Gentiana.*••Gentiana lutea. Gentian. Humulus»»«Humulus Lupulus. Hop. Lichen«• *(Muscus lslandicus.».Lichen Islandicus.) Iceland Liverwort. Iceland Moss. Marrubium• • • Marrubium vulgare, Horehound. APPENDIX—No. I. 555 Menyanthes. (Trifolium fibrinum.) Men- yanthes trifoliata. Buckbean. Marsh trefoil. Myrrha. Myrrh. Quassia*•• Quassia excelsa. Quassia. Salix* • *Salix caprea. Willow. Simarouba. ••Quassia Simarouba. Simarouba. Vinum rubrum Portugallicum. Red Port Wine. Acidum muriaticum. (Spiritus Salis.) Muriatic Acid. (Spirit of Salt.) Acidum sulphuricum. (Acidum vitrioli- cum.) Sulphuric Acid. (Vitriolic Acid.) Acidum nitricum. (Spiritus Nitri Glau- beri.) Nitric Acid. (Glauber's Spirit of Nitre.) Arsenici Oxydum. (Arsenicum album.) Oxyd of Arsenic. (White Arsenic. Bismuthi Oxydum album. (Magisterium Bismuthi.) White Oxyd of Bismuth. (Magistery of Bismuth.) Alumen. Supersulphas aluminx et pot- assx. Sulphas Aluminx. Alum. Supersulphate of alumina and potash. Sulphate of alumina. Cupri Sulphas. (Cuprum Vitriolatum. Vitriolum coeruleum.) Sulphate of Copper. (Vitriolated Cop- per. Blue Vitriol.) Cuprum Ammoniatum. (Cupri Ammo- niaretum.) Ammoniated Copper. (Ammoniaret of Copper.) E Ferro Prxparata. Preparations of Iron. Zinci Sulphas. (Zincum vitriolatum. Vi- triolum album.) Sulphate of Zinc. (Vitriolated Zinc. White Vitriol.) Zinci Oxydum. (Zincum calcinatum.— Flores Zinci.) Oxyd of Zinc. (Calcined Zinc. Flow- ers of Zinc.) Aqux minerales ferrum continentes. Chalybeate mineral Waters. Gas Oxygenium. Oxygen Gas. A'e'r Ruris. Country Air. ---marinus. Sea Breezes. Lavatio Frigida. Cold bathing. Equitatio. Riding on Horseback. Dixta lactea. Milk Diet. Astringentia. Astringents. Pulvis Cinchonx cum Sulphate Magnesix. li. Cinchonx pulv. subt. 3SS. Magnes. Sulphat. Jvj. Tere simulin pulverem et divide in qua- tuor partes xquales. Sumatur pars una al- ternis horis. In febribus intermittentibus. Cleghoun. Intended for patients labouring under ague, who are not strong enough to bear purging. Pulvis Cinchona cum Caryophyllis. R. Cinchonx pulv. subt. Potassx Supertartratis aa 3*j. Caryophyll. contrit. No. xxx. M. Detur drachma cum semisse tertiis horis. Vide Petrie. This, says Dr. Petrie, in a letter to Sir G. Baker, is what is called the Dutch remedy for an ague. In the hospital at Lincoln, several patients were cured by it of those obstinate intermittents that prevailed so much in the year 1781 ; in which, however, like all the other remedies then tried, it al- so frequently failed. Pulvis Salicis. Sumantur Salicis Corticis in pulverem subtilissimum triti ^ij.quarta quaque hora, tempore apyrexix. In febribus intermitten- tibus. Vide Stone. Larger quantities, such as a drachm, may be given for a dose. It appears to be as good a substitute for the cinchona as any with which we are acquainted. Pilula Cupri Sulphatis. R. Cupri Sulphatis gr. iv. Extr. Cinchonx gr. xxxij. Syr. q. s. ut fiant pilulx xvi. Sumatur una'quater de die. In febribus intermittentibus. Vide Donald Monro. Dr. Monro prescribed these pills in the Spring of 1785, very successfully to some patients labouring under obstinate intermit- tents, which had resisted the free use ofthe Peruvian bark, bitters, and other medicines. On first taking these pills, the patients ge- nerally experienced some sickness; but af- ter a day or two, this effect ceased. Where the patients are low, he thinks it might be of advantage to give along with the sul- phate of copper, ten or twelve grains or more of the cinchona extract, together with a little ginger, or some other aromatic. Infusum Cenlaurii cum Menyanthe. R. Centaurii Cacumin. exsiccat. Menyanth. Fol. exsiccat. aa jij. Aqux ferventis f^viij. Macera per horam, dein cola. Dosis, f ^iss. vel f'Sjij: Ad normain Disp. Fuld. Haller relates that Boerhaave derived con- siderable advantage from it in arthritis; in several cases of which the juice ofthe fresh herb, to the amount of eight or ten ounces a day, has been since given, with good ef- fect, by Dr. Aasheim of Copenhagen. As a still further recommendation of ihe buck- bean, we may add, thmBergius experienced surprising benefits from it, in the form of 556 an infusion, as above prescribed, not only in the last mentioned complaint, but like- wise in autumnal fevers and asthma. Enumeration of thb principal Stimu- lants. Ammonia et ex e& prxparata. Volatile Alkali and its Preparations. Lytta. [Cantharis.]*»*Lytta. vesicatoria. Spanish Fly. Blistering Fly. Moschus«.«Moschus moschiferus. Musk. Allium*••Allium sativum. Garlick. Anisum«»»Pimpinella Anisum. Aniseed. Arnica*••Arnica montana. Leopards-bane. Armoracia. [Raphanus rusticanus.].... Cochlearia Armoracia. Horse-radish. Arum*• .Arum maculatum. Arum. Assafoetida*•«Ferula Assafcetida. Assafoetida. Aurantii Cortex. [AurantiumHispalense.] • • • Citrus Aurantium. Seville Orange. Balsamum peruvianum*••Myroxylon pe- ruiferum. Balsam of Peru. Balsamum tolutanum»«»Toluifera Balsa- mum. Balsam of Tolu. Cajuputi. [Cajeputa.]**•Melaleuca Ca- juputi. Cajuputi. Canella»••Canella alba. Canella. Camphora* ••Laurus Camphora. Camphor. Cardamomum*• •Elettaria Cardamomum, Cardamom. Capsicum. [Piper Indicum.]«««Capsicum annuum. Cayenne Pepper. Caruon««.Carum Carui. Carraway. Caryophylli« • .Eugenia caryophyllata. Cloves. Cinnamomum• • • Laurus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon. Copaiba [Balsamum Copaibx.]«»«Copai- fera officinalis. Copaiba. Coriandrum. * Coriandrum sativum Coriander. Galbanum* • Bubon Galbanum. Galbanum. Guaiacum* •< Guaiacum officinale. Guaiacum. Lavandula* • • Lavandula Spica. Lavender. Laurus*••Laurus nobilis. Bay tree. X—No. I. Mentha piperita. [Mentha piperitis.]»t« Mentha piperita. Peppermint. Mentha viridis. [Mentha sativa.].*•Men- tha viridis. Spear Mint. Mezereum.**'Daphne Mezereum, Mezereon. Myristica. [Nux moschata.]•••Myristica moschata. Nutmeg. Opium* • • Papaver somniferum. Opium. Opoponax...Pastinaca Opoponax, Opoponax. Pimenta.. .Myrtus Pimenta. Pimento. Piper longum...Piper longum. Long Pepper. Piper nigrum...Piper nigrum. Black and White Pepper. Rosmarinus.«.Rosmarinus officinalis. Rosemary. Serpentaria. • • Aristolochia Serpentaria. Serpentaria. Sinapis...Sinapis nigra. ■ Mustard. Styracis Balsamum...Styrax Officinale. Storax. Terebinthina Canadensis. [Balsamum Ca- nadense. • • Pinus Balsamea. Canada Turpentine. Canada Balsam. Terebinthina Chia. Pistacia Terebinthus. Chio Turpentine. Terebinthina vulgaris. • .Pinus sylvestris. Common Turpentine. Toxicodendron.«.Rhus Toxicodendron. Poison Oak. Valeriana.—Valeriana Officinalis. Valerian. Zingiber. • • Zingiber Officinale. Ginger. iEther Sulphuricus. [iEther Vitriolicus.] Sulphuric iEther. [Vitriolic iEther.] Vinum et Alcohol. Wine and Alcohol. E Ferro Prxparata. Preparations of Iron. Gas Oxygenium. Oxygen Gas. Balneum Calidum. The Hot Bath. Balneum Vaporis. The Vapor Bath. Thermx Bathonicx et Buxtonienses. Bath and Buxton Warm Springs. Electrizatio communis et Galvanica. Common and Galvanic Electrization. Diaphoretica. Diaphoretics. Tonica. Tonics. Sinapis Semina. Detur Seminum Sinapis non contusorum cochleare plenum, mane et vesperi. Ad as- citem. Mead. In a remarkable instance of ascites rela- APPEND1 APPENDi: ted by this author, the operation ofthe un- bruised mustard-seed was promoted by giving in conjunction with it a decoction of broom-tops. Bergius relates that in vernal intermit- tents, especially tertians, these seeds given entire, and swallowed without being chew- ed, during the intermissions, to the amount of a large spoonful four or five times a day, often removed the fits. The patients were ordered not to drink any thing warm after them. This medicine is also useful in palsy and chronic rheumatism. Dr. Cullen has remarked, that the seeds given in the above manner are never broken down or dissolved in the stomach, but pass away entire by stool. This explains why they may be gi- ven so fr«ely without any harm. Haustus Valeriana cum Ammonid. R. Valerianx Rad. pulv. subt. Qj. Ammonix Carbonatis gr.xv. Aqux Cinnamomi f^ij. M. F. haustus quarta quaque hora sumendus. Vide Akenside. The above composition is suited to cases of nervous headach, hysteria, and paralysis. Serum Sinapinum, R. Lactis Vaccini Oj. Sinap. Sem. contus. 3*j. Coquantur simul donee caseosa pars in coagulum abierit, dein coletur serum.— Dosis, f^iv. subinde. Disp. Fuld. Enumeration of the principal Antispas- modics. Ammonia et ex e& prxparata. Volatile Alkali and its preparations. Castoreum •».Castor Fiber. Castor. Moschus* • "Moschus moschiferus. Musk. Assafoetida* • • Ferula Assafcetida. Assafoetida. Aurantium. [Aurantii Folia.] * * * Citrus Aurantium. Orange leaves. Belladonna. [Solanum lethale.]*«»Atro- pa Belladonna. Deadly Nightshade. Camphora«».Laurus Camphora. Camphor. Cardamine*«»Ca.Tda.rame pratensis. Ladysmock. Cinchona communis. [Cort. Peruv. com- mun.].«.Cinchona lancifolia. Common pale Peruvian Bark. Cinchona rubra. [Cort. Per. ruber.].•• Cinchona oblongifolia. Red Peruvian Bark. Cinchona flava. [Cort. Per. flavus.]... Cinchona cordifolia. Yellow Peruvian Bark. Conium. [Cicuta.]...Conium maculatum. Hemlock. X—No. I. 557 Galbanum...Bubon Galbanum. Galbanum. Hyoscyamus«..Hyoscyamus niger. Henbane. Ipecacuanha.• .Callicocca Ipecacuanha, Ipecacuanha. Opium....Papaver somniferum. Opium. Ruta...Ruta graveolens. Rue. Tabacum.••Nicotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. Valeriana. • .Valeriana officinalis. Valerian. * Sodx Subcarbonas. [Natron prxpara- tum.] Subcarbonate of Soda. [Prepared Na- tron.] Succinum, et ex eo prxparata. Amber and its preparations. iEther Sulphuricus. [iEther vitriolicus.] Sulphuric iEther. [Vitriolic iEther.] Spiritus iEtheris compositus. [Sp. iEthe- ris vitriolici compositus.] Compound Spirit of iEther. [Com- pound Spirit of Vitriolic iEther. E Cupro quxdam prxparata. Certain preparations of Copper. Zinci Oxydum. [Zincum calcinatum.] Oxyd of Zinc. [Calcined Zinc] Electrizatio communis et Galvanica. Common and Galvanic Electrization. Epispastica. Blistering Applications. Tonica. Tonics. Narcotica. Narcotics. Bolus Moschi cum Camphora. R. Moschi grana xv. Camphorx (Alcoholis pauxillo solutx) gr. v. Confect. Rosx Caninx q. s. ut fiat bo- lus. Vide Hartman. Either in combination with camphor, as in this formula, or by itself, musk proves an admirable remedy in various spasmodic complaints; and particularly, as Dr. Wall has shown, in certain convulsive affections (such as hiccup and subsultus tendinum) which accompany typhoid fevers. Bolus Moschi cum Ammonia. R. Moschi Ammonix Carbonatis aa Qss. Confect. Rosx q. s. ut fiat bolus tertia quaque hora sumendus. In ilia gangrxnx specie, qux motibus convulsivis stipatur. Vide White. Electuarium Cinchonx cum Valeriand. It. Cinchonx Cort. pulv. subt. §j. Valerianx Rad. pulv. subt. Jij. Syr. Aurantii q. s. ut fiat electuarium. Devoret xger drachmam mane et vesperi. In epilepsia. Vide Mead. This remedy is to be persisted in for ma- | ny months, according to the obstinacy of » 558 APPENDIX—No. I. the disease ; and before it is administered proper evacuations should be procured. Mistura Ipecacuanhx cum Soda Subcarbo- nate. R. Aqux purx f§j. Syrupi fjiij. Sodx Subcarbonatis gr. xxiv. Vin. Ipecac, f jj. Tinct. Opii flLvj. Misce. Sumat infans sextam partem quartis vel sextis horis. In tussi convulsiva. R. Pearson. Enema Assafcetida. R. Assafoetidx jij. Decoct. Avenx f^x vel f§xij. Misce pro enemate. In hysteria et colica flatulenta. Bang. Enema Moschi. R. Moschi gr. xij. Sacchar. punficat. ^rj. G. Acacix Qj. Simul tritis admisceantur Jusculi cujusvis tenuis f^iv. ut fiat enema alternis vel tertiis horis inji- ciendum. Adconvulsiones puerorum. Vide Wall. Enumeuation of the principal Narcotics. Aconitum*•• Aconitum J\"apellus. Aconite. Monkshood. Belladonna-• • Atropa Belladonna. Deadly Nightshade. Camphora.«.Laurus Camphora. Camphor. Conium. [Cicuta.].*.Conium maculaium. Hemlock. Digitalis. • .-Digitalis purpurea. Foxglove. Hy oscyamus • • • Hyoscyamus niger. Henbane. Opium...Papaver somniferum. Opium. Stramonium.«.Datura Stramonium. Thorn apple. Tabacum.«.Nicotiana Tabacum, Tobacco. Haustus Tincturx Opii cum JEthere. R. Aqux Menthx virid. fjiss. Tinct. Opii n\, xv. iEther Sulphurici n\, xxx. M. F. Haustus. Vide Martin Wall. Where there is no subsultus tendinum or other symptom indicating the use of anti- spasmodics, the Spirit of Sulphuric iEther may be prescribed in place of the pure xther. Emumeration of the principal Anthel- mintics. Allium • • • Allium sativum. Garlick. Assafcetida.«.Ferula Assafoetida. Assafoetida. Camphora.».Laurus Camphora. Camphor. Cambogia* • • Stalagmitis Cambogioides, Gamboge. Dolichos (Stizolobium)«**Dolichos pru- riens. Cowitch. Filix* ••Aspidium Filix Mas. Male Fern. Geoffroea* • • Geoffroea inermis. Cabbage-bark tree. Jalapa*• .Convolvulus Jalapa. Jalapa. Olivx Oleum*.-Olea Europaa. Olive-Oil. Scammonea.• .Convolvulus Scammonea. Scammony. Spigelia. •«Spigelia Marilandica. Carolina Pink.( Tabacum...Nicotiana Tabacum. Tobacco. Tanucetum«*'Tanacetum vulgare. Tansy. Sodx Murias. Muriate of Soda. [Na- tron muriatum. Muriated Natron. Sal muriuticus. Sea Salt.] Hydrargyri Submurias. Submuriate of Mercury. (Calomelas. Calomel.) E Ferro Prxparata. Preparations of Iron. Stannum. Tin. Cathartica. Cathartics. Pulvis Rhei cum Hydrarg. Submuriate. R. Rhei Rad. in pulv. trit. Jss. Hydrarg. Submuriatis gr. xij. M. F. Pulvis, pro dosi. Contra lumbricos,in febribus biliosis. Vide Pringlb. Pulvis Sodx Muriatis. R. Sodx Muriatis ^ij. Coccinell. ^ij. M. Fiat pulvis. Detur drachma dimidia pro dosi, tempore matutino. * Rush, Who says he has administered many pounds of common salt in this way, with great success, in worm-cases. Pilula Assafoetida cum Ferro. R. Assafoetidx jij. Ferri Sulphatis exsiccat. Jss. Cum Muc. Acacix tantillo subige in mas- sam, dividendam in pilulas, singulas granor. iv. Capiat xger quovis trihorio diei duas ex pauxillo vini. Contra txniam. Vide Gaubii Form. Bolus Cambogia cum Ilydr. Submuriate, It. Cambogix gr. viii. Hydrarg. Submur. gr. v. Muc. Acacix q. s. ut fiat bolus mane sumendus. Vide Nicolai. Werlhoff's remedy for the tape-worm was gamboge alone. He used to give it in a morning, to the quantity of twenty grains, mixed with a little sugar and water, repeat- ing the same, if necessary, the next day, and even the third day. He never observed any harm to arise from these large doses, the patients being generally as well as ever the day after the exhibition of the medicine. APPENDIX—No. I. 559 HYDRO-CYANIC The introduction of Prussic acid as an ar- ticle ot Materia Medica; and the extensive employment of it, in London, since it was first introduced in 1815, require that some notice should be taken of it in this work Preparation. The best method of prepar- ing Hydro cyanic acid, for medicinal use, is the following, which was first employed by Scheele. Mix two ounces of Prussian blue with six ounces of red precipitate of mercury, and add six ounces of water. Boil the mixture for some minutes, constantly agitating it, when the blue colour will disappear, and the mass assume a yellowish grey hue.— Pour the whole on a filter, and wash the residuum with a litte hot water, which is to be added to the filtered liquor. Pour this upon an ounce and a-half of clean iron fil ings, and add three drachms of su-ong sul- phuric acid. Shake this mixture well, and, after the powder subsides, pour the fluid into a retort, and distil one fourth part of it over into a well luted receiver. This is the Hydro-cyanic acid, containing an ad- mixture of a little sulphuric acid, which is readily separated by means of Barytic water. La Planche recommends l-6th only to be dis- tilled over, and this to be rectified, by means ofa gentle fire, over 1 200th of carbonate of lime; drawing off, afterwards,-J only ofthe l-6th of the whole, thus treated, by a second distillation. The acid is obtained of a uni- form strength by this method. In the above processes, the iron filings and the sulphuric acid added to the solution obtained from boiling the mixture of Prus- sian blue and red precipitate of mercury in water decompose the water; and the re- duced mercury combines with the cyano- gene, the base of the acid of the Prussian blue, and forms a cyanuret of mercury — This new combination is again destroyed by the heat, and the cyanogene acting upon the nascent hydrogene of the decomposing water, forms hydrocyanic vapours, which are absorbed by the water in the receiver, and constitutes the hydro-cyanic acid. Physical and chemical properties. Hydro- cyanic acid, prepared in the above described manner, is a colourless, transparent liquid, with a peculiar odour, not unlike that of bitter almonds. It is at first bland and sweet to the taste, but ultimately impresses a pungent acrimony on the palate. It is very volatile; and, owing to this property, crystallizes if a drop of it fall upon paper. Its specific gravity is 0.70583. It is decomposed by a high temperature, and by light; being resolved into carbonic acid, ammonia and carburetted hydrogen gas, which are dissipated, and leave behind i carbonaceous deposit. It is very inflanr (PRUSSIC) ACID. mable, burning with a blue flame : and is soluble both in water and in alcohol. Medicinal properties and uses. Hydro- cyanic acid, when taken into the stomach, in a large dose, acts as an instantaneous and most powerful sedative, destroying completely the nervous energy and the ir- ritability of the body, and consequently extinguishing life : but, in an animal thus killed, the action of the heart continues for some time after the animal has apparently ceased to live. The observation of this curious fact led Professor Brera, in 1809,* to administer Prussic acid as a remedy in pulmonary inflammation; and he found that it quickly subdued the violence of the disease, "without having any recourse to more than preliminary bleeding." British practitioners, however, were altogether unacquainted with this remedy, until after Dr Majendie published his first essay on this subject, in 1815 ; when Dr. Granville, through the medium of the London Medical Itepository, directed their attention to its powers ; and I refer those who are desirous of tracing the introduction of Prussic acid into use as a medicinal agent, to his work \ Prussic acid, internally exhibited, is a remedy of great efficacy in spasmodic coughs of every description particularly, asthma,chronic catarrh,and hooping cough. In my own practice, I have witnessed its powers in that affection of the trachea, which is often mistaken for phthisis pulmofia- lis, and is not less fatal. In true tubercular phthisis, my own experience does not ena- ble me to say much in favour of Prussic acid ; but the mass of evidence brought forward, in testimony of its beneficial influ- ence in this disease, by Dr. Granville, should not be overlooked: and, as 1 have stated in another place,* the judicious ex- hibition of Prussic acid in the early stage of pulmonary consumption may do much to bring that disease under the control of art. Prussic acid has been found extreme- ly useful in the treatment of those epidemic catarrhs, with which this country is occasi- onally visited ; and no remedy is so well ad.pted, as an adjunct to ton cs, for remov- ing those dyspeptic- affections which are attended with acidity of the stomach, and accompanied with heat and soreness ot the tongue. In these cases it reduces the mor- bid irritability of the stomach, and thereby enables the juices of that organ to be more • Brera's work is entitled, " IVojpetti dei risulta- menti ottenuti nella Clinica Medica dell' imperiale R. Uuiversita. di Padova, ne' sei anni scolastiei, 18)9— 1815. t Treatise on the internal use of Hydro-cyanic acid, fee. 2d edition, London, 1S20- I Vidi Dr. Grarrvilie': 'l'n.atii», :d. c3it. p. 3/3, 560 APPENDIX—No. I. slowly secreted and of a more healthy cha- racter.* Cases are also on record in which this acid has proved serviceable in the treatment of painful and difficult menstrua- tion, floodings, hemoptysis, and nervous diseases. It certainly is a very powerful sedative ; and may be employed in all cases, in which sedatives and narcotics are indi- cated, with decided advantage. As a local remedy, Prussic acid is the only application which can be depended on for allaying the itching and tingling which are bo distressing in impetiginous affections. I have lately employed it with unvarying success in these complaints, and having published my observations.-j-1 am in hopes of seeing its value determined in the hands of others. I have found it useful, also, in combination with small doses of oxymu- riate of mercury in acne rosacea, and several other cutaneous diseases. The dose of Prussic acid is from mjj. to rr\viij. It may be administered in distilled water, or in almond emulsion, or in infusion of cinchona bark, as circumstances may re- quire. When an overdose has been taken, its deleterious effects are best counteracted by hot brandy and water, and the ammonia- ted tincture of iron. As a local application, it may be used in the form of lotion, in the proportion of a fluid drachm to a fluid ounce and a half of distilled or of rose water; or as a cataplasm composed of crumb of bread, soaked in a solution of f^jss. ofthe acid in f ^ j. of distilled water. Although the instantaneous power of Prussic acid, in destroying animal life, when it is taken in doses sufficiently large to operate as a poison, may, perhaps, always prevent medical art from proving beneficial in such cases ; yet it is of importance to be able to ascertain in judicial inquiries, re- lative to suicide or to murder, that Prussic acid has been administered as a poison. The following means pointed out by Dr. Granville, for detecting its presence in the animal system after death, should be known. Co llect the blood contained in the ventricles ofthe heart, a portion ofthe contents ofthe stomach, and of any fluid that may be found in the head, the chest, or the abdomen, agitate the mixture for some time witli distilled water, and filter the liquid, taking * Dr. Klliotson has published a small volume con- taining the result of his practice With Prussic acid in dyspepsia ; and has stated that accident led him to try the powers of the medicine ill this class of diseases. Respect for my own character obliges me to say, that nothing could surprise me more than this stateineiu of Dr. Elliotson ; as he acknowledges having read the first edition of Dr. Granville's Treatise, winch contains a letter from me, dated 20th February, 1819, stating my sentiments of the utility of Prussic acid, in dyspepsia, and the modus operandi of the remedy, previously to his having employed it.' + Vide Medical and Physical Journal, Feb, 1S22. care to preserve the whole at a low tem- perature. To a small quantity of the fil- tered liquid add a few drops of a solution of pure potass in alcohol; then add a few drops of a solution of sulphate of iron ; and if a reddish precipitate of the colour of burnt Terra Siena now fall down, which on the addition of a little sulphuric acid, changes to a bluish green, and gradually, on exposure to the atmosphere, becomes a .beautiful blue, we may conclude that the death of the individual has been occasioned by Prussic acid. IODINE. This substance is procured hy first lixi- viating- powdered kelp with cold water; then evaporating the ley till a pellicle forms, and setting it aside to crystallize. On sepa- rating the crystals, the mother water is to be evaporated to dryness, and to the mass, put into the flask of an alembic, is to be added half its weight of sulphuric acid, and the same weight of black oxide of manganese ; and, after adapting a capital and.receiver to the flask, the mixture is to be distilled with a gentle heat, as long as violet vapours arise, which condense chiefly in the capital, in the form of opaque crys- tals, with a metallic lustre. These are Ionixr. Various other methods have been employed for procuring Iodine, the best is the following, proposed by Dr. Ure. Take eight fluid ounces of the brown liquid, which drains from the salt which the soap- makers, who employ kelp, boil up and evaporate to dryness, heat it to 230° Fah- renheit, and add one fluid ounce of sul- phuric acid diluted with its own bulk of water. When the mixture cools, separate the crystals of the salts,$ which will form in it by filtration through a woollen cloth, and add to the fluid poured into a matrass, 830 grains of black oxide of manganese in pow- der. A glass globe is then to be inverted over the mouth ofthe matrass, and the heat of a charcoal chaffer being applied, Iodine will sublime in great abundance. It must be washed out of the globe with alcohol, then drained and dried on plates of glass ; and purified by a second sublimation from dry quicklime.§ Iodine has been procured from sponge by M. Strr,ub of Hofwyl ;|| and from various sea plants ; for instance, Fucus saccharinus, digitatus, serratus, vesicitlosus, siliquosis, filum, rubens, cartilagineus, membranaceus. % These are sulphate of soda, sulphate of potass, hy driodate of soda and sulphur. $ Phil. Magazine, 1. p. 1(51. || Journ. of Science and the -lrts, vol. x. p. 45., APPENDIX—No. I. 561 and filamentosus; Ulva pavonia, and U. linza. The discovery of Iodine is due to M. Courtais, a French chemist, who first ob- tained it in 1811 ; but its nature was not known to the philosophical world till 1813, when it was announced to the French in- stitute by M. Clement Its properties and chemical affinities were afterwards deter- mined by the experiments of Gay Lussac,* Sir H. Davy,f Vanquelin,* Colin, Gaulthier de Claubry,§ and M. Pelletier.|| Qualities. Iodine, when properly pre- pared, is a crystallized substance of a grey- ish black colour, having a specific gravity of 4.948, and a metallic lustre : its smell is disagreeable, not unlike that of chlorine, and its taste acrid and hot. It is usually obtained in rhomboidal plates, which show a lamellated fracture; are scarcely soluble in water, but more so in alcohol, and still more in sulphuric ether. It melts at 224° Fahrenheit, and is volatilized at a tempera- ture between 347° and 256°. Its vapour is of a beautiful violet colour, (whence its name from JaJwf violet). Medicinal Properties. From the fact that burnt sponge forms the basis of all the reme- dies that have been productive of any bene- fit in the treatment of bronchocele, Dr. Coindet of Geneva, supposing that Iodine was the active principle ofthe sponge, pro- posed to employ it in different combinations for the cure of that disease. He gave it in the form of tincture, made by dissolving forty eight grains of Iodine in a fluid ounce of alcohol; and, also in the form of hydrio- date of potass The hydriodate is made by dissolving Iodine in a solution of pure potass. Both an iodate and a hydriodate are formed ; the firsi of which being much less soluble than the second, falls to the bottom of the solution in the form of small grains ; the second (the hydriodate) remains dissolved in the liquid, which assumes a bright yellow colour if the Iodine be not in excess, but a deep, brownish yellow, if it be in excess. Numerous cases of the beneficial results of the exhibition of both these preparations of Iodine in bronchocele and in scrophulous swellings, have been published by Dr. Coin- det and others : but, in this country, the remedy has been too little used to determine its real value. The hydriodate of potass is the form of the medicine now generally pre- ferred. Much caution is requisite in the adminis- tration of Iodine. In delicate, nervous ha- bits, it is apt to bring on palpitations, dry * Gav's Lussac's experiments were published in No- vember 1813. Vide Ann. de Chtm. t. 83. p. 319. t Sir H. Davy's experiments were published in De- cember 1813. t Ann. de Chimie. t. 91. I Journ. de Phys. Aout. 1814. || Bulletin de Pharmacist, vi. 71 cough, tremors, and other febrile symp- toms. The dose of the tincture is from ten to fifteen drops for an adult, given in a glass- ful of sugared water, or of syrup of capil- laire and water, three times a day, and ot that ofthe hydriodate, from six to ten drops, in the same vehicle. Besides the use of Iodine as a curative agent, it has been employed as a test of 'he presence of oxide of arsenic and of corrosive sublimate. Brugnatelli, who first proposed its employment for this purpose, directs as much Iodine to be added to recently boiled starch as will give it a blue colour, and 'hen as much distilled water to be mixed with this coloured starch as wi I bring it to the state of an aqueous solution. A few drops of an aqueous solution of oxide of arsenic ad- ded to this solution, changes its colour at first to a reddish hue, which g; adually dis- appears, leaving the mixture colourless ; but the blue colour is restored by the ad- dition of a few drops of sulphuric acid. The same effects, with the exception of the restoration of the blue colour by the acid, are produced by Iodine on a solution of cor- rosive sublimate 1J OIL OF CROTON. Croton. Spec. Plant. Willd iv. 531. Cl. xxi. Ord. 8 Montecia Monadelphia. JVat. Ord. Tricoce?e, Linn. Euphorbia, Juss. G. 1718. Male. Calyx cylindrical and five toothed. Corolla of five petals. Stamens ten to fifteen Female. Calyx polyphyllus. Corolla none. Styles three, bifid. Capsule trilocular. Seed one. Species 36. C. Tiglium. Purging Croton. Flor. Zeyl. 343. Rumph. Amb. iv. p 98. t. 42. Rheed. Malab ii. p. 61. t. 33. Ray's Hist. Plant. 167. Ainslie's Mat. Med. of Hindostan, 4to. p. 96. 291. Syn. Pinus Indica, Lignum Moluccense. Cadil - avanacu (Mai.) Nervalum cottay (Tarn.) Jummal gotta. (Hind.) Dund (Pers.) Batoa (Arab.) Navpalum vittiloo (Telingoo ) Jayapala (Cana'rese.) Duntibeeja, Nepala (Sans.) This plant is a native of the Molucca islands, and ofthe greater part of the pen- insula of India. It has an arboreous stem, covered with a soft, blackish bark. The leaves are ovate-acuminate, serrated and smooth; with two glands seated at the base; and are supported on petioles shorter than the expansion ofthe leaf. The flowers are in terminal racemes. The seed is about the size of a hazel-nut, convex on one side, «i Jin-n. di T'sira. is. p. 455. 562 APPENDIX—No. I. bluntly angular on the other, and enveloped in a thin shell Every part of this plant possesses some ac- tive property The root is a drastic purga- tive; and when shaven or rasped, in the dose of a few grains, or as much as can be lifted between the thumb and fore-finger, acts powerfully, and is regarded as a specific for dropsy, at Amboyna and Batavia. Ihe leaves also are purgative . and when dried, reduced to powder, and externally applied, are said by Rheede, to be a remedy against the bite of the Cobra del Capella ; but the seeds have been chiefly employed for me- dicinal purposes. They were known as a purgative by the Arabian* physicians ; and were formerly brought to Europe under the name of Molucca grains ; but from the imprudent exhibition of them, and their very drastic effects, they were discarded From the Materia Medica: the oil of the seeds has, however, been again introduced into this country ; and, from the experi- ments which have been made' with it, ap- pears to be a purgative of great value, when cautiously and properly exhibited. I have thought proper to extract the following notices regarding the medicinal employment of these seeds in India, from the workf of my excellent friend Dr. Whitelaw Ainslie ; and to detail the properties of the oil as far as they have been lately ascertained by British practitioners. Dr White, superintending surgeon of Guzerat, thus describes the Indian mode of preparing the nut for medical purposes. " Take the seeds of Croton ( Croton Tiglia) which, after having been each enveloped by a small ball of Merdu Bubali, about the size of a sparrow's egg, put them upon some burning charcoal until the dung is burnt dry ; then removing them, and taking oft the shells from the kernels, pound these, and divide into pills: viz two out of each grain of the mass . two, or at most three, are sufficient for one dose to an able bodied man. Half a drachm of honey to two dra chms of the mass, prove a good and conve- nient medium for uniting it"+ The intention * Serap. c. Hi, t Materia M/iUca ofHindostan, 4to. Madras. 1813. % The follow ng are other modes oi preparing the Croton nut, practised by the native doctors. a. Boil the seeds, freed from the shells, in milk, until they become soft; then pound them, and form the mass into pills by means of lime-juice, at the rate of one pill froin each seed. 1 he acrimony of the nut appears to be gi-atly diminished by this process, as two of these pills arc- said to be " an ordinary dose." b. Pound the raw kernels; then form them into a mass with honey, and divide it into pills at the rate of two for each kernel. In the Guzerat, one of these suf- fices for a drastic purge ; a gill of warm water being taken immediately after sw.illowiug the pill. c. In Surat the seeds are first shelled ; and the kernels being tied up in a piece of cloth or a bag, are boiled in as .i.uch cow-dung water as will cover the bag. They an' theii sj>lit in two, am) the testa or coat, which is said to be poisonous, is poled off; after whioh they are pounded, aud formed into a mass in conjunction with of this process is to remove the shell, aud to render the kernel pulverulent; and the torrifactions also lessen the natural acrimo- ny of the nut. But if the kernel be too much burnt it should be rejected § From the trials of Dr. White, Mr. Mar- shall of the Bombay Kstablishment, and of Mr Ingledow, in the Mysore, the croton-nut, prepared in the manner above described, acts as a certain and effeci ual purgative. '* In a very short time after taking the pills," says Mr. Marshall,|| perhaps in half an hour, the patient is sensible of a rumbling motion in his bowels; which often, in another half hour, is followed by a stool; this rumbling continues during the whole ofthe operation. The stools were invaribly watery and copi- ous. In about one case in ten, the medicine produces griping; and about one in thirty, nausea." Mr. Ingledow gave the nut, in substance, in doses of one grain, combined with two grains of camphor ;^f and regards it as a valuable and safe purgative ; but he adds, '• 1 have not ventured to give it either to children under seven years of age, nor to any individual advanced in life "** When it produces too violent effects, the native Indian practitioners gi-e, internally, ghee or butter, with orange or rice water, or cold butter-milk ; and apply, externally, effu- sions of cold water The expressed oil ofthe seed, which has lately been brought into this country, pro- duces still more powerful effects as a hy- dragogue purgative than the torrified seeds. In some cases, the merely touching the tongue with a drop of it has produced many loose watery stools ; and, m others, doses of one or two minims have excited the most frightful hypercatharsis, although some individuals have taken it to the extent of even ten minims without any very sensible effect.-pj- My own experience would lead me, however, to be very cautious in exhibit- ing this oil, at first, in larger doses than one or two minims, to adults. In apoplexy, con- vulsions, mania, and other diseases, which require, along with the complete evacuation ofthe prim ae viae, the lessening the circulat- ing mass, the croton oil is likely to prove a medicine of great valued catechu, in the proportion of oz.ij for every ozj. ofthe croton. The mass is divided into two grain pills ; twe of which are sufficient for one dose. The catechu i« said to prevent griping See Mat. Med, ofHindostan, Append. § I'he unroasted seeds, when ground into powder and scattered on stagnant waters, are used in India for kill- ing fish. II Mat. Med. ofHindostan, Appendix. X I'he native practitioners m India, combine it with pepper, ginger, and borax. ** Edinburgh Med. and Surg. Journ. xxiii. p. 259. tt vlr. Ingledow gave thepi wly expressed oil in doses of ltl^v, in .815 .- but he soon laid it aside as too'"violent in its operation. XX The expressed oil is called Nervalum unnay in In- dia, and is regarded "as a valuable, external application in rheumatic affections. Mat. Med. of Hindostan, p» 95. Croton oil is generally given in the form »f pill, made up with crumb of bread; but, as.in this state the oil is applied, as it were, concentrated to the stomach I have given it rubbed up with mucilage of acacia gum, sugar and almond emulsion; in which combination its icrimony is obtunded; and its operation, while equally certain, is much less violent than when it is exhibited in the form of pill. From the probability of even small doses producing alarming effects on some habits, it would be well to bear in remembrance the method adopted in such cases by the native practitioners of Hin- dostan. WINE OF COLCHICUM. As this is certainly the best and the most manageable form in which Colchicum can be exhibited, and it is necessary to have some standard for preparing it, I submit the following formula, to the profession, as one which 1 have found to answer every purpose for which the medicine is prescri- bed lake ofthe bulbs of Colchicum, raised in July or in August,) sliced transversely, and dried without heat, or at a temperaiure not exceeding 110° Fahrenheit, one ounce and a half; pulverize them ; and pour upon the powder, put uvo a glass bottle, twelve fluid ounces of good sherry wine. Agitate the mixture twice a day ior seven days, and then filter for use The dose of wine is from TT^xx 10 f 5J ; given in water only, or in combination with magnesia in the effervescing draught; or with infusion of cinchona bark, or of gentian root, or any other bitter. TABLE, showing the SYNONYMS of the Terms in the Pharmacopoeias of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, and the Doses of the Medicines. Abietis resina Absinthium Acacix gummi Acetosa folia Acetosella - Acetum Acetum colchici ——----scillae Acidum aceticum benzoicum citricum - muriaticum London. nitricum - - '■-— dilutum Edinburgh. Artemisia absinthii folia Acacia Arabics gummi Rumicis acetosa folia Acetas hydrargyri - Acetum - - ■■ aromaticum scilla maritima Acidum aceticum tenue ----------------forte ----------------camphoratum ——— benzoicum ------citricum crystallizatum ■ muriaticum nitricum nitrosum dilutum sulphuricum sulphuricum dilutum succinicum sulphuricum ---- ■ — dilutum 1----' ' aromaticum Dublin. Abrotani folia Absinthii vulg. cacumina - --------maritimi cacumina Gummi Arabicum Acetas ferri ■------hydrargyri Acetum vini ■-------— scilla ■-------distillatum Acidum aceticum - Aceticum camphoratum ----—— benzoicum --------citricum crystallis concretum —-------muriaticum -------------■ dilutum nitrosum dilutum — succini — sulphuricum dilutum Doses. 10 grs. to J dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. ad libitum. ad libitum. 10 minims to 30. 1 gr. to 6 grs. 1 fl. dr. to 4 fl. drs. i fl. dr. to 1^ fl. dr. i fl. dr. to 1$ fl. dr. 1 fl. dr. to 4 fl. drs. 1 min. to § fl. dr. i fl. dr. to 1 fl. dr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to 2 drs. 10 mins. to 20 mins. 15 mins. to 1 fl. dr. 6 mins. to 20 mins. 1-0 mins. to 30 mins. 6 mins. to 20 mins. 10 mins. to 30 mins. 5'grs. to 1 scr. 3 mins. to 40 mins. 3 mins. to 40 mins. London, Aconiti folia Adeps ------praeparata JErugo JEther sulphuricus ——— rectificatus Alcohol Allii radix Aloes spicata extractum -----vulgaris extractum Althaa folia et radix Alumen -------exsiccatum Ammonia subcarbonas ■ ---murias - Ammoniacum Amygdala amara, dulces Amylum Anethi semina Anisi semina - Anthemidis flores Antimonii oxydum ---------sulphuretum ———————— pracipitatum Edinburgh. Aconiti napelli folia Adeps suillus et ovillus Subacetas cupri JEther sulphuricus —— sulph. cum alcohole Alcohol fortius Allii sativa radix AliSes socotorina -----hepatica Althaa officinalis radix Alumen ... -------exsiccatum Subcarbonas ammonia Murias ammonia Ammoniacum Amygdala communis nuclei Amylum ... Amyridis gileadensis resina Anchusa tinctoria radix Angelica archangelica radix Pimpinella anisi semina Anthemidis nobilis flores Sulphuretum antimonii ■• antim. pracipitatum Dublin. Dosei. Aconiti folia ... 1 gr. to 5 gvs. Adeps suillus ... ------praeparata - JErugo 1.8 gr. to 1 gr. —>----praparata - - 1-8 gr. to 1 gr. JEsculi hippocastani, sem. cortex. - £ dr. to 1 dr. JEther sulphuricus I fl. dr. to 2 fl. dr. -----nitrosus - I fl. dr. to 2 fl. dr. Agrimonia - - - £ dr. to 1 dr. Alcohol - - . . | fl. dr. to 1 dr. Allii sativi radix - * - 1 dr. to 2 dr. Aloes socotorina - - 5 grs to 15 grs. —— hepatica - - 5 grs. to 15 grs. ad libitum. Alumen 1Q grs. to 1 scr. -------ustum 10 grs. to 1 scr. Carbonas ammonia 5 grs. to 1 scr. Sal ammoniacum 10 grs. to £ dr. Ammoniacum 10 grs. to £ dr. Amygdala dulcis Tritici farina - . 1 scr. to 1 dr. Anchusa radix ... 10 grs. tol scr. \ dr. to 3 drs, Anisi semina 10 grs. to 1 scr. Chamameli flores - - 10 grs. to 1 scr. Oxidum antimonii nitro-muriaticum 1 gr. to 10 grs. 10 grs. to £ dr. Sulphur antimoniatum fuscum - 1 gr. to 5 grs. \ London Edinburgh. Antimonium tartarizatum ■ - Tartras antimonii - Aqua anethi - ■ ■ — carui - . . a — cinnamomi - - . Aqua lauri cinnamomi • citri aurantii -• citri medica - —— distillata . . . - distillata — fceniculi -■ ■ " - lauri cassia —— mentha piperita . . mentha piperita — mentha viridis ■ . —— pimenta - • - - myrti pimenta — pulegii - • ■ - pulegii —— rosa - - • ■ - rosa centifolia Argenti nitras - « Armoracia radix • Arsenici oxydum - ——- oxydum sublimatum Asari folia • —— supercarbonatis potassa —-----------------soda Arctii lappa radix - Argenti nitras Cochlearia armoracia radix Arnica montana herba Arsenici oxidum Artemisia santonica cacumina Asari Europaa folia Dublin. Tartarum antimoniatum • Aqua alcalina oxymuriatica —— calcis composita — cinnamomi Doses. i gr. to I gr. diaph. i gr. to 3 grs. emet. 1 fl. dr. to 2 fl. drs. 2 fl. oz. to 6 fl. oz. o> distillata fceniculi dulcis mentha piperitis ■' ----sativa pimento pulegii ■ rosx - oxymuriatica - picis liquida - sulphureti ammonia ----------kali I Ari radix recens Bardana radix Argenti nitras Raphani rusticani radix Arnica herba Arsenicum - Arsenias kali • Santonici cacumina Asari folia - 2 fl. oz. to 6fl. oz. 1 fl. dr. to 2 fl. dr. 1 pint to 2 pints. 5 mins. to 10 mins. 20 mins. to 1 dr. 8 fl. oz. 8 fl. oz. 6 grs. to 1 scr. i gr. to 5 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. l-10thgr.to i gr. l-10th gr. to i gr. 1-loth gr. to i gr. £ dr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 scr London. Edinburgh. Assafcetida gummi resina Aurantii bacca, cortex Avena semina Balsamum peruvianum i. — tolutanum Belladonna folia Benzoinum Bistorta radix Cajuputi oleum Calami radix Calamina ——----praparata Columba radix Calx Calcis murias Cambogia - Camphora - Canellae cortex Capsici bacca Carbo ligni Cardamines flores ■ Cardamomi semina Carica fructus Carui semina Caryophylli ———----oleum Cascarilla: cortex Cassia pulpa Castoreum Ferula assafoetidx gummi resina - Citri aurantii cortex, succus Seminx avena sativx ; farina Myroxyli peruiferi balsamum Toluifera balsami balsamum Atropa belladonna folia Styracis, benzoini balsamum Polygoni bistortx radix Boletus ignarius. Agaricus Melaleuca leucadendri oleum volatile Acori calami radix Carbonas zinci impurus ■ ------praparatus Columba radix Calx Gambogia - Camphora - Cancllse alba cortex Capsici annui fructus Carbo ligni - Carbonas baryta Carbonas potassa Cardamines pratensis flores Amomi repentis semina Fici carica fructus Cari carui semina Eugenia caryophyllatx flores ——----------------oleum Crotonis eleutheria cortex Cassia fistula fructus Castoreum Dublin. Doses. Assafoetida Citri aurantii cortex exterior Balsamum peruvianum ——-----tolutanum Beccabunga herba Belladonna folia Benzoe: resina Bistorta Oleum cajuput Acori radix Calaminaris Lapis calaminaris praparatus Colombo Calx Gambogia - Camphora: resina Canella alba Capsici bacca Carbo ligni Cardamines flores - Cardamomi minoris semina Carica fructus Carum Caryophyllus aromaticus ----------------------oleum Cascarilla cortex Cassia fistularis, fructus pulpa Castoreum rossicum et canadense 10 grs. to J dr. 1 scr. to 2 drs. 10 grs. to ^ dr. 10 grs. to | dr. 1 dr. to 2 drs. i gr. to 14 grs. 10 grs. to \ dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 1 min. to 5 mins. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 2 grs. to 12 grs. 3 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to j dr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to £ dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 5 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to i dr. 2 mins. to 5 mins. 10 grs. to 1 dr. :J OZ. tO 1 OZ. 5 grs. to 1 scr. London, Edinburgh, Cataplasma fermenti Cataplasma sinapis Catechu extractum Centaurii cacumina Cera flava et alba - Cerevisia fermentum Ceratum ------ calamina - ------ cetacei ------ lytta ------ plumbi superacetatis ------ plumbi compositum —----- resina ■ sabina -——^— saponis Cetaceum - Cinchona cordifolia cortex --------lancifolia cortex —-------oblongifolia cortex Cinnamomi cortex ----------oleum Coccus ... Cocculus Indicus - Colchici radix Colocynthidis pulpa Confectio amygdalarum " ' '----aromatica -—------aurantiorum ———— cassia Catechu extractum Centauria benedicta herba Chironia centaurii sum. florens Cera flava et alba Cerevisia fermentum Ceratum carbonatis zinci impuri --------simplex - -. Unguentum acetatis plumbi Ceratum juniperi sabina - Spermaceti Chela cancrorum - Cinchona cordifolia cortex ----——— lancifolix cortex ------—oblongifolia cortex Lauri cinnamomi cortex ---------------oleum Coccus cacti Menispermi cocculi bacca - Coci butyracea nucis oleum fixum Colchici autumnalis radix - Cucumeris colocynthidis pulpa Electuarium aromaticum Conserva citri aurantii Electuarium cassia fistula - Dublin, Doses. Cataplasma sinapeos Catechu Cardui benedicta folia Centaurium minus Cera flava et alba . Unguentum calaminaris 10 grs. to 2 acre. 10 grs. to 1 scr, 15 grs. to 1 dr. 1 scr. J. oz. Unguentum acetatis plumbi Unguentum sabina Chamadryos herba Spermaceti Chela oculi Cortex peruvianus - Cortex peruvianus - Cortex peruvianus - ' - Cinnamomi cortex - ■---------oleum - Coccinella 10 grs. to ^ dr. 1 scr. to l| dr. 10 grs. to 1£ dr. 10 grs. to 1^ dr. 10 grs. to 1£ dr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 1 min. to 3 mins. 5 grs. to 1 scr. Colchici radix Colocynthidis fructus medulla Electuarium aromaticum - Conserva aurantii - Electuarium cassia 1 gr. to 5 grs. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 1 dr, to 1 oz. London. Edinburgh. Confectio opii _________rosa canina ^--------rosa gallica ^--------ruta ________scammonii --------senna Conii folia - Contrayerva radix - Copaiba Coriandri semina - Cornua Cornu ustum Creta ----praparata Croci stigmata Cumini semina Cuprum ammoniatum Cupri sulphas Cusparia cortex Cydonia semina Dauci radix, semina Decoctum aloes compositum _______- cinchonx . cydonia dulcamara Electuarium opiatum Conserva rosx caninx ——----rosx gallica Electuarium compositum senna Conii maculati folia Dorstenix contrayervx radix Copaiferx officinalis resina Coriandri sativi semina Cervi elaphi cornu Carbonas calcis ——----prxparatus Croci sativi stigmata Ammoniaretum cupri Cupri sulphas Bonplandia trifoliata cortex Datura stramonii herba Dauci caroti radix Decoctum althaex officinalis ■ anthemidis nobilis . ---- cinchona lancifolia ■ daphnes mezerei . Geoffrcea inermis ————— guaiaci compositum Dublin. Doses: Conserva rosa Electuarium scammonii ■ ---- sennx Cicuta Balsamum copaiba Coriandrum- Cornu cervinum Creta ----praparata —— pracipitata Crocus Cuprum ammoniatum Cupri sulphas Angustura cortex - Stramonium herba - Dauci sylvestris semina Decoctum chamcemeli comp. ——---- corticis cinchona digitalis 10 grs. to £ dr. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 1 scr. to 1 dr. $ dr. to 4 drs. 2 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 mins. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. i dr. to 2 dra. £ dr. to 2 drs. £ dr. to 2 dra. $ dr. to 2 drs. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. i g>'- to 5 grs. i gr. to 5 grs. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. \ fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 2 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. $ fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 1 fl oz. to 4 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. 1 pint, daily. i fl. oz. to 1 fl. OZ. £ fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 1£ oz. 3 fl. oz. to 6 fl.oz. London. Decoctum hordei - --------hordei compositum --------lichenis - --------malvx compositum --------papaveris -------- quercus - --------sarsaparilla -------------------compositum senega ulmi veratri Digitalis folia Dolichi pubes Dulcamara caulis Elaterii poma Elemi Emplastrum ammoniaci cum hydrargyro cera cumini galbani compositum hydrargyri lytta opu picis compositum Edinburgh. Decoctum hordei distichi ---------lichenis islandici quercus rob oris smilacis sarsaparilla polygala senega ulmi campestris Dianthi. caryophylli flores Digitalis purpurea folia Dolichi prurientis pubes Solani dulcamara caulis Elaterium Electuarium catechu Emplastrum assafcetida _^------_ simplex gummosum hydrargyri cantharidis vesicatoria compositum oxidi ferri rubri Dublin. Doses. Decoctum hordei - . — hordei compositum --------lichenis islandici sarsaparilla compositum — ulmi 4 fl. oz. to \ pint. 4 fl. oz. to £ pint. 1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. 2fl. oz.to4fl. oz. lfl. oz. to2fl. oz. 4 fl. oz. to £ pint. 4fl. oz. to £ pint. $ fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 4 fl. oz. to \ pint. Digitalis folia * Dolichi, setx leguminum Dulcamara stipites, autumno collecti Elaterii fructus ... Electuarium catechu compositum Elemi resina - Emplastrum ammoniaci cum hydrargyro '' calefaciens - * | gr. to 3 grs. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 2 grs. to 3 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to £ dr. ■ galbani cantharidis London. Edinburgh. Emplastrum plumbi ----------resina ----------saponis Emplastrum oxidi plumbi semivitrei ■ ---- resinosum - • ------. saponaceum Emulsio acacia Arabica ------ camphora ... Euphorbia gummi resina - Extractum aconiti .----------aides purificatum .----------anthemidis ----------belladonna cinchona cinchona resinosum colocynthidis - colcynthidis compositum conii - elaterii gentiana ■ glycyrrhiza ■ hamatoxyli humuli hyosciami ■ jalapa - Succus aconiti - Extractum anthemidis nobilis Succus spissatus atropa belladonna Extractum cinchona lancifolia Succus spissatus conii maculati Extractum gentiana lutea hamatoxyli campechiani hellebori nigri Succus spissatus hyosciami nigri - Extractum convolvuli jalapa lactuca sativa —■ virosa Dublin. Doses. Emplastrum lithargyri ----------- lithargyri cum resina ■■ ----saponis ■ ----thuris arabica Enula campana radix Eryngii radix Extractum cacuminum absinthii florum chamoemeli ————— cascarilla resinosum ———— cinchona . cinchonx rubra resinosum ———— colocynthidis comp. Succus spissatus cicuta Elaterium . - • Extractum cacuminum genista ——^— radicis gentiana . ----glycyrrhiza ----------scobis hamatoxyli ----------hellebori nigri Succus spissatus hyosciami ——— radicis jalapa jalapa: resinosum - 1 fl. oz.to 4 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 2 drs. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 5 grs. to 15 grs. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to i dr. 10 grs. to $ dr. 5 grs. to $ dr. 5 grs. to jt dr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. £ gr. to 3 grs. 10 grs. to 1 dr, 10 grs. to i dr. 1 dr. to 4 drs. 10 grs. to $ dr. 3 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 1 gr, to 10 grs. 1 gr. to 10 grs. London. Edinburgh. Extractum opii -----------papaveris Farina Ferrum rhei sarsaparilla taraxaci -------ammoniatum Ferri ramenta et fila —— subcarbonas . —— sulphas , Ferrum tartarizatum Filicis radix . Foeniculi semina . Fucus Galbani gummi resina Gallse Gentiana radix Glycyrrhiza radix . Granati cortex Guaiaci resina et lignum Hamatoxyli lignum Hellebori foetidi folia ——— nigri radix Hordei semina Humuli strobili Hydrargyrus Extractum papaveris somniferi Farina tritici hyberni Ferrum Murias ammonix et ferri Ferri fila et limatura Carbonas ferri pracipitatus Sulphas ferri Aspidii filicis maris radix . Anethi fceniculi semina Bubonis galbani gummi resina . Galla . Gentiana lutex radix . . Geoffroex inermis cortex . Glycyrrhizae glabra radix, extractum Gratiola officinalis; herba . Guaiaci officinalis lignum, resina Hxmatoxyli campechiani lignum . Hellebori nigri radix Hordei distichi semina Humuli lupuli strobili . . Hydrargyrus . . Dublin. Extractum opii aquosum . -----------corticis quercus Valeriana Farina tritici sestivi Ferrum Murias ammonia et ferri Ferri scobs . Carbonas ferri Sulphas ferri Rubigo ferri , Tartarum ferri Filicis maris radix . Foeniculi dulcis semina Quercus marina Galbani gummi resina Gallx Gentiana radix . Geoffroex cortex . Geum urbanum; radix Glycyrrhizx radix Granatum, flores, pericarpii cortex Gratiola; herba Guaiaci lignum, gummi resina Haematoxyli lignum Helleboraster ; folia Hellebor. niger; (Melampodium) rad. Hordei semina Hydrargyrum Dotes, I gr. to 5 grs. 2 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. t> ^ dr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to 1 scr, 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to i dr. 3 grs. to 15 grs. 5 grs. to 3jss. 2 grs. to 10, grs. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 2 grs. to 10 grs. 5 grs. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 4 drs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to $ dr. 2 grs. to 10 grs. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 2 scrs. 1 dr. to 2 drs. \ dr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. lo 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 10 grs. to i dr. 2 oz. to 4 oz, f London, Edinburgh. Hydrargyrum purificatum . Hydrargyri nitrico-oxydum ----------oxydum cinereum ----------oxydum rubrum ----------oxymurias ----------sub murias ----------sulphuretum rubrum -----------------------nigrum Hydrargyrum cum creta .------pracipitatum album Hyosciami folia et semina . , Infusum anthemidis ■ armoracix compositum ------ aurantii compositum ——— calumbx . ------ carvophyllorum ■ cascarilla . ------ catechu compositum ------ cinchonx cusparia . . digitalis gentianx compositum lini quassia rhei . rosx senna simaruba . Hydrargyrus purificatus Oxidum hyd. rub. per acidum nitricum ------ hydrargyri cinereum Murias hydrargyri corrosivus Submurias hydrargyri mitis Sulphuretum hydrargyri ------------hydrargyri nigrum Hydrosulphuretum ammonia Hyosciamus nigra herba Hyssopi officinalis herba Infusum anthemidis nobilis colombx acacix catechu cinchona lancifolia digitalis purpurea gentianx compositum lini usitatissimi • quassia excelsa ■ rhei rosx gallica cassia senna Dublin. Doses. Hydrargyrum purificatum Oxydum hydrargyri nitricum Pulvis hydrargyri cinereus Oxydum hydrargyri Murias hydrargyri corrosivum Submurias hydrargyri sublimatum Hydrargyri sulphuretum rubrum Hydrargyrum cum cVeta ■------------cum magnesia Submurias hydrargyri ammoniatum Hyosciamus ; herba Hyssopus folia Ichthyocolla 2 oz. to 4 oz. £ gr. to 2 grs. 2 grs. to lO grs. 4 £'•• to 2 grs. l-8th gr. to ^ gr. 1 gr. to 15 grs. 10 grs. to \ dr. 5 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 5 grs. to 12 grs. 5 grs. to 15 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. >1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. Infusum cinchona sine calore gentianx compositum menthx compositum 4 fl. drs. to 2fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to £ pint. 1 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. rosae senna \ ►2 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz, London. Infusum tabaci Ipecacuanha radix Jalapa radix - - Juniperi bacca et cacumina Kino - Lapis calcareus Lavandulae flores Lauri bacca et folia Lichen - ... Limones ... Limonum cortex --------oleum Linimentum aruginis ■---------ammonia fortius ---------ammonia subcarbonatis ---------camphora ---------camphora comp. ---------hydrargyri —--------saponis compositum - ■ terebinthina Linum catharticum Lini usitatissimi semina Liquor aluminis compositus ammonia - Edinburgh. Infusum senna compositum Ipecacuanha radix Iridis florentina radix Convolvuli jalapae radix Juniperi communis bacca - Kino - Lactuca virosa herba Lactucarium Lapilli Cancrorum Lauri cassia cortex, flores Lavandula spicx flores Lauri nobilis bacca, folia, oleum Lichen islandicus - Citri medica fructus, &c. - Critri medica cortex -----------oleum volatile Oleum ammoniatum Linimentum aqua calcis Oleum camphoratum Linimentum saponaceum - Lini usitatissimi semina Aqua ammonia Dublin. Doses. _ . 2 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. Infusum sennae cum tamarindis - 7 _ _ -------Valeriana - - - ^ 2 fl. oz. to 4 fl. oz. Ipecacuanhx radix - - - £ $ gr. to 2 grs. diaph. 15 grs. to £ dr. emet. Jalapa radix - - - 10 grs. to \ dr. Juniperus; bacca ... £ dr. to 1 dr. Kino 10 grs. to $ dr. 3 grs. to 15 grs. 1 gr. to 5 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. ^ Cassia lig.j cort.; flores nond. expliciti 5 grs. to 1 scr. ££ Lavandula flores 1 scr. to 1 dr. § 1 gr. to I dr. o Lichen islandicus - - 1 scr. to 1 dr. 3 Limon; fructus succus, &c. -----■--------epidermis - - 1 scr. to 1 dr. 3 0 Oxymel aruginis ... J"1 Linimentum ammonia ■---------calcis Oleum camphoratum Linum catharticum - . 4 dr. to 1 dr. ■-----; semina ... Aqua ammonix caustica 10 mins. to 20 mins. London. Liquor ammonia acetatis - -------------subcarbonatis antimonii tartarizati arsenicalis * calcis ferri alkalini ■ muriatis calcis • cupri ammoniati • ferri alkalini • hydrargyri oxymuriatis • plumbi subacetatis --------------dilutus potassa subcarbonatis Edinburgh. Aqua ammonia acetatis Vinum tartratis antimonii - Aqua calcis Solutio muriatis calcis Aqua potassa Lytta Magnesia Magnesix carbonas -----■— sulphas - Malva Manna Marrubium Mastlche Mel ---boracis ---despumatum - ---rosa Cantharis vesicatoria Magnesia - Magnesiae carbonas -------- sulphas - Malvx sylvestris herba, flores Manna Marrubii vulgaris herba Pistacia lentisci resina Mel ---boratis soda —— despumatum - ---rosa gallica Dublin. Doses. Liquor ammonix acetatis - Aqua ammonia carbonatis - Aqua calcis —— muriatis calcis ---- cupri ammoniati Liquor subacetatis lithargyri Aqua kali caustici - --------subcarbonatis Liquor volatilis cornu cervini Litmus Lythrum salicaria ; herba - Cantharis - Magnesia usta Magnesia ... Magnesia sulphas - Majoranaj herba - Manna ... Manganesium Marrubium album ; folia - Marum syriacum ; herba - Mel — rosa 2 fl. drs. to 6 fl. drs. i fl. dr. to IJ fl. drs. C15 mins. to 1^ drs. sud, £3fl.drs.tol fl.oz.eme*. 5 mins. to 15 mins. 2 fl. oz. to £ pint. 20 mins. to 1 fl. oz. 3 mins. to 15 mins. i fl. dr. to 1 fl. dr. 1 fl. dr. to 4 fl. drs. 10 mins. to£fl. dr. i fl. dr. to IJ fl. dr. £ A. dr. to lj, fl. dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 gr. to 3 grs. jt dr. to 1 dr. jt dr. to 2 drs. 1 dr. to 1 oz. i dr. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 2 drs. 4 drs. to 2oz. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to j dr. 1 dr. to 4 drs. 1 dr. to 2 drs. 1 dr. to 4 drs. London. Edinburgh. Mentha piperita --------viridis Menyanthes Mezerei cortex Mistura ammoniaci ------- amygdalarum ------■ assafoetidae ------- camphora ■ creta ------ ferri composita • guaiaci ------ moschi Mori baccx Moschus Mucilago acacia amyli Myristica nuclei Myrrha Oleum athereum ------amygdala ------anisi ------anthemidis ■ carui Melissa officinalis folia Mentha piperita herba Menyanthidis trifoliatx folia Daphnes mezerei cortex - Emulsio amygdala communis camphora Potio carbonatis calcis Moschus .... Mucilago acacia Arabica ——— astragali tragacantha ---------amyli ... Murias ammonix et ferri ------barytx ... Myristica moschata fructus nucleus Myrrha - Myroxyli balsamum Oleum amygdala communis ■------pimpinellx anisi ——— anthemidis nobilis juniperi juniperi communis Dublin. Doses. Mentha piperitis, herba ------ sativa; folium Trifolium paludosum Mezereum; radicis cortex Millepedx Lac ammoniaci ---amygdala --- assafoetidx Mistura camphorata ■ ■ cretx Moschus ... Mucilago gummi arabici --------gummi tragacanthx --------amyli 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. £ dr. to 1 dr. 1 gr. to 10 grs. ad libitum. 4> fl. drs. to 1 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to j> pint. £ fl. oz.to 1 fl.oz. | fl. oz. to 2 fl.oz. 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz.to 2 fl. oz. $ fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. I fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz, 2 grs. to 1 scr. 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz.to 2 fl. oz. 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz. > ►a w g Murias soda siccatum Nux moschata, oleum, macis Myrrha; gummi resina 5 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 20 mins. to 1 dr. Oleum amygdalarum ------seminum anisi 4 fl. drs. to 1 fl. oz. seminum carui cornu cervi rectificatum sem. foeniculi dulcis ^■1 min. to 10 mins. I London. Edinburgh. Oleum lavandulae ------lini i------mentha piperita '------ mcnthx viridis ------origani ------pimenta ------pulegii ------ ricini ------rosmarini - —-----succini ------sulphuretum ------terebinthina rectificatum Olibanum Olivae oleum Opium ... Opoponacis gummi resina Origanum Ovum Oxymel simplex -------scillae Papaveris capsulae Petroleum Pilula aloes composite Oleum lavandulx spica ------lauri sassafras ------lini usitatissimi ------mentha piperitae myrti pimenta ------rosmarini officinalis ------sabina ------succini purissimum ------sulphuretum ------pini purissimum ------Juniperis lycia; gumm Oleae Europea ; oleum fixum Opium Origani marjorana herba Oxidum ferri rubrum ------plumbi rubrum ------zinci impurum Papaveris somniferi capsula Bitumen petroleum Phosphas sodx Pilula aloeticx Dublin. Doses. Oleum florum lavandulx - ------corticis et ligni sassafras ------menfhx piperitidis ------origani ------baccarum pimentae ------pulegii ------rosmarini - ------rutx -----foliorum sabinx ------succini rectificatum -----sulphuretum ■ terebinthina rectificatum Olibanum ; gummi resina Oleum olivarum Opium ; succus concretus -----purificatum Marjorana ; lierba Oxidum ferri rubrum Tutia Oxymel ------colchici -------scillx Papaver album; capsula Petroleum Barbadense Phosphas soda > 1 min. to 10 mins. jl fl. oz. tol fl.oz. 1 min. to 10 mins. 1 min. to 10 mins. oz. 2 fl.drs. tol fl. oz. 2 mins. to 5 mins. 2 mins. to 5 mins. V10 mins. to 1 fl. dr, J 10 grs. to i dr. 4 fl. drs. to 1 fl. 4 gr. to 5 grs. 4 gr. rt 5 grs. 10 grs. to I dr. 5 grs. IR 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 3 grs. to 15 grs. 1 fl. dr. to 1 oz. h fl. dr. to 2 fl. drs. 4 fl. dr. to 2 fl. drs. 10 mins. to £ fl. dr. 6 drs. to 2 oz. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. London. Pilula aloes cum myrrha - ------galbani composita ------cambogia composita ------hydrargyri ---------------submurias comp. 1 saponis cum opio - —----scillae composita Pimentx bacca ... Piperis longi fructus ------nigri bacca Pix arida - ---liquida - Plumbi subcarbonas —----oxydum semivitreum —----superacetas Porri radix ... Potassa impura - ------fusa - ------cum calce Potassa acetas - ------ carbonas ... ------nitras ... ■-----subcarbonas ------sulphas ... ------sulphuretum ----•— supersulphas ---.— supertartras Edinburgh, Pilula aloes et myrrha ----------et assafoetidx -----assafoetidae composita -----colocynthidis composita - -----gambogiae compositae -----sulphatis ferri comp. -----hydrargyri -----submur. hydrarg. comp. - -----rhei composita -----opiatx - -----scillitica - Myrti pimentac fructus Piperis longi fructus ------nigri fructus Pini abietis ; resina sponte concreta Pix liquida ... Carbonas plumbi Oxydum plumbi semivitreum Acetas plumbi Carbonas potassae impura Potassa - ------cum calce Acetas potassx ... Carbonas potassx Nitras potassx - . . Subcarbonas potassa Sulphas potassa - Sulphuretum potassa Supertartras potassa Dublin. Doses. Pilula aloes e zingibere - - 10 grs. to 1 scr. ---------cum myrrha . 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. -----myrrha composita - 10 grs. to 1 scr. • gr 10 grs. to 1 scr. -----hydrargyri ... 5 grs# to 1 scr 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 4 dr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 10 grs. to 4 dr. 3 grs.* 10 grsr 10 grs^to 1 scr. 5 grs. To 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. -----estyrace - . . 3 grs.* 10 grs. ~;----------scillx cum zingibere 10 grs^to 1 scr. Pimento: baccx - . 5 grs.fo 1 scr. Piperis longi fructus - . c ~..„ . „i — Piper nigrum ; bacca semen Pix burgundica ---liquida ... Cerussa - - . . Lythargyrum Acetas plumbi - - . 4 gr. to 2 grs I fl. dr. to 4 drs. Cmeres clavellati Kali causticum - - . ------------cum calce Acetas kali - - - 1 scr. to I dr. ... 10 grs. to 4 dr. ?,*rum1 - 10 grs. to 4 dr. Subcarbonas kali - - . 10 grs. to 4 dr. Sulphas kali - . . 1 dr. to 4 oz. Sulphuretum kali - . 5 grs. to 15 grg> 1 scr. to 2 drs. Tartarum crystalli - . 1 dr. to 1 oz. London. Edinburgh. Potassx tartras Pruna • . . Pterocarpi lignum JPuleg.um Pulvis aloes compositus -----antimonialis -----cinnamomi comp. .----contrayerva compositus -----cornu usti cum opio -----cretae compositus _____.--------------cum opio . -----ipecacuanha compositus -----kino compositus -----scammonea compositus -----senna compositus . -----tragacantha compositus Pyrethri radix Quassix lignum Quercus cortex Resina flava, nigra Lhamni baccx Rhei radix Rhoeades petala Tartras potassx Pruni domestica fructus Pterocarpi santali lignum Mentha pulegii herba Pulvis aluminis compositus — antimonialis — aromaticus . — asari compositus -----opiatus -----carbonatis calcis comp. -----jalapx compositus . -----ipecacuanhx et opii -----scammonii compositus -----salinus compositus . Anthemidis pyrethri radix Quassia: excelsx lignum . Quercus roboris cortex Rhamni cathartici succus . Rhei radix Rhododendri chrysanthi folia Dublin. Tartaras kali Prunus gallica ; fructus Santalum rubrum; lignum Pulegium; herba Pulvis aloes cum canella , ---------cum guaiaco , -----antimonialis ----- aromaticus . -----asari compositus cornu cervini usti — ipecacuanha compositus -----quercus marina -----scilla -----spongia usta -----stanni Pyrethri radix Quassise lignum Quercus cortex Rhamnus: bacca' . Rheum ; radix Papaver erraticum; petala Doses. 1 dr. to loz. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to^l scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 5 grs. to 10 grs. 15 grs. to \ dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 4 dr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 2 scrs. 15 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 15 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 1 scr. 10 grs. to 2 scr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 3 grsr. to 6 grs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 4 drs. 10 grs. to 1 dr. 3 grs. to 10grs. 5 grs. to ^ dr. 10 grs. to 4 dr. 1 dr. to 2 drs. 10 grs. to \ dr. 5 grs. to 10 grs. London, Ricini semina et oleum Posa caninx pulpa ---- centifolix petala ---- gallicae petala Rosmarina cacumina Rubix radix Rutx folia Sabinx folia Saccharum purificatum sagapenum Salicis cortex Sambuci flores Sapo durus ---- mollis Sarsaparillx radix Sassafras lignum et radix Scammonia gummi resina Scilla radix Senega radix Senna folia Serpentaria radix Sevum ------preparatum Simarouba cortex Sinapis semina Soda carbonas ---- impura Edinburgh. Ricini semina et oleum fixum Ross canin?e fructus Rosae centifolix petala ---- gallicae petala Rosmarinae officinalis cacumina llubix tinctorum radix Rutae graveolentis herba Juniperi sabinae folia Saccharum non purificatum ----------purissimum Sagapenum ... Salvix officinalis folia Sambuci nigrx flores baccx cortex Sapo durus ... ----mollis ... Smilacis sarsaparilla; radix Lauri sassafras lignum, radix Convolvuli scammonia gummi resina Scilla maritima radix Polygala senegae radix Cassix sennae folia Aristolochiae serpentaria radix Adeps, vulgo sevum ovillum Quassia simarouba cortex Sinapis albx semina Carbonas soda ... Subcarbonas soda impurus Dublitt. Ricini oleum e sem. expressum Rosa damascenx petala ---- rubrae petala Rosmarina; herba Rubia radix Rumex radix Rutae folia Sabinae folia Saccharum rubrum ---------purificatum Sagapenum ; gummi resina Salix (fragilis;) cortex Salvia ... Sambucus nigra; flos, baccae, cortex Sapo durus llispanicus Sarsaparillae radix Sassafras lignum et radix Scammonium ; gummi resina Scillae radix Scrophularia ; herba " - Seneka: radix Sennit folia Serpentaria Virginiana; radix Sevum ovillum Simarouba; cortex, lignum Sinapis alba; semen Sium; herba Barilla Doses. 4fl.dr. to 1 fl. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to ^ dr. i dr. to 1 dr. 15 grs. to 2 scrs 10 grs. to § dr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to $ dr. 15 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 5 grs. to \ dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 5 grs. to 1 scr. 1 gr. to 3 grs. 1 scr. to 2 scrs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to i dr. 10 grs. to \ dr. 1 scr. to ^ dr. of the juice, 2 fl. 10 grs. to 1 dr. London. Soda subcarbonas ---------------exsiccata ---- sub-boras ---- murias ---- sulphas Soda tartarizata Spartii cacumina Spigelian radix Spiritus xtheris aromaticus --------------nitrici sulphurici atheris sulphurici compositus ammonia --------aromaticus --------fcetidus --------succinatus anisi armoracia: comp. camphorx carui cinnamomi juniperi compositus lavandulx lavandulx compositus mentha piperitae mentha: viridis myristica Edinburgh. Subcarbonas soda Sub-boras soda ... Murias soda ... Sulphas soda . - - Tartras sodx et potassa Solutio acetatis zinci ------muriatis baryta ^——— muriatis calcis ■■ sulphatis cupri composita ------sulphatis zinci Spartii scoparii summitates Spigelia: marilandica radix iEther sulphuricus c. alcohole aromaticus Spiritus xtheris nitrosi JEther sulphuricus cum alcohole Dublin. Subcarbonas soda Alcohol ammoniatum aromaticum Tinct. Assafoetida ammoniata Tinctura camphorx Spiritus cari carui -------lauri cinnamomi - -------juniperi compositus -------lavandulx spica - -------lavandulx compositus .-------menthx piperitis siccatum Sub-boras sodx Sal commune Sulphas soda Tartras sodx et kali Aqua muriatis calcis Genista; semina, cacumina Spigeliae radix Spiritus xthereus nitrosus Liquor xthereus sulphuricus Spiritus ammonix ----■------------aromaticus -----------------foetidus -------anisi compositus ■-------raphani compositus -------camphoratus ------- carui -------cinnamomi .-------juniperi compositus -------lavandulx -------lavandulx compositus Doses. 10 grs. to i dr. 5 grs. to 15 grs. 10 grs. to £ dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 1 dr. to 1 oz. 5 mins. to 10 mins. 5 mins. to 10 mins. 10 mins. to 1 fl. dr. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 10 grs. to 2 scrs. >.$ fl. dr. to 1 fl. dr. 10 mins. to 1 fl. dr. £fl. dr. to i fl.oz. 1 fl. dr. to 4 fl. drs. ►lfl.dr. to 3 fl. oz. — myristica moschata — nucis moschata London. Edinburgh. Spiritus pimenta - ——— pulegii ------ rectificatus ------ tenuior ------ rosmarini - Spongia -------usta Stannum Staphisagrix semina Styracis balsamum Succinum Sulphur —--- lotum ------ prxcipitatum Syrupus simplex Spiritus myrti pimentx Alcohol fortius Alcohol dilutus Spiritus rosmarini officinalis Spongia officinalis - Stanni limatura Delphinii staphisagrix semina Styracis officinalis balsamum Subsulphas hydrargyri flavus Succinum Succus spissatus sambuci nigra Sulphas barytx ------ potassa cum sulphure Sulphur sublimatum -lotum Sulphuretum hydrargyri nigrum Syrupus simplex - -------aceti althea aurantiorum limonum mori altheac officinalis - citri aurantii colchici autumnalis dianthi caryophylli citri medica papaveris papaveris somniferi Dublin, Doses, Spiritus pimento - vinosus rectificatus vinosus tenuior rorismarini Spongia - Pulvis spongiae usta Stanni pulvis Staphisagrix semina Styrax calamita ; resina ------ purificata - Oxydum hydrargyri sulphuricum Succinum Succus spissatus sambuci - Sulphur sublimatum -lotum Swietenia febrifuga; cortex Syrupus ... allii aurantii caryophylli rubri limonis opn papaveris albi £ 1 fl. dr. to i fl. oz. Cl fl. dr. to i fl.oz. 1 dr. to ^ fl. oz. 1 dr. to 4 drs. 3 grs. to 10 grs. 10 grs. to £ dr. 10 grs. to £ dr. 1 gr. to 5 grs. £ dr. to 1 dr. j> dr. to 1^ oz. 15 grs. to 1 dr. £ dr. to 2 drs. | dr. to 2 drs. | dr. to 2 drs. 1 scr. to 1 dr. 1 scr. to 2 scr. >1 fl. dr. to 2 fl. drs. APPENDIX—No. I. 583 C CN o *- Si U. X* bfl b "3 -C it;hhh O O O o d ;- u r. S. bo-d xi -a tH -A, _ ■*|H ' o2S^^t^^t<^_hiJ^s-!-:-s- h t'gg.......u..... m xs0cCq3tCq3Cf;=na2cc:cncnq3tCca 0 -5 ■a => _, ._ a) .-5 .5 .C <2 *- c J £ § & H H h n H S S E g C « K ' o s •- .- ° -S H'-P S 5. iu r. s. S 5 C "5 a 15 « * a! -Q O O « M en h ,» £ «> H xi '■3 * « 'Sbs •5 "S -j ° c "C -° fa c ro «£ <£ -^ = u sua utH .'E *;s <* * ,C O O =« O O — fc ._£+-■ t (. ii o mil >■ cs K-o ;.^ o o .. 4 et V SZiC-hrJ PhPh « w ■ «■> e +3 -S G. rS ij! )j to ^ij; expressed juice of the plant also emetic, coch. maj. j. to ij. or as a clyster in bleeding pilesk bruised leaves applied to fresh wounds. Butterfly weed. Asclepia* tuberosa. Root in decoction diuretic, in substance purgative. American" dogs bane. Jlpocynam andro- semifolium. Root emetic. Andromeda Mariana. Decoction used as a narcotic. American winter-green. Pyrola um- bcllata. Chimaphylla umbellata. Leaves diuretic, tonic. Rhododendron maximum. Narcotic, but used in chronic rheumatism. Yellow rhododenduon. R. Chrysan- thum. Leaves austere, astringent, bitter, stimulant; diaphoretic and narcotic; used. in Siberia against the rheumatism, £ij of the dried leaves, infused in half a pint of water, kept hot all night, and drank in the morning: root astringent. Red whouts. Vaccinium Vitis Idxa. Leaves sold for those of uva ursi, but arc veined in a network above, dotted under- 592 APPENDIX.—No. 1!. iieath, and their i nfusion precipitates neither isinglass jelly nor a solution of green vitriol. Melon. Melo. Cucumis Melo. Fruit very refreshing; seeds used in cooling emulsions. Rdshy gum-succory. Chondrillajuncea. Laxative, diuretic; used in dropsy, gr. xviij to giij, in twenty-four hours. Moxa. Artemisia Sinensis and A. lanu- ginosa. The down of the leaves, formed into small cones, is burned on the place af- fected in gout, rheumatism, &c. Pinknea pubescens. Bark febrifuge, used the same as that of cinchona. Round leaved dog-wood. Cornus circi- nata. Swamp dog-wood. Cornus sericea. American dog-wood. Cornus Florida. Bark of the roots used as a poultice. Triosteum perfoliatum. Roots emetic and cathartic; bark of the root bitter, tonic. Aralia racemosa. Roots of both these species are mixed with those of sarsaparilla. IIanchtnol. Ginoria ........ Juice, §iiij, is diaphoretic, diuretic, and strongly cathartic: is used in syphilis, which, ac- cording to the Mexicans, it quickly cures. Geum montanum. Roots scented like cloves, sudorific, tonic, antipodagric, sto- machic, febrifuge; may be substituted for bark: when young, they give a pleasant flavour to ale, and prevent it from growing sour. American ipecacuanha. Indian physic. Gillenia trifoliata. Spircea trifoliata. Bark of the root, gr. xx, emetic, tonic. Sloe tree. Black thorn. Prunus syl- vestris. P. spinosa. Leaves, when dried, one of the best substitutes for tea; bark powdered, in doses of gij, used in inter- mittent fevers; flowers^j, infused in water or whey, are a pleasant purge; fruit, sloes, pruna sylvesiria, gives a pleasant flavour and red colour to wine; juice of the fruit stains linen of an indelible colour; used for marking clothes, and for colouring wines. American senna. Cassia Marylandica, Leaves in infusion purgative. Pennsylvania walnut. Butter mil. Juglans cinerea. Inner bark of the root, cathartic, and used against worms. Paraguay tea. Cassine Peragua. Ilex Tomitoria. Leaves diuretic in infusion, and diminish hunger; but if too much is used, emetic; an infusion ofthe high-dried leaves is drank by the aboriginal Apalachians as an «exhilarant. Egyptian bean. Jamaica water-lily. Faba JEgyptiaca. Nymphxa Nelumbo. Root astringent, as also the liquor that runs out ofthe footstalk when cut, used in loose- nesses and vomitings, also diuretic and cooling; seeds nutritive. Blood root. Sangninaria Canadensis. Juice blood red; used in dyeing; fruit nar- cotic, root emetic, purgative. Bull hoof. Dutchman's laudanum. Pas- sifiora Murucuja. Herb made into a syrup, or flowers infused in rum, narcotic, used for laudanum. Papaw. Carica Papaya. Fruit nutri- tive, seed an excellent vermifuge; leaves saponaceous; milky juice corrosive, is mixed with water, and used to wash meat to make it tender. White ipecacuanha. Pombolia. Inodi- um. Viola Ipecacuanha. Root emetic, mild- er than the false kinds, but mostly adulte- rated with them; dose gr. v to 9'ij: in small doses, gr. ss to gr. ij, given frequently, it is diaphoretic, expectorant, and stomachic. In both methods it is antidysenteric; gr."v, or enough to excite nausea, given an hour before the fit, has been successful in inter- mittents. Viola Ibonbou. Root emetic. Viola parviflora. Root emetic. Great saxifrage. Saxifraga antiquo- rum. Silene saxifraga. Herb used in cal- culous disorders. Tooth-ache tree. Prickly ash. Prickly yellow wood. Zanthoxylum Clava Herculis, and Z. fraxineum. Leaves sudorific, diu- retic, sialogogue, even taken internally, used in rheumatism and palsy; expressed juice of the roots, coch. ij, antispasmodic; roots, in infusion, used as a collyrium, pow- der of the bark of the roots useful in dress- ing putrid sores. Schageri cottan. Grewia Microcos. Microcospaniculata. Juice with sugar used as an astringent gargle, also internally in dysentery. Couroumoelli. Flacourtiasepiana.Fruit delicious, eatable; a decoction ofthe bark in oil used against gout; a decoction ofthe leaves and root in cow's milk used as an antidote against the bite of serpents. Hollyhock. Malvaarborea. .llccarosea. Leaves emollient; flowers used in diseases of the tonsils, stinking breath, and excess of the menses. White pariera brava. Velvet leaf. Cissampelos Pariera. Trunk or root, in powder, J)j to J)ij; or in infusion, sjiij to lbj water, for three doses; diuretic, very use- ful in obstructions, dropsy, or gravelly complaints; decoction of the plant made into syrup, pectoral. Clematis erecta. As caustic and burn- ing as the former; used for issues and ve- nereal ulcers; seeds drastic; leaves used outwardly in leprosy, internally, gij or iij in lbj boiling water, the infusion to be drunk in a day and night, in inveterate sy- philis. Virgos uowek. Clematis. C. Viticclla. APPENDIX.—No. II. 593 Leaves used as a poultice in leprosy; seeds purgative. Actjea racehosa. Root infused in spirit, used in rheumatic pains, used also in astrin- gent gargles. Xanthorrhiza apiifolia.' Root ex- tremely bitter; bitterness very permanent; tinges the spittle of a fine yellow. Yellow root. Hydrastis Canadensis. Root bitter, used for calumbo; gives out a most beautiful yellow colour. Gold thread. Coptis trifoliata. Helle- borus trifolius. Root a pure bitter, used in thrush; leaves dye yellow. Columbine. Aquilegia sylvestris. A. vulgaris. Herb, flower and seeds opening, acrid, diuretic, and used in detersive gar- ' gles. Cortex jubabje. Imported from the East Indies, in pieces a few inches long. Pale brown, outside gray, wrinkled length- ways, inside whitish; taste and smell of va- nilla, tonic. Chyn len. A root imported from China; cylindrical, bent, size of a quill, an inch long; outside yellowish red, sometimes bristly, inside yellow, starry: smell none; taste very bitter, lasting; stomachic, slight- ly emetic. I kan. A root imported from China; oblong egg-shaped, somewhat compressed, size of an olive, with a fibre about 2 inches long at one end; taste and smell none, be- comes mucilaginous when chewed: seems a kind of salep or orchis root. Lopez root. Radix Lopeziana. Brought from Goa or Batavia, but said to be origin- ally from Zanguebar, in pieces about 9 inches long, and 1 or 2 thick; woody part straw colour, porous; inside hard, reddish white; bark brown, covered with a soft, spongy, yellow epidermis in layers; smell none; taste bitter, especially the spongy epidermis. Matalista root. Said to come from America, in thin slices, 5 inches or more across; whitish, appears worm-eaten, but the holes are regularly placed; compact, rather heavy; outside gray, very rough; cathartic. Alconorq,ue. A bark brought from Spanish America; said to be that of a tree of the guttifera order, 154. Inside fawn brown; outside rough, dark reddish brown; febrifuge. See also order 42. Species for bitters. Rad. gentiana §ss; cort. cinch. |jj; cort. aurant. ^ij; ca- nella albx jj, for two bottles of white wine. 2. Rad. gent, gij; cort. aurant. gj; car- dam, minor, §ss; for a quart of brandy. 3. Rad. gent., cort. aurant. sice, ana t^ij; cort. limon. recent, ^ss; for a pint and a half of boiling water. Semilla oel guaciiaro. Various sorts of hard and dry fruits, found in the sto- machs of the young guachoroes, a sort of nocturnal bird. A celebrated South Ame- rican remedy against intermittent fevers. Gold-beaters skins. The intestina rec- ta of oxen, which have been beaten quite smooth for the manufacture of gold leaf; used as a defensive dressing for slight cuts. Beaume's purified opium. Extract all the part that is soluble, by repeated decoc- tion of 41b. in twelve or fifteen quarts of water, until no more is taken up; then mix all these decoctions, evaporate to about five quarts, and keep boiling for two, three, or even six months, adding fresh water from time to time; strain the decoction and evaporate to the consistence for makine- pills. & Cornette's purified opium. Separate the resin by redissolving the common ex- tract in water, strain the solution, and again reduce it by evaporation to an extract; re- peat this process several times. Josse's purified opium. Work opium under water, to separate the glutino-resin- ous part which remains in the hand: filter the water and evaporate to an extract. It still contains some resin, but is much less disagreeable in its smell, and considerably improved as an antispasmodic. Accarie's purified opium. ' Digest opium with charcoal powder in water for some days; strain the liquor, clarify with whites of egg, and evaporate in a water- bath to an extract. Very mild in its effects, like the former. Powel's purified opium. Boil opium in water, as long as any thing is taken up by it; then digest the residuum in spirit of wine, mix the two solutions, and evaporate them to a proper consistence. Wild cumin opium. Yielded by the hy- pecoum procumbensand h. pendulum; nar- cotic, and similar to opium. Concentrated orange juice. Succus spissatus aurantiorum. From the juice of oranges by evaporation; for use in situa- tions where the fruit cannot be obtained. Concentrated lemon juice. Succus spissatus limonum. Similar to the above in preparation and use; but neither of them is equal to the original juice, or even to the depurated juice, so long as they can be kept-free from mouldiness. Jamaica kino. From the sea-side grape of Jamaica, coccoloba uvifera, in the same manner as cutch; its infusion is precipitated of a blue black by the oxysulphate of iron: astringent, useful in loosenesses, internal hemorrhages, and the whites, gr. x to T)j. Jamaica kino. Extract of mahogany. Prepared by decoction; used fur real kino. [X—No. II. 594 APPENDI Extractum osmundje reoalis. Used in rickets. Extract of pepper. Extractum piperis nigri. From the decoction; it requires550 pints of water to extract all the sapidity of lbj of pepper, and the extract is much stronger tasted than the pepper itself. Barry's extracts. These differ from the common by the evaporation being car- ried on in a vacuum produced by admitting steam into the apparatus, which resembles a retort with its receiver; the part contain- ing the liquor to be evaporated being a polished iron bowl. As the temperature is much lower than the common way, the virtues of the plant are less altered, the extracts are generally green, and contain saline crystals, but some of them will not keep. 2. Barry's resinous extract of bark. Distil tincture of bark, made with S. V. R. nearly to dryness, remove the rosin on its surface, and evaporate slowly the remaining liquid to a fine extract. Alkoholic extract of nux vomica. Nux vomica rasped 3iiij, alkohol lbj, ma- cerate 14 days, strain and evaporate to an extract; S. V. R. may be used, but the ex- tract is not so powerful. 2. Rosin of nux vomica. Dry alkoholic extract of nux vomica. Make an extract of nux vomica with S. V. R. dissolve it in wa- ter, filter, and evaporate; aets strongly on the nervous system; in pills, gr. j to ij in- creased gradually to ^j, or until the tetanic symptoms become considerable, in palsy. Brucine. Digest ether on powdered bark of brucea antidysenterica, to separate a fatty matter; drain, add alkohol; digest, filter, evaporate to dryness; dissolve the mass in water, add liquor plumbi subaceta- tis, until a sediment ceases to fall down; filter, pass sulphuretted hydrogen gas through the clear liquor; filter again, and add calcined magnesia; filter again, wash the sediment very slightly with cold water, dry, digest in alkohol, filter, and distil off' the spirit. To purify the brucine thus ob- tained, add a solution of oxalic acid, crys- tallize, add a mixture of alkohol and ether to extract the colouring matter, then dis- solve the oxalate of brucine in water, add calcined magnesia, filter, digest the sedi- ment in alkohol, filter and let the spirit evaporate by exposure to the air. Brucine is crystalline, very bitter, scarcely soluble in water, has only one 12th the medical virtue of strychnine. Cinchonine. Boil Peruvian bark in S. V. R. until all the bitterness is extracted; mix the tinctures, distil to dryness; dissolve the rosin in boiling water, rendered very acid with spirit, of salt; add calcined ma^ nesia, boil for a few minutes till the liquor is clear; when cold, filter, wash the sedi- ment left on the filter with cold water, dry it, boil alkohol upon it until all the bitter- ness is extracted; pour off the alkohol, and as it cools, the cinchonine will crystal- lize. It may be purified by solution in a very weak acid, and the addition of an al- kali; white, crystalline, scarcely soluble in water, or in ether. Delphine. Stavesacre seeds, q. p. blanch, beat to a paste, boil with a little water, strain, add calcined magnesia, boil for some minutes, filter, wash the sediment with water, and digest it in alkohol, decant the tincture and distil off* the spirit; the delphine is left as a white powder, scarce- ly soluble in water, but soluble in alkohol or ether. 2. Bruise unhusked stavesacre seeds, add weak "sulphuric acid, filter, add liquor am- monix to separate the delphine; dissolve in alkohol, distil off the spirit, dissolve again in spirit of salt, add calcined magnesia to saturate the muriatic acid, and throw down the delphine purer than before; redissolve in alkohol, filter, and distil off' the spirit. Emetine. Pour ether on powdered ipecacuanha, digest, distil, and repeat this as long as any fatty odorous matter is ex- tracted from the root; then pour on S. V. R., and make a tincture, repeating with fresh spirit as long as any thing is dissolved; distil gently to dryness, dissolve what is left in cold water; add subcarbonate of magnesia to separate the gallic acid it con- tains, pour on S. V. R., dissolve, filter, and evaporate to dryness. In reddish brown scales, easily running in the air, not crys- tallizable; emetic in doses of a quarter grain, or rather more. 2. Pure emetine. Digest powdered ipe- cacuanha first in ether, and then in rectified spirit; distil off the spirit, and dissolve the remainder in water, add calcined magnesia in sufficient quantity; pour off the liquor, wash the remainder with a little very cold water to separate the colouring matter, and dry it, digest alkohol on it, filter, distil off the spirit; dissolve the remainder in dilut- ed acetic acid, clarify the solution by bone black, and add liquor ammonia to throw down the emetine, which is white, scarcely soluble in water; emetic in doses of a six- teenth of a grain. Gentlanine. Gentian root in powder q. p., digest in ether for two days and nights, filter, evaporate nearly to dryness; add to the yellow crystalline mass thus ob- tained alkohol, until it no longer becomes coloured; evaporate to dryness, redissolve in S. V. T., filter, evaporate again to dry- ness, dissolve in water, add some calcined magnesia, boil, filter; digest the sediment in ether, and evaporate to dryness. Gen- tianine is yellow, scarcely soluble in water, very soluble i.i alkohol or ether; a strong aromatic bitter, in doses of gr. ij. Morphia. Morphium. Morphine. Opium giij, water ^x, soak for 5 days; filter, add calcined magnesia gj gr. xij; boil for 10 minutes, filter, wash with cold water till the water passes off clear, and afterwards al- ternately with hot and cold proof spirit, as long as it becomes coloured; boil the resi- duum in alkohol for a few minutes; as it cools, crystals of morphia will separate. 2. Opium lib. water q. s. make a strong infusion; strain, add liquor ammonia as long as any precipitate falls; strain, evapo- rate the liquid part until thick, add more liquor ammonia to separate the morphia; filter again, wash the morphia with cold water: when well drained, sprinkle it with a little S. V. R. to carry some of the co- louring matter through the filter; then dis- solve the morphia in acetic acid, add some fresh burnt bone black, shake often in the course of the day, and next day filter; the liquor now passes colourless: add liquor ammonia to separate the morphia, in the form of a white powder, from the acid. It may be crystallized by solution in alkohol, and setting it by to evaporate of itself. Ex- tremely bitter, scarcely soluble in water; narcotic, but used in the form of an acetate or sulphate. Quinine. Made from yellow bark, in the same manner as cinchonine from com- mon Peruvian bark; white, scarcely solu-, ble in water, very soluble in ether, by whicli it may be separated from cinchonine, if they are mixed together. Solanine. Juice of nightshade berries, quite ripe, q. p. filter, add liquor ammonix, a grayish sediment falls; filter, wash the sediment, and boil in alkohol; filter, and distil off' the spirit; the solanine is left as a white powder; not soluble in water, bitter; emetic, narcotic. Strychnine. Boil rasped nux vomica in water, evaporate the decoction to the consistence of a syrup; add lime to unite with the acid, and set the strychnine free: pour on S. V. R. to dissolve the strychnine, strain, and evaporate to dryness. The strychnine may be rendered purer by dis- solving again in alkohol, evaporation, and crystallization; the brucine, being more soluble in spirit, remains in solution. White, crystalline, or granular; scarcely soluble in water; acts still more strongly on the nervous system than rosin of nux vomi- ca; in pills, containing l-12th or l-8th of a grain each. Vi-ratuina Digest Indian caustic bar C—No. II- 595 ley seeds in boiling rectified spirit, filter while hot; distil nearly to dryness; dissolve in cold water, filter, evaporate slowly to make the yellow colouring matter separate; add a solution of sugar of lead in water, filter to separate more of the colouring matter; pass hepatic air, or sulphuretted hydrogen gas, through the clear liquor, filtrate to separate the sulphuret of lead, evaporate a little; add calcined magnesia, filter, digest the sediment in boiling alko- hol, filter, and evaporate till a yellowish substance is left; which may be purified and rendered white by dissolving it in al- kohol, and adding water to tlirow down the pure white veratrine. Errhine, produces a very abundant salivation; cathartic, in doses of a quarter of a grain; in larger doses emetic, producing tetanus. Oil or common physic-nut. Oleum cici- num. 0. jalrophse curcadis. Used as castor od for a purge. Croton oil. Tiglii oleum. From Mo- lucca grains; extremely cathartic; when good, a drop is a sufficient dose. Rutty's oil of mustard seed. Obtained from mustard seed, after the common oil has been procured; is acrid, and recom- mended by Dr. Rutty in rheumatism. Cob web. Tela aranearum. Secreted by spiders to form their nets; externally styptic, internally febrifuge; used in quar- tan agues, dose gr. x; the cobwebs of the different kinds of spiders, appear, howev- er, to differ in their effects. Artificial musk. Moschus jftctitius. Re- sina succini. Rectified oil of amber one part, nitric acid four parts; digest, a black matter is deposited, to be well washed in water; smell similar to that of musk or ambergris, and may be used for them in medicine. Pulvis h.drargyri cinereus. Quick silver ifij, dilute nitrous acid gij, distilled water 5viij, aqua carbonatis ammonia q. s. about gjss. 2. Oxidum hydrargyri cinereum, P. E. Quicksilver giv, dilute nitrous acid "§v, dis- tilled water, §xy, aqua .carbonatis ammo- nia q. s. Dissolve the metal in the acid, dilute the solution with the water, and precipitate with the alkali, wash and dry the precipi- tate. Totally different from the London oxide of the same name: all three are used in syphilis, and ure not apt to disorder the stomach and bowels; dose gr. j—iij, bis in die. 3. Arcanum corallinum. Mercurius co- rallinus. Dy digesting the preceding in three times its weight of spirit of wine for two. or three days* then scUinir rfirc to tin. K.—No. II. 596 APPENDI1 spirit, and stirring the precipitate as the spirit burns. Crocus Martis aperifivus, P. L. 1720. C. 31. sulphuratus. By melting together equal parts of iron filings and sulphur, and calcining the mass till all the sulphur is driven off. Crocus Martis Zwelferi. Iron filings and nitre ana p. aq. injected into a red hot cru- cible, kept in the fire for an hour, and then well washed. Crocus Martis antimonialis Stahlii. Sco- ria of the Martial regulus of antimony well washed, p. j, nitre p. 2 or 3; calcined together for some time, and then washed. Schwanherg's fever powder. Com- mon antimony lib. heat it, when ready to melt add, by degrees, hartshorn shavings 4 oz. stirring it, and keeping it in a red heat for some time. Chenevix's antimonial powder. Mercu- rius vita and phosphate of lime (obtained by dissolving burnt bones in spirit of salt and precipitating the solution by sp. corn. cervi) ana equal weights; dissolve in spirit of salt, and potir the solution into water alkalized with spir. corn, cervi. Febrifuge and diaphoretic, gr. iij—viij; in larger doses, gr. x—9J> emetic and purgative; used also as an alterative in cutaneous dis- eases. Lymington Glauber's salt. Sulphate of magnesia and soda. Obtained from the mother liquor of sea water, crystallizing in rhomboids. Hydroiodate of totash. Iodine q. p. add liquor potassa diluted with eight times as much water, until the liquid ceases to be coloured: evaporate to dryness; add alko- hol, filter, and distil off the spirit. If not quite neutral, add hydroiodic acid sufficient to saturate it; runs in the air. Sulphate of morphia. Dissolve mor- phia in oil of vitriol, previously diluted with a considerable quantity of water; evaporate and crystallize: narcotic, a quar- ter of a gr. to gr. j, in a day and night. Acetate of morphia. Dissolve morphia in acetic acid q. s. and evaporate to dry- ness; narcotic a quarter of a gr. to gr. j, in a day and night. Ens Martis. Flores salis ammoniaci Martialis. Flores Martiales. Murias am- monix et ferri. By subliming with a quick sudden heat sal ammoniac, rubbed with twice its weight of iron filings, or colco- thar, and repeating the sublimation with fresh salt, as long as the flowers are well coloured. Hydrargyrus acetatus. Acetas hydrar- gyri. Aeetis hydrargyri. Quick silver lib. diluted spirit of nitre q. s. to dissolve it; precipitate with aqua kali, wash and dry the precipitate; dissolve this precipitate in spirit of verdigris q. s.; filter, evaporate to a pellicle, and crystallize: antivenereal, gr. j, nocte maneque, increasing the dose gradually. Sal alembroth. Sal sapientix. Cor- rosive sublimate, sal ammoniac ana p. aeq. water q. s. to dissolve them; evaporate and crystallize: easily soluble in water, and on that account preferable to corrosive subli- mate as a medicine. Prussiate of quick silver. Red pre- cipitate 1 oz. Prussian blue 2 oz. distilled water 6 oz.; boil for half an hour, filter, pour on fresh water, boil and filter; mix the two solutions, evaporate and crystallize: antisyphilitic, Qj taken in distilled water. Iodate of potash. Dissolve iodine in liquor potassa, evaporate to dryness, sepa- rate the hydroiodate by spirit of wine; then dissolve the iodate in water, and crys- tallize. Used in bronchocele. Acid of Prussian blue. Acidum Prus- sicum. Prussian blue 2 oz. calcined mer- cury 6 oz. distilled water 6 oz..- boil till the blue colour is changed to a yellowish green, filter, add hot water 1Q oz. to wash the sediment perfectly; pour the liquor upon clean iron filings giij, and add oil of vitriol jj; pour the liquid from the quick silver that has separated, and distil till l-4th part has passed. Scheele's own process. 2. Proceed as before, but draw off only l-6th, and redistil upon chalk, gr. ij to the oz. drawing off only 3-4ths. La Planche. 3. Prussian blue 4 oz. oil of vitriol, water, ana 2 oz.: distil. Parkes. 4. Gay Lussac's Prussic acid. To prus- siate of quick silver 3 oz. contained in a tubulated retort connected with two receiv- ers surrounded with ice and salt, the first of which contains pieces of muriate of lime and chalk; add slightly smoking spirit of salt 2 oz.; distil with a slight heat, until some water appears in the first receiver, then stop the distillation, and take away the freezing mixture of ice arid salt from the first receiver only: the Prussic acid will distil over into the second smaller receiver, leaving the water with the dry muriate of lime, and the muriatic acid with the chalk. 5. Magendie's medicinal Prussic acid. Gay Lussac's Prussic acid gj, distilled water gviijss by weight; or acid gj, distill- ed water gvj, by measure; antispasmodic. 6. Parisian Apothecaries' Scheele's Prus- sic acid. Gay Lussac's Prussic acid gj, water pd. 7. Robiquet's Scheele's Prussic acid. Gay Lussac's acid gj, water gij. 8. Scheele's Prussic acid of Paris Coder. Medic. Gay Lussac's acid gj, water ^j. Strong Prussic acid in very small quan- APPENDIX.—No. II. 597 tity, gtt. j—ij, ether applied to the tongue or even to the skin, kills instantaneously, as if by lightning, and the body exhales for sevcvil days a strong smell of bitter al- monds; gtt. vj—x of Scheele's or La Planche's acid in water §iij to iv, taken by tea-spoonfuls every two hours, is beneficial in chronic cough and in phthisis. Ah.ua cAscARiLLa?. Bark lib, water 6 pints; soak for some days, and distil 3 pints of a milky water. It may be prepared while making the extract. Tonic. Arse-smart water. Aqua hydropiperis. From the herb; acrid, lbj—lb jss, drank in a day, very effectual in nephritic cases. Laurel water. Aqualauro-cerasi. Fresh laurel leaves gij, water 4 oz.; distil three times, with fresh leaves each time, and water to have still 4 oz. meas. at last; seda- tive m. xxx tofl.Jj. Contains Prussic acid, is stronger than black-cherry water; has been used for poisoning, and therefore la- bours under an ill name, although doubtless one of the most efficacious of this sort of medicines, and of great use in consumption. Diuiietic in'FU6ion. Bacc. junip. cont. j^ij, sem. anisi jzjj, aq. ferv. lbj: to strained liquor ^xij, add sp. junip. comp. §ij, tinct. scilla? 3J, sal nitre ^ij. Dose a tea cupful frequently. 2. Inf. digit. §iv, tinct. digit, gss, potass. acetat. 3J tinct. opii m. v. Dose coch. maj. j, twice or thrice a day. 3. Cacum. spartii ^j, aq. lbj. Boil to one half: strain. Diuretic, %j with spir. ath. nitr. m. x, every other hour. Diaphoretic decoction. Dec. cort. Per. ^x, liq. amm. acet., tinct. cinch, gij, conf. aromat. £ss, for a dose every three hours. Astringent infusion. Cort. querc. ^ss. aq. lbss; to the strained liquor ^jss, add pulv. gallarum gr. x, tinct. catechu, tinct. cardam. comp.; syr. cort. aurant., ana^ss, for one dose. 2. Inf. cusparia 3jj, tinct. catechu gj, pulv. ipec. gr. iij, opii gr. ss, for one dose. Strengthening infusion. Inf. gent. comp. 5 j, aq. kali gss, tinct. cascar. gj, for one dose. 2. Cort. Peruv. cont. gss, serpent, gij, aq. lbj; boil to an half, and strain; then add spir. cinnam. 3Jss, acidi sulph. diluti 3jss; dose 5~ij every six hours. 3. Dec. cort. Peruv. ^ijss, inf. gent. comp. 3J, tinct. cascar., aq. kali, ana ^ij; dose coch. maj. ij, frequently. 4. Dec. cort. Peruv. gvj, tinct. ejusd. 3*ss, conf. aromat. ^j, spir. amm. arom.^j; dose coch. maj. ij, daily. 5. Inf. cascar. |jss, tinct. ejusd., tinct. zz, ana 3J; for a dose, in loss of appetite from drinking. Stimulant infusion. Sem. sinap. nigr. cont., rad. raphan. sylv. anaoz. ss, aq.ferv. lb i- strain when cold, and add spir.ammon., 76 arom. dr. j, spir. pimenta oz ss; dose coch. maj. ij, three a day, praised by Dr. Paris in palsy. Capsicum gargle. Gargarisnia capsici. Capsici pulv. dr j, sal. comm. scr. j, aceti dr. iv, aq. ferv. oz. vj, strain ; in ulcerated soie throat and scarlet fever. Dak bark garglk. Gargarisma guercfis. Alum scr. ss, cort. querc. dr. ij, ol. vitriol. gtt. xxx, aq. ferv. oz. vj ; in relaxation of the uvula. Knema opti. Inf. lini oz. viij, tinct. opii dr j ; in pains from calculi. Tobacco clsstkh Enema tabaci. Fol. tabaci scr. ij, aq. ferv oz xiij ; as soon as sufficiently cool, throw up one half, and the remainder half an hour afterwards if necessary, in strangulated hernia. Enema terebinthina. Tereb. comm. oz. ss, vitellum ovi unius, inf. lini oz. x; in calculus Clyster of spirit of wine. S. V. R. oz. viij, ol. tereb. and ol. anisi ana gtt. x, sheep's head broth lb. ss; used in dysentery. Gum water. Mucilago acacix. M.gummi Arabici oz. iv to half a pint; demulcent. lioiLEn staiich. Mucilago amyli dr. iij to a pint boiled; as a restringenr glyster. Mucilago gummi tragacantiije oz.j, to half a pint, soak for twenty-four hours, then rub, and press through a cloth ; principally used to make lozenges. Biscuit jelly. Gelatina panis. White biscuit 4 oz water 4 pints ; boil to a half, strain, eyaporate to a pint, add white sugar 1 lb, red wine 4 oz. cinnamon water 1 oz ; in the dysentery and weakness of stomach. Hartshorn jelly. Gelatina cornu cervi. Hartshorn shavings 1 oz. water 4 pints, boil to 2, strain ; warm again with orange juice 1 oz. white sugar 6 oz. sherry 5 oz. 2. Hartshorn shavings 8 oz. water 4 pints, boil, strain, add white wine and sugar ana 4 oz or if a very clear jelly is required syr. of vinegar 6 oz. clarify with ihe white of 2 eggs, strain, pulling cinnamon or lemon- peel on the strainer to flavour the jelly ; nu- tritive. Sago jelly. Soak sago in water for an hour, pour it off, and adding more, boil till the sago is transparent, then add wine and £ugar. Tapioca jelly. Soak it in water for 9 hours, then boil it gently till quite clear, and add lemon juice and peel, wine, sugar, and cinnamon. Gloucester jelly. Rice, sago, pearl barley, hartshorn shavings, rad. eringii ana 1 oz. boil in water lb. iij to lb. j, and strain; nutritive, dissolved in broth, wine, or milk. Almond jelly Gelat'mu amygdalarum. Sweet almonds blanched 1 oz. while sugar dr. vj, water 4 oz. rub into an emulsion, strain, and add melted hartshorn jelly 8 oz. ).-ange-flower water dr j, essence of R-mou S". iij. 5£3 APPENDIX—No. 11. Jelly op Icels.ni> muss. Gelatina lichenis. Iceland moss 4 oz. water q. s. to strain a pint and half, add white sugar 4 oz.; nutri- tive and tonic in phthisis Brandk's jelly. Salep ground 2 oz. water 12 pints, calcined magnesia 3 oz. ; not subject to grow mouldy CnKME dk ris. Rice 3 spoonfuls, boil in water 2 pints to 1, strain, add sweet almonds no 10, bitter almonds no. 5 : make an emul sion, with sugar, a little cinnamon or orange flower water, and drink it warm in the morning. Isinglass jelly. Isinglass 2 oz. water 2 pints, boil to one, strain, and add milk 1 pint, white sugar candy 1 oz.: nutritive. 2. Isinglass gr. x, water oz.ij., boil and strain ; used as a test for tannin. Emulsio olei ricini. 01. ricini ^>z. ss., vitelli ovi q. s. aq. dist. oz. j., spir. lavand comp. gtt xl, syr. Tolut dr. ss : as an open- ing draught. Emulsio olei terebinthina. 01. tereb. rect. scr j, sacch. albi oz.j, vitell. unius ovi, emuls amygd. oz. iv : in nephritic pains Emulsio terebinthina. Tereb. Chia dr.j, sacch. albi oz. j, vitellum unius ovi, emuls. amygd. oz. iv ; in gleets Gowland's lotion. Bitter almonds 1 oz. sugar 2 oz. distilled water 21b; grind toge- ther, strain, and add corros. sublim. scr ij, previously ground with S V. R dr. ij : used as a wash in obstinate eruptions. Emulsio effervescens. Mist, amygdalae oz j, vini ipecac, gtt. x, potas carbon* gr. x ; add succ. limon. dr iij, and take it while it effervesces; expectorant. 2 Mist, amygd. oz.j, pot. carbon! gr. x, syr. papav. rubri dr.j, succ limon. dr. iij ; demulcent. Solutio acetitis zinci. White vitriol dr.j, dissolve in distilled water oz. x ; sugar oflead scr. iiij, dissolve in distilled water oz. X; mix and filter; astringent ; used as a collyrium and injection. Sydenham's stkptic water. Aqua vitri- olica ccerulea. Blue vitriol oz iij, alum, oii of vitriol, ana oz.ij, water oz. viij ; dissolve and filter. Solution of hvdriodate of potash. Hydriodate of potash gr. xxxvj, distilled water oz. j ; in scrofula and bronchocele; gtt x to xx, ter die, in syrup; will not keep. TiNCTDnA Martis Glauberi. Iron filings, crude tartar, ana lb. iij, boil in water lb. xxxvj, to 2 gall.; filter while hot, and evaporate to lb. v ; deobstruent. Yellow wash. Aqua phagedenica. Lime water lb. j, corrosive sublimate dr. ss; rub together; shake up when used as a wash for foul ulcers, particularly the syphilitic. Common ete-water Aqua ophthalmica. Aq. vitriolica camphorata. White vitriol oz ss, camphire dr. ij, boiling water lb. ij ; dissolve and filter 2. Aqua zinci vitriotati cum camphora. White vitriol oz. ss, spiritus camphoratus oz. ss, boiling water lb. ij ; dissolve and filter : discutient; used as a lotion for ul- cers, or diluted with water p. aq. as a col- lyrium. Artificial srA water. Natron ppm. gr. vij, magnesia alba scr. j, iron filings gr. iij, common salt gr. j, water ib. iij, and impreg- nate it with the gas from marble powder and oil of vitriol ana scr. x, sufficiently diluted with water. Artificial Pyrmont water. Epsom salt gr. xv, cbmmon salt gr. v, magnesia alba gr. x; iron filings gr. v, water lb. iij, and impregnate it with the gas from marble powder and oil of vitriol ana dr. vij. Artificial Seltzer water. Spirit of salt gr. xxxv, water 1 pint, white marble gr. iij, stop up till dissolved; add carb. mag- nesia gr. v, and alter some time subcarbo- nate of soda gr xxxij (or, which is better, carb. soda gr. xxvij), stop up close imme- diately till used. Artificial Harrowgate water. Com- mon salt oz. v, water lb. iij, and impregnate it with the gas from liver of sulphur and oil of vitriol ana oz. iiij Artificial Cheltenham water. Epsom salt gr. xij, iron filings gr. j, Glauber's salt oz. iiij, water 4 gall and impregnate with the gas from marble powder and oil of vi- triol ana oz. ij. Young's purgino drink. Crystallized natron dr. ijss, crystals of tartar dr. iij, water oz. viij, corked up immediately in stone bot- tles and wired ; a pleasant cooling laxative in summer. Ward's white drops. Quick silver 12 oz. spir. nitre 2lb ; dissolved, add ammonia ppa. 14 oz. evaporate so as to form a light salt, which drain and dissolve in rose water 31b. and a half. LiauEca de Pressavin. Dissolve quick silver in spirit of nitre and precipitate it wiih kali ppm. then take this precipitate and cream of tartar ana 1 oz. distilled water 40 oz. ; dissolve: two spoonfuls of this liquor is diluted with 2 pints of distilled water, and a wine glass, i. e. 2 oz. taken quaterve die, aAoiding the use of common salt in the food : used in syphilis Whey. Serum lactis. Cows milk lb. jss., crem. tart half oz.; boil the milk, add the salt, and strain. 2. Alum whey. Serum lactis aluminosum. Cows milk lb jss., alum dr. ijss.; boil to- gether and strain 3. Mustard whey Serum lactis sinapinum. Cows milk lb. ij., sem. sinapios cont. 2oz.; boil together and strain. 4. Wine whey. Serum lactis vinosum. Cows milk lb. ij., spring water lb. j.; boil, and add white wine half pint. 5. Clarified whey. Serum lactis clarifica- turn. Cows milk 6 pints, rennet q. s.; lee it APPENDIX—No. U. S§9 stand in a warm place for some hours, strain, add the whites of 3 eggs, and cream of tar- tar half a drachm ; boil and filter through paper. COLLrBIUM acetosum. Aceti dist. oz. j., spir. vini dr. ij., aq. rosa oz. vij.; in ophthal- mia. Collyrium aloes, De Brun's. Aloes hep. dr. j., vini albi,*aq. rosar. ana oz.jss.: in ulcerated eyelids Collyrium ammonia acetatis. Opii gr. x., aqua ferv. oz. vj ; solve, cola et adde liq. ammon. acet oz. ij.; when ophthalmia is very painful. 2. Liq ammon. acet. oz.ij., mist, camph. oz. vj.; when ophthalmia has left the eyes relaxed and weak. Goulard's eye-water. Collyrium Gou- lardi. Extr. Satumi gtt. x, aq rosar. oz. vj. 2. Extr Satumi gtt. x, spir. camph. gtt. xx, aq. rosar. oz. viij: in the inflammatory stage of ophthalmia. Collyrium opii. Opii gr. x, camphora gr. vi,aq. ferv. oz. xij, colatur; if ophthalmia is very painful. Colltbium sacchari Satubni. Gr. vj. to aq. rosar. oz. vj. Collyrium vitrioli albi. Gr. x. to aq. rosar. oz. viij. 2. Vitrioli albi dr j, spir. camph. dr jss, aq.fervent.oz.ij, aq. rosar. oz iv ; in the weak state of the eyes after ophthalmia. 3. Vitr. alb. dr. ss, album, unius ovi, aq. rosar. oz. iv ; the same, but much stronger. Collyrium vitrioli carulei. Vitr. cxrul.gr. iiij, mist, camph. oz. v, in the pu- rulent ophthalmia ofinfants. Enema anticolicum. Infus. chamam. oz. x, add ol. cajeputi gtt. iiij, dissolved in spir nitri dulc. gtt. xl. Gargarisma aruginis. Linim.arug. dr. ij, mell. oz.j, aq. oz. vj. Gargarisma boracis. Boracis dr. ij, mell. oz.j, aq. rosar.oz. vij ; in thrush. Gargarisma nitri. Sal. nitri dr. ij, mell. dr. iv, aq. rosar. oz. vj; in inflammatory sore throat; used frequently Gargarisma spiritus salis. Spir salis gtt. xx, mell.oz. j, aq. oz. iv; in inflamma- tory sore throat. Gargarisma sublimati corrosivi. Subl. corr. gr. iij, aq. dist. Ib.j; for venereal ulcers in the throat. Injectio caustici Lunaris. Caust. Lun. gr. ij, aq. dist oz.j; for fistulous sores. Linimentum opii. Linim. camph. comp. dr. ix, tinct. canthar. dr.j, tinct. opii dr. ij ; stimulant and anodyne. I "iio acidi nitrici. Aq. fortis dr.j, aqux Ib.j, in mortification. Lotio aluminis. Alum., aceti distil., vitrioli alb. ana oz. ss, aqua lb. ij ; for chil- blains. Ui.ack wash. Lolio hydrargyri nigra. Calomelanos dr. ij, aq. calcis lb. j; in syphilis. Lotio opii. Opii dr. ij, aq. distil, lb. j ; for painful and irritable ulcers Lotio titrioli carulei. Vitriol carui., boli Gall, ana dr ss, camplura dr.j, aq. ferv. lb iv; in phagedanic ulcers. Mistura ammonia acetatts. Liq. am- mon acet. oz. jss, sal. nitri scr. ij, mist. camph. oz. vj, syr. rosae oz. ss; dose, three spoonfuls, every three or four hours; dia- phoretic, in inflammatory fevers. Common black draught. Inf. senna comp. oz. v, aq. cinnam. oz j, manna: dr. iv, magnes sulph. dr. vj ; dose a wine glass, when necessary. Mistura diuretica. Infus. gentiana comp. oz jss, potas subcarb. gr. x, spir. ather. comp. dr. ss, tinct. cinnam. dr j ; for one dose. 2. Potas. subcarb. scr. j, succ limon. oz. ss, or q. s, aq cinnam. oz.j, aceti scilla dr, jss, tinct opii gtt. v, syr. aurant. dr.ss ; for a dose twice a day, frequently. 3. Potas. acet dr.j. oxym. colchiei dr.ij. aq. gi-j. spir junip. c. oz ss: for a dose. 4. Liq ammon. acet. oz.j. potas. acet. dr.j. for a dose, thrice a day. 5. Sal nitri dr. j. mist, ammon. oz.vj. sp. junip. c. oz. jss. aceti scilla dr.vj. dose coch. ampl. j every four hours. 6. Tinct. lyttx gtt. x. sp. aether, nitr. dr.j. mist, camph dr. xij. syr. zz. dr.j. for a dose, thrice a day. Mistura expectorans. Assafoet. scr. ij. aq mentha sat. oz. iij. syr. Tolu oz.j. dose coch. maj. j. every three hours. 2. Mist, ammon., aq. cinnam. ana oz. jss. syr. Tol. oz. ss tinct. castor, dr. ij. tinct. opii gtt. v. dose cochl. maj. j. when the cough is troublesome, in pertussis. Haden's liquor opii sedativus. Extract a tincture from the gruffs of tinctura opii, by means of tartaric acid dissolved in water. Dalbt's carminative. Magn. alb. scr. ij. ol. menth. pip. gtt. j. ol. nuc. mosch. gtt. iij. ol. anisi gtt. iij. tinct. cast. gtt. xxx tinct. assaf.gtt. xv. tinct. opii gtt. v. spir. pulegii gtt. xv tinct. cardam, c. gtt. xxx. aq menth. pip. oz.ij. Mistura guaiaci alkalina. Guaiaci, cal- cis vivae ana oz.j. grind together, and add water lb. j. Tincture of bark with lime water.— Cort. Per. oz.ij. calcis vivae oz.j. grind togeth- er, and add aq. calcis lb.ij. filter ; dose oz iij. thrice a day. Mixes well with watery li. quids. Dr. Porter's liquor morphii citratis. Opii oz. iv. ac. citrici cryst. oz. ij. grind to- gether ; add aq. bull. lb. j. digest for a day and filter; milder than the usual opiates. Vinum florum colchici. Flor. colch. oz. ij. vini albi Hisp. lbj. Wine of cinchonine. Sulphate of cin- chonine gr. xviij. Madeira (or other} wine lb. ij. 600 APPENDIX.—No. II. 2. Winelb.ij: tincture of cinchonine oz.ij. febrifuge. Wine of quinine. Sulphate of quinine gr. vi Madeira wine lb j. Malaga or any other wine may be used. 2. Wine lb. j. tincture of quinine oz. ij. Battley's liquor opii sedativus This nostrum is supposed to be a solution of opium in vinegar; it will not keep without an addition of spirit of wine, but this takes away the mildness of its action Vinegar of horse-radish Acetum armo- raciceRad. armor, recentis oz. j. aceti oz. xij. mace' ate for fourteen days. Ti:;ctura cinchonae ammoniata. Cort. Peruv. oz.iiij. spir. ammon. lb.ij. steep ten days ; Mimulant, tonic, dr. ssto dr .ij. Asthmatic elixir. Opium 1 oz. cam- phire 5 drachms, ol. anisi 1 oz. proof spirit a gallon Tincture of cinchonine Sulphate of quinine gr ix. alkohol oz.j. febrifuge. Tincture of gentianin. Gentianin gr. v. alkohol oz.j. Hill's balsam of honey. Bals. Tolu 1 lb. honey lib. S. V. R. 1 gallon Eau de Husson. Is thought to be a mix- ed tincture or wine of henbane and colchi- cum ; a tincture of colchicum has been pro- posed for it by Want; a tincture of hedge hyssop is said to be sold for it by Reece ; and a wine of white hellebore proposed by More ; but neither of them is possessed of the same characters as the Parisian medi- cine. Ford's laudanum. Opii oz. j. cinnam. caryoph. ana dr.j. S. V. R. aq. ana oz. viij Tincture of lupuline. Lupuline oz.j. S.V. R. oz. ij.digest, strain, add S. V. R. to make 3 oz. Bateman's pectoral drops. Sem. ficnic. dulc.2 lb. 8 oz. sem, anisi 1 lb. proof spirit 4 gall, water q. s.; distil 10 gall, to which add opium 7 oz.dr. iv. camph 6 oz. kali pp. 1 oz. coral, rubr. 4 oz. 2. Castor N. A. 2 oz.opium, ol. anisi ana 1 oz. dr. iv. camph. 8 oz. sem. foenic. dulc. 2 oz. tinct. antim.4oz. proof spirit 10 pints, add rad. valerian and cochineal in powder. 3. Castor, camph. ana 4 oz. coccin. 1 oz. S. V. R. 2 gall, water 1 gall. 4. Opii, camph. ana 1 lb- castor, ol anisi, santal. rub. ana 4 oz. treacle 101b. S. V. R, 5 gall, water 4 gall. 5. Opii. camph. ana dr.x. coccin. dr.j kali ppi. scr.iiij. ol. fomic.dulc. dr j. (or seeds 3 oz.), proof spirit 14 pints, water 2 pints ; produces 15 pints. 6. Castor 1 oz. ol. anisi dr.j. camph. dr.v. coccin. dr.jss. opii dr.vj. proof spirit 1 gall. 7. Rad. glycyrrh. sem. anisi ana 2 lb water 5 gall, boil to 3 gall.; strain, add sacchar. ust. 1 lb. opii oz. jss. castor N A. rad. Valeriana ana dr.x. camph. oz.ij, S. V. R. 2 gall, digest, strain, and add to the above. This will fill 22 doz. bottles-. Radcliff's purging elixir. Rad. jalap. C oz aloes Cap. 5 oz. rad gent. 2 oz. canell. alb. 1 oz. dr.iv. cort aura-t 1 oz. gr I'arad. dr.iiij. proof spirit 2 gall.; sleep for three weeks, strain, and add scam Alep., jalap., fol. senna in powder ana 1 oz. dr.iv. Rymer's cardiac tincture. Capsicum, camphire, lesser cardamoms, rhubarb, aloes, ^and castor, in proof spirit, with a few drops of oil of vitriol Daffy's elixir. Dicey's Daffy. Elixir salutis. Fol. senn. dr. iv. ras. lign guaiac. rad enula sice, sem. anisi sem. cam , sem. coriand,rad. glycyrr. ana dr.ij. uvar. pass. (stoned) oz.viij. proof spirit lb.vj. Swinton's Daffy. Bad. jalap. 3 lb. fol. sennae 12 oz. sem coriand., sem. anisi, rad. glycyrrh., rad. enula ana 4 oz. S. V. R., water ana 1 gallon. STRUVE'S LOTION FOR THE HOOPING COUGH. Tart ernet dr.j. aq. dr. ij. dissolve, and add tinct canthar. dr.j. Stoughton's eltxir. Rad. gent. 2 lb. 4 oz. rad. serpent. Virg. 1 lb. cort aurant. sice. 1 lb. 8oz. cal aromat. 4 oz. S. V. R., water ana 6 gallons. Eaton's styptic. Tinctura styptica.— Green vitriol calcined drj. proof spirit, ting- ed yellow with a little oak bark, lbij. Greenough's tincture for the teeth. Amygd amar. 2 oz. lign. Bras , bacc. cass. ana dr. iv. ireos Florent. dr. ij. coccin., sal. acetosel. ver, alumin. ana dr.j. S V. R. 2 pints, spir. cochlear, dr. iiij. De la motte's golden drops, liestucheff's nervous tincture. Elixir d'or de M. le Ge'ne'ral de la Motte. Muriate of iron (ob- tained by distilling pyrites (j lb. with 12 lb. of corrosive sublimate) oz iij. alcohol oz.vj. exposed for some time to the rays ofthe sun; much used in gout, hypochondriasis, and nervous diseases. They have the remarka. ble property of losing their yellow colour in the sun, and recovering it in the shade. Tincture of iodine. Iodine gr. xlviij. S. V. R. oz.j. used in bronchocele, dose gtt. x. in syrop and water, thrice a day; the dose to be gradually increased to gtt. xv. and xx. It will not keep, being soon con- verted into ioduretted hydroiodic acid, which however is perhaps equally effective. Syrop of peach blossoms. Syri/pun e jloribus malorum Persicarum. Peacli blos- soms lbj. warm water lb iij ; soak for a day, press out, and repeat the infusion with fresh flowers four times more ; strain, and to 3 pints ofthe liquor add sugar lb ijss, boil to a syrop; mildly cathartic ; used for in- fants. Syrop of cinchonine. Sulphate of cin- chonine gr.xlviij, simple syrop lbj febrifuge. Cyanic syrop. Medicinal Prussic acid dr. j. simple syrop lb. j. Syrop of emetine. Emetine gr. xvj. simple syrop lbj-used as a syrop ot ipeca- cuanha. APPEND1 X—No II. 601 Strop of pure emetine. Pure emetine gr.i'uj simple syrop lbj. dose a tea spoonful; emetic. Strop of gentianin. Gentianin gr. xvj simple syrop lb j. Strop of lupuline, Tinct. of lupuline oz.j. simple syrop oz. vij. Strop of morphia. Acetate of morphia griiij. simple syrop Ib.j. narcotic, coch.min. j. every three hours. Strop of quinine. Sulphate of quinine dr.ss. simple Ib.j. febrifuge, coch. vj. usually stops an intermittent. Strop of sulphate of morphia. Sul- phate of morphia gr. iiij. simple syrop lb. j. narcotic, taken alternately with 'syrop of morphia, for a change. Oxtmel ex allio. Vinegar lb. ss, sem. carui, sem. fcen. dul. ana dr.ij. boil, add garlick oz. ss, cover, and when cold strain, then add honey oz. x. Sirop de cuisiniere. Rad. sarsap. lb.ij. rad. china, lign. guaiaci ana lb.ij. aq. q- s. to strain lb.ij. add sacch. rubri, mellis ana lb.ij. to which some add corrosive sublimate, which is useless, as it is immediately chang- ed to mercurius dulcis and precipitated. Braitiiwaite's genuine black drop Opium sliced 8 oz. juice of crab apples 3 pints, nutmegs 1 oz. and a half, saffron dr.ij. boil till smooth, add sugar 4 oz. yeast 2 table-spoonfuls; keep it near the fire for six or eight weeks, and then place it in the open air till it becomes a syrop; decant, filter, and put it into small bottles, adding a little sugar to each bottle ; these quantities should produce about 2 pints. One drop is equal to four of tincture of opium, and does not affect the head near so much. 2. Laudanum liquidum cydoniatum. Opii oz. iv croci oz. ij. succi cydoniae lb. ijss. fer- menti coch. iiij. Ferment till the opium and saffron separate, then express and filter; to the liquor add cinnam. oz.ij. caryoph. arom., lign. aloes, santali flavi ana dr. j digest 14 days, filter and evaporate to one half. Nar- cotic and anodyne, gutt. x. to xxx. 3. Abbe" Rosseau's drops. Guttce seu lau- danum abbatis Rosseau. Vinum opiatum fer- mentatione paratum. Mel. Narb.oz. xij. aq. cahda lb iij. set it in a warm place, and as soon as it ferments add opii oz iiij dissolved in aq. oz xij. lei it work for a month, then evaporate to oz.x. strain, and add S. V. R. oz. iiijss. . 4. JVeumann's liquid laudanum. Opium fermented with water, and not evaporated farther then to the consistence of honey ; see his laudanum amongst electuaries. 5. Major Cochrutie's cough medicine.— White poppy heads without seeds lb. ss, water lb. vj. boil to lb. ij, strain with ex- pression, boil again to Ib.j ; strain and add vinegar, brown sugar ana lb j ; boil to a syrup, add sp. vitr. q. s.to make it gratefully- acid. Dose cochl. min. j. to iij. at night. Godfrey's cordial. Venice treacle, gin- ger ana 2 oz. S. V. R. 3 pints, ol. sassafr. dr. vj, water 3 gall, treacle 14 lb, tinct. Theb. 4 pints. Elixir de Garus. Myrrh, aloes ana dr. jss, cloves, nutmegs ana dr. iij, saffron oz j, cinnamon dr vj, S. V. R 1 gallon ; distil 9 pints, then make an infusion of maidenhair 4 oz. liquorice root dr. iv. figs 3 oz. in boil- ing water 1 gall.; strain with expression, dissolve in it white sugar 121b, add orange flower water 12 oz.; to each pound of this syrop add half its weight of the distilled spirit, and keep it for some time in a cellar. Cataplasma aluminis. Alum.scr.j,cons. rosar. or. jss, album, unius ovi; in ophthal- mia. Cataplasma carbonis ligni. Farina lini lb. ss, ligni carb. ppae oz. ij, aq. ferv. q. s.; in gangrene and fetid ulcers. Cataplasma cicuta. Cicutae fol. m. ij, coque in aq lb. j, adde farinae lini, vel avena q. s. ; in open cancer. Cataplasma. dauci Rad. dauci lb. ss, coque in aqua q. s. ut sit mollis ; in scor- butic ulcers. Cataplasma digitalis. Fol. digitalis sice oz. iij (or fol. dig. rec oz. iv), aquae lb ij, coque ad dimidium ; stram, and with the de- coction and lint seed meal make a poultice for irritable, painful ulcers. Cataplasma Goulardi. Extract. Saturni dr. jss, spir. vini rect. oz. ij, aqua oz. xij, micae panis q. s. ; in inflammations. Cataplasma farina lini. Far. lini q. p. aqua ferv. q. s ; smear the surface with oil before it is applied ; to promote suppuration. Cataplasma panis. Mica panis, far. lini ana p. aq. lactis ferventis q. s.; for the same purpose. Cataplasma salis communis. Pulv. lini, mica panis ana p. aeq aquae sale communi saturata q. s.; in enlarged glands or wens. Cataplasma salis Glauberi. Sal. Glau- beri oz. j, aq. ferv. q. s.; solve et adde mica panis q s.; in inflammation of the eyes. Cataplasma emetic um. Tabaci fol. oz.j, aq. q. s. to beat up into a poultice; to be ap- plied to the epigastric region. Electarium catharticum. Conf. sennas oz. jss, lact. sulph oz ss, syr. rosa q. s ; dose dr.j, three or four times a day, in pills. Electarium holichos Pods scraped into syrop. till the hairs render it as thick as honey; dose a teaspoonful in the morning fasting, as a vermifuge, a purge being given in a day or two afterwards. Pasta efispastica. Canthar , farina tri- tici ana p. aeq. acet. q.s.; superior to blis- tering plaister. Linctus iiemulcens. Sperm ceti, pulv. trag comp. ana oz. ss, syr. papav. q. s. ut. f. linctus ; dose a teaspoonful occasionally Linctus expectorans. Oxym. scilla, syr. althaa, muc. gum. Arab, ana oz. ss. Cathartic suppository. Sapo dur.dr.j. 602 APPENUL elaterii gr. ij ; used when a powerful action is required. Narcotic suppository. Soap dr j, opium scr- jss ; useful in nephritic pains. Suppositorium vermifugum. Saponis duri dr.j, aloes Socotr gr. x ; to be intro- duced immediately after a stool. Sinapism. Horse radish root fresh, flour of mustard, water; beaten into a mass. Female pills. Pilule ecphracticce. Pil. aromatic, oz. iij, rhabarb., extr. gentian.," sal. Martis ana oz.j, sal. absinth, oz.ss, syr. rosar. solut. q s. Rudius's pills. Pilule Rudii Pulp colocynth. dr vj, ras. agarici, rad. helleb. nigri, rad. turpethi ana oz.ss, cinnam., macis, caryoph. arom. ana scr. ij, S. V. R. oz. x; digest four days, strain with strong pres- sure, addscammonii oz.ss, aloes Socotr.oz. j ; distil off the spirit till the remainder is left ofthe consistence of honey, and reduce this to a mass by farther evaporation. Ca- thartic, gr. v—xxx, ter die, till it operates ; the original formula, esteemed one of the most certain purges known, and used when evacuation was difficult lo be procured, but yet absolutely necessary. Common night pills. Anodyne pills. JVepenthes opiatum, P. L 1688. Extr. opii (made first with distilled vinegar, and then with proof spirit) oz.j. extr croci (made with proof spirit) dr. jss, castor dr j, tinct. spec, diambra sine odor, (made of spec. dr. iiij in S. V. H. q. s.) ol. nuc. mosch. gtt. x; evaporate to a mass for pills. Belloste's pills. Hydrarg. 1 lb. sacch. 4oz. scammon, rad. jalap, ana 1 lb, vini alb. q. s.; some use cream of tartar instead of sugar. James's analeptic pills. Pil. Run 1 lb, calc. antimonii loti. 8oz. gum. guaiaci 8 oz ; M. and make 32 pills from each drachm. Anderson's Scots pills. Aloes Bbds. 1 lb, rad. helleb- nigr., rad. jalapii, kali ppi. ana 1 oz. ol. anisi dr. iv, syr. simp. q. s. Hooper's pills. Vitriol, virid.. aqua ana 8 oz.; dissolve, add aloes Barb. 2 lb 8 oz. canella albae 6 oz. gum. myrrh 2 oz. opo- ponacis dr. iiij. Scott's pills. Aloes B. 9 lb, pulv. jalap, 3 lb, pulv. zingib. 8 oz. ol. anisi oz. j, trea- cle 21 oz. Matthew's pills. Starkey's pills. Rad. helleb. nigri, rad helleb. albi, rad. glycyrrh., opii aria 2 oz. sapon. Starkeh 6 oz. ol. tere- binth, q. s. Ward's antimonial pill. Glass of an- timony, finely levigated, 4 oz. dragon's blood 1 oz. mountain wine q. 8. make into pills of gr jss. each. Dinner pills. Lady Crespigny's pills. Lady Webster's pills. PHulce stomuchica Mesues, P. L. 1635. P. ante cibum. Aloes dr. vj, mastiches, rosae rubrae ana dr. ij. syr. absinth, q. s.; produce a bulky and copi' ous evacuation^ :.—K«. n. Dixon's antibilious pills. Aloes, scam- mony, rhubarb, and tartar emetic. Fothergill's pills. Aloes, scammony, coloquintida, and diaphoretic antimony Peter's pills. Aloes, jalap, scammony, gamboge, ana oz. ij. Speediman's pills. Aloes,myrrh, rhubarb, extr. chamaem , ol chamam. Barclay's antibilious pills. Extr. coloc. dr ij, resin, jalapa dr. j, sap amygd. dr jss. guaiaci iij, tart. emet. gr viij, ol. junip. ol. carui, ol. ror. marina ana gtt. iv, syr. rhamni q. s. to form 64 pills Ketser's pills. Hydrarg. acetat. 4 oz. manna30 oz starch 2 oz. mucil. gum tragac. q. s. make into pills of gr. vj. each: dose no. 2, nocte maneque, increasing the dose to no. 25 or more ; a box of 1000 or 1200 pills is usually sufficient for the cure of a common case of syphilis. Lozenges for the heartburn. Tabelle cardialgicce. Cret. ppa. oz. iv, chel. cancer. ppm. oz. ij, bol. Arm oz. j, nuc, mosch. scr. j, sugar oz. iij. water q. s. 2. Trochisci e creta Cret. ppa. oz. iv, chel. cane ppm. oz. ij, cinnam. oz. ss, sugar oz. iij, muc. g. Arab. q. s, 3. Trochisci carbonatis calcis. Cret ppa. oz iv, gum. Arab, oz.j, nuc mosch dr.j, sugar oz. vj, water q. s. Ipecacuanha lozenges. Ipecac, dr. iv, sugar 21b. muc. g. trag. q. s.; make 480 lozenges, containing each gr. ss. ofipecacu- anha: expectorant; used in coughs, also stomachic. Rhubarb lozenges. Rhabarb. loz. sugar 6 oz. muc. g. trag, made with aq. cinnam. q. s.; cathartic. Sulphur lozenges. Flor. sulph. 1 oz. sugar 8 oz. muc. g, trag q. s. : pectoral; used in asthma and piles. Lozenges of pure emetine. Pure emetine gr viij, sugar oz. iiij : make into 260 lozen- ges ; emetic. Emetic lozenges of emetine. Emetine gr. xxxij, sugar oz. ij .- make into 661ozen- ges; emetic, no j for a child, iiij. for an adult. Pectoral lozenges of emetine Emetine gr. xxxij, sugar oz iiij, carmine q. s- to colour them red ; make into 260 lozenges ; occasionally in chronic coughs, hooping cough, and chronic diarrhoea; more than one in an hour w>U excite nausea. Worm cakes, Scamm. Alepp. 2 oz. calo- mel ppd. 3 oz. res jalapii 2 oz. crem. iar- tari 4 oz. white sugar 3 lb. mucil. g. trag. q. s. 2. Storey's worm cakes. Calomel scr. j, jalap dr j, zz. scr. ij, sacch. 1 oz. cinnabar. antim. q s. to colour them, syr. simp. q. s. to make into cakes. 3. Ching'g yellow worm lozenges Saffron dr. iiij, water 1 pint; boil, strain, add calo- mel lib. white sugar 281b. muc. g. trag q. s.: each lozenge should contain gr. j. of calomel. APPEND 4. Clang's brown worm lozenges. Calomel 7 oz. extr. jalapii resinos. 3lb. 8 oz white sugar 91b, muc g. trag. q. s.: each lozenge should contain gr. ss. of calomel 5 Calomel 1 oz. res jalap. 2 oz. white sugar 2lb, muc. g. tragac. made with rose waier q. s. ; make 2520 lozenges, weighing gr. viij, and containing calom. gr. l-4th, res. jalap gr. ss, each. 6. Scammon. and crem. tart, ana oz. j, ca- lomel ppt. oz. ss, sacchar. alb. dr. j, muc. g tragac. q. s. ; will make 80- Pulvis Cornachini. Scammon. dr. x, an- tim. diaphoret. dr. vj, crem tart. oz. ijss; cathartic, febrifuge ; scr j. Earl of Warwick's powder. Pulvis comi- tis Warwicensis. Scammonii oz. ij, antimonii diaph. oz. j, crem. tartari oz. ss. Plummer's alterative powder. Calomel, sulph. antim. ana dr. ij. Potential cautery. Common caustic. Cau'terium potentiate. Lapis septicus. Cau- sticum commune mitius. Quick lime, black soap ana p zeq Lapis ophthalmicus. L divinus. Vitr. carui., alumin., nitri, ana oz. j ; melt to- gether, adding at the end camph oz.j : used to make an eye water, dr. ij. to water 4oz Mercurius saccharatus. Hydrarg., sacch. albi anaoz. ss, ol tanaceti gtt. xvj ; rub till the quick silver disappears ; vermi- fuge, dr j. in a day. Mochlhue des Freres de la Charite. Vitr. antim. very finely ground, dr. j, sacch. albi dr ij ; dose scr. j. to dr. ss, as a specific in colic from lead. Pulvis sabina. Fol. sabina pulv.oz. ij, seruginis, Merc, prxcip. rubri ana oz.ss ; to stimulate and consume fleshy tumours. Duke of Portland's gout powder. Pulvis Ducis Portlandice. Had.arisiol., rad. gentiana, summ. chamadryos, summ. cen- taur, min. ana p. aq ; used in gout. Herrensi iiw^and's worm specific. G. G. G. gr. x, sal. tartari scr. j. Tonquin remedy. Pulvis Tunchinensis. P. alexipharmacus Sinensis. Rad valer. s)lv. pulv scr.j, moschi gr. xvj, camph. gr. vj ; mix; antispasmodic, alexiterial, to gr. xij, in hooping cough ; to scr. j, in hydrophobia and exanthemata; to scr. ijss, in mania. Cheltenham salts. Glauber's salt, Ep- som salt, common salt ana 23 lb; dry in an oven and powder; purgative, dr. vj—oz jss. 2. Sal Glaub. dr. ij, sal Epsom, gr. lxvj, sal. comm gr. x, sal. Martis gr. ss. 3. Common salt, Epsom salt, Glauber's salt of each 1 lb ; dissolve, filter, and evapo- rate to dryness, then add green vitriol dr.ss. Mariott's dry vomit. Tartar, emetic, vitrioli car. ana p. aq ; to be taken without anv liquid. Alumen saccharinum. Common alum made up into small sugar loaves, with white of egg and rose water ; used by females to Ftfake an astringent wash. X—No. II". 603 Grebn tooth powber. Fol. salvia sice, crustx panis tostae, salis comm. ana oz. j, nuc. mosch., caryoph. arom. ana dr.j. 2. Grosveno'-'s tooth powder. Rose pink 3 lb, pulv. irid. Flor. half a lb, test, ostreor. 3 lb, ol. rhodii gtt. xxv. 3. Asiatic dentifrice. Coral, rub. ppr. 8 lb 4 oz. Venetian red 12 oz. 3 dr. oker and pumice stone of each 1 lb 2 oz 6 dr. moschi Chinae dr. ss ; mix. 4. Hemet's dentifrice. Oss. sep. lb. jss, crem. tart. 4 oz irid. Fl. 2 oz. 5 Ruspini dentifrice. Oss. sep. 8 oz. alum. rup. 1 oz. crem. tart. 2 oz. irid. Fl. 1 oz. c. c usti 2 oz. ol. rhodii gtt. 6. Batti.ey's grf.kn senna powder. This nostrum is supposed to be senna leaves heat. ed until they become yellow, and then re- duce to a greenish hue by the addition of powdered charcoal. Pulvis stanni. Polisher's putty 4 lb, ivory black 4 oz. The ill effects sometimes arising from tin as a vermifuge, are perhaps owing to the substitution of this powder for the filings. Liquid blister. Span, flies 1 oz. boiling water half a pint ; soak for a day and night, add spir. of wine 4 oz. corrosive sublimate 1 dr. previously dissolved in 3 or 4 dr. of spirit of salt; may be either strained or used as it is. 2. Spir. of wine and liquid ammonia of each 2 oz. oil of turp. of origanum, or of rosemary, either of them, 1 oz. Spanish flies powd. 6dr. to 1 oz.; mix. 3. Blistering plaister ofthe College 2 oz. rub it down with half an oz. to an oz. of oil of turp. 4. Sweet oil 3 oz. oil of turpentine 1 oz. powdered cantharides half an oz.; mix. Linimentum Arcaei. Gum. elemi, ter. Argent, ana oz.jss, sevi ppi. oz. ij, adipis pore, oz j. Balsamum, Locatelli. 01. olivae lb. j, tereb. Ven. lb. ss ; boil to an ointment, add santali rubri dr. vj. 2. Ol. olive, comm., tereb. comm. ana 3 lb. 8 oz. cera fl. 2 lb. 8 oz. sang, draconis 4 oz. 3. Cerae fl. 2 lb 8 oz. ol. oliv. 4 lb, tereb, Ven. 4 oz. rad. anchusa 1 lb. Pectoral; used internally in coughs, with an equal quantity of cons, rosar.; the sang. drac. gives it a hot taste, and is inferior to the san- tal rubr. or anchusa. Common itch ointment. Adip. suillx 16 lb, tereb. Ven lib 12 »>*. Merc, corros. sublim , sacch. Satumi ana 2 lb, sal. ammon, 1 lb, alum. comm. 1 lb, cinnab. q. s. to co- lour it, scent with ess limon. 2. Adip. ppa. 5 lb, ol. palma 1 lb, cerus. sx6 oz alum rupei, Merc corros. subl., lithargyri ana 4 oz. 3. Bailey's. Ol. oliva, axung. pore., with sal nitri, alum, vitriol, alb. and cinnabar,' scented with ol. anisi, ol. origani, and ol. 604 APPENDIX—\o 11. spica verum, and coloured with rad. anchu- sa. 4. Dr. Bateman's. Kali ppi. oz. ss, aq. rosae oz. j, cinnab. dr. j, ess Bergam. dr. ss, fl. sulph., axung. pore, ana oz. sj Smellome's eye ointment. JErug. dr. ss. ol. olive, gtt. xxx, ung. basilic, oz.j. Marshall's cerate. 01. palma dr. v, calomel oz j, sacch. Sat. oz. ss, ung. nitr. hydrargyri oz. ij. KlRKLAND's NEUTRAL CERATE. Diach. OZ. viij, ol. oliv. oz. iv, cretas ppa oz. iv : when nearly cool, add acet. dist. oz. iv, sacch. Sat dr. iij. Ointment of hydriodate of potash Hydriodate of potash dr. ss, hog's lard oz. jss; in bronchocele,dr ss to dr. j, rubbed in morning and evening. Issue peas. Pisa pro fonticulis. Cerae fl. lib, rad curcuma 8oz.rad. irid. Flor. 4oz. tereb. Ven. q. s.; make into peas. 2. Cera: fl. 6 oz rad. irid. Flor. 2 oz. ver- milion 4 oz. tereb. Ven. q. s.; form into peas. 3. Cerae fl. 6 oz. arug. aeris, rad. helleb. albi ana 2 oz. cantharidum 1 oz. rad. irid. Flor. 1 oz rad. irid. Flor. 1 oz. and a half, tereb Ven. q. s.; this last is caustic, and will open issues itself; the others are used to put into issues that begin to close up, to keep them open longer. Issue plaisters. Sparadrapum pro fron- ticulis. Cerae fl. lb. ss, minii, tereb. Chix ana oz. iv, cinnab., rad. irid. Flor. anaoz. j, mosch gr. iv; melted, spread upon linen, polished with a moistened calendering glass rubber, and lastly cut ;n small squares. 2. Diachyl. simpl. lb j, rad. irid Flor. oz. j ; spread, and polished 3. Diachyl. simpl. 2 lb, pic. Burg., sarco- colla ana 4 oz. tereb. comm. 1 oz.; spread and polished. CONTRACTIONS. A. Aa. Ana, of each ingredient. Abdom. Abdomen, the belly ; abdominis, of the belly ; abdomini, to the belly. Abs. febr. Absente febre, in the absence ofthe fever. Ad 2 vie. Ad duas vices, at twice taking, Ad gr. acid. Ad gratam aciditatem, to an agreeable sourness. Adlibit. Ad libitum, at pleasure. Add. Adde, or addantur, add ; addendus, to be added ; addendo, by adding. Admov. Admoveatur, or admoveantur, apply. Adst. febre. Adstante febre, when the fever is on. Aggred. febre Aggrediente febre, while the fever is coming on. Ahem, horis. Allernis horis, every other hour. Alvo adst. Alvo adstricta, when the belly- is bound. Aq. bull. Aqua bulliens, boiling water. Aq.ferv. Aqua fervens, boiling water. Bis ind. Bis indies, twice a day. BB. Bbds. Barbadensis, Barbadoes. Bull. Bulliat, or bulliant, boil. Cterul. Caeruleus, blue. Cup. Capiat, take. C. m. Cras mane, to-morrow morning. Coch. ampl. Cochleare amplum, a large spoon. Coch. infant. Cochleare infantis, a child's spoon. Coch. magn. Cochleare magnum, a large spoon. Coch. mod. Cochleare modicum, a dessert spoon. Coch. parv. Cochleare parvum, a small spoon. Col. Colatus, strained. Colat. Colatur, let it be strained; cola- turae, of or to the strained liquor. Colent. Colentur, let them be strained. Comp. Compositus, compounded. Cont. rem. Continuantur remedia, let the medicines be continued. Coq. Coque, boil; coquantur, let them be boiled. Crust. Crastinus, for to-morrow. Cuj. Cujus, of which. Cujusl. Cujuslibet, of any. f Cyath. thc----- hartshorn burnt ——— hartshorn with opium •----- compound of chalk ■----- comp'd of chalk with opium ■ compound of ipecac. • mercurial ash coloured 364- ■ compound of kino ------ of yellow bladder wrack ■ compound saline -----compound of scammony ------ of squill ■ compound of do. ■ compound of senna ----- of burnt sponge ■ of tin ----- compound of alum ■ tragacanth compound ----- of cornachinus ■ Earl of Warwick's -----Plummer's alterat. —— saline ------ Duke of Portland's ------ green tooth ------ Grosvenor's tooth ] ■----- Battley's green senna ------ of tin Preparations and compounds ■ ------metallic .——------of antimony ----- ■ of arsenic -----------of bismuth -----------of copper - of iron of lead ' -----■ of silver • of tin -----------of zinc Prescribing,theory and art of Prickly ash Pride of India Prinos verticillatus Prunus spinosa .. Virginiana sylvestris Prussic acid Prussiate of quicksilver Pseudacorus Pterocarpus santalinus __________erinacea Pulps, extraction of Pulegium .____-— spiritus Pulveres 494—559 380 328 329 246 330 603 416 453 453 349 453 453 453 453 454 454 454 454 -595 455 455 455 455 455 455 455 455 374 455 455 603 603 603 603 603 603 603 603 603 304 344 346 352 353 354 359 375 351 374 377 506 302 208 247 592 247 592 -596 596 589 247 248 384 251 423 453 Pulvis aloes composit. ----■ cum canella ■ asari composit. ———— cinnamomi compos. -----contrayerva compos. ------cornu cervi usti ^—— cornu cervi usti cum opio ------cret. composit. ■ cret. composit. cum opio ■ jalap, composit. ■ ipecac, composit. —— antimonialis ------kino composit. ■ quercus marina ------saliniis composit. ■ hydrarg. ciner. ------scammonia composit. ------scilla ------senna composit. ■-----stanni ------spong. usta ------alum, composit. ------tragacanth. composit. Punica granatum Purging cassia . drink, Young's Purple willow herb Pyrethri radix Pyrola umbellata Pyrus cydonia Q. Quassia excelsa ------ simarouba Quercus cerris or infectoria ------ pedunculata . — decoction of • corticis extract. Quince seeds,decoct, of Quinine ------ syrup of R. Radcliffe's purging elixir Raisins Raphanus .-------spirit, composit. Ratanhy root Rattle weed Red whorts Redhead Red saunders wood Refrigerants Remedy, Tonquin Repulsion Resins Resin of amber Rhamnus catharticus Rlieum -----extract. 453 453 453 453 453 453 454 454 454 454 454 349 455 455 455 349 455 455 455 374 455 455 455 251 130 598 203 99 252—591 252 253 252 253 255 406 414 404 595 601 Rhododendron 600 294 150 422 192 302 591 591 248 553 603 8 25 595 255 256 414 442 259 620 INDEX. Rhubarb 256 Rhus 260 Rhododendron maximum 591 591 Rich-weed 302 Ricinus 261 Risagon 589 Rock oil 119 Rosa 261 ----centifolia 261 ----gallica 262 —— canina 262 Rosebay 591 Rosmarinus 262 423 Rosemary 423 --------oil of 391 Rosseau's drops 601 Rubia tinctorum 263 Rue, oil of 391 Rubns procumbens 264 ------villosus 264 Ruellia tuberosa 591 Rumex aquaticus 264 ------ acetosa 264 264 264 ------Brittanicus 264 Rushy gum succory 591 Rutagraveolens 264 ----extract 414 Rutty's oil of mustard 595 Rymer's cardiac tinct. 600 S. Sabbatia angularis 591 Sabina folia 191 391 414 Saccharum 265 Saffron 155 Sage 268 Sago 302 Sal alembroth. 596 Sal ammoniac,antidote for 496 Salix alba 590 —— laurea 590 ---- pentandra 590 Salvia verbenaca 591 ------verticillata 591 Salop 230 Saline mineral waters 489 ------solutions 28 Salts 317 ——Cheltenham 603 ----efflorescent 76 —— deliquescent 76 ----solubility of 73 Sambucus 268 --------niger, extract. 414 Sanguinaria canadensis 269—592 Santa Maria leaf 590 Sapo durus 269 -----mollis 269 Sarcocoll 23 Sarsaparilla 272 ----------decoct, of 406 ,------------------compound 406 414 199 Sassafras Sassafras, great 592 ——----oil of 390 Saturejadurior 591 ■ ----capitata 591 Saunders wood 248 Savory water 591 ■ rock 591 Scammony 152 Schageri 592 Scilla 270 Scillitin 25 Scrophularia 371 Sea holly 169 Secale cornutum 271 Semilla del guacharo 593 Senega radix 243 Sennae folia 130 ------American 592 Serpentariae radix "103 Sevum 222 460 Shells, prepared 461 --------------egg 461 Shrub yellow root 299 Silver 103 ---- antidotes for 492 Silver fir 590 Simple affinity, tables of 64 Simples, collection of 1 Simarouba cortex 271 Sinapis 271 Sinapism 602 Sium 272 Small galan gale 589 Smilax sarsaparilla 272 406 406 ------compound decoct. Snakeroot 104 -------- Canadian 591 Soaps 23—269 Sodae murias 273 ---- carbonas 332 ---- subcarbonas 332 -----------------exsiccatta 333 ■ impura 276 ---- muriate of 336 ---- phosphate 335 —— subboras 275 ---- sulphas 334—270 ---- tartarizata 332 Solanine 594 Solanum dulcamara 277 Solidago 277 Solids 19 26 20 Solid oils 25 Solutio subcarbonatis ammonia 321 ------acetatis zinci 598 Solutions, saline 28 INDEX. 621 Solution of muriate of barytes 339 ---------sulphate of copper comp. 356 ---------hydriodate of potash 598 Solubility of salts 73 Sophoratinctoria 278 South Sea rose 591 Southern wood 113 Sow bread 591 Species for bitters 592 Specific heat, tables of 71 Spermaceti 25—232 Spiritus rectificatus 279 ■ etheris aromaticus ------------nitrici ------------nitrosi .----- tenuior Spartium scoparium Specific, Herrenchwand's Spigelia Spiraa Spongia Spirits Spiritus ammonia ----— ammonia aromat. -----■--------foetidus ■ -------- succinatus compos. -----armoracia compos. ----- camphora ----- carui ----- cinnamomi ----- colchici ammoniatus ■ juniperi compositus ----- lavandula ----- lavandula compositus ----- meth. piperita ■ menth. viridis ----- myristica ■-----■ pimenta ----- pulegii -----rosmarini Sponge, burnt Spurge, creeping hairy -----evergreen wood -----ipecacuanha -----flax Squaw root Stalagmitis cambog. Stannum Staphisagria semina Styptic, Eaton's Stavesacre Stearin Stimulants Storax balsam Stone pine Stramonium ■ ■■----extract Starch Statice limonium Strychnos nux vomica Strychnine Styrax benzoin ------officinale ------purificata 79 437 437 437 280 278 603 278 278 281 417 421 421 421 421 422 422 422 422 422 422 422 422 423 423 423 423 423 423 423 423 460 590 590 590 590 302 281 374—282 283 600 165 25 556 283 589 163 414 24—290 283 283 594 283 233 385 Suppository, cathartic ---------narcotic ---------vermifuge Subacetate of copper Subcarbonas potass, puriss. ---------soda Submurias hydrargyri -------------------mitis Sublimed sulphur Succinic acid Succinum Succus spissatus aconiti napelli -------------cicuta Sugar Submuriate of mercury, ammoniated Subsulphate, yellow, of mercury Sulphate of copper ■---------solution of potass iron cum sulphure — soda Sulphur —---- antimoniatum fuscum ——— lotum ------phosphuret of ■ precipitatum ------ compounds of ——— preparations of Sulphurets Sulphureti kali aqua Sulphuretted oil Sulphuric ether, spirit of precipitated Sulphuret of antimony ---------of mercury Sulphuretum kali -----------iron -----------ammonia aqua Sulphuric acid -----------antidotes for -----------aromaticus -----------ether Supersulphuret of hydrogen Supertartrate of potass -------------------impure Sus Swietenia Swanberg's fever powder Sydenham's styptic water Synonima Syrups Syrup of peach blossoms --------cinchonine --------cyanic -------emetine --------gentianin --------lupuline --------morphia -------quinine -------sulphate of morphium Syrupus simplex ------aceti ------allii ------althea ------aurantiorum 601 602 602 160 328 333 368 368 284—5 23—315 284 409 411 23 373 372 161 356 329 359 330 334 20 347 381 28 381 21 380 22 381 380 438 101—346 346 370 380 382 382 85 494 316 434 28 246—286 284 287 287 596 598 564 444 600 600 6oo -601 601 601 601 601 601 445 4-15 445 445 445 600- 622 INDEX. Syrupus colchici ■ croci ------dianth. caryophyll. ------limon. opn papaveris rhoeados rhamni ros. gallica sarsaparill. scill. maritim. senn. tolutan. de cuisiniere 446 446 446 446 446 447 447 447 448 448 448 448 448 601 Tincture of aurantia ---------benzoin composit. ■---------bonpland. trifoliat. ---------calumbo ---------camphor compos. Tamarindus Tanacetum Tannin Tansy Tar Tapioca 120. Taraxaci extract. Tartrate of potash Tartarum Tartar, crystals of Tartaric acid ----------, antidote for, Tartarus emeticus Tartarizatum ferrum Tartras antimonii ------ kali ------ potassa et ferri ■-----sod. et potass. ------------kali Tela aranearum Testa preparatae Tests of metals Teucrium marum ----■---- chamadrys Thermometers, Reaumur and Fahren- heit's, compared Thermometers, Centigrade andFahren heit's, compared with Reaumur's Thorn, black Thoroughwort Thyrmba vera Thymaelea Thymum verum Tin, bichloride of, ----antidotes for, Tithymalus sylvaticus lunato flore ---------amygdaloides ---------paralius ---------vegetalis Tinctures Tincture of ammoniated iron ---------acetate of iron ---------------------■ with alcohol aloes aetherea compos. assafoetida angustur. 288 288 24 288 235 289 414 23 286 286 316 493 348 359 348 331 359 332 332 595 461 72 289 289 12 13 592 303 591 590 591 28 492 590 590 590 590 424 361 362 302 425 425 425 425 426 opii camphor. cantharidis capsici cardamomi compos. cascarilla croton. eleuther. castor ------composit. catechu cinchona --------compos. cinchonine ■ cinchon. cum aq. calc. cinchon. ammoniat. • cinnamomi ----------composit. ■ conii maculati • croci sativ. • digitalis ■ galbani ■ gallarum gentiana compos. gentianin guaiac. ------ammoniata hellebori nigri humuli hyosciami nigri jalap. iodine kino martis glauber. moschi • muriate of i»on • myrrha ■ opii ■ opii ammoniat. • quass. excels. ■ Rymer's cardiac ■ rhei ----composit. ---- et aloes et gentian scillae senna senna comp. serpentar. for teeth, Greenough's thebaica toluifer. balsam. valerian ammon. Tolut. balsam. Tonics Toadflax Tonquin remedy veratri albi zingiberis 426 426 426 426 422 420 426 426 427 427 427 427 427 427 427 427 428 428 600 599 428.600 428 428 428 428 429 429 429 429 600 429 429 430 430 430 430 430 600 430 598 430 361 431 431 431 431 600 431 432 432 432 432 432 432 432 600 431 432 432 432 432 432 289 554 591 603 INDEX. 623 Tooth-ach tree Tooth powder, green ------------Grosvenor's Asiatic Hemet's Ruspini's Tormentil Toxicological tables Tree, sloe Trembling poplar Triosteum -------perfoliatum Triticum Trochisci carbonat. calcis -------carbonat. magnes. ——----glycyrrhiz. glab. -------glycyrrhiz. cum opio —----gummos. .-------nitrat. potass. Turmeric Turpentines Turpentine, oil of --------- Venice ---------Chian Tussilago U. Ulmin Ulmus -----Americanus -----decoction of Unguentum acid nitros. ■ ---- cera flavae . ---------albae — cetacei — calaminare — resinosum — sabins — spermatis ceti — elem. comp. — hydrargyri fort. — hydrargyri —'-hydrargyri mit. — oxid. hydrargyri — hyd. nitrat. — nit. hydrarg. — nit. hyd. mit. — gall. — hyd. nit. oxid. — hyd. oxid. rub. — subnit. hyd. ------hyd. precip. alb. subm. hyd. ammon. 299.592 603 603 603 603 603 290 490 592 590 290 592 290 459 459 459 459 459 459 589 235 392 234 239 292 24 298 298 407 467 467 467 467 465 465 465 467 467 467 467 467 467 469 469 469 469 469 469 469 469 469 470 470 470 470 Unguentum cantharid. i---------resin nig. — cantharid — infus. cantharid. vesic — junip. sabin. — carbon, plumb. — ceruss. sive subacet. plumb.470 — oxid. zinci impur. 470 _ tutia , 470 — picis liquid. 4£^ picis nigrae 470 piperis nigra yv pulv. canth. 470 sambuc. simplex subacetat. cupri arugin. sulphuris sulphuris composit. verat. helleb. alb. zinci oxidi zinci Urtica dioica ----- urens Uva ursi Vaccinium vitis idcea Valerian -------extract Vanilla Vapor Vegetables preparation of drying of 23- Veratria Veratrum Veratrine Veratri, decoct, of ------ vinum Verbascum thapsus et barb. .---------blattaria Verdegris Veronica Villarica nymphoides Vina Vinum aloes colchici flor. colchici gentianae compos. cinchonin. ipecacuanha: ■ nicot. tabac. • opii • quinin. • rhei ■ veratri Viola Viola ipecac. Virgin's bower Vitis Vitriol, blue Volume of gas, rules for reducing Vomit nut W. Wall germander Walnut, Pennsylvania Ward's white drop* Wash, black 471 471 471 471 471 471 471 471 471 471 472 472 590 590 102 591 292 415 589 15 -383 383 384 25 292 594 407 442 591 591 160 294 591 439 295 440 441 599 441 599 441 442 442 600 442 442 294 592 592 294 161 68 283 289 592 598 599 624 INDEX. Water parsnep • cold common • pump • river spring ■ warm • mineral ■ distilled '' anis. carraway cassia cinnamon fennel lemon lime Comp. mint —— green pennyroyal rose tar Wax Wheat flour Whey ----alum ----mustard —— wine -----clarified White hellebore ------pareira brava Wild potatoe vine •----clary Willow, sweet ——— white Wine ---- Sherry >—■-— other wines of Europe Wintera aromatica 28—483 Winter's bark 299 212 Winter-green, American 591 484 Winter wheat 290 484 ----- savory 591 484 Wood 25 . 484 Woodsorrel 223 484 Wormwood 113 484 Worm seed 302 487 393 394 394 394 394 394 394 • 394 394 394 395 395 401 25—136 290 598 598 598 598 598 293 293 302 293 590 590 295—439 295 297 299 Yeast Yellow root ■-----and white resin ------moth mullein ------ wash Z. Zanthoriza apiifolia Zanthoxylum ----■■—=---™- clava herculis ------——— fraxineum Zedoary Zerumbit Zincum ■ antidotes for ------ carbon, impur. ■ oxid. impur. ------ oxide of -----■ sulphate of -------■—i—- solution of Zingiber Zirbel nuts acetat. solut. of acetat. tinot, 138 299 235 591 598 299—593 299 592 592 163—589 589 299 492 299—377 300—377 377 378 379 379 379 300 589 EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. Plate 1. Fig. 1. An iron or brass mortar placed on a stand. 2,3. Marble and Wedgewood's ware mortars with their respective pes- tles. 4. A levigating stone and muller, con- sisting of a a, the muller, which is generally made of porphyry ; and b, the table or slab, of the same substance, highly polished. 5. A compound sieve, consisting of b, the lid ; c, the body of the sieve; and d, the receiver. 6. A rasp. 7. A perforated support for phials, and for funnels. 8. A graduated glass measure, capa- ble of holding four-fluid ounces. 9. A graduated measure for one fluid ounce. 10. A minim measure open at both ends. 11. A ribbed glass funnel. 12. A compound syphon, placed in the situation in which it is used; e, a vessel containing the fluid which is to be drawn off into i, another ves- sel ; g, the body of the syphon ; h, the mouth-piece; /, the board for supporting the syphon in shallow vessels. 13. A separatory, for separating fluids of different ^specific gravity. The mixture is introduced through the central mouth, which is then to be corked. By inclining the bottle to one side, and at the same time stop- ping the orifice On the opposite side, the fluids will separate ; and when the finger is removed, the heavier will run through the lower orifice or neck before any of the lighter es- cape. 14. A separatory funnel, for separating essential oils from the water with which they come over in distillation. Plate 2. Fig. 1. The common still fitted to a porta- ble furnace. The still consists of two parts ; a, the head or capital; b, the body, which is partly sunk in t^he furnace. From the top of the head rises the curved pipe, c, which enters the upper part of d, the ser- pentine or worm, placed in B. the refrigeratory. ■-> \ Black's furnace (portable furnace); "' ' f, an opening for admitting the fuel into the body of the furnace, and receiving the sand-bath n ; (fig. 3.) e, the chimney, which may be lengthened by the addition of iron tubes : ggg, rings intended to sup- port an,upright iron wire, or pillar, which has a corresponding one on the opposite side ofthe furnace, and a cross strong wire being stretched between them serves to suspend any vessel over the furnace ; h, an earthen or iron tube, which passes through the body of the furnace, and issues at the opposite side, in- tended for procuring hydrogen gas ; or into the hole on one side, if the opposite hole be shut, the muzzle of a pair of bellowsmay be inserted: k, an opening closely fitted with a sliding door for receiving a muffle ; /, a sliding iron plate, which may be mafle to cover any number of holes opening into the ash-pit, so as to regulate the draught of air ; m, the door of the ash-pit. Fig. 3. n, An iron pot, intended for a sand bath ; p, a cover for this pot, or for the opening into the body of the furnace when the pot is not used; o, a stopper, which fits accurately the perforation in the centre of p. 4, 5. Different kinds of crucibles ; a, a, the lids ; b, b, the bodies ofthe cru- cibles ; e, e, the stands or supports. Plate 3. Fig. 1- A Wedgewood's ware evaporating dish, 2, 3, 4, 5. Parts of a water-bath, for preparing extracts, invented by Dr. Powell, fl, fig- 2. a common tin vessel, with b, a projecting spout, through which the steam may pass, and additions of water be made when necessary: a, fig. 3, upper concave surface ofthe cover, or evaporating pan, the edge of which projects over that of the vessel; b, its handle. Figs. 4, 5. Sections of two different evaporating pans, one much deeper than the other. 6. Mr. Paul's alcohol blow-pipe, a, A hollow frame of wood, five inches in its longest dimension, supporting the pillar, d, and the two lamps, b, c,-' the rim, e, slips upon the pillar, d, as low as the shoulder of the lat- ter will permit; but it may be rais- ed or lowered at pleasure, and kept V THE PLATES. Plate 5. Fig. 1. Wottlite's apparatus, consisting of the following parts; — a, an iron or brass stand, with a sliding ring, for supporting the retort; b, a tu- bulated retort; c, a tubulated re- ceiver, placed on a wooden tripod, m ; d, Welter tube of safety ; /, the conducting tube ; A, other conduct- ing tubes 5 e, g, receivers; k, a pneumatic trough, containing i, an inverted jar ; /, a small Argand's lamp. 2. o, b, c, d, A range of round receiv- ers, which may be used in the same manner as Woulfe's apparatus ; e,a safety tube. 3. A machine for dividing equally any mass intended to be rolled into pills. 626 EXPLANATION 0 fast by the screw peg,/. The rim supports g, the boiler, which is a hollow piece of thick brass, which will hold about f§j of alcohol, and has four openings; three, h, i, k, at the top, and one at the bottom, to receive the tube o. The latter is long enough to reach the level of the outside of the boiler, and con- sequently the alcohol in the boiler cannot readily boil over into the the tube ; and the opening k, which corresponds with it, is closely shut by a screw stopper, hollowed out a little beneath, to allow the free pas- sage of the vapour down the tube. By the contiguity of o to the lamp b the vapour is prevented from con- densing, and as it passes on through the globe q q, into the jet tube r, it is directly kindled by the flame of the lamp c; and the united flames being violently propelled sideways, a long pencil of blue flame is form- ed, and remains as long as any alco- hol is left in the boiler. The boiler is filled at the opening h. The cen- tral hole, i, is nicely lifted with a brass plug, kept down by a thin slip of iron, /, which is confined at one end between two flat screws, m, n, on the top of the upright pillar.— This acts as a safety-valve to pre- vent the vessel from bursting when the vapour cannot escape quick enough at the jet pipe r. 7. A precipitating jar. 8. An iron ring, for cutting glass ves- sels by means of heat. Plate 4. Fig. 1. Fire-tongs. 2. A muffle. 3. A glass-retort. 4. A proof bottle, for extricating gases without heat. 5. A small matrass, with a twisted wire for holding it. 6. A ribbed glass funnel. 7. An apparatus for digestions. 8. A set of aludels. 9. a, A tubulated retort, b, An adopt- ter, for extending the distance through which the volatilized mat- ter must pass before it enters c, the receiver. 10. A glass alembic and globe receiver. o, The head or capital covering; b, the cucurbit or boiler, the bot- tom of which is made thin, in order to bear a lamp heat; c, the receiv- er into which the beak ofthe capi- tal enters. 11. A common flask. 12. A retort funnel. Plate 6. Steam Laboratory at Apothecaries's Hall. Fig. 1. A copper boiler with a safety-valve, float-stone, and other appurtenan- ces of the steam-engine boiler. 2. The steam-pipe, which entering the laboratory, ramifies in every direc- tion below the pavement of the la- boratory. It is marked 2 through- out. 3. and 4. The boilers and stills which it supplies; they are of block-tin and copper, with an outer casing of cast-iron, there being a cavity be: tween the two vessels, for the pas- sage of the steam, a a, Worm-tubs belonging to the stills. 5. Cast-iron pipes, conveying the con- densed water through the syphon into the hot-water cistern, 7; whence it is occasionally forced into the boiler by the process 8. 6. Small vessels constructed similarly to those marked 3, for distdlation in glass retorts. b. The chimney of the boiler which passes under the floor of the labo- ratory ; e e, valve boxes. Fig. 2. Represents a section of the boiler : 1. the steam boiler; 2. the main steam-pipe; c, the safety-valve ; d, waste-pipe; k, registers of the steam-cocks; 3. evaporating boil- ers; 5. the condensed water-pipe. 3. Section of the steam-boiler, show- ing the connexion of the steam and condensing pipes, with four smaller evaporating pans. 4. w and v, Are top and side views of a valve-box, attached to the extre- mity of the main steam-pipe at e, fig. 1. in order to carry off any wa- ter produced by the condensation EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 627 of the steam in the main without suffering steam to escape. 2. Ter- mination of the steam main; g, the cork float, which when raised by water in the box, opens the cock, h, and suffering it to run off', the float subsides and closes the cock ; i, • fig. 5. is a cock by which the air is suffered occasionally to escape from the steam-pipes. Similar boxes are attached to several ot the condensing pipes of the other vessels. Plate 7. The annexed plate represents an eleva- tion of one side of the Steam Laborato- ry ; the ground plan of which was given in the last plate; the figures and letters of reference are the same as before. Fig. 2. The main steam-pipe. 3. An evaporating boiler. 4. The stills. 5. The condensed wa- ter-pipe, k, The steam-cocks with their registers. a, The worm-tubs. n, n, Pipes carrying off hot water from the surface of the worm-tubs, the place of which is supplied by cold water entering below, from the back /. FINIS, * I Plate 1 PE.Uanun, SC /Vat.- 2 Pint,- m P.E riamm i". Plate -I. Plate 5. /'Me 7. STKAM ..LABOMATIDffir AT j^TOT!HnE'tV\il?u[]R.S MALL. tilltmfed svrfton of'a Stift Ji/fl'Mm /V't/ie ed.tf .i?//e tf't/te Zti/><7;/7