Properties

Golden sulphur of antimony is distinguished by its fine golden-yellow colour. its chemical reactions are the same with those stated as belonging to the sulphurated antimony or precipitated sulphuret.

Effects of Oxysulphuret of Antimony on the System. There can be little doubt that these preparations of antimony act through the oxide they contain; the sulphuret being probably inert, or nearly so. The precipitated sulphuret {sulphurated antimony, U. S.), as it necessarily consists, from the mode of its preparation, of all the oxide and sulphuret contained in the two others, may be considered as representing them. in this country and Great Britain, it is the preparation generally used. On the continent of Europe, preference is almost universally given to the kermes. The effects on the system are the same as those of tartar emetic, but less uniform from a particular dose, partly on account of the uncertain proportion of oxide in the preparation, and partly from the fact, that the oxide depends in great measure, if not altogether, for its efficiency, upon the presence of an acid in the stomach, which may separate it from the sulphuret, and render it soluble. But, as time is required for this change to take place in the stomach, the preparation is longer in producing its effects, and produces them more gradually; so that more of the constitutional action of the antimonial, in proportion to the local irritation, might be expected from the oxysulphuret than from the soluble salt. The uncertainty of its operation, however, will always give an advantage over it to the tartar emetic, which has, besides, the recommendation of greater promptitude of action.

Therapeutic Application

Either of these forms of oxysulphuret may be used, with a view to its sedative effect, for the same purposes as tartar emetic. it is sometimes preferably used as an alterative in cutaneous eruptions, chronic rheumatism, chronic glandular swellings, scrofulous affections, secondary syphilis, and chronic diseases of the liver with deficient secretion; in most of which complaints, it may often be usefully associated with calomel or blue pill, or other alterative. When given largely, vegetable acids and acidulous fruits should be abstained from, lest they may give it undue activity. The dose as an alterative is from one to four grains, which may be given at bedtime, or repeated more or less frequently through the day, according to the urgency of the case. M. Trousseau recommends the kermes strongly for procuring the more powerful sedative effects of the antimonial, for which purpose, from one to two drachms of it may be given to an adult, in divided doses, during twenty-four hours, and to an infant at the breast, four grains during the same length of time. in a paper in the New York Journal of Medicine (Nov. 1858, p. 356), it is much commended as a remedy in the pneumonia and bronchitis of children, by Dr. A. Jacobi, who has employed it largely and very successfully in those affections. To infants of six months or more he gives from one to two grains, repeated four times a day, or more frequently, and continues the remedy often several days, sometimes as long as a week or more. in the dose of from five to twenty grains, the medicine has been occasionally administered as an emeto-cathartic.