Biiii = 208

The element bismuth (Ger. wismut, fr. wiesematte, a beautiful shadow, from its variegated tints when fresh), official 1830-1880, is found mostly in metallic state as small veins in rocks, occurs also as sulphide; it is obtained from the ore by heating until sufficiently mobile to separate from its earthy matter. Bismuth is brittle, crystalline, brilliant, with silver color and pinkish tinge, forms several alloys and many medicinal salts, some being official.

Tests for Bismuth Salts. - 1. H2S or NH4SH precipitates black bismuth sulphide, Bi2S3, insoluble in excess. 2. Acid bismuth solutions poured into water form white precipitate of subsalts or bismuthyl salts. 3. Ammonium or sodium hydroxide or carbonate precipitates white bismuth hydroxide, Bi(OH)3, or bismuthyl carbonate.

Bismuthi Subnitras. Bismuth Subnitrate, BiONO3H2O (?). - (Syn., Bism. Subnit., White Bismuth, Bismuthum Hydrico-nitricum, Magis-terium Bismuthi, Subazotas (Subnitras) Bismuthicus, Bismuthyl

Nitrate; Br. Bismuth Oxynitrate; Fr. Sous-azotate (Sous-nitrate) de Bismuth; Ger. Bismutum subnitricum, Basisches Wismutnitrate (Salpetersaures Wismutoxyd), Wismutsubnitrat.)

Manufacture: Dissolve purified bismuth (1) in nitric acid (5), heated to 90° C. (194° F.), let stand several days, decant, evaporate to crystallization; rub uniformly crystals (1) with water (4) and pour while stirring into boiling water (21), drain, wash, dry - Bi2 + 8HNO3 = 2Bi(NO3)3 + 2NO + 4H2O; 6Bi(NO3)3 + 10H2O = 5BiONO3,H2O + Bi(NO3)3 + 10HNO3. It is a white powder, odorless, almost tasteless, slightly hygroscopic, almost insoluble in water, insoluble in alcohol, readily soluble in hydrochloric or nitric acid, slightly acid; composition somewhat varying; contains, upon ignition, 79 p. c. of bismuth oxide. Tests: 1. Dissolve in slight excess of warm nitric or hydrochloric acid and add to 25 volumes of distilled water - white turbidity. 2. Heat to redness - evolves nitrous vapors, leaving yellow residue blackened by hydrogen sulphide T. S. Impurities: Arsenic, copper, lead, silver, alkalies, alkali earths, carbonate, chloride, sulphate, insoluble foreign salts. Dose, gr. 5-30 (.3-2 Gm.), ter die, in water on empty stomach.

Properties and Uses. - Sedative, astringent, almost insoluble in the system, acts mechanically by coating the gastric mucous membrane with a protective film, thus preventing irritation from contents. Used in diseases of the stomach - gastralgia, subacute gastritis, pyrosis, irritated intestinal mucous membrane, diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera infantum; injection in gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, dysentery, rectal irritation, coryza; the powder locally in burns, variola, eczema, fissures chapped nipples, lips, hands, intertrigo, ozaena, fetid feet, whooping-cough; also a test for diabetic sugar.

Preparations. - (Unoff.): Glyceritum Bismuthi, 16 Gm., nitric acid 15, tartaric acid 23.8, sodium bicarbonate 33.4, glycerin 47.5, water q. s. Elixir Bismuthi - glycerite of bismuth 12.5, glycerin 12.5, dist. water 25, aromatic elixir q. s. 100. Liquor Bismuthi - glycerite of bismuth 12.5, alcohol 12.5, dist. water q. s. 100.

Bismuthi Subcarbonas. Bismuth Subcarbonate, (BiO)2CO3,H2O(?). - (Syn., Bism. Subcarb., Pearl White, Bismuthum Subcarbonicum, Subcarbonas Bismuthicus, Bismuthyl Carbonate; Br. Bismuthi Car-bonas, Bismuth Oxycarbonate; Fr. Sous-carbonate de Bismuth; Ger. Basisches Kohlensaures Wismutoxyd, Wismutsubcarbonat.)

Manufacture: Dissolve purified bismuth in nitric acid diluted, filter, add ammonia water, wash and dissolve precipitate in nitric acid, pour this into cold solution of sodium carbonate, constantly stirring, filter, wash and dry precipitate. (1) Bi + 4HNO3 = Bi(NO3)3 + NO + 2H2O. (2) 2Bi(NO3)3 + 3Na2CO3 + H2O = (BiO)2CO3,H2O + 6NaNO3 + 2CO2. It is a white, pale yellowish-white powder, odorless, tasteless, permanent, insoluble in water, alcohol, completely soluble in nitric or hydrochloric acid with copious effervescence; composition somewhat varying; contains, upon ignition, 90 p. c. of bismuth oxide. Tests: 1. Dissolve in slight excess of nitric acid and add to 25 volumes of distilled water - white turbidity. 2. Heat to redness - loses water and carbon dioxide, leaving yellowish residue soluble in nitric or hydrochloric acid and blackened by hydrogen sulphide T. S. Impurities: Arsenic, copper, lead, silver, alkalies, alkali earths, chloride, nitrate, sulphate. Dose, gr. 5-30 (.3-2 Gm.).

PROPERTIES and Uses. - Intended as a substitute for subnitrate, as it is a little more soluble, hence less likely to constipate and blacken the stools; but as these are disadvantages, it is not much used.

Bismuthi Subsalicylas. Bismuth Subsalicylate. - (Syn., Bism. Sub-salicyl.; Br. Bismuthi Salicylas, Bismuth Oxysalicylate, Basic Bismuth Salicylate; Fr. Sous-salicylate de Bismuth; Ger. Bismutum subsali-cylicum, Basisches Wismutsalicylat.)

Manufacture: Digest for 2 days in a warm place, frequently stirring, bismuth subnitrate (500), distilled water (1000), add strong ammonia water (50), wash precipitate (Bi2O3), and while moist add a little distilled water and salicylic acid (125), let stand 24 hours, frequently stirring, wash precipitate, dry. It is a white, nearly white, amorphous or crystalline powder, odorless, tasteless, permanent, almost insoluble in water but when boiled in it a portion of the salicylic acid is dissolved with the formation of a more basic bismuth subsalicylate; partly soluble, with decomposition, in hydrochloric or nitric acid - white flocculent precipitate of salicylic acid separating; composition somewhat varying; contains, upon ignition, 62-66 p. c. of bismuth oxide. Tests: 1. Heat to redness - chars, residue yellow, blackened by hydrogen sulphide, which dissolved in slight excess of warm nitric or hydrochloric acid and added to 25 volumes of distilled water - white turbidity. 2. Agitate .1 Gm. with a solution of 5 drops of ferric chloride T. S. in 10 Ml. (Cc.) of distilled water - deep violet-blue. Impurities: