The violent action of the glass of antimony is supposed to be mitigated by combining it with wax in the vitrum antimonii ceratum. This form, first recommended in the Edinburgh Medical Essays as a remedy for dysentery, is now neglected; since we gain nothing but what is more securely effected by other preparations of antimony. Eight parts of the glass are mixed with one of wax, and roasted over a gentle fire for a quarter of an hour. The wax seems to be in a great degree decomposed, for about one-ninth of the whole weight is lost.

An oxide of antimony with phosphat of lime occurs in the pulvis antimonialis of the London Dispensatory, the pulvis stibialus of the Dublin, and the oxidum anna cum phosphate calcis of the Edinburgh. It is introduced as a substitute for Dr. James' powder, and is certainly similar in its nature and effects. See Ani-jioxialis Pulvis.

The preparation we have there described is very near to the specification of Dr. James; yet, at the time of its introduction, physicians confidently believed that a portion of calomel was secretly added. It unfortunately happens that we seldom find this preparation exactly the same in two different processes, from some uncertainty probably in the heat which we cannot detect; and it certainly is more disposed to act on the stomach and intestines, and less on the skin, than the powder of Dr. James. It differs also from this powder, in leaving almost double of an insoluble residuum. The preparation itself is truly an oxide, and contains no portion of phosphoric acid; and this oxide is combined with the phosphat of lime, though not very intimately: whether this earthy salt involves the more acrid oxide, like the wax, or what other effect it produces, we are yet ignorant, but the preparation is truly valuable. In water it is wholly insoluble; but it may be suspended in a mucilaginous draught, and given advantageously in that form, with a little care, to avoid deposition. With a small proportion of opium, it has been already observed, we obtain very exactly the effects of James's powder.

M. Chenevix has recommended a preparation of this nature, apparently more certain in its effects. Equal weights of muriat of antimony and phosphat of lime are dissolved in the smallest quantity of muriatic acid, and the solution poured gradually into water alkalised with ammonia. Some trials have been made with this preparation, but not sufficiently numerous to enable us to appreciate its real merits. It is certainly much milder than the pulvis antimonialis; more so than the James' powder. See Philos. Trans. for 1801. p. 379.

The first medicine prepared by the action of alkalis on antimony that we shall mention is, the former regu-lus antimonii medicinalis, the mildest hepar antimonii. One part of fixed alkali, and five of crude antimony, are melted together, with some common salt to promote their fusion; the result is a dark reddish brown insipid powder,not soluble in water; now rejected from the British and Irish Dispensatories. If the proportions of alkali are increased, the substance becomes gradually more soluble; and when the proportion is two parts of alkali to one of antimony, the salt is even deliquescent. The combination of the alkali and sulphur in the antimony forms a hepar, so called from the colour; and we thus obtain the different celebrated livers of antimony.

The sulphur stibiatum fuscum of the Dublin Dispensatory, the kermes mineral, is the second degree of oxidation of antimony, according to Thenard. It is an hy-drosulphurated oxide containing sulphur, and, like glass of antimony, contains 0.16 of oxygen. It does not greatly differ from the golden sulphur except in the proportion of oxygen, and contains 72.760 of brown oxide of antimony. The principle of the composition is now sufficiently obvious; and we may only add, that the proportion of alkali differs. It was formerly two parts to one: in the Dublin formula, the alkali is equal to the antimony. The oxide is precipitated, in consequence of the kermes mineral being only soluble in the sulphurated hydroguret of potash,at 212°. As this heat lessens, the hydrosulphuretted oxide separates. In the different pharmacopoeias the proportions differ; and, with fresh additions of sulphur and alkali, the whole of

T the antimony may be perhaps converted to kermes. Fourcroy has given a new, and perhaps improved, form in the humid way. He boils six parts of pure potash ' of commerce' in twenty parts of water, and, to the boiling solution, adds about the twentieth part of the weight of the alkali, of prepared antimony. After boiling seven or eight minutes, the solution is filtered while hot, and the kermes suffered to precipitate. Gren and Hermstadt vary the proportions; but these differences relate only to commercial savings.

The kermes mineral has been highly esteemed on the continent in pneumonia; and is, in reality, a valuable preparation, since it is not so liable to become cathartic, or excite vomiting, as the other preparations of antimony. In pneumonia it is certainly a medicine of peculiar utility; and we strongly suspect, that, in other febrile diseases, it would be more advantageous than even the pulvis antimonialis. Why is it not tried ? The question may be retorted on ourselves, and we have no adequate excuse to offer.

The sulphur auratum antimonii is not very different; and if the kermes mineral is often exposed to the air, it acquires so much oxygen as not to be a superior medicine. It is of an orange colour, prepared nearly as the former, taking care only to check the deoxygenation a little sooner. It contains about 0.18 of oxygen: the orange oxide of antimony is, in this preparation, 68.3 in 100 parts. Four pounds of the aqua kali are diluted with three pounds of water, to which two pounds of prepared antimony are added. These are boiled for three hours, strained while warm, and the superfluous alkali precipitated by the sulphuric acid, which must be afterwards well washed. In the dry way, five parts of potash are melted, with two parts of prepared antimony, and three of sulphur. The whole must be quickly melted, cooled, powdered, and dissolved in water. The sulphur auratum is precipitated, as before, with diluted sulphuric acid. The principle of both preparations is the power of the hydrogenated sulphuretof potash to dissolve the orange oxide, which by the acid is precipitated. The whole must be at once precipitated; for if done gradually, as was formerly the custom, the first portions were chiefly sulphur, and the third only was preserved for use. M. Proust, in the fifty-fifth volume of the Journal de Physique, has paid some attention to this subject; but the details are too minutely chemical for our consideration. He seems to have fully shewn the principle formerly alluded to, that the oxides, both at their minimum and maximum, are incapable of any combination with sulphur. For this reason, the oxides in an active state are only combined with this body, and it is not improbable that the sulphur, in every instance, is useless, though it is certainly neither injurious nor inconvenient. This preparation is not often employed in medicine, though scarcely inferior to the kermes mineral. It was once fashionable.