The pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians of London [1824] / A translation ... by Richard Phillips.

Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians of London [1824] / A translation ... by Richard Phillips. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    213/420 (page 191)
    Process.—When nitrate of potash is mixed and ignited with sulphuret of antimony, rapid combustion ensues ; both are de- composed ; a portion of the sulphur of the sulphuret combines with part of the oxygen of the decomposed nitric acid, and the result is sulphuric acid, which forms sulphate of potash, with the potash of the decomposed nitrate ; another portion of the oxygen unites with the antimony of the decomposed sulphuret, and sesqui- oxide of antimony is formed which remains mixed with sulphate of potash, and some sulphuret of antimony; and there would also be free potash and sulphuret of potassium, were it not for the hydrochloric acid employed, which saturates the alkali, and either prevents the formation of the sulphuret or immediately de- composes it when formed. When the residue of the combustion is washed, as directed, sulphate of potash and chloride of potassium are removed by it, and a mixture of sesquioxide and sulphuret of antimony remains, to which perhaps the name of oxysulphuret may be given, as well as to the last preparation, though it is not certain that either of them is a definite compound. Sesquioxide of Antimony, the base of this preparation, is com- posed of One and a half equivalent of Oxygen 12 One equivalent of Antimony 65 Equivalent .... 77 Symbols,—Berzelius and Turner.... Sb Brmide (flft + ]lo). Bitartrate of potash is a salt containing two equivalents of tar- taric acid and one equivalent of potash ; when it is boiled in water with the oxysulphuret of antimony, the equivalent of acid in excess combines with two equivalents of sesquioxide of antimony, and the sulphuret remains unacted upon ; the solution therefore con- sists of two equivalents of tartaric acid, one equivalent of potash, and two equivalents of sesquioxide of antimony, and these com- bining ciystallize together as a double salt, or potassio-tartrate of antimony. Antimonii Polassio-tartras, or Fartrate of Potash and Ditartrate of Antimony. t — A— - 'i Bitartrate f2eqs. I artaric Acid. 2 eqs.Sesquioxide 1 ^ o< Potash. \ 1 eq. Potash. of Antimony. I xysi|l J f phuret of Sulphuret of Antimony, j Antimony.