Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan.
- John Neligan
- Date:
- 1849
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![entirely expelled, then boil it in the water until a pellicle floats, and the liquor being strained, set it aside that crystals may be formed. The liquor being poured off, dry them. Edin.— Take of the residuum of the pre- paration of pure nitric acid, Ibij.; boiling water, cong. ij.; white marble in powder, a sufficiency. Dissolve the salt in the water; add the marble grad- ually till effervescence ceases, and the sol ution is completely neutralized; filter the liquid, and evaporate it till a pellicle forms on its surface; then set it aside to cool and form crystals. Physical Properties.—A solid white salt, crystallizing usually in single or double six-sided prisms, terminated by six-sided pyramids; inodorous, with a slightly bitter saline taste. The crystals are very hard, and are therefore employed in pharmacy for triturating and di- viding vegetable powders. Sp. gr. 2-4. Chemical Properties.—It is composed of 1 eq. of potassa, and 1 of sulphuric acid, (KO, SO3 ;) is unalterable in the air ; heated it de- crepitates, and at a strong red heat fuses, but is not decomposed ; it requires 9 parts of water at 60°, and 5 of boiling water for its solu- tion, but is insoluble in alcohol. Adulterations.—Sulphate of potash is seldom adulterated in this country ; on the continent, however, it has been often found to con- tain sulphates of copper, of zinc, or of iron, and in some instances corrosive sublimate. The best tests of its purity are, the neutrality of the solution and its not precipitating with gallic acid, with ammonia, with hydrosulphate of ammonia or with sulphate of silver. Therapeutical Effects.—In doses of from two to four drachms, this salt has occasionally produced symptoms of irritant poisoning ; it is nevertheless a mild cathartic generally operating effectually, and with scarcely any disturbance of the system, but on account of its lit- tle solubility it is not much employed alone. It is not adapted for children, as it is apt to produce vomiting if given to them even in a moderate dose. Sulphate of potash is an excellent purgative for fe- males after delivery, when it is wished to diminish the secretion of milk. Dose and Mode of Administration.—3i- to 3iv. dissolved in warm water, or in powder combined with rhubarb.—Potassa sulphas cum sulphure, E. (Nitrate of potash ; and sulphur, equal parts ; mix thoroughly, and project in small successive portions into a red- hot crucible ; when the deflagration is over and the salt has cooled, re- duce it to powder, and preserve in well-closed bottles.) A mild ca- thartic, much more soluble than the plain sulphate. Dose, 3ss. to Incompatibles.—Nitric, and muriatic acids ; tartaric acid ; chloride of calcium ; chloride of barium ; the acetate, and diacetate of lead ; ni- trate of silver ; corrosive sublimate ; and sulphate of magnesia. Potassje tartras, [U. S.] D. L. E. Tartrate of Potash. Preparation.—Dub.—Carbonate of potash from potashes, 5 parts; bi- tartrate of potash, 14 parts; boiling water, 45 parts; to the carbonate of potash dissolved in water, add gradually the bitartrate of potash in very fine powder; evaporate the liquor, previously filtered through paper, and set ifaside that crystals may be formed by cooling. Lond. Edin.— Bi- tartrate of potash, in powder, Ibiij.; carbonate of potash, §xvj. (or a suffi- ciency, L.;) boiling water, Ovi.; dissolve the carbonate in the boiling water, then add the bitartrate (till the liquor is neutralized, E.;) and boil. Filter](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21143602_0113.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
