sub-

ACETATF. OF MERCURY.

637

solved into carbonic acid, acetic acid, and mercury. It is very slightly soluble inWater, requiring 300 times its weight of this liquid to dissolve it, according to■Dumas. It is insoluble in coid alcohol: boiling alcohol abstracts part of its acid.

Characteristics. —Its appearance, its slight solubility in water, and tbe action ofheat on it, are some of its characteristics. Heated with sulphuric acid the vapour°f acetic acid is evolved. The fixed alkalis precipitate the blaek oxide of mercury.Chloride of sodium forms calomel with it.

Composition. —It has the following composition:—

Atoms. Eq. Wt.

Protoxide of Mercury...... 1 ........ -10

Acetic Acid............... 1 ........ 51

Per Cent. Dumas.

.. 80'46 ........ 80-66

.. 10-54 ........ 19-34

1

261

10000 ........ 10000

Acetate of Mercury ..

Physiological Effects. —It is one of the mild mercurial preparations. Fromthe reports of Guarin, Colombier, and Vogler, (Wibmer, Wirkung d. Arzneim.Üi. 647.) it appears to have acted in some cases with great violence, and to haveoccasioned violent vomiting, purging, abdominal pain, bloody evacuations, &c.These effects probably arose from the presence of some acetate of the binoxide ofmercury.

Uses. —It was introduced into practice in consequence of being supposed to bethe active ingredient of Keyser's antivenereal pills. But Robiquet has subse-quently ascertained that Keyser employed the acetate of the Binoxide. (Dumas,Traue de Chimie, v. 178.) It is occasionally used in syphilitic affections.

Administration. —The dose of it is from one to five grains. A Solution com-posed of one grain of the acetate dissolved in an ounce of water, may be used asa wash. An ointment is prepared by dissolving two or three scruples in an ounceof olive oil.

19. HYDRAR'GYRI SUBSULPHAS FLAVUS.—YELLOW SUBSULPHATE OF

MERCURY.

(Hydrargyri Oxydum Sulphuricum, Z>.)—[Hydrargyri Sulphas Flavus, U. S.j

History.— This Compound was known to Croll in the sixteenth Century.

It

has been termed Turpeth (or Turbith) mineral [Turpethum minerale,) from itsresemblance in colour to the root of the Iporncea Turpethum.

Preparation. —The Dublin College directs it to be thus prepared:—

Take of the Persulphate of Mercury one part, Warm Water twenty parts. Triturate themtogether in an earthen wäre mortar, and pour off the supernatant liquor; let the yellow pow-der be washed with distüled water, so long as the decanted fluid exhibits any deposite on the"ddition of some drops of the water of caustic potash; lastly, let the sulphuric oxide of mer-cury be dried.

[The U. S. P, directs the Persulphate to be made with Mercury four ounces, SulphuricAcid six ounces. Then procced as above.]

By the action of water there are obtained a soluble supersulphate and a diffi-culty soluble subsulphate of mercury.

Properties. —It is a heavy, lemon-yellow, inodorous powder, having an acridtaste. It requires 2000 parts of water at 60°, or 600 parts at 212°, to dissolve it.Characteristics. —When heated in a tube, sulphurous acid is evolved, and glo-bules of mercury sublimed. Boiled with caustic potash or soda, the red binox-ide preeipitates, and a Solution of sulphate of potash is obtained, known to be asulphate by Chloride of barium (vide p. 406.)

Composition. —Its composition is as follows:—

Braamcavip

Binoxide of Mercury.Sulphuric Acid......

Atoms... 1 ... 1 .

ISq. Wt...218 .... 40

84 5155

andS&queira-Qliva,

... 847... 15-

Subsulphate of Mercury..

1

258

00-7