Preparations of Antimony.

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R E M A R K.

This is the Calx Antimonii of the laft Difpen-fatory. The Niere fhould be purified, and care-fully dried, — the mixture injeeted, by a fpoonfulat a time, into a crucible red hot, — the formerDifpenfatory fays of a white heat, —> and care takennot to melt the calx. "With regard to its virtues,Vigani, a chemift of the laft Century, had pronoun-ced it to have no more effect than tobaeco-pipeclay, and that a perfon gained £2000 by this know-ledge. Boerhaave has ufed a fimirar phrafe. Nowonder then that traders, as honeft as ViganPi ac-quaintance, fubftituted that clay in its ftead, andthat the mediane feil into difufe. James's opinionof it may be feen in feveral places of bis Difpenfa-tory. It is, indeed, one of the mildert äntimoni-als: but, if it be true that it proves erneue afterlong expofure to the air, and that, by means of theblack flux, a regulus may be obtajned from it, —fome effect may be prefumed. The Tranflator hopesto be excufed, if he fays, that he prepared the CalxIota himfeif in 1741 ; — that he has ever fince ufedit,—often defignedly to excite naufea, — and conti-nues deeeived, if, when genuine, it is inefficacious.It is generally given in fmall dofes, to promote adiaphorefis, from ten grains to a fcruple.

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