PART III.

Alkalies and Neutral Salts.

469

carbonic acid in an elastic state. To prevent the inconve-nience likely to result from the extrication of the carbonic acidgas, a solution of lime should be put into the last bottle of therange of receivers. The product in the receivers is a solutionof oxymuriate of potash, containing some uncombined oxy-muriatic acid; what remains in the matrass is a mixed sulphateof soda and of manganese. When the alkaline solution isstronger, in the proportion of Jxvj of the subcarbonate to Oivof water, a sparingly soluble crystallized salt is procured, whichis regarded as a hyperoxymuriate of potash, and is a morecertain preparation than the solution.

Qualities. — This solution has in a slight degree the odourof oxymuriatic acid, and a cooling taste. It destroys the ve-getable colours, owing to the excess of acid it contains.

Medical pi-operties and uses. — Oxymuriate of potash is sti-mulant and diuretic. Tiie supposition which prevailed, thatthe effects of the nitric acid in syphilis arose from its impart-ing oxygen to the system, brought forward this preparation a*a remedy in the same disease; and its use was soon extendedto scurvy and other complaints which were supposed to dependon a deficiency of oxygen. But although it evidently has thepower of checking for a time the action of the syphiliticvirus, yet it has scarcely in any case succeeded in effecting acure; and consequently it has fallen into disrepute, and is nowseldom employed in any case.

POTASStE TARTRAS. Lond. Tartrate of Potass.*

" Take of subcarbonate of potash, sixteen ounces ; supertar-trate of potash, three pounds ; boiling water, a gallon. Dissolvethe subcarbonate of potash in the water, and add the supertar-trate of potash reduced to powder till the effervescence ceases.Filter the solution through paper ; then boil it until a pellicleappears on the surface, and set it aside to crystallize. Havingpoured off the water from the crystals, dry them on bibulouspaper."

Tartras Potassje; Edin. Tartrate of Potask.

" Take of subcarbonate of potash, one part ,■ super tartrateof potash, three parts, or a sicfficient quantity; boiling water,Jifteen parts. To the subcarbonate dissolved in the wateradd in small portions the supertartrate of potash, reduced toa fine powder, as long as it excites effervescence, which gra-dually ceases before three times the weight of the subcar-bonate of potash be added; filter the solution when it is cold,and after due evaporation set it aside that crystals may form."

Tartras Kali. Dub. Tartrate of Kali.

> Kali Tartariwtum, P. L. 17 87. Tartrate de Potasse (F.~) Weinsleinsaures Kali IG.)Tarirato di Potass* (J.)

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