ACID

U

or 0(7 of vitriol, Acidum vitriolicum. O. Procured by mixing onepart of nitrate of potass with eight parts of sulphur, burning themin leaden chambers with a hole at top to admit the air, and withwater at the bottom, to take up the acid when formed, and thenevaporating and distilling. When exposed to the air it absorbswater so rapidly as to double its weight in a month. It freezessooner than water, and is apt in consequence to burst the carboys inwinter.

Adulteration. The ordinary acid is usually adulterated with sulphateof lead and potass. The sp. grav. of good acid should be about 1-84or 1-85.

Medicinally it is extremely stimulant, rubefacient, and escharotic. Inthe proportion of 5j to Jj of hogs-lard, it is used externally insprains, rheumatism, itch, &c, but is apt to burn the linen.

Poisonous, producing acute burning pain in the throat and stomach,nausea, fcetor of the breath, vomiting of blood, croupy cough, hor-ripilation, hiccup, convulsions, and death. Upon dissection, themouth, gullet, and stomach are found ulcerated and corroded, anddistended with foetid gas.

Treatment. Calcined magnesia, soap, soda, potass, or chalk, mixedwith milk, ought to be drank copiously, and inflammation preventedby bleeding.

Tests. The great specific gravity of this acid may sometimes detect it;but the most certain test is baryta, with which a sulphate is formedinsoluble in water or nitric acid.Acidum Sulphuricum Akomaticum. E. Aromatic Sulphuric Acid,or Aromatic elixir of vitriol. Prepared by gradually dropping Jvj ofsulphuric acid into ftij of rectified spirit. Digest in a close vessel,with a gentle heat for three days, and then add bruised cinnamonbark Jjss, bruised ginger 3J. Digest in a close vessel for six days,and filter through paper.

Medicinally it is an excellent stomachic, tonic, and stimulant, in ner-vous and dyspeptic cases, combined with bark, quassia, or alone indoses of 17\x to v\ xxx diluted with water.

Enters into Acid. Sulphur. Aromatic, E. Ferri Sulph. L. E. D.Hydrarg. Oxymurias. L. E. D. Acid. Sulphuric. Dilut. L. E. D.Sulph. Potass. E. Zinc. Sulph. L. Subsulph. Hydrarg. Flavus. E. D.Acidum Sulphuricum Dilutum. L. E.D. Diluted Sulphuric Acid,or Elixir of vitriol. Prepared by adding gradually one part of sul-phuric acid to fourteen parts of distilled water.

Medicinally it is astringent, tonic, and refreshing, in doses of ir^x toT^xxx in infusion of roses, sucked through a quill twice or thrice aday, for colliquative sweats, hemoptysis, epistaxis, monorrhagia, and