Purified Black Antimony (Antimonium nigrum purificatum) is the purified native sulphide Sb2S3; it should be absolutely free from arsenic.
Sulphurated Antimony (Antimonium sulphuratum) is a mixture of sulphide of antimony, Sb2S3, with a small and variable amount of oxide, Sb2O3. The P.B. states that 60 grains (3·888 grms.) dissolved in ClH, and poured into water, should give a white precipitate of oxychloride of antimony, which (properly washed and dried) weighs about 53 grains (3·444 grms.). The officinal compound pill of subchloride of mercury (Pilula hydrargyri subchloridi composita) contains 1 grain (·0648 grm.) of sulphurated antimony in every 5 grains (·324 grm.), i.e., 20 per cent.
(2) Patent and Quack Pills:—
Dr. J. Johnson’s Pills.—From the formula each pill should contain:—
| Grains. | Grms. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compound Extract of Colocynth, | 2 | ·5 | = | ·162 |
| Calomel, | ·62 | = | ·039 | |
| Tartar Emetic, | ·04 | = | ·002 | |
| Oil of Cassia, | ·12 | = | ·007 | |
| 3 | ·28 | = | ·210 | |
The oil of cassia can be extracted by petroleum ether; the calomel sublimed and identified by the methods given in the article on “[Mercury]”; the antimony deposited in the metallic state on platinum or tin; and the colocynth extracted by dissolving in water, acidifying, and shaking up with chloroform. On evaporating the chloroform the residue should taste extremely bitter; dissolved in sulphuric acid it changes to a red colour, and dissolved in Fröhde’s reagent to a cherry-red. It should also have the ordinary reactions of a glucoside.
Mitchell’s Pills contain in each pill:—
| Grains. | Grms. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aloes, | 1 | ·1 | = | ·070 |
| Rhubarb, | 1 | ·6 | = | ·103 |
| Calomel, | ·16 | = | ·010 | |
| Tartar Emetic, | ·05 | = | ·003 | |
| 2 | ·91 | = | ·186 | |
The mineral substances in this are easy of detection by the methods already given; the aloes by the formation of chrysammic acid, and the rhubarb by its microscopical characters.