Two 2 gm. samples (A and B) were taken for the quantitative determination of lead. Each was treated repeatedly with a saturated solution of ammonium acetate until the filtered ammonium acetate solution gave no appreciable precipitate with potassium chromate solution. The ammonium acetate extractions from each specimen were combined and treated with hydrogen sulphid, the precipitated lead sulphid filtered off and washed, and ignited with sulphuric acid at a low heat. The crucible with the residue of lead sulphate was cooled and weighed.
A yielded 0.0469 gm., or 2.34 per cent., lead sulphate.
B yielded 0.0440 gm., or 2.20 per cent., lead sulphate.
While the laboratory has no evidence to show that the amount of lead-sulphate thus found to be present is likely to prove harmful, the following cautionary letter was sent to the Natura Company:
“According to information which you sent to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry your product “Akoz” does not contain lead. In view of reports received ascribing symptoms, resulting from the internal use of Akoz, to chronic lead poisoning, an examination of a specimen of Akoz Powder, which you sent to the Council, was made. This examination indicates the presence in Akoz Powder of about 2.2 per cent. lead sulphate. In view of the disastrous results likely to follow the internal use of products containing even small amounts of lead, the above is submitted to you for your consideration.”
No reply to the foregoing was received from the Natura Company.—(From Reports A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory, 1916, p. 103.)
SODIUM ACETATE IN WARMING BOTTLES
Recently the laboratory’s attention was called to the “ThermoR Waterless Hot Bottle,” manufactured by the Royal Thermophor Sales Co., New York. The following claims appear in one of the advertising pamphlets:
“There is moist heat.” “Rubber hot-water (? ? ?) naturally give a moist heat.” It (ThermoR) gives a dry heat.
“The ‘THERMOR’ Bottle is not a hot-water bottle—it acts on a principle that is entirely different and new.”