Elements of the Theory and Practice of Chymistry, 5th ed.

by Pierre Joseph Macquer

That the Marine Acid is separated from the reguline part of the Butter of Antimony, by the desiccations it undergoes in converting it into Bezoar, is proved by this, that, when these desiccations are performed in close vessels, the liquor drawn off is a true aqua regis, known by the name of the Bezoartic Spirit of Nitre.

It remains to be considered why the Bezoar mineral, though freed from all acid, is not emetic; while the Pulvis Algaroth, which is likewise the reguline part of the Butter of Antimony deprived of its Acid, is such a violent emetic, and even to be dreaded for its remaining causticity.

In order to discover the reason of this difference, it is proper to observe that, when we say Bezoar mineral and the Pulvis Algaroth contain no Acid, we must not be understood in too strict a sense: on the contrary, there is reason to think that a certain quantity of Acid still remains in each of them; which however is scarce worth notice, in comparison of the quantity each contained at first. This being allowed, it will not be hard to find the difference between these two preparations of Antimony. The Pulvis Algaroth is deprived of its Acid by the addition of water alone, which only carries off all the loose Acid it can take up, without making any change in the nature of that which continues in combination with the reguline part. Now, as the Marine Acid is not intimately united with the reguline part in Butter of Antimony; as it still retains some of its properties, such as attracting the moisture of the air, giving manifest tokens of its Acid nature, &c.; and as the corrosive quality of this compound depends on this last in particular; the small portion of Acid left in the Pulvis Algaroth will in some degree preserve its former character: and hence comes the effect of this powder, which still retains a little of the corrosive quality that belonged to the Butter of Antimony.

But this is not the case with the small remainder of Acid, which possibly still continues united with the Bezoar mineral prepared as here directed. This compound hath been exposed to a fire sufficient, not only to dry it, but even to calcine it. Now fire is capable of producing great changes in the texture of bodies. It must have forced off from the Bezoar all the Acid that was not intimately combined with it; and that part which it could not drive off, because of its obstinate adhesion, it must have further united and combined more closely with the metallic earth: for we see that fire greatly promotes the action of solvents on the matters with which they are united.

With regard to the properly emetic quality of the Pulvis Algaroth, it cannot be imputed to the combination of any Acid with that powder; since we see that the most powerfully emetic preparations of Antimony, viz. its Regulus and Glass, contain no Acid: it must therefore be attributed to some cause different from that on which its corrosive quality depends. This cause we shall easily find by attending to the different manners in which the Marine Acid, when alone and in aqua regia, operates on the reguline part of Antimony.

The Marine Acid alone dissolves the Regulus of Antimony, but with great difficulty; nor doth it effect a complete dissolution thereof, as is evident from what hath been already said: whereas the Marine Acid, combined with the Nitrous Acid, and therewith forming an aqua regis, as in the preparation of Bezoar, dissolves the reguline part of Antimony completely and radically. Now, it is certain that, the more efficaciously Acids operate on metallic substances, the more of their phlogiston do they destroy; and we cannot but recollect that the preparations of Antimony are so much the less emetic the less phlogiston they contain, or the further they recede from the nature of a Regulus, and the nearer they approach to that of Diaphoretic Antimony: consequently it is plain how Bezoar mineral, which is a sort of calx of Antimony entirely deprived of its phlogiston by the intimate dissolution thereof made by the Acids of the aqua regis, may be in no degree emetic; while the Pulvis Algaroth, being a true Regulus of Antimony, on which the Marine Acid hath operated but very superficially, and which still contains a great deal of phlogiston, is a most violent emetic.

PROCESS XIV.

Flowers of Antimony.

Take an unglazed earthen pot, having an aperture in its side, with a stopple to shut it close. Set this pot in a furnace, the cavity whereof it may fit as exactly as possible; and fill up with lute the space, if any, left between the vessel and the furnace. Over this vessel fix three aludels, with a blind-head at the top; and light a fire in the furnace under the pot.

When the bottom of the pot is thoroughly red, throw into the lateral aperture a small spoonful of powdered Antimony. Stir the matter immediately with an iron spatula made a little bending, in order to spread it over the bottom of the vessel, and then stop the hole. The flowers will rise and adhere to the insides of the aludels. Keep up the fire so that the bottom of the pot may always continue red; and, when nothing more sublimes, put in a like quantity of Antimony, and operate as before. In this manner go on subliming your Antimony, till you have as many flowers as you want. Then let the fire go out; and when the vessels are cold unlute them. You will find flowers adhering all round the insides of the aludels and the head, which you may collect with a feather.