76 THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL 



The agreement in the quantities of fat and mercury in the three- 

 samples is as close as could be expected, and shows that the sam- 

 ple (I) contained the proper proportions of its ingredients. Care- 

 ful testing demonstrated the absence of other poisonous metals, 

 especially lead, and also proved that no corrosive sublimate was 

 present. The ointment was warmed with ether in order to dissolve 

 the fat and separate it from the metallic mercury. On evapo- 

 rating the clear ether-solution, there was deposited in case of (1) 

 a dark gray substance, which proved to contain mercury in no 

 inconsiderable quantity. From the ether-solution there was 

 obtained in each of the samples evidence of the presence of mer- 

 cury, but in those purchased in New Haven the quantity of 

 mercury was unweighable. Sample (1), however, yielded 1.8 per 

 cent, of mercury soluble in ether, and existing probably as oleate, 

 stearate or palmitate of that metal. After extracting the oint- 

 ments (2) and (3) with ether there remained nearly pure metallic 

 mercury, which, in case of (3), contained a trace of some mercury 

 compound soluble in hydrochloric acid. On the contrary, the 

 metallic mercury of (1) was mixed with a gray substance, which 

 dissolved in hydrochloric acid and yielded 0.74 per cent, of mer- 

 cury, reckoned as metal. 



The ointment which caused the disastrous results contained, 

 accordingly, 2^ per cent, of mercury, or one-twelfth of the whole, 

 in a soluble and highly active state, and it is to this fact that its 

 poisonous effects are doubtless to be attributed. 



The analysis throws little light on the reason why the sample 

 contained such a quantity of soluble mercury. Christison long 

 ago observed that mercurial ointment may contain mercury in a 

 soluble state. It is extremely probable that the use of rancid 

 lard and long keeping occasioned the solution of the metal. In 

 becoming rancid, fats undergo a decomposition which results in 

 the formation of acids. Where mercury is long exposed to or 

 agitated in contact with air, it is gradually, in part, converted into 

 a black powder of mercurous oxide. This oxide readily dissolves 

 in acids. Biirensprung asserts that this oxide is the active ingre- 

 dient of mercurial ointment. He says, also, that its quantity 

 increases with the age of the ointment, which, as is known, grad- 

 ually becomes darker in color on keeping. A variety of circum- 

 stances are likely to influence the quality of blue ointment, and, 

 plainly enough, it is sometimes a very dangerous remedy. 



