Chap. 19.3 Antidote for the Poijm of Arfenlc. 123 

 But Navier, a phyfician of Chalons, who has made 

 experiments to afcertain the beft remedies againtl the 

 poifon of arfenic, has difcovered a fubftance which 

 combines with it in the humid way, and deftroys, in 

 a great meafure, its caufticity. This fubftance is the 

 calcareous or alkaline liver of fulphur, which is ftill 

 better adapted to the intention, when it holds a fmall 

 quantity of iron in folution. When this martial hepar 

 is poured into a folution of arfenic, it is decompofed 

 without emitting any fmell, beeaufe the arfenic com- 

 bines with the fulphur, and forms orpiment, and at 

 the fame time unites with the iron. Navier prefcribes 

 a dram of the liver of fulphur in a pint of water, of 

 which he directs a glafs to be taken at a time ; or five 

 or fix grains of dry liver of fulphur may be given in 

 pills, a glafs of warm water being given after each 

 pill. When the firft fymptoms are diffipated, he 

 recommends the fulphureous mineral fprings. Na- 

 vier likewife approves the ufe of milk, beeaufe it 

 diilblves the arfenic as well as water, but he condemns 

 the ufe of oils, which have not that property. 



Arfenic mews a ftrong difpofition to unite with all 

 the metals except platina. By a mixture of it in its 

 ordinary ftate with copper, a metal is produced refem* 

 bling filver. It generally gives metals a white' colour^ 

 and renders them brittle. 



