Chap. 16. ~\ Jtntimony, a violent Poifoti. % 147 



timony is nearly deprived of fulphur, and at the fame 

 time furnifhed with fome oxygen. Tt is extremely vio- 

 lent in its effects 3 a very minute quantity producing 

 convulfions and vomiting. Antimony indeed may be 

 reduced to fuch a ftate as to affed the body in fmaller 

 quantities even than arfenic. 



When antimony is combined with fulphur, and 

 Urged with a ftrong heat, it affumes the appearance of 

 glafs. The glafs of antimony, though not much em- 

 ployed as a medicine, is very ufcful as a preliminary 

 to the moil 'valuable preparations. Few of the metals, 

 indeed, have fo much attracted the attention of che- 

 mifts as antimony, and its preparations have been 

 accordingly very numerous. To avoid, therefore, 

 imnecefTary prolixity, it wtirBfe proper to confine the 

 reader's attention to thofe which have been found moft 

 ufeful. 



By deflagrating antimony with nitre, the metal is 

 calcined^ as well as when expofed to heat in contact 

 with air. The antimoriium calcinatum of the London 

 Pharmacopoeia is prepared by throwing a mixture of 

 eight ounces of antimony, with two pounds of nitre, 

 into a crucible heated to a white heat. The white 

 matter is burnt for half an hour, and, when cold, is 

 powdered and wafhed with diftilied water. This 

 preparation is fo inert, that it has been doubted whe- 

 ther it is capable of any action whatever on the hu- 

 man body. ' 



When the antimony and nitre are in equal quan- 

 tities, they form a more aftive competition. The 

 mixture burns with violence, and ought to be injected, 

 in fmall quantities at a time, into the heated crucible. 

 After the combuflion there remains a mixed matter, 

 partly of a dark red, and partly whitifli. Upon melt- 

 ing, it fcparates into a heavier part of a deep reel, and 

 L 2 a faline 



