ANTIMONIOUS OXIDE 263 



precipitated by acid solutions, and consequently exert their 

 irritant effects on parts where they meet with acid secretions, 

 as in the stomach and around the orifices of the sweat glands. 

 With the exception of the chloride, which is a powerful 

 escharotic, antimony salts, locally applied, produce in- 

 flammation of isolated spots, causing first papules, and 

 subsequently pustules. The solubility and volatility of the 

 several preparations mainly determines their activity. In 

 animals that vomit they cause emesis, cardiac and vascular 

 depression, and increased secretion. Large doses produce 

 gastro-enteritis, and depression of the spinal cord and brain. 

 Given for a considerable period, they induce fatty degenera- 

 tion. The geese in the duchy of Brunswick, fed for their 

 fatty livers, receive daily doses of antimonious oxide. Tartar 

 emetic is almost the only antimonial prescribed internally. 



ANTIMONIOUS OXIDE. Antimonii Oxidum. 



The medicinal oxide, also known as native white or flowers 

 of antimony (Sb 2 3 ), is often used as a paint instead of white 

 lead. It is prepared, by direction of the B.P., by pouring 

 solution of the chloride into water, and decomposing the 

 precipitated antimony oxy-chloride with sodium carbonate. 

 It is a greyish- white, tasteless, heavy, crystalline powder, 

 insoluble in water, but soluble in hydrochloric, tartaric, and 

 acetic acids, and forms, by oxidation with nitric acid, anti- 

 mony tetroxide, and antimony pent oxide. An imitation of 

 the patent James's powder is made by thoroughly mixing one 

 part of antimony oxide and two parts of calcium phosphate. 



ACTIONS AND USES. Antimony oxide is chiefly important 

 on account of its employment in the preparation of tartar 

 emetic, which it closely resembles in its actions and uses. 

 It has, however, no advantages over the latter, and is less 

 easily absorbed. 



ANTIMONIOUS SULPHIDE. Antimonium Nigrum PurificatunK 



The native sulphide or stibnite (Sb 2 S 3 ), the most abundant 

 ore of antimony, when purified by fusion, washing and 

 drying, occurs in dark-grey, metallic, heavy, brittle cakes, 

 or as a heavy, greyish-black, crystalline powder, devoid of 



