THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 529 



Calcined antimony is prepared in the following 

 manner: — 



Take of antimony, powdered, eight ounces ; nitre, 

 powdered, two pounds ; mix them, and cast the mix- 

 ture, by degrees, into a red-hot crucible. Burn the 

 white matter about half an hour, and, when cold, 

 powder it ; after which, wash it with distilled w^ater. 



In the last edition of the London Pharmacopoeia, this 

 preparation had the name of calx of antimony ; and it 

 may be considered as at least very nearly approaching 

 to some other antimonials of the Old Pharmacopoeia, 

 particularly to the nitrated diaphoretic antimony, 

 washed ditto, and stibiated nitre, none of which are 

 now received as separate formula of pharmacopoeia ; 

 and indeed, even the calx of antimony itself, thus pre- 

 pared, has now no place in the Edinburgh Pharma- 

 copoeia. 



The calx of antimony, when freed by washing from 

 the saline matter, is extremely mild, if not altogether 

 inactive, in the human subject. For a man, the com- 

 mon dose is from five grains to a scruple, or half a 

 drachm ; and Wilson relates, that he has know^n it 

 given by half ounces, and repeated twice or thrice 

 daily for several days together. Some report, that this 

 calx, by keeping for a length of time, contracts an ac- 

 tive quality, from whence it has been concluded that 

 the powers of the reguline part are not entirely de- 

 stroyed ; that the preparation has the virtues of other 

 antimonials, which are given as alteratives ; that is to 

 say, in such small doses as not to disturb the first pas- 

 sages. The uncalcined part being grosser than the 

 true calx, the separation is efiected by often washing 

 with water, in the same manner as is directed by sepa- 

 rating earthy powders from their grosser parts. It 

 has been observed, that when diaphoretic antimony is 



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