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INORGANIC AGENTS 



Properties,— Dry, white, translucent pencils or fused 

 masses, hard and brittle, showing a crystalline fracture; 

 odorless, or having a faint odor of lye^ and of a very acid 

 and caustic taste. Exposed to the air, it very rapidly 

 absorbs carbon dioxide and moisture, and deliquesces. 

 Soluble at 15^ C. (59^ R) in about 0.5 part of water, and ifa 2 

 parts of alcohol ; very soluble in boiling water and in boiling 

 alcohol ; slightly soluble in ether.* 



Liquor Potass^e. Solution of Potassa. (U. S. <fe B. P.) 



An aqueous solution of potassium hydrate (KOH), 

 containing about 5 per cent, of the hydrate. 



Synonym. — Solution of potassium hydrate, kali hydri- 

 cum solutum, lixivium causticum, solution of potash, E.; 

 potasse caustique liquide, lessive caustique, Fr.; aetzkalil- 

 auge, G.; liquor kali caustici, P. G. 



Derivation.— Boiling a solution of potassium carbonate 

 with calcium hydrate leaves potassium hydrate in solution, 

 while calcium carbonate is precipitated. 



K2 C03 + Ca (OH2) = 2 KOH + Ca C03. 



Properties. — A clear, colorless liquid, odorless, having a 

 very acrid and caustic taste and a strongly alkaline reaction. 

 It has a soapy feel and taste. 



Dose.—U. & C, I ss.-i. (15.-30.) ; Sh. & Sw., 3 ss.-i. 

 (2.-4.); D., IHv.-xx. (.3-1.3). 



Potassa Cum Calce. Potassa with Lime. (U. S. P.) 

 (Equal parts of potassa and lime.) 



Synonym. — Vienna paste. 



Properties. — A grayish white powder, deliquescent, 

 having a strongly alkaline reaction; should be soluble in 

 diluted hydrochloric acid without leaving more than a small 

 residue. 



Actions and Ujses. — Potassa, liquor potassse and potassa 

 cum calce are mainly of value as escharotics. Liquor 



* When solubility is mentioned hereafter, reference will be had to solubility 

 at the above temperature. 



