VI. METALS.— Salts. 253 



SILVER. 



Lunar crystals, Nitrate of silver, Ci-ystalli hinares. Dissolve 

 silver jij in nitric acid at 2>S deg. Baume, 3iiij, and crystallize; 

 tonic, antispasmodic, and hydragogue : sometimes causes the 

 skin to turn purple, or black, even after the use of the medicine 

 has been left off for some time ; administered in chorea and epi- 

 lepsy ; externally to cicatrize ulcers ; as an application to erysi- 

 pelas, and as a gargle in ulcerations of the fauces. The dose 

 gr. -^ to gr. 1, in a pill with crumb of bread. 



Solution of nitrate of silver. Crystallized nitrate 3j, 

 water 5v ; dissolve. Used as a test for muriatic acid. 



Lunar caustic, Causticum lunare, Argentiun nitratum^ Argenti 

 nitras. Formed by dissolving pure silver in spirit of nitre, eva- 

 porating to dryness, melting and pouring the melted mass into 

 moulds, which may be made by thrusting a greased stick into a 

 piece of clay ; deliquescent. Used as a caustic ; as an astringent 

 wash in solution, and as a tonic and antispasmodic internally, in 

 doses of 1-4 to iij grains; cont. 6*75 nitric acid, with 1475 of 

 silver; equiv. 21*5. 



COPPER. 



Blue vitriol, Blue stoiie, Couperose hleu^ Sulphate of copper^ 

 Vitriolum ccsruleum, Cupri sulphas. Made by roasting copper, 

 boiling the oxide in oil of vitriol, washing the residuum, evapo- 

 rating and crystallizing. This substance is tonic, emetic, astrin- 

 gent, and escharotic ; and has been found of use in epilepsy, 

 hysteria, and intermittent fever ; and also to produce vomiting in 

 incipient phthisis : externally as a stimulant to ulcers, and to take 

 down fungus. A weak solution is sometimes used as a collyrium 

 in ophthalmia. Dose, gr. i to gr. ij in a pill = gr. ij to gr. x in 

 f. 5ij of water vomits. The incompatibles are alkalies, earths, 

 and their carbonates; salts of lead, acetate of iron; astringent 

 vegetable infusions and tinctures. 



2. By moistening plates of copper, covering them with rough 

 brimstone, calcining, washing out the salt, evaj)orating and crys- 

 tallizing. In large blue crystals; tonic, astringent, in doses of 

 gr. ss to ij ; emetic, gr. ij to x ; externally escharotic. Used in 

 dyeing, to increase the brilliancy of yellow browns: liquid gallic 

 acid will show if it contains iron. Contains 5 perox. copj)., 5 sulph. 

 acid, with 5'625 water; equiv. 15'C25. 



Pale blue vitriol. By mixing a little nitric acid with the 

 oil of vitriol and twelve times as much water, the solution of the 

 copper is easily performed, but the crystals arc pale. 



ToORUSHOO, ('t/prische intriol von der Compagnie, V. Cgj>rintn, 

 ex India, V. Cijprium, Ph, Bat. In yery large sky-blue crystals. 



