184 



MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS OF GOLD, 



Management 

 of tht fire hn 

 portant. 



Dr.Chre?tten'. 

 mode of era 

 ploying these 

 preparations. 



This t»u!fy. 



Instances of 

 the efficacy 



acid. Into this solution is to be poured an aqueous solution 

 of pure decrepitated muriate of -soda, so as to combine an 

 equal quantity of the dry salt with t- e gold dissolved. The 

 two solutions being mixed, the fluid is to be evaporated by 

 a gentle heat in a glass capsule, taking cure to stir it well 

 toward the end of the process. When the mass is sufficiently 

 dry, it is to be powdered while hot in a glass or stone mortar J 

 and the powder is to be kept from moisture, which it attracts 

 in a slight degree-. 



In this preparation the management of the fir*-- is of great 

 importance: for, if the desiccation of the salt be not carried 

 far enough, it will contain too much acid ; and, if it be urged 

 too far, it will be in part decomposed, and mixed with a little 

 gold. 



The enlightened physician, who extols the use of these 

 preparations, employs them externally and internally; but 

 recommends tbera to be mixed with other substances, lest 

 their action should be too violent, if given alone. Thus for 

 a long time he did not give the triple muriate of gold and 

 soda otherwise than mixed with twice its weight of a powder 

 composed of starch, charcoal, and the lake used by painters. 

 As the alumine of the last however might take up a portion 

 of the muriatic acid, and the charcoal might revive the gold, 

 Dr. Chrestien changed this powder for that of liquorice root, 

 orris root, &c. 



Beside this he joined the compounds of gold with extracts 

 of the attendant plants; sugar with which he forms lozenges ; 

 sirups, in which he dissolves them, &c. He mixes them also 

 with Galen's cerate, when he wishes to promote suppuration, 

 unci with, lard, when he would employ them in frictions on 

 the soles of the feet after the method of Cyrillo. 



The writers of the present article do not approve the com- 

 bination of t i»e preparations of gold with these different sub- 

 stai c; j s, as all vegetable a»nd. animal substances, dissolved or 

 not ; y revive gold f *. Jin its acid solution. They recommend 

 them to be givj a lone, or dissolved in distilled water: or 

 at least, if they must be mixed, to mix them as short a time 

 as posfcibte before they are used, 



In this way Dr. Dn portal asserts that he has found good 

 effects from them in siphylitic complaints. In a chancre 



corroding 



