HYPOPHOSPHITES AND GLYCEROPHOSPHATES 399 



ACIDUM PHOSPHORICUM 



This is a colorless liquid, containing 85 per cent, by weight of 

 absolute orthophosphoric acid and 15 per cent, of water. Its action 

 is like that of the dilute mineral acids and not at all like that of 

 phosphorus. (See mineral acids.) 



* CALCIUM FHOSPHAS PR.aiCIPITATUS 



White, odorless, tasteless, amorphous powder, almost insoluble in 

 water. 



Doses. H. gj— ij ; 30.— 60. D. 3ss— ijss ; 2.— 10. 



Preparation. Syrupus Calcii Lactophosphatis. 



Action. Calcium phosphate has very little if any action. It is 

 but sparingly absorbed and is largely eliminated by the bowels. It 

 has been recommended on theoretical grounds for rachitis, etc., but 

 is of doubtful value. 



HYPOPHOSPHITES 



The hypophosphites of calcium, sodium, potassium, strychnine, 

 quinine, etc., have been used as nerve tonics on the theory that they 

 furnish phosphorus to the nervous tissues. They are of doubtful 

 value and probably of no value at all since they pass through the 

 system unchanged and may be recovered from the urine as the hypo- 

 phosphites. 



They were frequently prescribed and were official as the syrup 

 (Syrupus Hypophosphitum) containing 4.5 per cent, of calcium 

 hypophosphite, 1.5 per cent, each of sodium and potassium hypo- 

 phosphite, 0.2 per cent, of diluted hypophosphorus acid with glycerin, 

 sugar and water, or as the compound syrup (Syrupus Hypophosphi- 

 tum Compositus) containing 3.5 per cent, of calcium hypophosphite, 

 1.7 per cent, each of potassium and sodium hypophosphites, 0.2 per 

 cent, each of iron and manganese hypophosphites, 0.1 per cent, of 

 quinine hypophosphite, 0.01 per cent, of strychnine hypophosphite, 

 0.37 per cent, of sodium citrate, 1.5 per cent, of hypophosphorus acid, 

 with sugar and water. Dose. Dog, 5j — ij ; 4 — 8. 



The syrup is probably an inert preparation, while it is gen- 

 erally believed that any benefit derived from the compound syrup was 

 due to the iron, strychnine and quinine which it contained. The 

 hypophosphites were also frequently prescribed with cod liver oil in 

 the form of an emulsion — Emulsum Olei Morrhuse ciLin Hypo- 

 phosphitibus. 



GLYCEROPHOSPHATES 



The glycerophosphates are the salts of glycerophosphoric acid. 

 They exist as two classes : the primary or acid glycerophosphates and 

 * Unofficial. 



