TARTAR EMETIC 177 



be prescribed in small doses once daily, or in larger doses once in two or 

 three days. Arsenic is exhibited to dogs in tablet or pill, and as Fowler's 

 solution. The administration of Fowler's solution secures more rapid and 

 accurate results than that of white arsenic. 



Antimonium. 



(The metal antimony is not used in medicine. ) 



Antimonh et Potassii Takthas. Antimony and Potassium Tartrate. 

 K (SbO) C,H40„+% H^O. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Antimonium tartaratum, B. P. ; tartar emetic, tartarated anti- 

 mony, E.; tartarus stibiatus, P. G. ; tartrate de potasse et d'antimoirje, 6m6tique, 

 tartre stibi6, Fr.; brechweinstein, G. 



Derivation. — Make a paste with cream of tartar, antimony trioxide and water. 

 Set aside 24 hours, boil in water 15 minutes and crystallize. 2 K HC,HiOo-|- 

 Sb20a = 2 K (SbO) aHiOc+HjO. 



Properties. — Colorless, transparent crystals of the rhombic system; or a white, 

 granular powder, without odor, and having a, sweet, afterwards disagreeable, 

 metallic taste. The crystals effloresce on exposure to air. Soluble in 12 parts of 

 water; insoluble in alcohol. 



Dose.—H. & C, 3ii-iv, (8-15) ; emetic, pigs, gr.iv-x, (.24-.6) ; D., A-%5 

 (.006-.03); emetic D., gr.i-ii, (.06-.12). 



PREPARATION. 



Syrupus Seillcp Compositus. Compound Syrup of Squill. (U. S. P.) 

 Synonym,. — Hive syrup. Fluidextract of squill, 80 mils; fluidextract of sene- 

 ga, 80 mils; antimony and potassium tartrate, 2 Gm.; distilled water, 10 mils; 

 syrup to make 1000 mils. 



Dose for Dog. — TT^v-xxx, (.3-2).- 



Action of Antimonii et Potassi Tartras. 



Tartar emetic is the only antimony compound suitable for internal 

 use. The sulphide and oxide of antimony are insoluble, save in the hydro- 

 chloric acid of the gastric juice, and are not so certain or reliable in their 

 action as tartar emetic. Kermes mineral and golden sulphur, containing 

 variable amounts of antimony trisulphide and trioxide, " are even more 

 uncertain and unreliable than antimony sulphide or oxide. 



External. — Tartar emetic is irritant, and when rubbed into the skin 

 produces a pustular eruption and often sloughing and destruction of 

 tissue. 



Internal. — Stomach and Bowels. — Tartar emetic is a gastro-intestinal 

 irritant, causing salivation and nausea in small doses, vomiting and diar- 

 rhea in large quantities; while toxic amounts are followed by vomiting 

 (in carnivora), serous or bloody purging, great depression of the circula- 

 tion and respiration, muscular weakness, collapse and death. 



Uneasiness, nausea, colic and death have been reported in horses 

 only after enormous doses of tartar emetic by the mouth. The horse and 

 ruminants are comparatively insusceptible to the action of tartar emetic. 

 The writer has observed a cow, however, in which nausea and actual 

 vomition occurred, following a therapeutic dose of kermes mineral in elec- 

 tuary. 



Tartar emetic is a powerful but slowly acting emetic (attended with 

 a good deal of nausea) in dogs. Tartar emetic has been recovered in the 



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