2S4 1HSMUTH. 



of the nitrate of silver, dissolved in .>ss of distilled water, is recom- 

 mended by Mr. Samuel Cooper, as one of the best external appli- 

 cations to noli me tangere, and to cancerous ulcers about the nose 

 and neighbouring parts of the face. The lotion is sometimes applied 

 by a pencil to the part, but more commonly by dipping pieces of 

 lint in the fluid and covering them with a pledget. 



A solution of the nitrate of silver stains animal or vegetable sub- 

 stances of a deep black colour, hence it is frequently used for marking 

 linen in apermancnt manner. For thispurposetheclothismoistened 

 with a liquid made by dissolving two ounces of subcarbonatc of soda 

 and two drachms of gum arabic in four ounces of water, and the solu- 

 tion of the salt itself thickened with a little gum, and coloured with 

 Indian ink. A solution of this salt is also resorted to for the manu- 

 facture of those compounds employed to change the colour of the 

 hair. When applied recently to grey hair, after exposure to light, 

 it renders it black ; but the colour soon changes, the grey roots of 

 the hair again appear, giving the person the singular appearance of 

 having hair half grey and half black. According to Mr. Brande, 

 the hair sometimes becomes purple ; at other times there are 

 patches of purple and grey, giving such victims of vanity a very 

 ludicrous appearance. The preparations for changing the colour 

 of the hair are sold under the names of Grecian Water, Essence of 

 Tyre, and other high-sounding titles. 



Genus IV.— BISMUTH. 



Bismuth, Fr.; IVi.tmuth, Gov. 



Bismuth is a metal of no very considerable importance in medi- 

 cine and the arts. It appears to have been unknown to the ancients, 

 and even so late as the seventeenth century was considered as a 

 species of lead. It exists somewhat sparingly in nature, and is 

 found native and combined with sulphur and with oxygen. 



Sp. 1. Native Bismuth. Pl. XXXIII. Jig. 3.— Gediegen 

 Wismuth, Werner; Bismuth natif, Hauy ; Brong, ii. p. 131. 



