•272 ANTIMONY. 



action of chlorine, and heating it. The salts formed by the solu- 

 tions of the chlorides of tin in water are much used in dyeing, in 

 consequence of the strong affinity they have for colouring matter. 

 Several of the acids act very readily on tin : the nitro-muriate 

 of tin is used as a test of gold and platina, giving a purple precipi- 

 tate with solutions of the former, and an orange one with those of 

 the latter. Tin forms two compounds with sulphur : one of these, 

 the bi-sulphuret, may be made by heating together, in close vessels, 

 the peroxide of tin and sulphur. It is well known by the name of 

 Mosaic gold, and is used as a pigment for giving a gold colour to 

 some works of art. The alloys of tin with copper in various pro- 

 portions form brass. An amalgam of tin and mercury is largely 

 employed for silvering the backs of mirrors, and for other purposes 

 in the arts. It forms pewter with zinc and small portions of other 

 metals, and an alloy of tin with antimony is used for the reflectors 

 of telescopes. 



Medical Properties. — Tin, in its metallic state, has no action 

 on the human body ; but it was formerly esteemed tonic, and 

 employed as a remedy in chorea and epilepsy. The powder of tin 

 and tin filings have been recommended by Dr. Alston as powerful 

 anthelmintics, given in doses of two or three drachms in a morning, 

 and followed by a brisk cathartic. Both these preparations, how- 

 ever, have been known to prove highly deleterious, the metal being 

 rendered poisonous by slight oxidation, when given in the first form, 

 and creating great irritation in the last. The oxide and hydrochlo- 

 rates of tin are poisonous. They have been found to occasion violent 

 local irritation, colic, diarrhoea, and other dangerous symptoms. 



Genus VII.— ANTIMONY. 



Anti»ioinc ) Yr.; Anlimonic y \i.; A?Uimoaio } Sp.; Sjiiessglas metal^Ger. 



Antimony is found in small quantities native, and in occasional 

 admixture with ores of silver, lead, and copper, but it is from its 

 combination with sulphur, in which state it occurs abundantly in 

 Auvergne, Hungary, and Scotland, that the antimony of com- 

 merce is obtained. The ancients were unacquainted with metallic 



