294 LSAD, 



often with some mild aperient. Paralytic affections occasionally 

 follow its administration, where due precaution in regard to the 

 state of the bowels is not taken. In haemoptysis, where the 

 quantity of blood coughed up is considerable, or where the usual 

 remedies, especially nitre and dilute sulphuric acid fail, acetate of 

 lead may be given, (in combination with opium or digitalis,) care 

 being taken to avoid in the medicines and drinks those acids which 

 decompose it, and especially the sulphuric, by which it appears, 

 from Orfila's experiments, it is rendered nearly, if not quite, inert ; 

 hence it is that sulphate of soda is an effective antidote where any 

 of the soluble salts of lead have been swallowed. In hsematemesis 

 the same remedies may be had recourse to ; also in monorrhagia ; 

 but in all these cases, the necessity of active measures for subduing 

 febrile symptoms, where the inflammatory diathesis prevails, must 

 not be lost sight of; nor should the patient be, in any case, 

 suffered to continue the use of the acetate for any length of time. 

 When solutions of acetate of lead are used externally, the salt 

 should be dissolved in distilled water, and all substances tending to 

 decompose it should be carefully avoided. The addition of a little 

 acetic acid to these lotions prevents the deposition in them of car- 

 bonate of lead ; and where they are used in collyria, such deposi- 

 tion is sometimes mischievous; they are employed in ophthalmia, 

 and generally as astringents and sedatives in all cases of superficial 

 inflammation. For collyria, the proportion,^ acetate of lead may 

 be about ten grains, and for lotions about thirty grains, to eight 

 ounces of rose or elder flower water, and two or three drachms of 

 distilled vinegar may be added."* When given internally, its dose 

 is half a grain, repeated every five or six hours. 



Solution of Subcarbonate of Lead. Liquor plumbi subace- 

 talis, Ph. L. — This solution, formerly named Goulard's Extract, 

 is made by boiling litharge, or semi-vitrified oxide of lead on dis- 

 tilled vinegar. It is the Aqua Lythargyri Acetati of the old no- 

 menclature. When properly prepared, it is of a pale yellowish - 

 green colour, has a slight acetous odour, and a sweetish styptic 

 taste. It is decomposed by the soluble carbonates, sulphates, and 



* Brando's Manual of Pharmacy, p. 309. 



