'5lj2 
cal combination among materials which arc 
insoluble, at least in any fluid which does not 
interfere with their chemical relations. Heat, 
however, may be applied so as to promote 
union among bodies, though it is not so 
powerful as to produce fusion ; as for exam- 
ple in calcination, by which, in consequence 
of exposing a metal to a high temperature, 
it attracts oxygen from the circumambient 
air. Deflagration is a process in some mea- 
suresindlar : this consists in mixing substances 
with which much oxygen is combined, by a 
feeble attractive power, with inflammable 
matter, and subjecting the mixture to heat ; 
such substance attracts the oxygen from the 
matter with which it had previously been 
united, and thus becomes oxy dated or defla- 
grated. 
The above, then, are the chief processes 
of pharmacy-; or those by which the prin- 
.-ciples of such substances as enter into the 
materia medica, .are developed, combined, 
and separated. We now proceed to our 
i pro posed 
Analysis of medicinal articles. 
On this subject we shall be as brief as pos- 
sible. A more ample analysis of the respect- 
ive substances treated of, will be found un- 
der their names as they occur in alphabetical 
.■order. 
In analysing the different productions of 
nature, we obtain a few substances which are 
incapable in our present state of knowledge 
of further decomposition. These substances 
are denominated simple. As, however, we 
have no means of ascertaining whether, at 
any r period of decomposition, we have arrived 
.at tiie ultimate particles of bodies, absolute 
simplicity can never be predicated of any sub- 
stance; and by the term simple, we merely 
mean to express the homogeneousness of any 
substance, as it relates to our present state 
.of chemical knowledge. See Chemistry. 
In the first order of simple substances, and 
■those indeed which appear to prefer the high- 
est claim to the character of simplicity, are 
the gases, oxygen, azote, and hydrogen; 
which are solid’ materials brought into a gas- 
eous condition by caloric. 
Of these, oxygen is the most important. 
Like otiier gases, it is elastic and invisible; 
if is a little heavier than common air. its 
distinguishing properties or characteristics, 
.are its power of supporting combustion and 
animal life. The compounds resulting from 
the union of oxygen with other materials 
form the most active medicinal agents. 
Thus, for example, quicksilver, when in its 
metallic state, is scarcely possessed of any act- 
ive properties in reference to the animal 
economy; on the contrary, when combined 
with oxygen, it constitutes one of the most 
powerful agents that are employed in medi- 
cine. 
Oxygen constitutes nearly one-fourth of at- 
mospheric air; united in a certain proportion 
with hydrogen, it forms water; and with cer- 
tain inflammable substances, acids. Indeed 
the element derives its name from being 
the acidifying principle. Oxygen, however, 
unites with many substances without render- 
ing them acid ; such are the compounds 
-which this element forms with the metals, as 
well as with large numbers of both vegetable 
and animal productions - 
Azote, like oxygen, when <pure and un- 
PHARMACY. 
combined, always exists in a gaseou > form ; 
this constitutes the remaining three-fourths 
of the atmosphere. It is lighter than atmo- 
spheric air; it is unable to support respira- 
tion or combustion ; and in the strictest sense 
it is net inflammable. Combined with oxy- 
gen, in a certain proportion, it forms, as just 
stated, atmospheric air ; in that proportion in 
which the two elements are saturated, it con- 
stitutes the nitric acid; with a smaller pro- 
portion, the nitrous acid : and -we may here 
observe, that the terminating syllables ic and 
mis, are used in all cases to denote the dif- 
ferent degrees in which oxygen enters into 
the composition of acids. Thus sulphur, 
with a larger quantity of oxygen, so as to 
constitute it a more perfect acid, is called 
tsuiphur/c; with a smaller proportion of this 
principle, it is named sulphureous acid. 
Azote, with a certain quantity of oxygen, 
insufficient to create acidity, torras nitrous 
and nitrous-oxyd gases, the last of which has 
been but very recently discovered, and has 
been celebrated by its extraordinary powers 
on the animal frame. 
Combined with hydrogen, in a given pro- 
portion, azote forms ammonia or volatile al- 
kali. 
Lastly, azote is an abundant principle in 
animal matter, and indeed chiefly occasions 
the variation in composition between this and 
vegetable substance. 
Hydrogen, the last of the simple gases, is 
extremely light and inflammable; its most 
important compound is water, formed, as just 
stated, by its union in a certain proportion 
with oxygen. Water, it is almost unneces- 
sary to observe, is one of the most important 
agents in pharmacy. 
Tlie next order of those substances which 
are considered as siipple, are the three in- 
flammable principles, carbon, sulphur, and 
phosphorus. 
Carbon is the basis of common charcoal. 
In this substance, however, it is combined 
with some oxygen; and it lias lately been 
demonstrated, that the diamond is the pure 
inflammable base of carbon. Combined with 
a larger quantity of oxygen, carbon con- 
stitutes the gaseous oxide of carbon ; when 
actually saturated with oxygen, it forms the 
carbonic acid gas, or what was formerly 
called fixed air. Carbon, united with hy- 
drogen and oxygen, forms several peculiar 
compounds, such as alcohol, ether, &c. 
Sulphur, we have already said, in combi- 
nation with oxygen, constitutes the sulphuric 
and sulphureous acids ; the latter is exten- 
sively employed in chemistry and pharmacy. 
Sulphur and hydrogen form a gaseous 
compound called sulphurated hydrogen, 
which is distinguished by a peculiar fuetor. 
Lastly, sulphur is a component principle of 
several animal, and of some few vegetable, 
substances. 
Phosphorus- has not been detected pure 
and uncombined. In the fossil kingdom, 
however, it is found combined both with se- 
veral of the earths and metals; and it also 
enters into the composition of many animal 
and vegetable productions. 
There are three acids, the muriatic, fluoric, 
and boracic, which, on account of their not 
having hitherto been decomposed, are re- 
garded as simple, but which analogy leads us 
to suppose are constituted in the same man- 
ner with other adds, viz, by thermion of their 
peculiar principle with oxygen; it is only the 
first of these that can be regarded as a phar- 
maceutic agent. It exists in abundance in 
sea-salt. When in a gaseous condition, it is 
remarkably pungect. It is capable of com- 
bining with a considerable portion of oxygen, 
so as to form the oxy muriatic acicl, which 
acts with energy on inflammable-substances. 
Metals form the third order of simple sub- 
stances. The distinguishing properties of 
these are opacity, brilliancy, ductility, fusi- 
bility, malleability, and superior specilic gra- 
vity to that of any other substances. They 
are rendered 'active on the system by com- 
bination with oxygen or with acids ; the most 
active of them, as w e have already observed, 
being almost inert in a metallic state. Dif- 
ferent metals are capable of combining w ith 
different quantities of oxygen ; four of them, 
arsenic, molybdena, tungsten, and tin, may 
be so far oxygenated, as to pass into the form 
of acids. 
The last order ojf simple substances is the 
earths. The characters of these are insipi- 
dity, infusibility, not being inflammable, 
and scarcely soluble, saving a specific gra- 
vity of less than five to one, and being ca- 
pable of combination with acids to form neu^ 
tral salts. 
The principal earths are the silex, argil, 
magnesia, lime, barytes, and strontites. Of 
these the magnesia and lime are in the most 
common use as medicines; the argillaceous 
compounds are not unfrequently employed 
and lately the barytic salts have been intro- 
duced into practice. 
Alkalies bear some resemblance to the 
earths. They have. -a penetrating taste ; they 
change the vegetable colours to a green ; 
they powerfully attract water, unite with oils, 
and with the acids form neutral salts. They 
are three; potass, soda, and ammonia-, the 
last has been proved to be compounded of 
azote and hydrogen, and it is probable that 
the others may ere long be demonstrated to 
be compound substances. 
AH the alkalies are employed in medicine; 
and they are likewise important agents in 
pharmacy. The names ot the neutral salts 
which are formed by the union of acids with 
alkalies, earths, and' metallic oxides, are 
chosen partly from the base and partly from 
the acid. All (for example) of the salts com- 
posed of the sulphuric acid, are denominated 
sulphals; as the sulphat of potass, of lime, 
Ac. When the acid forming the union is 
less pure, or when it is the sulphureous, the 
resulting compounds are denominated sul- 
phites; and this principle of nomenclature 
extends through- the whole of saline compo- 
sitions. 
We now proceed to state the proximate 
and ultimate principles of the vegetable and 
animal productions of nature; or of those 
substances which result from organization, in 
contradistinction to those of inert matter. By 
the proximate principles of organic matter, 
we mean those by the combination and sepa- 
ration of which a compound body may be 
formed or divided. The ultimate principles 
are the elements of which an integral body 
may consist, whether more or less complex 
in its composition. 
. The proximate principles of vegetables, 
which substances are the most common ob- 
jects of pharmacy, may be separated or amt 
