Lange.nhan—The Arsenical Solutions. 
169 
“ Liquor Arsenicalis. ’ ’ 0. Olberg 84 offers a formula for the solu¬ 
tion in which he substitutes potassium hydroxide for the potassium 
bicarbonate. In this solution he claims that the arsenite exists as 
the di-potassium-mono-hydrogen-ortho-arsenite, K 2 HAs0 3 . After 
determining the amount of potassium arsenite formed when 5 
grams each of arsenous acid and potassium carbonate were heated 
in the presence of water, for varying intervals, C. Lonnes 85 con¬ 
cludes that the title “ Liquor Kali Arsenicosi” is a misnomer, and 
that “Liquor arsenicalis” is more correct. L. H. Bernegau 86 
states that the metarsenite is formed when arsenic trioxide and po¬ 
tassium bicarbonate are heated gently in the presence of water, 
(presumably as in the U. S. P. process), but that the dry salt has 
the formula, (according to Schmidt), of KAs0 2 , HAs0 2 + H 2 0. 
L. H. Bernegau 87 also reports that the dry salt always contains 
some uncombined potassium carbonate. Stocker 88 in his discussion 
on the P. Gr. solution points out that the amount of potassium 
carbonate prescribed is insufficient to saturate all of the arsenic 
trioxide. J. Zieghr 89 disagrees with Stocker on this point as does 
Schenk. 90 The Comment or zum D. A.-B. V . 91 states that the 
alkalinity of Fowler’s solution is due in part to the excess of potas¬ 
sium carbonate present. This would also tend to agree with Zieghr 
towards invalidating Stocker’s claim. 
In an attempt to determine whether a reaction takes place, 
towards the formation of an arsenite in Fowler’s solution, the fol¬ 
lowing experiments were performed. 
I.) The solutions resulting from the rate of solution experiments 
were reserved for further observations. Twenty-four hours after 
their preparation a deposit of crystals was noticed in the solution 
representing the greatest concentration. These crystals were sep¬ 
arated from the mother liquor by means of a force filter and freed 
from adhering liquid as much as possible by pressing between 
bibulous paper. Both crystals and mother liquor were assayed for 
84 The Apothecary, 2, p. 1 (1892.) 
85 Pharm. Ztg., 39, p. 90 (1894.) 
88 Am. Jour. Phar., 79, p. 553 (1907.) 
87 Proc. Pa. Ph. Ass’n., 33, p. 145 (1910.) 
88 Apoth. Ztg., 26, p. 335 (1911.) 
89 Apoth. Ztg., 26, p. 40 (1911.) 
80 Apoth. Ztg., 26, p. 379 (1911.) 
91 Kommentar zum Deutchen Arzneibuch, 5 Ausgabe, 1910, p. 64 by O. Ansel- 
mino and Ernst Gilg. 
