501 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [December 24,1870. 
added to the carbonate of ammonia, brisk efferves¬ 
cence ensues from the escape of carbonic anhydride. 
Nitrate of Bismuth. Ammon. Sesquicarb., B.P. 
4 [Bi 3 N 0 3 ] + 3 [(NH 4 ) 4 O s (CO,),] 
Nitrate of Ammonium. Gas. Carbonate of Bism., B.P. 
= 12 NH 4 N0 3 -}- 7 C0 2 + 2 (Bi0) 2 C0 3 . 
The formula of the carbonate of bismuth is best 
written as shown in the equation. The radicle BiO 
is univalent, for the same reasons as the analogous 
compound SbO. [See Antimon. Tart.] It forms a 
series of salts, by combining with acidulous radicles. 
They are more stable than the normal salts of bis¬ 
muth. 
Salts of Bismuth. 
Chloride . BiCl 3 
Nitrate . . Bi 3 N 0 3 
Carbonate. Bi 2 3 C0 3 
Oxide . . Bi 2 0 3 or 
Salts of Oxybismuthyl. 
(BiO)'Cl 
(BiO)' N 0 3 B.P. 
(Bi0)' 2 C0 3 B.P. 
(BiO)oO. 
Some of them, however, may be viewed as contain¬ 
ing (HO) in union with the bismuth instead of O. 
The official nitrate would thus be a compound inter¬ 
mediate between the hydrate and the nitrate. 
Hydrate. 
HO 
Bi 
HO 
(HO 
Intermediate Compounds. Nitrate. 
Bi 
(HO 
HO 
Bi 
(HO 
no 3 
Bi- 
(NO 
NO 
(N0 3 
B. F. 
INO, 
[no 
Carbonate of bismuth is a white powder insoluble 
in water, but soluble with effervescence in nitric acid. 
The nitric acid solution, if it contain not too much 
free acid, will give a white precipitate of subnitrate 
(hydrate-nitrate) Oil being poured into water. Tlii3 
precipitation of the acid solution by water is almost 
characteristic of bismuth. Chloride of antimony, 
which acts in a similar manner, is distinguished by 
forming by sulphuretted hydrogen an orange-coloured 
precipitate; bismuth gives a black sulphide. 
[§ The nitric acid solution of carbonate of bismuth 
gives no precipitate with diluted sulphuric acid nor 
with solution of nitrate of silver.] The former of these 
tests indicates the absence of carbonate of lead, the 
latter the absence of oxychloride of bismuth. 
[§ Carbonate of bismuth added to sulphuric acid 
coloured with sulphate of indigo, the colour of the 
latter is not discharged.] Freedom from any appre¬ 
ciable quantity of nitrate is thus ensured. 
Bismuthi Subnitras. —Purified bismuth is dis¬ 
solved in nitric acid, the solution reduced by evapo¬ 
ration, and then poured into water. The precipitate 
which forms is washed once, drained, and dried by 
a very gentle heat. The nitrate formed by dissolv¬ 
ing the bismuth in nitric acid is converted into hy¬ 
drate-nitrate (see Bism. Carb.) by the action of the 
water; thus— 
Bi 3 N 0 3 + 2 H 2 O = Bi N 0 3 (H 0) 2 + 2 H N 0 3 . 
A little nitrate of bismuth is retained in solution, 
and, if the washings are not preserved, is lost. 
Subnitrate of bismuth is recognized as a bismuth 
salt by the reactions described in connection with the 
carbonate. It is also liable to the same impurities. 
In addition it has been found to be extensively 
adulterated with phosphate of lime. To detect this 
substance, dissolve a portion of the sample in dilute 
nitric acid; precipitate out the whole of the bismuth 
by a stream of sulphuretted hydrogen ; filter the 
liquid, and heat it to expel excess of H 2 S. Test a 
small portion for phosphoric acid, by adding a slight 
excess of molybdate of ammonium ; a yellow preci¬ 
pitate will be formed. Test another portion for cal¬ 
cium, by neutralizing by ammonia, then adding 
acetic acid in excess, and lastly a soluble oxalate. 
A white precipitate of oxalate of calcium will be 
formed. 
Bismuthum purificatum.— The process of purifi¬ 
cation recommended in the Pharmacopoeia consists 
in fusing commercial bismuth with the addition of 
a small quantity of nitre. Besides being very waste¬ 
ful of the bismuth, this method is inadequate to the 
removal of the whole of the impurities usually pre¬ 
sent. Arsenic and lead are oxidized and carried off 
in the scoria ; but the greater part of the copper 
which exists in most samples, and the silver, when 
that metal is present, are left in the fused metal. 
Probably the only method by which pure bismuth 
can be obtained consists in dissolving the crude 
metal in nitric acid, precipitating by the addition of 
water, and washing the precipitate. This by igni¬ 
tion would be converted into the oxide, and the oxide 
into the metal, by heating it with charcoal. 
Bismuth, considering it as a metal and not as a 
metalloid, is a very fusible substance. Its melting- 
point is a little over 500° F.; specific gravity T8. 
PLANTS AS MANUFACTURERS. 
(Concluded from page 487.) 
Many of our manufacturers excel in the art of pack¬ 
ing, but never were goods so well or so closely packed 
as the coal measures. Living plants are likewise most 
skilful in this line. All their products aro done up in 
handy bundles for transportation or conveyance to the 
end of the earth. Fancy the trouble it would have been 
to us had wheat grains been the size of quartern loaves, 
peas like dumplings, or apples big as pumpkins! 
The packages of plants are not only of the best size, 
but the wrappers are mostly air- or waterproof. We all 
know the importance of this with perishable articles. 
Hams, tongues, meats, and sweets can only be preserved 
in airproof packages. There is another singular pecu¬ 
liarity about the packing done by the plants. The 
entire plant is often stowed away within a single portion 
of it. Annuals are packed up within their tiny seeds, 
and bulbous plants within their bulbs. This is of im¬ 
mense importance for close stowage and safe distribu¬ 
tion. This arrangement brings, as it were, the genial 
climes and bright suns of other countries to cheer and 
enliven this. What would many of our winter drawing¬ 
rooms and conservatories be without the sweetness and 
the beauty of good Dutch bulbs ? These let loose before 
our admiring eyes all the grandeur and the fragrance 
born of John Dutchman’s summer. In the same way 
Cape bulbs and orchids bring to us, ready for immediate 
use, the glories of the tropical sunlight and the warm 
tints painted by the heat of such climes. 
Finally, plants are cleanly manufacturers. They 
make little or no dirt. They touch decomposition at all 
points, but it is to recompose it. They absorb foul 
odours, but they are no longer foul, they convert them 
into sweetness. No law is needed to make plants con¬ 
sume their own smoke. Tliey make none. No strin¬ 
gent enactments need to be enforced about their chemi¬ 
cal processes; they are inoffensive. No scavengers are 
required to. gather up their rubbish,—they are their 1 own 
scavengers. True, many of their working hands (the 
leaves) only live one year, and then seek a grave upon 
or within the earth. But these speedily disappear, and 
are, in fact, again taken into the factory to strengthen 
and enlarge it. 
The penalty exacted from most great centres of 
manufacturing industry and commercial activity is an 
