618 POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§§ 783 - 786 . 
The spectroscope will readily detect strontia and potassium, and the analysis 
presents no difficulty. In addition to these a very great number of other pyro- 
technical preparations contain antimony. 
§ 783. Alloys. —Antimony is much used in alloys. The ancient Pocula emetica, 
or everlasting emetic cups, were made of antimony; wine standing in them for a 
day or two acquired emetic properties. The principal antimonial alloys are Britannia 
and type metal, the composition of which is as follows :— 
* 
Tin, 
per cent. 
Copper, 
per cent. 
Antimony, 
per cent. 
Britannia metal, best . 
920 
1-8 
6-2 
,, ,, common 
921 
20 
5-9 
„ ,, for castings 
92-9 
1-8 
5-3 
„ „ for lamps . 
94 0 
1-3 
4-7 
Tea Lead, 
Antimony, 
Block Tin, 
per cent. 
per cent. 
per cent. 
Type metal . 
/(i) 
' \( 2 ) 
75 
70 
20 
25 
5 
5 
Metal for stereotype 
84-2 
13-5 
2-3 
There is also antimony in brass, concave mirrors, bell-metal, etc. 
§ 784. Pigments. Cassella and Naples yellow are principally composed of the 
antimoniate of lead. 
Antimony Yellow is a mixture of antimoniate of lead with basic chloride 
of lead. 
§ 785. Dose. —A medicinal dose of a soluble antimonial salt should 
not exceed 97-2 mgrms. (If grain). With circumstances favouring its 
action, a dose of 129-6 mgrms. (2 grains) has proved fatal ; 1 but this 
is quite exceptional, and few medical men would consider so small a 
quantity dangerous for a healthy adult, especially since most posological 
tables prescribe tartar emetic as an emetic in doses from 64-8 to 194-4 
mgrms. (1 to 3 grains). The smallest dose which has killed a child 
appears to be 48-5 mgrms. (f grain). 2 The dose of tartar emetic for 
horses and cattle is very large, as much as 5-832 grms. (90 grains) 
being often given to a horse in his gruel three times a day. 3-8 grms. 
(60 grains) are considered a full, but not an excessive, dose for cattle ; 
•38 grm. (6 grains) is used as an emetic for pigs, and half this quantity 
for dogs. 
§ 786. Effects of Tartar Emetic and of Antimony Oxide on Animals. 
—Large doses of tartar emetic act on the warm-blooded animals as on 
man ; whether the poison is taken by the mouth, or injected subcu- 
1 Taylor, Guy's Hosp. Reports, Oct. 1857. 
2 Op. cit. 
