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Selected Articles. 
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ART. XI. — ON THE CYANURET OF POTASSIUM AS A REMEDIAL 
AGENT. By Felix Boudet. 
The cyanuret of potassium has for some years past been 
considered as a specific in neuralgia. Whether it be applied 
externally or administered internally, the dose is very small, 
and it is of the highest importance that its composition, and 
of course its strength, should always be identical, as the least 
variation might be attended with unpleasant consequences. 
From the observations of Dr. Trouve of Caen, published 
in the Journal de Chimie Medicale, (x. 23,) it appears that 
there is a great difference in the action of moist and long pre- 
pared cyanuret of potassium, and that which is dry and re- 
cent, and that this difference may occasion dangerous re- 
sults. 
If to this be added all the causes which may, during or 
after the preparation, modify the composition of the cyanuret 
and always at the expense of its efficacy, it will be seen how 
much the preparation and use of this remedy merits the most 
serious attention. 
It appears from the experiments of M. M. Pelouse and 
Geiger, that a concentrated solution of cyanuret of potassium 
subjected to ebullition in vacm, is decomposed by the mere 
elevation of temperature ; so that one proporlion of cyanuret 
acting on four proportions of water, gives rise to one propor- 
tion of ammonia which is disengaged, and to one proportion 
of formiate of potash. 
The same solution evaporated in the air, gives rise to a 
slow but continued disengagement of hydrocyanic acid, and 
