Pharmaceutical Notices. 
183 
ART. XL PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES — No. 11. i 
Impurity in Hydrargyrum cum Creta. — It is a matter of sin- 
cere regret that we are so frequently called upon to notice 
the wilful sophistication or accidental impurity of medicines, 
as it conveys an implied stigma upon the character or skill 
of fellow labourers in the same cause. But having deter- 
mined to expose every case which comes to our knowledge, 
in order that those who are conscientious in the discharge of 
their duties, may not be deceived by the faults of the adul- 
terator, or the carelessness of the unskilful, we submit the 
following remarks from our note book. 1835 — June. 
Complaints having been made of the quality of Hydrargy- 
rum cum Creta, procured from a respectable establishment in 
this city, and a small portion of it having been submitted to 
us for examination by Professor Dunglisson, on account of 
its effects having been very violent, in a case in which he 
had prescribed it, we were led from a cursory examination 
of this specimen to suspect an important impurity, and hence 
procured a large portion in order that we might correctly 
determine to what cause such effect was to be attributed. 
Physical properties. — The specimen examined bears Mau- 
der, Weaver and Mauder's label, and is of a deep bluish or 
rather brownish colour, essentially differing from the colour 
of that prepared according to the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. It is 
not perfectly triturated, having small white specks diffused 
through it. Sp. grav. 2.120. It appears to be made with a 
precipitated oxide of mercury, instead of, by trituration, with 
metallic mercury. Its taste is sensibly metallic, nauseous, 
and coppery, very persistent, although this is not perceived 
when first taken into the mouth. When washed with water, 
in order to separate the chalk, a few small globules of mer- 
cury are left with the oxide. In the process of washing, the 
chalk, which is suspended in the water, flows over the vessel 
quite blue, indicating that it is not completely separated from 
the oxide. 
