Am,  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1889. 
Mercurammonium  Chlorides. 
521 
NH2HgCl,  into  the  compound  NH2Hg  •  O  •  HgCl  when  heated  with 
water. 
Employing  solutions  of  the  same  strength  as  in  previous  cases/ 
200  cc.  of  mercuric  chloride  solution  was  mixed  with  150  cc.  of 
potassium  hydroxide  solution  and  then  with  100  cc.  of  ammonia  solu- 
tion, agitated  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  filtered,  washed,  and  dried  at 
100°.    The  precipitate  has  the  composition  , 
NHgaCl  +  NHaHg-0-HgCl, 
is  not  affected  by  boiling  water,  and  does  not  alter  even  if  heated  in 
a  current  of  air  at  140°  for  two  hours. 
300  cc.  of  potash  solution  was  mixed  with  600  cc.  of  ammonia  and 
600  cc.  of  mercuric  chloride  was  added.  The  precipitate  was  at  first 
yellow,  but  soon  became  white.  Analysis  of  the  filtrate  and  the  pre- 
cipitate showed  that  the  latter  had  the  composition  NHg2Cl  -f-  2NH2 
HgCl  +  NH2HgOHgCl.  If  only  ammonia  is  in  excess,  so  that  no 
ammonium  chloride  is  found  in  the  filtrate,  the  proportion  of  mercury 
in  the  precipitate  becomes  less,  the  mercurammonium  chloride,  JN  H2 
HgCl,  being  completely  decomposed.  The  same  result  is  obtained 
whether  the  mercuric  chloride  is  added  to  the  mixture  of  potash  and 
ammonia  or  potash  is  added  to  a  mixture  of  the  other  two. 
200  cc.  of  mercuric  chloride  was  mixed  with  400  cc.  of  ammonia 
and  the  precipitate  washed  by  decantation  and  mixed  with  one  molec- 
ular proportion  of  potassium  hydroxide.  After  agitation  for  one  and 
a  half  hours,  the  precipitate  was  washed  and  dried  at  110°.  Analysis 
of  the  filtrate  and  the  precipitate  shows  that  mercurammonium 
chloride  is  decomposed  by  potassium  hydroxide,  whilst  at  the  same 
time  it  is  decomposed  by  water  with  formation  of  Millon's  salt  and 
ammonium  chloride,  the  composition  of  the  precipitate  being  NHg2Cl 
rF2NiJ2HgOHgCl. 
In  all  these  reactions,  when  ammonium  chloride  is  formed  mercur- 
ammonium chloride  is  also  produced,  but  if  ammonium  chloride  is 
not  formed  the  precipitates  contain  only  the  compounds  NHg2Cl  and 
NH2Hg  O  HgCl.  The  dimercurammoniam  chloride  is  converted  by 
excess  of  ammonium  chloride  into  mercurammonium  chloride. 
Valerianic  ether  has  been  used  as  a  stimulant,  more  particularly  for 
anaemic  women  subject  to  fainting  fits.    It  is  administered  in  pearls. 
Pomade  for  chapped  Hands.— Lanolin,  100  gtn. ;  paraffin  oil,  10  gm.; 
vanillin,  0*1  gm. ;  oil  of  rose,  1  drop.  Apply  morning  and  evening.  Rev.  Ther.  Med. 
