104 
ON  HYDRATED  SESQUI-OXIDE  OF  IRON. 
with  S03  and  NO.,,  and  obtained  sulpho-proteric  acid  and  xantho- 
proteic acid,  the  latter  readily  forming  xanthoproteate  of  potash 
with  this  alkali.  From  this  yellow  salt  in  solution,  S03  and  HC1, 
as  well  as  other  acids,  threw  down  a  copious  white  precipitate, 
which  was  soluble  in  potash. 
REMARKS  ON  THE  PREPARATION  OF  HYDRATED  SESQUI- 
OXIDE  OF  IRON  AS  AN  ANTIDOTE,  AND  ON  THE  DUTY  OF 
THE  PHARMACEUTIST  IN  REGARD  TO  IT. 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
There  are  few  antidotes  to  active  poisons  that  have  proved  more 
uniformly  successful  than  the  hydrated  sesqui  oxide  of  iron,  for 
poisoning  by  arsenious  acid.  Where  it  has  failed,  the  ill  success 
can,  in  most  instances,  be  traced  to  the  delay  in  obtaining  it;  to 
its  age,  and  consequent  dehydration,  when  kept  ready  prepared  ; 
to  the  excessive  quantity  of  the  poison,  or  to  the  neglect  of  a 
proper  preliminary  use  of  emetics  to  throw  off  undissolved  portions 
of  the  poison.  From  the  facility  with  which  arsenious  acid  can 
be  procured  in  this  and  other  cities,  this  poison,  from  its  widely 
known  reputation  for  virulence,  is  but  too  frequently  resorted  to 
by  the  suicide.  The  slowness  with  which  it  dissolves  in  water, 
is  a  circumstance  favorable  to  the  success  of  treatment ;  and  as, 
when  ingested  by  design,  it  is  merely  suspended  in  some  liquid, 
the  sooner  emesis  is  excited  the  better. 
The  object  of  these  remarks  has  reference  mainly  to  recall  at- 
tention to  a  few  suggestions  made  some  years  ago,*  which  will 
enable  any  apothecary  who  will  attend  to  them,  to  prepare  the 
antidote  in  its  most  eligible  form  in  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes 
notice  ;  and  also  to  urge,  that  it  is  his  conscientious  duty  to 
be  always  ready  to  furnish  the  antidote,  no  matter  how  few  may 
be  the  calls  for  it. 
The  following  formula,  which  is  somewhat  different  from  that 
proposed  in  1843,  is  easily  executed,  and  furnishes  a  concentrated 
solution  of  the  ter-sesqui-sulphate  of  iron  of  known  strength,  so 
that  the  operator  can  graduate  the  precise  quantity  of  oxide  by 
means  of  his  measure  glass. 
*  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  vol.  xiv.,  p.  35, 
