552 
Bismuthie  Hair-dye. 
{Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1882 
beard  and  hair.  But  as  tliis  mixture  is  quickly  decomposed  it  must 
not  be  made  until  just  as  it  is  goiug  to  be  used.  This  form  of  bis- 
muthie hair-dye,  therefore,  requires  to  be  sent  out  in  two  bottles,  one 
containing  the  bismuthie  solution,  the  other  the  solution  of  sodium 
hyposulphite  (1  part  of  solution  saturated  in  the  cold  diluted  with  5 
parts  of  water).  When  required  for  use  these  are  mixed  together  in 
equal  proportions. 
The  bismuthie  product  precipitated  by  tartaric  acid  and  water  can 
be  dissolved  by  means  of  carbonate  of  potash,  or  by  any  of  the  caustic 
or  carbonated  alkalies,  including  ammonia,  the  liquid  being  after  neu- 
tralized by  a  current  of  carbonic  acid  gas  and  filtered.  But  unfortun- 
ately this  neutral  product,  or  even  one  slightly  alkaline,  does  not  act 
as  a  dye  when  mixed  with  either  hyposulphite  of  soda  or  flowers  of  sul- 
phur. It  can  only  be  used  by  moistening  the  hair  first  with  the  bis- 
thumic  liquid,  and  then,  after  it  has  dried,  with  a  solution  of  sulphy- 
dric  acid  or  a  sulphide. 
This  dye  is  said  to  have  a  progressive  action,  and  to  produce  all  the 
shades  from  a  light  flaxen  to  a  deep  chestnut  color,  according  to  the 
number  of  applications  made. 
The  second  patent  was  taken  out  for  a  preparation  that  could  be 
sent  out  in  one  bottle,  M.  Naquet  while  pursuing  his  investigation, 
having  found  that  an  ammonical  solution  of  the  tartrobismuthic  pro- 
duct will  keep  indefinitely  when  mixed  with  solution  of  hyposulphite 
of  soda,  if  the  containing  bottle  be  kept  well  closed.  Such  a  mixture 
is  said  to  make  an  admirable  hair-dye,  it  decomposing  and  depositing 
sulphide  of  bismuth  in  proportion  as  it  loses  ammonia  and  is  acted 
upon  by  carbonic  acid  in  the  atmosphere.  The  degree  of  concentration 
of  the  liquid  is  not  of  great  importance,  nor  the  quantity  of  ammonia. 
The  following  is  the  working  formula  given  by  M.  Naquet: 
Dissolve  100  parts  of  bismuth  in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of 
ordinary  nitric  acid  (about  280  parts).  To  this  liquor  add  a  solution 
of  75  parts  of  tartaric  acid  in  water  and  then  a  rather  considerable 
quantity  of  water  to  ensure  complete  precipitation.  The  whole  is  then 
thrown  upon  a  filter  and  the  residue  washed  with  water  until  the 
wasliings  are  no  longer  acid.  The  magma  left  on  the  filter  is  then  put 
into  a  dish  and  solution  of  ammonia  gradually  stirred  in  until  all  is 
dissolved.  The  magma  derived  from  li  kilogram  of  bismuth  will 
require  0*8  or  0'9  liter  of  ammonia.  To  this  liquor  is  added  75  parts 
of  hyposulphite  of  soda  in  powder,  and  when  the  salt  is  dissolved  the 
