ADMINISTRATION  OF  BISMUTH. 
161 
The  reaction  of  sulphuric  acid  on  vegetable  ivory  has  enabled 
me  more  than  once  to  distinguish  immediately  between  filings  of 
this  substance,  and  bone  or  ivory  filings.  It  is  owing  to  the  well- 
known  action  of  this  acid  upon  albuminous  substances  in  presence 
of  sugar,  and  which  has  been  utilised  by  Raspail  in  his  micro- 
scopic researches.  But  whether  the  sugar  is  formed  by  the 
action  of  the  acid  in  the  cellulose,  or  pre-exists  already  formed 
in  the  substance  is  of  little  import.  I  incline,  however,  to  the 
first  opinion,  as  the  color  takes  a  little  time  to  show  itself  (five 
or  ten  minutes),  and  as  Mr.  Connel  did  not  find  any  sugar  ready 
formed. 
I  have  since  observed  that  the  white  portion  of  the  cocoa-nut 
presents  a  similar  reaction  with  sulphuric  acid  ;  the  color  pro- 
duced is  first  pink,  then  red,  reddish  purple,  and  finally,  in  about 
sixteen  hours,  a  fine  violet. 
The  colors  thus  produced  with  vegetable  ivory  and  cocoa-nut 
disappear  gradually  in  contact  with  water;  like  the  fine  reddish- 
brown  color  produced  with  essence  of  turpentine  and  sulphuric 
acid.— Chem.  News,  Nov.  14,  1863. 
UPON  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  BISMUTH  IN  THE 
SOLUBLE  FORM. 
By  Charles  R.  C.  Tichborne,  F.  C.  S. 
Under  the  name  of  Liq.  Bismuthi  there  has  been  introduced 
to  the  notice  of  the  Faculty  a  preparation,  which  purports  to 
possess  great  advantages  over  the  ordinary  basic  nitrate.  The 
desirable  points  in  this  preparation  are — first,  its  solubility  ; 
second,  its  slight  taste ;  and  third,  its  alkalinity.  It  has  also 
the  peculiarity  of  not  being  precipitable  by  water. 
I  felt  the  desirability  of  such  a  mode  .of  exhibiting  bismuth, 
and  therefore  made  an  analysis  of  the  solution  for  my  own  in- 
formation ;  and  as  it  possesses  certain  phases  of  interest,  I  now 
take  this  opportunity  of  placing  it  before  the  members  of  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society. 
A  qualitative  analysis  elicited  the  following : — The  solution 
contained  bismuth,  citric  acid,  and  ammonia ;  not  a  trace  of  nitric 
acid  could  be  detected  in  the  solution.  Liq.  Bismuthi  is  there- 
fore probably  a  solution  of  a  basic  salt,  having  a  composition 
11 
