ADMINISTRATION  OP  BISMUTH. 
165 
represent  fifteen  or  twenty  grains  of  the  subnitrate,  but  it  was 
evident  from  Mr.  Schacht's  explanation  that  this  soluble  form 
of  bismuth  was  much  more  active  than  the  old  insoluble  form, 
and  hence  the  much  smaller  dose  proved  equally,  if  not  more, 
efficacious. 
Dr.  Redwood  was  anxious  to  say  a  word  or  two  with  refer- 
ence to  the  name  Mr.  Schacht  had  given  to  his  preparation. 
Now,  that  the  composition  of  liquor  bismuthi  was  no  longer  a 
secret,  he  thought  it  very  desirable  that  a  name  should  be  given 
to  it  indicating  what  its  composition  was.  He  thought  the 
practice  of  introducing  new  medicines  under  names  that  afforded 
no  indication,  or  a  very  imperfect  indication,  of  what  they  were, 
was  much  to  be  regretted.  Such  a  practice  often  caused  much 
inconvenience  and  difficulty  to  pharmaceutists  in  dispensing, 
and  also  deprived  medical  men  of  the  means  of  ascribing  the 
effects  of  such  medicines  to  their  true  causes.  He  should  be 
glad  to  know  from  Mr.  Schacht  whether  he  had  formed  any 
opinion  as  to  the  constitution  of  the  compound  of  bismuth  con- 
tained in  his  liquor  bismuthi,  and  whether  he  had  observed,  as 
stated  by  Mr.  Tichbourne,  that  ammonia  was  evolved  when  the 
oxide  of  bismuth  was  dissolved  in  the  neutral  citrate  of  ammo- 
nia. He  knew  that  Mr.  Schacht  was  not  unaccustomed  to 
speculations  and  investigations  relating  to  the  constitution  of 
salts. 
Mr.  Schacht  remarked  that  his  process  not  being  the  same 
as  that  described  by  Mr.  Tichbourne,  he  had  not  an  opportunity 
of  observing  the  effect  referred  to  on  dissolving  the  oxide  in  ci- 
trate of  ammonia.  He  had,  however,  found  it  desirable  to  add 
a  little  excess  of  ammonia,  so  as  to  make  the  solution  alkaline. 
He  had  no  theory  to  suggest  with  reference  to  the  constitution 
of  the  salt  of  bismuth  present  in  the  solution. 
The  President  expressed  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  to  the 
author  of  the  paper  for  his  communication,  and  to  Mr.  Schacht 
for  the  information  he  had  given  respecting  his  very  elegant 
and  efficient  preparation  of  bismuth.  He  quite  agreed,  how- 
ever, with  Dr.  Redwood,  that  the  names  given  to  medicines 
should,  as  far  as  possible,  represent  their  composition. — Trans. 
Pharm.  Soc,  Dec.  2d,  1863. 
