ON THE COMPOSITION OF JAMES' POWDER. 155 
lime, not chemically combined, but mechanically mixed in 
variable proportions. 
In general, they are believed, in point of medicinal virtue, 
to be nearly equivalent to one another, but most practitioners 
seem to find that the patent medicine is the less variable in 
its action of the two. From what I have been able to observe 
of the efficacy of these two powders, I am induced to sub- 
scribe to the above opinion; at the same time, I have often 
been disappointed in finding any beneficial effect from the 
true James' powder, as well as from the pulvis antimonialis. 
I can by no means subscribe to the assertion of some physi- 
cians, that either of these preparations is invariably inert, but 
on the contrary, have several times seen purging, vomiting, 
and sweating all produced by them. A substance, however, 
which is uncertain in its action, is even worse than one which 
is known to be inert, and, therefore, this last statement cannot 
be held as being much in favor of either of these medicines. 
Their inefficacy has been ascribed to their chemical composition, 
which the above analysis would lead us to believe to be of 
antimonious acid and phosphate of lime, — the former a very 
insoluble substance, the latter perfectly inert. None of these 
experiments, however, seem to offer any satisfactory explana- 
tion of the fact that these medicines are uncertain in their ac- 
tion, rather than inert. I have, therefore, been induced to 
make an examination of some specimens of James' powder, 
with a view to ascertain this if possible. 
There are two sorts of James' powder found in the shops, 
one sold by Messrs. Butler and Company, bearing the signa- 
ture of a Mr. James, a descendant of the inventor, who manufac- 
tures it; the other made by Messrs. Newberry of London, each 
of which professes to be prepared according to the original 
formula of Dr. James. Both preparations are alike in exter- 
nal appearance, except that in the specimens which I have 
met with, that prepared by Messrs. Newberry seemed to be 
more finely powdered than the other. 
One hundred grains of Butler's James' powder were boiled 
