238 
Bismuth  Citrate. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1886. 
ammonia.  The  writer  credited  this  turbidity  to  the  presence  of  bis- 
muthyl  chloride,  with  which  the  commercial  nitrate  is  known  to  be  con- 
taminated. On  a  later  occasion  it  was  thought  desirable  to  ascertain 
its  relative  amount  and  incidentally  its  identity.  Hence  200  grains  of 
the  citrate  was  mixed  with  some  water  and  treated  with  ammonia  in  ex- 
cess. The  mixture  was  set  aside  and  when  the  turbidity  had  firmly 
subsided  the  clear  liquor  was  decanted.  The  residue  was  repeatedly 
washed  and  finally  dried.  It  was  found  to  weigh  2J  grains.  Conse- 
quently it  amounted  to  one  and  a  quarter  per  cent.  The  dry  substance 
had  a  dingy  white  appearance.  When  heated  in  a  dry  test  tube  it 
evolved  some  water  but  no  very  distinctive  odor.  The  residue  on 
further  heating  to  redness  at  first  turned  brown  and  finally  became 
light  yellow.  The  unheated  body  did  not  dissolve  in  dilute  nitric 
acid  even  on  boiling,  it  however  readily  dissolved  in  cold  strong  nitric 
acid.  When  this  solution  was  diluted  with  water  and  treated  with 
ammonia  the  characteristic  bismuth  hydrate  was  precipitated.  On 
treating  the  clear  supernatant  liquor  with  barium  chloride  and  nitric 
acid  a  very  distinct  sulphuric  acid  reaction  became  evident.  On 
adding  argentic  nitrate  to  the  dilute  nitric  solution  of  the  body  an 
abundant  white  curdy  precipitate  formed.  This  on  washing  readily 
dissolved  in  ammonia  water  from  which  solution  nitric  acid  promptly 
liberated  it.  On  exposure  to  light  the  precipitate  became  deep  purple 
tinted.  These  results  showed  that  the  insoluble  residue  is  chiefly  bis- 
muthyl  chloride  contaminated  with  sulphate.  The  precipitation  of 
bismuth  hydrate  from  its  nitric  solution  by  means  of  ammonia  shows 
the  absence  of  citrate  as  also  does  the  non-appearance  of  empyreuma  on 
incineration.  Its  relatively  small  amount  further  shows  the  phe- 
nomenal purity  of  American  subnitrate  of  bismuth. 
It  thus  appears  that  the  Scotch  apothecary  did  not  examine  the  bis- 
muthyl  citrate  which  he  proclaimed  with  such  confidence.  His  result 
is  surely  not  an  encouraging  "  outcome  of  better  chemical  knowledge/' 
In  conclusion  the  writer  will  say  without  arrogating  any  importance 
to  himself  that  the  Revision  Committee  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia 
showed  rare  discretion  in  not  permitting  a  slight  impurity  or  preju- 
dice to  stand  in  their  way  of  adopting  a  practical  and  efficient  process. 
Boric  Acid  in  Offensive  Urine. — An  English  physician  says  he 
has  met  with  no  case  of  offensive  urine  (intestinal-vesical  fistula  excepted)  that 
ten  or  twenty  grains  of  boric  acid,  given  every  three  hours,  would  not  cure. 
— Canadian  Practitioner. 
