212     SULPHOCARBOLIC  ACID  AND  THE  SULPHOCARBOLATES. 
thirds  its  weight  of  boiling  water.  Soluble  to  a  slight  extent  in 
alcohol,  but  insoluble  in  ether. 
Sulphocarbolate  of  soda  is  a  nearly  colorless  salt,  possessing  a 
slight  pinkish  tinge.  It  has  a  somewhat  saline,  bitterish  taste, 
and  a  faint  odor  of  carbolic  acid  ;  neutral  to  test  paper  ;  pro- 
duces no  precipitate  with  chloride  of  barium,  nitrate  of  baryta, 
or  the  acetate  of  lead.  With  the  sesquichloride  of  iron  and  the 
liquor  ferri  nitratis  it  produces  a  beautiful  purple  color,  charac- 
teristic of  the  sulphocarbolic  acid. 
The  crystals  should  be  well  dried  by  exposing  them  to  the 
air  in  a  warm  place  on  filtering  or  porous  paper. 
The  reactions  which  take  place  when  the  salt  is  formed  may 
be  represented  by  the  following  equation  :  ]S[aO,C02  -\-  C12H5- 
0,  SO3  2H0  =  ]SraO,CioH,OS03HO  +  CO^. 
In  heating  this  salt  to  a  high  degree  it  loses  thirty  per  cent, 
of  its  weight,  and  falls  into  a  grayish  white  powder,  giving  a 
white  precipitate  with  chloride  of  barium,  nitrate  of  baryta  and 
acetate  of  lead ;  with  the  sesquichloride  of  iron  and  the  solu- 
tion of  ternitrate  of  iron  it  produces  a  deep  reddish  color.  If 
the  heat  is  continued  to  redness  it  takes  fire,  and  burns  without 
flame.  Nitric  acid  added  to  a  solution  of  the  salt  gradually  ac- 
quires a  reddish-brown  color. 
The  therapeutical  properties  of  sulphocarbolate  of  soda  have 
not  been  thoroughly  investigated.  It  has  been  used  in  phthisis 
with  marked  success  ;  also  in  zymotic  diseases  with  favorable 
results.  It  has  been  given  in  doses  ranging  from  ten  to  sixty 
grains.* 
Several  physicians  of  this  city  have  used  the  sulphocarbolate 
of  soda  in  the  treatment  of  disease.  Among  the  number  the  fol- 
lowing have  been  reported.    One  case  was  that  of  Anna  E  , 
having  suffered  from  ozena  for  several  years  ;  the  sulphocarbolate 
'of  soda  was  used,  varying  the  strength  from  two  to  eight  grains 
to  the  fluid-ounce  of  water.  It  was  used  twice  daily,  with  Thu- 
dicums  nasary  douche,  with  the  most  flattering  success. 
It  was  also  used  as  a  topical  application  in  a  case  of  syphilitic 
sore  mouth  with  good  results.  In  this  case  the  strength  of  the 
solution  used  was  3i  to  f^iv  of  water,  f 
London  Practitioner,  July,  1869.    f  Cases  reported  by  Dr.  Collins. 
