406

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

oxide of antimony, which may be regarded as constituting its activeprinciple, and which, when present, is found in uncertain and inconstantquantity. Moreover, this variation in the composition of antimonialpowder cannot be regarded as the fault of the manufacturer, since itdepends, as Mr. Brande ( Manual of Pharmacy , 3d. ed. p. 292) hasjustly observed, “ upon slight modifications in the process, which canscarcely be controlled.”

Mr. Hawkins gave 5j. morning and evening without any obviouseffect; and the late Dr. Duncan, jun. administered 3j. and 5ss. doses,several times a-day, without inducing vomiting or purging ( Edinb. NewDispensat. 11th ed.) Dr. Elliotson ( Cases illustrative of the Efficacy ofthe Hydrocyanic Acid , p. 77) found even 120 grains nearly inert; nauseaalone being in some of the cases produced. In these instances I presumeit contained little or no sesquioxide.

But, on the other hand, a considerable number of practitioners havefound it to possess activity. Dr. Paris ( Pharmacologia ) observes, that“ it will be difficult for the chemist to persuade the physician that hecan never have derived any benefit from the exhibition of antimonialpowder.” I have above stated that the experiments on which Mr.Phillips founds his assertion that this preparation contains no sesquioxide,are inconclusive, as Dr. Maclagan (op, cit.) has shown. I am acquaintedwith one case in which it acted with great activity. A workman em-ployed in the manufacture of this powder in the laboratory of an opera-tive chemist in London , took a dose of it (which, from his account, 1estimate at half a teaspoonful), and, to use his own words, “ it nearlykilled him.” It occasioned violent vomiting, purging, and sweating.

Dr. James’s powder, which some practitioners consider as more activeand certain than our antimonial powder, appears to be equally inconstantin its operation. Dr. D. Monro ( Treatise on Med. fyPharm. Chem. i. 367),who frequently used this powder, and saw Dr. James himself, as well asother practitioners, administer it, observes—“ like other active prepara-tions of antimony, it sometimes operates with great violence, even whengiven in small doses; at other times a large dose produces very littlevisible effects. I have seen three grains operate briskly, both upwardsand downwards ; and I was once called to a patient, to whom Dr. Jameshad himself given five grains of it, and it purged and vomited the ladyfor twenty-four hours, and in that time gave her between twenty andthirty stools; at other times I have seen a scruple produce little or novisible effect.” Dr. Cheyne ( Dubl. Hosp. Rep. i. 315i thought highly ofit in the apoplectic diathesis : but he used it in conjunction with bleed-ing, purgatives, and a strict antiphlogistic regimen.

The preceding facts seem to me to show the propriety of omitting theuse of both antimonial and James’s powder, and substituting for themsome antimonial of known and uniform activity; as emetic tartar.

Uses. —Antimonial powder is employed as a sudorific in fevers andrheumatic affections. In the former it is given either alone or in com-bination with mercurials: in the latter it is frequently conjoined withopium as well as with calomel. In chronic skin diseases it is sometimesexhibited with alteratives.

Administration. —The usual dose of it is from 3 or 4 to 8 or 10 grains,in the form of powder or bolus.