PILLS OF MERCURY.

455

protoxide of mercury. It contains three parts of mercury and five ofchalk.

Physiological Effects. —It is an exceedingly mild but valuablemercurial. In full doses it acts as a gentle laxative, promoting thesecretion of bile and intestinal mucus, but sometimes creating a littlesickness. The chalk renders it antacid. By repeated use it occasionsthe constitutional effects of mercury already described.

Uses. —It is a valuable remedy in syphilis infantum. It is frequentlyemployed to promote and improve the secretions of the liver, pancreas,and bowels, in various disordered conditions of the digestive organs,accompanied by clay-coloured stools or purging. In strumous affec-tions of children (especially enlarged mesenteric glands), and otherchronic maladies, it is administered with great advantage as analterative.

Administration. —To adults it is given in doses of from five grains toa scruple, or half a drachm. For children the dose is two or threegrains. Rhubarb, carbonate of soda, or, in some cases, Dover’s powder,may be conjoined with it.

Hydrar'gyrum cum Magnesia. — Mer'cury with Magnesia .

Under this name there is a compound in the Dublin Pharmacopoeia,prepared by rubbing two parts of mercury with two parts of manna untilthe globules disappear, and then washing out the manna with water, andadding eight parts of subcarbonate of magnesia. Its effects and uses areanalogous to the preparation just described.

Pit nice Hydrargyri,—Pills of Mer'cury.

History. —The oldest formula for mercurial pills is that of Barbarossa(at one time admiral of the Turkish fleet, and afterwards governor orking of Algiers ), and which was communicated by him to Francis theFirst, king of Franconia, who made it public. The common name forthis preparation is blue pill, or pilulte ccerulea.

Preparation. —In the London Pharmacopoeia it is ordered to be pre-pared by rubbing two drachms of purified mercury with three drachmsof confection of roses, until globules are no longer visible, and thenadding a drachm of powdered liquorice-root. In the Dublin Pharmaco-poeia extract of liquorice is substituted for the root. In the EdinburghPharmacopoeia one part of mercury, one of confection of roses, and twoof starch, are employed. The friction is usually effected by steam power.By trituration the metal is reduced to a finely-divided state, and becomesintimately mixed with the confection and liquorice powder.

Properties. —It is a soft mass, of a convenient consistence for makinginto pills, and has a dark blue colour. When rubbed on paper, or glass,it ought to present no globules; but applied to gold it communicates asilvery stain.

Composition. —Three grains of this pill contain one grain of mercury.

Impurity. —If any sulphuric acid should have been added to theconfection to brighten its colour, some subsulphatc of mercury will beformed—a compound which possesses very energetic properties.