The virtues of calx of antimony are variously represented by different writers, some ascribing to it the power of an excellent diaphoretic, others asserting that it even proves violently emetic, and others, among whom is the great Boerhaave, declaring it a mere inert earth intirely destitute of all medicinal virtue. The College of Physicians of London, who had formerly directed this preparation, under the title of diaphoretic antimony, thought proper, because of the various opinions concerning its operation, to change its name to that of calx of antimony, till its medicinal qualities should be better ascertained[51]. These different judgments can scarce be supposed to have been delivered by competent judges concerning the same medicine, but may be accounted for from the different manner in which the process for making the calx may have been conducted. The common nitre, with which it is prepared, contains some portion of sea-salt, and when that abounds, the proportion of nitre being less, the calx may prove an active remedy[52]. If it is not sufficiently calcined, or perfectly freed from the reguline parts by washing, such of these as remain, may produce more sensible effects than are to be expected when it is duly prepared, and hence perhaps proceed the contradictory opinions of chymists and physicians concerning this antimonial preparation. But the assertion of its being a mere inert earth, is not well founded, since a small dose of it sometimes produces violent effects; and it may be reduced by fusion, with inflammable fluxes, into pure regulus. It enters the composition of a medicine described by the judicious Doctor Morton, with which, in three instances, he cured an obstinate intermitting fever. In one case the disease was of two years standing, and in all of them had resisted a diligent and skilful application of the Peruvian bark. But these were the only opportunities he had of trying it; for having never met with any other case in which that excellent febrifuge disappointed his expectation, he deemed it an unpardonable wantonness to use a precarious remedy, while he was possessed of one more certain and efficacious[53]. It is also recommended by Van Swieten in the peripneumony, as a deobstruent and expectorant[54]. Crocus of antimony is made by deflagrating equal parts of antimony and nitre: it operates as a violent emetic when given from two to six grains. A preparation of this kind, recommended to the London College of Physicians by one of their own members, under the title of milder crocus of antimony, as a medicine of mild operation and eminently efficacious, was inserted in their Dispensatory; but the committee appointed to review and correct it having had some comparative trials reported to them of this and the common crocus, which rendered them dubious of their effects, were induced to leave the matter to be further examined[55].