The Action of Medicines in the System: Or, on the mode in which therapeutic agents introduced into the stomach produce their peculiar effects on the animal economyHeadland, Frederick William
Science
The Action of Medicines in the System: Or, on the mode in which therapeutic agents introduced into the stomach produce their peculiar effects on the animal economy
Headland, Frederick William
Therapeutics
EXP. 1.--Ten grains of calomel were given to a large dog. It was
killed after three hours, allowing this time for digestion. A
considerable quantity of blood was collected from the Portal vein,
and submitted to analysis to determine whether it contained any
compound of Mercury in an insoluble form. The blood was dried and
pulverized. The result was boiled for some time in water, and the
insoluble part collected. It was dissolved in a small quantity of
aqua regia, and the clear acid solution placed in a test tube. A
slip of zinc foil was folded round a narrow plate made of gold
foil, and introduced into the solution. A galvanic current being
thus set up, the minutest quantity of mercury, if present, would
have been deposited on the gold, so as to tarnish it. But this did
not take place, and when at last the zinc was completely dissolved,
the gold remained as bright as before. Thus there was _no_ Calomel,
or compound of mercury, present in the insoluble form.
EXP. 2.--Ten grains of strong mercurial ointment (containing half
its weight of metallic mercury, with some oxide) were given to
another dog. He was killed after the same time, and the Portal
blood analyzed carefully in the same way, but here also _no_
mercurial compound was present in the insoluble form.
EXP. 3.--To a third dog five grains of Oxide of Silver were
administered. After three hours he was killed. The Portal blood was
dried in a water-bath, and reduced to powder. This was boiled for
some time in water, which was separated by filtration. Aqua regia
was then boiled on the insoluble part. This would convert any
silver into chloride. The acid was evaporated off as much as
possible, and the solid remainder heated in a small porcelain
crucible to dull redness. The result was powdered, and digested in
liquor ammoniæ. It was filtered, and excess of nitric acid was
added. There was not any precipitate. Had chloride of silver been
present, it would have been dissolved by the ammonia, and
precipitated by the acid. Thus no insoluble silver compound was
contained in the blood analyzed.
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