QUALITIES. _Form_, grains concreted together, dry, yet slightly
unctuous. _Colour_, deep brown with a shade of red; _Odour_, aromatic,
peculiar, diffusive, and durable; and it has the curious property, when
added in a minute quantity, to augment the odour of other perfumes
without imparting its own; this renders it a valuable article in
perfumery, on which account it is a usual ingredient in lavender water.
_Taste_, bitterish and heavy. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. Resin combined with
volatile oil, and a mucilaginous extractive matter, with small portions
of albumen, gelatine, muriate of ammonia, and phosphate of soda.
SOLUBILITY. Boiling water dissolves it perfectly; rectified spirit takes
up most of its active parts, although the odour is only discovered upon
dilution; sulphuric æther is its most complete menstruum. INCOMPATIBLE
SUBSTANCES. The solutions are decomposed by _Oxy-muriate of Mercury_;
_Sulphate of Iron_; _Nitrate of Silver_; and the _Infusion of Yellow
Bark_. MED. USES. Stimulant and antispasmodic. As early as the time of
Meade it was employed in typhus fever; Pringle administered it in gout
of the stomach, a practice which received the concurrence of Cullen;
conjoined with ammonia it has been celebrated for its powers in
arresting the progress of gangrene, and of imparting fresh excitement to
the nervous system. It has been also administered with success in
epilepsy, hooping cough, and other spasmodic affections. FORMS OF
EXHIBITION. The best form is that of bolus, combined with ammonia or
camphor, or some other similar remedy, (_Form. 21_); it may be also
administered in a mixture, for which purpose it requires five times its
weight of mucilage, consequently the London College has not directed a
sufficient quantity to retain the musk in suspension: by previously
triturating it with sugar, its minute division is much facilitated.
DOSE, grs. x to xxx. See _Form. 22, 30_. OFFICINAL PREP. _Mist. Mosch_.
L. _Tinct. Mosch_. D. ADULTERATIONS. The bag containing the musk should
have no appearance of having been opened: the presence of _dried blood_
may be suspected, by its emitting, as it inflames, a fetid smoke;
_Asphaltum_ is discovered by its melting and running before it inflames:
the artificial bags are known from the deficiency of the membrane which
lines the real musk bags. To increase the weight of the musk, fine
particles of lead are frequently added; this is easily detected, for by
rubbing it with water the metallic particles will subside.
MOSCHUS FACTITIUS. _Artificial Musk_, strongly resembling the real, may
be formed by digesting f℥ss of _Nitric Acid_, for ten days, upon ℥j of
fetid animal oil, obtained by distillation; to this is to be next
gradually added oj of _rectified spirit_, and the whole is then to be
left to digest for one month: or—
2. Drop fʒiiiss of nitric acid upon fʒj of rectified oil of amber;
after standing twenty-four hours, a black, resinous pellicle,
exhaling the odour of musk, will be formed.