By other processes the early experimenters obtained various other
products. By simply heating crude antimony in a crucible they would
sometimes get a vitreous substance in consequence of some of the silica
of the crucible combining with the antimony. That was their glass of
antimony, which was generally an oxide with some sulphide. In other
cases the so-called liver of antimony resulted, a compound containing
a larger proportion of the sulphide. This they also called crocus
metallorum or saffron of the metals, and one or other of these products
was originally the basis of antimonial wine.
It was digested with Rhine wine, and the tartar of the wine formed a
tartrate of antimony, but, as may be supposed, the composition of the
wine was very variable. Emetic tartar was subsequently substituted for
the liver.
The crystalline protoxide of antimony obtained by inflaming,
volatilising, and condensing the regulus was known as argentine flowers
of antimony. The regulus heated with nitric acid yielded a compound of
metal with antimonious acid, and was called mineral bezoar; a compound,
really a suboxide, got by fusing sulphide of antimony and nitre was
called diaphoretic antimony; the chloride, first made by distilling
crude antimony (the native sulphide) with corrosive sublimate, yielded
the thick soft butter of antimony; the addition of water to this
chemical caused the precipitation of a white oxychloride which was
long known as Algaroth’s powder, or mercury of life. It contained no
mercury, but was the most popular emetic before the introduction of
the tartrate. Victor Algarotti, who introduced it, was a physician, of
Verona, who died in 1603. It was alleged that he was poisoned by his
local rivals in consequence of the success of his remedy. He was also
the inventor of a quintessence of gold.
The regulus of antimony in alloy with some tin was used to make the
antimony cups from which antimonial wine originated. It was also made
into the pilulæ perpetuæ, or everlasting pills, which, passing through
the body almost unchanged, were kept as a family remedy and taken
again and again. It is probable that the surface of these pills became
slightly oxidised, and consequently acquired a medicinal effect.