Bromide of copper, like every other bromine derivative, has been tried in lieu of other bromides, especially in chorea and epilepsy, but was speedily found to be a. remedy for evil rather than good, and highly irritating to the stom ach. It is a grayish-black, crystalline powder resembling graphite, but soluble in water.
Copper Carbonate.—There are two forms of copper carbonate, viz.: the blue (sesquicupric carbonate), which is used only as a pigment; and the green car bonate (dicupric carbonate, or artificial carbonate), which is obtained in pow dered form and is soluble in acids only. It has been chiefly employed as an anti dote in phosphorus poisoning.
Chloride of copper has been employed on a few occasions as a remedy and as a substitute for the sulphate, but it pos sesses no advantages over the latter, and is even more caustic; it finds its principal use in the laboratory of the chemist.
IVitrate of copper (normal) appears as deep-blue, prismatic, deliquescent crys tals, obtained by dissolving the metal in nitric acid, evaporating, and cooling at a temperature not lower than 70° F. It is soluble in water and alcohol, and by the late Dr. Fleming was held to be superior to all other caustics in lupus, malignant ulcerations, and the small ex cavated semiphagedenic ulcers which oc cur on the genital organs of both males and females. It is very deliquescent, and can only be applied in a liquid state, the surrounding parts being well protected by oil. It differs from the sulphate in exciting a stronger, healthy or alterative action in the tissues around the ulcer after its destruction. A capital detergent lotion is had by dissolving 2 minims of the liquid nitrate of copper in an ounce .of water. It has been administered in ternally as an antisyphilitic, but without sufficient success to encourage its further use.
Oleate of copper, so called, is really an oleopalmitate, and is best prepared by the double decomposition of a hot solu tion of cupric sulphate (3 to of water) added to a hot solution of Ca.stile soap (8 to 32) and washing and drying the precipitate. On cooling it forms in solid, dark-green masses that may be subse quently pulverized. It finds chief em
ployment in plasters for warts and corns. An ointment is sometimes made by add ing 1 part of cupric oleate to 4 parts of an ointment-base, preferably one made I with 2 parts of vaselin and 1 part of par- I affin.
Black oxide of copper—there is a' red oxide also, but it only finds technical employment—or cupric monoxide, is a brownish-black, amorphous powder that has been employed as a twnicide and re solvent.
Phosphate of copper is a bluish-green powder, at one time heralded as a panacea for tuberculosis.
Copper salicylate appears in the form of bluish-green microscopical needles that are soluble in water, and has found its chief use as an antiseptic application.
Copper sulphate, sometimes termed blue vitriol, occurs as large, deep-blue, efflorescent crystals of strong, metallic, styptic taste. It is soluble in 2.6 parts of water at 59° F., in 0.5° F. of boiling water, and 3.5 parts of glycerin; insol uble in alcohol: decomposed by alkaline carbonates, borax, lead acetate, silver ni trate, mercuric hichloride, calcium chlo ride, and precipitated by all astringent vegetable infusions. It is mildly escha rotic, irritant, and in weak solutions stimulant and astringent; in large doses emetic, but undesirable, and oftentimes dangerous as such, except in cases of phosphorus poisoning, when it proves of special value because of the chemical changes induced.
Copper sulphide, cupric and copper sulphide cuprous, have been employed. as external applications in various degrees of dilution, but with no very satisfactory results: they are of more value to the technical chemist than to the physician.
Cupratin is a copper albuminoid prep aration analogous to ferratin.
Copper ointment is had in tA-vo forms, one of which is also termed a liniment. Thus, copper ointment proper—which obtains the synonyms of unguentum ceruginis, Egyptian ointment, and verdi gris ointment—is made by incorporating 30 grains of the finely-powdered diace tate ("prepared subacetate") salt with , /2 drachms of ointment-base, prefer ably that made with white n-ax. It is a mild stimulant and. escharotic.