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EPSOM SALTS

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Originally appearing in Volume V09, Page 709 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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EPSOM SALTS , heptohydrated See also:magnesium sulphate, MgSO4 7HZO, the magnesii sulphas of See also:pharmacy (Ger. Bittersalz). It occurs dissolved in See also:sea See also:water and in most See also:mineral See also:waters, especially in those at Epsom (from which See also:place it takes its name), Seidlitz, Saidschutz and Pullna. It also occurs in nature in fibrous excrescences, constituting the mineral epsomite or See also:hair-See also:salt; and as compact masses (reichardite), as in the See also:Stassfurt mines. It is also found associated with See also:limestone, as in the See also:Mammoth Caves, See also:Kentucky, and with See also:gypsum, as atMontmartre. Epsom salts crystallizes in the orthorhombic See also:system, being isomorphous with the corresponding See also:zinc and See also:nickel sulphates, and also with magnesium chromate. Occasionally See also:monoclinic crystals are obtained by crystallizing from a strong See also:solution. It is used in the arts for weighting See also:cotton fabrics, as a See also:top-dressing for See also:clover See also:hay in See also:agriculture, and in See also:dyeing. In See also:medicine it is frequently employed as a hydragogue purgative, specially valuable in febrile diseases, in congestion of the portal system, and in the obstinate See also:constipation of painters' See also:colic. In the last See also:case it is combined with See also:potassium iodide, the two salts being exceedingly_ effective in causing the elimination of See also:lead from the system. It is also very useful as a supplement to See also:mercury, which needs a saline aperient to See also:complete its See also:action. The salt should be given a few See also:hours after the mercury, e.g. in the See also:early See also:morning, the mercury having been given at See also:night.

It possesses the See also:

advantage of exercising but little irritant effect upon the bowels. Its nauseous See also:bitter See also:taste may to some extent be concealed by acidifying the solution with dilute sulphuric See also:acid, and in some cases where full doses have failed the repeated See also:administration of small ones has proved effectual. For the manufacture of Epsom salts and for other hydrated magnesium sulphates see MAGNEStuM.

End of Article: EPSOM SALTS

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