Antimony pill
The antimony pill is a historic remedy that was used to empty and "revitalize" the intestines (as a laxative ). It consisted of the metal antimony . Once swallowed, the pill traveled through the gastrointestinal tract, whereupon it was excreted, washed and reused as needed. The cure, which was popular in the 19th century , was therefore also known as the "perpetual pill".
In the "Medico-Pharmaceutical Critic and Guide" of 1907, an encyclopedia published by William Josephus Robinson (1867–1936), the pill is described as follows:
This pill was a small ball of metallic antimony that possessed the actual or ascribed property of cleansing, no matter how often it was swallowed. It cannot be denied that it might have such a property, as it is possible that a minute amount could be dissolved by the gastrointestinal juices, and that amount, in addition to suggestion , was sufficient to produce a laxative effect produce. Furthermore, the perpetual pill likely also helped peristalsis through its mechanical weight and movement. The bullet was excreted, recovered from the feces, and used over and over. As Dr. JA Paris explained, this could be called serious thrift , as a single pill could serve an entire family for a lifetime and remain as an heirloom for posterity.
The antimony beaker served a similar purpose in the 17th and 18th centuries, namely as an emetic . Wine was poured into such a cup, left to stand for a day, and then drunk. The tartaric acid and the antimony formed potassium antimonyl tartrate , also known as tartar emetic.
Individual evidence
- ^ William Josephus Robinson: The Medical critic and guide, Volumes 8-10 .