Antimony history

In 1912, however, (201) it was discovered that espundia (American mucocutaneous leishmaniasis) can be cured by tartar emetic. It was soon learned that kala-a2ar (visceral leishmaniasis) and oriental sore (a cutaneous form of the disease occurring in the Middle East) also respond to antimonial therapy, especially when compounds of pentavalent antimony are employed. Treatment of leishmaniasis with the latter type of antimonials is safe and effective in over 90% of the cases (202). In 1918, it was demonstrated that tartar emetic is of value in the treatment of schistosomiasis (203). Pentavalent antimonials proved to be less effective. The introduction of antimony compounds for the treatment of parasitic diseases is undoubtedly one of the important milestones in the history of therapeutics (see Antiparasitic agents). 

Packe, Christopher. Medela chymica or, an account of the vertues and uses of a select number of chymical medicines adapted to the cure of the most chronick and rebellious diseases. To which is subjoyned A brief history of cures effected by them. As also, An essay upon the acetum acerrimum philosophorum, or vinegar of antimony with some experiments made therewith. London John Lawrence, 1708. 178p. 

Walden, P. The history of the antimony preparations and of Basil Valentine. Scientia Pharm 13 (1942) 5-8. 

McCallum, Robert Ian. Antimony in medical history an account of the medical uses of antimony and its compounds since early times to the present. Edinburgh, Cambridge, Durham PentlandP, 1999. XVI, 125p. ISBN 1-85821-642-7... 

The Lake George Antimony Mine is located 39 kilometers west-southwest of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Stibnite (Sb2S3) and native antimony (Sb) were the main sources of antimony in the 100 year history of the mine (1880-1996). 

Antimony has a long history of medical use. Some scholars believe that Mozart died after being given antimony by the physicians who were treating his depression and who were unaware of just how poisonous antimony was. The evidence for this story is scant. It is also known that around 870 bce. Queen Jezebel and her contemporaries used the mineral or ore antimony sulfide as a cosmetic to darken their eyelashes and as an eyeliner. It is still used for this purpose in many countries. 

Wang, Antimony, Its History, Chemistry, Mineialogy, Geology, Metallurgy, Uses, Preparations, Analysis, Production, and Valuation, Chas. Griffin and Co., London, 1909, pp. 1-5... 

Ten elements have been known since the beginning of recorded history antimony (Sb), carbon (C), copper (Cu), gold (Au), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), silver (Ag), sulfur (S), and tin (Sn). The first "new" element to be found in several thousand years was arsenic (As), discovered in about 1250. In fact, only 24 elements were known at the time of the American Revolution, in 1776. 

R. T. McCallum, Antimony in Medical History, The Pentland Press, Edinburgh, 1999. 

In the sixteenth century, Paracelsus added some mineral compounds to the Materia Medica and powerful medicines were obtained from the ores of metals like mercury and antimony by alchemical processes. Antimony has a very long history in medicine, but it came into greater prominence at a critical time in the sixteenth century when syphilis, then a new killer disease, was rapidly spreading across Europe.5 Paracelsus mercurial preparations were also effective, although their poisonous... 

The next 2000 years of chemical history were dominated by a pseudoscience called alchemy. Alchemists were often mystics and fakes who were obsessed with the idea of turning cheap metals into gold. However this period also saw important discoveries Elements such as mercury, sulfur, and antimony were discovered, and alchemists learned how to prepare the mineral acids. 

The biological effects of arsenic have been studied for years because of its (1) long history as a poison, (2) uses in industry, (3) clinical applications in protozoal and neoplastic diseases and (4) use in chemical warfare. In contrast, the biochemical effects of bismuth and antimony are not as well documented. Although most of the known compounds derived from the three metals are man-made, some adducts also occur naturally " . It is clear that these compounds in their ionic states are potent metabolic inhibitors and are lethal at sufficiently high doses. In the elemental state, arsenic, at least, is relatively nontoxic and is presumably the form consumed in years past by the arsenic eaters of the Alps. ... 

At site A in Table 16, concentrations of all metals in the second soil-core depth were higher than those in the first soil-core depth. Bismuth and antimony concentrations in the soil core under the second core depth were less than those of natural concentrations, 0.34 and 0.37 /rgg , respectively. At sites B and C, the profiles of metal concentrations were somewhat different from those in site A The difference is probably due to dissimilarities in pollution history, surrounding circumstances and properties of soil. 

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