one-sixteenth
to half a grain, in a pill made up of plain soft breadcrumb, Nitrate of
Silver stimulates the heart, and the chief nervous centres as a tonic.
Silver will become tarnished only in the presence of free sulphur, of
sulphur gases, and of phosphorus.
The
famous witty divine, Sydney Smith, married Miss Catherine Amelia Pybus,
on July 2nd, 1800. His " total wealth then consisted of six small
Silver teaspoons." These he flung into the bride's lap, saying, "
There, Kate ! You lucky girl! I give you all my fortune ! "
Taking
into consideration the solubility of Silver when converted into a
chloride, as by the action upon it of common salt, it will be readily
understood that for persons suffering from various neuralgic head
troubles, and for whom the remedial action of metallic Silver commends
itself, to bathe in the open sea, whilst wearing Silver ornaments
(bangles, and the like) next the skin of the wrists, ankles, or waist
(by a Silver belt), will probably be of essential service towards a
cure. Or, in a minor, and more convenient way, at home, to immerse the
hands, and wrists, with the Silver bangles, etc., thereon, in lukewarm
water to which table salt has been added (making this about as salt as
sea-water), for a quarter of an hour at a time, twice or thrice in the
day. It is because of Silver thus chemically becoming a chloride on its
surface when placed in immediate contact with common salt, that has led
to the practice of lining our silver salt-cellars, and salt spoons with
an inner gilt coating. Concerning the former receptacles our
grandfathers and grandmothers made use of good old-fashioned
salt-cellars furnished with an inner cellar of dark-blue, glass.
Finding them as an " antique " in
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