Sciencemadness Discussion Board - what's the use of this?

what's the use of this?

Pyro - 7-9-2012 at 12:18

Recently I bought this little vial of something called: crayons de sulfate de cuivre.
this is what the label says:

...........................................Crayons de
.......................................Sulfate de Cuivre
14.3.16..............................POISON.......................CONGO
...................................................................................BELGE
.........................................................................................F

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A pic of a unicorn.................Burroughs Wellcome & Cie
..........................................................LONDRES (ANGL.)
......New-York.....Montreal......Sydney......Cape Town
......Milan......Shanghai.....Buenos Aires........Bombay

inside are little vials that are stoppered with a cork.
does anybody have a clue what these are for?

here are some photos

The dots are just spacers, otherwise everything is not in the middle

[Edited on 7-9-2012 by Pyro]

Mailinmypocket - 7-9-2012 at 12:31

Quote: Originally posted by Pyro

Recently I bought this little vial of something called: crayons de sulfate de cuivre.
this is what the label:

...........................................Crayons de
.......................................Sulfate de Cuivre
14.3.16..............................POISON.......................CONGO
...................................................................................BELGE
.........................................................................................F

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A pic of a unicorn.................Burroughs Wellcome & Cie
..........................................................LONDRES (ANGL.)
......New-York.....Montreal......Sydney......Cape Town
......Milan......Shanghai.....Buenos Aires........Bombay

inside are little vials that are stoppered with a cork.
does anybody have a clue what these are for?

here are some photos

The dots are just spacers, otherwise everything is not in the middle

It looks like it might be used to treat eye problems... I found a reference of it being used in crayon form as a "stimulant and astringent.. See this link: The Diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of the eye By Henry Willard Williams

[Edited on 7-9-2012 by Mailinmypocket]

Hexavalent - 7-9-2012 at 12:32

'Sulfate de Cuivre' is French for copper sulfate, and 'crayons' is pencils. Perhaps this relates to the shape of the vials? Where did you buy this item?

Rogeryermaw - 7-9-2012 at 12:41

copper sulfate pencil used in some weird medical fashion on the eye: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Xj-gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=copper+sulfate+pencil&source=bl&ots=aauHlB1mh-&sig=A L_df-0umTEaTvJxnm1-KIp5kNY&hl=en#v=onepage&q=copper%20sulfate%20pencil&f=false">abstract</a>

edit: mail beat me to it

[Edited on 7-9-2012 by Rogeryermaw]

Mailinmypocket - 7-9-2012 at 12:55

Quote: Originally posted by Rogeryermaw

copper sulfate pencil used in some weird medical fashion on the eye: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Xj-gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=copper+sulfate+pencil&source=bl&ots=aauHlB1mh-&sig=A L_df-0umTEaTvJxnm1-KIp5kNY&hl=en#v=onepage&q=copper%20sulfate%20pencil&f=false">abstract</a>

edit: mail beat me to it

[Edited on 7-9-2012 by Rogeryermaw]

That book has an awful cover... I think that person needs a tad more than a CuSO4 crayon lol...

Pyro - 7-9-2012 at 13:22

thanks for pointing out the obvious Hex

I'm fluent in French

Correct me if i'm wrong but I don't think CuSO4 is good for your eyes... I took the one out of the unwrapped vial and it's hard as hell. I bought this from the same person as the arsenic pills. this is in Gent, Belgium. and as you all know Congo Belge was a Colony of Belgium until after WWI
it's dated the 14Th of May 1916. anyone interested in buying?

[Edited on 7-9-2012 by Pyro]

Hexavalent - 7-9-2012 at 13:23

Quote: Originally posted by Pyro

thanks for pointing out the obvious Hex

Just in case

Endimion17 - 7-9-2012 at 16:51

You obviously have a piece of history right there.

Rogeryermaw - 7-9-2012 at 17:10

ya i would file that away with the curios and gewgaws. it is obviously quite old and could be a great conversation starter.

Pyro - 8-9-2012 at 07:48

lol, fun conversation starter

but it doesn't seem to be pure CuSO4, s its too light blue, some of it may be anhydrous, but still.
Stuff just tends to get broken on a boat, is anybody interested in buying?

Endimion17 - 8-9-2012 at 08:32

1) eBay, set initial price of 100€
2) acquire money
3) buy more chemicals
4) synthesize something expensive
5) sell it
6) acquire money
6) repeat steps 3-5 until you acquire 75% of world's economy

Get rich fast or die tryin'. Rule the world.

Rogeryermaw - 8-9-2012 at 09:30

Quote: Originally posted by Pyro

lol, fun conversation starter

but it doesn't seem to be pure CuSO4, s its too light blue, some of it may be anhydrous, but still.
Stuff just tends to get broken on a boat, is anybody interested in buying?

may be due to exposure. i placed a small sample of copper sulfate (hydrated) outside and in only 2-3 days it had turned nearly white. a very light rain for roughly 15 minutes fell during this period and i do not know if that had an effect. just a guess.

i'm with E17. step 1: collect underpants. step 2: ????? step 3: profit. 100 euros is a bit much to start with, but such an item that is obviously quite aged should garner a bit of attention. there are many people who take quite an interest in collecting outdated medical memorabilia.

b.t.w. if all that works and you end up ruling the world, could you do something about all this retarded chemophobic legislation please?

[Edited on 8-9-2012 by Rogeryermaw]

Pyro - 8-9-2012 at 09:38

holy shit! 100EUR? i bought it for 5.
but is anybody here interested?

Endimion17 - 8-9-2012 at 13:40

Yeah, blue vitriol is efflorescent, that's why it looks like that.

Oh, the South Park gnomes. Memories.

Pyro, I was joking. I have no idea how much is that worth. You might ask guys from Paws Stars.

But be carefull...

[Edited on 8-9-2012 by Endimion17]

Pyro - 8-9-2012 at 15:34

lol,
willing to trade it for some Hg?
U2U me if interested