Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRUSS-IC, a.

The term prussic acid is now applied too vaguely and variously to answer the purpose of science. It was first applied to the sesquicyanid of iron, which is the acid of Prussian blue. It was subsequently applied to the protocyanid of iron, which is the acid of the salt erroneously called prussiate of iron and potassa; to the cyanohydric acid, which, in all probability, forms no salts at all; to the hydroguret of benzyle, or the essential oil of bitter almonds, and laurel-cherry, which is not an acid, and of course form no salts; and to cyanogen which is not an acid, but a compound basifying and acidifying principle. Each of the above compounds is a valuable medicine.