Liquor, olim spiritus, sal, et oleum cornu. Cervi.

The liquor, salt, and oil of hartshorn.

These preparations are brought to us by the practical chemists in a state sufficiently pure for common purposes, and the process will be found in the commonest chemical author.

As the fixed alkalis, from whatever plants they are prepared, do not essentially differ when pure, so the volatile is the same from every source. The crude sal ammoniac, as it is styled the muriated ammonia, is prepared in large quantities in Egypt from camel'.s, dung, and other animal excrementitious fluids. This affords the ammonia usually employed, and it is preferred, in general, as a medicine. That from the hartshorn has always a little of the animal oil; which, though better adapted as a smelling salt in some hysteric affections, is less agreeable to the stomach.

The volatile alkaline salt is very penetrating and pungent to the smell and taste, and is the only concrete salt that in its pure state emits sensible effluvia; it dissolves oils, resins, fats, etc. more slowly than the fixed alkalis, on account perhaps of its not being susceptible of any considerable heat by which its solvent power might be promoted. In the bodies of animals it operates more powerfully than the fixed alkaline salt, and is more disposed to pass off by the pores of the skin, and acts more remarkably on the nervous system. It is peculiarly useful in lethargies, apoplexies, hysteric and hypochondriac disorders, languors, head-ach, flatulencies, and other symptoms attending these complaints; in languors and faintings this salt often gives immediate relief; in low fevers it is an useful remedy; it relieves rheumatic pains, particularly joined with blisters, and purges.

The fanciful idea of its promoting putrefaction has prevented its being employed in putrid fevers; but when a quick, active stimulus is required, no medicine is preferable; and the very small quantity given can have no bad effect on the whole mass, even were its septic powerless equivocal. When united with the vegetable acid in the aqua ammoniae acetatae, it is eminently useful, if given in a sufficient dose, which is at least half an ounce, or six drams.

Externally it is used as a stimulant, in the form of the volatile liniment, united with oil, or in that of a soap,styled in common language opodeldoc.

The dose of volatile alkaline salts may be from gr. ij. to Э ss. given in a draught or in a bolus; in the latter form, to prevent the pungency of the salt from affecting the throat, it may be proper to mix it with a solution of gum tragacanth,or some other mucilaginous substance.

See Ammonia.

Sp. sal. ammon. dulc. - now called Spiritus ammoni.e.

Dulcified, or sweet spirit of sal am.moniac. - Spirit of ammonia.

Take of a fixed alkaline salt 3 vi of crude sal ammoniac 3 iv of proof spirit lb iij. and mix; with a gentle heat draw off Њ i. ss.; the dose is from fifteen drops to a dram or more.

The volatile alkalis, not caustic, do not unite with vinous spirits by simple mixture; yet a solution of them in sp. vin.r. is obtainable by distillation. This preparation is deservedly in great esteem both as a menstruum and a medicine; it is a solution of alkaline salt in spirit of wine, for though proof spirit is used, its water does not rise; it only serves to facilitate the action of the pure spirit upon the ammoniac salt; it might, perhaps, for some purposes, such as making the sp. ammon, comp. etc. be more adviseable to make a dulcified spirit the pure liquor of ammonia, for it may be mixed at once with rectified spirit of wine in any proportion, without the hazard of separating the volatile alkali; and readily form an extemporaneous dulcified spirit of sal ammoniac:

Take the spirit of sal ammoniac prepared with quicklime, rectified spirit of wine, of each a pound.

Spiritus volatilis causticus, vel

Spirit, sal. ammon. cum calce. viv. ppt. now