166 LIQUOR AMMONITE 



weakness, slow breathing, violent action of the heart, and 

 tetanic spasms ' (Christison). 



MEDICINAL DOSES stimulate the alimentary and respira- 

 tory mucous membranes, promote their secretions, and relieve 

 gastric as well as bronchial catarrh, especially in patients 

 where pyrexia has not been serious, or has abated. They 

 were recommended for torpidity of the liver and for rheu- 

 matism, but have proved of little benefit. 



DOSES. Horses, 3ij- * 3J v -j cattle, 3J V - to SJ- 5 sheep 

 and pigs, grs. xxx. to 3J- > dogs, grs. iii. to grs. x. ; cats, 

 gr. i. to grs. v. In bolus, pill or drench. 



One part of chloride dissolved in ten to twenty parts of 

 water is used as a stimulant gargle, and five parts sal- 

 ammoniac, eight parts sodium sulphate, and five parts 

 potassium nitrate in sixteen parts of water, form a refrigerant 

 lotion for inflammatory swellings, bruises, and sprains. A 

 cooling mixture, stated to lower the thermometer from 50 

 to 10 Fahr., is made with four ounces each of sal-ammoniac 

 and nitre, dissolved in eight ounces of water ; but for 

 ordinary refrigerant purposes, six or eight times this amount 

 of water may be used. 



LIQUOR AMMONITE FORTIS. Strong Solution of Ammonia. 

 Caustic Ammonia. Hartshorn. 



An aqueous solution containing 32' 5 per cent, by weight 

 of ammonia, NH 3 . It may be obtained by heating a 

 mixture of ammonium chloride and slaked lime, and 

 passing the resulting ammonia into distilled water (B.P.). 



Traces of ammonia exist in the air, and in rain. It occurs 

 in the excretions of living animals, and is evolved from the 

 putrefaction and destructive distillation alike of vegetable 

 and animal matters. But the coal beds are the great com- 

 mercial source of ammonia and its compounds. Coal, when 

 distilled in the making of gas, leaves a waste liquor, which 

 if treated with hydrochloric acid, yields ammonium chloride 

 or sal-ammoniac. 



PROPERTIES. The liquor ammoniae fortis is colourless, 

 pungent, and caustic. Specific gravity 0-891. One fluid 

 drachm contains 15*83 grains of gaseous ammonia. Purity 



