172 AMMONIUM ACETATE SOLUTION 



For cattle similar prescriptions are suitable, given usually 

 in somewhat larger doses. In dogs, the diuretic action of 

 ammonium acetate is more notable than the diaphoretic. A 

 convenient antipyretic and expectorant is made with liquor 

 ammonii acetatis fiv. ; spiritus setheris nitrosi fij. ; 

 spiritus camphorae fi. For large dogs the dose is half 

 a fluid ounce ; for small animals a fluid drachm, in either 

 case given diluted with five or six parts of water. This 

 mixture is adapted for special canine cases by additions 

 similar to those indicated for horses. 



DOSES, etc. For horses and cattle the dose of liquor 

 ammonii acetatis is f ij. to f iv. ; for dogs, f3ij- to f3iv-, 

 given in five or six parts of water, diluted spirit, or linseed 

 tea. Many horses and cattle readily take it in their drinking 

 water. Like the chloride, the solution of the acetate is 

 sometimes used externally as a refrigerant discutient. 



GENERAL ACTION OF AMMONIUM SALTS. They resemble 

 potassium and sodium salts, but being more volatile are 

 more prompt and powerful. ' Ammonium is considerably 

 modified by the acid radicle with which it is combined. 

 All the ammonium salts have an action on the spinal cord, 

 motor nerves, and muscles, and, in advanced poisoning, 

 paralyse these structures. They do not, however, affect 

 all these structures with equal readiness. The organ first 

 affected, and consequently the symptoms of poisoning, vary 

 with the salt employed. Some salts affect the spinal cord 

 first, others the motor nerves. They appear to form a 

 series, at one end of which the members stimulate the spinal 

 cord, and have no marked paralysing action on the motor 

 nerves ; while those at the other end have no marked 

 stimulating action on the cord, but, on the contrary, have t 

 a marked paralysing action both on the cord and on motor ; 

 nerves. At the stimulating end of this series are ammonia 

 and ammonium chloride, and at the paralysing end ammon- | 

 ium iodide ; whilst the bromide, phosphate, and sulphate 

 lie between ' (Brunton). 



To determine the true action of the ammonium radicle 

 (NH 4 ) a salt must be used in which, as in ammonium chloride, 

 the acid radicle effects can be neglected. If such a salt be <. 

 injected subcutaneously, the chief effect of ammonium is 



