Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
Aug.  1, 1872.  j 
Linirn  ent  of  Aram  onia . 
365 
be  one  of  the  most  convenient  methods  for  the  preparation  of  this  gas 
for  class-room  experiments.  In  medicine,  the  preservative  and  pro- 
tective properties  of  paraffine  are  brought  into  frequent  requisition, 
and  in  candies  it  also  plays  a  part. 
Such  are  some  of  the  leading  features  in  the  manufacture  and  uses 
of  paraffine. — Journal  of  Applied  Chemistry,  July,  1872. 
LINIMENT  OF  AMMONIA. 
By  R.  Rother. 
The  officinal  liniment  of  ammonia  is  prepared  by  mixing  one  fluid 
ounce  of  officinal  10  per  cent,  ammonia  water  with  two  troy  ounces  of 
pure  olive  oil.  When  these  directions  are  strictly  complied  with,  a 
result  approaching  the  officinal  requirements  will  most  usually  be 
obtained.  The  proportions  of  the  two  ingredients  in  this  case  are 
about  one  measure  of  the  first  to  three  measures  of  the  second.  Now 
if,  however,  as  is  often  done,  a  pure  article  of  oil  be  employed  in  a 
smaller  proportion,  together  with  a  stronger  ammonia,  that  is,  about 
equal  measures  of  each,  then  either  no  saponification  will  take  place 
until  after  some  time,  or  but  very  imperfectly,  at  the  moment  of  mix- 
ing ;  quite  a  similar  action  occurs  if  a  stronger  ammonia  be  used,  even 
in  the  officinal  proportion,  with  pure  olive  oil.  It  is  therefore  evident 
that  in  connection  with  pure  olive  oil  the  ammonia  must  not  only  be 
weak,  but  in  an  inferior  proportion.  But  it  is  generally  known  that 
the  common  commercial  oil  produces  a  much  superior  liniment.  Yet 
in  this  case  a  stronger  ammonia  must  be  applied  than  in  the  officinal 
process ;  it  is  also  necessary,  in  order  to  produce  a  sufficiently  fluid 
preparation,  to  augment  the  quantity  of  this  equal  to  the  bulk  of  the 
oil.  Commercial  olive  oil  cannot  be  substituted  for  the  pure  oil  in  the 
officinal  process.  If  one  fluid  ounce  of  16  or  18  per  cent,  ammonia 
water  be  mixed  with  two  troy  ounces  of  commercial  olive  oil,  a  very 
thorough  saponification  is  effected,  but  the  resulting  liniment  is  too 
thick  to  pour,  acquiring  a  gelatinous  nature  similar  to  soft  soap. 
With  the  use  of  officinal  ammonia  in  this  experiment,  the  oil  is  less 
perfectly  changed,  and  the  mixture  assumes  a  curdy  appearance  ;  con- 
sequently neither  of  these  modifications  of  the  officinal  proportions 
in  the  employment  of  commercial  oil  is  satisfactory.  The  writer,  how- 
ever, observed  that  the  gelatinous  magma  produced  by  the  action  of 
ammonia,  on  whatever  oil  of  any  kind,  was  instantly  liquified  by  a 
