VALERIANATE  OE  AMMONIA. 
567 
ammonia  ;  or,  one  equivalent  of  valerianic  acid,  and  one  of  oxide 
of  ammonium,  according  to  the  theory  you  adopt.  It  is  very 
deliquescent ;  when  placed  on  water  or  alcohol  it  gyrates  rapidly, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  valerianates.  It  has  a  mixed 
odor  of  valerianic  acid  and  of  ammonia,  but  soon  loses  the  latter 
when  put  in  an  exhausted  receiver.  Its  reaction  is  slightly  acid, 
even  when  dissolved  in  water  or  alcohol.  Ether  dissolves  it, 
forming  an  oily  liquid  ;  so  do  the  oils,  although  more  slowly. 
Oil  of  turpentine  gives  it  the  appearance  of  transparent  plastic 
fat.  Heat  partially  decomposes  it,  and  what  remains  re-crys- 
tallizes by  cooling.  The  acids  decompose  it,  liberating  the 
valerianic  acid,  which  swims  on  the  surface  of  the  liquid. 
It  appears  now,  however,  that  the  medicine  first  introduced 
to  the  notice  of  the  profession  by  De'clat,  is  a  solution  of  vale- 
rianate of  ammonia  of  a  fixed  strength,  which  has  long  been  pre- 
pared by  M.  Pierlot,  a  pharmacien  in  Paris,  and  which  has  been 
extensively  exhibited  to  the  epileptics,  both  at  the  Salpetriere 
and  the  Bic&tre.  M.  Pierlot  has  at  length  published  his  formula, 
which  is  as  follow  : — 
Distilled  water,  32  drachms, 
Valerianic  acid,  1  drachm, 
Sub-carbonate  of  ammonia,  q.  s. 
To  neutralise  the  acid,  add — 
Alcoholic  extract  of  valerian,  2  scruples. 
His  object  in  the  construction  of  this  formula,  he  says,  was  to 
obtain  a  concentrated  solution  of  all  the  constituents  of  valerian 
root,  in  a  condition  as  little  disagreeable  as  possible.  He  main- 
tains that  valerianic  acid  pre-exists  in  the  root,  and  is  an  educt, 
not  a  product,  as  hitherto  presumed. 
However  that  may  be,  there  seems  to  be  some  virtue  in  the 
medicine.  Dr.  Desmarres  describes  a  case  of  intense  choroiditis, 
in  which,  after  considerable  depletion  and  low  diet,  severe 
paroxysms  of  neuralgia  supervened.  Doses  of  a  grain  and  a  half 
of  sulphate  of  quinia  seemed  merely  to  exasperate  the  pains. 
He  then  tried  Pierlot's  solution  of  valerianate  of  ammonia,  in 
doses  of  three  coffee-spoonfuls  per  diem  ;  and  the  first  day  the 
pains  so  far  remitted,  that  the  patient  obtained  a  tranquil  sleep, 
and  in  a  few  days  more  he  quite  recovered  his  appetite.  Dr. 
