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Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia
Take of carbonate of ammonia, 8 ounces avoirdupois; strong liquor of ammonia (.882) ounces; volatile oil of nut- S melling Salts. Sesquicarbon- ate of ammonia commonly passes under meg, 4 fluid drachms; oil of lemon, 6 fluid this name, and, with the addition of a few drachms; rectified spirit, 6 pints; water, 3 drops of essential oil, is frequently employed pints; mix, and distill 7 pints. Specific gravto fill smelling bottles. Its pungency, how ity.870. This is now the only authorized formever, is neither so great nor so durable as that ula. The product is excellent, and very agreeof the true or neutral carbonate of ammonia. able in use. (Br. Ph.) The latter salt continues unchanged in com- 1095. Ammoniated Perfumes. These position, and preserves its pungency as long are prepared by either adding strong liquor of as a particle of it remains unvolatilized. The ammonia to the liquid perfumes (eaux, esprits, portion only which flies off suffers decomposi- &c.,) in sufficient quantity to impart to them tion as it volatilizes, separating into gaseous a pungent ammoniacal odor, or by adding to ammonia and carbonic acid. The pungency the articles, before distillation, the ingredients of the sesquicarbonate, on the other hand, de- that, by their mutual reaction, produce ampends solely on its gradual decomposition, in monia. In the former case, to 1 fluid ounces the solid state, into carbonate of ammonia, of liquor of ammonia (.880-.882), per pint, which flies off under exposure to the air; and will be required, according to the nature of into bicarbonate of ammonia, which is much the preparation and the degree of pungency less volatile and only slightly pungent, and desired; and in general, when much essential which remains behind; the weight of the lat- oil is present, a spirit of higher strength than ter being far greater than one-half the weight usual should be employed for the esprit, to of the original salt. Carbonate of ammonia, compensate for its subsequent dilution by the and not the sesquicarbonate, should, therefore, ammonia. In the other case, 4 to 5 drachms be alone used in filling smelling bottles, if a of sal ammoniac, and 7 to 8 drachms of carstrong, agreeable, and durable pungency be desired. It is employed, either directly or indirectly, by the makers of all the more esteemed smelling salts of the day; and their predecessors did the same, even long before the chemistry of the two salts, and the rationale of the properties which cause a preference for the one, were known. (Cooley.) bonate of potash for each pint of the product intended to be drawn over, are mixed with the cold ingredients just before distillation.
For this use the liquor of ammonia must be perfectly free from tarry or empyreumatic matter, and have a purely ammoniacal odor. 1096. Ammoniated Eau de Cologne; Ammoniacal Cologne Water. As a per-