Preparations

Ammonii Benzoas.—Ammonium benzoate. Benzoic acid and ammonia. In minute, white, shining, thin, four-sided, laminar crystals; bitter, saline, and somewhat balsamic taste; soluble in water (1 in 5), and in 28 parts of alcohol. Dose, gr. v— gr. xv.

Ammonii Carbonas

Ammonium carbonate. In white, translucent masses, with a pungent and ammoniacal odor, soluble in water (1 in 4). Dose, gr. v—gr. x.

Ammonii Chloridum

Ammonium chloride. Sal ammoniac. In a snow-white, crystalline powder, soluble in three parts of cold water, and sparingly soluble in alcohol. Dose, gr. j—Эj.

Trochisci Ammonii Chloridi

Troches of chloride of ammonium.

(Ammonium chloride, sugar, tragacanth, and sirup of tolu.) Each troche contains two grains of chloride of ammonium.

Ammonii Valerianas

Ammonium valerianate. A white salt in quadrangular plates, having the odor of valerianic acid, and a sharp, sweetish taste, and is very soluble in water and in alcohol. Dose, gr. j—gr. v.

Ammonii Phosphas

Ammonium phosphate. In colorless, transparent prisms, soluble in water (1 in 4), but insoluble in alcohol. Dose, gr. v—Эj.

Aqua Ammoniae

Water, or solution, of ammonia; contains 10 per cent by weight of gas. A transparent, colorless liquid, having a very pungent odor, and a strongly alkaline reaction. Dose, τη v— 3 ss, well diluted with water.

Aqua Ammoniae Fortior

Stronger water of ammonia. An aqueous solution of ammonia containing 28 per cent by weight of the gas.

Liquor Ammonii Acetatis

Solution of acetate of ammonium. Spirit of Minderer. Dose, 3 j— oz j.

Spiritus Ammoniae

Spirit of ammonia. A solution of ammonia-cal gas in alcohol. Dose, τηx— 3 j.

Spiritus Ammoniae Aromaticus

Aromatic spirit of ammonia. Solution of carbonate of ammonia and aqua ammoniae, oils of lemon, pimento, and lavender, in alcohol and water. Dose, 3 ss— 3 ij.

Linimentum Ammoniae

Liniment of ammonia. Cotton-seed oil and aqua ammoniae (30 parts to 70).

Antagonists and Incompatibles

The vegetable and mineral acids, acidulous salts, earthy salts, and lime-water, are incompatible with the carbonate. In addition to the acids, potash, soda and their carbonates, salts of lead, silver, and metallic sulphates, are incompatible with the solution of the acetate. The persalts of iron, acids and liquor potassae, are incompatible with the benzoate. Alkalies, alkaline earths and their carbonates, and lead and silver salts, are in-compatible with the muriate. In the treatment of poisoning by ammonia or its carbonate, the vegetable acids should be used to neutralize the poison, and its irritant action on the mucous membrane should be limited as much as possible by the administration of oil and demulcents.

Therapeutically, ammonia is antagonized by veratrum viride, aconite, digitalis, cold, and other cardiac sedatives.

Synergists

The action of ammonia is favored by heat, opium, iodine, by the antispasmodics, as valerian, asafoetida, etc., by the diffusible and aromatic stimulants, as alcohol, ether, etc. The therapeutical activity of the iodides and bromides is promoted by combination with carbonate of ammonia.

Physiological Action

Ammoniacal gas, brought in contact with a mucous surface, irritates it; applied to the eye, it reddens the conjunctiva, and causes lachrymation; applied to the nares, it reddens the mucous membrane, produces a sense of heat and burning, and increases the secretion of mucus. Inhaled, an overpowering sense of suffocation is experienced, and the glottis spasmodically closes. Prolonged contact with the air-passages excites violent inflammation. When solution of ammonia is swallowed, an active and destructive inflammation of the mucous membrane is set up; the lips, tongue, soft palate, and tonsils are swollen, red, and glazed; the epiglottis, and especially the arytaeno-epiglottidean folds, become oedematous, and sudden death may ensue from oedema of the glottis. Inflammation of the oesophagus, and of a limited portion of the stomach, will also follow the introduction of any portion of the irritant. Narrowing (stenosis) of the pyloric orifice has been noted, in one case, as an after-result of the inflammation set up in this part. In the stomach, ammonia and its carbonate must quickly combine with the acid, and probably enter the blood in such combination. Increased action of the heart is produced by its administration by the stomach, but much more decidedly when it is thrown directly into a vein. After the intra-venous injection of ammonia, the blood-pressure at first rises, then falls below the normal. Resulting, doubtless, from the increased action of the heart, and the more rapid circulation of the blood, a subjective sensation of warmth throughout the body is experienced, the face becomes flushed, the eyes are more brilliant, and the mental operations increase in activity. Little is known of the behavior of ammonia in the blood, which in the normal state contains this gas. Although it is now known that the coagulation of the blood is not caused by the escape of ammonia, as supposed at one time by Richardson, yet ammonia helps to maintain the fluidity of the blood, as its presence, in sufficient quantity, certainly serves to hold the fibrin in solution.

The long-continued use of ammonia impairs digestion, by neutralizing the gastric juice. Increased waste of tissue is also one result of its administration, manifested by pallor, emaciation, and feebleness. When introduced into the blood in sufficient quantity, it damages the structure of the red blood-globules, and in this way also it affects the nutrition of the body, besides the action which it has, in common with the other alkalies, of increasing the rate of waste or retrograde metamorphosis.

The summary of the physiological actions of ammonia, above given, pretty fairly represents the movement of these agents as a group; but individual differences undoubtedly exist, which will be pointed out when the therapy is considered.