Prep. To be made by passing sulphuretted hydrogen gas through a solution of ammonia to saturation.

Prop. & Comp. A greenish-yellow transparent liquid, with intensely disagreeable and pungent odour. Sp. gr. 0.999. Often used as a test, as it precipitates many metals. Composition of the salt (Nh4 S+SH), or a compound of sulphuret of ammonium and sulphuretted hydrogen.

Therapeutics. In large doses its acts as a powerful depressant on the nervous system, causing giddiness, drowsiness, and faint-ness, with nausea; in smaller ones it produces upon the secreting organs increased action, more especially seen on the bronchial mucous membrane and skin. It is used occasionally as a sudorific and expectorant in chronic skin diseases, rheumatism, and bronchitis; also in diabetes, in which it has been stated to diminish the morbid appetite, but it does not diminish the excretion of sugar. Dangerous if given incautiously, and not much employed.

Dose. 3 min. upwards, carefully increased, dropped into water at the time of administration, as it soon decomposes and deposits sulphur.

Incompatibles. Almost all metallic and acid solutions.