A text-book of materia medica, therapeutics, and pharmacology / by George Frank Butler.

Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A text-book of materia medica, therapeutics, and pharmacology / by George Frank Butler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    *57 Description and Properties.—White, hard, translucent, striated masses, having a strongly ammoniacal odor without empyreuma, and a sharp, saline taste. On exposure to the air the salt loses both ammonia and carbonic acid, becoming opaque, and is finally converted into friable porous lumps or a white powder. Slowly but completely soluble in about 5 parts of water at 150 C. (590 F.)t and decomposed by hot water, with the evolution of carbonic acid and ammonia. By prolonged boiling with water the salt is com- pletely dissipated. The aqueous solution possesses a strongly alkaline reaction and effervesces with acids. Dose.—3-10 grains (0.18-0.6 Gm.). Official Preparation. Splritus Ammonise Aromaticus—Splritus Ammdnise Arom&tici—Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia.—Composition: Ammonium Carbonate, Ammonia Water, Aro- matic Oils, Alcohol, and Water. Description and Properties.—A nearly colorless liquid when freshly prepared, but gradually acquiring a somewhat darker tint. It has a pungent, ammoniacal odor and taste. Dose.—^-1 fluidrachm (1.8-3.7 Cc.). \_ Antagonists and Incompatibles.—The alkalies and their car- bonates are incompatible with acids and with metallic salts. The ammonium carbonate is incompatible with the acidulous salts and with lime water. Synergists.—Agents promoting waste, such as vegetable acids, mercury, iodine, etc., increase the therapeutic activity of the alkalies. Physiological Action.—The alkalies mentioned in this group may be divided into direct atitacids, or those which neutralize or lessen the acidity of the stomach, and indirect antacids, or those which, being oxidized in the blood, are excreted as carbonates, diminishing the acidity of the urine and increasing the alkalinity of the blood, although not influencing the acidity in the stomach. The direct antacids are lime water, prepared chalk, and magnesia. The indirect antacids are potassium acetate, bitartrate, citrate, and tartrate, sodium acetate, and lithium citrate. The following alkalies are both direct and indirect antacids: solution of potassa, solution of soda, carbonates and bicarbonates of potassium, sodium, lithium, magnesium, and ammonium. The physiological action of the various alkalies will now be considered in detail.