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Page 38
SECTION V.
AMMONIA.--Under the various titles of "Smelling Salts,"
"Preston Salts," "Inexhaustible Salts," "Eau de Luce," "Sal Volatile,"
ammonia, mixed with other odoriferous bodies, has been very extensively
consumed as material for gratifying the olfactory nerve.
The perfumer uses liq. amm. fortis, that is, strong liquid ammonia, and
the sesqui-carbonate of ammonia, for preparing the various "salts" that
he sells. These materials he does not attempt to make; in fact, it is
quite out of his province so to do, but he procures them ready for his
hand through some manufacturing chemist. The best preparation for
smelling-bottles is what is termed INEXHAUSTIBLE SALTS, which
is prepared thus:--
Liquid ammonia, 1 pint.
Otto of rosemary, 1 drachm.
" English lavender, 1 "
" bergamot, 1/2 "
" cloves, 1/2 "
Mix the whole together with agitation in a very strong and
well-stoppered bottle.
This mixture is used by filling the smelling-bottles with any porous
absorbent material, such as asbestos, or, what is better, sponge
cuttings, that have been well beaten, washed, and dried. These cuttings
can be procured at a nominal price from any of the sponge-dealers,
being the trimming or roots of the Turkey sponge, which are cut off
before the merchants send it into the retail market. After the bottles
are filled with the sponge, it is thoroughly saturated with the scented
ammonia, but no more is poured in than the sponge will retain, when the
bottles are inverted; as, if by any chance the ammonia runs out and is
spilt over certain colored fabrics, it causes a stain. When such an
accident happens, the person who sold it is invariably blamed.
When the sponge is saturated properly, it will retain the ammoniacal
odor longer than any other material; hence, we presume, bottles filled
in this way are called "inexhaustible," which name, however, they do not
sustain more than two or three months with any credit; the warm hand
soon dissipates the ammonia under any circumstances, and they require to
be refilled.
For transparent colored bottles, instead of sponge, the perfumers use
what they call insoluble crystal salts (sulphate of potass). The bottles
being filled with crystals, are covered either with the liquid ammonia,
scented as above, or with alcoholic ammonia. The necks of the bottles
are filled with a piece of white cotton; otherwise, when inverted, from
the non-absorbent quality of the crystals, the ammonia runs out, and
causes complaints to be made. The crystals are prettier in colored
bottles than the sponge; but in plain bottles the sponge appears quite
as handsome, and, as before observed, it holds the ammonia better than
any other material. Perfumers sell also what is called WHITE
SMELLING SALTS, and PRESTON SALTS. The White Smelling Salt
is the sesqui-carbonate of ammonia in powder, with which is mixed any
perfuming otto that is thought fit,--lavender otto giving, as a general
rule, the most satisfaction.
PRESTON SALTS, which is the cheapest of all the ammoniacal
compounds, is composed of some easily decomposable salt of ammonia and
lime, such as equal parts of muriate of ammonia, or of sesqui-carbonate
of ammonia, and of fresh-slaked lime. When the bottles are filled with
this compound, rammed in very hard, a drop or two of some cheap otto is
poured on the top prior to corking. For this purpose otto of French
lavender, or otto of bergamot, answers very well. We need scarcely
mention that the corks are dipped into melted sealing-wax, or brushed
over with liquid wax, that is, red or black wax dissolved in alcohol, to
which a small portion of ether is added. The only other compound of
ammonia that is sold in the perfumery trade is Eau de Luce, though
properly it belongs to the druggist. When correctly made--which is very
rarely the case--it retains the remarkable odor of oil of amber, which
renders it characteristic.
EAU DE LUCE.
Tincture of benzoin: or, }
" balsam of Peru, } 1 oz.
Otto of lavender, 10 drops.
Oil of amber, 5 "
Liquor ammonia, 2 oz.
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