ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
1052
■ . the H» l, •
Diose.) It was sent by W. D. Hays, Esq., the British Consul at Tangle 1- !*, 0 j er , ^W. T. Fox Strangways, and is marked “Gum Ammoniac or Fusbgh, I a ' " a ,idJune, 1839, J. W. D. H.” It is an oblong piece, about three inches long> an . j g j r re-a half inches thick, and broad. Its weight is about 830 grains. Externally * woU ]dgular and uneven, and has a dirty appearance, similar to what ammoniac" Jtacquire from repeated handling and long exposure to the air in a dusty sttua ^ r ,is partially covered with paper. A few pieces of reddish chalky earth j. by
vesces with acids) are found sticking to it, thus confirming the account given ^ g {Jackson (Account of the Empire of Morocco, 3d ed. p. 156), though the Jt
this on my specimen is not sufficient to affect in any way the unsaleability o . c(]nJ .appears to be made up of agglutinated tears, like the lump Persian ammInternally it has very much the appearance of lump ammoniacum, but is not sobut has a brownish, reddish, and in some places a faint blueish tint. Its 0 ” oU i. n ;fe, ' tsfaint, and not at all like Persian ammoniacum. Heated on ^VPrfleh’sli?^distinction from Persian ammoniacum is very obvious. Its taste is also much j sl aiithan that of the commercial ammoniacum. Rubbed with water, it forms an elike the latter. It is the produce of Ferula tingitana (Lindley).
Composition. —Ammoniacum has been analyzed by Calmever,cholz (Gmelin, Handb. d. Chem. ii. 624), Braconnot (Ann. delxviii. 69), and by Hagen (Scliwartze, Pharm. Tabel. 280, 2" Ausgd
Braconnot's Analysis.
Hagen’s Analysis-
. & 6
Gluteniform matter, insoluble in
Ammoniacum . lOO'O
. • 100.0
1. Volatile Oil of Ammoniacum. —Transparent, lighter than water. cru" 1 '
2. Resin of Ammoniacum. —Reddish-yellow, tasteless, has the odour of th e g e jresin. Soluble in alkalies and alcohol; partially soluble in ether and the oils land volatile).
Physiological Effects. —The effects of ammoniacum are sii* 1to, though less powerful than, those of asafoetida (p. 1045) and °| u
iu
other fetid gum-resins already (p. 75) mentioned.
19) assert that in all the cases nt
r local oi
of thlS
and Pidoux (Traite de Therap. p
which they have employed it, it had no stimulant effect eithergeneral. “ We have taken,” say these authors, “ two drachmssubstance at once, without experiencing any of those accidents comp tsantly indicated by authors.” I would remark, however, that the W jirritation produced by the plaster of ammoniacum is known to j®practitioners,—a papular eruption being a frequent result of the app®tion of this agent. Ammoniacum contains much less volatile oil teither asafoetida or galbanum ; its stimulant influence is less than enof these. Full doses of it readily disturb the stomach, ,g\
Uses. —Though applicable to all the same cases as asafoetida (p - fand the other fetid gum-resins (p. 75), its internal use is principal*.' ialmost solely confined to chronic pulmonary affections. It is not h l .for irritation or inflammation of the bronchial membrane. H u * : j ]Schronic coughs, with deficient expectoration, or in chronic cata 1and asthmatic cases of old persons with profuse secretion, it soinet 1 ) 1 ^gives slight relief. Though 1 have seen it extensively employed, 1I ^few cases onlv have I observed it beneficial. As a topical, discut lC