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