Ammonium causticum

Lecture LXIV — The Ammonium Preparations — Ammonium carb., Ammonium mur. and Ammonium phos.

Ammonium caust.

Ammonium carb.

Ammonium phos.

Ammonium mur.

Blood.— Scorbutus.

Uraemia.

Carbonized blood.

Heart.

Mucous membranes.

— Nose.

Throat and larynx.

Lungs.

Skin.

— Erythema.

Scarlatina.

Organs.

We have on the board to-day several of the salts of ammonia, the Carbonate of Ammonia or Ammonium carb., Caustic Ammonia or Ammonium causticum, Muriate of Ammonia or Ammonium muriaticum and Phosphate of Ammonia or Ammonium phosphoricum . The ammonium salts taken as a class, we find best suited to rather fat and bloated persons. Ammonium carb. is particularly indicated in fat flabby individuals of indolent disposition who lead a sedentar}- life. This is very different from Nux vomica and Sulphur, both of which are indicated in complaints arising from sedentary habits. But Ammonium carb. is especially indicated in fat lazy individuals. Ammonium ?7iur. is best indicated for fat sluggish individuals particularly when the adipose tissue is mostly distributed over the trunk, the legs being disproportionately thin. That is the distinction that may be made between the Carbonate and the Muriate.

The salts of ammonium exert a considerable influence over the blood. Thus if Ammonium carb. is taken for awhile there will be produced symptoms simulating those of scurvy. There will be haemorrhages from the mouth, nose and bowels, showing you that there is a disintegration of the blood. The muscles become soft and flabby and there is well-marked tendency to emaciation.

We find that all the salts of ammonium act powerfully on the mucous membranes, of which tissue every one of them produces inflammation. This inflammation is of a violent character, starting with a simple feeling of burning and rawness, progressing to a complete inflammation of the mucous membrane and ending in the destruction of the epithelium, which peels off in layers and leaves a raw, burning, ulcerated surface. It is, then, not to be wondered at, that the salts of ammonia have won considerable praise in affections of the nose, throat, and larynx, and somewhat of the lungs.

The ammonium salts also have an impression on the skin. When applied locally, there is produced a simple erythema followed by dermatitis and some little swelling. Soon, however, an eruption appears, and this varies with the different ammonium salts. It is at first papular, then vesicular and finally advancing to ulceration. These conditions are common to all the ammonium preparations of which we have any knowledge.

Therapeutically, the salts of ammonia are antagonized by Veratrum viride, Digitalis, Acotiite, cold and other cardiac sedatives. Their action is favored by heat, Opium, Iodine, Valerian, Asafcetida, Alcohol, etc.