Ammonium benzoicum

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Ammonia Benzoas.) Phakmacologt. — This salt may be made as follows: Take of solution of ammonia three fluid ounces (imperial measure), benzoic acid two ounces (avoirdupois), distilled water four ounces; mix the solution of ammonia and the water, and dissolve in them the benzoic acid ; evaporate at a gentle heat, keeping ammonia in a slight excess, and set aside that crystals may form.

It is in minute, white, glistening, extremely thin, four-sided laminae, having a slight odor of officinal benzoic acid, and a bitter, saline, somewhat balsamic taste, leaving a slight but persistent sense of acrimony on the tongue.

Soluble in water and alcohol, when heated sublimes without residue, but is probably changed into acid benzoate.

Officinal Preparations.— Triturations; tinctures in distilled water; dilutions to the 3d x with water.

The Benzoate of Potassa is now used more extensively, and may be the best preparation.

Analogues. — Benzoic acid, Colehicum, Ferr. mur. Lycopodium.(f)

Head.

Rheumatic pains about the head and neck.

° Heaviness and stupidity of the head, (in dropsy.)

Face.

Bloated face, with swollen eyelids.

Urinary Organs.

• Very scanty, dark-red, bloody -looking urine, with strong

ammoniacal odor, and red, thick sediment. Scanty, dark and smoky-looking urine. Frequent desire to urinate, with scanty discharge. The urine is acrid and irritating, (primary effect.)

Profuse and frequent urination.

Clear, limpid, and abundant urine.

The sediment disappears from the urine, (secondary.)

c Nocturnal incontinence of urine.

• Scanty, blood-red urine in rheumatic affections.

0 Urinary troubles of infants.

° Dropsy after scarlet fever, or Bright's diseases.

Extremities.

0 Rheumatic affections of the arms and legs and small joints. 0 Dropsical swelling of the legs.

° Jaundice, from suppression of the biliary secretion (not from obstruction of the ducts). (Harley.)

Gout, when the small joints are red and swollen, or when fluid is deposited in the joint of the great toe; and also in cases when the lithate of soda existed in the joints of the fingers. (Seymour.)

° Albuminuria; the albumen in real dropsy diminished under its use. (Tb.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This preparation was first recommended by Dr. Todd as the best remedy in dropsy after scarlet fever. The symptoms indicating its use do not differ from those laid down by Hering and Kitchen as calling for Benzoic acid, namely :

“ Very scanty, dark-red, bloody-looking urine, with strong, pungent odor, and red, thick sediment.”

It is indicated, also, by “scanty, dark, smoky-looking urine,” such as we find in albuminuria dropsy in children.

If this kind of urine occurs in rheumatic or gouty affections, this drug is just as well indicated, and will promptly remove the disease.

Dr. Seymour recommends it highly in gout, when the small joints are red and swollen, or when fluid is deposited in the joints of the great toe; also in cases when the Lithate of soda existed in the joints of the fingers (gouty concretions).

I have had excellent success with it in rheumatism. (The Benzoate of potassa will act more satisfactorily in some cases.)

In that form of jaundice arising from arrest of secretion of bile, and not from obstruction, the Benzoates or Benzoic acid is often a specific, especially when the urine is similar to that above mentioned.

I believe these preparations are preferable to the Benzoic acid, because of their ready solubility. The lx triturations for adults, and 2X for children, have succeeded best in my practice.

Dr. McAffee, of Mt. Carroll, Ill., writes me he has used this preparation successfully in many cases of dropsy from disease of the liver.