spirit of hartshorn

or spirits of hartshorn

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a colorless, pungent, suffocating, aqueous solution of about 28.5 percent ammonia gas: used chiefly as a detergent, for removing stains and extracting certain vegetable coloring agents, and in the manufacture of ammonium salts.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spirit of hartshorn¹

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

Van Helmont, who could not succeed in discovering the true elixir of life, however hit on the spirit of hartshorn, which for a good while he considered was the wonderful elixir itself, restoring to life persons who seemed to have lost it.

From Project Gutenberg

With the same ease I also procured this air from spirit of hartshorn, and sal volatile either in a fluid or solid form, i. e. from those volatile alkaline salts which are produced by the distillation of sal ammoniac with fixed alkalis.

From Project Gutenberg

For a quinsey, or inflammation of the throat, make a volatile liniment, by shaking together an ounce of Florence oil, and half an ounce of the spirit of hartshorn; or an equal quantity of each, if the patient be able to bear it.

From Project Gutenberg

A sort of soft liquid of the liniment kind may be prepared by mixing strong spirit of hartshorn, saponaceous liniment, spirit of turpentine, and tincture of opium, with olive oil; the former in the proportion of about two ounces each to three of the last, incorporating them well together by shaking them in a phial, which will be found very useful in many cases.

From Project Gutenberg

In slight cases of this kind, some think the continued free use of spirit of hartshorn, given internally, and applied externally to the affected parts, is the best remedy of any that is yet known.

From Project Gutenberg