Smelling salts

As smelling salts refers to various, more or less intense smelling substances that have been kept particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries to revive in dizziness and fainting under the nose of what effect the awakening in case of success. Olfactory sticks served the same purpose. Smelling salts is no longer used in modern first aid. The occasional practice of application in the field of sport is not recommended, since they allegedly have no effect and may delay the initiation of necessary medical measures.

Most smelling salts based on ammonium carbonate, which releases by dissociation of ammonia in a humid environment. Ammonia will cause the nose and lungs an increased respiratory incentive that will then lead to a better oxygenation of the patient. The raw material Hirschhornsalz was used, which consists of one third of ammonium carbonate. The effect could be increased by using the proportion of ammonium carbonate was increased by the addition of ammonia.

As English smelling salts were referred earlier ammonium carbonate, which was scented with essential oils. From smelling salts existing fluids, also called shock balm, as filled in so-called vinaigrettes. The famous quote " neighbor, your bottle! " From Goethe's Faust refers to this application, which was still very common to times when constricting garments such as corsets for women's fashion and included such attacks beneficiary.

Today, smelling salts, if at all, then only known in literature, for example in today appearing translation of a Donald Duck story by Carl Barks by Erika Fuchs, in which it is used in the invented, the highest " level 5 ".