evaporated, the
handkerchief still retains an odor, which, although not that of the
original smell, yet gives satisfaction, because it is pleasant to the
nasal organ.

SECTION V.

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
bottles are inverted; as, if by any chance the ammonia runs out and is
spilt over certain colored fabrics, it causes a stain. When such an
accident happens, the person who sold it is invariably blamed.

When the sponge is saturated properly, it will retain the ammoniacal
odor longer than any other material; hence, we presume, bottles filled
in this way are called "inexhaustible," which name, however, they do not
sustain more than two or three months with any credit; the warm hand
soon dissipates the ammonia under any circumstances, and they require to
be refilled.

For transparent colored bottles, instead of sponge, the perfumers use
what they call insoluble crystal salts (sulphate of potass). The bottles
being filled with crystals,