From: dyer@ursolaris.spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med.pharmacy
Subject: Re: Whats in Smelling Salts?
Date: 9 Jul 1998 03:41:48 GMT

In article <35A42247.7BF27463@hotmail.com>,
Peter Capsis  <myo_mer@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Is there a pharmacologically active ingredient?

Well, it contains "aromatic spirits of ammonia", which is basically
ammonia dissolved in an alcohol/water mixture.  Is it "pharmacologically
active"?  Probably not.  The sharp smell of ammonia supposedly caused some
sort of vagal reflex when held to the nose, bringing people out of a faint,
but I suspect this was most effective in old movies.

--
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com