Spiritus Aetheris Nitrosi.

Synonyms—Spirit of nitrous ether. Spiritus nitri dulcis. Sweet spirit of nitre.

When aged and exposed, it assumes an acid reaction. It mixes freely with water and alcohol in all proportions.

Administration—The dose of this remedy is from ten drops to one dram, freely diluted with water. In childhood a small dose frequently repeated will be more satisfactory.

Therapy—This agent is an anesthetic although not used for that purpose. Its common use is that of a stimulating diuretic and if the conditions are favorable, it will produce the discharge of a very large quantity of water. It is the domestic remedy for retention or suppression of urine in children. If it be given with hot tea or with watermelon seed tea, it is of value in mild dropsies,. If the glands of the skin are active, the skin being warm and moist, its diaphoretic influence may be greater than its diuretic effects. The agent is antispasmodic and stimulant in continued fevers with much prostration and nervous irritability. It may be given in fifteen or twenty drop doses four times a day in water with very good results. It soothes the irritation, reduces the temperature and encourages elimination.

It is a remedy for nervous irritation of the stomach with nausea, and flatulence.

Its diuretic influence is of advantage in certain forms of Bright's disease, if there is congestion with deficiency of urinary secretion. It is of temporary benefit only and its use can not be greatly prolonged.

It will relieve pain in urination in many cases, especially if there is an alkaline reaction to the urine. It is of value in urethral spasm and in some forms of spasmodic stricture.

Pain on urinaton in childhood in the larger proportion of cases will be benefited by its use.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.