spirits of hartshorn

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Hartshorn \Harts"horn`\ (-h[^o]rn`), n.

1.The horn or antler of the hart, or male red deer. [1913 Webster]

2.Spirits of hartshorn (see below); volatile salts. [1913 Webster]

Hartshorn plantain (Bot.), an annual species of plantain (Plantago Coronopus); -- called also buck's-horn. --Booth.

Hartshorn shavings, originally taken from the horns of harts, are now obtained chiefly by planing down the bones of calves. They afford a kind of jelly. --Hebert.

Salt of hartshorn (Chem.), an impure solid carbonate of ammonia, obtained by the destructive distillation of hartshorn, or any kind of bone; volatile salts. --Brande & C.

Spirits of hartshorn (Chem.), a solution of ammonia in water; -- so called because formerly obtained from hartshorn shavings by destructive distillation. Similar ammoniacal solutions from other sources have received the same name. [1913 Webster]

ammonia \am*mo"ni*a\ ([a^]m*m[=o]"n[i^]*[.a]), n. [From sal ammoniac, which was first obtaining near the temple of Jupiter Ammon, by burning camel's dung. See Ammoniac.] (Chem.) A gaseous compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3, with a pungent smell and taste: -- often called volatile alkali, and spirits of hartshorn. It is very soluble in water, forming a moderately alkaline solution, and is used in aqueous solution as a household cleaning agent, such as for cleaning grease from glass. [1913 Webster + PJC] Ammoniac