Michael Foster wrote:
>
> That's pretty interesting Frederick. However, ammonia was made hundreds, if not thousands
> of years before 1782. It used to be called spirits of hartshorn and has been know in Celtic
> and Gothic Europe since prehistory.
> of years before 1782. It used to be called spirits of hartshorn and has been know in Celtic
> and Gothic Europe since prehistory.
>
Sure Michael, naturally occurring urease enzymes will hydrolyze the urea in urine/manures
from man or beast (them ain't smelling salts) releasing ammonia (NH3) + CO2:
H2O + NH2-CO-NH3 -----> CO2 + 2 NH3
In the old days the local outhouses and bat "guano" even furnished the nitrates NH4NO2/3,
NaNO2/3 and/or KNO2/3 used in gunpowder, which was employed when folks
got pissed off.
Frederick
