Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
They used to sell it at the drug store called READS. They also sold it at Murphy's and Woolworth's. it was on the menu as coke and spirits of ammonia. You can also use it in orange juice.
My question is, has anyone else heard of this?
Thank you,
sandy
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RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Hi,
FYI, in the book Acid Alkaline Diet there is an old time remedy of 1/8th teaspoon each of essence of peppermint, baking soda, and spirit of ammonia that normalizes stomach acid.
It's understood in household remedy circles that much can be done without phar-maekia (the mixing of drugs), and the things of old are quite helpful.
I find it ironic that the spirit of ammonia was put in coke. Coke has to be one of the most poisonous acid making things (along with all other sweet pop drinks) one could swallow. Must have been mixed with coke to kill the taste of the ammonia. In a recent documentary of the invention of soda pop one statement that set in my memory is that after the widespread acceptance of soda pop "they watched the thin people get fat". Interesting, huh? I don't drink the stuff and, I'm not fat.
The book is excellent and gives many things one can do to improve health. Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.
Alkalize or Die is another similar book. Both expound nicely upon society being too acid, a major problem bringing about premature death.
Yours truly,
ettajean
Post by ettajean
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yes, YES! Love this drink. My older sister's boyfriend worked at a Nat'l fountain chain, based here in , Baltimore, MD called, " Arundel Ice Cream Parlors". This was the cool drink of the day. I didn't know about menstrual cramps but, it was purportedly good for relaxation & sleep inducement. So cool to discover this post. :-)
Post by MoBuc
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
My Mother gave me Spirits of Ammonia with Coke growing up in Florida for nerves. I have always had crying jags and she would give me this and I would feel much better. I am glad to know it can be used for nausea and menstrual cramps as well. I will be searching for some Spirits of Ammonia at the local drug stores. Does anyone know how it works? Please contact me at yoda.herrera AT gmail.com
Post by Steph57
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I didn't hear of it until yesterday (10-10-09). My mother mentioned it to be in a telephone conversation. She recalls ammonia cokes being sold at People's Drug Stores in the Washington DC area. Sounded unbelievable to me so I decided to go online to find out what an ammonia coke is and what it is supposed to do.Will continue my search for information.
Post by cinemanut
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I had a Ammonia Coke yesterday 5-30-2009. in Crisfield, Maryland. I thought it was great, however my wife was not as impressed.
Post by Shoreliving
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
When I was very small, I remember my mom ordering an ammonia coke when we went to the drug store. When I was in high school, on the day of cheerleader tryouts, my friend and I were very nervous. We decided to try "spirits of ammonia" to calm our nerves (my mom did it). We drank it straight while at the water fountain and we thought we were going to die..it tasted soooo bad. Isn't it funny what kids will do..well, my mother did it and we thought it was a great idea for calming our nerves. Nowadays, no one has heard of it.
Post by bandy
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
In the famous movie 1933 Dinner at Eight Dr. Wayne Talbot asks for spirits of ammonia to treat Oliver Jordan (played by Lionel Barrymore). Came here researching it!
Post By Bruce G. (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Absolutely! I have tried to explain this to people and they don't believe me! I loved them!
When I was young growing up in Clendenin, WV my grandmother would send me out to get an "ammonia coke" down at the corner drug store where there was a soda fountain in the back at the pharmacist's counter.
It was supposed to help with headache particularly but also with nausea and upset stomach. They would put about a half a capful(I suppose maybe 4 drops) in a cup 12 or 16 oz cup and fill it up with coke. I liked them and would get them frequently.
I just found this thread on the web when I was remembering and trying to figure out what to buy and how to make one.
Post By bt (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
You can still buy spirits of ammonia right here on the internet. I just got some from one of the drug store sites.
Post By Dottie (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yeh, my aunt was a pharmacist in a small drug store in southern WV. She had the carbonated water pumps and the thick coke syrup pumps and from them came some mighty fine cokes of all nature: chocolate cokes, cherry and vanilla, and yes, ammonia cokes on summer days. When I think of them I also think of paregoric. Yikes! Those were the days.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Coke with ammonia is also mentioned in the novel
"The Postman Always Rings Twice", written in 1934 I think. That's what brought me to the internet, trying to find out why. Thanks for all the information!
Post by Hinchess
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yes, I too have heard of this, but only in the movie "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946). A man gets thrown through a glass display case in a drug store. The pharmacist comes over and says something like, "Quick. Bring me iodine, bandages, and aromatic spirits of ammonia!" Hysterical line. I will not forget it.
Post By Philip (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I have been using this combo for around 40 years for nausea. My grandmother told me about it. I have a hard time finding the little bottles of Spirits of Ammonia, and I think it's funny that it says "Not for Internal Use" on the bottle, but this always does the trick. When I was pregnant back in 1976, we still had a coke machine at work that dispensed coke syrup and seltzer water out of the little doorway--and the cost was only a dime!
Post By Kathy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yes! I was just searching for info on this when I found your post. My mom used to give me coke and ammonia spirits for stomach aches, or to calm me down when I got upset. I don't know if it worked, but she swore by it. I don't know if they even sell spirits of ammonia anymore. It used to come in a small brown bottle, about 2 ozs.
Post By Deborah (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
There was two old sisters in my towm that had a little grocery store--------they took spirits of ammonia and coke with two aspirins to disolve bone spurs------they told this to my neighbor and she took it for bursitis-I told my Mother and she took it for bursitis-it worked. When my Mother got a bursitis flareup she went to the Dr. He gave her meds. and a shot and she laid in bed for 6 weeks in pain. She took this remedy for a couple of weeks and never had a flareup again. 1/2 tsp to a glass of coke-2- 325mg aspirin once daily. It said on the bottle "do not ingest"-go figure-but it worked for my Mother. I read the bottle after I took some-got scared and called the pharmacist and he just laughed at me.--said "it wouldn"t kill me". These post are interesting-lots of old remedy's work and surely can't be any more harmful than some of the side effets of these new meds. coming out today . If you read the side effects of meds. today, You are hard pressed to take them after you read the side effects.
Post By Fay7@aol,com (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I first heard of it around 1966 in Baltimore City Maryland. On a hot day, my neighbor would send me down to Paul's Chuckwagon to get him a coke with spirits of ammonia. My neighbor said it helped to cut back on his perspiration.
I remember the stores you mention.
I have checked around to find the spirits but haven't had any luck.
Thanks for the memories
Post By Bill (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I have heard of it and used to be able to buy it in a pharmacy in GA when visiting my inlaws. Never used it in coke, used it on bug bites to stop itch, WORKS GREAT.
Post By Marie (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I grew up in Catonsville, MD and Reads Drug Stores were popular in the Baltimore area. I remember the mixture.
Post By RG (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
This stuff is great for keeping yourself cool. A lot of the responses I read say the same. Put some ice water in a cooler with some ammonia spirits. I use 1/2 bottle with a rag, and it works wonders. My 11 yr. old son uses it for his ballgames in high heat. He used to get overheated A LOT when he played, and since using this, he hasn't had a spell yet. I've heard of the ammonia/coke combo, but have never had it. This stuff is strong smelling. I can't imagine drinking it.
Post By Kathy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia
When I got sick in church (due to not eating anything from the night before) and would practically pass out, my mother gave me a little spirits of ammonia in a glass of water which made me feel better. It was also given to a young lady in the movie "Magnificent Ambersons" when she became overwrought upon hearing that her boyfriend was leaving town. I would be wary of mixing coke with spirits of ammonia nowadays because of all the additives in coke but that is just my opinion.
Post By Alice (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yes it was a staple in soda fountains in Drug stores back when I was a teenager. My mother used it the same way, always in her purse. Where can you find spirts of ammonia or smelling salts?
Post By Ted Strickland. (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Yes I have heard of Ammonia Cokes....a close girlfriend of mine said she used the combination for migrane headaches.
Post By Suzy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I used to drink ammonia spirits mixed in water with sugar in it with my grandmother when I was a kid. Why I don't know.
Post By SANDY BAILEY (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Would you know what the recipe is for that, and where you can get the spirits of ammonia now?
Post By kay (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
In the 1950's every Rexall Drug Store with a soda fountain would serve ammonia cokes. It was used as an energy drink. But much less expensive than todays energy drinks. A fountain coke with 3 or 4 drops of spirits of ammonia.
Post By Bob (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Water
A mixture of water, ice and ammonia spirits works wonders for overheating. I use a six pack cooler, I fill the cooler with Ice then I add 2 cap fulls of Ammonia spirits then I fill the cooler up just far enough so I can put two hand towels in. I use this playing tennis, softball, kids baseball and even cutting the grass. When you get really hot, you take one of the towels and wrap it around your face covering your nose then you take 3 deep breaths through your nose. You will not believe how much better you feel and any breeze will feel like an airconditioning. This is what all the Major League Baseball players use during hot games.
Post By Tony (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
YES! I grew up in Bluefield, Virginia and it was commonly sold at the New Graham Pharmacy's soda fountain/grill. We drank it for another sedative effect. It was great for settling an upset stomach.
Post By Michael (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
An old nurse I worked with took it in water, and she had been told to do so by her (no doubt ancient) obstetrician. I remember her asking me if I wanted a dose of ammonia, but I never took her up on it, so I don't know how it makes you feel.
Post By carol (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
In the book Blue Highways the traveling author ran across a family in Tenessee in 1978 who talked about a country doctor who knew the "old medicines". The wife said the doctor recommended a few drops of spirits of ammonia in well water for her nerves. Said it calmed her "like the hand of the Lord".
The same doctor also recommended a drop or two of iodine in well water as a remedy for food poisoning.
Post By Bill (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
My mother was talking about this today, my cousins too. They talked about it being served in West Virgina and mentioned that it was use to get rid of headaches and that it tasted horrible.
Post By Karen McCoy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I used to teach band camps during the summer. i taught one is south Georgia for two years back in the 80's. The band directors and boosters used to set up LARGE trash cans with ice, water, and spirits of ammonia all mixed together. When we would get hot or start to get "roofer head" we would go and dip towels into the large trash cans and get our towels wet with this concoction. IT WAS AMAZING!!! has anyone heard of this, and does anyone know the mixture to make this work?
Post By vmholladay (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Actually, I heard about this two days ago, when I found out that the soda fountain that I work with sells amonia cokes on the DL. :)
I was confused when the lady ordered one, but my co-worker knew what it was and how to make one. I was confused for a while, because I thought that the customer was seriously having the cleaning amonia with coca-cola!
Post By Patty (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
You must have grown up around Baltimore. Read's drug store and most pharmacies in the 50's (that I remember) served coke with ammonia.
Post By Armand (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Spirits of Ammonia is "A solution of ammonium carbonate in alcohol or ammonia water, used in smelling salts". Ammonia, like you use for cleaning, is a caustic acid and can kill you. Please be sure you have the correct one before drinking it!!
Post By Jo (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
When I was in high school I was a majorette and I would get so nervous before a performance - I would almost pass out. Mother started giving me ammonia and water in a shot glass every Friday night before the football game. It became a ritual and I was NEVER nervous. Those were the only times I ever took it. I asked her about it a few years ago (she was 80) and she didn't remember what I was talking about. I've asked other people and everybody thought I was crazy. NOW I know it was spirit of ammonia! Just thought I'd pass along - it's great for the nerves!
Post By Sheila Cross (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
does anyone use this now? I think I could benefit. The stuff in the store has lemon, lavendar and nutmeg oil. Did the old timey stuff have these additives? kcsmith65 AT hotmail.com
Post by kcsmith65
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
When I was young, my grandmother would send me to the bar downstairs every afternoon to get her a Coke with a shot of ammonia. All these years I thought it was crazy until I just looked it up here, and saw it wasn't. I now realize she was getting it for her chronic headaches that went away after she drank it.
Post By Kemp (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Sandy,
Absolutely !......I'm from a family of 10 and Mom would do the same for our sick bellies when we were kids. Spirit of Amonia and Coke with cracked ice.........sip lightly........settled many a sick child in our house.......and yes, from Reads Drug Store is where we purchased the Amonia. This is crazy !
Post By JB (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I was in high school when I first hear of this. I was attending summer school and this girl and I stopped at a soda shop on the way home. She ordered an ammonia coke. I've never seen or heard any more of that sense. It's very rare.
Post By Don (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I never heard of that till I was in high school. I was with a girl when we stoped at a soda fountain on the way home from school. She ordered an ammonia Coke. She let me smell it, and (phew!) That was the only time I've seen that and I still haven't seen it yet.
Post By Don (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I bought some spirits of amonia because my daughter is pg. She is so sick constantly. I was the same way and my mother-in-law gave it to me and it worked. The problem is the words...for external usse only....it says it is for smelling...like smelliing salts. Is this the right stuff?
Post by Peaks
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
YES, I HAVE HEARD OF SPIRITS OF AMMONIA AND
COKE. MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO TAKE THAT
WHEN SHE HAD DIZZY SPELLS. NO ONE IN MY FAMILY KNEW WHAT IT WAS.
Post By KATHY (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I have used spirits of ammonia with 7-up &/or Sprite and a BC powder. In fact, to this day, it is the only help I get when I have a terrible headache - migraine or otherwise. APW
Post By A. Paul Wood (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I've heard of this. It was available at Steger Pharmacy in Covington, Va. many moons ago. Not sure of the mix ratio. A friend and I were discussing the effects of ammonia buildup in the bloodstream secondary to cirrhosis of the liver, and the use of lactulose as a remedy when he told me that his grandfather would take him to this local soda fountain/drugstore where he would get a lemonade or something, and his grandfather would get an ammonia coke. As a nurse, I have seen people get pretty loopy when their liver could no longer filter out the ammonia resulting from protein breakdown, and the connection was clear. By the way, cirrhotic alcoholics hate lactulose. It does a great job of binding up the ammonia, but since the body doesn't metabolize this particular form of sugar, as it binds up the ammonia, it gets rid of it by the fastest route. Hehhehheh. Clears their head and their bowels at the same time.
Post By uncle jon (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I need a recipe for spirits of ammonia. Does anyone have it? If so, please email me at aprilbc @ msn.com (remove spaces)
Post By April (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
It is also used to combat headaches using the same coke or oj formula.
Post By jford (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
In the 60's I worked in a drug store with a lunch counter. A gentleman would come in and gt a coke with a few drops of spirits of ammonia to releive his migraine headaches.
Post By peetza1 (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
8/17/05 spirits of ammonia (smelling salts) are very calming! The alkalinizing effects of the spirits of ammonia neutralizes the acidic residues in the stomach, so this is a good home remedy for upset stomach, nervousness, and helps menstrual cramps as well. For upset stomach: Usual dose is 1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, plus 1/8 teaspoon of spirits of ammonia, mixed into water, then you drink it down. Enjoy!
Post By AdamAdam (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
thank you for all your feedbacks.
yes i do still use the spirits of ammonia. but even the pharmacist questioned me. i explained i just feel better after taking it when having a crying jag that just wont quit.
thank you
Post By sandy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
Wow, what memories that brought back! I sure do remember the ammonia coke, it was sold at a drugstore in St. Petersburg, Florida and a few of us gals would stop there on our way to shop and have a glass. It probably would be illegal now!
Post by ghager28
RE: Spirits of Ammonia and Coke
I, too, remember it as an effective cure for menstrual cramps. One could get it at a drug store lunch counter, and almost everyone kept a little bottle at home. I'm sure it's related to smelling salts. I vaguely remember first aid kit items of vials in gauze that you broke and used as smelling salts for people who had fainted.
Post By Nancy (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia
An "ammonia coke" is still the best remedy for menstrual cramps. If you feel this is not for you, by all means, consult with your doctor and do as he or she says. This is the remedy we all used back in the 40's when I was a teenager, but I continued to use it throughout my life as did my girl and lady friends. "Aromatic spirits of ammonia" is not to be confused with household ammonia which is probably poison... Spirits of ammonia can be purchased in 1- 2 oz bottles in your local drug store. I believe it is the same ammonia as is used in smelling salts. I raised 3 daughters and it was the remedy of choice for them. My 3 granddaughters all use it today, and it's still number one remedy for "lady cramps". We all add the ammonia to the real Coca-Cola...no substitutes.
Julia in Orlando, FL
Post By Julia (Guest Post)
RE: Spirits of Ammonia
Never heard of it. Find out the side effects of spirits of ammonia!
Just 'cause it was popular way back when, doesn't mean it is safe!
Post by cookwie
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