{ Am*mo"ni*ac (?), Am`mo*ni"a*cal (?), }
a.Of or pertaining to ammonia, or possessing its
properties; as, an ammoniac salt; ammoniacal gas.
Ammoniacal engine, an engine in which the vapor of
ammonia is used as the motive force. -- Sal ammoniac
[L. sal ammoniacus], the salt usually called chloride of
ammonium, and formerly muriate of ammonia.
Am*mo"ni*ac (?) (orGum` am*mo"ni*ac ,
n. [L. Ammoniacum, Gr. ? a resinous gum, said to
distill from a tree near the temple of Jupiter Ammon; cf. F.
ammoniac. See Ammonite.] (Med.)The concrete
juice (gum resin) of an umbelliferous plant, the Dorema ammoniacum.
It is brought chiefly from Persia in the form of yellowish tears, which
occur singly, or are aggregated into masses. It has a peculiar smell, and a
nauseous, sweet taste, followed by a bitter one. It is inflammable,
partially soluble in water and in spirit of wine, and is used in medicine
as an expectorant and resolvent, and for the formation of certain
plasters.