saltpetre, also spelled Saltpeter, also called Nitre, or Niter, any of three naturally occurring nitrates, distinguished as (1) ordinary saltpetre, or potassium nitrate, KNO3; (2) Chile saltpetre, cubic nitre, or sodium nitrate, NaNO3; and (3) lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. I have been suffering from foot pain for almost four years now. Botulism refers to bacteria that cause lethal food poisoning. As a baby boomer, you have reached an age when many men experience such difficulties. It is necessary for calcium metabolism and is frequently found in dietary supplements. Cigarettes are responsible for the vast majority of all tobacco-related disease and death in the United States. They change to rosy pink hue from brownish/grey. Saltpeter, however, does not contain the nitrites necessary to cure meat. These three nitrates generally occur as efflorescences caused by the oxidation of . Potassium nitrate can be dangerous if consumed. This is essentially industrial nitrogen fixation, where electric arcs react nitrogen and oxygen in air, making nitric acid and water. It is also used as a color fixative in some types of sausage. Why Do We Say a Fifth of Whiskey, Rum, or Vodka. The military, meanwhile, remains adamant that no amount of saltpeter comes in contact with any of the food consumed by service members. ]. This is not Syphlis this sycosis. No need to worry about nitrosamines in beer now! Let your doctor know if this occurs. Some epidemiological studies suggest this is more than a theoretical possibility. "Up until the 1980s, corned beef was prepared using saltpeter as a curing agentuntil such time as better nitrates for food preservation were discovered," Merkel added."Since cured meat was often used in military rations, this might also [lend] credence" to the saltpeter myth. ThoughtCo, Apr. The rise of gunpowder in Europe hastened the production of guns.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'allusesof_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-allusesof_com-banner-1-0'); Sodium nitrate, when mixed with potassium nitrate, forms vital storage for concentrating solar power. "Saltpetre," (the term refers either to potassium or sodium nitrate) has no effect on carnal urges . In 1999, the FDA no longer allowed the use of saltpeter, sodium or potassium nitrate in curing smoked and cooked meats, non-smoked and cooked meats, or sausages.. Saltpetre, (the term refers either to potassium or sodium nitrate) has no effect on carnal urges. A. The use of gunpowder spread to the western world before the thirteenth century. What does saltpeter do to a woman? Calcium nitrate was once common as an efflorescence on the walls of stables; it is now manufactured from atmospheric nitrogen. Your Query - This is a community service. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. First, the saltpeter is boiled in a small amount of water and then reacted with potassium carbonate from wood ashes. Whats the story? One of the most deadly substances known to mankind is produced byClostridium botulinumbacteria. The reason of swelling is not found . It was also once used to cure meats. The compound is also a common term for potassium nitrate, according to Culinary Lore. ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; The peanut butter shot, in the military, is a slang term for the famous bicillin vaccination every recruit receives unless they have an allergy and can prove it. Best used in the treatment of Urinary Problems, Kidney Stones and Indigestion. Corrections? Smokers are exposed to a toxic mix of over 7,000 chemicals when they inhale cigarette smoke. It naturally occurs in the mountain caves, particularly on the soil high in organic matter. Fire safety precautions include storing saltpeter away from combustibles. Learning to stand at attention for extended periods during basic training is key, yet after reporting for duty many new military recruits discover that their membrum virile is unable to do the same. Walkerma [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. "Saltpetre," (the term refers either to potassium or sodium nitrate) has no effect on carnal urges. Jawing About French King Louis IXs Jawbone, A Different Twist on the Dose Makes the Poison. * High levels can interfere with the ability of the blood to carry Oxygen causing headache, fatigue, dizziness, and a blue color to the skin and lips (methemoglobinemia). It is referred to as gun powder today. What Is Sodium Polyacrylate & How Is it Used? Strange as it may sound, saltpeter is produced from the guano, or excrement, of bats. Saltpeter is used as an antimicrobial to kill this bacteria during the curing process. What does saltpeter do to a woman? In this page you can discover 7 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for saltpetre, like: quicklime, saltpeter, naphtha, nitre, potassium-nitrate, niter and tallow. On the TV show MASH (I love MASH), the character Hawkeye mentions saltpeter when he has a date and he has one of those dreaded male moments where he couldnt do it. This was set during the Korean war and I suspect that yes, it is an accurate portrayal and the belief was present in the military at that time. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/saltpeter-or-potassium-nitrate-608490. Are there any side effects from taking magnesium every day? There was a belief long ago that eating saltpeter would drive down a mans sex drive, which was seen as beneficial for military personnel when their wives and girlfriends were far away, wrote user Stephen Merkel. ter (sltptr) n. See potassium nitrate. Where to Get Potassium Nitrate or Saltpeter. Potassium nitrate is used to manufacture the fertilizer that supplies those two compounds. You can use potassium nitrate to cure food such as ham, fish, and other preserved meats. Saltpetre, xiaoshi (), was used extensively in early and medieval Chinese medicine for the treatment of a number of common ailments and as a general aid to good health. In plants, ordinary saltpeter takes the form of potassium nitrate, and it occurs in the sap of plants for instance, tobacco, celandine, common borage, and sunflower. Up until World War I, industrial production of potassium nitrate used the Birkeland-Eyde process. You must have to use Cannabis Sativa 30. Potential side effects include stomach upset, headache, anemia, and kidney damage. This helps soften the seed shell. Recent Examples on the Web For visitors who don't like narrow passageways or are short on time, this DIY stroll through some of the park's most famous limestone formations and passageways will take you past historic saltpeter mines, archeological sites, and the 19th-century tuberculosis ward. I worry that he is taking too much medicine, but he says the doctor knows best and refuses to question him. It helps by accelerating the natural decomposition because of the nitrogen. Instead, any loss of interest in the pursuit of hanky panky during boot camp or otherwise is likely from the sort of mental and physical exhaustion that accompany rigorous training. Is it OK to Eat Expired Canned Foods? Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. This myth has been extended, in modern times, to include the claim that MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) are laced with saltpeter as well. A. It is white in color. Instead, bacteria in the meat transform the nitrates found into saltpeter into the nitrites required for curing and preservation, much like Salt #2. Inmates in the United States have been drinking a fruit-flavored drink called "jail juice" for years. As we have already seen, the high stress of training (and of combat) would already have an effect on testosterone, so adding to this effect would be ill-advised, and if saltpeter had actually been used and worked, the effects produced would probably have been more than expected. Basic military training is a time of very high stress for most men. When inhaled, it may cause respiratory problems, including coughing and shortness of breath. [Middle English salpetre, from Old French, from Medieval Latin slpetrae : Latin sl, salt; see sal- in Indo-European roots + Latin petrae, genitive of petra, rock (from Greek petr; see per- in Indo-European roots).] If you see a plume of smoke coming from the chimney, the fireplace is going. One that comes up time after time is the idea of using a substance to suppress sexual desire. These compounds can be separated through chemical processing. What does saltpeter do to a woman? There is absolutely no scientific evidence that saltpeter reduces sex drive in men, or that it prevents men from getting erections, which was part of the colorful terms my fellow trainee provided in answer to my query. Niter - Also known as saltpeter, potassium nitrate has many uses. That is because sodium nitrate is an oxidizing agent meaning that it supports burning. Retrieved 3/9/2012. The deposits in the great limestone caves of Kentucky, Virginia, and Indiana have probably been derived from the overlying soil and accumulated by percolating water. Saltpeter, also known as potassium nitrate, is a mineral that is found in the earth's crust. Chiles Atacama Desert contains the largest deposits of saltpeter inform of sodium nitrate and other related compounds. Decades ago a rumor began circulating that the U.S. military was adding saltpeter to the chow of young service members to keep libidos in check. Contrary to many people's assertions, saltpeter has no known impact on sex drive and has not been used in institutional or military mess halls. Depending on where you live, it may be spelled "saltpetre"rather than 'saltpeter'. Humans have been using saltpeter for thousands of years. It is used to preserve meat, temper steel, and to make gunpowder and fireworks. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); Tender Quick is meant to tenderize meats, not necessarily cure them but it can be used safely. And to our great horror, beer was also contaminated! Isnt that too low? However, there is another, very simple reason, why a man might have a diminished desire for sex during military training: He is exhausted, both mentally and physically, and he simply has no time to think about anything but rest and not having more abuse heaped on him by his training instructor. ThoughtCo. Saltpeter is a common term for potassium nitrate.It is used to preserve meat, temper steel, and to make gunpowder and fireworks.There is absolutely no scientific evidence that saltpeter reduces sex drive in men, or that it prevents men from getting erections, which was part of the "colorful terms" my fellow trainee provided in answer to my query. In the case of meat, there was no great mystery. Is there anything else that would help? Throughout history, the powder has been referred to as the Chinese snow. In the lab, it's easy to make potassium nitrate by reacting a mixture of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride in water. Eventually, the Haber process and Ostwald process replaced the Birkeland-Eyde process. The main uses of saltpeter include the production of items such as toothpaste, propellants, explosives, fertilizers, and food preservatives. The belief that saltpeter (potassium nitrate) will reduce sex drive is an urban legend. In 1638 'saltpeter men,' as they were known, had sought permission to extend their activities to the floors of churches, 'because women pisse in their seats which causes excellent saltpeter.' By itself, it is not explosive, but it can create a highly explosive, exothermic reaction if in contact with reducing agents. Do male and female soldiers sleep in the same barracks? Just how the secret of gunpowder traveled west-ward to Europe will probably never be fully known, although it seems likely that there was not just one route but severalvia the ancient trading route known as the Silk Road; by travelers from the west; by the Mongols; or by peoples of the Russian lands. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 29 July 2022 . Although physicians once prescribed saltpeter for sore throats, asthma and arthritis, we doubt it worked well. He . Besides, the nitrates provide distinct cured texture and flavor to bacon, ham, salami, and pastrami. Pests can cause very serious damages in the farms; hence, saltpeter is a very important element in this field. "Saltpetre," (the term refers either to potassium or sodium nitrate) has no effect on carnal urges. The process involves burying animal or human excrement in the ground and then watering it so that eventually saltpeter appeared on the ground from efflorescence. Using solar energy helps in cutting the amount of CO2 produced in the air. Saltpeter is one name for the compound called potassium nitrate, which has the chemical formula KNO 3. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); Here's a look at what exactly saltpeter is. You may ask and answer a query. In addition to KNO3, the compounds sodium nitrate (NaNO3), calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2), and magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2) are also sometimes referred to as saltpeter.