This popular medicine has been traced back to Raymond Lully in the
thirteenth century, and to Basil Valentine. But the doctor who brought
it into general use was Sylvius (de la Boe) of Leyden, for whom it was
sold as a lithontryptic at a very high price. It first appeared in
the P.L., 1746, as Spiritus Nitri dulcis. In English this was for a
long time called “dulcified spirit of nitre,” and in the form of sweet
spirit of nitre still remains on our labels. In the P.L., 1788, the
title was changed to Spiritus Ætheris nitrosi, and in that of 1809 to
Spiritus Ætheris nitrici. The process ordered in the first official
formula was to distil 6 oz. (apoth. weight) of nitric acid of 1·5
specific gravity, with 32 fluid oz. of rectified spirit. Successive
reductions were made in the proportion and strength of the acid in the
pharmacopœias of 1809, 1824, and 1851, to 3½ fluid ounces of nitric
acid, sp. gr. 1·42, with 40 fluid ounces of rectified spirit, and a
product of 28 fluid ounces. The object of these several modifications
was to avoid the violent reaction which affected the nature of the
product.