[berninicaco3]

Was doing an image search for something quite unrelated, when I ran into this photo of an old sulfur candle from wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sulphur_Candle.jpg

It reads,
"danger: do not inhale fumes.
antidote: ...permit him to breathe the fumes from household ammonia..."

Just in case, I don't actually know, if sulfur is the ingredient that ammonia is specifically the antidote for-- so if you're thinking that it doesn't make any sense to counter sulfur, consider that maybe there's another ingredient in the candle.
But if it is, or, if you have an idea what else could be in that candle, why would breathing ammonia help?

Really just quite curious!  It'll be good for small talk with friends-- guess when inhaling ammonia is healthy for you!
btw, what is a sulfur candle itself good for?


thanks!
-Bernard

[Guitarmaniac86]

My possibly extremely poor guess would be that if the person passed out, a whiff of ammonia might bring them round... Much like smelling salts...

[Dan]

Consider:

1. What is/are the products of burning sulfur?
2. Lungs are wet, how do the products from 1. interact with water?
3. How might ammonia interact with the products from 2.?

[curiouscat]

As an aside, Plenty of poisons are stimulants in small doses..

[billnotgatez]

Misinterpretations can be scary
The warning on the example in the original post is also scary
as is this thread
Let us make sure we do not misinterpret
Both Ammonia and Sulfur fumes can be dangerous

From WIKI about Ammonia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia

Although in wide use, ammonia is both caustic and hazardous.

and

Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers.

From WIKI about Smelling salts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smelling_salts

Smelling salts, also known as spirit of hartshorn or sal volatile, are chemical compounds used for arousing consciousness. The usual active compound is ammonium carbonate, a colorless-to-white, crystalline solid ((NH4)2CO3·H2O). Because most modern solutions are mixed with water, they should more properly be called "aromatic spirits of ammonia." 

From WIKI about Sulfur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur

Sulfur candles consist of almost pure sulfur in blocks or pellets that are burned to fumigate structures. It is no longer used in the home due to the toxicity of the products of combustion.

and

Sulfur is an essential element for all life, and is widely used in biochemical processes.

From WIKI about Fumigation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumigation

Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within.