Definition

Noun: 1. A specific medicinal compound: Rochelle salts are a hydrated double salt of potassium sodium tartrate, historically used as a mild laxative. 2. A chemical substance: It refers to a crystalline compound used in various applications, including in the preparation of effervescent powders and in some scientific contexts.

Usage

• Rochelle salts are primarily discussed in historical, pharmaceutical, or chemical contexts.
• The term is used as a plural noun, typically with a plural verb (e.g., "Rochelle salts are...").

Examples

• Historical/Medical Context:
  • The 19th-century remedy contained Rochelle salts to relieve constipation.
  • Seidlitz powder, an old-fashioned effervescent laxative, included Rochelle salts as a key ingredient.
• Chemical Context:
  • The formation of large, clear crystals of Rochelle salts was part of the experiment.

Advanced Usage

• "Seidlitz powder": An effervescent preparation that historically contained Rochelle salts, sodium bicarbonate, and tartaric acid, used as a cathartic.
  • The action of Seidlitz powder depended on the reaction of its components, which included Rochelle salts.

Variants and Related Words

• Potassium sodium tartrate: The systematic chemical name for Rochelle salt.
• Seignette's salt: Another historical name for the same compound.
• Tartar emetic: A related compound (antimony potassium tartrate) also derived from tartaric acid but with different properties and uses.

Synonyms

• Potassium sodium tartrate (technical)
• Seignette's salt (historical/technical)

Notes on Meaning

• The primary meaning is the specific chemical compound used medicinally. It is not a general term for any salts and does not refer to table salt (sodium chloride).
• Its use in modern medicine is largely obsolete, so references are often historical.

Noun

1. a double salt used in Seidlitz powder; acts as a cathartic