The actual ingredient is salt peter which is rumored to have certain affects that it is rumored that, because of these affects, military cooks mix it into their foods. It was found in a military kitchen. Hmm, I wonder?
I hadn't heard of that: I know it has uses as a blood pressure drug (and another explosive compound, nitroglycerine, is also curiously useful for a related condition: I still have a squirty thing of it for that purpose). The thing they are reputed to have used for "certain effects" is bromide which was supposedly given to British soldiers a century ago so they wouldn't get too randy, though sadly(? well, probably not!) that seems to be an urban myth since it would probably also make them somewhat asleep. Which isn't very useful for fighting battles...
