I agree Spaw. Saltpeter/saltpetre doesn't really bother me. Oil of hartshorn is a different matter. I used to know lots of outdated chemical names but the only one that gets up my nose is the modern one foisted on us traditionalists by chemists who had no sense of tradition (or spelling) and changed sulphur to sulfur. Especially when it was burned.

There's been some discussion, elsewhere, of the similarity between guitar shapes and women's anatomy and your "Petered Out" brought an image or two to mind. Peter Bellamy, who as you know played anglo concertina, used to demonstrate a guitarist's affection for his instrument with consequent and sexually relevant actions. He'd then demonstrate an Anglo player's version of the Act of Congress. Lots of bellows-action rapidly going in and out while the air button was depressed; much agitated puffing. Then, taking his left hand out of the wrist strap he'd slowly let air into the bellows so that the sagging droop of the instrument visibly demonstrated the finality of it all.

And people wonder why the concer is called (fondly) the leather ferret.

Cheers, Rowan