In the caught-on-tape manhandling, Martin appeared to do little to resist when a group of guards kneed, punched, wrestled and pressure-pointed him. The guards tried to revive the rubber-legged boy by shoving ammonia capsules in his face -- a practice that another boy from the boot camp said was common.
Yes, that would be smelling salts or equivalent -- available in many a first-aid kit. The reporter's phrase, "ammonia-wielding," sounded like somebody got a bottle of household cleaner and held it under the boy's nose.
I figured the guards got frustrated when he didn't revive -- perhaps clapped a hand over his mouth and jammed the smelling salts under his nose to get a bigger dose. But ammonia is poisonous and can only be given in small doses. It works to irritate the throat and lungs so that the recipient reacts by breathing harder and gulping for air -- and that is the resuscitation. If he breathes hard but can only gulp more poisonous ammonia fumes (remember, they're holding his mouth shut), it kills him.