Albuminous Principles or Substances. Albumen, casein, fibrin, gluten, &c.
ALBURN′UM. [L.] Syn. Alburn*; Sapwood. In botany, the white and softer parts of the wood of exogenous plants, lying between the inner bark and the heartwood. It consists of empty or nearly empty tubes or
cells, which gradually acquire solidity by the deposition of resins, tannin, and other products of vegetation, and in time becomes wood. It is through the alburnum that the ascending sap chiefly flows.
ALCARAZ′ZA. [Sp.] A species of porous earthenware, or a vessel formed of it, made in Spain from a light, sandy marl, and but slightly fired. Their value as ‘coolers’ arises from the copious evaporation of the water, which gradually transudes. A similar ware and articles are made in France, under the name of HYGROCERA′MEN; and in England, under the names of POROUS WARE, WATER COOLERS, WINE COOLERS, BUTTER COOLERS, &c. The following are forms said to be used in our potteries:—
Prep. 1. Take of sandy marl, 2 parts; brine, q. s.; make a dough, and then knead in of common salt, in fine powder, 1 part. Bake the pieces slowly, and lightly.
2. Good clay, 2 parts; fine siliceous sand, 3 parts; brine, q. s.; common salt, 1 to 2 parts; as before.
3. Powdered clay, 2 parts; powdered charcoal, 3 parts (by weight); water q. s. to form a stiff dough. The kilning must be so arranged that the heat is applied gradually, and the vessels exposed to a current of hot air; and it must be continued until all the charcoal is burnt out, carefully avoiding over-firing.
AL′CHEMY (-kĭm-). Syn. Al′chymy (-kĭm-); Hermetic Art*; Alchem′ia, Alchym′ia, L.; Alchimie, Fr.; Alchemie, Ger.; Alchimia, It. The romantic forerunner of the modern science of chemistry. An imaginative art or science, having for its objects the discovery of a substance (PHILOSOPHER’S STONE) capable of transmuting the baser metals into gold—a panacea, or universal remedy (ELIXER VITÆ), by which disease and death were to be avoided by its possessor—an alkahest, or universal solvent—a universal ferment; and other like absurdities. A mixed metal formerly used for utensils was also called by this name.
AL′COHOL. C2H6O. [Eng., L.; B. P.] Syn. Al′kohol, Eng., L.; Alcoöl, Alcohol, Fr.; Alkohol, Höchst Rectifieirter Wein-geist., Ger.; Alcoöle, It. A term commonly applied to one kind of spirit—that obtained by the distillation of any fermented saccharine liquid, and forming the characteristic principle of wines, beers, spirits, and other intoxicating liquors.
Etym. Kohol, a Hebrew-Syriac word, is the name given to a preparation of powdered antimony used by Oriental ladies to paint their eyebrows. In course of time this term was applied to other fine powders, and ultimately to highly rectified spirits.