The whole materia medica has been, unfortunately, unsuccessfully sought without the discovery of a single remedy for this disease, or even a palliative of its severer symptoms. See Curarine.
The treatment of recent bites of venomous animals has been fully explained, and need not be repeated here. To prevent secondary or constitutional effects arising, the use of lemon juice, or arsenical solution, has long been popular. (Graham, and others.) Dr Buchan remarks that “vinegar is of considerable use, and should be taken freely.”
HYDROSULPHU′RIC ACID. See Sulphur.
HYGIENE′. Syn. Hygiene, Fr. Health; its preservation, promotion, and restoration. That department of medicine and civil government which relates to health. See Air, Bath, Exercise, Flannel, Food, Nutrition, Sleep, Ventilation, &c.
HYGROMETER. An instrument for measuring the amount of moisture in the atmosphere.
Amongst the various contrivances for accomplishing
this end are Daniel’s dew-point hygrometer; and the wet bulb hygrometer.
By the first, the quantity of moisture in the atmosphere, is determined by noting with a sensitive thermometer, the temperature at which a film of dew mass, to deposit on one of the bulbs of a species of cryophorus, disappears; the tension of the aqueous vapour present in the air at that period, being readily ascertained from tables constructed for the purpose, the corresponding proportion of moisture can thus be readily ascertained.
The wet bulb hygrometer consists of two small thermometers placed side by side, the bulb of them being surrounded by cotton films kept constantly damp by a simple contrivance. According to the rate of evaporation of the bulb so moistened, with the fall of the thermometer to which the moistened bulb belongs, the depression, of course, being greater the further the surrounding atmosphere is from the saturation point, and tables are furnished for determining the degree of saturation for all differences of temperature within the ordinary atmospheric range.
HYOCHO′LIC ACID. C25H40O4. Syn. Glycohyocholalic acid. A compound peculiar to the gall of pigs, discovered by Strecker and Gundelach.