HYPOSUL′PHITE. Syn. Thiosulphate; Hyposulphis, L. A salt of hyposulphurous acid.
HYPOSUL′PHUROUS ACID. See Sulphurous Acid.
HYRA′CEUM. A substance produced by the Cape badger (Hyrax Capensis), and proposed as a substitute for CASTOREUM. Pereira considered it to be inert and useless.
HYSTERICS. Syn. Hysteria, Passio hysterica, L. In pathology, a nervous affection peculiar to women, attacking in paroxysms or fits, preceded by dejection; tears, difficult breathing, sickness, and palpitation of the heart. The treatment of this disease varies with the causes and the symptoms. Bleeding, cupping, and depletives, are generally had recourse to in robust and plethoric habits, and stimulants and tonics in those of a weakly or relaxed constitution. Affusion of cold water and nasal stimulants will frequently remove the fit in mild cases. Exercise, proper amusements and regular hours and diet, are the best
preventives. See Draught (Antihysteric and Hydrocyanic), &c.
ICE. Syn. Glacies, L. Water in the solid state. On being cooled, water gradually contracts until the temperature has fallen to 39·9° Fahr., when it begins to expand. At the freezing-point, 32° Fahr., under ordinary conditions, water crystallises or freezes, and in consequence of the continued expansion, the sp. gr. of ice, as compared with that of water at 39·9°, is as ·94 to 1·00. Ice has the peculiar property of reuniting by the contact of adjoining surfaces after having been broken into fragments (REGELATION). Coloured water and salt water, by freezing, produce colourless and fresh ice; and clean solid ice, when thawed, furnishes water equal in purity to that which has been distilled.
The use of ice in the preparation of ICE-CREAMS, ICED-LIQUORS, &c., is noticed elsewhere. The confectioner collects his ice as early as possible during the winter, and stores it in a well-drained well or excavation, somewhat of the form of an inverted sugar-loaf, contained in a small shed or building called an ICE-HOUSE. This building should always be situated on a dry sandy soil, and, if possible, on an eminence. The door should be on the north side, and the roof should be conical and thickly thatched with straw.
In medicine, ice is frequently employed externally in inflammation of the brain, to resolve inflammation, to stop hæmorrhage, to constringe relaxed parts, and an anodyne, to deaden pain. For these purposes it is pounded small, in a cloth, and placed in a bladder or bag of gauze (ICE-CAP, ICE-POULTICE) before applying it. Internally, ice or ice-cold water has been given with advantage in heartburn, typhus, inflammation and spasms of the stomach, to check the vomiting in cholera, and to arrest hæmorrhage, whether bronchial, gastric, nasal, or uterine. Very recently, ice has been proposed as a remedy in the treatment of diphtheria. Small lumps of ice, or a small glassful of pounded ice-and-water, will often temporarily restore the tone of the stomach and nervous system during hot weather, when all other means fail. Ice-creams, taken in moderation, act in the same way.
In the warmer climates of Europe an ICE-HOUSE or an ICE-SAFE (a REFRIGERATOR) is a necessary appendage to every respectable dwelling, not merely for the purpose of pleasing the palate with iced beverages, but to enable the residents to preserve their provisions (fish, meat, game, milk, butter, &c.) in a wholesome state from day to day. In addition to large cargoes of ice imported yearly from Norway, and principally consumed in England, Germany and France, ice is now manufactured to no inconsiderable amount, in these three countries artificially, the principal consumption of the factitious article being by brewers, who use it for the cooling of their worts. The artificial manufacture of ice is effected by the means of the condensation of elastic vapours in machines expressly made for the purpose. In Siebe’s ice-making machine the vapour of ether is made to traverse metallic tubes surrounded with a concentrated solution of common salt, by which it becomes recondensed to the liquid state, to be again utilised in the production of the vapour; the solution of salt becoming at the same time so reduced in temperature, as to convert into ice, water, contained in proper vessels, placed in it. In Carré’s machine the same end is accomplished by means of ammoniacal gas, a solution of calcic chloride being used for absorbing the cold instead of common salt. Reece’s is a modification, (he states an improvement) of Carré’s. Ice machines are also made, in which ice is produced, by bringing water into contact with air, which has been greatly reduced in temperature by cooling it when in the compressed state, and subsequently allowing it to expand. Liquid carbonic and sulphurous acids have likewise been used in the preparation of artificial ice, but not when it has been required in any considerable quantity. See Refrigeration.
Ice, Medicated. Mr Martin, of Weston-super-Mare, writing to the ‘Lancet,’ says:—“Every practitioner has at times to face the difficulties of the scarlatinal throat in young children. It may sadly want topical medication; but how is he to apply it? Young children cannot gargle, and to attempt the brush or the spray fills them with terror. In many cases neither sternness nor coaxing avails. Yet these little ones in almost every case will greedily suck bits of ice. This has long been my chief resource where I could not persuade the child to submit to the sulphurous acid spray. Lately, I have been trying an ice formed of the frozen solution of the acid (or some other antiseptic). Though, of course, not so tasteless as pure ice, the flavour is so much lessened by the low temperature, and probably also through the parched tongue, very little appreciating any flavour, that I find scarcely any complaint on that score from the little sufferers; they generally take to it very readily. The process of making it is very simple. A large test-tube immersed in a mixture of ice and salt is the only apparatus required, and in this the solution is easily frozen. When quite solid a momentary dip of the tube in hot water enables one to turn out the cylinder of ice, as the cook turns out her mould of jelly. I have tried the three following formulæ, all of which answer, although I think I prefer the first.