Bezoar, Por′cupine. Syn. B. hys′tricis, B. hys′tricus, La′pis h., L. porci′nus, &c., L. Said to be found in the gall-bladder of the Indian porcupine. Chiefly from Malacca. Has an intensely bitter taste, which it imparts to water.
Bezoar, West′ern. See Occidental Bezoar (antè).
Of the preceding, those from the stomach of ruminants vary in size from that of a bean to that of a hen’s egg, and have a composition and appearance closely imitated by the following formula, the product of which is commonly sold for them:—
Bezoar, Facti′′tious. Prep. From pipe-clay, or clay and chalk, equal parts, made into a stiff paste with ox-gall; a little hair or wool being added, and the resulting mixture pressed by the hands into small masses of a flattened spheroidal or egg-like form. These give a yellow tint to paper rubbed with chalk, and a green one to quick-lime, which tests are used for genuine bezoars. Like the latter, they are antacid or absorbent, which is probably the only virtue they possess.
Amongst ‘chemical bezoars’ now obsolete even on the Continent were—
Bezoar, Ar′gentine†; B. luna′′re, L. Made by distilling butter of antimony with a solution of nitrate of silver. Once highly esteemed in epilepsy and head diseases.
Bezoar, Min′eral; B. minera′le, L. Powder of algaroth deflagrated with nitre in a red-hot crucible, and then well washed with water. Once used as a diaphoretic. Other similar preparations were B. JOVIA′LE (from tin), and B. MARTIALE (from iron).
Bezoar, Sat′urnine, B. of lead; B. satur′ni, L. Made by distilling a mixture of oxide of lead, butter of antimony, and nitric acid. Once highly esteemed in diseases of the spleen.
BHAURTA. In Indian cookery, a dish made of mashed potatoes and onions, strongly spiced with capsicum, and sometimes also with curry-powder, shaped in a mould, and then slightly baked.
BIBAS′IC. Syn. Bibas′icus, L.; Bibasique, Fr. In chemistry, having two bases, or two atoms of the base or basic radical in its composition. See Acid, Nomenclature, Salt, &c.