CONFEC′TIONERY. See Candies, Drops, Lozenges, Sugar, &c.
CONGELA′TION. The conversion of a substance from the fluid to the solid state by the abstraction of heat. See Ice and Refrigeration.
CONGESTION. “A common condition of disease in an undue flow of blood into any part, or accumulation within it. The vessels seem to lose the power of emptying themselves, which they possess in health. Congestion, although an effect of both visitation and inflammation, may exist irrespective of either. Two forms of it are distinguished, active and passive. The first is when some excitement causes the blood to pass more rapidly into a part than its vessels can transmit out of it; the second when from some inherent debility the vessels cannot get rid of the fluid ordinarily thrown into them. Congestion of organs disturb their functions, and through them the general health.”
CONGLU′TINUM (Bracy Clarke’s). Sulphate of zinc (white vitriol), 4 oz.; dissolved in water, 1 pint. Used as an astringent lotion in veterinary practice, and much diluted with water (a dessert-spoonful to 1⁄4 pint or more of water), as a collyrium in chronic inflammation of the eyes.
CO′NIA. C8H15O. Syn. Co′nine, Con′icine. An alkaloid, discovered by Gieseke in hemlock. It exists in every part of the plant, but is present in the largest quantity in the seed.
Prep. (Gieger.) The seeds of hemlock, or their alcoholic extracts, is distilled with water and potassa. The conia passes over into the receiver, and floats on the top of the water, which also contains a little conine in solution. It is purified in the way directed for the volatile bases. (See Alkaloid.) When the alcoholic extract is employed, about half its weight of potassa should be used.
Prop., &c. Pure conia is an oily-looking liquid, smelling intensely of hemlock, or rather of a combination of the odours of tobacco and mice; volatile at common temperatures; reddens turmeric; boils at about 340° Fahr., but readily distils over with water at 212°; sp. gr. ·89; with the acids it forms salts, some of which are crystallisable. Six lbs. of fresh and 9 lbs. of dried seeds yielded 1 oz. of conia. (Gieger.) Forty lbs. of the ripe but green seeds yielded 21⁄2 oz. of hydrated conia. (Christison.)
Conia is remarkably poisonous. 1 drop, placed in the eye of a rabbit, killed it in 9 minutes; 5 drops, poured into the throat of a dog, killed it in less than a minute. It has been employed in some convulsive and spasmodic diseases, but is now seldom used medicinally. “The patient cries, the contortions, and the rigidity of the limbs, which have always preceded death (caused by conia), leave no doubt as to the cruel pains which this kind of poisoning brings on.” (Boutron-Chalard and Henry.) The treatment may be that recommended under Aconite and Hemlock.
CONSERVATEUR FUR HAARBLEINDE. A preventive of hair diseases (Edm. Bühligen, Leipzig). Consists of 10 grammes tinct. arnica, 5 grammes glycerine, 10 grammes spirit, and 60 grammes water. (Schädler.)
CON′SERVE. Syn. Conser′va, L. Recent vegetable matter, as flowers, herbs, roots, fruit, and seed, beaten with powdered sugar to the consistence of a stiff paste, so as to preserve them as nearly as possible in their natural