Embrocation, Ward’s. See Essence.
Embrocation of Cantharides. Syn. Embrocatio Cantharides. (Dr Struve, in hooping-cough.) Prep. Tartarized antimony, 1 scruple; water, 2 oz.; tincture of cantharides, 1⁄2 oz. To be rubbed over the region of the stomach, covering the part afterwards with flannel.
Embrocation of Delphinia. Syn. Embrocatio Delphiniæ. (Dr Turnbull.) Prep. Delphinia, 1 scruple to 1 dr.; rectified spirit, 2 oz.
Embrocation of Quinine. Syn. Embrocatio Quiniæ. (Dr Gustamacchia.) Prep. Sulphate of quinine, 8 to 12 gr.; rectified spirit, 1 oz.
Embrocation of Veratria. Syn. Embrocatio Veratriæ. (Dr Turnbull.) Prep. Veratria, 1 scruple to 1 dr.; rectified spirit, 2 oz.
EMBROID′ERY. Gold and silver fancy work of this description may be cleaned with a little spirit of wine, either alone or diluted with an equal weight of water. Gin is frequently used for the same purpose. The common practice of using alkaline or acid liquors is very injurious, and frequently destroys the beauty of the articles instead of cleaning them.
EM′ERALD. Syn. Smaragdus; Emeraude [Fr.] This beautiful deep-green gem ranks next to the diamond in value. The finest are brought from Peru, but fair varieties are found in Bavaria, Siberia, and India. A fine emerald weighing 4 or 5 gr. is worth as many pounds; one of 10 gr., about £2 per gr.; one of 15 gr., £3 to £4 per gr.; and so on in proportion to the increase in size. One of 24 gr., if of pure water, is worth about £100. According to the analysis of Vauquelin, the purest specimens consists of 65 parts silica, 14 alumina, 13 glucina, 2·56 lime, and 3·50 oxide of chromium, to which last the gem owes its rich green colour. See Beryl, Gems, Pastes, &c.
Emerald Green. See Green Pigments.
EMERY is an impure, amorphous, compact, and opaque variety of corundum, and consists of alumina, with a small per-centage of silica and peroxide of iron. It occurs in Spain, the isles of Greece, and other localities, and derives its name from Cape Emeri, in the island of Naxos. Its hardness is so great, that it scratches and wears down nearly all minerals except the diamond; hence the use of its powder for cutting and polishing glass and various other hard substances. For commercial purposes, the lumps of emery, as taken from the mine, are broken into pieces about the size of a hen’s egg, which are then crushed under stampers, similar to those used for pounding metallic ores. The coarse powder is then sifted through sieves covered with wire-cloth of different degrees of fineness, by which it is sorted into different sizes. In this state it forms the emery of the shops, or flour emery. For delicate purposes, it is afterwards prepared by elutriation.
Emery Cakes are formed by melting emery flour with a little beeswax, and after thorough admixture, forming it into solid lumps of suitable sizes. Used to dress the edges of buff and glaze wheels.