LIVER AND BACON. The liver must be washed, not soaked, then wiped dry and cut into slices. Flour each slice. Remove the rind from the bacon, and cut it into rashers. Let the bacon be fried first, then stand it in a hot dish before the fire during the time the liver is being fried in the melted fat from the bacon. When the liver is cooked place it on the bacon. Next mix a dessert-spoonful of flour into a smooth paste with a cupful of water, stir in it a pinch of pepper and salt, and pour it into the frying-pan; let it just boil, stirring it meanwhile, and, lastly, strain it over the liver and bacon.
LIXIVIA′TION. The process of dissolving out or extracting the saline matter of bodies, more especially of ashes, the residua of distillations, &c., by means of ablution or digestion in water. The solution so obtained is called a ‘LYE,’ ‘LEY,’ or ‘LIXIVIUM,’ and the salts resulting from the evaporation of such solutions ‘LIXIVIAL SALTS,’
LLA′MA. Syn. Guanaco; Lama, L. A genus of animals of the family Bovidæ and tribe Camelina. The llama is confined to South America, and may be regarded as the representative of the camel in the New World. The most important species are Lama vicugna (the VICUNA) and L. Guanacus (the GUANACO). The wool of llamas is woven into stuffs for ponchos, and made into cords, sacks, &c. See Alpaca.
LOAD′STONE. Syn. Lodestone, Magnesian stone, Magnetic ironstone. Native magnetic oxide of iron (Fe3O4). It is often found massive, frequently crystallised, and occasionally in beds of considerable thickness. Its colour varies from reddish black to deep grey. Native magnets from Arabia, China, and Bengal are commonly of a reddish colour, and are powerfully attractive. Those found in Germany and England have the colour of unwrought iron; those from Macedonia are more black and dull.
LOAM. A native mixture of clay, sand, and oxide of iron, with more or less chalk. Loamy soils are of this description. They are called heavy or light, according to the proportion of clay; and sandy, calcareous, or gravelly, just as sand, gravel, or chalk, form a characteristic portion of them.
LOBEL′IA. Syn. Indian tobacco; Lobelia (B. P., Ph. L. E. & D.), L. “The flowering herb of Lobelia inflata” (B. P., Ph. L.), or bladder-podded lobelia. The herb has an unpleasant odour, and an acrid, burning, nauseous taste, somewhat resembling that of tobacco. In small doses (1 to 3 gr.) it is expectorant and diaphoretic; in larger doses (5 to 15 gr.) nauseant and emetic; and in excessive doses, poisonous. According to Dr Pereira, its principal value is that of an anti-spasmodic. It has been highly recommended by Dr Elliotson in spasmodic asthma. He commences with small doses, and gradually increases them unless headache or nausea occurs. Others give a full dose at or before the commencement of the fit. It has been also tried in croup, hooping-cough, and other diseases of the respiratory organs, with variable effect.
Lobelia is the panacea of Dr Coffin, the author of the pretended system of medicine irreverently called ‘Coffinism.’
LOBEL′IC ACID. The acid existing in decoction of lobelia. It closely resembles gallic acid. It reddens litmus, and is precipitated by several metallic salts.
LOBEL′INE. Syn. Lobelina, L. A light yellowish-brown oily substance, found by Calhoun, of Philadelphia, in Lobelia inflata. It is volatile, soluble in alcohol, ether, and water; and in oil of turpentine, oil of almonds, and some other fixed oils; with the acids it forms crystallisable salts, which are soluble. It may be obtained from the seeds by the action of alcohol acidulated with acetic acid, evaporating, treating with magnesia and then with ether, and again evaporating. 1 oz. of the seeds furnishes 2 gr. When perfectly pure, 1 gr. will kill a large dog.
LOB′STERS. See Shell fish.