MINCE PIES. Take 3 apples, 3 lemons, 1 lb. of raisins, 3⁄4 lb. of currants, 1 lb. of suet, 1⁄4 lb. of raw beef, 2 lbs. of moist sugar, 1⁄4 lb. of mixed candied peel, 1⁄4 of a rind of a fresh orange, 1 teaspoonful of powdered mixed spice, composed of equal parts of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, 1⁄2 pint of brandy, and 1 glass of port wine. Peel the apples and cut out the cores very carefully, and then bake the pieces until they are quite soft. The raisins must be carefully stoned, and the currants well washed, dried, and picked. Chop the suet very finely, as well as the raw meat and lemon-peel. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, add the brandy last of all, and press the whole down into a stone jar, and place a piece of paper soaked in brandy on the top. Remove the paper and stir up the mixture thoroughly every three days, replacing the paper. If this is done the mincemeat will keep a long time. To make the pies, roll out some thin puff-paste, butter a small round tin, and line it with a piece of paste, then put in a generous quantity of the mincemeat, cover it over with a similar piece of puff paste, and bake it in a moderate oven. Mince pies are none the worse for being warmed up, but pray take care they are sent to table hot. (Cassell.)
MINDERE′′RUS’ SPIRIT. See Ammonia (Acetate of), and Solution.
MINERAL CHAME′LEON. Prep. From a mixture of binoxide of manganese and potassa and nitre, equal parts, heated to redness. It
must be preserved in a well-corked bottle until required for use.
Prop., &c. When dissolved in water, its solution, at first green, passes spontaneously through all the coloured rays to the red, when, if potassa be added, the colour retrogrades until it reaches the original green. The addition of oil of vitriol, or of chlorine, renders the solution colourless. The addition of a weak acid, or even boiling or agitating the liquid, turns it from green to red. See Manganic Acid.
MIN′ÉRALISERS. Substances which, by association with metallic bodies, deprive them of their usual properties, and impart to them the character of ores. Their removal belongs to metallurgy. The term ‘MINERALISED’ has been applied to caoutchouc, gutta percha, bitumen, &c., which has been combined with sulphur, silica, or metallic matter.
MIN′IM. Syn. Minimum, L. A measured drop, of which 60 are equal to a fluid drachm. The size of drops vary so greatly with different liquids and are also so much influenced by the size and shape of the vessels from which they are poured, that they afford no reliable measure of quantity for medicinal purposes. The poured drop has, in some cases, only 1⁄3rd the volume of the measured drop, or minim; whilst, in others, it is nearly 3 times as large. According to Mr Durande, “liquids which contain a small proportion of water, afford a small drop; while, on the contrary, liquids containing a large quantity of water furnish a large drop.” “Among liquids containing a large proportion of water, those which are not charged with remedial substances, give a larger and heavier drop than the same liquids when containing extraneous bodies in solution.” In all cases in which the word ‘drop’ is mentioned in this work a minim is intended, and the quantity should be determined by means of a graduated minim measure.
MIN′IUM. See Red Pigments.
MINT. Syn. Spearmint, Green m.; Mentha viridis (Ph. L.), L. “The recent and the dried flowering herb” of Mentha viridis. It is aromatic and carminative, but its flavour is less agreeable than that of peppermint. It is employed in flatulence, colic, nausea, diarrhœa, &c.; also to make sauce.
MIR′RORS. See Amalgam (Silvering), Silvering, Speculum Metal, &c.