PARS′LEY. Syn. Petroselinum, L. This well-known herb is the Apium petroselinum. The root is diuretic; the fruit (seed) carminative; the leaves are a pleasant stimulating salad and condiment, and are much used to flavour broth and soup. “The fruit is a deadly poison to parrots.” (Lind. ex Burnett.)
PARS′NIP. The root of Pastinacea sativa. The parsnip is native to England and Ireland, but does not grow in Scotland. It is likewise met with in many parts of Europe and in northern Asia. In the wild state the root is somewhat acrid, and injurious effects have been known to have followed its use as a food.
By cultivation, however, it loses both its acridity and dangerous properties, and forms a table vegetable, not in universal favour.
In the Channel Islands parsnips constitute the winter food of cows; and these animals when fed upon them are said to yield butter of a better quality than can be obtained from them when partaking of any other fodder.
The flesh of cattle fed on the parsnip is also highly commended. In the North of Ireland the juice of the root, mixed with hops and yeast, is made into a fermented liquor. Parsnip wine is an agreeable alcoholic beverage.
Composition of the Parsnip.
| Nitrogenous matter | 1·1 |
| Starch | 9·6 |
| Sugar | 5·8 |
| Fat | 0·5 |
| Salts | 1·0 |
| Water | 82·0 |
| ——— | |
| 100·0 |
PASTE. Syn. Pasta, L.; Pâte, Fr. This word is very loosely applied to substances and preparations differing so widely from each other, that it would be scarcely possible to class them together. We shall, therefore, refer the reader to the individual articles. The pastes (pâtes) of French pharmacy are compound medicines of the consistence of hard dough, and which do not stick to the fingers. They are formed of sugar and gum, dissolved in water or in some medicated liquid. They are evaporated so as to unite these principles by degrees, and give them the pliancy and the firmness of paste. They are employed internally in doses more or less variable in a similar manner to lozenges. “Pâtes, properly so called, are divided into transparent, or such as are made without agitation, like jujubes of brown liquorice; and opaque, or such as are made with agitation, like the pâtes of marshmallow, lichen, &c.” (Trousseau and Reveil.) See Pastes (Artificial Gems), Pastry, and below.
Paste, Adhesive. Let 4 parts, by weight, of glue soften in 15 parts of cold water for fifteen hours, after which the mixture must be moderately heated until it becomes quite clear. To this mixture 65 parts of boiling water are to be added without stirring. In another vessel 30 parts of starch paste are stirred up with 20 parts of cold water, so that a thin milky fluid is obtained without lumps. Into this the boiling glue solution is poured, with constant stirring, and the whole is kept at the boiling temperature. When cooled the 10 drops of carbolic acid are to be added to the paste. This paste possesses great adhesive power, and may be used for leather, paper, or cardboard with great success. It must be preserved in closed bottles to prevent evaporation
of the water, and will, in this way, keep good for years. (‘Dingler’s Journal.’)