KISH. An artificial graphite occasionally produced in iron-smelting furnaces. It occurs in brilliant scales, and is said to possess peculiar efficacy in certain forms of anæmia and chlorosis.
KITCH′EN. The late Alexis Soyer set down as one of the crying faults of our countrymen the employment of an apartment for the kitchen which is either too small or inconveniently situated, and which, in general, is not sufficiently provided with ‘kitchen requisites.’ “As a workman cannot work properly without the requisite tools, or the painter produce the proper shade without the necessary colours, in like manner does every person wishing to economise his food and to cook it properly require the proper furniture wherewith to do it.” The neglect of these matters, which is so general, is, undoubtedly, a mischievous and deceptive economy.
KNIVES, to Clean. After being used all knives should be wiped on a coarse cloth, so as to ensure their freedom from grease previous to being cleaned. The practice of dipping the blades in hot water not only fails to remove any grease that may be on them, but is almost sure to loosen the handles. It is very essential to remove any grease from them, since if this remain it will spoil the knife-board.
For cleaning knives, a proper knife-cleaning machine, purchased of a good maker, is best. But where this is not used, the knife-board ought to be covered with very thick leather, upon which emery powder should be placed. The emery gives a good polish to the knives, and does not wear them out so quickly as Bath-brick. When the points of the knives become worn very thin, they should be rounded by the knife-grinder. Where the handles are good it will sometimes be worth while to fit them to new blades.
KNOX’S POW′DER. Prep. From common salt, 8 parts; chloride of lime, 3 parts; mixed together. An ounce of it dissolved in a tumblerful of water furnishes a solution
which is similar to Labarraque’s disinfecting fluid.
KŒCHLIN’S LIQUID. Prep. From copper filings, 96 gr.; liquor of ammonia, 2 fl. oz.; digested together until it turns of a full blue colour, and then mixed with hydrochloric acid, 5 fl. dr.; distilled water, 5 lbs.—Dose, 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls daily; in scrofula. It is poisonous in large doses.
KOOCH′LA NUT. See Nux vomica.
KOU′MISS. A liquor prepared by the Calmucs, by fermenting mare’s milk, previously kept until sour, and then skimmed. By distillation it yields a spirit called rack, racky, or araka. 21 lbs. of fermented milk yield about 3⁄4 pint of low wines, and this, by rectification, gives fully 1⁄4 pint of strong alcohol. It has lately come into use as a remedy for phthisis and general debility.
The following formula from the Zeitschrift des Oesterr. Apoth. Ver. (1876, 526), for the preparation of so-called Koumiss Extract, is said to be a good one:—