Prop., &c. Brilliant, colourless, prismatic crystals; readily soluble in boiling water, sparingly so in cold water and in alcohol; the aqueous solution is neutral, bitter tasted, and soon putrefies.
KREAT′ININ. C4H7N3O. This substance exists in small quantities, both in the juice of flesh and in conjunction with kreatin in urine. It is also produced by the action of the stronger acids on kreatin. It forms colourless prismatic crystals, which are soluble in water, and the solution has a strongly alkaline reaction. It is a powerful organic base, and produces crystallisable salts with the acids.
KRE′NIC ACID. See Crenic acid.
KRYSTAL′LINE. The name originally applied by Unverdorben to ANILINE.
KUSTITIEN’S METAL. Prep. Take of malleable iron, 3 parts; beat it to whiteness, and add of antimony, 1 part; Molucca tin, 72 parts; mix under charcoal, and cool. Used to coat iron and other metals with a surface of tin; it polishes without a blue tint, is hard, and has the advantage of being free from lead and arsenic.
KYANI′ZING. A method of preserving wood and cordage from decay, long known and practised; patented by Mr Kyan many years since. It consists in immersing the materials in a solution of corrosive sublimate, 1 part, and water, 50 or 60 parts, either under strong pressure or the contrary, as the urgency of the case or the dimensions of the articles operated on may require. See Dry rot.
KY′ANOL. A substance obtained from coal-tar oil, and at first thought to be an independent principle, but since shown to be identical with ANILINE.
LABARRAQUE’S FLUID. See Solution of Chloride of Soda.
LAB′DANUM. Syn. Ladanum. An odorous, resinous substance found on the leaves and twigs of the Cystus creticus, a plant growing in the island of Candia and in Syria. It was formerly much used for making stimulating plasters. The following compound is often vended for it:—
Labdanum, Facti′′tious. Prep. From gum anime, resin, Venetian turpentine, and sand, of each 6 parts; Spanish juice and gum Arabic, of each (dissolved in a little water), 3 parts; Canada balsam, 2 parts; ivory black, 1 part; balsam of Peru, q. s. to give a faint odour.