LAMP BLACK. See Black pigments.
LAMP′REY. Syn. Great lamprey, Seal. This fish is the Petromizon marinus of Linnæus. It generally quits the sea in the spring, for the purpose of spawning, and remains in our rivers for a few months. Its flesh is soft and glutinous, and though esteemed a delicacy, is extremely difficult of digestion, if not otherwise unwholesome. Potted lampreys are usually so highly seasoned as to become a dangerous article of food. Henry I is said to have lost his life from the effects of a surfeit of lampreys.
LAUDANINE. C20H25NO3. An alkaloid obtained by Hesse from the aqueous extract of opium. It is homologous with morphine and codeine. It dissolves in strong sulphuric acid with a rose-red colour, in strong nitric acid with an orange red colour, and in ferric chloride with emerald green colour.
LANTHA′NIUM. La92. A rare metal, discovered by Mosander, associated with oxide of cerium. Oxide of lanthanium is a pale salmon-coloured powder, unaffected by ignition in open vessels. According to Zschiesche the atomic weight of lanthanium is 90·18. See Cerium.
LANTHOPINE. C23H25NO4. A base obtained by Hesse in small quantity, associated with other bases from the aqueous extract of opium. It is homologous with papaverine. Strong nitric acid dissolves it, giving rise to an orange red colour. Strong sulphuric acid gives with it a faint violet colour.
LA′PIS. [L.] A stone. The term was much employed by the old chemists, and is still commonly applied to several preparations used in medicine.
Lapis Causticus. See Potassium.
Lapis Divi′nus. Syn. Divine Stone; Lapis
ophthalmicus, L.; Pierre divine, Fr. Prep. 1. (Beer.) Verdigris, nitre, and alum, equal parts, melted together.