GLOSSARY OF SUCH WORDS AND PHRASES AS MAY NOT EASILY BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE YOUNG READER
[Many words not contained in this GLOSSARY will be found explained in the body of the work, in the places where they first occur.]
Action brought by the Commonwealth: A prosecution conducted in the name of the public, or by the authority of the State.
Albumen: Nourishing matter stored up between the undeveloped germ and its protecting wrappings in the seed of many plants. It is the flowery part of grain, the oily part of poppy seeds, the fleshy part in cocoa- nuts, etc.
Alcoholic: Made of or containing alcohol, an inflammable liquid which is the basis of ardent spirits.
Alkali, (plural, alkalies:) A chemical substance, which has the property of combining with and neutralizing the properties of acids, producing salts by the combination. Alkalies change most of the vegetable blues and purples to green, red to purple, and yellow to brown. Caustic alkali: An alkali deprived of all impurities, being thereby rendered more caustic and violent in its operation. This term is usually applied to pure potash. Fixed alkali: An alkali that emits no characteristic smell, and can not be volatilized or evaporated without great difficulty. Potash and soda are called the fixed alkalies. Soda is also called a fossil or mineral alkali, and potash the vegetable alkali. Volatile alkali: An elastic, transparent, colorless, and consequently an invisible gas, known by the name of ammonia or ammoniacal gas. The odor of spirits of hartshorn is caused by this gas.
Anglo-American: English-American, relating to Americans descended from English ancestors.
Anther: That part of the stamen of a flower which contains the pollen or farina, a sort of mealy powder or dust, which is necessary to the production of the flower.
Anthracite: One of the must valuable kinds of mineral coal, containing no bitumen. It is very abundant in the United States.
Aperient: Opening.