Degenerate, v. To fall from its kind, to grow wild or base.
Demulcent, a. Softening, mollifying.
Demulcents, s. Medicines of an oily and mucilaginous nature, as lint and quince seed, gum, &c.
Den, s. A cavern or hollow running horizontally; the cave of a wild beast.
Deobstruent, s. A medicine that has the power to resolve viscidities.
Destroy, v. To kill; to put an end to.
It is not unfrequently a subject of inquiry, how it may be possible to destroy a dog with least pain to himself, and least shock to the feelings of his owner. Although shooting and hanging are not, in themselves, painful deaths, yet the violence necessarily committed is revolting to one’s feelings. Whenever, therefore, cases arise (and many such do occur) where it would be infinitely more humane to destroy an animal than to prolong a miserable existence, and when the more usual modes are objected to on account of the violence and force necessary, either of these essential oils, cherry laurel, and bitter almond, dropped on the tongue, or a very small ball made from the extract, will extinguish life almost instantaneously, and without pain.—Blaine.
Deterge, v. To cleanse a sore. Vide Caustics.
Detonation, s. A noise somewhat more forcible than the ordinary crackling of salts in calcination, as in the going off of the pulvis or aurum fulminans. Vide Percussion.
Detonating Powder, s. A chemical composition by which percussion-guns are discharged.