Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume I Part 276

Mineral substances are frequently distinguished and identified by their relative hardness. This is ascertained by their power to scratch or be scratched by one another. A valuable table on this subject will be found in the article on GEMS.

=HAR'MALINE.= _Syn._ HARMALINA. An alkaloid, forming yellow-brown crystals, discovered in the seeds of _Peganum harmala_. It has a bitter astringent and acrid taste, is soluble in alcohol, and forms yellow, soluble salts with the acids. It has been proposed as a yellow dye. By oxidation it yields another compound (harmine), which is a magnificently red dye-stuff, easily prepared and applied. The seeds are produced abundantly in Southern Russia.

=HAR'NESS POLISH.= See BLACKING, &c.

=HARTS'HORN.= _Syn._ CORNU CERVI, C. CERVINUM, CORNU (Ph. L.) L. The "horn of the _Cervus elephas_" (Ph. L.) or stag.

=Hartshorn, Burnt.= _Syn._ CORNU USTUM (Ph. L.), CORNU CERVI USTUM, L.

_Prep._ (Ph. L. 1836.) Burn pieces of harts' horns until perfectly white, then grind and prepare them in the same way as directed for prepared chalk.

_Obs._ Finely powdered bone-ash is usually sold for burnt hartshorn, and possesses exactly the same properties.--_Dose_, 10 to 30 gr., or more 2 or 3 times a day, in rickets, &c

=Hartshorn Shavings.= _Syn._ HARTSHORN RASPINGS; RARURA CORNU CERVI, RAMENTA C. C., L. Obtained from the turners. Boiled in water, it yields a nutritive jelly. Used by straw-plait workers to stiffen bonnets, &c.

=HATCH'ING.= See INCUBATION.

=HATS.= Those should be chosen possessing a short, smooth, fine nap, and a good black colour; and sufficiently elastic to resist ordinary wear and tear, without breaking or giving way. The HAT BRUSH for daily use should be made of soft hairs, but a stiffer one should be employed occasionally, to lay the nap smooth and close. Grease may be removed by means of porous brown paper, and pressure with a hot iron.

=HAY-FEVER.= _Syn._ HAY-ASTHMA, CATARRHUS aeSTIVAS. Dr Aitken defines this affection as "a variety of asthma or catarrh, occurring generally during the summer months, especially during the inflorescence of the hay crop, or during the drying or conversion of the newly-mown gra.s.s into hay, in May and June." The disease is distinguished by extreme irritation of the eyes, nose, and the whole of the air-pa.s.sages, these symptoms giving rise in succession to troublesome itching of the eyes and nose, frequent paroxysms of sneezing, with copious discharge from the nostrils, p.r.i.c.king sensation in the throat, cough, tightness of the chest and difficulty of breathing, accompanied sometimes with, and sometimes without, great mucous expectoration. The inhalation of the powder of ipecacuanha sets up similar symptoms with some persons.

Dr Aitken's definition of hay-fever seems to point to what is pretty generally accepted as its cause, viz. the inhalation of minute and impalpable emanations from certain gra.s.ses given off during the period of their flowering and subsequent conversion into hay. This supposition as to the origin of this disease derives support from the circ.u.mstance, that it always takes place during the hay season, and at no other; and also that it may be cured by the avoidance of hay-fields and hay-stacks. "Hence going to the sea-coast, and especially to those parts of the coast that are barren of gra.s.s, offers a means of protection; and when this cannot be done, such persons obtain refuge in some measure from the cause of irritation, by remaining within doors and shutting out as much as possible the external air during the hay-crop."[345]

[Footnote 345: Sir Thomas Watson.]

Furthermore, those whom the disease attacks are not particularly subject to catarrh at other times.

_Treatment._--Numerous remedies have been proposed and employed for hay-asthma. Dr Elliotson suggests the mild fumigation of the patient's apartment by means of the solutions of the chlorides of lime or soda; and further advised the sufferers using a smelling bottle containing one or the other of the chlorides. He also employed with success the sulphate of quinine and iron. Mr Gordon recommends the tincture of _Lobelia inflata_, with the use of the cold shower-bath. Tincture of nux vomica is also said to have been used with good results, as also has Fowler's solution of a.r.s.enic, with very decided advantage, by Dr Mackenzie.

These potent remedies, however, should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified medical pract.i.tioner. An esteemed medical friend a.s.sures us he has employed the new remedy, _Quinetum_ (the alkaloid of the East India red bark), with the happiest effects. He gives four grains of the quinetum three times a day. The use of an ori-nasal respirator of cotton wool has also been suggested. Great relief has, we know, in a great number of cases, been experienced by snuffing from a smelling bottle containing the following ingredients:--Pure crystallised carbolic acid, 1 dr.; sesquicarbonate of ammonia, 1 oz.; wood charcoal, 1 oz.; oil of lavender, 1/2 dr.; compound tincture of benzoin, 1/2 oz.; all reduced to fine powder, and thoroughly mixed.

=HEAD'ACHE.= _Syn._ CEPHALALGIA, L. In _pathology_, pain in the head. The symptoms of this very general complaint are too well known to require any description. According to pathologists, headache arises either from a sympathy with the stomach and chylopoietic (chyle-forming) viscera, or from a weakness or exhaustion of the power of the encephalon. The former may be called SYMPATHETIC HEADACHE, and the latter NERVOUS HEADACHE. When it attacks only one side of the head it is called HEMICRANIA. The treatment of the first form should consist in restoring the healthy action of the stomach, by the administration of aperients, and by the use of proper food and exercise; or when that viscus is overloaded with undigested food, by the exhibition of an emetic. For this purpose 1/4 to 1/2 an oz. of ipecacuanha wine may be taken in a cupful of warm water, which will generally relieve the stomach, especially if its action is a.s.sisted by drinking copiously of warm water. Headache is a common accompaniment of indigestion and stomach disease, and in general it will be found that whatever will remove the one will also cure the other.

Nervous headaches are relieved by nervous tonics and stimulants, as bark, cascarilla, calumba, and gentian, camphor, ammonia, ether, and wine, the latter in a state of considerable dilution. A cup of strong coffee or strong green tea often acts like a charm in removing this species of headache. Small doses of tincture of henbane have also often a like effect. 20 or 30 drops of laudanum, or, preferably, half that number of liquor opii sedativus, may be taken with advantage as an anodyne, and to induce sleep. Amongst popular remedies may be mentioned 'nasal stimulants,' as snuff (cephalic), smelling salts, and aromatic vinegar, the use of which is familiar to every one; and local applications, as very cold water, ether, vinegar, strong spirits, Cologne water, &c., all of which are rubbed over the part of the head affected, with the fingers, or a linen rag dipped in them is laid thereon instead. Pressure on the head has also been used with advantage. Silence, darkness, and repose, are powerful remedies, alike suitable to every variety of headache; and change of air, scene, and occupation, are especially beneficial to those resulting from excessive mental anxiety or exertion. Blisters are extensively applied behind the ears in cases of violent headache.

Headache is often symptomatic of other diseases, especially those of the inflammatory and nervous kind, rheumatism, &c. In all these the primary disease should be sought out and attempted to be cured. In many cases these attacks rapidly yield to a few doses of compound decoction of sarsaparilla containing a little iodide of pota.s.sium. Headache in pregnancy may generally be removed by proper attention to the bowels; observing to a.s.sist their action, should they require it, by the use of some mild aperient, as castor oil, lenitive electuary, seidlitz powders, &c. When the const.i.tution is very robust, blood may be taken. Headache in bed may frequently be relieved by was.h.i.+ng the head with cold water, and discontinuing the use of a nightcap, at the same time preserving the feet warm by wearing worsted socks or stockings.

=HEAD'ING.= _Syn._ BEER HEADING, CAULIFLOWER H. _Prep._ 1. Alum and green copperas, equal parts, in fine powder.

2. Alum, copperas, and common salt, equal parts.

Used by brewers to make their beer keep its head or froth.

=HEALTH.= That state of the living body in which all its functions are duly performed. See HYGIENE.

=HEALTH, GOOD--Gut-Heil= (Aust). A liquor containing the extractive matters of calamus root, rhubarb, cinnamon, orange peel, &c., with 35 per cent. of sugar. (Hager.)

=HEAR'ING.= See DEAFNESS, EAR, &c.

=HEART'BURN.= _Syn._ CARDIALGIA, L. Anxiety and pain about the region of the stomach, generally attended by a sense of gnawing and heat; hence its popular name. Faintness, nausea, and eructation of a thin, acidulous, watery liquid, especially in the morning, are common symptoms of this complaint. The usual causes of heartburn are excess in eating and drinking, the use of improper food, and sedentary habits. A good remedy is a teaspoonful of carbonate of magnesia, or carbonate of soda, in a gla.s.s of peppermint or cinnamon water, to which a little powdered ginger may be added with advantage. This dose may be taken 2 or 3 times daily until the disease is removed. Articles of food that easily undergo fermentation should at the same time be avoided, and a dry diet had recourse to as much as possible. Soda water, toast-and-water, and weak spirit-and-water, are the most suitable beverages in this complaint.

=HEAT.= _Syn._ CALORIC; CALORIc.u.m, L. The consideration of this subject belongs to physics and chemistry. Much useful information, in connection with it, will, however, be found in this work under the heads EBULLITION, EVAPORATION, EXPANSION, REFRIGERATION, &c.

=HEAVY SPAR.= Native sulphate of barium. See BARYTA.

=HED'ERIN.= _Syn._ HEDERINA, L. From the decoction of the ground seeds of ivy (_Hedera helix_), boiled in water, along with a little slaked lime or magnesia, the precipitate being afterwards digested in rectified spirit, and the filtered tincture evaporated. Febrifuge and sudorific.

=HEIGHT, Average of Man.= The 'Boston Journal of Chemistry' gives the following particulars of the average height of man:--"The Yankee would appear to be the tallest of civilised men, if we may trust some statistics given in foreign journals as the result of the measurement of over half a million men. The mean height of the American Indian is 67934 inches; of the American white man, 67672; Scotch, 67066; English, 66575; Russian, 66393; French, 66277; Mexican, 66110." If the Yankee carries off the palm as the tallest of men, he also does so for his tallest tales; but if weight were introduced into the calculation, we think our Transatlantic cousins would rank last.

=HEIGHTS.= The following table, calculated by Regnault, gives the temperature at which water boils at the corresponding heights of the barometric column. The figures have been confirmed by direct observation.

_Boiling Points of Water at different Pressures._

+-------------- ----------- --------------- ----------- --------------- ----------+ Boiling Point. Barometer. Boiling Point. Barometer. Boiling Point. Barometer. Deg. Fahr. Inches. Deg. Fahr. Inches. Deg. Fahr. Inches. +-------------- ----------- --------------- ----------- --------------- ----------+ 184 16676 195 21124 206 26529 185 17047 196 21576 207 27068 186 17421 197 22030 208 27614 187 17803 198 22498 209 28183 188 18196 199 22965 210 28744 189 18593 200 23454 211 29331 190 19992 201 23937 212 29922 191 19407 202 24441 213 30516 192 19822 203 25014 214 31120 193 20254 204 25468 215 31730 194 20687 205 25992 216 32350 +-------------- ----------- --------------- ----------- --------------- ----------+

=HEL'ENIN.= See INULIN.

=HELIOG'RAPHY.= See PHOTOGRAPHY.

=HEL'LEBORE.= _Syn._ BLACK h.e.l.lEBORE; h.e.l.lEBORUS (Ph. L.), L. "The rhizome and root" of "_h.e.l.leborus niger_" (Ph. L.) or black h.e.l.lebore. It is alterative and emmenagogue, in small doses (2 to 8 gr.); and a drastic hydragogue purgative and anthelmintic in larger ones (10 to 20 gr.) See WHITE h.e.l.lEBORE.

=h.e.l.lEBOR'IE.= _Syn._ SOFT RESIN OF h.e.l.lEBORE. An odourless, acrid substance, extracted by alcohol from black h.e.l.lebore, and on which, according to Vauquelin, the activity of that drug depends.

=HEM'LOCK.= _Syn._ CONII FOLIA (B. P.); CONIUM (Ph. L. E. & D.), L. In _pharmacy_, "the fresh and dried leaf of the wild herb _Conium maculatum_," or spotted hemlock. The first is used to make the extract; the last, the tincture and powder.

Hemlock is a powerful narcotic acrid poison, occasioning stupor, delirium, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and death. In small doses it is anodyne, alterative, resolvent, antispasmodic, and anaphrodisiac, and has been exhibited in cancer, dropsy, epilepsy, rheumatism, scrofula, syphilis, and other diseases.--_Dose_, 3 or 4 gr. of the powder, twice or thrice daily, until some obvious effect is produced.

Hemlock, whether in leaf (conii folia) or powder (pulvis conii) rapidly deteriorates by keeping. When good, the powder, triturated with solution of pota.s.sa, exhales a powerful odour of conia.

In cases of poisoning by hemlock, the treatment is similar to that noticed under ACONITE. See CONIA, EXTRACT, TINCTURE, &c.

=HEMP.= _Syn._ CANNABIS, L. In _botany_ the typical genus of the natural order _Cannabinaceae_. The common hemp, from the fibres of which cordage is made, is the species _Cannabis sativa_. The fruit of this plant (hemp seed) is demulcent and oleaginous. It is said that the plumage of bullfinches and goldfinches fed on it for too long a time, or in too large a quant.i.ty, changes from red and yellow to black.[346]

[Footnote 346: Burnett, 'Outlines of Botany.']

=Hemp, Indian.= _Syn._ HAs.h.i.+SH, CANNABIS INDICA. This plant, now so largely used in medicine, is a variety of _Cannabis sativa_, or, perhaps, the same simply rendered more active by climate. The parts employed in Asia for the purposes of intoxication, and in Europe as medicine, are the herb or leaves and the resin. The 'gunjah' sold in the bazaars in the East Indies is the plant, just after flowering, dried, and pressed together.

'Bang,' 'bhang,' 'subjee,' or 'sidhee,' consists of the larger leaves and capsules without the stalk. The concrete resinous exudation from the leaves, stems, and flowers, is called 'churrus,' and in this country 'resin of Indian hemp.' 'Has.h.i.+sh' seems to be a general term for the preparation of hemp.

Dr Preobraschensky, has lately subjected has.h.i.+sh to a chemical a.n.a.lysis, and states that he has found an alkaloidal body, not only in the commercial substance, but also in the flower-tops of the hemp itself, and the pure extract prepared from it, which was recognised as _nicotine_.

Indian hemp is anaesthetic, anodyne, exhilarant, antispasmodic, hypnotic, and narcotic. In the East it is commonly used as an intoxicant, either by smoking it, like tobacco, or swallowing it. The inebriation produced by it is of an agreeable or cheerful character exciting the party under its influence to laugh, dance, sing, and to commit various extravagancies. It also acts as an aphrodisiac, augments the appet.i.te for food, and, in some cases, occasions a kind of reverie and catalepsy. In this country its action is less marked. It has here been chiefly administered under the form of alcoholic or resinous extract. See EXTRACT OF INDIAN HEMP.

=HEN'BANE.= _Syn._ HYOSCYAMI FOLIA (B. P.); HYOSCYAMUS (Ph. L. E. and D.), L. In _pharmacy_, "the fresh and dried stalk-leaf of the biennial herb, _Hyoscyamus niger_" (Ph. L.), or common biennial or black henbane. The first is used for preparing the extract; the last, for the powder and tincture.

Henbane is anodyne, hypnotic, antispasmodic, and sedative. It differs from opium in not being stimulant, and by not confining the bowels; and hence may be administered in cases in which that drug would be improper. In large doses it acts as a powerful narcotic poison, producing obscurity of vision, dilatation of the pupils, delirium, phantasms, coma, &c.--_Dose_, 3 to 10 gr., in powder. It is usually given in the form of extract or tincture. The antidotes, &c., are the same as those noticed under OPIUM.

=HEN-COOPS, Fumigator for.= Consisted wholly of coal-tar.

=HE'PAR.= _Syn._ LIVER. A name given by the older chemists to various combinations of sulphur, from their brownish or liver colour; as '_hepar antimonii_,' '_hepar sulphuris_,' &c. See ANTIMONY (Liver of), POTa.s.sIUM (Sulphide), &c.

=HERBAR'IUM.= [Eng., L.] _Syn._ HORTUS SICCUS, L. A collection of dried specimens of plants; hence called HORTUS SICCUS, or dry garden. Plants for the herbarium should be gathered on a dry day, and carried home in a tin-box ('VASCULUM'), or other convenient receptacle which will preserve them fresh for a time. Those which have collected moisture in their leaves should be allowed to dry, their stalks being placed in water to keep them alive. Plants with very thick, succulent leaves or stems must be killed by immersion in hot water before they can be safely placed in the drying press. The press consists simply of a few stout boards with a screw--or, still better, a number of heavy weights, bricks, or stones--for pressing them together. The specimens of plants, when all superficial moisture has been removed, are placed between layers of bibulous paper (BOTANICAL PAPER), care being taken that the parts of each are arranged in a natural manner. The sheets containing the specimens are then placed between the boards, and pressure is applied. This must be very gentle at first, and should be gradually increased as the plants become dry. The paper is changed every day or every second day, and the damp sheets are dried for use at a future time. When properly dried, the specimens are placed on sheets of writing paper, and fixed by a few st.i.tches of thread, a little gum, or strips of gummed paper. The name of the genus and species, and the locality where found, &c., are then marked beside each. Camphor or a little corrosive sublimate may be used to preserve herbaria from the ravages of insects. The preparation of an herbarium offers an almost endless source of amus.e.m.e.nt to the ingenious, whilst the specimens so collected, if well preserved, are almost as useful to the botanist as the living plants.