CAUSTIC; CAUSTICAL a.
caustic remark. Caustic curve (Optics), a curve to which the ray of light, reflected or refracted by another curve, are tangents, the reflecting or refracting curve and the luminous point being in one plane. -- Caustic lime. See under Lime. -- Caustic potash, Caustic soda (Chem.), the solid hydroxides potash, KOH, an…
COLUMNAR a.
columns, usually six-sided, but sometimes with eight or more sides. The columns are often fractured transversely, with a cup joint, showing a concave surface above. This structure is characteristic of certain igneous rocks, as basalt, and is due to contraction in cooling.
CONTINUED p.
ntinued fever (Med.), a fever which presents no interruption in its course. -- Continued fraction (Math.), a fraction whose numerator is 1, and whose denominator is a whole number plus a fraction whose numerator is 1 and whose denominator is a whole number, plus a fraction, and so on. -- Continued proportion (Math.),…
COUNTER a.
art of a limb, while extension is practiced on the lower part, as in cases of luxation or fracture. -- Counter fissure (Surg.) Same as Contrafissure. -- Counter indication. (Med.) Same as Contraindication. -- Counter irritant (Med.), an irritant to produce a blister, a pustular eruption, or other irritation in some…
CRITICAL a.
cted, and no portion of it transmitted. The sine of this angle is the reciprocal of the refractive index of the medium. -- Critical philosophy, the metaphysical system of Kant; -- so called from his most important work, the "Critique of Pure Reason." - - Critical point (Physics), a certain temperature, different for d…