Search the Dictionary

A metallic element of the alkaline group, occurring in several minerals, as petalite, spodumene, lepidolite, triphylite, etc., and otherwise widely disseminated, though in small quantities.

a, Lecanora tartarea, etc.), as a blue amorphous mass which consists of a compound of the alkaline carbonates with certain coloring matters related to orcin and orcein.

Impregnated with, or consisting of, alkaline salts extracted from wood ashes; impregnated with a salt or salts like a lixivium. Boyle.

erial from that which is insoluble; to leach, as ashes, for the purpose of extracting the alkaline substances.

Of or pertaining to lye or lixivium; of the quality of alkaline salts.

A solution of alkaline salts extracted from wood ashes; hence, any solution obtained by lixiviation.

A strong caustic alkaline solution of potassium salts, obtained by leaching wood ashes. It is much used in making soap, etc.

An alkaline colorless fluid, contained in the lymphatic vessels, coagulable like blood, but free from red blood corpuscles. It is absorbed from the various tissues and organs of the body, and is finally discharged by the thoracic and right lymphatic ducts into the great veins near the heart.

ned by heating magnesium hydrate or carbonate, or by burning magnesium. It has a slightly alkaline reaction, and is used in medicine as a mild antacid laxative. See Magnesium. Magnesia alba Etym: [L.] (Med. Chem.), a bulky white amorphous substance, consisting of a hydrous basic carbonate of magnesium, and used as a mi…

To treat (cotton fiber or fabrics) with a solution of caustic alkali. Such treatment causes the fiber to shrink in length and become stronger and more receptive of dyes. If the yarn or cloth is kept under tension during the process, it assumes a silky luster. -- Mer`cer*i*za"tion (#), n.

admium. -- Heavy metals (Chem.), the metallic elements not included in the groups of the alkalies, alkaline earths, or the earths; specifically, the heavy metals, as gold, mercury, platinum, lead, silver, etc. -- Light metals (Chem.), the metallic elements of the alkali and alkaline earth groups, as sodium, lithium,…

Formerly, the metallic base of a fixed alkali, or alkaline earth; -- applied by Sir H. Davy to sodium, potassium, and some other metallic substances whose metallic character was supposed to be not well defined.

-- called also methol, carbinol, etc. -- Methyl amine (Chem.), a colorless, inflammable, alkaline gas, CH3.NH2, having an ammoniacal, fishy odor. It is produced artificially, and also occurs naturally in herring brine and other fishy products. It is regarded as ammonia in which a third of its hydrogen is replaced by m…

mus red; -- said of certain salts or other compounds. Contrasted with Ant: acid, and Ant: alkaline. Neutral axis, Neutral surface (Mech.), that line or plane, in a beam under transverse pressure, at which the fibers are neither stretched nor compressed, or where the longitudinal stress is zero. See Axis. -- Neutral eq…

and animal matter in the presence of air, moisture, and some basic substances, as lime or alkali carbonate, is converted into nitrates.

; particularly, one of those cyanides of alcohol radicals which, by boiling with acids or alkalies, produce a carboxyl acid, with the elimination of the nitrogen as ammonia.

able substance. It forms salts called nitroprussides, which give a rich purple color with alkaline subphides.

ent of the nuclei of all cells. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.

. Cf. OEnanthylic. OEnanthic acid, an acid obtained from oenanthic ether by the action of alkalies. -- OEnanthic ether, an ethereal substance (not to be confused with the bouquet, or aroma, of wine) found in wine lees, and consisting of a complex mixture of the ethereal salts of several of the higher acids of the acet…

, the pancreatic secretion, digestion, ferments. Pancreatic juice (Physiol.), a colorless alkaline fluid secreted intermittently by the pancreatic gland. It is one of the most important of the digestive fluids, containing at least three distinct ferments, trypsin, steapsin and an amylolytic ferment, by which it acts up…