YAM n.
mbing plants of the genus Dioscorea; also, the plants themselves. Mostly natives of warm climates. The plants have netted-veined, petioled leaves, and pods with three broad wings. The commonest species is D. sativa, but several others are cultivated. Chinese yam, a plant (Dioscorea Batatas) with a long and slender tube…
YELLOW a.
ellow pigment. -- Yellow fever (Med.), a malignant, contagious, febrile disease of warm climates, attended with jaundice, producing a yellow color of the skin, and with the black vomit. See Black vomit, in the Vocabulary. -- Yellow flag, the quarantine flag. See under Quarantine, and 3d Flag. -- Yellow jack. (a) The…
ZINC n.
inc amyle, etc. -- Zinc oxide (Chem.), the oxide of zinc, ZnO, forming a light fluffy sublimate when zinc is burned; -- called also flowers of zinc, philosopher's wool, nihil album, etc. The impure oxide produced by burning the metal, roasting its ores, or in melting brass, is called also pompholyx, and tutty. -- Zin…