Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume Ii Part 191

4. Young animals excrete more carbonic acid than old ones; this is most marked in amphibia. For example 100 grams of an old frog (_Rana temporaria_) exhaled in six hours 213 grm., whereas 100 grams of a young frog gave off in the same time 765 grm.

5. The larvae of insects exhale less carbonic acid than the insects themselves.

6. Different individuals of the same species exhale in the same time nearly the same quant.i.ty of carbonic acid in proportion to their body-weight.

In the second part of this paper the author describes experiments in the influence of coloured light on the excretion of carbonic acid; in the same animal (mouse) and for the same time.

He concludes that--

1. The excretion of carbonic acid is less in ordinary daylight than in coloured light.

2. The violet and red rays exercise the least influence on the excretion of carbonic acid, the green and yellow are the most active; and the milk-white and blue rays occupy an intermediate position. The relation of these different actions may be expressed by the following figures:--

Violet. Red. Milk-white.

8689 9338 100

Blue. Green. Yellow.

12263 12852 17479

Finally, the author experimented with a mouse during the night, and found then the excretion of carbonic acid at that time is considerably less than during the day.

=REVALEN'TA ARABICA.= A mixture of the red Arabian or Egyptian lentil with barley flour, and a little sugar or salt. ('Lancet.') See LENTIL and REVALENTA.

=REVERB'ERATORY FURNACE.= See FURNACE.

=REVI"VER.= _Prep._ 1. (BLACK REVIVER, PARIS'S ANTICARDIUM.)--_a._ Blue galls (bruised), 4 oz.; logwood and sumach, of each 1 oz.; vinegar, 1 quart; macerate in a closed vessel, at a gentle heat, for 24 hours, then strain off the clear, add iron filings and green copperas, of each 1 oz., shake it occasionally for a week, and preserve it in a corked bottle.

_b._ Galls, 1 lb.; logwood, 2 lb.; boil for 2 hours in water, 5 quarts, until reduced to a gallon, then strain, and add of green copperas 1/2 lb.

Used to restore the colour of faded black cloth.

2. (BLUE REVIVER.) From soluble Prussian blue, 1 oz.; dissolved in distilled water, 1 quart. Used for either black or blue cloth.

=RHAM'NIN.= _Prep._ Express the juice from buckthorn berries scarcely ripe, which is to be rejected; boil the cake or residue with water, strain with pressure, and filter the liquid whilst hot; crude rhamnin will be deposited as the liquid cools, which, by solution in boiling alcohol and filtration, may be procured in crystals.

_Obs._ Buckthorn juice (succus rhamni), "the juice of the fruit of _Rhamnus catharticus_ (Linn.)," is officinal in the Ph. L.

=RHAT'ANY.= _Syn._ RHATANY ROOT; KRAMERIae RADIX (B. P.); KRAMERIA (Ph. L.

E. & D.), RHATANIae RADIX, L. "The root of _Krameria triandria_." (Ph. L.) It is stomachic, and powerfully astringent and styptic.--_Dose_, 20 to 60 gr., either in powder or made into a decoction or infusion. It is much employed in tooth powders, to fix the teeth when they become loosened by the recession of the gums, and also for improving the natural red colour of the lips and gums. A saturated tincture or fluid extract, made with brandy, forms the 'wine-colouring' used by the Portuguese to give roughness, colour, and tone to their port wine. Hard extract of rhatany is also much employed for the same purpose.

=RHE'IN.= _Syn._ CHRYSOPHANIC ACID. The yellow colouring principle of rhubarb.

=RHEUMATIC and GOUT PILLS.= (W. Gross Cardiff). Pills weighing 2 grammes rolled in lycopodium, the essential ingredients of which are quinine sulphate, gamboge, jalap, resin, and a little rhubarb. (Hager.)

=RHEU'MATISM.= _Syn._ RHEUMATISMUS, L. An affection of the joints, and of the external muscular, tendinous, and fibrous textures of the body, attended with swelling, stiffness, and great pain. Acute rheumatism or rheumatic fever,--arthritis, inflammation of the synovial membrane, or rheumatic gout,--sciatica, or rheumatism of the cellular envelope of the great sciatic nerve, affecting the hip,--and lumbago, or rheumatism of the loins, are varieties of this disease.

The treatment of rheumatism consists in the administration of purgatives and diaph.o.r.etics or sudorifics, accompanied by tonics, as bark, quinine, &c. Calomel with opium, and iodide of pota.s.sium, have also been frequently and successfully employed in this complaint. Of late years the administration of the bicarbonate, citrate, or nitrate of pota.s.sa, in rather large doses, has been strongly recommended, and in numerous cases adopted with success. Lemon juice, liberally taken, has also proved useful in suddenly cutting short severe attacks of certain forms of rheumatism.

The compound powder of ipecacuanha, taken at night, will generally promote the ease and sleep of the patient, and, by its sudorific action, tend considerably to hasten a cure. Where possible, a dry atmosphere and a regular temperature should be sought, since a damp atmosphere, and, indeed, exposure to damp under any form, are the princ.i.p.al causes of rheumatism. Stimulating embrocations, blisters, frictions, and, above all, the hot or vapour bath, are also frequently serviceable in rheumatism, especially in lumbago and casual attacks arising from cold. The daily use of oranges, or of lemon juice diluted with water, has been found, in the majority of cases, to lessen the susceptibility of those who employ them to attacks of rheumatism and rheumatic gout arising from a damp situation or exposure to the weather. See LEMON JUICE.

=RHO'DIUM.= A whitish metal discovered by Wollaston, in 1803, a.s.sociated with palladium in the ore of platinum.

It is chiefly employed for tipping the nibs of metallic pens ('rhodium' or 'everlasting pens'). A very small quant.i.ty added to steel is said to improve its closeness, hardness, and toughness, and to render it less easily corrodible by damp.

=RHU'BARB.= _Syn._ RHEI RADIX (B. P.); RHEUM (Ph. E. & D.), RHEUM--Sinense (Ph. L.), RHABARBARUM, RHM, L. "The root of uncertain species of Rheum." (Ph. L.) According to Dr F. Farre, the term 'sinense' (Chinese), employed by the London College, "was placed after 'rheum,' to include the so-called Russian and East Indian rhubarbs, which are considered to be the produce of China and Chinese Tartary, and to exclude European, Himalayan, &c."

Three princ.i.p.al varieties of rhubarb are known in this country:--

Russian or Turkey rhubarb is the produce of six-year-old plants of the mountain declivities of Chinese Tartary; and its princ.i.p.al excellence depends on its more careful preparation, and subsequent garbling, both before its selection for the Russian market, and after its arrival at Kiachta, and again at St Petersburg. At Kiachta all pieces of a porous, grey, or pale colour are rejected, the whole being pared and perforated, the better to determine the quality of the interior portion. At St Petersburg the pieces are again carefully examined and garbled, and are, finally, packed in close cases or chests, which are rendered air-tight by the application of pitch on the outside.

East India or Chinese rhubarb is the produce of the locality just referred to, as well as of other parts of China. It is obtained from younger plants, and its preparation and subsequent selection or garbling is conducted with less care.

English rhubarb is princ.i.p.ally produced at Banbury, Oxfords.h.i.+re, from the _Rheum rhapontic.u.m_. It is cut and dressed up after the manner of Turkey rhubarb, for which it is sold by itinerant vendors, habited as Turks.

_Adult._ Dr Maisch[139] says the presence of turmeric may be detected in powdered rhubarb by the following method:--A small quant.i.ty of the suspected rhubarb is agitated for a minute or two with strong alcohol, and then filtered, chrysophanic acid being sparingly soluble in this menstruum. The brown yellow colour of the filtrate is due to the resinous principles of rhubarb mainly; if adulterated with turmeric, the tincture will be of a brighter yellow shade; a strong solution of borax produces in both tinctures a deep red-brown colour.

[Footnote 139: 'American Journal of Pharmacy,' xliii, 259.]

If now pure hydrochloric acid be added in large excess, the tincture of pure rhubarb will instantly a.s.sume a light yellow colour, while the tincture of the adulterated powder will change merely to a lighter shade of brown-red.

The test is a very delicate one, and is based on the liberation of boracic acid, which imparts to curc.u.mine a colour similar to that produced by alkalies, while all the principles of rhubarb soluble in strong alcohol yield pale yellow solutions in acid liquids.

_Qual._ Russian or Turkey rhubarb occurs in irregular plano-convex or roundish lumps, perforated with a circular hole; it possesses a yellow colour outside; when recently broken, the inside presents a rich mottled appearance, and evolves a peculiar and somewhat aromatic odour. It is firm, compact, heavy, perfectly free from moisture, and easily grated. Its taste is bitter, slightly astringent, and sub-acid; and when chewed it feels gritty, and tinges the saliva of a beautiful yellow colour. It breaks with a rough, hackly fracture, is easily pulverised, and its powder is of a bright buff-yellow colour.

East India, Canton, or Chinese rhubarb is in flat pieces, seldom perforated, and its taste and odour are stronger than the other. It is also heavier, tinges the saliva of an orange-red hue, and when pulverised the powder is redder than that of Russian rhubarb.

English rhubarb possesses all the preceding qualities in a greatly less degree. It is light and spongy, does not feel gritty between the teeth, its taste is mucilaginous, and its powder has a peculiar pinkish hue not present in either of the other varieties of rhubarb. As a medicine it possesses little value, and is chiefly employed to adulterate East India and Turkey rhubarb.

_Prop., &c._ Rhubarb is astringent, stomachic, and purgative. In small doses its operation is princ.i.p.ally or wholly confined to the digestive organs; in larger ones, it first acts as a mild aperient, and, afterwards, as an astringent; hence its value in diarrha. It has also been used externally to promote the healing of indolent sores.--_Dose._ As a stomachic, 1 to 5 gr.; as a purgative, 10 to 20 gr. It is most effective when chewed, or in the form of powder produced by grating it.

=Rhubarb, Roast'ed.= _Syn._ BURNT RHUBARB; RHEUM USTUM, L. _Prep._ 1.

Rhubarb, in coa.r.s.e powder, is carefully and regularly heated in a smooth shallow iron disc, with constant stirring, until its colour has changed to a moderately dark brown, when it is allowed to cool out of contact with the air; when cold, it is reduced to powder, and at once put into a well-closed bottle.

2. (Hoblyn.) Roast powdered rhubarb, in an iron vessel, constantly stirring, until it becomes almost black; then smother it in a covered jar.--_Dose_, 5 to 10 gr.; as an astringent in diarrha, and a tonic in dyspepsia, &c. Prof. Procter, the well-known American Pharmaceutist, recommends the rhubarb to be only roasted to a 'light brown.'

=RICE.= _Syn._ ORYZA, L. The seed of _Oryza sativa_, a plant of the natural order _Graminaceae_. Several varieties are known in commerce, distinguished by the name of the country or district which produces them.

The finest is that imported from Carolina. It reaches this country in a decorticated condition. 'Paddy' is rice with the husk upon it. Dr Letheby estimates that it affords nourishment to not less than a hundred millions of people.

As an article of diet, rice is highly nutritious and wholesome when combined with fresh animal or other nitrogenised food; but, owing to the very small quant.i.ty of 'flesh-formers' which it contains, and its comparative dest.i.tution in saline matter, it is totally unfit to form the princ.i.p.al portion of the diet of the working cla.s.ses, or the poorly fed, at least in this climate. "It does not appear so well calculated for European const.i.tutions as the potato, for we find the poor constantly reject it when potatoes can be had." This preference evidently depends on something more than mere whim or taste, for some years ago, when rice was subst.i.tuted for potatoes in some of our union workhouses, the most serious consequences followed. In one of these, nine or ten deaths from scurvy and allied diseases occurred in a single fortnight. Large quant.i.ties of rice are annually imported into Britain, and used by distillers in the manufacture of spirits.

Letheby gives the following as the composition of rice:--

Nitrogenous matter 63 Carbo-hydrates 795 Fatty matter 07 Saline matter 05 Water 130 ------ 1000

Payen gives the following as the composition of dried rice:--

Nitrogenous matter 755 Starch 8865 Dextrin, &c. 100 Fatty matter 080 Cellulose 110 Mineral water 090 ------ 10000

Ash of rice:--