Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume Ii Part 233

The 'American Chemist' gives the following method for extracting grease-spots from books or paper:--Gently warm the greased or spotted part of the book or paper, and then press upon it pieces of blotting paper one after another, so as to absorb as much of the grease as possible. Have ready some fine, clear, essential oil of turpentine heated almost to a boiling state;[191] warm the greased leaf a little, and then with a soft, clean brush, wet with the heated turpentine both sides of the spotted part. By repeating this application the grease will be extracted. Lastly, with another brush dipped in rectified spirits of wine go over the place, and the grease will no longer appear, neither will the paper be discoloured.

[Footnote 191: This operation ought to be very carefully accomplished, as the turpentine is a highly inflammable body.]

FRUIT and WINE STAINS, on linen, commonly yield easily to hot soap-and-water. If not, they must be treated as those below.

INK SPOTS and RECENT IRON MOULDS on washable fabrics may be removed by dropping on the part a little melted tallow from a common candle, before was.h.i.+ng the articles; or, by the application of a little lemon juice, or of a little powdered cream of tartar made into a paste with hot water. Old ink spots and iron moulds will be found to yield almost immediately to a very little powdered oxalic acid, which must be well rubbed upon the spot previously moistened with boiling water, and kept hot over a basin filled with the same.

Boettger recommends the use of pyrophosphate of soda for the removal of ink stains from coloured woven tissues, to be applied in the form of a concentrated solution. The recent ink stains are readily removed, but older stains require was.h.i.+ng and rubbing with the solution for a long time.

STAINS arising from ALKALIES and ALKALINE LIQUORS, when the colours are not destroyed, give way before the application of a little lemon juice; whilst those arising from the weaker acids and acidulous liquids yield to the fumes of ammonia, or the application of a little spirit of hartshorn or sal volatile.

STAINS OF MARKING INK may be removed by soaking the part in a solution of chloride of lime, and afterwards rinsing it in a little solution of ammonia or of hyposulphate of soda; or they may be rubbed with the tincture of iodine, and then rinsed as before.

NITRIC ACID STAINS, TO REMOVE. The yellow stain left by nitric acid can be removed either from the skin or from brown or black woollen garments by moistening the spots for awhile with permanganate of potash, and rinsing with water. A brownish stain of manganese remains, which may be removed from the skin by was.h.i.+ng with aqueous solution of sulphurous acid. If the spots are old they cannot be entirely removed. See b.a.l.l.s, CLOTHES, HANDS, SCOURING, STAINS, &c.

=SPRAIN.= _Syn._ SUBLUXATIO, L. An injury of a joint, in which it has been strained or twisted in an unnatural manner, without actual dislocation.

Pain, swelling, and inflammation, are the common consequences, which must be combated by purgatives, repose, and a low diet, with refrigerant lotions, or warm fomentations, according to circ.u.mstances. In extreme cases, blood should be taken. Where there is simple stiffness and weakness, exercise is often serviceable.

_Treatment for the Horse and other Animals._ Foment. Apply lead lotion and refrigerants.

IF FOR CURB use counter-irritants, or red iodide of mercury ointment, or the firing iron; and if for a horse a high-heeled shoe.

=SPRAT.= The _Clupea Sprattus_ (Linn.), a small fish of the herring family, abounding on our coasts. Gutted, coloured, and pickled, it is sold for anchovies, or as British anchovies, and much used to make the sauce of that name. Sprats contain about 6 per cent. of fat.

=SPRENGEL'S PUMP.= See AIR PUMP.

=SPRINKLES.= See BOOKBINDING.

=SPRUCE.= See BEER, ESSENCE, and POWDERS.

=s.p.u.n.k.= See AMADOU.

=SQUILL.= _Syn._ SCILLA (B. P., Ph. L., E., & D.), L. The bulb of "_Urginea Scilla_," sliced and dried. In small doses, squill acts as a stimulating expectorant and diuretic; in larger ones, as an emetic and purgative. With the first intention it is generally given in substance (powder), in doses of 1 to 3 or 4 gr.; with the latter, either made into vinegar or oxymel (which _see_). It is an excellent remedy in coughs, &c., after the inflammatory symptoms have subsided.

=STAGGERS.= There are two varieties of the disease known under this name by which horses are affected, viz. stomach staggers, and gra.s.s or sleepy staggers. The first, which occasionally kills the horse in twelve or fifteen hours after the attack, is generally induced by an overladen stomach and improper food. The animal has perhaps partaken largely and rapidly, and after too long a fast, of some diet to which it is unaccustomed, such as vetches, clover, or gra.s.s. These undergo decomposition within the stomach and intestines, and give rise to such an evolution of gas, as either to set up inflammation of the stomach and intestines, or to lead to their rupture, in which latter case the result is, of course, fatal. The symptoms are a quick and feeble pulse, attempts at vomiting, a staggering gait, whilst very frequently the animal sits on its haunches like a dog. Sleepy staggers, which is a more chronic manifestation of the disease, is most common during the summer and autumn months, and generally occurs amongst horses fed on tough and indigestible food, such as vetches or rye gra.s.s, from which circ.u.mstances the complaint has been called 'gra.s.s staggers.' Both kinds of the disease require the same treatment.

Mr Finlay Dun prescribes a brisk purge, consisting of 6 dr. of aloes in solution, with a dr. of calomel and 2 oz. of oil of turpentine; also the injection every hour of clysters, consisting of salt, soap, or tobacco smoke, the abdomen being at the same time diligently rubbed and fomented with water nearly boiling. To ward off stupor he recommends the frequent administration of 2 or 3 dr. of carbonate of ammonia, with an ounce or two of spirit of nitrous ether, or of strong whiskey toddy, combined with plenty of ginger. To guard against a return of the attack light and easily digestible food should be administered every four or five hours, and occasional mild purgatives should be given.

Horses are also subject to another form of staggers called 'mad staggers.'

This disease originates, however, in causes wholly dissimilar from those just stated, being the result of phrenitis or inflammation of the brain.

The animal is frequently very furious and excited, and seems wholly unable to control itself, throwing itself madly about, and attempting to run down anybody that comes in its way; it is also frequently unable to keep on its legs, and when it falls, plunges, and struggles violently.

The treatment recommended is prompt and copious bloodletting, combined with active purges and enemas, with refrigerant lotions to the head.

=STAINED GLa.s.s.= The art of painting or staining gla.s.s resembles enamel painting, in the effect being produced by fluxing certain metallic substances, as oxides or chlorides, on its surface, by means of heat applied in a suitable furnace. The operations it embraces are difficult, and require great prompt.i.tude and experience to prove successful. The colours or compounds employed are, for the most part, similar to those noticed under ENAMEL and PASTE.

=STAINS.= Discolorations from foreign matters. Liquid dyes are also frequently termed 'stains.' See SPOTS, &c., and _below_.

=Stains, Blood.= Spots of dried blood on wood, linen, &c., however old, are easily recognised by the microscope; but simple stains or marks of blood of a slight character, especially those occurring on iron or steel, are recognised with greater difficulty. To obviate this, H. Zollikofer adopts the following plan:--The spot is removed, by sc.r.a.ping, from the surface of the metal, and the resulting powder is digested in tepid water, when a liquid is obtained which exhibits the following reactions:

1. The liquid is neutralised with acid, and heated to ebullition, when opalisation occurs, or a dirty red coagulum forms.

2. The coagulum is dissolved in hot liquor of pota.s.sa; the solution, if blood (haematin) be present, is diachromatic, or appears green by transmitted light and red by reflected light.

3. By the addition of concentrated chlorine water, in excess, to either solution, white flocks of alb.u.men and chlorhaematin separate, which are free from iron, as tested by sulphocyanide of pota.s.sium.

_Obs._ The last two reactions are said to be characteristic. Very old spots must be boiled in water containing a little liquor of pota.s.sa. See Dr Taylor's 'Medical Jurisprudence,' and BLOOD.

=Stains, Bookbinder's.= See LEATHER, MARBLING, &c.

=Stains, Confectioner's.= These are similar to those noticed under LIQUEUR. Mineral colours, especially mineral blues, greens, and yellows, must on no account be used, as they are nearly all dangerous poisons; nor is there any inducement to use them, since the vegetable substances referred to afford, by proper management, every shade that can be possibly required. These stains are also used for cakes and pastry.

=Stains, Liqueur.= See LIQUEUR.

=Stains, Map.= See MAPS, VELVET COLOURS, &c.

=STAM'MERING.= _Syn._ BLaeSITAS, L. Occasionally this depends on some organic affection, or slight malformation of the parts of the mouth or throat immediately connected with the utterance of vocal sounds; but, much more frequently, it is a habit resulting from carelessness, or acquired from example or imitation. When the latter is the case, it may be generally removed by perseveringly adopting the plan of never speaking without having the chest moderately filled with air, and then only slowly and deliberately. Hasty and rapid speaking must not be attempted until the habit of stammering is completely subdued. Nervous excitement and confusion must be avoided as much as possible, and the general health attended to, as circ.u.mstances may direct. This variety of stammering is commonly distinguished by the person being able to sing without hesitation. Stammering depending on elongation of the uvula, and other like causes, may be generally removed by a simple surgical operation.

=STAN'NIC ACID.= Peroxide of tin.

=STARCH.= C_{6}H_{10}O_{5}. _Syn._ AMYLACEOUS FECULA; AMYLUM, L. One of the most important and widely diffused of the proximate principles of vegetables being found, in greater or less quant.i.ty, in every plant. The mealy and farinaceous seeds, fruits, roots, and the stem-pith of certain trees, consist chiefly of starch in a nearly pure state. Wheat contains about 75% and potatoes about 15% of this substance. From these sources the fecula is obtained by rasping or grinding to pulp the vegetable structure, and was.h.i.+ng the ma.s.s upon a sieve, by which the torn cellular tissue is retained, whilst the starch pa.s.ses through with the liquid, and eventually settles down from the latter as a soft, white, insoluble powder, which, after being thoroughly washed with cold water, is dried in the air, or with a very gentle heat.

WHEAT STARCH (AMYLUM, B. P., Ph. L., E., & D.) is commonly prepared by steeping the flour in water for a week, or a fortnight, during which time the saccharine portion ferments and the starch granules become freed, for the most part, from the glutinous matter which envelops them, by the disintegrating and solvent action of the lactic acid generated by the fermentation. The sour liquor is then drawn off, and the feculous residue washed on a sieve; what pa.s.ses through is allowed to settle, when the liquid is again drawn off, and the starch thoroughly washed from the slimy matter; it is then drained in perforated boxes, cut up into square lumps, placed on porous bricks to absorb the moisture, and, lastly, air- or stove-dried.

In the preparation of starch from potatoes (potato starch) and other like vegetable substances, the roots or tubers, after being washed and peeled, either by hand-labour or by machinery, are rasped by a revolving grater, and the pulp washed on hair sieves until freed from feculous matter.

Successive portions of the pulp are thus treated until the vessel over which the sieves are placed, or into which the was.h.i.+ngs run, is sufficiently full. The starch held in suspension in the water having subsided to the bottom, the water is drawn off, and the starch stirred up with fresh water, and again allowed to subside. This operation is repeated several times, with fresh water, until the starch is rendered sufficiently pure for commercial purposes, when it is washed and dried as before. The waste fibres and the was.h.i.+ng waters are used as manure.

The starch manufactory at Hohenziatz treated 1216 tons of potatoes for starch between the 4th October, 1874, and the 6th February, 1875. The waste water after pa.s.sing through precipitating vats, &c., for the purpose of collecting all the particles of starch, was conducted into a reservoir and mixed with spring water. This water was conducted over a meadow of 185 acres, and then pa.s.sed to a meadow of 495 acres, and from this to the third and last, which contained 619 acres. The 2964 acres received the water from 1064 tons of potatoes, or for each acre 438 cwt. of potash, 126 cwt. of phosphoric acid and 127 of nitrogen.

The following table shows a.n.a.lysis (1) of potato water; (2) of the same diluted; (3) of water from the first meadow; (4) water from the second meadow; 1 litre contained--

1. 2. 3. 4.

mg. mg. mg. mg.

Whole solid matter 18578 3238 3228 2620 Organic matter 11342 1018 380 788 Inorganic matter 7238 2220 3488 1832 Potash 2125 550 412 82 Phosphoric acid 566 55 trace trace Nitrogen 1407 120 40 91 Ammonia 374 0 0 0 Nitric acid 38 trace trace trace

The disappearance of ammonia and phosphoric acid in 2 is accounted for by the precipitation of phosphate of magnesium and ammonium on the addition of the spring water.

The harvest in hay before the use of potato water was 1913 cwt. per acre, and afterwards 3188 cwt. The composition of the hay is better than before, as will be seen by the following comparative table:--

1 2

Moisture 1500 1500 Woody matter 2266 2288 Mineral matter 764 869 Sol. in ether 200 230 Alb.u.men 1089 1585 Extractable matter } not containing } 4181 3534 nitrogen } ------ ------ 10000 10000[192]

[Footnote 192: 'Dingl. Polyt. Jour.,' ccxxv, 394-396 ('Journ. Chem.

Soc,').]

In the manufacture of starch from rice and Indian corn (rice starch, maize starch), a very dilute solution of caustic soda, containing about 200 gr.