GLOSSARY. 



ABDOMEN. One of the two cavities into which the trunk of mammals 

 is divided by the midriff, the other being the thorax or chest. 



ABOMASUM. The fourth or true stomach in ruminants. 



ABORTION. The non - development of a part in organic nature. 

 Abortion not unfrequently occurs in cows, and is known by the 

 expression " slipping the calf." When one cow in a cow-house 

 slips her calf, the same accident is apt to occur to the other cows 

 shut up with her, or it spreads like an epidemic. When she is re- 

 moved from the rest of the cows the spread of the epidemic ceases. 

 This kind of abortion cannot usually be traced to any cause. It 

 has been ascribed to a large draught of ice-cold water in the morn- 

 ing to sudden fright to being pursued by a dog ; and so cur- 

 rent is the belief that the smell of the blood of slaughtered animals 

 brings it on, that in farm-steadings the slaughter-house is recom- 

 mended to be built as distant as possible from the cow-houses. It 

 is remarkable that the same tendency to abortion does not occur in 

 the mare, the ewe, and the pig. 



ABSORPTION. The act by which certain vessels or textures carry away 

 matters from a living surface or substance. 



ACARI. See Parasite. 



ACIDS, MINERAL. The acids formerly termed mineral acids are the 

 sulphuric or vitriolic acid, the nitric acid or aquafortis, and the 

 hydrochloric acid, called also muriatic acid and the spirit of salt. 



ACIDS, ORGANIC. The ternary and quaternary acids that is, acids 

 consisting of three and four elementary substances, which, exist- 

 ing in the organic kingdoms of nature, are named organic acids. 

 See p. 336 to p. 343. 



ACIDS (Oxyacids). Chemical bodies having often a sour taste, very 

 generally changing the blue colours of vegetables to red, and 

 having the essential property of combining with oxides of metallic 

 bodies to form neutrals. Ilydracids. In hydracids the radical 

 unites with the pure metal : thus when hydrochloric or muriatic acid 



