428 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



drogen, a gas frequently met with in badly- 

 ventilated rooms, and, indeed, everywhere that 

 gas or sewers exist. The perfume of onion 

 also has a tendency to turn it black. There is 

 nothing, it must be borne in mind, that can 

 really beautify the skin except bathing, exer- 

 cise, and a regular compliance with the laws 

 of health. 



EARTHENWARE. 



The various wares known as earthenware, 

 china, or porcelain, are all compounds of clay, 

 with bone earth, flint, and other similar ma- 

 terials, ground together and baked. Accord- 

 ing to the proportion of clay will be the 

 toughness of the china, and the capability of 

 being molded, while the flint and bone earth 

 give hardness, whiteness, and transparency. 



There are two main divisions of table- 

 ware glazed earthenware and china or porce- 

 lain. Nearly all are originally white, and 

 sorted after baking. The finer only are then 

 decorated and re-baked. AVhen glazed earth- 

 enware chips, the exposed siirface becomes 

 dark ; in porcelain it remains white. 



The finer Oriental china, and that of Sevres 



and Dresden, cost from 



these wares into a state fit for baking. They 

 are generally very expensive, but extremely 

 durable. 



Dresden China is finer in outline than the 

 Oriental, and the best kinds are fully as dura- 

 ble. 



Sevres China is of French manufacture and 

 is not so close or fine in the grain as those 

 above alluded to ; but it has a superior glaze, 

 and is generally of elegant shape, with beauti- 

 ful colors and magnificent gilding. 



The common Red Earthenware is that used 

 most extensively for cooking, dairy, and other 

 purposes. It does not stand the heat well, 

 and is very easily broken. Acids should never 

 be put into any vessels made of this ware, as 

 there is a poisonous ingredient in the glazing 

 which the acid takes off. The common stone- 

 ware is stronger and cleaner and better every 

 way than any other kind. 



CATHARTICS. 



A class of medicines that act strongly on the 

 bowels as purgatives. Their number is very 

 large, and they may be divided into several 

 classes : mechanical, including unbolted meal 



up, for a set for of various kinds, fruits, and mustard seed 



twelve persons. The sets generally are for oily, as castor and croton oil ; saline, as mag- 

 eighteen. The ordinary decorated French 

 china costs from $45 to $500 per set. The 

 white French china costs from $35 to 



depending on quality. The decorated English 

 china costs, from $150 up. Broken pieces can- 

 not be duplicated here, as the decoration is 



nesia and its carbonate, sulphate, and citrate, 

 sulphate, and phosphate of soda, etc. ; acid or 

 bitter, as rhubarb, senna, colocynth, and aloes ; 



resinous, as jalap, gamboge, scammony ; and 

 mercurial, as calomel and blue pill. Their 

 action varies greatly, from the mild and almost 



printed on, from designs more elaborate than ! natural effect of magnesia and aloes, to the 

 the handwork of the average French sets. The J violent purging of jalap and gamboge. Cathar- 

 Frencb, cast be duplicated here at a few weeks' tics are very commonly used in domestic medi- 

 notice. The English is heavier and much cine, and probably no class of drugs is so fre- 

 m,ore durable. Both the French and the Eng- f quently abused ; a resort to them being so easy 

 lish ma.ke a decorated glazed earthenware that as to lead in many instances to the neglect of 

 is very durable more so than French china, j highly important hygienic rules. A dueatten- 

 and possibly tha,n English china. It costs tion to diet, exercise, and bathing would be a 

 from $30 to <H25i per set ; the various pieces far more effective remedy than any cathartics 

 ean generally be bought separately, which is for a majority of the difficulties for which the 

 not the case with decorated china. For econ- j latter are used. In many cases, however, 

 omy, plates, and cups of thisware, with tureen, their use is necessary, and directions for them 

 vegetable dishes, etc., of plated silver, is prob- are given under the various diseases. Castor 

 ably the best possible arrangement. Still fur- oil, Epsom salts, magnesia, aloes, rhubarb, and! 

 ther variety in this or any service is desirable, senna are the only cathartics that should be 

 and may be had through pickle dishes, compo- used without medical advice ; the most violent 



ones may produce serious results. No cathar- 

 tics, however, either should or can be reliedi 

 upon to cure constipation, to " work off a 



tiers, etc., of other kinds of ware. 



The so-called Ironstone and Stone China are 

 merely glazed earthenware undecorated. Sets 



cost from $20 to $40. As regards the finer j cold," or to relieve dyspepsia ; in all such cases 

 porcelain, the following remarks may be of a cure can be looked for only in a due ob- 

 service : 



Oriental China is remarkable for its close 

 texture, its flinty hardness, fine surface, and 

 capacity for bearing heat. It is supposed to 



servance of hygienic laws. 



CRABS. 



Though not so popular as lobsters, crabs are? 

 take from ten to twenty years to get some of among the most pleasantly flavored fish of 



