DOMESTIC ECONOMY, HYGIENE, DIETETICS. 



437 



maple being most highly valued. It somewha' 

 resembles satinwood, but is more buff than 

 yellow, has more curl, and more " bird's- 

 eye." Maple is light and not very durable, anc 

 is used only in the cheaper kinds of furni- 

 ture. 



Oak. There are several varieties, of which 

 the white oak, the red oak, and the live oak 

 are the most important. The first is most used. 

 Oak takes long to season, and is worse than 

 most woods if used green. It is very hard to 

 work. Its appearance improves with age. On 

 account of its tendency to warp, a great deal 

 of so-called oak work is paneled with chest- 

 nut. 



Pearwood is of a light yellow color, and, on 

 account of its even grain, a favorite wood for 

 carving. It is often stained to imitate ebony. 

 Pine is used in two varieties, the white and 

 the yellow. When thoroughly dry, these 

 woods are very free from all tendency to warp 

 or shrink ; but in a half-seasoned state articles 

 made of them fall to pieces. They are readily 

 distinguished from one another by the differ- 

 ence of color, and from deals by the absence 

 of turpentine veins. When oiled and varnished, 

 both kinds of pine look very well. It seems a 

 sin to stain it. 



Rattan, from strips of which the seats of 

 cane chairs are made, is a small sort of cane, 

 brought from China, .Japan, and Sumatra. A 

 very pretty and durable style of summer-chairs, 

 lounges, tables, baskets, etc., is now made 

 wholly of rattan. 



Rosewood is hard and dark, with some little 

 curl, intermediate in this respect between 

 Spanish and Honduras mahogany, and of a 

 very open grain. Most articles of rosewood 

 furniture are veneered, but the best are of solid 

 wood. The color, which consists of large elon- 

 gated dark zones on a reddish-brown ground, 

 is permanent, unless it be much exposed to the 

 direct rays of the sun ; and it takes a fine pol- 

 ish, which is improved by slight waxing, or, 

 better, by the French polish, which brings out 

 the color of the wood admirably. 



Satinwood is now used chiefly for inlaying, 

 lining, and veneers. It is of a full yellowish 

 color, with a fine grain, little curl, and a silky 

 luster. Its toughness fits it well for furniture. 

 Walnut is a native wood, but is used in such 

 prodigious quantity that it is also imported. 

 Well seasoned it is exceedingly tough and lit- 

 tle inclined to warp. 



MEDICAL, DICTIONARY 



Abatement. Decrease of fever. 

 Abdomen. The belly. 

 Abnormal. Unnatural, irregular. 

 Abscess. A collection of purulent matter. 

 Absorption, absorptive. Taking up or soaking up. | 



Acephalous. Without a head. 



Acid. Sour ; a substance which neutralizes alkalies. 



Adhesive strips, adhesive plaster. Cloth or other 



material coated on one side with sticking composi- 

 tion. 

 Afterbirth. A body attached to the womb and by a 



cord to the child, supplying blood and nourishment 



before birth. 

 Albumen, albuminous. One of the elements of the 



body that hardens with heat. The white of an egg. 

 Aliment, alimentary. Food. The alimentary canal 



begins with the mouth and ends with the rectum. 

 Alkali. Caustic ; a substance which neutralizes acids. 

 Alterative. Altering or purifying the blood. 

 Alternating. One medicine following another after 



an interval. 



Altruism. Regard for another. 

 Alveoli. The bony sockets to the teeth. 

 Alvine. Pertaining to the intestines. 

 Anaemia. Deficiency in blood. The want of red cor 



puscles gives the pallid appearance to the skin. 

 Anaesthesia. Deprived of sensation. 

 Anaphrodisiac. An agent to blunt sexual appetite. 

 Anastomosis. Communication between blood ves 



sels. 



Anatomy. A description of the organs of the body. 

 Anodyne. Relieving pain. 

 Antacid. Neutralizing acid. 



Antibilious. A term applied to active cathartics. 

 Antidote. Medicines counteracting poisons and ren- 

 dering them inert. 



Anti-malarial. Preventing an attack of malaria. 

 Antiperiodic. Breaking up periodicity or appearance 



at regular intervals. 

 Antiperistaltic. Forcing the contents of the bowels 



backward into the stomach. 

 Antiseptic. Destroying poison. 

 A nt {spasmodic. Stopping spasms. 

 Antrum. A cavity in the superior maxillary bone, con 



nected with the nose. 

 Anus. The lower opening of the bowel. 

 Aorta. A large artery arising from the heart. 

 Aperient. A gentle laxative or purge. 

 Aphonia. Loss of voice. 

 Aphthous. Affected with aphthae ; a curd-like covered 



sore. 

 Areola, areolar. The connecting tissue between fibers 



and vessels. Pertaining to areolae. 

 Artery. A blood vessel which (with one exception) 



carries the red blood. 

 Asphyxia. Suspended animation. 



Aspirator. A pumping apparatus with a long, fine, 

 sharp-pointed tube for removing fluids from inter- 

 nal parts. 

 Assimilation. The act of transforming the food into 



various parts of the body. 

 Asthenic. Debilitated. 



Atrophy, atrophied. Wasting away. Withered. 

 Auscultation. Discovering chest diseases by listening. 

 Axillary. Arising from a depression between the stem 

 and leaf -stock. 



Bandage. A long piece of cloth, of variable width, 

 used for binding. 



Benumb. To deprive of sensibility. 



Bicuspid teeth. The fourth arid fifth teeth from the 

 center of the lips. 



Bile, bilious. A fluid secreted by the liver. Pertain- 

 ing to bile ; a peculiar temperament. 



Blastema. A germ. 



Bloodletting. Opening a vein in the arm to let out 

 blood. 



Bolus. A large pill or anything of its size. 



Bougie. A flexible instrument for dilating the urethra. 



Bronchial tubes. Vessels carrying air to the lungs. 

 Bronchi. 



Bronchus, bronchi. The lower air-passage. 



Buccal walls. Inner surface of the cheeks. 



neoplasm. Bad or low form of organization. 



'iccum. A part of the intestines emptying into the 

 colon ; the blind gut. 



alcai eous. Of the nature of lime. 



:ilrnl us, calculous. A stony formation. Pertaining 

 to calculus. 



apillary. Blood vessels, hair-like in size. 



apsnle. A covering or case. 



Jarbon. One of the elementary bodies or metalloids. 

 Cardiac. Pertaining to the heart. 



