CATGUT 749 



CA.TAI.YSIS. A term introduced to denote the very peculiar phenomenon of one 

 body establishing, by its mere presence, a like condition, in another body, to that 

 which exists in itself. Thus a piece of meat undergoing the putrefactive fermen- 

 tation, almost immediately sets up a similar action in fresh meat, or produces in a 

 saccharine fluid that motion which is known as vinous fermentation. The action of 

 the yeast plant, a living organisation, establishes an action throughout a large 

 quantity of an infusion of malt, fermentation, or that disturbance which leads to the 

 conversion of sugar into alcohol. This catalytic power is ill understood, and wo are 

 content to hide the imperfection of our knowledge under a sounding name. 



CATECHIWE. Catechuic Acid. When Gambir catechu is treated with water 

 an insoluble residue is left, which has been termed by Nees resinous tannin. Its 

 composition is C 15 H 6 6 (C 15 H 12 O 6 ). 



CATECHU. A Japanese term, from catc a tree, and chu juice. The term is 

 applied to several astringent extracts made from the wood of several plants which 

 grow in Bombay, Bengal, and other parts of India. The ordinary commercial catechu 

 is prepared by boiling the chips of the interior of the trunk of the Acacia Catechu in 

 water, evaporating the solution to, the consistence of syrup over the fire, and then 

 exposing it in the sun to harden. It occurs in commerce in flat rough cakes, and 

 under two forms. The first, or the Bombay, is of uniform texture, of a dark red colour, 

 and of specific gravity l - 39. The second is more friable and less solid. It has a 

 chocolate colour, and is marked inside with red streaks. Its specific gravity is 

 1-28. 



According to Sir H. Davy, the Bombay variety is richer in tannin than that from 

 Bengal, the former containing 54'5, and the latter 41-5 in 100 parts. 



Areca nuts are also found to yield catechu : and catechu is prepared from them in 

 Ceylon, for which purpose they are cut into pieces, watered in an earthen pot with 

 solution of nitre, and have a little of the bark of a species of Mimosa added to them. 

 The liquor is then boiled with the nuts, and affords an inspissated decoction. 



Good catechu is a brittle compact solid, of a dull fracture. It has no smell, but a 

 very astringent taste. Water dissolves the whole of it, except the earthy matter, 

 which is probably added during its preparation. Alcohol dissolves its tannin and 

 extractive. The latter may be oxidised, and thus rendered insoluble in alcohol, by 

 dissolving the catechu in water, exposing it for some time to a boiling heat, and 

 evaporating to dryness. 



The tannin of catechu differs from that of galls, in being soluble in alcohol, and 

 more soluble in water. It precipitates iron of an olive colour, and gelatine in a mass 

 which gradually becomes brown. 



It has been long employed in India for tanning skins, where it is said to effect this 

 object in five days. Sole-leather has been completely tanned by it in this country in 

 ten days, the ox-hide having been made into a bag, with the hair outside, and kept 

 filled with the solution of catechu. In India it has also been used to give a brown 

 dye to cotton goods, and of late years it has been extensively introduced into tho 

 calico-print works of Europe. The salts of copper with sal-ammoniac cause it to give 

 a bronze colour which is very permanent ; the proto-muriate of tin, a brownish yellow ; 

 the per-chloride of tin, with the addition of nitrate of copper, a deep bronze hue ; 

 acetate of alumina alone, a reddish brown, and, with nitrate of copper, a reddish-olive 

 grey ; nitrate of iron, a dark-brown grey. For dyeing a golden coffee-brown, catechu 

 nas entirely superseded madder ; one pound of it being equivalent to six pounds of 

 this root. 



According to Pereira, the varieties of Catechu commonly met with are : 



1. GAMBIR CATECHU (Catechu pallidum) or Pale Catechu, imported under the name 

 of Gambir, from Singapore and some of the neighbouring islands, where the Uncaria 

 Gambir is cultivated, and an extract prepared from it. Tho chief use of this 

 catechu is for tanning. In the trade it is distinguished from tho black catechu and 

 cutch by the name of Terra Japonica. 



2. BETEL-NUT CATECHTT. See BETEL-NUT. 



3. CUTCH. Catechu of the Acacia Catechu described above. 



Bombay Catechu, named above, and examined by Davy, is obtained from the 

 Areca Catechu, and the Bengal Catechu, from the Acacia (Mimosa) Catechu. 



NUBIAN CATECHU, another variety occasionally met with, is obtained from the fruits 

 of gummy Acacias growing in Egypt and Nubia. 



CATGUT. (Corde a boyau, Fr. ; Darmsaite, Ger.) The name given to cords 

 made of the twisted intestines of the sheep. Tho guts, being taken while warm out of 

 the body of the animal, are to be cleared of feculent matter, freed from any adhering 

 fat, and washed in a tub of water. The small ends of all tho intestines are next to be 

 tied together, and laid on tho edge of the tub, while tho body of them is left to steep 

 in some water, frequently changed, during two days, in order to loosen tho peritoneal 



