CASCAIill.MN. 



CASEMATE. 



of that organ exist* than debility tod inactivity. Thin property can 

 only be imparted to other tonica by the addition of aromatics, while it 

 it posaowed naturally by thU spontaneous combination. In the treat. 

 meat of pure indigestion from weakness of the ttomtch and alimentary 

 canal, caaearilla merits the preferance. It U likewiae of much utility 

 in the treatment of intermittent tod nervou* feven, and chronic 

 diarrhoea dependent upon debility; provided no inflammatory con- 

 dition of the muoout membrane* of the stomach or intestines cc-exiatt. 



Powder, or a cold infuaion, U the best mode of administration ; 

 decoction it objectionable from ditsipating the volatile oil. From itt 

 pleasant aromatic odour it conttitutt an ingredient in fumigating 

 pattiitt. On its first introduction into England, it was used to mix 

 with tobacco, a ute to which it is still put in Germany ; but a Urge 

 quantity of it to used is productive of giddiness and stupefaction not 

 free from danger. 



For the botanical details above cited, tee ' Journal of Proceedings of 



Society of London, 1 voL iv. p. 29, 1st July, 1859. 



CA8CAR1LLIN. The bitter principle of cascarilla, the bark of a 

 euphorbiaceou* tree, the Croton deuteria. It crystallises in colourless 

 prismatic needles, and sometimes in hexagonal plates. It is bitter to 

 the taste but inodorous, very slightly soluble in water, but soluble in 

 alcohol and ether. Sulphuric acid dissolves it with the production of 

 a very intense red colour : on the addition of water a precipitate is 

 formed which communicates a green colour to the solution. Hydro- 

 chloric acid also dissolves catcarilla with a violet tint, the addition of 

 a little water changes this to blue, whilst a larger quantity produces a 

 green coloration. The composition of catcarilUn is unknown. 



CASE, ACTION Ul'nN TIIK, is one of the forms of action by 

 which a remedy for certain civil injuries might be obtained. It owes 

 its origin to the Statute of Westminster the Second ; and derives its 

 name from the circumstance that in the old form of the writ or process, 

 which formed the commencement of the suit, the particulars of the 

 wrong complained of, or the ccue, were set out in detail with nearly the 

 tame precision *s in a declaration. (Blackst.. ' Conim.,' Mr. Kerr's ed., 

 vol. iii. p. 129, n.) 



IN i ; I!. VMM All. [ABLATIVS CASE.] 



!'. II.VUllKNINi; in nn imjiortant process in the steel manu- 

 facture ; or, rather, it is the imparting of a steel surface to iron goods, 

 such as workmen's tools, fenders, fire-arms, keys, and cheap cutlery. 

 The goods, when finished, except polishing, are exposed to a high heat 

 in contact with certain other nutetances. The most usual substance is 

 animal or vegetable charcoal, in a pulverised state. Sometimes the 

 agent consist* of a composition of horn, bay salt, and white wine 

 vinegar; and other kinds are occasionally used. If the process bo well 

 icted a thin film on the surface of the iron has been converted 

 into steel, and acquires a degree of hardness sufficient to resist the 

 action of an ordinary file. The relation which this process bean to 

 the manufacture of steel proper will be seen in a later article. [STEEL.] 

 CASE-SHOT are bullets contained in a cylindrical tin canister, or in 

 a spherical shell of iron, which are discharged from a piece of ordnance. 

 The first of these kinds of case burst immediately on leaving the gun, 

 and the bullet* commence diverging almost immediately in all directions, 

 and toon lose all regularity of motion ; and though they do great ex- 

 ecution among the troops of an enemy within the limits of their effective 

 range, that range, which does not exceed 500 yards, is in general of too 

 small an extent. The divergency of the balls it said to be leas when 

 they are put into the case in tiers than when thrown in at random ; 

 and it is further lessened when the bottom of the case U formed of a 

 strong plate of ii. n. 



The spherical case-shut (the second kind above mentioned), wUat 

 are alto called Shrapnel! shells from the name of the inventor, are fired 

 like common shells, and the length of the fuse being properly re- 

 gulated, they only bunt at the required spot; and the liberated 

 bullets and the fragments of the shull spreading out and going with the 

 velocity communicated to them by the gun, may be made to take full 

 fleet in a column of an enemy's troops at 800 or 1 200 yards distance, or 

 whatever is the effective range of the particular gun. For further par- 

 ticulan, tee SHRAPNELL SUKLL. 

 AI in. [CHEMB.] 



CASEIN, the characteristic nitrogenous constituent of milk. It 

 forms the greater part of cheese. It hat already been noticed [ AI.BI: 

 MB] at one of the albuminoid nr protein group of substances, and is 

 closely allied to the other members, ft contains no phosphorus. 

 According to Mulder, it is composed of 



r,(-j 



Hylpisfpn . . . . . . . 7*2 



. . 'jj i 



^ . . . . 1M 

 Sulphur 04 



U hat barn asttrted that casein exist* in two Males, --one in which it 

 it soluble in water, and another in which it in insoluble. Soluble 

 (Mtin, however, hat never been obtained free from alkali; an. I it IK 

 more than probable that, at in milk, it U the alkali that rendert it 

 soluble. 



Casein is best prepared by gently warming fresh milk with a small 



quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, well washing the coagulum that 

 separates, dissolving in a sufficient amount of concentrated solution of 

 carbonate of soda, and setting aside for some time exposed to a tempe- 

 rature of about 70 Fahr., in order that fatty matter may rise to the 

 surface and remain I., hin.l when the alkaline solution of casein is 

 removed by iiion by acid and re-solution in 



alkali must be gone through several times, and the final curdy pre- 

 cipitate well washed with water to remove the last portions of acid, 

 and with alcohol and ether to separate traces t.t 



Hoist casein reddens litmus paper. It may be readily dissolved in 

 water containing a small quantity of alkali or alkaline carbonate. 

 Prom this solution it is re-precipitated by an *< : <ng alcohol. 



Albumen, it will be remembered, is not i by acetic acid, 



which re-action serves to distinguish casein from that substance, added 

 to which, solution of casein is not, like albumen, coagulated by heat. 



The most interesting property of casein is the facility with which it 

 s coagulated by the mu 'i ntomach (. 



'M;/) of the c;i : r by the soluble matter (re a net) produced by 



the slow decomposition of that membrane. A small piece of the dried 

 stomach allowed to digest a short time in :\ litt',. water, yields a liquor 

 which, added to two or three thousand times Ha volume of warm milk. 

 soon causes perfect coagulation, the mixture popularly known a-s 

 and irhfy resulting. This i, as is well known, one of the first steps in 

 the process of cheese-making. l.i< it ion of this react 



that the membrane altered by exposure to the air and moisture acts at 

 the slightly elevated temperature as a ferment, transforming the milk- 

 sugar into "lactic acid, which, after the same manner I 

 cipitates the casein. This theory U supported by the fiict, that the 

 mixture, after coagulation, always presents an acid re-nction ; but .-it 

 the same time it must be borne in mind that the same effect of curding 

 occurs at a little higher temperature, when n sufficient amount of car- 

 bonate of sud.i has b, to produce a permanent alkaline 

 re-action. Further investigation will no doubt throw full light on this 

 remarkable change. 



Solution of casein affects polarised light in the same manner as albu- 

 men, and in its deportment with chcnii mblcs 

 that substance. With lime it forms an insoluble anil very 

 compound used in encaustic painting. It admits of being easily 

 moulded, and receives .mil retains colours exceedingly well. 



i \>!'.M ATI-'., .1 vault of stone or brick woik, gener.illy built in the 

 thickness of the rampart of a fortress for tin !' artillery 



which is to lire through embrasures pi. pose in the 



front of the vault. 



The smallness of the flanks in the ancient basli."i~. ami consequently 

 the insufficiency of the fire from their parapets, gave 

 tion of casemates which, being formed.undcr those parapet.- 

 mented the means of defending the ditch* without rendcrin 

 change necessary in the size of the works. Casemates so situate 

 in the flanks of 'the Tower bastions, in places fortified according to the 

 second system of Vauban ; and at New Brisach they are i 

 in tin- flanks of the bastions and in those of the intermediate curtain. 



lings of this nature appear to have be 1 as early as 



the 16th century, fur they are mentioned by the Italian engin 

 that age ; and, as it was foreseen that the smoke arising from the 

 discharge of artillery in the vaults might, after a short time. 

 them untenable, Castriotto recommended that only cross-bows or 

 engines for throwing stones should be placed in them. 



In the works of Vauban casemates have also been constructed under 

 the parapets in the flanks of the ravelins and of their reduits, for the 

 purpose of defending the ditch and of co-operating with the flanks of tin- 

 bastions in opposing the construction of the besieger's counter-battery 

 whose situation is indicated at n [Vi<j. 1 , BaHIOHJ. 



Besides the supposed inconvenience on account of the smoke, ease- 

 mates in such situations, their front walls being unavoidably weakened 

 by being pierced with embrasures, an- liable to be destroyed in a short 

 ti'me by the direct fire from the countcr-batU IMS. win .n the roofs, in 

 falling, may bring down with them the parapet above. To avoid thi- 

 cvil, engineers have proposed that the casemates in the flank of a 

 bastion should be covered .by the tenaille |i. . l. I:\MION]; in 

 .ate a fire of shells is to be directed over the tenaille when it is 

 intended to oppnte the enemy in the formation of his lodgments. 



A different f "pinion has existed concerning: iimcnt 



which might be produced by the smoke in the service of the guns ; and 



in the year IMHI an experiment was made by the Kren.-h engineer! in 



stion, in the casemates of the Tower 



bastions at Now Hrimch, by firing O'l rounds from two pieces in ball 

 an hour. F-ach of these casemates has n 'wall, 



iibrasure, and an ordinary <-liiinn.-y in the wall opposite the 

 front; and .luring the firing the door between the casemates was kept 

 open. No considerable inconvenience was experienced by the 

 who were present ; and as the torvioe of guns in casemates to situated 

 can never be required for a l"u;-.-i time, it teems evident that the 

 apprehensions entertained on this subject are without foundation. 



ir experiments have been made in the casemates of Fort Ricasoli 

 :, and the smoke went off very freely ; but these, 1 

 an air-hole in the front wall, are open towards the rear. The car' 

 proposed by Boutmard to be built in the flanks of his tenailles are 

 ventilated in the same manner ; and those exhibited in the system of 



