66S 



CATECHISM. 



CATEGORY. 



others have. The best mode of procuring it is to digest catechu in 

 Bitlphuric ether, then evaporate the ether, wash the residuum in cold 

 water, repeatedly dissolve it in boiling water, and by renewed evapora- 

 tion procure it pure. The appearance is that of a white semicrystal- 

 liaed powder (resembling magnesia or grape-sugar), with an astringent 

 taste, which is followed by an unpleasant and somewhat sweetish one. 

 It is persistent at the ordinary temperature of the air, but by long 

 exposure to damp it resolves into a mould-like mass ; at a moderate 

 heat it melts into a transparent fluid ; by a strong heat it becomes 

 brown. 



Of hot water it requires only from three to four parts for its solu- 

 tion/but of cold 16000 : of boiling alcohol from two to three, of cold 

 from five or six parts for its solution ; of boiling ether it requires seven 

 to eight, while of cold it needs a hundred and twenty for its solution. 

 It is one of the most delicate tests of some of the salts of iron (when 

 these are devoid of any free acid), as it strikes a most beautiful dark 

 green colour, without precipitation ; which colour results if there be 

 but jjjgg part of iron in solution, only the kind obtained from the 

 Nauclea gamhir. It does not precipitate either a solution of gelatine 

 or of starch, a "peculiarity which distinguishes it from tannin ; and 

 which constitutes its claim to attention as a therapeutic agent, as a 

 means of arresting haemorrhage in distinct organs. Pure tannin is 

 almost certainly precipitated by the starchy or gelatinous principles it 

 meets with in the food in the prims viae, and has therefore little 

 influence on haemorrhage from remote organs. All who know the 

 difficulty of checking the flow of blood in those of hjemorrhagic 

 diathesis, especially from leech-bites, scarification of the gums, &c., will 

 be glad to have a new resource in catechin. 



CATECHISM. Almost all our ecclesiastical terms are of Greek 

 origin, and almost all of them may be traced to some word or some 

 expression in the sacred writings. It would perhaps hardly be expected 

 that to catechise comes from a Greek compound word denoting the 

 reflection of sound, KaTi7x&, the reverberation of the voice ; yet such is 

 the fact ; and the reason that this word has established itself in eccle- 

 siastical affairs to denote the mode of instruction by question and 

 answer without book, which is what is properly meant by catechising, 

 is that Saint Paul has used the word in his First Epistle to the 

 Corinthians, xiv. 19, " that by my voice I might teach others," 

 KaTtixiffa. The word occurs also in other passages of the Sacred 

 Scriptures, denoting instruction in affairs connected with religion. 



Catechising then, etymologically, and according to the primitive 

 usage, is delivering orally instruction in matters pertaining to religion. 

 Whether in this there was anything in common with the notions 

 which seem to have pervaded some of the ancient systems of divinity, 

 that the mysteries were not to be committed to writing, but only 

 handed down traditionally from age to age, may be doubted, since the 

 practice ia so easily explained on what is a mere common-sense prin- 

 ciple. Christianity was to present herself to innumerable persons who 

 could receive its truths by the hearing of the ear, while they were 

 unable to peruse any writings in which it might be presented to them. 

 Such persons there have always been in every Christian community, 

 and we are quite sure that when the Christian missionaries addressed 

 themselves to nations but a little removed from a state of barbarism, 

 this mode of instruction was the only mode in which what it was 

 necessary for them to know could be communicated. In such a state 

 of society also their answers to a few simple questions, which they would 

 easily learn by frequent repetition, would be accepted as a sufficient 

 profession of faith entitling them to baptism, confirmation, or a par- 

 ticipation in any Christian ordinances. In the early church catechumens 

 were not admitted to the sacrament, to public prayers, nor to ecclesias- 

 tical assemblies, until they had received baptism. 



What, in the infancy of Christianity, was the mode of communicating 

 the elements of Christian truth to persons of all ages, has become in 

 process of time the mode of making such communications to the 

 minds of children only. The reason is obvious : we have now seldom 

 any adult who come with minds wholly unfurnished with the elements 

 of Christian truth ; children are therefore almost the only persons who 

 now need catechetical instruction. We do not speak of the few instances 

 which society even in this country does occasionally present of persons 

 brought up in utter ignorance of religion and its truths and duties. 

 But children, generally speaking, are now the only persons who need 

 this kind of instruction ; and when we use the terms catechise and 

 catechumen*, which last word denotes the persons placed under this 

 mode of religious instruction, we refer them at once to children, and 

 children only. The more wide extension of the ability to read has 

 i<*l this mode of introducing to the young the knowledge of 

 Christian principles and duties of less importance, though it is still 

 considered a part of pastoral duty belonging to the Christian minister 

 to catechise the young of his flock, and thus to prepare them for the 

 ceremony of confirmation. To say the least, it is an impressive mode of 

 communicating the element* of Christian truth, and it serves through- 

 nut the period of after-life to cement an attachment which it is 

 desirable should always exist between the individuals of a Christian 

 flock and their pastor. The greater extension of the ability to read has 

 also produced another change. Catechisms originally intended for the 

 UM of the instructor have been transferred to the instructed, who have 

 learned in them the answers which beforetime they were wont to 

 have only from the mouth of the teacher. By far the most celebrated 



among ourselves of these catechisms is that which is incorporated in 

 the Book of Common Prayer, an intimate acquaintance with which is 

 held to be essential to every person who ia a candidate for confirmation. 

 Innumerable other catechisms have been printed, both at home and 

 abroad, in some of which, however, though they are called catechisms, 

 we recognise but faintly the impression of the peculiar character of 

 this mode of instruction, they being rather bodies of Christian divinity 

 exhibited in the form of question and answer. This is the case with 

 the Racovian catechism, which contains the doctrines of the Polish 

 Socinians. This is the case with the Genevan catechism, which 

 exhibits at much greater length than we can suppose to have been 

 designed to be committed to memory, the principles of Christian 

 truth as professed by the pastors of that city. The Assembly of 

 Divines at Westminster, who, at a time when Presbyteriauism was in 

 the ascendant in England, were called together to devise a new form 

 and order of Christian profession, put forth two catechisms : a larger, 

 containing a system of Christian doctrine, with the evidence on which 

 its several parts were supposed to rest ; and a smaller, which was 

 intended for the actual catechetical instruction of the young. Both 

 these present a system commonly called Calvinistic. 



Catechism is also frequently used now for any system of teaching by 

 question and answer. Thus, we have catechisms of history, geography, 

 chemistry, &c. 



CATECHU. The inspissated extract of the Acacia catechu, is 

 known by this name ; but as there are several varieties of this sub- 

 stance, it is probable that it is procured from other species of this 

 genus, as indeed is positively stated by Dr. Wallich, who denies that 

 any catechu is obtained from the Areca catechu. Geiger affirms that 

 one variety of catechu is the extract of Nauclea gamblr (Hunter), 

 which however is generally considered to yield a sort of kino, but it is 

 called gambir. It comes from Singapore. (See Nees von Esenbeck, in 

 Buchner's 'Repert., vol. xxii., p. 185, and Dierbach, in 'Magaz. fur 

 Pharmacie,' vol. xvii., p. 106.) The specific gravity diners, that of 

 Bombay being 1'39, while that of Bengal is only 1'28, also their 

 reaction with iron. 



At the season of the year when the sap is most perfectly elaborated, 

 the bark of the Acacia catechu is removed, and the tree cut down, the 

 outer white part removed, and the remaining brown heartwood cut into 

 such pieces as can be conveniently introduced into a narrow-mouthed 

 vessel; water is poured in, and then boiled down to one-half the 

 original quantity ; the further inspissating is conducted in wide earthen 

 vessels. It is then allowed to stand in the sun, frequently turned, 

 and at last transferred to cloths strewed over with the ashes of cow's 

 dung, and cut into four-square pieces, which are then thoroughly dried 

 in the sun. The darker the wood from which it is obtained, the darker 

 the colour of the extract : it has so much the appearance of a mass of 

 earth as to have been once considered such, and called terra japonica. 

 The farina or meal of a seed resembling wheat, and called nachani, is 

 often mixed with it, not as an adulteration, but to prevent the soft 

 masses adhering to each other. 



Catechu occurs either in irregular pieces or in small cubes, of a dark 

 brown colour ; odour very faint ; taste powerfully astringent, after- 

 wards bitterish, then sweet. It is nearly completely soluble in water, 

 more perfectly in alcohol. Analysed by Sir H. Davy' 



Tannin 

 Extractive 

 Mucilage 

 Impurities 



Bombay catechu yielded 

 . 109 

 68 . 

 13 

 10 . 



Bengal yielded 

 97 

 73 

 16 

 14 



The Bombay variety is preferable : it is a valuable astringent, and 

 may be employed either to act immediately on the mucous membrane 

 of the digestive organs, or on remote organs. In all cases of relaxation 

 of the tissues, either accompanied with a flow of blood or increased 

 mucous discharges, or without any obvious discharge, catechu renders 

 great assistance in restoring the parts to a healthy condition. In 

 relaxed uvula or pap of the throat, causing irritation and cough, a 

 portion of catechu melted slowly in the mouth is extremely useful. In 

 diarrhoea, from debility, catechu alone, or combined with prepared 

 chalk and opium is much employed, though chemists disapprove of the 

 combination, on the ground that an inert tannate of lime is formed. It 

 is found however to be practically advantageous. Where the debility 

 is great, aromatics and cordials may be added, provided there be no 

 inflammatory condition of the intestines, a point which should always 

 be most carefully inquired into before administering astringents. 

 [ASTRINGENTS.] 



CATECHUCIC ACID. [TANNIC ACIDS.] 



CATECHUTANNIC ACID. [TANNIC ACIDS.] 



CATEGORY, the word Karrryopla. (Ka.Tiyopeli>, to declare, aver), was 

 used by Aristotle in a manner on which much discussion has arisen 

 (See Hansel's edition of Aldrich, ' Appendix,' note B). Mr. Mansel 

 considers that the distinction arose from the resolution of the proposi- 

 tion, and a classification of the grammatical distinctions indicated by its 

 parts. Thus, taking the Greek terms, presently translated, the noun sub- 

 tantive leads to the category of ova-fa, the adjectives of number and 

 quality to iroffdV and iroioV, the adjectives of comparison to irpds rt, the 

 adverbs of place and time to iroC and wort, the different forms of the 

 verb, intransitive, prseterite, active, and passive, to mortal, 



