ERE 



ESC 



wliich a few recent remains only are 

 found. 



EPIDEMIC (from etti, upon, and 

 i^fioc, the people). A disease wliich 

 spreads through a community, a sta- 

 ble, &c. 



EPIDERMIS (from fTrt, and tSep/xk, 

 the skin). A light covering over the 

 skin of animals. The outer mem- 

 brane of plants. 



EPIDOTE. A common fibrous, 

 green, or dark mineral, belonging to 

 prmiary rocks, containing silica, 37 ; 

 alumina, 21 ; lime, 15 ; iron, 24 per 

 cent. 



EPIGGEOUS (from e-t, and yn, the 

 earth). Growing near the earth, or 

 on the earth. 



EPIGASTRIC (from etti, and yaa- 

 TTjp, the stomach). Over the stomach. 



EPIGLOTTIS (from frrt, and y?MT- 

 ra, the tongue). A small cartilage at 

 the root of the tongue, which protects 

 the windpipe. 



EPIGYNOUS (from erri., and yvvi], 

 a female). Any part of a flower grow- 

 ing upon the top of the ovarium or 

 fruit. 



EPILEPSY (from eTrilafiCavu, I 

 seize upon). Falling sickness, attend- 

 ed with sudden fits, stupor : it soon 

 becomes periodical, and finally ter- 

 minates life. Bleeding, reduction of 

 food, and care are necessary in full 

 habits, but it frequently arises from 

 injuries on the head. It is a nervous 

 disease, little under control. 



EPIPHYLLUS (from e^vj, and <l,vl- 

 ?iOv, a leaf). Growing on a leaf 



EPISPASTIC (from eTViOTrau, I 

 draw upoyi). A blistering drug. 



EPISPERM (from ettl, and anepfia, 

 a seed). The testa, or outer coating 

 of seeds. 



EQUISETUM. The scouring rush; 

 hence equisetacca:. 



EQUIVALENTS. See Atom. 



EREM ACAUSIS (from r'/pe/ia, slow, 

 and /cai'ff(f, combustion). A terra in- 

 vented by Liebig, to express the 

 smouldering, or dry rot, of organic 

 matter freely exposed to the oxygen 

 of the air and merely moistened with 

 water. It is altogether dilfcrent from 

 fermentation, which requires little 

 air. By eremacausis, acids, as the 

 262 



acetic, nitric, &c., are producea. 

 When much nitrogen exists in the 

 decaying matter, it is called nitrifica- 

 tion, especially if lime or potash be 

 present. The process of eremacausis 

 is much to be preferred to fermenta- 

 tion in the preparation of putrescent 

 manures, for less gaseous matter is 

 formed, and there is less loss ; it is, 

 moreover, the natural decay occur- 

 ring in the soil. See Nitre-Beds. 



ERGOT. A disease of the grain 

 of rye, and sometimes other grains, 

 in which it turns black, and acquires 

 an acrid, fungous taste. It is con- 

 sidered due to an insect or parasitic 

 fungus. The diseased grain is very 

 poisonous, producing a dry gangrene, 

 attended with sloughing of the hoofs, 

 horns, ears, &c., of cattle. It is of 

 great service in medicine as a ute- 

 rine stimulus. 



ERICA. The genus of heaths. 

 Ericacecp, a family of shrubby plants, 

 as the heaths, rhododendrons, aza- 

 lias, &c. 



ERINACEUS. A genus of insec- 

 tivorous animals, including the hedge- 

 hog. 



ERIOPHORUM. The genus of 

 cotton grasses. 



ERODED. Gnawed, a descriptive 

 term in botany and zoology, mean- 

 ing any jagged edge. 



ERRATIC ROCKS. Boulders. 



ERRHINES (from ev, in, and piv, 

 the nose). Bodies which excite snee- 

 zing. 



ERUCA. A larva, or worm. 



ERVUM. The generic name of 

 the tare and lentil plants. 



ERYSIPELAS (from spvu, I draw, 

 and TTEXag, adjoining). An inflamma- 

 tion of the skin, attended with blis- 

 ters and a burning heat ; it indicates 

 a bad, feeble constitution. 



ERYTHRIC ACID (from epv- 

 dpoc, red). The red body produced 

 by acting on uric acid by nitric acid ; 

 it has also been called rosacic acid, 

 Murexidc. 



ESCHAR. A scab, cicatrix. 



ESCHAROTIC (from saxapau, 1 

 scab over). Caustic. 



ESCULENT. Edible plants, 

 roots, &c. 



