SC A 



641 



SC A 



of indigo in sulphuric acid by a solution 

 of alum, has received the name of Saxon 

 blue, because the process was discovered 

 by Earth at Grossenhain in Saxony (1810). 

 The peculiar shade of this blue is also de- 

 scribed by the name of Saxon blue. 

 SAX'ON ARCH. A semicircular arch, 



,,!V>W 



*** jFscgimw 



"~ *'*" i -~~~-^ = - -=? .nr~_ 



characteristic of the Saxon style of archi- 

 tecture. 



SCAB. In surgery, a hard substance 

 covering superficial ulcerations, aud 

 formed by concretion of the fluid dis- 

 charged from them. 



SCA'BIES, Lat., from scabo, to scratch. 

 The itch ; a disease characterised by an 

 eruption of pustules, or of small vesicles 

 terminating in pustules, accompanied by 

 incessant itching. There are several va- 

 rieties, all of which are contagious. 



ScABio'sA.lThe name of an extensive 



SCA'BIOUS. } genus of plants. Tetran- 

 dria Monogynia. Name from scaber, 

 rough, on account of its hairy surface. 

 There are three British species ; the 

 devil's-bit, the corn, and the fine-leaved 

 scabious. 



ScAB'Rors, Lat. scabrosus, rough. Ap- 

 plied in natural history very generally. 



SCAG'LIA. The Italian name for chalk, 

 used by geologists. 



SCAGLI'OLA (Italian). A species of 

 stucco or plaster, invented by Guido del 

 Conte in 1584. It is composed of calcined 

 selenite mixed with water into a paste. 

 The name is now applied to ornamental 

 plaster-work, produced by applying a 

 fine ground of stucco made up with Flan- 

 ders glue, and bestudding the surface, 

 while soft, with splinters (scagliola) of 

 marble, spar, and other matters, and lay- 

 ing in with the ochres various shades of 

 colour ; the whole when dry is polished, 

 and has a good effect, but is not durable. 



SCALE. 1. In natural history, the small 

 laminae which cover the surfaces of some 



fish, serpents, &c., are called scales. 2. 



A mathematical instrument consisting of 



various lines drawn on wood, ivory, bran,, 

 &c., and variously divided, according to 

 the purposes They are intended to serve. 

 They are denominated according to theif 

 kinds and uses , as the plain scale, diago- 

 nal scale, plotting scale, Gunter's scale, 

 " c. Scales of equal parts are often marked 

 upon plans and drawings, to explain the 

 real dimensions of the objects delineated. 

 -3. In music, a denomination given to 

 the arrangement of the six syllables in- 

 ented by Guido Aretino, ut, re, mi, fa, 



), la: the same as gamut (q. v.). 1. In 



arithmetic, scale signifies the order of 

 progression on which any system of no- 

 tation is founded, as the binary scale, the 

 decenary scale. 



SCALE'NE, from scalenus, unequal. 1. In 

 geometry, a triangle whose sides and 



angles are all unequal. 2. The name of 



a muscle of the neck. There are two, one 

 on each side. "When both act together 

 they bend the head forward ; when only 

 one acts, it turns the head to that side. 



SCALE-STONE, Ger. schaalstein. Tabular 

 spar. A mineral, usually of a pearly- 

 white colour, and composed of thin la- 

 minae collected into prismatic concretions. 



SCAL'LION, Ital. scaliogna. An onion 

 which never forms a proper bulb at the 

 root, but is usually greeu in spring : a 

 species of allium. 



SCAL'LOP. In conchology, a bivalve pec- 

 tinated shell, the Ostrea maxima, Lin., in- 

 habited by a tethys. The scallop was 

 formerly worn on the hat or coat by pil- 

 grims, as a mark that they had crossed 

 the sea for the purpose of paying their 

 devotions in the Holy Land. 



Sc AL'OPS. A genus of insectivorous mam- 

 malia. The only species known is the S. 

 aquaticus, Cuv., which inhabits the greater 

 part of North America. It closely re- 

 sembles the European mole, and supplies 

 its place in America. 



SCAL'PEL, Lat. scalpellum. A surgical 

 knife. 



SCAL'PER. Scalping-iron. A surgical 

 instrument for cleaning bones when foul 

 and carioua, a raspatory. 



SCAM'MONT, Lat. scammonium, cor- 

 rupted from Arab, chamozah. 1. In 60- 

 tany,a. creeping species of bind-weed, the 

 Convolvulus scammonia, which grows 



abundantly in Syria and the Levant. 



2. In pharmacy, a gum-resin, the inspis- 

 sated juice of the root of the scammony 

 plant, imported chiefly from Aleppo. 



SCAJJ'DALUM MAGNA'TIJM. Great scan- 

 dal. In law, a defamatory speech, 

 writing, or false report, to the injury of 

 a peer or dignified person, for which a 

 writ thus named is granted. 



SCAN'DEST, Lat. scandens, climbing. 

 Applied to plants which climb either by 

 spiral tendrils, as the pea, or by adhesive 

 fibres, as the common bryony. 



2 T 



