ALSTONIDIN 



64 



ALUSIA 



Alstonidin {al-ston' -id-in) \_Ahton, a Scotch botanist]. 

 An amorphous substance contained in a variety of Dita 

 bark. 



Alstonin {al' -sto-niti) [Alston, a Scotch botanist]. I. 

 An amorphous substance contained in a variety of 

 Dita bark. 2. A crystalline alkaloid, C 21 H 20 N 2 O 4 , 

 obtained from Ahtonia Constricta. 



Alter {aivl'-ter) [L. ," other "]. To castrate, or spay. 



Alterant {awl'-ter-ant). Same as Alterative. 



Alteration {arul-ter-a' -shun) [alterare, to make other] . 

 A change, as of form. A. Theory. See Difference 

 Theory. 



Alterative (awl* '-ter-a-tiv) {alter, another]. A medi- 

 cine that alters the processes of nutrition and excre- 

 tion, restoring, in some unknown way, and without 

 sensible evacuation, the normal functions of an organ 

 or of the system. It seems to be a necessary or con- 

 venient term covering our ignorance of the modus 

 operandi of certain medicines, as mercury, iodin, etc. 

 A., Compound, a domestic remedy consisting of bam- 

 boo, brier-root, stillingia, burdock-root, and poke-root, 

 aa fid. ext. 2"J> prickly-ash bark fid. ext. §j. 

 Recommended by Sims in scrofulous affections. Dose 



Alternate {arcl'-ter-ndt) [alternare, to do by turns]. In 

 botany, applied to that form of leaf-arrangement in 

 which only one leaf occurs at a node. A. Genera- 

 tion. See Alternation of Generations. 



Alternating [awl' ' -ter-ndt-ing) [alternare, to do by 

 turns]. Occurring successively. A. Insanity, a 

 form of insanity in which there are regular cycles of 

 exaltation and depression. 



Alternation {awl-ter-na'-shun) [alternare, to do by 

 turns]. Repeated transition from one state to another. 

 A. of Generations, i. In biology, a generative 

 cycle in which the young do not resemble the parent, 

 but like forms are separated by one or more unlike 

 generations. 2. That form of reproduction in which 

 some of the members of the cycle can produce new 

 beings non-sexually, while in the final stage reproduc- 

 tion is always sexual. Tenia or tapeworm, is an 

 example. The segments, Proglottides, are herma- 

 phrodite, and are evacuated with the feces. From the 

 egg, fertilized after it is shed, is developed the embryo, 

 that is swallowed by another animal, in whose tissues 

 it forms an encysted stage {Cysticercus , Ccenurus, or 

 Echinococcus). To undergo further development the 

 cysticercus must find another host, where it forms new 

 segments. 



Althaus's Oil. A modification of Lang's Oil. It is 

 made as follows : Metallic mercury I part, pure lano- 

 lin 4 parts, 2 per cent, carbolic oil 5 parts. It forms 

 a homogeneous gray cream that has no tendency to 

 decomposition. It is used in the treatment of syphilis 

 in injections of TT^v at a dose. 



Althea or Althaea {al-the'-ah) [L.]. Marsh-mallow. 

 The peeled root of A. officinalis, a plant of the mal- 

 low family. It consists of about one-third of vege- 

 table mucus and starch, together with the alkaloids 

 Asparagin and Althein (latterly regarded as identical). 

 It-* decoction is employed as a mucilaginous drink. 

 A. syrupi contains four per cent, althea. Dose in- 

 definite. Asparagin possesses sedative and diuretic 

 properties, and is useful in ascites and gout. Dose 

 ». ij-iij. 



Althein (al-the'-in). See Althea. 



Alticomous {al-tik'-o-mus) [alius, high ; coma, head 

 of hair, foliage]. In biology, leafy at or near the 

 summit only. 



Altitude {al'-te-tud) [altitudo, height]. The height, as 

 of an individual. In climatology, the elevation of 

 a place above the sea-level. A. -staff, a device em- 



ployed for measuring the exact height of recruits. It 

 consists of a rigid upright with a vertex-bar moving 

 without play at right angles to the upright. 



Altricious {al-trish' -us) \_altrix, a nurse]. Requiring 

 a long nursing ; hence, slow of development (the re- 

 verse of precocious). 



Aluchi (al-oo'-chi). See Acuchi. 



Aludel {al'-u-del) [Arab., al, the; uthdl, utensil]. In 

 chemistry, a pear-shaped glass or earthen vessel used 

 in sublimation. 



Alum {al'-um) [alumen, alum]. Any one of a class 

 of double sulphates formed by the union of one of 

 the sulphates of certain non-alkaline metals with a 

 sulphate of some alkaline metal. The standard (or 

 common commercial) alum, the official A lumen, U. 

 S. P., is the aluminium-potassium sulphate, Al 2 - 

 (S0 4 ) 3 -f- K 2 S0 4 -f- 24H 2 0. It is a powerful astrin- 

 gent and styptic in medicine, and is extensively used 

 in the arts. It is employed by bakers to whiten their 

 bread, but the effect upon the system is probably in- 

 jurious. Ordinary A. Ammoniae is the same as the 

 above, except that the potassium is replaced by am- 

 monium. It is official in Great Britain, and is exten- 

 sively used on account of its cheapness. What is 

 known as concentrated or patent alum, is the normal 

 aluminium sulphate [aluniinii sulphas) which is not a 

 true alum. A. Ammonio-ferric {Ferri et Ammonii 

 sulphas), U. S. P., is strongly styptic, and is useful in 

 leucorrhea. Dose gr. v-x. A. Potassio-ferric is 

 extremely similar to the A. ammonio-ferric. (For A. 

 Rubidium, see Rubidium). A. Sodae, double sul- 

 phate of sodium and aluminium, is too soluble for 

 ordinary uses. The other alums are very numerous, 

 but they are of little interest to the physician. A. 

 Whey, a preparation obtained by boiling % ij of alum 

 in a pint of milk, and straining. It is used as an astrin- 

 gent and internal hemostatic, in wineglassful doses. 



Alumen {al-ti f -men) [L. , gen. , Aluminis~\. See. Alum. 

 A. exsiccatum, burnt or dehydrated alum. 



Alumina {al-u' -min-ah) [L.]. Sesquioxid of alumin- 

 ium ; the principal ingredient of clay, and of many 

 stones, earths and minerals. 



Aluminate {al-u' '-min-dt) [alumina]. A basic salt of 

 alumina. 



Aluminated Copper. See Lapis divinus. 



Aluminiferous {al-u-min-if -er-us) [alumen, alum ; 

 ferre, to form]. Yielding alum. 



Aluminium {al-u-min' -e-um) [L-]. Al = 27. Quan- 

 tivalence 11, iv. A silver white metal distinguished 

 by its low sp. gr. , about 2.6. A. hydrate, Al.,(HO) 6 , 

 a tasteless white powder, feebly astringent. Dose gr. 

 iij-xx. A. and Potassium sulphate, K 2 A1 2 (S0 4 ) 4 

 {Alum, q. v.), a valuable astringent used in catarrh, 

 leucorrhea, gonorrhea. Dose gr. x— xx. In teaspoon- 

 ful doses, an emetic. A. sulphate, A1 2 (S0 4 ),, an 

 antiseptic and astringent used as a lotion in 5 per cent, 

 solution. A. acetate, unof. ; a disinfectant. A. 

 acetotartrate, unof. ; a disinfectant. 



Aluminosis {al-u-min-o' -sis) [aluminium']. A pul- 

 monary disease common among workers in aluminium ; 

 the dust collects within the lung tissue. 



Alumnol {al-um'-nol) [aluminium']. An astringent 

 and antiseptic " sulphur combination of aluminium." 

 Useful in gonorrhea, endometritis, ear, nose and skin 

 diseases, etc. Used in the main externally. Unof. 



Alum Root. The root of Heuchera americana. Prop 

 erties due to gallic and tannic acids. It is very astrin- 

 gent. Dose of the fid. ext. gtt. x-xx. Also the n><>t 

 of Geranium viaculatum, a mild and safe astringent. 

 See Geranium. Unof. 



Alusia {al-u'-ze-ah) [uAvetv, to wander]. Hallucina- 

 tion ; morbid state of mind. 



