BENZYLIDEXE 



203 



BETH ROOT 



Benzylidene [ben-til' '-id-en) [benzoin], C 7 H 6 . A bi- 

 valent radical derived from benzoin compounds. 



Beral's Apparatus. In pharmacy, an apparatus for 

 effecting lixiviation. 



Berard's Aneurysm. See Aneurysm and Diseases, 

 Table of. B.'s Operation. See Operations, Table of. 



Beraud, Ligament of. The ligament that suspends the 

 pericardium. B., Valve of, a valve supposed to exist 

 at the bottom of the lachrymal sac over the entrance 

 to the nasal duct. 



Berberin {ber'-ber-iti) [berberina : gen., Berberina], 

 C 20 H 17 NO 4 . An alkaloid found in the bark of Berberis, 

 and in many other plants of exceedingly various 

 botanic character. It is a tonic to the capillary 

 vessels and increases the blood-pressure. It is recom- 

 mended as a tonic and antiperiodic, and is an ingre- 

 dient of various lotions for the mucous membranes ; 

 it is useful in nasal catarrh, etc. Dose gr. j-x. Unof. 



Berberis [ber' -ber-is) [L.]. Barberry. The root of 

 Berberis vulgaris, or common barberry. Its properties 

 are due to an alkaloid, berberin, C 20 H 1T N0 4 . It is 

 an astringent, bitter tonic ; in large doses a cathartic. 

 It is used locally in conjunctivitis, and internally in 

 malarial and typhoid fevers. B., Ext. Fid. Dose TT^ 

 v-xxx. B., Tinct., contains 20 per cent, of the 

 root. Dose Tnjc-3 j. Berberin, the alkaloid. Dose 

 gr. j-x. B., Hydrochl., an efficient injection in 

 gonorrhea. All unof. B. asiatica, B. aquifolium 

 (or Oregon grape), and B. lycium are all medicinally 

 active, and have similar properties to those of the 

 common barberry. 



Bergamii, Oleum [ber-ga' -me-i o'-le-uni). Oil of Ber- 

 gamot. See Bergamot. 



Bergamot, Oil of [ber'-gam-ot) [Bergamo, a town in 

 Italy], C 10 H 16 . A volatile oil derived from the rind of 

 the Citrus bergamia. It is used mainly as a perfume, 

 and as a clearing-agent in histologic work. 



Bergeron's Disease. See Diseases, Table of. B. 

 Method. See Treatment, Methods of. 



Bergkrankheit [bdrg / -kra{h)nk-hlt). See Mountain 

 Sickness. 



Bergmann's (von) Operations. See Operations, 

 Table of. 



Beri-beri [ber' '-e-ber' '-e) [Singalese, beri, weakness]. 

 A dropsical ailment, occurring in an acute and chronic 

 form, and characterized by the appearance of pleuritic 

 or pericardial effusions, with general anasarca, anemia, 

 extreme weakness, and paraplegia. The acute form is 

 generally fatal ; recovery frequently takes place in the 

 chronic form. It is prevalent in India, Japan, and 

 Ceylon, and is most common among men. Its cause 

 is not known, but possibly it is of microbic origin. 

 Improper diet also has some influence upon the pro- 

 duction of the disease. 



Berber System of Sewage. See Serfage, Disposal of. 



Berlin Blue. See Figments, Conspectus of. 



Berlin's Operation. See Operations, Table of. 



Berlinghieri's Operation. See Operations, Table of. 



Bernard, Canal of. See Canals, Table of . B.'s Granu- 

 lar Layer, the inner zone of the cells lining the acini 

 of the pancreas. It is granular in appearance and 

 stains but slightly with carmin. 



Bernay's Operation. See Operations , Table of. 



Bernheim's Operation. See Operations, Table of. 



Bernstein's Theory of Muscular Contraction. He 

 claims that the seat of the contraction is in the inter- 

 stitial material surrounding the system of inotagmata, 

 and that it consists in the migration of that labile 

 material from pole to equator, this being synchronous 

 with explosive chemic change, sudden disengagement 

 of heat, and change in the electric state of the living 

 substance. 



Berried Tea [ber'-idte). A popular name for Gatil- 

 thttria prccumbens. 



Berry (ber'-e) [ME., bery]. An indehiscent fruit with a 

 pericarp that is succulent throughout, as the grape and 

 gooseberry. 



Bert's Experiment. Bert removed the skin from the tip 

 of the tail of a rat, stitched it into the skin of the back 

 of the animal, and after union had taken place the tail 

 was divided at its base. Sensation was preserved. 

 Nerve-fibers were thus proved capable of transmitting 

 impulses in both directions. B's. Method. See Anes- 

 thetic. 



Berthold's Method. See Myringo-plastic Method. 



Bertillonage (ber-til-lon-a(h)J) [Bertillon, a French 

 criminologist]. A system of carefully-recorded 

 measurements and descriptions of criminals, for the 

 purpose of future identification, introduced into 

 France by M. Bertillon and adopted by the police of 

 many large cities. 



Bertin, Bones of. The sphenoidal turbinated bones, 

 partly closing the sphenoidal sinuses. B., Column 

 of, a cortical column of the kidney ; the part separ- 

 ating the sides of any two pyramids. B., Ligament 

 of, the ilio-femoral ligamjsnt. See Ligament. 



Bertrandi's Suture. See Suture. 



Beryllium [ber-il' -e-uni) [(Hjpvtl.oq, beryl]. A bivalent 

 metal obtainable from the beryl, whence its name ; 

 it is called also glucinum. See Elements, Table of. 



Besnier's Lotion. A wash used in treating acne. It 

 consists of precipitated sulphur, \ l / 2 ounces; glycerin, 

 4 to 6 drams ; to which are added after mixing, spirits 

 of camphor, 6 drams, rose-water, a sufficient quantity. 



Besoin [bez-wan{g) /s ) [Fr.]. A desire ; an impulse. 

 Besoiti de respirer, the sense of the need of air ex- 

 perienced when respiration is impeded. 



Bestiality (bes-chc-al'-it-c) [bestia, a beast]. Unnatural 

 intercourse with an animal. 



Bestiarian [bes-te-a' '-re-an) [bestia, a beast]. An anti- 

 vivisectionist, contemptuously so called as being a 

 professed friend of the beasts. 



Bestucheff s Mixture or Tincture. The ethereal tinc- 

 ture of chlorid of iron, used in erysipelas. It is made 

 as follows : R . Tinct. ferri sesquichloridi, I part ; 

 spt. ether, nit., 4 parts. Mix and expose to the rays of 

 the sun in well-closed bottles until the brownish color 

 disappears. The dose is one to two teaspoonfuls every 

 three hours. 



Beta (be'-tah) [L.]. I. The beet. See Betin. 2. The 

 second letter of the Greek alphabet, used in chemic 

 nomenclature. B. Angle. See Angle. B.-naphthol. 

 See Naphlhol. 



Betacism [pa' '-tas-izm) [beta, ftfjTa, the second letter of 

 the Greek alphabet]. The too-frequent use of the b- 

 sound in speech, or the conversion of other sounds into 

 it. 



Betaln (be-ta'-in) [beta, a. beet], C 5 H n N0 2 , or C ]0 H 22 - 

 N,0 4 . Called also Oxyneurin and Lycin. A basic sub- 

 stance obtained by the careful oxidation of cholin. 

 It occurs already formed in the sugar-beet [Beta vul- 

 garis) and crystallizes from alcohol with one molecule 

 of water in shining crystals that deliquesce in the air ; 

 it has an alkaline reaction and a sweetish taste. 



Betel (be'-tel) [E. Ind.]. A masticatory used in the 

 East. A few grains of the nut of the Catechu palm, 

 Areca C. , are rolled up with a small amount of quick- 

 lime in a leaf of Piper betel, and chewed. It is tonic, 

 astringent, stimulant, and aphrodisiac, and increases 

 the powers of endurance. Dose of fld. ext. 3J _U J- 

 Unof. 



Beth Root [beth root). The rhizome of Trillium erecta, 

 astringent and tonic. Dose of fld. ext. ITLxxx-^j. 

 Triliin, a concentrated ext. Dose gr. ij-iv. Unof. 



