POTATE 



1170 



POTTERS' ASTHMA 



of potash, made from potassium ferrocyanid by the 

 action of chlorin. The latter is passed through the 

 salt until a blue color with ferric chlorid is no longer 

 obtained. It is poisonous. P. ferrocyanid, K 4 Fe- 

 C 6 N 6 + 3H 2 0, yellow prussiate of potash, prepared 

 from blood, and by heating together animal charcoal, 

 iron, and pearl-ash. It occurs in yellow crystals, solu- 

 ble in water. It has many uses in chemic analysis. 

 P. hydras, KHO, potassa, "caustic potash," deli- 

 quescent and very alkaline. A powerful escharotic. 

 P. iodid., KI, used in syphilis, metallic poisoning, and 

 as an antirheumatic. Dose gr. ij-xx. P. Iodid. cum 

 sapone, Lin. (B. P.), contains potassium iodid, curd 

 soap, glycerin, oil of lemon, and distilled water. 

 P. iod., Unguent., contains iodid and carbonate of 

 potassium, distilled water and benzoated lard. P. ni- 

 tras, KNOj, saltpeter, niter, crystallizing in long, white 

 prisms. It occurs naturally in the soil of many trop- 

 ical countries, especially in Egypt and the East Indies. 

 It originates in the decomposition of organic matter 

 rich in nitrogen, in the presence of potassium com- 

 pounds. Commercially, it is also prepared by double 

 decomposition of potassium chlorid and Chile salt- 

 peter, sodium nitrate. Dose gr. x-xx. P. nitratis, 

 Charta, unsized paper saturated with a 20 per cent, 

 solution. It is used, when burnt, by inhalation in 

 asthma. P. permanganas. See Manganese. P. 

 picras, C 6 H.,(N0 2 ) :t OK, a yellow, crystalline bitter 

 substance, which explodes on heating. It is insoluble 

 in water ; it has been used for tape-worm. P. pla- 

 tinichlorid., K 2 PtCl 6 , a yellow, crystalline powder. 

 P. platinochlorid., K 2 PtCl 4 , a compound occur- 

 ring in rose-colored crystals. P., Prussiate of : I. 

 Potassium ferricyanid, or red prussiate of potash. 2. 

 Potassium ferrocyanid ; the yellow prussiate of potash. 

 P., Red Chromate of. Synonym of P. bichromas. 

 P. succinas, has been used internally in hemorrhage. 

 P. sulphas, K 2 S0 4 , an hepatic stimulant and laxa- 

 tive ; soluble in 10 parts of water at ordinary tem- 

 perature. Dose gr. xx-^ss. P. sulphis, several 

 compounds of potassium and sulphur are known. 

 K 2 S, the monosulphid, is the one commonly called 

 potassium sulphid. It is used in the treatment of 

 skin-diseases. P., Sulphurated, K 2 S, potassium sul- 

 phid. P. tartras, (K 2 C 4 H 4 6 ) 2 .H 2 0, norma/ potas- 

 sium tartrate, a crystalline, or amorphous substance, 

 soluble in water. The acid tartrate, potassium bitar- 

 trate, or " cream- of '- tartar" C 4 H-0 6 K, is nearly 

 insoluble in water. Both salts are diuretic and laxative. 

 Potassium tartrate is also a remote antacid, that is, it 

 renders the urine alkaline by being converted into a 

 carbonate, in which form it is excreted. Dose gr. xx— 

 3 ss. P. telluras, K 2 Te0 4 , an efficacious antihydrotic 

 in pulmonary tuberculosis. Dose gr. %-}(■ Unof. 



Potate {po'-tdt) \_potare, to drink]. In chemistry, 

 liquefied. 



Potato (po-ta'-to) [Sp. , patata, sweet potato]. The 

 tuber of Solanum tuberosum. P. -brandy, a brandy 

 distilled from a mixture of potatoes and barley-malt. 

 P. -blight. Same as P. -rot. P. -culture, a culture 

 of microorganisms on potato. Several methods have 

 been employed, the one now in general use being that 

 known as Bolton and Globig's. It is as follows: 

 Cylinders are cut with a cork-borer out of the center 

 of large potatoes, trimmed of skin and imperfections, 

 and cut obliquely, so as to make two wedge-shaped 

 pieces. These are placed in sterile test-tubes with 

 the thin end upward. The tubes are then sterilized 

 for twenty minutes on three successive days. In 

 Esmarch's method, slices of potato are placed in 

 small sterilized glass dishes, and the latter, with the 

 contained discs of potato, are sterilized in the steam 



sterilizer for an hour. In the original method pota- 

 toes were cleaned, then soaked in 1 to 1000 mercuric 

 chlorid solution, and finally steamed for an hour. 

 They were then carefully cut with a sterilized knife 

 and allowed to fall apart in a moist chamber. Which- 

 ever method is used, the inoculation with the bacteria 

 is the same, namely, by means of the Oese or sterilized 

 needle dipped in the material to be cultivated. P.- 

 cure. See Cure. P.-disease: 1. Same as P.-ri4. 

 2. A French term for tuberculosis in cattle. P.- 

 fungus, the cause of P. -rot, q. v. P.-mold. Same 

 as P. -rot. P. -murrain. Same as P. -rot. P.- 

 paste, a substitute for the solid potato as a culture- 

 medium for bacteria, when a very extensive surface is 

 desired. It is a stiff paste made with water from the 

 dry, floury centers of well-boiled potatoes. P. -rot. 

 See under Mildew. P., Spanish, P., Sweet, the 

 tuber of Ipomea batatas. P. -spirit. See Alcohol, 

 Amy I. P. -sugar, a sugar obtained from potatoes. 

 P.-treatment. Same as P. -cure. 



Potency {po' -tense) [posse, to be able]. Power. 

 Efficacy. 



Potential [po-ten' 's/ial) [potens, able]. Able or 

 powerful. A term applied to remedies or agents that 

 are energetic. In electricity, the tension or pressure 

 of the current. It is estimated quantitatively in volts. 

 P. Cautery. See Cautery. P., Difference of, a 

 term employed to denote that portion of the electro- 

 motive force which exists between any two points in 

 a circuit. P. Energy, the force that an organism is 

 capable of exerting under full stimulation. P., Zero, 

 in electricity, the potential of a point infinitely dis- 

 tant from all electrified bodies. 



Potentilla {po-ten-til'-ah). See Tormentilla, and 

 Hardback. 



Potentiometer {po-tenshe-om' -et-er) \_potentia, power; 

 juerpov, measure] . An instrument used for measuring 

 the difference of electric potential between two points. 



Pothopatridalgia {poth-o-pat-rid-al' -je-aK) [irodog, 

 longing; Trarpig, fatherland; a?, yog, pain]. Home- 

 sickness, or nostalgia, experienced in a foreign land. 



Potio, Potion (po'ske-o, po'shmi) \_potio, a drink]. 

 A drink or draught of a medicinal preparation. 



Potomania [po-to-ma / -ne-ah) [rtoTog, drink ; 1 

 madness]. Delirium tremens. 



Potometer {po-lom' -et-er) [rrorog, drink ; fiirpov, meas- 

 ure]. In biology, an instrument for measuring the 

 amount of water absorbed by a plant in a given time. 



Pototromania (po-to-tro-ma'-ne-ah) [ttStoc, drink; 

 rpdfioc, tremor ; fiavla, madness]. Delirium tremens. 



Pototromoparanoia (po-lo-trom-o-par-an-oi'-ali) [ 

 drink ; rpo/iog, tremor; trapavoca, madness]. Delirium 

 tremens. 



Potpourri (po-poo-re / ) [Fr.]. A mixture of aromatic 

 substances formerly used to perfume rooms. 



Pott's Aneurysm. See Aneurysm, and Diseases, 

 of. P.'s Boss, the projecting spinous process usually ; 

 found in cases of Pott's disease. See Signs and 

 Symptoms, Table of. P.'s Disease, or Curvature, 1 

 caries of the vertebne, generally of tuberculous 1 

 It originates usually in an osteitis of the bodies of Hie 

 vertebrae. The symptoms are stiffness of the spinal 

 column, pain on motion, tenderness on pressure, un 

 due prominence of one or more of the spines ; 

 modic pain in the abdomen ; in late stages, sometifDi - 

 paralysis. Abscess usually forms; it may appeal quite 

 early. P.'s Fracture. See Fracture. P.'s Gan-, 

 grene, senile gangrane. P.'s Paralysis, or Para- 

 plegia, the paralysis resulting from pressure 1 

 cord in Pott's disease. 



Potters' Asthma. Synonym of a form of pneumooo 

 koniosis prevalent among potters. P. Bronchitis , 



