L I T 



L I T 



nature; but they bear a porfeft averfion to all forts of 

 idolaters among tliem : niul it was once rcfolved to extirpate 

 them. But the dil'order this would have occaf'ioned in the 

 empire prevented it : tliey now content themfi-lves with con- 

 demning them in ;i.Tncral, as liercfies ; wliich tlicy do fo- 

 lemnlv every year at I'ekin. 



LITERNUM, or LiNTEHNUM, in ylndent Geogrjphy, a 

 town of Italy, in Campaijia, at the mouth of the C'anis, 

 and near the hike called by Statius " Linterna Pahis." It 

 was a Roman colony, improved and enlarged by Aufruftus. 

 The ruins of it, confilling of fome heaps of ilones, may be 

 traced on the' edge of a large -pond in a dreary Hat fliore, 

 between the mouth ot the Viiltm-nus and the promontory of 

 Mifcnum. Hither Scipio Afncanus withdrew from the accu- 

 fatious of his enemies, and here he fpent his days in retire- 

 ment. Tradition fays, that his alhes were depofited in this 

 place. 



LITHAGOGI, of AiOo,-, y?owc, and aya:., I irinj; azvny, 

 an epithet given by fome medical writers to fuch medicines 

 as work by urine, and are fnppofcd to have the virtue of 

 expelling the (tone. 



LITHAGROSTIS, in Botany, from >.Ao;, aJJonc, and 

 Byfif'f, S''"/'' '' "3me faulty in itfelf, as compofed of that 

 of another eltiblifhed geiuis, and quite unneceflary. Gxrt- 

 iier contrived it for the Coix of Linnxus, .Tuffieu, and others, 

 becaufe the xoi^ of Theophraftus feems to be a fort of palm. 

 But there is no end of lueh critical alterations, efpecially 

 when tliev arc not founded on any thing like certainty. 



LITHANTfiRAX, oi' \Aor, Jo„i; and a.O^a?, coal, in 

 Naturitl Hijlory, is ufed as the name of the common pit 

 coal. See CoAt,. 



LITHARGE, compofed of ^l&o--, a Jlone, and xifv/o;, 

 Jllvcr, a metallir.'- lubftance, formed of the fpume of lead ; 

 or, it is a calx of lead in an imperfetl ilate of vitnfication. 

 When fiU-er is refined by cupellation with lead, this latter 

 metal, which is purilied, and which caufes the fcoritication 

 of the imperfett metals alloyed with the filver, is transformed 

 into a matter compofed of fmall femi-tranfparent Ihining 

 jilates, refenPibling mica, which is litharge. See yjlloys of 

 Lead. 



This preparation of lead is of great ufe in roafting the 

 ftubborn ores of gold, filver, and copper ; for it melts all 

 kinds of ilones and earth into glafs, fooner than the metals ; 

 and by this means the metal, which is heavier, will fall 

 through the glats, which is a thin and light fubftance, and 

 will be collected under it into a regulus, with only a few 

 duity fcorix adhering to it. But if it be copper that is 

 thus leparated, a imall portion of it is always deftroyed ; 

 and if gold or filver, a like fmall portion is always lodged 

 and detained in the fcorice. 



But as the litharge penetrates through all forts of veffels, 

 and while melting riles into a fcum, that often runs over 

 their edges, the affayers never life it alone, but always mix 

 with it fuch fi.bllances as may give it a claniminefE, fuch as 

 flints, fands, clay, or the like: they mix two parts of litharge 

 with one part of any of tliefe fubllances, and add fome 

 nitre, or common fait, that the whole may run the more 

 eafily. They ftuit up the vefil-ls, which mud be made very 

 thick and folid, with a fmall cover or lid, cut clofe, and 

 placing this i i a wind-furnace, they keep it in fufion a quar- 

 ter of an hour, looking at times li.to the afli-hole, to fee if 

 the glals have not efcaped through tiie vefTel, and run down 

 thither. Very often it is found fweating through the fides 

 of the vefTel, like water, and falling in drops into the aih- 

 hole ; and in this cafe, there is no way to preferve the re- 

 inainder, but to take the veflel out of the fire. 



When the whole is cool, the velTel mull be broke, and at 



the bottom there will be found a fmall quantity of a regulu» 

 of lead, revived by means of the fait ; ia the middle, th'^ 

 glafs of lead, wliich mult be kept for ufe ; and at the top 

 a faline crull, which is to lie thrown away. 



Litharge is more or kfs white or red, according to the 

 metals with wliich the filver was alloyed. Accordingly the 

 white is called litharge of filver, and the red has been im- 

 proix>rly ca'led litharge of gold. 



Litharge may be eafily revived into lead ; accordingly, 

 much of that which is produced by refining in great is re- 

 duced, by being melted upon burning coals. The part 

 which is leafl altered by mixture with other metals is thus 

 reduced, and thus good and faleable lead is obtained. I'lic 

 reft of the litharge of tbelc refineries is lold and ufed for 

 various purpofes. 



The potters ufe much of it to give a beautiful glofs to 

 their wares ; it is alio employed in the tompofiiion of lome 

 glafles, tor it is very fufibic, and alhlls the fiillou of other 

 fubtlances ; and it is alio uied by painters, dyers, flcinners, 

 and glaziers. When mixed with wine, it gives it a bright 

 fprightly colour, but renders it extremely unwholeforae. In 

 general, it has the fame properties with the other calces of 

 lead. The litharge commonly lold is obtained from refine- 

 ries, and the quantity thus procured is more than iuiBcieiit 

 for the demand. It is employed for the preparation of 

 fome plaflers and oilier external remedies. See Lk.vd. 



LiTIlAUGE, Pliijhr of. See Lmi'LA-strum comniUBf. 



LlTHAiUJE, V'tmgar of. SeeVl^KdMi of L.'ad. 



LITHAY, or Ln.w, in Geography, a town of tlie- 

 duchy ot CarnloLi, on the Save; i) miles E. of Laybach. 

 N. lat. 46 ^'. E. long. T J ■. 



LITHIASIS, (from Aim;, a Jlone,) m Surgery, the dn- 

 order in which calculous concretions are formed in tlie urinary 

 organs, and more efpecially in the bladder, occafioning a 

 variety of fymptoms dependent upon their fliape, fize, and 

 fituation. For further details upon this lubjec't, fee Li- 

 thotomy and Stone. 



LITHIC, or Uitic Acid. See Ukinaky Calculus. 



LITHIDIA, a name which, in Hill's Hiftory of Foffils, 

 is given to an afiemblage of flones of the iiliceous clafs, be- 

 longing to the quartz and flint tribes. 



LITHOPjOLIA, AiGoJo/ia, in yltuiquiiy, a feltival ce- 

 lebrated by the Iriczenians, in memory ot Lamia and Auxe- 

 fia, two virgins, that coming from Crete to Tra;2ene, in a 

 time of tumult and fedinon, became a facrifice to the fury 

 of the people, by whom they were Honed to death. 



LiTiiOBOLiA, or Lapidatkn, was alfo a common punilh- 

 ment inflicted by the primitive Greeks upon fuch as were 

 taken in adultery. 



LITHOCOLLA, or Litiioc-ollti.m, formed of thr 

 Greek >.iH'i , Jlone, and kOAcc, glue, a cement ufed by the 

 lapidaries to fallen their precious flones, in order for cutting- 

 them. 



It is compofed of refin and brick-dull. For diamonds, 

 they ufe melted lead, putting them into it before it he quite 

 cold : for other cements, they mix marblc-dufl with flrong 

 glue ; and, to fallen their fparks, add the white of an egg, 

 and pitch See C.>;mknt. 



LITHODiEMON, or Lapls Ddmonum, a name given 

 by fome authors to ji-t. 



LITHODENDRON, a name by which, according to 

 Diolcorides, many of the ancients expiefs the common red 

 coral. 



LITHOGENESIA, a term ufed by fome authors to 

 exprefs the formation and original of Hones. 



LITHOLABON, a name given by fome chirurgical 



■writers 



