220 
MOM 
M O N 
MON 
tilling together one part of molybdic acid and 
live parts of sulphur. Molybdenum is also 
capable of combining with phosphorus. 
Few of the alloys of this metal have been 
hitherto examined. 
It seems capable of uniting with gold. 
h he alloy is probably ot a white colour. It 
combines readily with platinum in the state 
ol an oxide. The compound is fusible. Its 
specific gravity is 20.000. 
The alloys of molybdenum with silver, 
iron, and copper, are' metallic and friable; 
those with lead and tin are powders which 
cannot be fused. Several other combina- 
tions have been made both by Iiielm and 
Richter; but as the metals which they tried 
were alloyed not with molybdenum, but with 
molymbdic acid, they cannot be considered 
as by any means the same with the alloys 
formed by molybdenum itself. 
Molybdenum, Ores of. These are very 
scarce, having been found only in Sweden, 
G many, Carniola, among the Alps, near 
Inverness, and in the island of Lewis, in 
Scotland. The only species known is rao- 
Jybedna, which is found commonly massive : 
sometimes, however, it is chrystallized in 
hexaedral tables. Colour light lead-grey; 
sometimes with a shade of red. Streak 
blueish-grey, metallic. Powder blueish tex- 
ture, foliated lamellae, slightly flexible. Spe- 
cific gravity 4.5 to 4.73. Marks blueish- 
biack. A piece of resin rubbed with this mi- 
neral becomes positively electric. Insoluble 
in sulphuric and muriatic acids. Composed 
of about 
60 molybdenum 
40 sulphur 
100 
MOMENT, in the doctrine of infinites, 
denotes the same with infinitesimal. 
Moment, momentum, in mechanics, 
signifies the same with impetus, or the quan- 
tity of motion in a moving body; which is 
always equal to the quantity of matter, mul- 
tiplied into the velocity ; or, which is the 
same thing, it may be considered as a rect- 
angle under the quantity of matter and ve- 
Jocity. 
MOMORDICA, male balsam apple ; a 
genus of the syngenesia order, in the mo- 
noecia class of plants; and in the natural me- 
thod ranking under the 34th order, cucurbi- 
taceae. The male calyx is quinqtlefid; t ie 
corolla sexpartite ; the filaments are three in 
number. The female calyx is trifid; the co- 
rolla quinquepartite; the style trifid; the 
fruit is an apple parting asunder with a 
spring. There are eight species, the most re- 
markable of which are, 1 . The balsamina, or 
male balsam apple. This is a native of 
Asia ; and has a trailing stalk like those of 
the cucumber or melon, with smooth leaves, 
cut into several segments, and spread open 
like a hand. The fruit is oval, ending in 
acute points, having several deep angles, with 
sharp tubercles placed on their edges. It 
changes to a red or purplish colour when 
ripe, opening with elasticity, and throwing 
out its seeds. 2. The elaterium, wild or 
spurting cucumber, has a large fleshy root, 
somewhat like briony, whence come forth, 
every spring, several' thick, rough, trailing 
stalks. The flowers come out from the 
wings of the stalks: these are male and fe- 
male, growing at different places on the 
same plant tike those of the common cucum- 
ber: but they are much less, of a pale yellow 
colour, with a greenish bottom; the male 
flowers stand upon thick, short, foot stalks, 
but the female flowers sit upon the young 
fruit; which, after the flower is faded, grows 
of an oval form, an inch and a half long, 
swelling like a cucumber, of a grey colour, 
like the leaves, and covered over with short 
prickles. r l his species has one of its names 
from the property of casting out its seeds, 
together with the viscid juice in which the 
seeds are lodged, with a violent force, if 
touched while ripe. 
The first species is famous in Syria for 
curing wounds. The natives cut open the 
unripe fruit, and infuse it in sweet oil, which 
they expose to the sun for some days, until it 
becomes red ; and then present it for use. 
Dropped on cotton, and applied to a fresh 
wound, the Syrians reckon this oil the best 
vulnerary next to balsam of Mecca, having 
found by experience that it often cures large 
wounds in three days. The leaves and stems 
of this plant are used for arbours or bowers. 
The elaterium of the shops is the fruit, or ra- 
ther the inspissated faecula, of the juice of the 
unripe fruit of the wild cucumber. It is 
usually sent us from Spain and the southern 
parts of France, where the plant is common. 
We receive it in small, flat, whitish lumps, or 
cakes, that are dry, and break easily between 
the fingers. It is of an acrid, nauseous, bit- 
ter taste, and has a strong offensive smell 
when newly made ; but these, as well as its 
other properties, it loses, after being kept for 
some time. It is a very violent purge and 
vomit, and is now but seldom used. 
MOMOTUS, a genus of birds of the or- 
der pics. The generic character is, bill 
strong, slightly curved, serrate at the edges ; 
nostrils feathered; tongue feathered; tail 
wedged ; feet formed for walking. There is 
but one species, the Brasiliensis, that inhabits 
Brasil ; size of a blackbird ; eighteen inches 
long; lives solitarily in unfrequented forests ; 
building a nest of dry grass on the ground, 
or in holes abandoned by the armadillo, and 
lays two eggs ; feeds on insects and raw 
flesh, the fragments of which it macerates iii 
water; when taken, it strikes violently with 
its bill. Its voice is harsh, weak, tremu- 
lous. 
MONADELPHTA, (from p-ow alone, 
and aSsXpi* a brotherhood ;) a “ single bro- 
therhood.” The name of the 1 6th class in 
Linnaeus’s sexual system, consisting of plants 
with hermaphrodite flowers; in which all the 
stamina, or male organs of generation, are 
united below into one body or cylinder, 
through which passes the pointal or female 
organ. See Botany. 
MONANDRIA, (from povot alone, and 
aw? a man or husband :) The name of the 
first class in Linnaeuses sexual system ; con- 
sisting of plants with hermaphrodite flowers, 
which have only one stamen or male organ. 
MONARDA, Indian horehound; a ge- 
nus of the monogynia order, in the diandria 
class of plants; and in the natural method 
ranking under the 42d order, verticillatse. 
The corolla is unequal, with the upper lip 
linear, involving the filaments; there are four 
sjeeds. There are seven species ; the most 
remarkable is the didyma, a native of North 
America. It is herbaceous. The flowers, 
which are of a bright red, surround the stalk 
in whorls, eacli whorl containing about 14 
flowers ; and are succeeded by four small 
kidney-shaped shining seeds, lodged in the 
bottom of the permanent flower-cup. The 
Indians superstitiously believe that a fumi- 
gation of this plant is effectual for driving 
away the devil. 
MONAS, a genus of vermes, order in- 
fusoria. The generic character is worm in- 
visible to the naked eye, most simple, pellu- 
cid, resembling a point. There are five spe- 
cies: the termo is a most minute, simple ge- 
latenous point: to be found in most animal 
and vegetable infusions : of all animals the 
most minute, being so extremely delicate 
and transparent, as often to elude the most 
highly magnifying powers, blending in a 
manner with the water in which it swims. 
MONET1A, a genus of the class and or- 
der tetrandria monogynia. The cal. is four- 
cleft; petals four; berry two-ceiled; seeds 
solitary. There is one species, a shrub of 
the E. Indies. 
MONEY. The ama of the invention of 
money is not easy to be settled. There is no 
room to doubt, but that in the earliest ages 
the ordinary way of traffic among men was 
by trucking or exchanging one commodity 
for another ; but in course of time it was. 
found necessary, in the way or commu- 
tative justice, to have some common mea- 
sure or standard, according to which all 
things should be estimated. 
Money is usually divided into real and 
imaginary. Real money includes all coins, 
whether of gold, silver, copper, or the like; 
such as guineas, crowns, pistoles, pi ces of 
eight, ducats, Sec. for an account of which 
wm refer the reader to the article Coin. 
Imaginary money, or money of account, 
is that which never existed, or, at least, which 
does not exist in real specie ; but is a deno- 
mination invented or retained to facilitate the 
stating .of accounts, by keeping them still on 
a fixed footing, not to be changed like cur- 
rent coins, which the authority of the sove- 
reign sometimes raises or lowers, according 
to the exigencies of the state, of which kinds 
are pounds, livres, marks, maravedies, & c. 
See Pound, &c. 
No person is obliged to take in payment 
any money which is not lawful metal, that is, 
of silver and gold, except for sums under 
sixpence. 2 Inst. 577. 
But it was decided in Hilary term, 1 790, 
that bank notes were considered as money, 
and therefore a proper tender in payment. 
English Money of account, is the pound, 
shillings, and pence ; the pound contains 
twenty shillings, and the shilling twelve 
pence. 
The old Scotch Money of account was 
the pound, shilling, and penny; the pound 
containing twenty shillings, being equivalent 
to one shilling and eightpence English ; and 
the shilling containing twelve pennies, equal 
to a penny English. There is also among 
them an account of marks, the mark being 
equivalent to one shilling If penny English : 
of this last kind they had formerly a silver 
coin. 
French Money of account, in France^ 
sous, cents, 
