A L K 
A L K 
A L K 
antiquity, a servant belonging to the baths, 
whose business it was, by means of waxen 
plasters, and an instrument called volsella, to 
take off the hairs from the ami-pits, and even 
arms, legs, &c. this being deemed a point of 
cleanliness. 
ALIQUANT parts, in arithmetic, those 
which will not divide or measure the whole 
number exactly. Thus, 7 is an aliquant 
part of 16, for twice 7 wants 2 of 16, and 
three times 7 exceeds 16 by 5. 
ALIQUOT part, is such part of a number 
as will divide and measure it exactly, without 
any remainder. For instance, 2 is an aliquot 
part of 4, 3 of 9, and 4 of 1 6. 
To find all the aliquot parts of a number, 
divide it by its least divisor, and the quotient 
by its legist divisor, until you get a quotient 
not farther divisible, and you will have all 
the prime divisors or aliquot parts of that 
number. Thus, 60 divided by 2, gives the 
quotient 30, which divided by 2 gives 15, 
and 15 divided by 3 gives the indivisible quo- 
tient 5. Hence the prime aliquot parts are 
1, 2, 3, 5; and by multiplying any two or 
three of these together, you will find the 
compound' aliquot parts, viz. 4, 6, 10, 12, 15, 
20, 30. 
Aliquot parts must not be confounded with 
commensurable ones; for though the former 
are all commensurable, yet these are not al- 
ways aliquot parts : thus 4 is commensur- 
able with 6, but is not an aliquot part of it. 
ALISMA, water-plantain, a genus of plants 
of the class and order hexandria polygynia. 
The essential character is calyx three-leaved; 
petals three ; seeds several. 
There are nine species, most of which may 
be found in England. They are inhabitants 
of watry places, bogs, Szc. 
ALKAHEST, or Alcahest, among the 
old chemists, denotes an universal men- 
struum capable of resolving all bodies into 
their first matter, or ens privium ; and that 
without suffering any change or diminution 
by so doing. 
Van Helmont assures us in tire most po- 
sitive manner, that he himself was master of 
Such a menstruum. But, in this enlightened 
period, when chemical research has been ex- 
tended farther than it ever was before, the 
j - notion is deservedly ridiculed. 
ALKALESCENT denotes" a substance 
.slightly alkaline, or in which alkali is begin- 
ning to be formed, and to predominate. See 
1 the next article. 
ALKALI. This word is of Arabian ori- 
gin, and was introduced into chemistry after 
it had been applied to the plant which still 
retains the name of kali. When this plant 
is burnt, the ashes washed in water, and the 
water evaporated to dryness, a white sub- 
stance remains, which is called alkali. This, 
however, may be obtained from other sub- 
stances besides the kali: and the. word alkali 
is now applied to all bodies which possess, 1, 
a caustic taste; 2, the properties of being 
volatilized by heat; 3, of being capable of 
combining with acids ; 4, of being soluble in 
water, even when combined with carbonic 
acid ; and, 5, Capable of converting vege- 
table blues to green. 
The alkalies at present known are three in 
number: 1, potass; 2, soda; 3, ammonia. 
The two first are called fixed alkalies ; they 
require a red heat to volatilize them: the 
last is called volatile alkali, because it readily 
assumes a gaseous form, and consequently is 
dissipated with a moderate degree of heat. 
Alkalies readi!y r unite with sulphur, form- 
ing compounds which have the property of 
absorbing the oxygen from the atmosphere, 
and when moistened, of giving out a peculiar 
and very fetid gas. These compounds were 
formerly called alkaline hepars or livers ; but 
according to the modern nomenclature, they 
are denominated sulphurets. The alkalies 
have a very powerful action on almost all 
vegetable and animal matters, producing 
speedy disorganization, and reducing them 
to a pulp. With oils they form a compound 
known by the name of soap. They unite 
with all the acids, and produce neutral salts, 
of various degrees of solubility; in which, 
when the contents are mutually saturated, 
the distinguishing properties' of both acid and 
alkali are neutralized, and no longer to be 
perceived. From their affinity to acids, al- 
kalies decompose the acid solutions of all 
metals and most earths. See Chemistry. 
Alkaline earths, are those earths which 
agree with alkali in the property of solubility 
in water to a certain extent; of changing 
blue and red vegetable colours to green ; of 
absorbing carbonic acid ; and of possessing 
those acrid qualities that distinguish the alka- 
lies. Magnesia, lime, barytes, and strontian, 
are deemed alkaline earths ; but the former 
is very imperfectly so, being scarcely more 
soluble in water than silex. Barytes and 
strontian approach nearer to an alkali than 
lime, in being largely soluble in water. 
Alkaline salts. See Materia Medica. 
ALKEKENGI, 'winter cherry. SeePHY- 
SALIS. 
ALKERMES, in pharmacy, a compound 
cordial confection, made of various ingre- 
dients, as rose-water, sugar, cinnamon, aloes- 
wood, &c. ; but the principal one is kermes. 
It is now disused. 
ALKjORAN, or Alcoran, [from the 
Arabic particle aJ, and coran, or koran, de- 
rived from the verb craoa or karoa, to read ; 
signifying the reading, or rather that which 
ought to be read,'} the scripture or bible of 
the Mahometans ; containing the revelations 
and doctrines of their pretended prophet. 
The alkoran is divided into 1 14 larger por- 
tions of very unequal length, which we call 
chapters, but the Arabians sowar, in the sin- 
gular sura; a word rarely used on any other 
occasion, and properly signifying a row, or a 
regular series. These chapters are not, in 
the manuscript copies, distinguished by their 
numerical order, but by particular titles, 
which are taken sometimes from a peculiar 
subject treated of, or person mentioned in 
them, usually from the first word of note. 
Some chapters have two or more titles, oc- 
casioned by the difference of the copies. 
Some of them being pretended to have been 
revealed at Mecca, and others at Medina, 
the noting this difference makes a part of the 
title. Every chapter is divided into smaller 
portions, of very unequal length also, which 
we customarily call verses ; but the Arabic 
word is ay at, signifying signs or wonders. 
Besides these unequal divisions, the Maho- 
metans have also divided their koran into 60 
equal portions, each subdivided into four 
equal parts. But the koran is more usually 
divided into 30 sections only, each of twice 
the length of the former, and in like manner 
subdivided into four parts. These divisions 
H2 
59 
are for the use of the readers of the koran in 
the royal temples, or in the adjoining cha- 
pels, where the emperors and great men are 
interred. 
There are 29 chapters of the koran which 
have this peculiarity, that they begin with 
certain letters of the alphabet, some with a 
single one, others with more. These letters 
the Mahometans believe to be the peculiar 
mark of the koran, and to conceal several 
profound mysteries ; the certain understand- 
ing of which the more intelligent confess has 
not been communicated to any mortal, their 
prophet only excepted. 
The koran is universally allowed to be 
written with the utmost elegance and purity 
of language, in the dialect of the tribe of 
Koreish, the most noble and polite of all the 
Arabians, but with some mixture, though 
very rarely, of other dialects ; and it is con- 
fessedly the standard of the Arabic tongue. • 
The great doctrine of the koran is the uni- 
ty of God; to restore which Mahomet pre- 
tended was the chief object of his mission : 
that there never was, nor ever can be, more 
than,one true orthodox religion ; that, though 
the particular laws or ceremonies are only 
temporary, and subject to alteration, accord- 
ing to the divine direction, yet the substance 
of it being eternal truth, is not liable to 
change, but continues immutably the same ; 
and that, whenever this religion became ne- 
glected or corrupted in essentials, God had 
the goodness to re-inform and re-admonish 
mankind thereof by several prophets, of whom 
Moses and Jesus were the most distinguished, 
, till the appearance of Mahomet, who is their 
seal, and no other to be expected after 
him. 
The most excellent moral in the whole aF 
coran is that in the chapter al alraf, viz. 
“ Shew mercy, do good to all, and dispute 
not with the ignorant ;” or, as M r. Sale ren- 
ders it, Use indulgence, command that which 
is just, and withdraw far from the ignorant. 
Mahomet, according to the authors of the 
Keschaf, having begged of the angel Gabriel 
a more ample explication of this passage, re- 
ceived it in the following terms : “ Seek him 
who turns thee out, give to him wffio takes 
from thee, pardon him w ho injures thee ; for 
God will have you plant in your souls tha 
roots of his chief perfections.” It is. easy to 
see that this commentary is borrowed from 
the gospel. 
The caliph Hassan, son of Ali, being at 
table, a slave let fall a dish of meat reeking 
hot, which scalded him severely. The slave 
fell on his knees, rehearsing these words of 
the alcoran: “ Paradise is tor those w ho re- 
strain their anger.” “ I am not angry with 
thee,” answered the caliph. “ And for those 
who forgive offences against them,” continues 
the slave. “ I forgive thee thine,” replies the 
caliph. “ But above all, for those who re- 
turn good for evil,” adds the slave. “ I set 
thee at liberty,” rejoined the caliph; “and 
I give thee ten dinars.” 
It is the common opinion that Mahomet, 
assisted by one Sergius, a monk, composed 
this book; but the Mussulmans believe it as 
an article of their faith, that the prophet, 
who they say w-as an illiterate man, had no 
concern in inditing it; but that it w r as given 
him by God, who, to that end, made us of 
the ministry of the angel Gabriel; that, he - 
ever, it was communicated to him by little 
