t 
SME 
which are usually referred to the taste, as 
being received during the act of eating and 
swallowing, really belong to the smell. The 
organ of smell is a membrane or skin, over- 
spread with nerves, which line the internal 
cavity of the nostrils, and the surface and 
cavities of the bones which join the nostrils. 
This is affected both by the odorous parti- 
cles which proceed from external substances 
tlu'ough the nose, and by those which come 
from the substances which are eaten ; for 
there is a communication between the nose 
and tlie back part of the mouth. The 
pains of smell are obviously designed to as- 
sist us in the proper choice of food, and 
prompt us to avoid such noxious vapours, as 
may render the air injurious to health or 
life. It appears also, that offensive odours, 
in various circumstances, contribute to ge- 
nerate the sense of shame, decency, &c. 
The pleasures of smell have a direct connec- 
tion with those of taste. It is only neces- 
sary, therefore, to add to what has been 
said respecting the latter, that the pleasures 
of smell which arise from the various pro- 
ductions of nature, have a great share in the 
formation and vividness of some of our men- 
tal pleasures; particularly those which arise 
from the view of rural objects and scenes, 
and from the representations of them by 
poetry and painting. 
SMELTING, in metallurgy,, the fusion 
or melting of the ores of metals, in order to 
separate the metalline part from the earthy, 
stony, and other parts. The art of fusing the 
ores after roasting, is the principal and most 
important of metallurgic operations, all the 
other being preliminary or preparative to 
this. The whole attention of the miner is 
directed towards this process ; to this alt 
his efforts are applied, because it affords 
the truly useful product to which his hopes 
are directed. Though it consists, in gene- 
ral, in fusing the roasted ore to extract the 
metal, and in this point of view it seems to 
present a simple and uniform operation, 
there is, nevei theless, no operation which 
differs so much in its circumstances, accord- 
ing to the nature of the metal, and the ore, 
required to be treated, and according to 
the furnaces made use of, the nature and 
quantity of the combustible employed, the 
energy, duration, and administration of the 
fire, the addition of an appropriate flux, the 
heat being applied in the midst of the coal, 
or in crucibles, the period, the length of 
time, and the mode of casting the fused 
metal ; every thing, even the form of tlie 
metal which flows out, varies, and pre- 
SMO 
sents to tlie observer very remarkable dif 
ferencos. 
SMILAX, in botany, a genus of the Dio- 
ecia Hexandria class and order. Natural 
order of Sarmentace®. Asparagi, Jussieu. 
Essential character : calyx six-leaved ; co- 
rolla none : female, styles three ; berry 
three celled ; seeds two. There are twenty- 
three species; of these, the S. sarsapa- 
rilla, which affords the sarsaparilla root, is 
tlie most valuable. This species has stems 
cf the thickness of a man’s finger ; tliey are 
jointed, triangular, and beset with crooked 
spines ; the leaves are alternate, smooth, 
and shining on the upper side ; on the other 
side are three nerves or cost®, with sundry 
small crooked spines ; the flower is yel- 
low, mixed with red ; the fruit is a black 
berry, containing several brown seeds. Sar- 
saparilla delights in low moist grounds, 
and near the banks of rivers. The roots 
run superficially under the surface of the 
ground. The gatherers have only to loosen 
the soil a little, and to draw out the long 
fibres with a wooden hook. In this man- 
ner they proceed till the whole root is got 
out : it is then cleared of the mud, dried, 
and made into bundles. The sensible qua- 
lities of sarsaparilla are mucilaginons and 
farinaceous, with a slight degree of acri- 
mony ; the latter, however, is so slight, as 
not to be perceived by many ; and it i» 
thonglit that its medicinal powers may fairly 
be ascribed to its demulcent and farinaceous 
qualities. The China, or oriental species 
of China root, has roundish, prickly stalks, 
and red berries, and is a native of China 
and Japan. The pseudo-China, or occiden- 
tal species, has rounder, smooth stalks, and 
black berries, grows wild in Jamaica and 
Virginia, and bears the colds of our own 
climate. At present the Cliina root is very 
rarely made use of, having, for some time, 
given place to sarsaparilla, which is sup- 
posed to be more effectual. Prosper Alpi- 
nus informs us, that this root is in great es- 
teem among the Egyptian women for pro- 
curing fatness and plumpness. 
SMITHIA, in botany, so named in ho- 
nour of James Edward Smith, M.D.P.L. S. 
a genus of the Diadelphia Decandria class 
and order. Natural order of Papilionace® 
or Leguminosoe. Essential character: le- 
gume with distinct, one-seeded joints, con- 
nected by the style ; stamina divided into 
two equal bodies. There is only one spe- 
cies, viz. S. sensitiva, annual smithia, a na- 
tive of the East Indies. 
SMOKE ioc/c, is a very simple and com- 
