MAC 
nuscripts, in the plural. In the prescrip- 
tion of physicians, M. stands for manipiilus, 
a handful ; and sometimes for misce, or mix- 
tura : thus M. F. Jupalium, signifies mix 
and make into a julep. In astronomy, &c. 
M is used for meridian or meridional. 
MABA, in botany, a genus of the Dioecia 
Triandria class and order. Essential cha- 
racter : calyx trifid ; male, corolla trifid ; 
female, drupe superior, two-celled. There 
is but one species, viz. M. elliptica. Xliis is 
a smooth tree, with the twigs and young 
leaves hairy ; leaves alternate, on short 
petioles, elliptic, and veined ; peduncles 
axillary, short, often three flowered ; flowers 
small, and remarkable for having the outside 
of the calyx and corolla more villose than 
the rest of the plant. There is another 
species, or variety, which Foster calls maba 
major ; for this reason, the di upe, or fruit, is 
three times the siae of the otlier, having 
three sided kernels in the cells, which are 
tough and insipid; they are, however, eaten 
by the inhabitants : in all the Friendly 
Islands they plant this tree about their 
houses. 
MABEA, in botany, a genus of the Mo- 
noecia Polyandria class and order. Natural 
order of Tricoccae. Euphorbiae, Jussieu. 
Essential character : calyx one-leafed, five- 
toothed ; corolla none : male, filaments 
nine to twelve, inserted into the bottom of 
the calyx : female, germ and style one ; 
stigma three, revolute ; capsule covered 
with a thick bark, three-celled, three-seed- 
ed. There are two species, viz. M. pLnri, 
and M, tarquari, both shrubs, yielding a 
milky juice; the Negroes "use the smaller 
branches for pipes, for which reason the 
trees are called pipe wood, or bois a ca- 
lumet. 
MACAO, or Macaw, in ornithology, a 
name given to the larger species of parrots 
with very long tails. See Ptissacus. 
MACARONIC, or Macaronian, an ap- 
pellation given to a burlesque kind of 
poetry, made up of a jumble of words of 
different languages, and words of the vulgar 
tongue latinized. 
The Italians are said to have been the 
inventors of it. The Germans, French, 
Spaniards, &c. have also had their macaro- 
nic poets ; nor is Great Britain outdope in 
tliis respect, witness Drummond of Hau- 
thomden’s poem called Polemo Middinia, 
which begins thus ; 
Nymphts, qucE colitis highissima monta 
Fifcea, 
Seu VOS Pittemceema tenet, seu CreHa 
crofta, S^c, 
MAC 
MACE, the second coat or covering of 
the kernel of the nutmeg, is a thin and 
membranaceous substance, of an oleaginous 
nature, and a yellowdsh colour ; being met 
with ill flakes of an inch and more in length, 
which are divided into a multitude of rami- 
fications. It is of an extremely fragrant, 
aromatic, and agreeable flavour, and of a 
pleasant, but acrid and oleaginous taste. 
See Nutmeg. 
MACERATION, in pharmacy, is an in- 
fusion of, or soaking ingredients in water, 
or any other fluid, in order either to soften 
them or draw out their virtues. 
MACHINE, in general, whatever hath 
force sufficient to raise or stop the motion 
of a heavy body. 
Machines are either simple or compound ; 
the. simple ones are the seven mechanical 
powers, viz. lever, balance, pully, axis and 
wheel, wedge, screw, and inclined plane. 
From these the compound ones are form- 
ed by various combinations, and serve for 
dift’erent purposes; in all which, the same 
general laws take place, viz. tliat the power 
and w'eight sustain each other, when they 
are in the inverse proportion of the velo- 
cities they would have in the directions 
wherein they act, if they were put in mo- 
tion. Now, to apply this law to any com- 
pound machine, there are four things to be 
considered; 1. The moving power, or the 
force that puts the machine in motion; 
which may be either men or other animals, 
weights, springs, the wind, a stream of 
water, &c. 2. The velocity of this power, 
or tlie space it moves over in a given time. 
3. The resistance, or quantity of the weight 
to be moved. 4. The velocity of tliis 
weight, or the space it moves over in the 
same given time. 
The two first of these quantities are al- 
ways in the reciprocal proportion of the two 
last ; that is, the product of the first two 
must always be equal to that of the last : 
hence, three of these quantities being given, 
it is easy to find the fourth ; for example, if 
the quantity of the power be 4, its velocity 
15, and the velocity of the weight 2, then 
the resistance, or quantity of the weight, 
, , , 4 X 15 60 
will be equal to - — ;; — - = — = 30. 
Compound machines are extremely nu- 
merous, as mills, pumps, wheel-carriages, 
clocks, fire-engines, &c. See Engine, 
Mile, Pump, Water-rw/m, &c. 
Machine denotes any thing that serves 
to augment or regulate moving powers, or 
it is a body designed to produce motion, so 
as to save either time or force. Macliines 
