POU 
other large wooden wheel, all of a piece, 
three inches thick, and two or three feet 
broad, fastened to the same beam at the 
bottom, and parallel to the horizon. The 
beam or axis turns by a pivot at the bottom 
in an iron stand. The workman gives the 
motion to the lathe with his feet, by push- 
ing the great wheel alternately with each 
foot, still giving it a greater or lesser de- 
gree of motion, as his work requires. They 
work with the lathe, with the same instru- 
ments, and after the same manner, as with 
the wheel. The niouldings are formed by 
holding a piece of wood or iron, cut in the 
form of the moulding, to the vessel, wliile 
the wheel is turning round, but the feet 
and handles are made by themselves, and 
set on with the hand ; and if there be any 
sculpture in the work, it is usually done in 
wooden moulds, and stuck on -piece by 
piece on the outside of the vessel. 
POUCH, in military affairs, a case of 
black stout leather, with a flap over it, 
which is generally ornamented by a brass 
crown, &c, for the battalion men ; a fuse 
for the grenadiers; and a bugle-horn for 
the light infantry. The pouch hangs from 
a buff cross belt over the left shoulder, and 
is worn in that manner by the infantry for 
the purpose of carrying the ammunition. 
POULTICE. See Pharmacy. 
POUNCE, gum sandaric pounded and 
sifted very fine, to rub on paper, in order 
to preserve it from sinking, and to make it 
more fit to write upon. 
Pounce is also a little heap of charcoal 
dust, inclosed in a piece of muslin, or some 
other open stuff, to be passed over holes 
pricked in a work, in order to mark the 
lines or designs thereof on paper, silk, &c. 
placed underneath ; which are to be after- 
wards finished with a pen an'd ink, a needle, 
or the like. This kind of pounce is much 
used by embroiderers, to transfer their pat- 
terns upon stuffs ; by lace-makers, and some- 
times also by engravers. 
POUND, a certain weight, which is of 
two kinds; viz. the pound troy, and the 
pound avoirdupois ; the one is divided into 
12 ounces, the other into 16. The pound 
troy is to the pound avoirdupois as 576 
to 700. 
Pound also denotes a money of account ; 
so called because the ancient pound of silver 
weighed h pound troy. See Money. 
Pound, in law, any place inclosed to 
keep beasts in ; a common pound belongs 
to a lordship, or village, and there ought to 
be such a pound in every township. Some 
POW 
persons have of late very reasonably com- 
plained of the ancient practice of keeping 
beasts for many days, in a common pound, 
without food; and it would seem well if 
there could be some remedy in this respect, 
and the constable or others w’ere bound to 
give them sufficient food, to be repaid by 
the owner. 
The use of the pound is to put cattle in 
which have been taken trespassing on otlier 
persons lands, and they are to remain there 
for some days, when the Lord of the Manor 
takes the cattle in his possession, and they 
are cried in three neighbouring market 
towns, and if not claimed within a yeaf and 
a day are sold as estrays, and the damage 
they have done is paid out of the produce. 
POURSUIVANT, or Pursuivant, in \ 
heraldry, the lowest order of officers at 
arms. See College and Heraldry. The 
Poursuivants are properly attendants on 
the Heralds, when they marshal public 
ceremonies. Of these, in England, there 
W'ere formerly many ; but at present are 
only four, viz. Blue-mantle, Rouge- cross. 
Rouge-dragon, and Portcullice. In Scot- 
land there is only one King at Arms, who is 
stiled Lion, and has no less than six Heralds, 
and as many Pursuivants, and a great many 
Messengers at Arms, under him. 
POWDER, a dry medicine well broken, 
either in a mortar, by grinding, or by che- 
mical operations. See Pharmacy. 
PowvER, fulminating. When three parts 
of nitre, t wo parts of potash, and one of 
sulphur, are previously well dried, and mix- 
ed together by trituration, they form a 
compound which is known by the name of 
fulminating powder. A few grains of this 
mixture exposed to heat in an iron ladle, 
first melt, assuming a darker colour; and 
when the whole is in fusion, there is a vio- 
lent explosion. The heat should be applied 
slowly and gradually, till it is completely 
fluid, and then by bringing it nearer the 
heat, the full effect of the explosion is ob- 
tained. This combustion and explosion are 
also owing to the instantaneous evolution 
of elastic fluids. The potash unites with 
the sulphur and forms a sulphuTet, which, 
with the assistance of the nitre, is converted 
into sulphurated hydrogen. At a certain 
temperature the sulphurated hydrogen gas 
is disengaged, along with the oxygen gas of 
the nitre, and suddenly taking fire, strikes 
the air by the explosion which accompanies 
the evolution of the gases. When the mix- 
ture is made with equal parts of nitre and 
solid sulphuret of potash, the detonation is 
