GUN 
felly soluble in wafer and alcohol. 3. Eu- 
phorbium, obtained from the euphorbia 
officinalis, a native of Ethiopia, by making 
incisions in the plant. It is brought from 
Africa in the form of tears, is soluble in 
alcohol. It has no smell; after a time it 
communicates a burning taste to the tongue. 
It is regarded as poisonous. 4. Galba- 
num, which see. 5. Gamboge, which see. 
6. Myrrh, which is brought from the East 
Indies in the form of tears, is light, brittle, 
of a reddish colour, and lias an unctuous 
feel ; it is bitter and aromatic ; it is soluble 
in water and alcohol in slight degrees. 7. 
Opoponax, obtained from the pastenaca 
opoponax, a perermial plant which grows 
wild in the south of Europe'. This is extracted 
by wounding the stock or root, and is known 
here in the form ot round drops or teays, or 
in irregular masses of a reddish colour. It 
is bitter and acrid to the taste, and with a 
peculiar smell. It forms a milky solution 
with water, and yields an essential oil by 
distillation. 8. Sapagenum supposed to 
be had from the ferula persica, and brought 
in large masses, or distinct tears, from 
Alexandria. It has a hot taste and dis- 
agreeable smell. It is moderately soluble 
in alcohol, but much more so in water. By 
distillation it yields a fcetid volatile oil. From 
some experiments made upon ipecacuanha, 
it is thought to contain a gum resin. All 
the gnm resins that have been analysed 
have been found to contain ammonia. 
GUN, a fire arm or weapon of offence, 
winch forcibly discharges a ball, shot, or 
other offensive matter, through a cylindri- 
cal barrel, by means of gunpowder. Gun 
is a general name, under which are included 
divers, or even most species of fire arms. 
They may be divided into great and small. 
Great guns, called abo by the general 
name cannons, make what we also cal! ord- 
nance or artillery ; under which come the se- 
veral sorts of cannon. See Cannon, Ar- 
tillery, &c. 
Gun is also a name given to an instrument 
used by miners in cleaving rocks with gun- 
powder. It is an iron cylinder of an inch 
and a half thick, and about six inches long ; 
and having a flat side to receive the side of 
a wedge ; and a hole drilled through it to 
communicate with the inside of the hole in 
the rock : this hole is made about eight 
inches deep, and in the bottom of it is put 
about two or three ounces of gunpowder : 
then this gun is driven forcibly in, so as to 
fill up the hole, and the wedges is driven in 
on its flat side to secure it. The priming 
GUN 
at the hole is then fired by a train, and the 
orifice being so well stopped by this gun, 
the force of the powder is determined to 
the circumadjacent parts of the rock, which 
it splits. 
Gun room, in a ship, the apartment under 
the great cabin, where the master-gunner 
and his crew rendezvous, get ready their 
cartridges, &c. and do all things belonging 
to their business. 
GUNDELIA, in botany, so called in ho- 
nour of Dr. Andrew Gundelscheimer, who 
found this plant in his travels, in company 
with Touraefort, in the Levant ; a genus of 
the Syngenesia Polygamia Segregata class 
and order. Natural order of Composil® 
Capitatoe. Cinarocephahe, Jussieu. Essen- 
tial character : calyx scarcely any, five- 
flowered ; corolla tubular, male and herma- 
phrodite ; receptacle chaffy ; down none. 
There is but one species, viz. G. toumefortii, 
a milky plant, with alternate prickly leaves ; 
flowers terminating. It is a native of the 
Levant. 
GUNNER, an officer appointed for the 
service of the cannon ; or one skilled to 
fire the guns. In the Tower of London, and 
other garrisons, as well as in the field, this 
officer carries a field staff, and a large pow- 
der horn in a string over his left shoulder ; 
he marches by the guns, and when there is 
any apprehension of danger, his field staff is 
armed with match ; his business is to lay the 
gun to pass, and to help to load and traverse 
her. 
Gunner of a ship, or master-gunner, has 
the charge of all the ordnance the ship car- 
ries, to see that they be serviceably mount- 
ed, and sufficiently supplied with spunges, 
ladles, and rammers ; that in foul weather 
they be traversed within board, especially 
those of the lower tier, and that the ports 
be shut, and caulked up ; and that at all 
times they may be well lashed, and made 
fast, lest any of them break loose, to the 
imminent danger of foundering the ship. In 
the time of an engagement, the gunner is to 
see that every piece be sufficiently manned ; 
he is answerable to give an account of all 
his charge upon demand. He has a mate 
and quarter-gunners for bis assistance. 
Gunner, master, a patent-officer of the 
ordnance, who is appointed to teach all 
such as learn the art of gunnery, and to 
certify to the master-general the ability -of 
any person recommended to be one of the 
King’s gunners. To, every scholar he admi- 
nisters an oath, not to serve, without leave, 
any other prince cfr state ; or teach any one 
