AROMATICS. 
the body exhaling it. Boerhaave attributed odor- 
ous emanations to a subtile fluid, which he re- 
| garded us capable of exciting great influence 
on the phenomena of vegetation and the animal 
economy, and which he named Spiritus rector,— 
an expression which was afterwards changed for 
that of aroma. Macquer agreed with Boerhaave 
in this notion; but admitted that the effluvia 
was generally composed of an oil and a subtile 
acid. Fourcroy opposed this idea, and contended 
that all odours are produced by the simple solu- 
tion of the odorous substance in the air, or in a 
fluid; he admitted that each substance has its 
particular odour; that the compounds which 
contain a volatile principle owe their particular 
odour to it; and that the aroma of aromatic plants 
resided solely in their essential oils. But to this 
it has been objected, that there are some bodies, 
such as musk, which are not sensibly volatile, 
and which yet spread a strong odour; while 
| there are essential oils, the solution of which in 
water are not at all like the aroma of the part of 
the vegetable which has yielded them, and a 
number of odorous flowers are destitute of essen- 
tial oil. Hence M. Robiquet is of opinion that 
the odours which diffuse themselves in the air 
| ought not to be generally attributed to a simple 
volatilization, or emanation, produced by the 
odorous body itself; but, in many cases, to a gas, 
or vapour, resulting from its combination with 
| an appropriate vehicle, capable of diffusing it 
through the atmosphere. 
AROMATIC REED. See Acorus. 
AROMATICS. Plants, gums, essential oils, or 
other substances, which yield a fine fragrant 
smell, and have a warm spicy taste. They are 
very various in both odour and action, ranging 
from the semi-acridity of ginger-root, capsicum, 
and some pungent essential oils, to the exquisitely 
delicate and undistillable aroma of the peach, 
the strawberry, the coffee bean, and the tea leaf ; 
but, in general, they are combined with either 
bitter principles, as in the case of hops and the 
tonic barks and roots, or with gently narcotic 
principles, as in the case of tea, coffee, mace, and 
nutmeg,—and they either assist the tonics in 
gratifying and strengthening the stomach, or co- 
operate with the narcotics in exerting a softly 
soothing influence upon the nervous system. All 
aromatics, though in very various degrees, exert 
a controlling power over fermentation, in some 
instances arresting it, and in others modifying 
the nature of the products which are generated. 
The volatile oil of mustard and the empyreumatic 
oils completely arrest the action of yeast; and 
the oil of hops, or the mere native aroma of hops 
given out in the ordinary process of brewing, 
greatly diminishes the influence of decomposing 
nitrogenous substances, such as wort or malt, 
upon the conversion of alcohol into acetic acid. 
Aromatics are very numerously and extensively 
employed as ingredients in the compound drugs 
administered to the human subject ; but, except- 
| 
aa 
ARREST. 
943 
ing ginger, chamomile, gentian, and juniper, they 
are little known in cattle medicine.. . 
ARPENT. The French acre, in general use 
before the establishment of the decimal system ; 
but, like the acre in England, varying in almost 
every district. The Great arpent, known also as 
the arpent d’Ordonnance, or arpent des Haux et 
Forets, contains 100 perches cy 22 French square 
feet, and is equal to 0°5107 of a French hectare, 
or 6,107 English square yards, or about one acre 
and three-fourths of a rood of English measure. 
The Middle arpent, or the arpent Commun, contains 
100 perches of 20 French square feet, or 0°5221 
of a French hectare, or 5,048 English square 
yards, or 8 roods, 36 perches, and 149 feet of 
English measure. The Little arpent contains 
100 perches of 18$ French square feet, and is 
equal to 3 roods, 7 perches, and 27 feet of Eng- 
lish measure. Of these the Arpent Commun was 
the most universally employed in the provinces. 
ARRACACIA. See Anacacna. 
ARREST. A law term,—from the French 
arreter, to stop or stay,—signifying the restrain- 
ing of a man’s person, for the purpose of securing 
his obedience to the law. . 
Arrest is considered as the beginning of impri- 
sonment; and it may be made either for a civil 
debt exceeding £20, or upon a criminal accusa- | 
tion. 
seizing or touching the defendant’s body by the | 
sheriff, or his officer, in consequence of a precept | 
After such | 
seizure, the bailiff may justify breaking open any 
In the former case, the arrest is made by 
or commandment out of some. court. 
house in which the debtor is, to take him; other- 
wise he has not that power, but must watch his | 
opportunity of arresting him: for the law regards 
every man’s house as his castle of defence and 
asylum, in which he ought not to suffer any vio- 
lence. But if the bailiff should happen to find 
an outer door open, he may open the inner door, 
without being liable to an action of trespass, 
English writs express arrest by two words, capias 
and attachias, to take and catch hold of a man: | 
for it is necessary to constitute a lawful arrest | 
that the officer should actually lay hold of the 
person, besides saying that he arrests him, 
bailiff, however, touches a man, it is an arrest ; 
and if the person makes his escape, it isa vescous, | 
and attachment may be had against him. Ifa bail- 
iff lays hold of one by the hand held out at a win- 
dow, this is such a taking of him as will justify 
his breaking open the house to carry him away. 
If a bailiff be kept off from making an arrest, he 
shall have an action of assault; and where the | 
person arrested resists or assaults the bailiff, he 
may justify beating of him. The officer must, 
on making the arrest, deliver a copy of the writ 
to the defendant, and he is not to convey him to 
gaol until twenty-four hours have expired, unless 
the prisoner refuses to go with him to some place 
of safe custody. When arrested, the defendant 
may obtain his discharge by depositing the 
amount of the debt sworn to with the sheriff or 
Tia, | 
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