CREAM-GAUGE. 
is the lobster. In their modes of living, the 
crawfish generally resemble the aquatic crabs, 
feeding on putrefying animal matter, spending 
their time on the sandy or rocky bottom of deep 
waters, and only approaching the shallows when 
impelled by the necessity of undergoing their 
change of shell, or when under the sexual influ- 
ence. The common lobster is the largest species, 
and grows to a size which may well appear won- 
derful to persons accustomed to see none but 
small ones. They are brought to the New York 
market more than two feet in length, and weigh- 
ing 20 pounds and upwards. Such individuals, 
however; are not preferred for the table, as their 
size is a good indication of their age, and their 
period of life is stated to extend to twenty years 
and more. The smaller, or half-sized lobsters, 
are considered the best. 
CREAM. See Burrmr. 
CREAM-CHEESE. See Cuuzsz. 
CREAM-GAUGE. A graduated cylindrical 
glass for ascertaining the proportion of cream 
which exists in specimens of milk. If the glass 
be ten inches deep, and properly graduated, every 
tenth of an inch on the scale will indicate one 
per cent. of cream. The specimen of milk to be 
gauged is filled into the glass immediately on 
being drawn from the cow; and the glass is 
placed at rest with it during a given number of 
hours. The chief use of the instrument is, not 
to exhibit the per-centage of cream in individual 
specimens of milk, but to detect fluctuations in 
the proportion of cream from one cow or one set 
of cows. These fluctuations are sometimes both 
sudden and considerable; and when they are 
promptly detected by the dairyman, the causes 
of them may, in many instances, be investigated, 
discovered, and removed. See the articles Cow, 
Mitrx, and Datry. 
CREAM OF TARTAR, or supertartrate of pot- 
ash. A salt which exists in grapes and in tamar- 
inds. The dregs of wine also contain a consider- 
able quantity of it. Cream of tartar contains a 
very considerable proportion of supertartrate of 
potash, about seven or eight hundredths of tar- 
trate of lime, and a small quantity of silica, albu- 
men, iron, &c. It is insoluble in alcohol, but may 
be dissolved in 15 parts of boiling and 60 of cold 
water. It may be rendered much more soluble by 
mixing with it a certain quantity of boracic acid 
or borate of soda, which renders the cream of tar- 
tar soluble in its own weight of cold water, and 
in the half only of this menstruum when boiling. 
This preparation is known by the name of solu- 
ble cream of tartar. ts aqueous solution is soon 
decomposed by the contact of the air. It is ob- 
tained by dissolving in boiling water the common 
tartar—a white or reddish crystalline matter, 
which forms on the internal sides of the vessels 
in which wine has been kept—mixing with it 
some clay, which precipitates the colouring mat- 
ter, and then permitting the liquor to crystallize. 
The action of this substance varies according to 
CREDIT. 895 
the dose in which it is administered. In small 
doses, it is absorbed, and acts as a temperant ; 
and, in this quality, it is employed in jaundice, 
foulness of the stomach and intestines, &c. In 
larger doses, it principally spends its action on 
the mucous intestinal membrane, and induces 
alvine evacuations, especially when given in pow- 
der. Its taste being rather less unpleasant than 
that of some other neutral salts used in medicine, 
and its operation being of a very gentle nature, 
it is very frequently administered. In France, 
the soluble cream of tartar is generally preferred. 
CREASOTH, or Creosotz. A powerfully anti- 
septic and medicinal liquid, obtained from crude 
pyroligneous acid and from the heavy portion of 
the oil of wood tar. It consists of 77:42 per cent. 
of carbon, 14°46 of oxygen, and 8:12 of hydrogen. | 
It was discovered by Reichenbach; and has come 
rapidly and extensively into use for the conser- 
vation of salt meat, the flavouring of hams, the 
cure of tooth-ache, and various purposes in me- 
dicine. It is often popularly called essence of 
tar. It is colourless and transparent; it has a 
caustic and burning taste, and a strong, smoky, 
tarry odour; it is slightly heavier than water; it 
burns with a sooty flame; it is soluble, in all 
proportions, in alcohol or ether, but is insoluble 
in any smaller proportion of water than eighty to | 
one; and it combines with acids, alkalies, sul- 
phur, bromine, phosphorus, iodine and chlorine, 
but is decomposed by strong nitric acid or by 
undiluted sulphuric acid. 
Creasote is the best remedy known for tooth- 
ache, but requires to be cautiously applied, and 
in no degree swallowed. It acts as a powerful 
caustic, and rapidly kills all small animals. It 
coagulates the albumen of blood, and, in conse- 
quence, is a remedy for hemorrhage. Jn the 
several diluted forms of lotion, liniment, and 
ointment, it is used, in farriery, for canker, foot- 
rot, thrush, mange, caries, fungous growth, farcy, 
and glanders; and when internally administered, 
with judgment and care and in extreme dilution, 
it acts as a stimulating tonic. The antiseptic 
power of wood-smoke upon salt meat and dried 
fish consists in the evolution of creasote; and 
this power is obtained with great facility, though 
not with so agreeable a result upon the flavour 
of the meat and fish, by simply dipping in a weak 
solution of creasote and water. Ifa plate, con- 
taining a little creasote, be placed in a larder 
beneath fresh meat in summer, and a cloth be so 
thrown over the meat as to prevent the vapour 
of the creasote from being speedily dissipated, 
the meat will keep fresh for three or four days 
longer than without this expedient, and will not 
be infested with the attacks of flies, and, at the 
same time, will not contract any of the creasote’s 
peculiar smell. 
CREDIT. The postponement agreed on by the 
parties of the payment of a debt to a future day. 
It implies confidence of the creditor in the debt- 
or; and a credit system is one of general con- 
SF UI ENTE ETS eNO 
