Part 32

“In my way hither,” says Major C., “I measured the flight of the eider ducks by the following method; viz., on arriving off Duck Island, six miles distant from Henly Tickle, I caused the people to lay on their oars; and when I saw the flash of the guns, which were fired at a flock of ducks as they passed through the latter, I observed by my watch how long they were in flying abreast of us. The result of very many observations, ascertained the rate of their flight to be ninety miles in an hour.”

* * * * *

The extraordinary elasticity of the down appears from what I have already said of three quarters of an ounce filling a large hat; and Pontoppidan says, that two or three pounds of it, though pressed into a ball, which may be held in the hand, upon being allowed to expand, will fill the foot-covering of a large bed. It is worthy of notice, however, that it is only the down taken from the nests which has this great elasticity, for what is taken from the dead birds is much inferior, being, as Pontoppidan says, “fat, subject to rot, and far from as light as what the female plucks to form a bed for its young.” It is on this account that it is prohibited by the laws of Norway to kill the eiders for their down.

The young have been taken from the Farn Islands, in hopes of their becoming domesticated, but all attempts have proved ineffectual; probably for want of proper food, which is said principally to consist of shell-fish.

The native regions of this bird extend from 45° north, to the highest latitudes yet discovered, both in Europe and America; some wandering pairs have been known to breed on the rocky islands beyond Portland, in the district of Mayne, which is, perhaps, the most southern extent of their breeding place. Greenland and Iceland abound with them, and they are numerous on the coast of Labrador. They associate together in flocks, generally in deep water, diving for shell-fish, retiring frequently to the rocky shore to rest themselves, particularly on the approach of a storm. Their flesh is much esteemed by the inhabitants of Greenland, but tastes strongly of fish. Wilson says, that several attempts have been made to domesticate them, but hitherto without effect.—_Bewick_—_Von Troil_—_Montagu._

ELK, _s._ A large and stately animal of the stag kind.

ELL, _s._ A measure containing a yard and a quarter.

ELM, _s._ The name of a tree.

ELOPS, _s. obs._ A fish, reckoned by Milton among the serpents.

EMACIATE, _v._ To lose flesh, to pine.

EMBROCATION, _s._ The act of rubbing any part diseased with medicinal liquors; the lotion with which any diseased part is washed.

Embrocations are of a stimulating nature, and are greatly assisted by friction. Of this kind are opodeldoc, soap liniment, &c.

MUSTARD EMBROCATION. _For inflammation of the Lungs._

Flour of mustard 4 oz. Liquid ammonia 1½ oz. Oil of turpentine 1 oz.

Water, a sufficient quantity to bring it to the consistence of cream. Flour of mustard mixed into a thin paste with water only is a powerful stimulant, and may be employed with good effect in cases of internal inflammation either of the bowels or lungs.

EMBROCATIONS. _For hard indolent Tumours._

No. 1. Olive oil 4 oz. Camphor 4 dr.—Mix.

2. Mercurial ointment 2 oz. Olive oil and camphor, of each 2 dr.

Embrocations of a more stimulating kind are sometimes employed in swellings of the joints, old strains or other local affections, such as soap liniment with liquid ammonia, olive oil, oil of turpentine, and liquid ammonia, but blisters in such cases are generally more effectual.

Embrocations are often improperly employed, as in recent strains, or inflamed tumours, and other cases where emollient or cooling applications are required. Both strains and bruises are, at first, attended with a degree of inflammation, proportionate to the violence of the injury, and the susceptibility of the injured part; therefore they require, at first, such treatment as is calculated to subdue inflammation, that is, bleeding and purging with a suitable diet, and in strains, rest. The local or topical remedies in the inflammatory stage, are poultices, but in these cases bleeding and purging, immediately after their occurrence, are an essential part of the treatment.—_White._

EMERY, _s._ An iron ore, useful in cleaning and polishing steel.

EMMET, _s._ An ant, a pismire.

EMOLLIENT, _a._ Softening, suppling.

EMOLLIENTS, _s._ Such things as sheathe and soften the asperities of the humours, and relax and supple the solids. _Vide_ POULTICE and FOMENTATION.

EMULSION, _s._ A form of medicine, by bruising oily seeds and kernels.

Emulsions are pectoral medicines, generally mixtures of oil and water, by the intervention of an alkali or mucilage, given alone in coughs.

SIMPLE EMULSION.

Salad oil 2 oz. Clarified honey 3 oz. Soft water 1 pint Sub-carbonate of potash 2 dr.—Mix.

PECTORAL EMULSION.

Camphor 1 to 2 dr.

To be rubbed into a powder by means of a few drops of spirit of wine.

Oil of aniseed 12 to 15 drops.

To this mix gradually from 12 oz. to a pint of the simple emulsion. Nitrate of potash and tincture of opium are added in irritability of the bladder.—_White._

ENTER, _v._ To initiate in a business, method, or society.

_To enter hounds._—The first thing to be attended to in young dogs of all kinds is to make them understand their name well, and answer to it, before training; for which they should be rewarded and caressed. After foxhounds have learned to follow freely, they should be coupled, and led out among sheep, deer, &c., and made to understand that such is not their game; but two dogs should never be coupled together, as they are sure to quarrel. A few at a time should be let loose amongst sheep, and if they attempt to run after them, should be severely chastised, and the cry of _ware sheep_ be often repeated to them; which cry will, generally, on future occasions, have the effect of stopping them from sheep-running, without the necessity of using the whip. Great care is necessary at the offset to prevent them from worrying a sheep, which they will sometimes do under the management of careless trainers; for if they be allowed to taste the blood, it will be very difficult afterwards to break them from this bad habit.

Young hounds should be often walked about the courts of the kennel, followed by the whipper in, who should rate them after the huntsman. They should also be frequently taken out with people on foot, which teaches them to be more tractable and attentive, and much more manageable. It is better to take them out to their walks in a country where they are to be hunted, as the sooner they acquire a knowledge of it the better; and when they are thrown out, or left behind, are more likely to find their way home.

In entering fox-hounds it should always be at their own game; although some are foolish enough to begin them with hares, which just requires a second training to break them from that pursuit. Nothing is so good for rendering young hounds obedient as walking them frequently out amongst sheep, hares, and deer, and restraining their pursuit of these animals. This probation will teach them to be steady. A fox-cub should then be turned out before them, in the company of some old hounds as leaders, which train them in a short time instinctively, as it were, to hunt themselves. After they have tasted blood, it will be more difficult to repress their ardour than to excite it. Every means of encouraging them should be used in the earlier stages of their training, and punishment only administered after they have made some progress. In flogging a hound for a fault, the whipper-in should use his voice at the same time; this teaches him to know for what he is beaten; and Mr. Daniel suggests the propriety of introducing a live hare into the kennel, and to flog the dogs soundly whenever they attempt to approach her.

_To enter Hawks._—While the hawk is _waiting on_ at a proper height, his head being turned inwards, a partridge tied to a creance is to be thrown up; and when the hawk has taken it, he must be allowed to eat it on the ground near the falconer, who is to walk round him, and whistle to him as usual.

When this lesson has been repeated three or four times, by throwing up partridges not confined by the creance, the education of the eyess may be considered as completed; and he may be taken into the field to be used in the way that I shall endeavour to describe; but it will be necessary to give him every advantage in his first flights, and to have a live partridge in the bag, ready to be thrown up to him, should he fail in his first attempts to take his game.

I have now described the mode of breaking eyesses, as practised by the falconers; but I am of opinion that it might be better done, and with infinitely less trouble, by using the young hawk, when flying at hack, to feed always on the lure.

He would soon learn to fly to it, when swung round in the air, and would thus be taught to wait on.

The falconer should kneel down to the hawk, when he is feeding on the lure, and give him meat from the hand, by which means he may not only be made tame, but may be prevented from carrying.

When the season for hawking is at hand, a few live partridges should be thrown up to him, and he should be allowed to eat them near the falconer.

I have no doubt but by this treatment a young hawk would be fit for use as soon as he was taken up, and that nothing more would be required than to accustom him to _stand to the hood_.—_Brown_—_Sebright._

ENTERING, _s._ Entrance, passage into a place.

ENTIRE, _a._ Whole, undivided; complete in its parts. ENTIRE HORSE: a stallion.

E O, _s._ A game.

An E O table is circular in form, but of no exact dimensions, though in general about four feet in diameter. The extreme circumference is a kind of counter or depôt for the stakes, marked all round with the letters E and O; on which each adventurer places money according to his inclination. The interior part of the table consists first, of a kind of gallery, or rolling-place, for the ball, which, with the outward parts, above called depôt or counter, is stationary or fixed. The most interior part moves upon an axis, or pivot, and is turned about with handles, while the ball is set in motion round the gallery. This part is generally divided into forty niches or interstices, twenty of which are marked with the letter E, and the other twenty with the letter O. The lodging of the ball in any of the niches, distinguished by those letters, determines the wager. The proprietors of the tables have two bar holes, and are obliged to take all bets offered either for E or O; but if the ball fall into either of the bar holes, they win all the bets upon the opposite letter, and do not pay to that in which it falls; an advantage in the proportion of two to forty, or five per cent in their favour.—_Hoyle._

EPHEMERA, _s._ An insect that lives only one day.

EPIDEMIC, _s._ That which falls at once upon great numbers of people, as a plague; generally prevailing, affecting great numbers of men or animals.

EPILEPSY, _s._ A convulsive motion of the whole body, or some of its parts, with a loss of sense. _Vide_ BLAINE, WHITE, PERCIVALL.

EQUERRY, _s._ Master of the horse.

EQUESTRIAN, _a._ Appearing on horseback; skilled in horsemanship; belonging to a horse.

EQUIPAGE, _s._ Furniture for a horseman; carriage, vehicle; attendance, retinue; accoutrements, furniture.

EQUIPOISE, _s._ Equality of weight, equilibration.

ERGOT, _s._ A sort of stub, like a piece of horn, placed behind and below the pastern joint.

ERRHINES, _s._ Powders which cause sneezing, by being blown up the nostrils. They are composed generally of hellebore, snuff, asarabacca, or turbith mineral.

ERYSIPELAS, _s._ An eruption of a hot acrid humour.

ESCHAR, _s._ A hard crust or scar made by hot applications.

ESCHAROTIC, _a._ Caustic, having the power to sear or burn the flesh.

Escharotics are generally in the form of powder. Such are nitric oxide of mercury (red precipitate), exsiccated sulphate of alumine (burnt alum), acetate of copper (crystallised verdigris), sulphate of copper (blue vitriol). These are applied, either separately, or two or more of them are mixed together, and finely powdered; sometimes they are mixed with bole armeniac or chalk, by which they are rendered milder, or with lard or digestive ointment.

ESCHAROTIC POWDERS.

No. 1. Exsiccated or burnt alum 2 dr. Nitric oxide of mercury ½ oz.—Mix.

No. 2. Sulphate of copper 1 oz. Bole Armeniac 1 oz.—Mix.

No. 3. Acetate of copper 1 oz. Burnt alum 2 dr.—Mix.

_See_ CAUSTICS, ASTRINGENTS, DIGESTIVES, and DETERGENTS.

ESCHAROTIC LINIMENT.

Honey 8 oz. Muriatic acid 1 oz. Verdigris 1 oz. Mix over a slow fire.

This liniment may be made stronger by substituting nitrous acid for muriatic, or by retaining the muriatic, and substituting for the verdigris one drachm of sublimate. A weaker liniment is made, and a very useful one, by using two ounces of vinegar instead of the muriatic acid. (See EGYPTIACUM). Escharotics are applied to foul ulcers, and are employed to destroy fungous or proud flesh.—_White._

ESCULENT, _s._ Something fit for food.

ESSENCE, _s._ In medicine, the chief properties or virtues of any simple, or composition, collected into a narrow compass. _Essence of mustard_, composed of camphor, oil of rosemary, and oil of turpentine, is a good stimulating embrocation.

ESSENTIAL, _a._ Necessary; important in the highest degree, principal; pure, highly rectified. _Essential oils_ are obtained by distillation from mint, pennyroyal, peppermint, lavender, caraway seeds, anise-seeds, juniper berries, lemon-peel, sandal-wood, &c.

ESTRAPADE, _s. obs._ The defence of a horse that will not obey, but rises before, and yerks furiously with his hind legs.

ESTUARY, _s._ An arm of the sea; the mouth of a lake or river in which the tide ebbs and flows.

ETHER, _s._ An element more fine and subtile than air; a chemical preparation. Sulphuric ether is a powerful stimulant, and must be given with caution. White mentions an instance of two ounces destroying a horse.

ETHIOP’S MINERAL, _s._ A preparation made by rubbing equal parts of quicksilver and flower of sulphur together, until the mixture becomes black, and the quicksilver invisible.

Ethiop’s mineral, though generally considered as an inert medicine, is possessed of considerable virtue, and is probably the best mercurial in cases where it is necessary to introduce mercury into the circulation, as in farcy, glanders, obstinate mange, &c. It should be given in a dose of two or three drachms in the horse’s corn, once or twice a day, until an offensive smell is perceived in the horse’s breath, or he is found to stale more than usual; these symptoms indicate that the mercury has got into the circulation. The disorder for which it is given may, at this period, be expected to yield to the mercurial influence, and may not require a further continuance of the medicine.—_White._

EUPHORBIUM, _s._ A plant; a gum resin that exudes spontaneously from a large oriental tree.

Euphorbium is brought to us in small drops, of a pale yellow colour, which are generally mixed with woody and other extraneous matter. It is used as an external application, and generally employed in the form of tincture; sometimes it is mixed into an ointment with hog’s-lard, mercurial ointment, oil of origanum, oil of bay, &c., being previously reduced to a fine powder. It is also frequently an ingredient in strong blisters, to which it proves a powerful auxiliary. In whatever form euphorbium is employed, it proves extremely acrimonious and stimulating, and is useful in reducing callous swellings of the back sinews, curbs, windgalls, &c.

The tincture is made by steeping one ounce of the powder in four or six ounces of rectified or proof spirit, frequently shaking the bottle which contains the mixture, and keeping it in a warm place; after eight or ten days to be strained off, and kept well corked.—_White._

EWE, _s._ The she sheep.

EXFOLIATION, _s._ The process by which the corrupted part of the bone separates from the sound.

EXPECTORATION, _s._ The act of discharging from the breast; the discharge which is made by coughing.

EXPECTORANTS, _s._ Medicines that increase the discharge of mucus, and thus relieve coughs and impeded breathing. In costive cases they should be assisted by clysters and bran mashes.

EXPECTORANT BALLS.

1. Gum ammoniacum 2 to 4 dr. Powdered squill 1 to 2 dr. Castile soap 3 dr. Oil of aniseed 30 drops. Ginger 1 dr. Syrup enough to form a ball.

2. Gum ammoniacum 2 oz. Powdered squills 1 oz. Powdered ipecacuana ½ oz. Powdered opium ½ oz. Powdered ginger 1 oz. Powdered allspice 1 oz. Oil of aniseed ½ oz. Balsam of sulphur 4 oz. Castile soap, softened by being beaten up with a little syrup 2 oz.

To be beaten into a mass fit for making balls. The dose from one ounce to one ounce and a half daily, or twice a day.

3. Barbadoes aloes 1 dr. Assafœtida 1 dr.

Liquorice powder and syrup enough to form the ball. One to be given daily until the bowels are a little opened, or the cough is cured.

4. Gum ammoniacum 2 dr. Powdered squills 1 dr. Ipecacuana ½ dr. Castile soap 2 dr.

Syrup and liquorice powder enough to form the ball. One to be given daily, or twice a day.

Dr. Paris, in his Pharmacologia, remarks, that more is to be gained by the combination of these remedies, than can be obtained by any of them separately.

DRENCH.

Garlic bruised 4 oz. Boiling vinegar 12 oz.

Macerate near the fire three or four hours, then press out the fluid part, and mix with it six ounces of honey. This is sufficient for two doses, and may be given morning and evening. It cannot, perhaps, be too often repeated, that, unless the horse’s diet is carefully attended to, medicine will avail but little, either in chronic cough or imperfect wind.—_White._

EXPLODE, _v._ To drive out with noise and violence.

EXPLOSION, _s._ The act of driving out anything with noise and violence.

In January, 1809, Mr. Sayers, of Cuckfield, was reloading his fowling-piece; the powder ignited (supposed from a latent spark left by the paper wadding in the barrel), and drove the powder flask, which was copper, to a considerable height in the air, and shattered it to atoms. Mr. Sayers luckily escaped with no injury, except a slight scratch on his fingers. Accidents similar to the above may be effectually prevented by using pieces of pasteboard, felt, or leather, to charge, with instead of soft paper.—_Daniel._

EXTENSOR, _s._ The muscle by which any limb is extended.

EXTIRPATION, _s._ The act of rooting out, excision.

EXTRACT, _v._ To draw out of something; to draw by chemical operation.

EXUVIÆ, _s._ Cast skin, cast shells; whatever is shed or cast off by animals.

EYAS, _s._ A young hawk just taken from the nest. _Vide_ HAWK.

EYASMUSKET, _s. obs._ A young unfledged male musket hawk.

EYE, _s._ The organ of vision; any thing formed like an eye; any small perforation; a small catch into which a hook goes; bud of a plant.

EYE, _v._ To watch, to keep in view.

EYEBALL, _s._ The apple of the eye.

EYESORE, _s._ Something offensive to the sight.

EYESPOTTED, _a._ Marked with spots like eyes.

EYETOOTH, _s._ The tooth on the upper jaw next on each side to the grinders, the fang.

EYEWATER, _s._

No. 1. Super-acetate of lead (sugar of lead) 2 dr. Vinegar 2 to 4 oz. Soft water 14 oz. Mix.

No. 2. Sulphate of zinc 1½ dr. Diluted sulphuric acid ½ dr. Water 1½ pint.

3. Super-acetate of lead 2 dr. Sulphate of zinc 5 scrup. Water 1 pint. Mix and strain through blotting paper.

In severe attacks of inflammation of the eye, it is often in so irritable a state as to admit only of the application of warm water, or milk and water; then dilute either of the above eye waters with an equal quantity of warm water; but when the inflammation has abated, they may be made stronger, and applied cold. Should the above formulæ be found ineffectual, let one, two, or three ounces of tincture of opium be added, or a larger proportion of vinegar to No. 1 than is directed. The vinous tincture of opium (_vinum opii_), undiluted, has often done good, applied by means of a small camel hair pencil brush, or squeezed into the inner corner of the eye, by means of a small bit of clean sponge. A solution of the extract of belladonna, in white wine, or diluted spirit, may also be tried. _Vide_ BLAINE, PERCIVALL, and WHITE.

EYRE, _s. obs._ In Forestry, the court of justice itinerant.

EYRY, _s._ The place where birds of prey build their nests and hatch. _Vide_ AËRIE.

FALCO, (LINN.), _s._ A genus thus characterised:—

Head covered with feathers, bill strong, short, generally bending from its base, which is covered with a naked and coloured cere. Nostrils round or oval, lateral, and placed in the cere. Tongue in most species fleshy and divided by a slit. Upper orbit of the eye projecting. Legs feathered to the toes, or naked. Toes three forwards and one behind, the middle toe connected with the outer one, as far as the first joint. Claws short and very hooked, strong and retractile. Female superior in size to the male.—_Montagu._

FALCON, _s._ A hawk trained for sport; a bird of immense flight. _Vide_ HAWK.

It is recorded, that a falcon belonging to a Duke of Cleves, flew out of Westphalia into Prussia in one day; and in the county of Norfolk, a hawk has made a flight at a woodcock near thirty miles in an hour.