Dr. Drake accounts for Corruption in Animal and Vege- table Bodies, thus; The Principle of Corruption is, per- haps, the same which in a State of Circulation is the Prin- ciple of Life; viz. the Air, which is found mix'd in con- siderable Quantities with all forts of Fluids; as necessary to Vegetable, as to Animal Life. Now this Air has two Motions, viz. an expansive one from its natural Elasti- city, by means whereof it communicates that intestine Morion which all Juices have, and by which the contain- ing Parts are gradually extended and grow; and a cir- culatory or progressive Motion, which is not essential to it, but is occasion'd by that Refiftence of the solid Parts of those Bodies, which obliges it to take that Course which is most free and open, which is thro' the Vessels of Ani- mals and Plants.
Now, this Course being stop'd, the expansive Motion still remains, and continues to act, till by degrees it has so far overcome the including Bodies, as to bring it self to an equal degree of Expansion with the external Air; which it cannot do without destroying the Texture and Continuity, or specifick degree of Cohesion of those So- lids; which is what we call a State of Corruption.
This expansive or destructive Quality of the Air in Bodies, may be promoted two ways; and therefore Corruption accelerated in as many, vis. either by weakning the Tone or Coheaion of the including Parts, and so fa- cilitating the Work of the Air; as is the Case when Fruit is bruis'd, which is found to corrupt much sooner there than in any other Part: or by intending the expan- five Force of the Air it self, by Heat, or some other co- operating Circumstance; and so helping it to overcome the Resistance the fooner.' See Air.
Corruption of Blood, in Law, an Infection accruing to a Man's State, attainted of Felony or Treason, and to his Issue. See Treason, Attainted, &c.
For,as he loses all to the Prince, or other Lord of the Fee, so his Issue cannot be Heirs to him, or to any other Ancestor by him: and if he were Noble, or a Gentleman, he and his Heirs are thereby ignobled and ungenteel'd.
The King's Pardon cleanses the Corruption of Blood in those Children born after the Pardon, not of those born before it; these latter continuing still incapable of inheriting the Land of their Father, purchas'd before the Time of the Pardon.
But note, there are several Offences now made Treason by Act of Parliament which don't corrupt the Blood, nor shall the Criminal forfeit any thing thereby beside what he has for Life.
CORSAIR, a Pirate, or Person who scours the Seas, especially the Mediterranean, with a Vessel arm'd for War, without Commission from any Prince or Power; to plunder Merchant Vessels. See Pirate.
The Corsair is distinguish'd from a Privateer in this, that the latter does it under a Commission, and only attacks the Vessels of those at War with the State whence his Commis- sion is deriv'd. See Privateeer.
The Punishment of a Corsair is to be hang'd, without Remission; whereas Privateers are to be treated as Prisoners of War. All Corsair Vessels are good Prizes. See Prize.
The Word comes from the Italian Corsaro, of Corsis, or à Cursibus, or à Caursinis, or à Corycelis. Menage, &c.
CORSELET, a little Cuirasse, according to some, and according to others, a Coat, or Cover for the whole Trunk, antiently wore by the Pikemen, commonly plac'd in the Front and Flanks of the Battle, for the better Resiltance of the Enemy's Assaults, and the surer Guard of the Gunners plac'd behind or within them. See Cuirasse.
Vaugelas observes, that the Seamen were antiently arm'd with Corselets.
CORSEPRESENT, in our antient Authors, denotes a Mortuary. See Mortuary.
The Word is form'd of the French, Corps prefente; and the Reaſon of the Denomination is probably this that where a Mortuary after any Man's Death became due, the beft or fecond beft Beaft was offer'd or prefented to the Prieft, and carried along with the Corpfe. CORSNED Bread, a fuperftitious manner of Trial, ufed among our Saxon Anceſtors, by a piece of Barley-Bread, fit execrated by the Prieft, then offer'd the fufpected Cri- minal to be fwallow'd, by way of Purgation; from an Opinion that a guilty Perfon could not fwallow a piece of Bread fo accurs'd, or if he did, it would choke him. The Ceremony was accompanied with a Prayer, befeech- ng God, That the Criminal's Jaws might be fhut, his Throat fo narrow that he might not fwallow, and that he might caft it out of his Mouth." CORTES, a Term purely Spanish, properly fignifying the Court, i.e. the States, or Affembly of the States in Madrid. The Word is used in fpeaking of the Affairs of Spain. Cover of a Piant, or the like. See BARK. CORTEX, a Latin Name, denoting the Bark, or outer COR Quinaquina, Pulvis Patrum, and popularly the fefuit's CORTEX Peruvianus, call'd allo Quinquina, Kinkinna, Bark; is the Bark of a Tree growing in the West Indies, called by the Spaniards Palo de Ceffenturas, q. d. Fever Wood; by reafon of its extraordinary Virtue in removing all Kinds of intermitting Fevers and Agues. See FEVER. the Property it has of intoxicating Fishes, when either its The Indians commonly call it the Fuddling Tree, from Wood or Bark is beaten, and fteep'd in the Water where they are. Peru; in the Province of San Francefco de Quitto, or Quinto, The Tree that yields this noble Specific, is only found in of Potofi; and F. Labat, in the Iſland of Guadeloupa. near the City of Loxe: tho fome fay 'tis alfo found in that low withoutfide, and a pale tan-colour within. The Bark, while on the Tree, is ftrcak'd, of a whitifh yel- known in England. It was first introduc'd into ufe by the "Tis about 70 Years fince this noble Febrifuge was first Cardinal de Lugo; whence, in France, it was first called from the Name of that Cardinal. Afterwards it became known by the Name of the fefuit's Pouder, and the fe- dinal, who had been of their Society, left great Quantities fuit's Bark; becaufe fold by the Jefuits, to whom that Car- of it. about eight Shillings Sterl. the Dofe, which great Price, When firft introduc'd, it is faid to have been fold for with the little Effects found from it, by reafon of their Igno- rance of the manner of preparing and prefcribing it, occa- fion'd its being difus'd, till about the Year 1706, that Dr. Talbot, an Englifh Phyfician, brought it into vogue again, by the great Number of Cures wrought about the Court and City of Paris, with this Pouder, prepar'd after his by the Munificence of Louis XIV. who rewarded Talbot manner; the Secret whereof was foon after made publick for the Communication. who buy it in the Bark muft chufe it very dry and com- The Quinquina is fold either in Bark or in Pouder: thoſe pact; fuch as has never been moiften'd, and which is not fine, blackiſh Barks, chagrin'd without and reddifh within, too eafily reduc'd into Pouder by breaking. The fmall, of a bitter difagreeable Tafte, are the moft efteem'd. For the Pouder, it muſt be well fifted, and care be taken it be bought of Perfons that may be trufted; it being very eaſy to fophifticate it, and difficult to find it out. tic: From its bitternefs, M. Rencaume obferves, it becomes The Cortex is a Bitter, Abforbent, and Aftringent or Styp- fit to foften four acrimonious Juices; for a four and a bitter of Acids, and prevents their Action; and of confequence make a fweet. Again, as an Abforbent it blunts the Points keeps up the Fluidity of the Juices, which Acids would coagulate. As a Styptic, it muſt have earthy Parts to ab- lax'd, will contract themſelves and by this means, the forb Serofities, by which the Parts before moiften'd and re- Cortex augments the Spring and Tenfion of the Fibres. As a Bitter it heats, and it facilitates Perfpiration, by thefe Properties it is that its Medicinal Ufes are afcertain'd. heating and augmenting the Fluidity of the Juices. On But its chief ufe is in curing of Agues, and intermitting moft Conftitutions. Dr. Cockburn fays, it produces this Ef- Fevers; it being us'd for thefe Purpoſes in all Ages, and fect better than any other Medicine of the fame Intention, in the Ratio of 365 to 1. It is ufual to give a gentle Eme- tic of Ipecacuanha before the Exhibition of the Cortex: by thus preparing the Paffages, the Cortex has not only more Succefs, but alfo is not fubject to cauſe theſe Indifpofitions, viz. fwelling in the Belly, Naufea's, &c. which often arife when neglected. The Cortex muft never be exhibited in the Paroxyfm of tity at times between the Paroxyfms, as to prevent a Re- an Ague, or intermitting Fever; but given in fuch a Quan- turn of the Fit. and care muſt be taken, that the Remiffion of a continual The Cortex exhibited in continual Fevers is dangerous ; Fever be not miſtaken for its Intermiffion: When there is a Remiffion, it ufually happens indifferently at any time ; whereas an Intermiffion happens at particular times. forms of Electuary, Bolus's, Infufions, Tinctures, &c. The The Cortex is given feveral ways, viz. in Pouder, in Arcana Taboriana is about two Ounces of the Cortex in Pouder, digefted in Sand-heat, with about a Quart of red Wine: After Digeftion, the Wine must be pour'd off, and two or three Ounces given every three or four Hours be- tween the Paroxyfms, till the Intention is anfwer'd. If the Bark take downward, Venice Treacle, Diafcordium, Con- ferve of Rofes, Terra Japonica, Dofes of Laudanum, &c. must be added to its there to be an Obftruction of the Menfes from the Exhibition of the Cortex, or to prevent it, it is advifable to add to its Prepa- The Cortex is often us'd for young Children in Agues, by rations the Black Hellebore, Æthiops Mineral, Cinnabar, &c. way of Clyfter; and aifo applied to the Wrifts, and Soles of the
