Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/451

c; ut . while tlu- body should • be suffered to becorai live. For this purpose, we p're- ferably rea mra< nd small doses of btrtanzed kali with Peruvian lurk, namely, one or l ■> drams i if the former, and one or two scruples of the latter, to be taken once a-day, or oftener, as occasion may re- quire. — Mercurial remedies have also been used with great Advan- tage; hut they ought to b6 regu- larly proscribed. There is another disease, called cataract, namely, a dimness or loss of sight from the interposition of an opaque film, either in the eye itself, ur in the eve-lids. This malady generally takes place by imperceptible degrees •. it is often consequent to inflammations of the eyes, and . irises from the abuse of Spirituous liquors, external injury, and mortification ; acrid vapours, tec. In the commencement of this complaint, .similar remedies to those mentioned for the cure of gutta serena, may be used with advan- tage : beside which, emollient ca- taplasms and fomentations are of service, to check the progress of the Affection. If, however, it has con- tinued for some time, the cataraci must be couched, or extracted by the skilful hand of a surgeon ; as there is no other prospect of re- moving it ; though electricity and mercurial purgatives, together with a poultice of fresh hemlock con- stantly kept upon the eye, and a permanent blister on the neck, are said to have sometimes afforded relief. Gut-tie. See Calf. GUTTERS, in building, denote canals in the roofs of houses, for receiving and carrying off rain wa- ter. They are also formed in streets, for similar purposes, GYP (419 Gutters iri agri< [flture, rria> lie so disposed as to communicate with .1 I lrg< p »,.[. ,n res xvoir, for con- taining a fresh supply of water fof cattle. In the 4th vol. of the " Trans* actions of the Society far the En-> couragiment of Arts," &c. Mr. Harriot recommends the forma- tion o out It ivi made of elm, 18 inches wide, 12 inches deep, und 50 feet in length, with proper lids at each end, to let the water in or out at pleasure. This drain ought to lie 3 L £ feet lower than the surface of the earth ; for, in Mr. Har- riot's opinion, nothing can be more absurd than the general mode o'f arranging square gutters j be- cause there is no comparison in the discharge of water from a flat erut- ter, ot the same number of cubic inches, with that of a square one. GYPSUM, or Plaster-stone, a native combination of calcareous , earth with vitriolic acid. It is more Idose and friable than lime- s'tone, and does not effervesce with acids, either in a crude or calcined state. But, though easily reduced to powder in the fire, it is, accord- ing to Cr ox stf.dt, nearly as dif- ficult of fusion as lime-stone. There are various species of gyp- sum discovered in Saxony, Spain, Italy, and other parts of Europe; and substances of a gypsous nature also abound in several parts of this country. Those found in the counties of Derby and Notting- ham, are so fine as to admit of be- ing polished, and manufactured into vases, &c. in a manner similar to alabaster. The chief use of gypsum, how- ever, is as a material for small or- naments and figures, as well as moulds for casting wax-work, &c. But, within a few years, it has E e 2 been.