The scrapings, or raspings, of this animal's horns are medicinal, and employed in decoctions, ptisans, or cooling drinks, &c.
Harts-horn jelly is remarkably nourishing, and sometimes given in cases of diarrhœa: a decoction of burnt harts-horn in water is, however, generally substituted for this purpose.
The coal of harts-horn, which is prepared by exposing it to a strong and long-continued fire, changes into a very white earth, called calcined harts-horn. It is employed medicinally as an absorbent, and likewise in dysenteries, which are supposed to arise from acrid and ill-digested matter.
The salt of harts-horn is sudorific, and has been successfully prescribed in fevers: it yields a very penetrating spirit, which is useful to persons of weak nerves, or subject to fainting fits; though the preparation generally used, is distilled from bones, after extracting the oil. The latter is more grateful to the stomach, retains its limpidity for a much longer period, and is consequently superior to that obtained from harts-horn. This valuable substitute, however, is frequently adulterated by means of quick-lime. In order to detect the fraud, let a small portion of strong spirit of wine be mixed with the suspected volatile spirit; and, if a white powder be separated, let it subside, till the fluid can be decanted. A little of the sediment is then to be poured into a spoon, and held near a fire, or over the flame of a candle: if the powder be completely dissipated, the spirit is not prepared with lime, and contains a due proportion of volatile salt; but, if any remain in the spoon after it has been exposed to a moderate heat, it may be concluded that quick-lime, and other pernicious ingredients, have been employed.
Harts-tongue. See Spleenwort.
Hasel. See Hazel-nut Tree.
HAT, a covering for the head, which is generally made of a mixture of Spanish wool with that of hares, kids, rabbits, beaver, &c. Lately, leathers have been usefully employed in the manufacture of this article.
As it would be too tedious to detail the various processes the different materials undergo, before they are converted into felt, we shall content ourselves with observing, that the degree of fineness depends entirely on the greater or less quantity of hare's wool and beaver employed in its texture. The former is usually mixed with equal portions of the finest sheep or lambs' wool; but the beaver is generally confined to the facing of finer hats, into which it is worked superficially, and therefore seldom used for the body, or principal material of this article.
After the hat has been shaped and fashioned, it is dyed in a liquid prepared of logwood, and a mixture of green copperas and blue vitriol; when it is stiffened with common glue: the beer grounds (which are previously applied to the inside, to prevent the glue from penetrating through to the face) being perfectly dry. In the dyeing process, however, our hatters acknowledge their inferiority to those of France and Holland, which is imputed to the water on the Continent being kept for many months, nay, in some places, for years, before it is used.—Various other little operations are still required, in or-
