Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/123

LIM As a medicine, lime Is of con- siderable u>e ; and has lately been employed wilh success in the fe- vers of America, It is, however, chiefly prescribed in a state of so- lution, wlien it is called Ihne-tva- ter. This fluid is prepared by gra- dually mixing halt a pound of new quick-lime with twelve pints of boiling distilled water. The whole is sutFered to stand in a covered vessel for one hour, when it is poured o?^, and preserved in close bottles. — Lime-water was former- ly in great repute as a solvent of the stone, and a remedy in scro- phulons aflections. it has like- Avise been used both externall' and internally for cutaneous < ruptions ; though we by no means approve of its indiscriminate us: which may be attended with dangerous effects. — On account of its astiin- gent properties, tL'is preparation has also been successfully prescribed in cases of dialetes, or immoderate How of urine ; and other disorders proceeding from laxity or weak- ness of the solids. At present, it is chiefly used for vv^ashing fuul or ill-conditioned ulcers. Notwithstanding these useful qualities of lime, it is, if acciden- tally swallowe.d, or inhaled in any quantity, one of the most fatal poi- sons. Hence, j)ersons employed in lime-works become subject to blood - spitting, asthma, painful constipations of the bowels, and consumption : th.eir countenance turns unnaturally pale ; ;ind, after languishing for years, these un- happy victims die in a sleepless state. — Bread adulterated with lime, absorbs all those juices of the .stomach, which ou.!,ht to promote digestion ; obstructs tiie alunen- . tary canal ; occasions almost con- stant thirst; and at length pjo- LIM [105 duces the most violent colics, fe- vers and death. As soon, there- fore, as it may be discovered, that a person has taken into the sto- mach either lirne or gi/psuin, the first step will be to administer an emetic, consisting of l or 2, ounces of vinegar of squills, and 20 or 30 grains of i|)ecacuanha in powder : large draughts of sour - whey should next be given, to faci- litate the operation of the medi- cine. In order to counterad the causticity of lime in the stomach and intestines, it will be advisable to drink, alternately, a mixture of vinegar and water, lemonade, or similar acidulated beverage, for one day; and, on the other, to make use of mucilaginous decoc- tions, such as barley or rice-water, gruel, fat broths, oils, or sweet whey in which a small quantity of white soap has been dissolved ; to eat salads with a large proportion of oil and vinegar, and ripe sub-acid fruit. To complete the cure, it will perhaps be requisite to admi- nister, according to circumstances, emollient or laxative clysters. LIME-GRxSS, or Eii/mus, L. a genus of plants comprising twelve species, three of which are na- tives of Britain : the principal of these is the areiiarius, or Upright Sea Lime-grass, which grows on the sea coast, and flowers in the months of July and August. — It is eaten by cows, horses, and goats, but refused by sheep; — Dr. Wi- thering questions whether it may not be advantageously formed into ropes, in the same manner as the Tough Feather-grass fStipa tenacis- sill/a, L.), is manufa6tured in Sijain. — This plant is of essential scrvive on the coast, for prevent- ing tlie encroachment of the sea, in which respect it saves millions ot