Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 02.djvu/223

LEFT BBOMUS 191 BRONTfi 126*, *>d has powerful acid properties; it neutralizes bases, forming bromides and water. Hypobromous acid, HBrO, is only known in solutions ; it has bleach- ing properties. Bromine can displace chlorine from its compounds with oxy- gen, while chlorine can liberate bromine from its compound with hydrogen. Free bromine turns starch yellow. Bromine has been applied externally as a caustic, but rarely. Its chief of- ficinal preparations are bromide of am- monium, useful in whooping cough, in- fantile convulsions, and nervous diseases generally; and bromide of potassium, now very extensively used, especially in epilepsy, hysteria, delirium tremens, diseases of the throat and larynx, bron- chocele, enlarged spleen, hypertrophy of liver, fibroid tumors, etc. Also, as an antaphrodisiac, for sleeplessness, glan- dular swellings, and skin diseases. Its alterative powers are similar to but less than those of the iodides. Its prepara- tion is the same as iodide of potassium, substituting an equivalent quantity of bromine for iodine — 6KHO + Br6=5KBr +KBr03+3H20. BROMTTS (brome grass), a genus of grasses having two unequal glumes and two herbaceous glumelles, the outer one bifid and with an awn from below the extremity. The seeds of B. mollus, or soft brome grass, when eaten by man or the larger animals, produce giddiness, and they are said to be fatal to poultry. B. secalinus, or smooth rye brome grass, is common in rye and wheat fields. BRONCHI (-ke), the two branches into which the trachea or windpipe divides in the chest, one going to the right lung, the other to the left, and ramifying into innumerable smaller tubes — the bronchial tubes. BRONCHITIS, inflammation of the air tubes leading to the pulmonary vesicles, accompanied by hoarseness, cough, in- crease of temperature, and soreness of the chest anteriorly. The natural mu- cous secretion is at first arrested, but increases afterward, and is altered in quality, becoming more corpuscular. Its forms are: (1) Acute bronchitis, (a) of the larger and medium sized tubes; (b) capillary bronchitis, and bron- chHis of the tubes generally — the jyeri- pneumonia iiotha of the older writers. (2) Chronic bronchitis. (3) Plastic bronchitis. (4) Mechanical bronchitis, sueh as knife grinder's disease — car- bonaceous bronchitis or black phthisis. (5) Bronchitis secondary to general diseases, such as measles or typhoid fever. (6) Bronchitis secondary to blood diseases. (7) Syphilitic bron- chitis. All varieties are generally pre- ceded by feverishness, but oftener by "a cold in the chest." The uneasy sensa- tions begin about the region of the frontal sinuses, passing from the nasal mucous passages, trachea, and windpipe to the chest, with hoarseness, cough, and expectoration; but in capillary bron- chitis the cough is dry and without ex- pectoration. In acute cases the sputum is first thin, then opaque and tenacious, lastly purulent; the breathing is hurried and laborious, the pulse quickened, and the skin dry. The danger increases in proportion as the finer bronchial tubes become involved, and, instead of the healthy respiratory sound we have sharp, chirping, whistling notes, vary- ing from sonorous to sibilant. Chronic bronchitis, or bronchial catarrh, is ex- tensively prevalent, especially among the aged, recurring once or twice a year in spring or autumn, or both, till it be- comes more or less constant all the year round. BRONCHOCELE, an indolent tumor on the forepart of the neck caused by enlargement of the thyroid gland, and attended by protrusion of the eyeballs, anaemia, and palpitation. BRONI, a town of northern Italy, with mineral springs, 11 miles S. E. of Pavia. Near by is the castle of Broni, where Prince Eugene obtained a victory over the French in 1703. BRONTE (bron'te), a town of Sicily, at the W. base of Mt. Etna, 33 miles N. W. of Catania. The lava streams of 1651 and 1843 lie on either side, but the district around is fertile, and produces wine. Lord Nelson was created Duke of Bronte by the Neapolitan Government in 1799. BRONTE, ANNE, an English novelist and poetess, born in Haworth, York- shire, March 24, 1820; sister of Char- lotte Bronte. Under the pen name of Acton Bell she wrote "Agnes Grey" (1847), and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" (1848). She died in Scarborough, May 28, 1849. BRONTE, CHARLOTTE (afterward Mrs. NiCHOLLS), an English novelist, born in Thornton, Yorkshire, April 21, 1816; was the third daughter of the Rev. Patrick Bronte, rector of Thornton, from which he removed in 1820 on becoming incumbent of Haworth, in the West Rid- ing of Yorkshire, about 4 miles from Keighley. Her father, an able though eccentric man, brought up Charlotte and her sisters in quite a Spartan fashion.