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GLUCOSE

GOAf

pope, but his triumph was in the production of his Orphee. He died of paralysis at Vienna, Nov. 15, 1787.

Glu'cose, Dextrose or Grape=Sugar. In

chemistry the term glucose is used for a number of sugars occurring in fruits or made from starch, but in popular language it is restricted to the products made from starch, which are most familiar in the form of syrups. In the United States starch-sugar is made from corn, but in Europe the starch from potatoes or rice is used. The usual process is to soak the corn, when that is used, in warm water for three or four days, renewing the water so as to soften the corn without souring it. It is then ground and mixed with water, the thin paste thus made carried through sieves and cleansed with alkali, and the starch finally separated from the water. A bushel of corn makes about 30 pounds of starch.* The starch is now ready for what is called conversion, the process by which it is converted or changed from starch to sugar. The starch mixed with water, which has been made acid, usually by the use of sulphuric acid, is boiled for some time; the sulphuric acid is removed by adding chalk; and the liquid is filtered several times. The result either is a clear syrup or a syrup which yields so^d glucose when cooled. The clear syrup is the glucose that is used in trade, while the other product is known as grape-sugar, because it is the same sugar as that found in grapes and other fruits. Glucose is used instead of malt in brewing; instead of sugar in canning fruits and making jellies and candy; for making artificial honey; and for adulterating sugar. It is about two thirds as sweet as cane-sugar, and is a cheap and healthful food if properly prepared. In Germany there are about 40 factories, and in the United States about 30, engaged in the manufacture of glucose.

Glumes (in plants), the prominent and characteristic bracts connected with the flower clusters of grasses. See GRASS.

Gnat, a name loosely applied to any one of a group of two-winged insects, including the mosquitoes, midges, buffalo gnat, gall gnat and others. The gnats and midges are mosquito-like in appearance, and commonly mistaken for them. The true mosquitoes are separated from others by having fringe-like scales on their wings and by developing always in the water. See MOSQUITO for life-history and other facts.

Gneiss (nis), a compound of quartz, felspar and mica. This combination occurs in layers of varying thickness, from a mere line to a foot.

Gnostics (nos'tiks) [from a Greek word meaning knowing or sagacious], a term applied to rationalistic or heretical sects in the early Christian church. Their doctrines were a mixture of Greek idealism, oriental pantheistic naturalism and Chris-

tian revelation. They held that all natures, intellectual and material, are derived from the deity by successive emanations, which they called eons. Christ they deemed a superior eon, who had come to the earth to subdue the god or eon of this world. They set a higher value upon knowledge than upon faith; thus their view of Christianity was not spiritual, but speculative. Christ's humanity many of them treated as an illusion; nor did they quite believe in his divinity. Their canonical books have little in common with those of the Christian scriptures. Of the gnostics there were more than 50 sects in apostolic times and in the 26. century, when they chiefly flourished.

Gnu, a member of the antelope-group, inhabiting South Africa, with horns bent downward over the eyes and abruptly up-• ' ' ward. This animal has an ass - like mane and a horse-like tail. It sometimes is erroneously called the horned horse, but the hoofs are cleft like those of cattle, and it is not closely related to the horse. It is about four feet high and nine long, with a brownish skin. These animals live in herds of from ten to 50. There are two kinds: the common gnu and the brindled gnu; the latter is slightly larger, has horns more like an ox, and has black stripes on the neck and shoulders.

Goat, a cud-chewing animal related to the sheep, but easily distinguished by having horns wider from before backward,

ANGORA GOAT

instead of from side to side, like sheep, usually with a beard on the chin and a strong odor. There are numerous varieties both wild and domesticated. The genus (Caprd) to which they belong includes ibexes and goats proper. Wild goats orig-

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