Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/462

430]  we shall extract the following curious particulars from 's treatise on chirurgical subjects, published at Leipzig, in 1796. From granivorous animals, such as cows, oxen, calves, &c. he obtained a quantity of gastric juice, but it was not in a pure state, and always mixed with alimentary matter; on the contrary, that of carnivorous animals, for instance, dogs, cats, and especially birds of prey, though in smaller proportion, was much purer. Among the latter class, the liquor extracted from the stomach of a large species of raven, which he terms in German, "Golkraben," he found to be the most efficacious. But each of these voracious creatures devoured twelve ounces of solid meat in twenty-four hours, as their usual allowance. They ought, however, to receive no food for twelve hours before, and after, the extraction of their gastric juice; an operation which is performed in the manner as follows: The neck of the bird must be stretched, till no folds or wrinkles are observed in it; an assistant then introduces into its throat a small tube, made of horn or bone, which has three longitudinal incisions, and two small holes near the top: through the latter a piece of tape ih passed, the projecting ends of which are fastened across a little stick, in order to prevent the creature from swallowing the tube. Into this apparatus is introduced a proportionate piece of a moist, but well expressed sponge, by means of a whalebone rod, to which it is firmly tied, and then thrust down so far as to reach the stomach of the bird. An expert operator will easily ascertain the length to which he may safely proceed. After having thus fixed the apparatus, each raven is locked up in a different cage, or partition, made of boards, where it cannot easily disengage itself from this incumbrance. The liquor procured by carefully expressing the sponge, ought to be immediately applied; for, after having stood twenty-four hours, it becomes so corrupt that worms are bred in it; though, in its sweet state, it possesses neither odour nor taste. It is, however, difficult to obtain a sufficient quantity of this juice for effecting a complete cure of a cancer, as eight ravens afford only one ounce of it in twenty-four hours. Nevertheless, as the efficacy of this simple, though expensive, remedy, especially in eradicating the most virulent cancers of the face, is well attested by several respectable practitioners, we thought it our duty to insert the preceding account.  CANDLE, a light made of tallow, wax, or spermaceti, the wick of which is usually composed of several threads of cotton.

There are two species of tallow candles, the one dipped, and the other moulded; the first are those in common use; the invention of the second is attributed to, of Paris. Good tallow-candles ought to be made with equal parts of sheep and ox-tallow; care being taken to avoid any mixture of hog's lard, which occasions a thick black smoke, attended with a disagreeable smell, and also causes the candles to run.

When the tallow has been weighed and mixed in due proportions, it is cut very small, that it may be more speedily dissolved; for otherwise it would be liable to burn, or become black, if left too long