Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/93

75&#93; LEA with round holes, according to the si2;e of tbi? shot rle^ignt'd ; the scuni i • then to ht sqa QZ'y while Soft, 'Jiroa^h ih frame, into which th'.- I.o'iid should be poareJ, and drcji- ed t'Koagh the hole-;. For the smallest shot, the frame mu-t be at I'-ast ten feet aDove the water, and for the largest, about 150 eet 5 t.e height being increased im- dimi- nished in proportion to the size of the' stiot. Ti ere are various ocher pur- poses to whi(h lead is u'ierully ap- plied : it unites with almost every metal, e^xept iron; but, it both rnetais be exposed to the fre in a proper vessel, the f(/rmer sco- rifies the latter, and meits with the calx into a dark coloured glass. On account of this property of vitrifying the imperfetl metals, lead as often used in the purification of gold and silver, neither of wi ich combine with it, but remain pure on tl^e bottom of the cupel. — It is also frequently employed by un- principled dealers, for correcting the rancidity of damaged rape-seed oils, and those or almonds or olives. This dangerous abuse may be dis- covered, by mixing a small quan- tity of the suspected oil with a solution of orp.imcnt, or liver of sulphur, in lime-water : as, on shaking the two liquids together, and sutF> ring them to subside, the oil will, if it be adulterated witii lead, acquire an orange-red colour; but, if it be pure, it will assume only a pale yellowish shade, A similar pernicious fraud is prac- tised with acid wines, which dis- solve a sufficient portion of lead, £oas to acijuire a sweetish taste: this may be detefted by means of the same Solution, which forms the chief ingredient of the dilierent li- quid tests sold for that purpoic. LEA [75 Lead, when taken or Inhaled into the human body, is produc- tive of various fatal disorders, to which ra ners, potters, and all other persons concerned in its manu- fatture, are peculiarly subjed. H'-nce culinary vtssels, or other domestic utensils made of this me- tai, are highly objectionable, espe- cially if t ey are intended to con- tain cyder or other acid hquor. To this cause the Devonshire colic is justly attributed ; tor great quanti- ties of cyder ate, in that county, kept in vessels, consisting either ■wholly of lead, or such as arc sol- dered with this pernicious metal. The dri^ hellti-ach of the West In- dies is of the same origin, and i^ occasioned by distilling rum through leaden worms. In the.-,e dreadful complaints, the patient is seized with an acute spas- modic pain in the stomach, which extends gradually to the whole in- testinal canal : the bowels are fre- quently inverted and drqwn to- wards the spine, so as to render the application of clysters impraftica- ble. At the same time, a most obstinate costiveness prevails ; and the atieclion at length terminates in pa!s_y, or in fixed contractions of the limbs, tor the cure of this painful ma- lady, gentle clysters and laxatives may at first be administered ; but, it these are not attended with be* ncfic.al consequences. Dr.- Pekci- VAL cecidedly recommends the in- ternal Use at alum; which, inshght cases of the Devonshire coiic^ has generally ctfected a cure, when used to the extent of 15 or 20 grains every fourth, fifth, or sixth hour. Balsam of Peru, in doses of 40 drops, to be taken two or three times in the course of the day, has also been advantageously prescribed j at