Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/431

397&#93; BAT Patents were also granted. In February, 1801, to Mr, James WfiLDoN*, iu consequence of his improvements on a bark-mill, for which he obtained a privilege in 1793 ;— -and, in May, 1801, to Mr, Thomas Bagnall, for a mill designed to chop, grind, riddle, and pound bark, Sec. The inquisi- tive reader will consult the 15th voluraeof the " Repertory of Arts," &:c. where specifications are insert- ed, and illustrated with^ngravings. BASE- ROCKET, Rocket Yellow-weed, or Wild Mig- KONETTE, Reseda lutca, L, is an indigenous plant, growing in mea- dows, pastures, and corn-fields, chiefly in a calcareovis soil; though it is sometimes found on walls ; where its pale-yellow flowers ap- pear from July to August. — This neglej^ed vegetable may be eaten in the same manner as Kale ; and it was formerly reputed to possess anodyne properties, BATH (Earth), is a modern contrivance, which was introduced into this country by a late notorious empiric : it consists of a cavity dug in the ground, into which patients descend as far as the chin, while the interstices are expeditiously filled up with fresh mould, so that the soil may come in contaft M'ith every part of the body. Ear tk- Baths are often employed by tlie Spaniards, in cases of hedic fever, and, pulmonary consump- tion : a few years since, they be- came fashionable in London, as well as at Bath ; but, having often been misapplied by fanciful and ignorant persons, they were soon relinquished, and have now fallen into disrepute, — Such baths, how- ever, have occasionally proved very efficacious in the sea-scurvy; and, ii' judiciously managed, under me- BEE [397 dical superin tendance, they may b«t of essential service in cases of inci- pient phthisis. BEAM, in architc6Vure, is the largest piece of timber employed in the erection of edifices : it is laii across walls, and serves to support the principal rafters, which arc framed into it. The proportions of beams vary according to their length ; and to prevent accidents that might hap- ' pen from their breaking, through frauds in building houses, they must be fixed, in the metropolis and iis vicinity, by statute, in the follow- ing manner: — A beam 1.5 feet in length ought to be 7 inches on one side of its square, and 5 on the other; if it be lO feet long, one side must be 8 inches, and the other 6 ; increasing progressively according to its length. In tii« country, however, beams are in general made comparatively strong- er, especially in places where tim- ber can be purchased at a more reasonable price, BEE. — For treating the stings of' these inse£ts, we are informed by an obliging correspondent, that " common salt is a certain and almost instantaneous cure." K the sting be internal, the salt must be swallowed : in the contrary case, the skin should be previously moistened, in order that it may more easily absorb the saline mat- ter. BEET. — An important discovery has lately been announced by Prof. ScHERER, of Vienna, and which promises to be of great service iu domestic economy, especially when, barley is scarce. He found from experiments, that beet-roots afford an excellent substitute for Ma;.t, if they be deprived of the greater partof their juice by pressure, then dried.