=Britannia Metal for Casting.= _a._ Tin, 100 parts; hardening (see
_below_), 5 parts; antimony, 5 parts. _b._ Tin, 105 parts; copper, 2
parts; antimony, 12 parts.
=Britannia Metal (Best) for Handles.= Tin, 140 parts; copper, 2 parts;
antimony, 5 parts.
=Britannia Metal, Hardening for.= Tin, 1 part; copper, 2 parts.
=Britannia Metal (Best) for Lamps, Pillars, and Spouts.= Tin, 75 parts;
copper, 1 part; antimony, 3-3/4 parts.
=Britannia Metal for Registers.= Tin, 25 parts; antimony, 2 parts;
hardening, 2 parts.
=Britannia Metal for Spinning.= Tin, 25 parts; antimony, 1 part;
hardening, 1 part.
=Britannia Metal (Best) for Spoons.= Tin, 20 parts; antimony, 2 parts;
hardening, 1 part.
=Britannia Metal for Spouts.= Tin, 46-1/2 parts; copper, 1 part; antimony,
2 parts.
=BRITANNIA SILVER.= Under this name there is, or was, offered to the
public at Vienna, and probably elsewhere, under the misleading
recommendation that it is a perfect substitute for silver, a heterogeneous
metallic composition, in the form of spoons, forks, candlesticks, cups,
&c. The Britannia silver is sometimes, or always, light, silvered,
Britannia metal (an alloy of 86 tin, 10 antimony, 3 zinc, 1 copper; or of
2 copper, 6 zinc, 21 antimony, 71 tin; or of 1·84 copper, 81·90 tin, 16·25
antimony, and 1 zinc). One firm announces that Britannia silver is
silver-white throughout, a colour which can only be obtained in similar
alloys by the addition of arsenic. Another firm sells candlesticks of
inferior packfong as Britannia metal, and another actually sells tinned
Bessemer steel-plate cups as guaranteed Britannia silver. (Ackerman.)
=BRIT'ISH GUM.= See GUM.
=BRITISH WINES.= See WINES.
=BROC'COLI.= [Eng., L., Ger.] _Syn._ BROCOLI, Fr.; BROCCOLO, It. A
well-known sub-variety of cauliflower. The qualities, and the mode of
dressing broccoli, are similar to those of cabbages, noticed elsewhere.
See VEGETABLES (Culinary), &c.
=BROKEN KNEES= (IN HORSES). The wound should first be thoroughly washed,
and then sewn up, and fomented with tepid water. Afterwards cold-water
dressings containing a little carbolic acid may be applied. Perfect rest
is essential, and, where necessary, splints and slings must be had
recourse to. After the wound has thoroughly healed blisters are
recommended for restoring the hair.
=BROKEN WIND= (IN HORSES). Of the many remedies said to be useful in this
malady few, if any, appear to exercise any permanent advantage. There is
no reason, however, why a horse affected with broken wind should not be
made serviceable if the precaution be taken to put him to moderately slow
work, if the following precautions be followed. His food should be given
him in small quantity and at frequent intervals. The oats should be
bruised and the hay cut small, and both be slightly damped before he
partakes of them. This dietary may be varied by small doses of carrots or
turnips.
The amount of fluids should be restricted, and he should be fed and
watered at least an hour before going to work. A mild physic ball should
also be occasionally administered.
Dogs suffering from asthma should be subjected to the same treatment. To a
full-sized dog ten drops each of ether and tincture of belladonna may be
given every hour during an attack of spasm until the breathing becomes
easier.
=BRO'MA.= _Prep._ 1. Pure cocoa, 1 lb.; sugar and sago-meal, of each 4
oz.; mix. British arrow-root (_i. e._ carefully prepared potato-starch) is
often substituted for the sago.
2. As the last, but using fine wheat flour in lieu of sago-meal. Made into
a beverage in a similar way to cocoa.
=BRO'MAL.= C_{2}Br_{3}HO. A colourless, oily liquid, obtained by the
action of bromine on alcohol. Sp. gr. 3·34; boiling point above 212° F.
Like chloral it yields a solid hydrate with water. Because of its powerful
irritant properties it seems unlikely to prove useful, either as a
hypnotic or as an anæsthetic.
=BRO'MIDE= (-m[)i]d). _Syn._ BRO'MURET*, HYDROBRO'MATE*; BROMI'DUM,
BROMURE'TUM, HYDROBRO'MAS, L.; BROMIDE, BROMURE. Fr. A chemical compound
of bromine with another radical.
_Prop._, _&c._ The soluble bromides give white precipitates with nitrate
of silver, acetate of lead, and protonitrate of mercury. That from the
first of these is insoluble in dilute nitric acid and in ammonia water
unless concentrated; and it has a slight yellowish tinge, changing to a
violet on exposure to the light. A few drops of liquid chlorine poured
upon a bromide, followed by agitation of the mixture with a little
sulphuric ether, furnishes an ethereal solution of bromine. [For the other
bromides see the respective bases.]
=BRO'MINE= (-m[)i]n), (_bromos_, a stink). Br. _Syn._ BROME*; BRO'MIUM,
BROMIN'IUM, L.; BRÔME, Fr. An elementary substance, discovered by M.
Balard, of Montpellier, in 1826.
_Prep._ 1. A current of gaseous chlorine is passed through the
uncrystallisable residuum of sea-water called bittern, which then assumes
an orange tint, in consequence of bromine being set free from its
combinations; sulphuric ether is then agitated with it, and the mixture is
allowed to stand, in a close vessel, until the ethereal portion floats
upon the surface. This is a solution of crude bromine, and for common
purposes the ether may be at once evaporated by a very gentle heat. To
render it pure, caustic potassa is added in excess to the ethereal
solution, or the latter is agitated with a solution of potassa, by which
means bromide and bromate of potassium are formed. The whole is evaporated
to dryness, and submitted to a dull red heat. The residuum is next
powdered and mixed with pure peroxide of manganese; the mixture having
been placed in a retort, sulphuric acid (diluted with half its weight of
water) is poured in. Red vapours immediately arise, and condense into
drops of bromine, which are collected by plunging the neck of the retort
nearly to the bottom of a small receiver containing a little very cold
water. The bromine forms a stratum beneath the water, and may be collected
and at once put into a stoppered bottle; or it may be further purified by
distillation from dry chloride of calcium.
2. Leisler's patent for a method of obtaining bromine consists in
decomposing the lye containing the bromine salt by heating it with
hydrochloric acid and bichromate of potash in a leaden still having an
earthenware head. The volatilised bromine with the vapour of water is
conducted into a receiver containing iron turnings, bromide of iron, which
dissolves in the water contained in the receiver, being formed. The
bromide of iron so produced is either converted into other metallic
bromides by the usual processes, or the bromine is obtained in a separate
state from the iodide by treatment with sulphuric acid and bichromate of
potash.
3. Large quantities of bromine are extracted from the mother liquor of
carnallite, a double chloride of magnesium of potassium occurring in
enormous quantities in a bed of clay in the neighbourhood of Stassfurt,
near Magdeburg. The mother liquid of the carnallite at 35° B. is first
freed as much as possible from the chloride of calcium it contains, by
means of refrigeration. It is next evaporated down until it acquires a
density of 40° B. Frank says it cannot be concentrated to the above
extent, because of a waste of bromine resulting from the formation of
hydrobromic acid produced by the decomposition of the lye, owing to its
being overheated at the bottom of the pan. Upon being cooled to 25° C. a
quantity of chloride of magnesium crystallises out, whilst the remaining
liquor contains from 0·3 to 0·5 of bromine as bromide of magnesium. The
liquor is then put into a sandstone apparatus such as is used for the
preparation of chlorine, and the requisite quantity of manganese and
hydrochloric acid being added, steam is poured into the apparatus. After
about a quarter of an hour the bromine is evolved in the form of vapour,
which becomes condensed by being made to pass through a leaden worm cooled
in water, and is finally collected as liquid bromine in Woolff's bottles.
The crude bromine so obtained is purified by redistillation in glass
retorts. It is stated that the sandstone apparatus can be charged six
times in 24 hours. In order to free the bromine from the presence of any
chloride it is shaken up with a solution of bromide of potassium.
The chlorine unites with the potassium, forming chloride of potassium and
liberating an equivalent quantity of bromine in so doing. Dr Frank
suggests the use of earthenware worms in preference to leaden ones, these
latter being acted upon and corroded by liquid bromine. In Dr Frank's
bromine works at Stassfurt the distillation is conducted in cubic
stoneware vessels, having a capacity of about three cubic metres. These
vessels are surrounded with belts of iron, in case of the occurrence of
fracture. It was found that few stones answered the purpose required of
them, as by reason of their porous nature they permitted the chloride of
manganese formed during the distillation to ooze through. To remedy this
the stones had to be coated with tar, a process which entailed a very
serious loss of bromine, from the formation of bromine compounds with the
hydrocarbons of the tar, as well as a contamination of the bromine with
the tar. Subsequently Dr Frank found in the neighbourhood of Porta
Westphalia a stone which answered the purpose without requiring the
previous objectionable and expensive preparation with tar.
It seems that the workmen discard the respirators which are provided for
their use in the bromine works, and merely tie a cloth over the mouth and
nose (sometimes neglecting this precaution) when decanting the bromine.
To lessen the evil effects of the vapours upon the health of the workmen
under these circumstances, the building is rendered as airy as possible by
being thoroughly ventilated throughout. No workmen afflicted with asthma
or with any catarrhal affection are employed, whilst those engaged are
strictly prohibited from taking spirituous liquids in any form, a custom
which begets an irritability of the mucous membranes, which is found to be
exceedingly dangerous; on the contrary, a generous diet, and one
consisting of an abundant use of bacon and butter, was found very
beneficial.
Bromine is sometimes contaminated with chlorine, iodine, and occasionally
bromide of carbon. A small quantity of the bromine agitated with a
solution of soda, in such proportion that the fluid is made very slightly
alkaline, forms a colourless solution, which, if coloured by the further
addition of a small quantity of the bromine, does not become blue on the
subsequent addition of a cold solution of starch. This shows the absence
of iodine. Chlorine may be detected by adding a small quantity of the
suspected bromine to some warm solution of potash in a capsule,
evaporating, drying the residue, and distilling with bichromate of potash
and sulphuric acid. Bromide of carbon has a higher boiling-point than pure
bromine.
_Prop., &c._ A dark, reddish-coloured, volatile liquid, having an odour
intermediate between that of chlorine and iodine, but much more
suffocating and offensive. It solidifies at about 19°, and boils at about
145° Fahr. It is slightly soluble in water, more so in alcohol, and
abundantly so in ether. Its aqueous solution bleaches like chlorine, but
less powerfully. With hydrogen it forms HYDROBRO'MIC ACID; and with the
bases, compounds called BRO'MIDES. Its sp. gr. is 2·976; that of its
vapour, 5·39.
_Tests._ It is readily recognised by its colour, odour, and volatility,
and by the colour of its vapour; by its giving a yellowish-white
precipitate with nitrate of silver, which is turned violet by the action
of light; and by its solutions giving an orange or yellow colour to
starch, and a red tinge to solution of chloride of gold.
_Uses, &c._ Bromine possesses very similar medicinal properties to iodine,
and has been administered in goitre, scrofula, &c., in the form of an
aqueous solution composed of 1 part of bromine to 40 of water, of which 5
or 6 drops is the dose; but it is more usually given under the form of
bromide of potassium (which _see_). The compounds of bromine are also
largely used in photography in the manufacture of certain coal-tar
colours, and in scientific chemistry the solution has also been used as a
lotion. Bromine is a good disinfectant. It is very poisonous; the
antidotes, &c., resemble those for iodine. See BROMIDE, SOLUTIONS, &c.
=BROMOCHLORALUM= (Tilden & Co., New York), for the removal of bad smells,
as a disinfectant, and antiseptic. A fluid, sp. gr. 1·43, containing 27·5
per cent. of solid matter. The latter consists of 18·5 per cent. of
aluminium chloride, with chalk and a considerable quantity of alkaline
salts. Free bromine is not present. (H. En{?}demann.)
=BROMOFORM= (CHBr_{3}). A colourless liquid obtained by distilling bromide
of calcium with alcohol. It has a sp. gr. of 2·90; and boils at 305·6° F.,
emitting a vapour having a density 8·632. It is somewhat similar in
properties to chloroform, but much more irritating; hence it has been
rarely employed medicinally.
=BROMTHEE--BRAMBLE TEA= (?)--is a mixture of 5 parts lime flowers _cum
bracteis_, 5 parts senna leaves, 5 parts acacia flowers, 8 parts cort.
frangulæ, and 2 parts sassafras chips. (Hager.)
=BROHCHI'TIS= (br[)o]ng-k[=i]'). [L.; prim. Gr.] In _pathology_,
inflammation of the mucous lining of the bronchia or smaller ramifications
of the windpipe. In its milder form it is popularly called a 'cold on the
chest.'
_Symp._ The usual symptoms are hoarseness, dry cough, and a slight degree
of fever, followed by expectoration of mucus, at first thin, and
afterwards thick and copious. In the severer forms there is more fever,
cough, and oppression at the chest, &c.
_Treatm._ It generally yields to small and repeated doses of ipecacuanha
and antimonial diaphoretics; a light diet and mild purgatives being at the
same time adopted, but in every case it is safer to have recourse to
medical aid.
HORSES.--Finlay Dun prescribes the following:--Tincture of aconite,
inhalation of the vapour of water, ether and belladonna, carbolic acid,
sulphurous acid, mash diet, salines, chlorate of potash, the salts of
ammonia, chloral hydrate, mustard externally, warm clothing, but cool air.
Symptoms very similar to those of bronchitis are frequently caused in
calves and young cattle by the presence in the bronchii of threadworms or
filaria. The cause is generally removed by the administration of a dose or
two of oil of turpentine, given at intervals of a day or two.
=BRON'CHOCELE= (br[)o]ng'-ko-s[=e]le). See GOITRE.
=BRONZE.= [Eng., Fr., Ger.] _Syn._ ÆS, L.; BRONZO, It. An alloy of tin and
copper, remarkable for the exactness of the impressions which it takes by
moulding and stamping, as well as for its great durability. It has hence
been always extensively employed in the casting of buts, medals, statues,
&c. In ancient times, when the manufacture of steel was ill-understood,
cutting instruments were commonly made of it. It was also the general
material of coins of small value; a use which, of late years, has been
revived in several of the states of Europe, and still more recently in the
coinage of these realms. Bell-metal, gun-metal, and speculum-metal are
mere varieties of bronze.
_Prep._ On the small scale this alloy is prepared in crucibles; but for
statues and larger works on reverberatory hearths. The fusion of the mixed
metals is conducted as rapidly as possible under pounded charcoal, and the
melted mass is frequently stirred together to produce a perfect mixture
before casting.
The proportions of the materials so vary in different castings that it is
almost impossible to say precisely what quantities are the best. The
following are given as examples:--
_a._ For EDGE-TOOLS:--Copper, 100 parts; tin, 14 parts. When skilfully
hardened and tempered this alloy is capable of receiving an edge nearly
equal to that of steel.
_b._ For GILDING:--1. Copper, 82 parts; zinc, 18 parts; tin, 3 parts;
lead, 2 parts.