6. Pale shell-lac, 2-1/4 lbs.; mastic and sandarac, of each 3 oz.; spirit,
1 gall.; dissolve, add copal varnish, 1 pint, and mix by roughly agitating
the vessel. All the above are used in the manner described below.
7. Shell-lac, 12 oz.; wood naphtha, 1 quart; dissolve, and add of linseed
oil, 1/2 pint.
8. Shell-lac, 1/2 lb.; gum sandarac, 1/4 lb.; spirit, 1 quart; dissolve,
add of copal varnish, 1/4 pint; mix well, and further add of linseed oil,
1/2 pint. The last two require no oil on the rubber.
_Obs._ The preparation of French polish is precisely similar to that of
other spirit or naphthalic varnishes. Sometimes it is coloured, in order
to modify the character of the wood. A REDDISH TINGE is given with
dragon's blood, alkanet root, or red sanders wood; and a YELLOWISH TINGE,
by turmeric root or gamboge. When it is simply desired to DARKEN the wood,
brown shell-lac is employed to make the polish; and when the object is to
keep the wood LIGHT COLOURED, a little oxalic acid (2 to 4 dr. to the
pint) is commonly added. These substances are either steeped in or
agitated with the polish, or with the solvent, before pouring it on the
'gums,' until they dissolve, or a sufficient effect is produced. French
polish is not required to be so clear and limpid as other varnishes, and
is, therefore, never artificially clarified. See VARNISH, and _below_.
=FRENCH POL'ISHING.= This process, now so generally employed for furniture
and cabinet work, is performed as follows:--The surface to be operated on
being finished off as smoothly as possible with glass paper, and placed
opposite the light, the 'rubber' being made as directed below, and the
polish (see above) being at hand, and preferably contained in a
narrow-necked bottle, the workman moistens the middle or flat face of the
rubber with the polish, by laying the rubber on the mouth of the bottle
and shaking up the varnish against it, once, by which means the rubber
imbibes the proper quantity to cover a considerable extent of surface. He
next encloses the rubber in a soft linen cloth, doubled, the rest of the
cloth being gathered up at the back of the rubber to form a handle. The
face of the linen is now moistened with a little raw linseed oil, applied
with the finger to the middle of it, and the operation of polishing
immediately commenced. For this purpose the workman passes his rubber
quickly and lightly over the surface uniformly in one direction, until the
varnish becomes dry, or nearly so, when he again charges his rubber as
before, omitting the oil, and repeats the rubbing, until three coats are
laid on. He now applies a little oil to the rubber, and two coats more are
commonly given. As soon as the coating of varnish has acquired some
thickness, he wets the inside of the linen cloth, before applying the
varnish, with alcohol, or wood naphtha, and gives a quick, light, and
uniform touch over the whole surface. The work is, lastly, carefully gone
over with the linen cloth, moistened with a little oil and rectified
spirit or naphtha, without varnish, and rubbed, as before, until dry.
The RUBBER for French polishing is made by rolling up a strip of thick
woollen cloth (list) which has been torn off, so as to form a soft elastic
edge. It should form a coil, from 1 to 3 inches in diameter, according to
the size of the work.
=FRES'CO-PAINTING.= See PAINTING.
=FRICANDEAU.= [Fr.] Among _cooks_, a ragoût, or fricassée of veal. The
same term is also sometimes applied to stewed beef, highly seasoned.
=FRICASSEE.= [Fr.] A dish prepared by stewing or semi-frying, highly
flavoured with herbs, spices, or sauce. Small things, as chickens, lamb,
&c., and cold meat, are usually formed into fricassees.
=FRIC'TION=. In a general sense, the act of rubbing one body against
another; attrition.
=Friction.= In _mechanics_ this is the resistance which the surface of a
moving body meets with from the surface of the body on which it moves. To
lessen the amount of friction in machines, various unctuous substances, as
oil, tallow, soap, black-lead, &c., are used by engineers. These
substances act by imparting smoothness to the points of contact, and thus
reduce their resistance to each other. The full consideration of the
subject belongs to engineering.
=Friction.= In _medicine_, friction, whether simple or conjoined with
liniments, is a therapeutical agent of considerable power. By it the
circulation is promoted in debilitated parts, and medicinal substances
(iodine, mercurials, opium, &c.) are made to penetrate the pores of the
skin. "The benefit of friction, which consists of motion and heat, whether
or not the same be raised by rubbing the body with a coarse cloth or the
flesh-brush, has advantages inconceivable and scarcely credible, by which
the obstructions of the pores and cutaneous glandules are opened, their
stagnating juices broken into small particles, dissolved, and rendered fit
to be carried off in perspiration, in the room of which, as my Lord
Verulam well observes, new juice will succeed with new vigour to the body;
and longevity, saith that great naturalist, is this way most certainly
promoted" (Daniel Turner).
Simple friction is performed by the hand alone, or with a piece of
flannel, a hair glove, or a flesh-brush. "If it be properly
performed--namely, by short, brisk strokes with the tips of the fingers,
and with great celerity, when the naked hand is the agent; and if it be
continued for an hour or upwards, and repeated several times a day--its
influence in reducing swelled glands and swellings of the joints, as well
as in alleviating rheumatic pains, is very great; but, besides being well
performed, the friction should be continued for (at least) half an hour,
in order to render it useful." (Dr R. E. Griffith.)
Gentle, slow, and equable friction, by producing a continued repetition of
an agreeable impression on the nervous system, acts both as an anodyne and
hypnotic. For this purpose "the operator should sit by the side of the
bed, and introducing the hand under the bedclothes, rub the legs or the
arms (or other parts) gently with equally lengthened but slow movements.
When the invalid is a child, its influence is more powerful when aided by
a monotonous, but a soft tune, which, although it operates upon a distinct
sense, yet, by combination, renders the friction more soporific."
(Griffith.)
When the friction is accompanied with the use of any acrid or irritating
substance, or is intended to introduce any active remedy into the system,
the rubbing should be brisk, and of sufficient force to slightly abrade
and inflame the cuticle; and should be continued until the substance,
which is usually in the form of an ointment, either wholly or partially
disappears, owing to its absorption by the skin. The hand of the operator
should, in most cases, be guarded by a glove; otherwise he is likely to
share with the patient the effects of the medicine, a result not always
agreeable or even safe.
=FRIGORIFIC MIXTURES.= See REFRIGERATION.
=FRIT.= The pulverulent materials of glass, heated until they coalesce
without melting. See ENAMEL, GLASS, &C.
=FRIT'TERS.= Fried batter. A species of pancake, containing fruit,
sweetmeats, poultry, meat, or fish.
_Prep._ 1. (M. Alexis Soyer.) "The following is thirty receipts in
one:"--Soak crum of bread, 1 lb., in cold water, q. s.; take the same
quantity of any kind of boiled or roasted meat (a little fat), and chop it
into fine dice; press the water out of the bread; put into the pan butter,
lard, or dripping, 2 oz., with chopped onions, two teaspoonfuls; fry two
minutes, add the bread, stir with a wooden spoon until rather dry, then
add the meat, and season with salt, 1 teaspoonful, pepper, 1/2 do., and a
little grated nutmeg if handy; stir till quite hot; then further add two
eggs, one at a time, mix very quickly, and pour it on a dish to cool; next
roll it into the shape of small eggs, then in flour, 'egg' them, and
bread-crum them; lastly, fry in abundance of fat to a nice yellow colour,
and serve either plain or with any sharp or other savory sauce you fancy.
Innumerable dishes can be made in this way; in fact, from everything that
is eatable, and at any season of the year--from the remains of meat,
poultry, game, fish, vegetables, &c. The same can be done with chopped,
dried, or preserved fruits, simply using a 1/4 lb. more bread, and sifting
powdered sugar and cinnamon over them. Cream may also be used for fruit,
or curds.
Fritters are also (and more commonly) fried in ordinary batter, instead of
bread-crumbs. "There is no end to what may be done with these receipts."
"They can be ornamented and made worthy the table of the greatest epicure
if the bread be soaked in cream, and spirits or liquor introduced into
them." (Soyer.)