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Bile. This animal fluid, contrary to the assertion of BoerhaaW, docsnot readily putrefy.

Bice. A mineral substance, used for paints. The blue is also calledArmenian stone; the green, malachite; and both contain copper.

Bignonia. A genus of plants, of which most of the species are con-sidered in America to be good antidotes for the bites of snakes, themanchineel poison, &c.

Birdlime. For winter use it is made by boiling linseed oil till itbecomes of proper consistence. This is not hardened by frost. Forsummer use, it is made from the middle bark of the holly, the elder,kc. by boiling it, fermenting it, and pounding it into a paste, afterwhich it was well washed in water.Adulterated with oil, vinegar, turpentine, &c. but may be known to begood by its greenish colour, sour flavour, and its stringy tenacity.When dry it may be restored by wetting it.

Bismuthi Sub-nitras. L. D. P. Bismuth, or Oxide of bismuth, a whitepowder, without taste or smell, containing oxide of bismuth, with alittle water and nitric acid.Prepared from $j of bismuth, Jjss of nitric acid, Oiij of distilled water.Mix jvj of the water with the acid, in which dissolve the bismuth,and strain. Add the rest of the water to the strained liquor, andset it aside till it deposit a precipitate, then pour off the liquor, washthe precipitate in distilled water, wrap it in blotting-paper, and dryby a gentle heat,Decomposition. The nitric acid forms an oxide with the bismuth, andthen dissolves it, producing nitrate of bismuth, and giving out nitrousgas. The addition of the water precipitates the subnitrate.Used as a cosmetic, under the name of Magistery of Bismuth, and

Pearl White, which see.Medicinally it is sedative and antispasmodic, and is given in dyspepsia,asthma, cardialgia, and gastrodynia, in doses of gr. j to gr. iij thricea day.

Bistorts Radix. L. E. D. P. Bistort Root, the root of Polygonumbistorta, a native plant, but not very common, a strong astringenttonic.Medicinally it may be used in hemorrhages, leucorrhoea, fluxes, andintermittents, in doses of gr. xv to iy of the powder, twice or thricea day, mixed with the powder of the calamus aromaticus. Thedecoction is given in doses of 5J to 51J.

Bistre. A composition used in painting, as a fine brown colour, pre-pared from soot, of which that from beech wood is best. Put aquantity of this into water (2fts to the gallon), and boil half an

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