The Meta-Encyclopedia

Single-source entries: C (145)

Each of these 12 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.

Cyamal

The head-chief of the Egbo Assembly, a secret council of Old Calabar. D tions of the planets. A wedding ring is, however, most in favour for purposes of this sort. Another way is to suspend the ring within a glass tumbler, or just outside of it so, that the ring on being swung may easily touch the glass. As with table-rapping, a code may then be arranged, the glass being struck once for an affirmative, twice for a negative answer, and so on. Suspended above a sovereign, the ring will indicate the person from whose head hair has been taken, or, if requested, any other member of the company.

Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Cyanides

chemical compounds which contain the monad radical (CN)', combined with a metallic element, as K (CN)', potassium cyanide, or with a hydrocarbon radical, as CH2. (CN) methyl cyanide. Cyanides can be obtained synthetically by hea potassium carbonatined char mixture of potassium coal to redness in a porcelain tube, and passing nitrogen gas through the tube. Also formed when an organic body containing nitrogen is heated in a tube with metallic sodium. If cyanides are dissolved in water rendered alkaline by potash or soda, then a mixture of ferrous and ferric sulphates is added, and the mixture is rendered acid with dilute hydrochloric acid, a blue color of ferrocyanide of iron being formed. If the liquid containing a cyanide be made acid with a few drops of hydrochloric acid, and then a little yellow ammonium sulphide be added, and the liquid gently evaporated till the excess of sulphide is volatilized, the residue will give a red color when a few drops of tincture of iron are added. Cyanides give a curdy white precipitate with silver nitrate, which is insoluble in cold nitric acid, the dry precipitate, Ag (CN)', when heated in a small glass tube, giving off cyanogen. Cyanides nides may be formed by dissolving metallic oxides or hydroxides in a solution of hydrocyanic acid, H.CN, also by double decomposition of metallic salts, with potassium cyanide if the resulting cyanide is insoluble.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cyanogen

dicyanogen, (CN)2, or (N-C) — (C-N), or Cy2. Obtained by heating silver or mercuric cyanide; also by dry distillation of ammonium oxalate. Cyanogen is a colorless poisonous gas which liquifies at -25°, or under a pressure of four atmospheres at 20°, and at -34° becomes crystalline. It burns with a peach-blossom-colored flame, forming CO2 and nitrogen; water dissolves four volumes, and alcohol 23 volumes of the gas. Cyanogen is very poisonous, and smells like prussic acid. Cyanogen gas passed into strong aqueous hydrochloric acid is converted into oxamide. Cyanogen dissolves in an aqueous solution of potash, forming cyanide and isocyanate of potassium. Cyanogen can be regarded as the nitril of oxalic acid. Dry ammonia gas and cyanogen combine, forming hydrazulmin, C4N6H6. C.N Small quantitie tities of cyanogen are formed during the distillation of coal. Potassium burns in cyanogen gas, forming potassium cyanide. Cyanogen was discovered by Gay- Lussac in 1815.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cycloid

A curve generated by a point in the plane of a circle, when the circle is rolled along a straight line, keeping always in the same plane. The path through which a pendulum travels, to secure uniformity in the time of its vibration, through arcs different in extent, should be cycloidal.

Only in American Watchmaker and Jeweler

Cyclometer

an invention for measuring and recording the distance traveled by wheeled vehicles, extensively used in cycling. Its most important application is in railroading. The apparatus is connected with the wheels of a car, and by recording the number of revolutions tells on a sheet of paper inside the car the number of miles traveled. It is purely automatic, and in addition, by an attachment of extreme beauty and ingenuity, every inequality in the roadbed of a railroad is detected and located.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cyclonopathy

a term in use among European investigators to designate the sensitiveness of many persons to changes in atmospheric pressure conditions. Such sensitiveness is due to the

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cyclopes

A race of men of gigantic stature, supposed to be the sons of Coelus and Terra. They had only one eye, which was in the center of the forehead. According to Hesiod they were three in number, and named Arges, Brontes, and Steropes. Cynossema (Dog's Tomb). A promontory in the Thracian Chersonesus near Madytus, so called because it was supposed to be the tomb of Hecuba , who had been previously changed into a dog.

Only in 1000 Classical Characters

Cylinder Plugs

Steel plugs fitted to the ends of a cylinder and on the ends of which the pivots are formed. Cylinder plugs can be obtained ready made from material dealers; assorted sizes in neat boxes.

Only in American Watchmaker and Jeweler

Cymbeline

an ancient King of Great Britain in a very well-known play of Shakespeare called by his name. By his first wife he had a daughter, Imogen, who married Posthumus Leonatus. His second wife had, by a former husband, a son named Cloten. Shakespeare borrowed the name from the half-historical Cunobelinus in Holinshed's "Chronicle," of whom several coins are extant.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cymri

a branch of the Celtic family of nations which appears to have succeeded the Gaels in the great migration of the Celts W., and to have driven the Gaelic branch to the W. (into Ireland and the Isle of Man) and to the of Scotland) N. (into the Highlands , the S. while they themselves occupied parts of Great Britain. At a later period they were themselves driven out of the Lowlands of Great Britain by the invasions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, and compelled to take refuge in the mountainous regions of Wales, Cornwall, and the N. W. of England. Wales may now be regarded as the chief seat of the Cymri.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cynanchum

a genus of asclepiadaceæ, of which some species have been used medicinally, as C. monspeliacum, as a violent purgative, the so-called montpellier scammony, and C. vincetoricum, formerly in repute as an antidote to other poisons. The Indian C. extensum yields fiber, and C. ovalifolium of Penang, caoutchouc.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Cynewulf

an Anglo- Saxon or early English poet, whose name we only know from its being given in runes in the poems attributed to him, viz., "Elene" (Helena), the legend of the discovery of the true cross; "Juliana," the story of the martyr of that name; and "Crist" (Christ), a long poem incomplete at the beginning. The name Cynewulf also occurs as the solution of one of the metrical riddles in the Anglo-Saxon collection. Cynewulf probably lived in the first half of the 8th century.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia