Caen
a town of France, in Normandy, capital of the department of of Paris, and of Calvados, 125 miles N. W. about 9 miles from the mouth of the Orne, which is here navigable. There is a dock connected with the sea by a canal as well as by the river. It is the center of an trade important , the market of a rich agricultural district, and carries on extensive manufactures. One of the finest churches is that of St. Pierre, built in 1308. Two other remarkable churches are St. Etienne or Church of the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, built by William the Conqueror, who was buried in it, and La Ste. Trinité or Church of the Abbaye-aux-Dames, founded by the Conqueror's wife. The buildings of the former abbaye are now used as a college, of the latter as a hospital. Other buildings are the castle and the hôtel de ville. There is a public library of over 100,000 volumes, and a botanic garden. Lace is largely made here. Valuable building stone is quarried. Pop. about 48,000.
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Caer
The daughter of Ethal Anubal, Prince of the Danaans of Connaught, and mentioned in Irish myths. It was said that she lived year about in the form of a maiden and of a swan. She was beloved by Angus Og, who also found himself transformed into a swan; and all who heard the rapturous song of the swan-lovers were plunged into a deep sleep, lasting for three days and nights.
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Caffeine
Important: Safety Warning
This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
symbol, CsH10N4O2; the same as theine; a feeble organic base occurring in tea, coffee, and the leaves of Guarana officinalis and Ilex paraguayensis. A decoction of tea is mixed with excess of basic lead acetate, filtered, then H₂S is passed in to precipitate the excess of lead, evaporated, then neutralized by ammonia; the caffeine crystallizes out on cooling. It forms tufts of white, silky needles; it has a bitter taste; it with platinum and forms double salts gold chlorides. It is a methyl substitution compound of theobromine, and is used as a nerve sedative and a hypnotic.
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Cagayan
an island of the Philippine group; the largest of six small islets, known as the Cagayan- Sulu group. It is about 5 miles wide and 8 miles long.
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Cagliari
the capital of the island of Sardinia, at the head of a fine bay on the S. coast. It is the residence of the Viceroy and of an Archbishop, and the seat of a university. It has some manufactures, and is the chief emporium of all the Sardinian trade. Its spacious and safe harbor is defended by several forts. Pop. about 60,000.
PAULO. See VERONESE, PAUL.
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Cagnet Bombec of Jonquieres
A song detailing an operation in Alectromancy. (See Alectromancy.)
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Cahagnet, Alphonse
A French cabinet-maker who became interested in somnambulic phenomena about the year 1845, and thenceforward recorded and analysed the trance utterances of various somnambules. His Arcanes de la vie future devoilées, published in January, 1848, contained much information concerning the various spheres, and the conditions under which discarnate siprits lived. This was followed in 1849 by a second volume, describing séances held with Adéle Maginot. Through this medium sitters could communicate with their deceased friends or with those who were far away, evidences of clairvoyance, diagnosis and cure of disease were given, and, in short, all the phenomen of American-French mediumship were anticipated. A third volume of Arcanes was published later. Cahagnets' work is notable in many ways. His own good faith was transparent, he took great pains to procure the written testimony of the sitters, and thus the trance utterances of his somnambules are among the best attested of their kind.
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Cahill
THADDEUS, an American inventor, born in Iowa in 1867. He studied at Oberlin College, took a law course at George Washington University, and was admitted to the bar in 1894. His natural bent was toward mechanics, however, and he never engaged in law practice. He invented electric typewriter and the telharmonium, a contrivance that produces music electrically by vibrations transmitted by dynamos from a central station to receiving ving telephones.
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Caicos
a group of islands belonging geographically to the Bahamas, but annexed in 1874 to Jamaica. The North, West, East, Grand, and other Caicos, have, together with Turk Islands, an area of 223 square miles. Pop. about 6,000. Salt and sponges are their chief products. French
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Cailleach, or Harvest Old Wife
In the Highlands of Scotland , there is to be found the belief that whoever is last with his harvesting will be saddled with the Harvest Old Wife to keep until the next year. The first farmer to be done, made a doll of some blades of corn, which was called the "old wife," and sent it to his nearest neighbour. He, in turn, when finished, sent it on to another, and so on until the person last done had the "old woman to keep. Needless to say this fear acted as a spur to the superstitious Highlanders. (See Scotland .) "
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Cain
the first-born of the human race, and the first murderer. He became an outcast, traveling to the E. of Eden, where he built a city and had a son, named Enoch. The Jewish tradition is that he was slain by Enoch.
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Caithness
a county of Scotland, forming the northernmost part of that country. It has an area of 697 square miles. For the most part it is bare and level and without trees. The sea-coast is indented and has many bays and inlets. The chief products are grain, barley, and vegetables . It has also a considerable fishing industry. The county town is Wick. Pop. about 35,000.
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Caiumarath, or Kaid-mords
According to the Persians, the first man. He lived a thousand years and reigned five hundred and sixty. He produced a tree, from the fruits of which were born the human race. The devil seduced and corrupted the first couple, who after their fall, dressed themselves in black garments and sadly awaited the resurrection, for they had introduced sin into the world.
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Cajamarca
a department in the N. W. of Fru, between the W. chain of the Andes and the Amazon. A railway connects it with the Pacific, and there is a large farming and cattle-raising industry. Area, 12,538 square miles; pop. about 500,000. The capital is Cajamarca; pop., 10,000.
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