BLI

B LO

46,1

-v-atea-s-r

BLINDING was a species of punishment anciently inflicted onthieves, adulterers, perjurers, and others ; and from which theancient Christians were not exempt. Sometimes lime and vine-gar, or barely scalding vinegar, was poured into the eyes, tilltheir balls were consumed; sometimes a rope was twisted roundthe head till the eyes started out. In the middle age, theychanged total blindness for a great darkness, or diminution ofsight, which they produced by holding a red hot iron dish orbason before the eyes, till their humours were dried, and theircoats shrivelled up. The inhabitants of the city of Apolloniaexecuted it on their watch when found asleep, ixothiug reflectsmore honour on the present age, than the almost total abolition ofbarbarous punishments, which have taken place in Britain andFrance ; and which, it is hoped, will soon be universally adoptedthroughout Europe and America . No crime whatever meritstorture. Whipping, however, is still inflicted in the army andnavy, to a degree often worse than death. Might notsome inodesof disgrace be substituted instead of such, horrid barbarity ?

BLINDMAN’s Buff, a play in which some one is to havehis eves covered, and limit out the rest of the company.

•BLINDNESS. See Blind.

Blindness, in farriery, a disease incident to horses, especiallythose of an iron-grey, or dapple-grey colour, when ridden toohard, or backed too young. It may be discovered by the walk,which in a blind horse is always unequal, because he dares notset down his feet boldlv when led in one’s hand; though if thesame horse be mounted by an expert horseman, and the horseof himself be mettled, the fear of the spur will make him gomore freely ; so that his blindness can hardly be perceived.Another mark, whereby a horse may be known to have lost hissight, is, that upon hearing any body enter the stable, he willprick up his ears, and move them backwards and forwards,being in continual alarm by the least noise.

Blind Rampart, [(U’cmiii Tallinn,'] among the ancients, wasthat beset with sharp stakes, concealed by grass or leaves growingover them.

BLINKS, in botany. See Montia.

BLISSOMING, among husbandmen, corruptly called blos-soming, the intercourse between a ram and a ewe.

BLISTER, in medicine, signifies either a thin bladder, con-taining a watery humour raised on the skin, or the application ofvesicatorics to different parts of the body. With this intention,Spanish flies are most commonly employed ; though we are pos-sessed of a great variety of indigenous plants, which might heeffectually substituted. Hence the late Dr. Willich recommendsfrom experience, the following:’ 1. Mustard-seed mixed witiivinegar sufficient to convert it into a thick paste, to ho spreadupon linen ; 2. The fresh root of the horse-radish, grated, or intine shavings; 3. The bruised leaves of the different species ofthe Ranunculus, or crow-foot; 4. The leaves of the Polygonumhydropiper, or water-pepper, growing wild on the banks of rivu-lets ; and 3. The most powerful of all indigenous vegetables, theDaphne Mezereum, or spurge olive, every part of which isextremely acrid, but the rind is preferably’ used for blisters.Whether fresh, or dried, this rind should he previously steepedfor a few hours in strong vinegar, and then a piece about oneinch broad, and two or three inches long, tied over-night tothe part : alter it has sufficiently drawn, the blistered place iscovered with an ivj leaf; and a similar vesicatory is applied con-tiguous to the former. In this manner, it is continued, accord-ing to particular circum.tances, especially in chronic diseases,till the desired effect is attained. Where no time is to be lost,v.e advise the use of mustard-seed, as before described, with theaddition of a little salt, which greatly increases its efficacy.These cataplasms arc often more proper than the blisters pre-pared with Spanish flies ; because tlie former operate morespeedily, and act with less violence on the fluids than the latter.Hence "they are of eminent service to promote critical eruptions;to prevent the small-pox from breaking out on the face, when ap-plied at the commencement of the disease, cither to the calves ofthe legs, or the soles of the feet ; to mitigate the pain arising frominternal inflammations, to drive catarrhal and rheumatic humoursfrom the more essential organs of life to the proximate externalparts, and to rouse the indolent powers of Nature. In the mostacute pains of the head, and liie tooth-ach proceeding from arheumatic ' cause, as well a* in inflammatory affections of the

eyes, such plasters may he usefully applied to the neck or thearm; in inflammations of the chest, to the breast and betweenthe shoulders ; in apoplectic fits, to the temples, &c. In para-lytic diseases, it is of the utmost consequence to place the blisterin that direction which corresponds with the situation of thenerves in the part affected ; and, in rheumatic disorders, suchplaces should be preferred, as contain nerves connected with thepainful part, immediately under the skin. Thus, in the mostacute lumbago, or sciatica, it would he of little use to blister thehip or thigh, where the nerves are situated deep in the muscles;but by applying a vesicatory to the sole of the foot on the sameside, we may promise almost certain relief. In all inflammatory,and especially in nervous affections, attended with a small,feeble pulse, and where the powers of Nature are rapidly de-clining, the use of blisters is very extensive. See Cantharidlsand Medicine.

BUTE, in botany. See Blitum.

BLITHE, a tow n in Nottinghamshire , near Bawtry, 23 milesN. N. W. from Newark. Lon. I. 10. W. Lat. 53.22. N.

BLITUM, the Bute, or Strawberry .Spinach : a genus ofthe digynia order, and monandria class of plants; natural order,Iloloraeeai. Calyx trilid ; no petals ; seed one, included in aberrv-shaned calyx’. There are tour species.

bloated Vise, or bloated herrings, in our

statutes, are those which are halt-dried, See Slat. 18. Car. 11.c. 2. They are made hv steeping them in a peculiar brine, andthen hanging them in a chimney to dry.

BLOCK, Daniel, a portrait-painter, was born at Stettin inPomerania in 1580, am! gave early proofs of a good genius ; whichinduced his parents to place him as a disciple with Jacob Scherer.His extraordinary merit recommended him to the Prince ofMecklenburg, who retained him in his service for 44 years;during which, he painted the portraits of his whole family at fulllength, as large as life, and in the antique habit. lie al-opainted portraits of Christian IV. king of Denmark , and Gus-tavus Adolphus king of Sweden . By iiis agreeable manner ofcolouring, and the easy attitudes of his ligures, his paintings be-came so acceptable, that before the decime of life, he had ac-quired a very large fortune ; but unfortunately lie lost it all, ina few’ horn’s, by a plundering party, and with great difficulty hisown life was preserved. He died in 1661.

Block, in architecture, statuary, Ac. a piece of marble fromthe quarry, before it has received any form.

Block, in falconry, the perch whereon a bird of prey is kept.It is covered with cloth.

Block, in mechanic arts, a large piece of solid wood whereonto fasten work, or to fashion it 4 strength and stability being therequisite properties. In this sense, we say a chopping-block ;i a sugar-liner’s block; a smith’s block, ike.

] Block, Mounting, an eminence usually of stone, but in stepsI or notches, serving as a help to mount on horseback. 'Hawe! were much in Use among ihe ancients, who were unacqoaintWi! witii stirrups. The Romans erected them at proper stations all! along their great roads.

Blocks, 011 ship-board, is the u-.ua! name for what we cullpullics at land. 1 hey are thick pieces of wood, some with three,four, or five shivers in them, through which all the runningropes run. Block*, whether single or double, are distinguished-and called by the names of the ropes they carry, and the uw-tlicy serve for. Double blocks are used when there is occa-i..afor much strength, because they will purchase with more ea-e'than single blocks, though much slower. Block, and block, is aphrase signifying that two blocks meet, in haling anj tackle orhalliard, having such blocks belonging to them. l'he blocksnow used in the navy are made in Portsmouth by means of cir-cular saws and other machinery, which have been lately erectedby a most ingenious mechanic. This machinery performs’the several operations from the rough limber to’the perfectblock, in the compietest manner possible, l'he whole is workedby means of a steam-engine; the manual labour required wsimply to supply the wood as it is wanted to the several parts ofthe machinery, so that the commonest labourer almost may bemade to act in this business with verv little instruction. Fist-block is lnmg in a notch at the end of tlic davit ; it serves to littleup the flook's of the anchor at the ship’s brow. Snatch-block is agreat block with a slaver in it,, and a notch cut through one iff6 sltf