=AIGUILLETTE= (ATTELETTE). [Fr.] In _cookery_, a term applied to several small dishes, from the articles of which they consist being mounted on silver needles, or skewers, with ornamental handles or tops. (See _engr._) They form one of the varieties of the ‘hors-d’œuvres’ of Soyer; and are commonly served on a napkin. The skewers should be about four inches long, and of the thickness of an ordinary packing needle. The person eating what is served on them takes the head of the skewer between the thumb and fingers of the left hand, and picks it off with his fork. Those noticed by Soyer are—— =Aiguillettes à l’Éperlan= (_smelts_); =Aiguillettes aux Huitres= (_oysters_); =Aiguillettes de Filets de Sole= (_soles_); =Aiguillettes de Homard= (_lobsters_); =Aiguillettes de Langue de Bœuf= (_ox-tongue_); =Aiguillettes de Ris de Veau= (_sweetbread of veal_); =Aiguillettes de Volaille à la Jolie Fille= (_fowl_);—— all of which are prepared in a nearly similar manner, merely varying the sauces, &c., to suit the article and palate. See ATTELETTES, HORS-D’ŒUVRES, &c. =AHORNZUCKER= (genuine American maple sugar). For coughs, hoarseness, and all affections of the throat and chest caused by cold. The raw maple sugar as imported. (Hager.) =AILANTHUS.= The inner bark of the _ailanthus glandulosa_, a common tree growing in northern China, said by Dr Dudgeon to have proved very successful in dysentery. The _ailanthus glandulosa_ is also well known throughout the United States. Professor Hétet, of Toulon, tried the effect of the powdered bark, leaves, and various preparations of the bark or drugs, with the result of their administration being attended with purgative effect——and the discharge of worms. The powdered bark has been given in small cases of tape-worm in the human subject, with marked success. The dose of the powder found sufficient for the expulsion of the tapeworm was from seven or eight to thirty grains. =AIL′MENT.= Pain, indisposition; disease. Its use is generally restricted to the non-acute, and milder forms of disease. =AIR.= [Eng., Fr.] _Syn._ Aer, L. (from αηρ Gr.); LUFT, Ger.; ATMOSPHERIC AIR; THE ATMOSPHERE. This name was formerly given to any aëriform body; thus, by the old chemists ammoniacal gas was called alkaline air; oxygen,——dephlogisticated, vital, or empyreal air; carbonic anhydride (carbonic acid), fixed air; hydrogen, inflammable air; heavy carbonetted hydrogen, olefiant gas, heavy inflammable air; nitrogen,——mephitic, phlogisticated, or nitrous air. At the present time the term air is usually restricted to the gaseous envelope surrounding the solid and liquid parts of our globe. =Air, Atmospheric= (or simply, The Air). The air chiefly consists of a mechanical mixture of four volumes of nitrogen and one volume of oxygen, or more accurately—— By volume. By weight. Nitrogen 79·1 76·8 Oxygen 20·9 23·2 ————— ————— 100 100[12]