seidlitz powders
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun (plural): A medicinal preparation consisting of a mixture of powders (typically sodium bicarbonate, Rochelle salt, and tartaric acid) that effervesces when dissolved in water, historically used as a mild cathartic or laxative.
Usage
- The term is used as a plural noun to refer to the specific medicinal compound. It is typically used in historical or pharmaceutical contexts.
- Example:
- Example:
Advanced Usage
- The term is often capitalized as Seidlitz powders, named after the mineral springs in Sedlitz, Bohemia (now Sedlec, Czech Republic).
- It can be used metonymically to refer to an old-fashioned or outdated remedy.
- Example: His economic policy is about as effective as a dose of seidlitz powders.
Variants and Related Words
- Seidlitz powder (singular form, though often used plurally).
- Effervescent powder: A general term for any powder that fizzes in water.
- Cathartic: (noun) A substance that accelerates defecation; (adjective) having a purgative effect.
- Rochelle salt: Potassium sodium tartrate, a component of the powder.
- Tartaric acid: An organic acid, another component.
Synonyms
- Effervescent cathartic
- Saline purgative (a broader category)
- Aperient (a general term for a mild laxative)
Notes on Meaning
- The primary meaning is historical and pharmaceutical, referring to a specific compound.
- In modern contexts, its use is largely archaic, as more effective and standardized laxatives have replaced it. It is now primarily encountered in historical texts or discussions of medical history.
Noun
- an effervescing salt containing sodium bicarbonate and Rochelle salt and tartaric acid; used as a cathartic