Mi·cro·cos·mic Mi·cro·cos·mic·al a.  Of or pertaining to the microcosm.
 Microcosmic salt Chem., a white crystalline substance obtained by mixing solutions of sodium phosphate and ammonium phosphate, and also called hydric-sodic-ammonic-phosphate.  It is a powerful flux, and is used as a substitute for borax as a blowpipe reagent in testing for the metallic oxides.  Originally obtained by the alchemists from human urine, and called sal microcosmicum.
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 Salt n.
 1. The chloride of sodium, a substance used for seasoning food, for the preservation of meat, etc. It is found native in the earth, and is also produced, by evaporation and crystallization, from sea water and other water impregnated with saline particles.
 2. Hence, flavor; taste; savor; smack; seasoning.
    Though we are justices and doctors and churchmen . . . we have some salt of our youth in us.   --Shak.
 3. Hence, also, piquancy; wit; sense; as, Attic salt.
 4. A dish for salt at table; a saltcellar.
    I out and bought some things; among others, a dozen of silver salts.   --Pepys.
 5. A sailor; -- usually qualified by old. [Colloq.]
    Around the door are generally to be seen, laughing and gossiping, clusters of old salts.   --Hawthorne.
 6. Chem. The neutral compound formed by the union of an acid and a base; thus, sulphuric acid and iron form the salt sulphate of iron or green vitriol.
 Note: ☞ Except in case of ammonium salts, accurately speaking, it is the acid radical which unites with the base or basic radical, with the elimination of hydrogen, of water, or of analogous compounds as side products. In the case of diacid and triacid bases, and of dibasic and tribasic acids, the mutual neutralization may vary in degree, producing respectively basic, neutral, or acid salts. See Phrases below.
 7. Fig.: That which preserves from corruption or error; that which purifies; a corrective; an antiseptic; also, an allowance or deduction; as, his statements must be taken with a grain of salt.
    Ye are the salt of the earth.   --Matt. v. 13.
 8. pl. Any mineral salt used as an aperient or cathartic, especially Epsom salts, Rochelle salt, or Glauber's salt.
 9. pl. Marshes flooded by the tide. [Prov. Eng.]
 Above the salt, Below the salt, phrases which have survived the old custom, in the houses of people of rank, of placing a large saltcellar near the middle of a long table, the places above which were assigned to the guests of distinction, and those below to dependents, inferiors, and poor relations. See Saltfoot.
    His fashion is not to take knowledge of him that is beneath him in clothes. He never drinks below the salt.   --B. Jonson.
 -- Acid salt Chem. (a) A salt derived from an acid which has several replaceable hydrogen atoms which are only partially exchanged for metallic atoms or basic radicals; as, acid potassium sulphate is an acid salt. (b) A salt, whatever its constitution, which merely gives an acid reaction; thus, copper sulphate, which is composed of a strong acid united with a weak base, is an acid salt in this sense, though theoretically it is a neutral salt.
 Alkaline salt Chem., a salt which gives an alkaline reaction, as sodium carbonate.
 Amphid salt Old Chem., a salt of the oxy type, formerly regarded as composed of two oxides, an acid and a basic oxide. [Obsolescent]
 Basic salt Chem. (a) A salt which contains more of the basic constituent than is required to neutralize the acid. (b) An alkaline salt.
 Binary salt Chem., a salt of the oxy type conveniently regarded as composed of two ingredients (analogously to a haloid salt), viz., a metal and an acid radical.
 Double salt Chem., a salt regarded as formed by the union of two distinct salts, as common alum, potassium aluminium sulphate. See under Double.
 Epsom salts. See in the Vocabulary.
 Essential salt Old Chem., a salt obtained by crystallizing plant juices.
 Ethereal salt. Chem. See under Ethereal.
 Glauber's salt or Glauber's salts. See in Vocabulary.
 Haloid salt Chem., a simple salt of a halogen acid, as sodium chloride.
 Microcosmic salt. Chem.. See under Microcosmic.
 Neutral salt. Chem. (a) A salt in which the acid and base (in theory) neutralize each other. (b) A salt which gives a neutral reaction.
 Oxy salt Chem., a salt derived from an oxygen acid.
 Per salt Old Chem., a salt supposed to be derived from a peroxide base or analogous compound. [Obs.]
 Permanent salt, a salt which undergoes no change on exposure to the air.
 Proto salt Chem., a salt derived from a protoxide base or analogous compound.
 Rochelle salt. See under Rochelle.
 Salt of amber Old Chem., succinic acid.
 Salt of colcothar Old Chem., green vitriol, or sulphate of iron.
 Salt of hartshorn. Old Chem. (a) Sal ammoniac, or ammonium chloride. (b) Ammonium carbonate. Cf. Spirit of hartshorn, under Hartshorn.
 Salt of lemons. Chem. See Salt of sorrel, below.
 Salt of Saturn Old Chem., sugar of lead; lead acetate; -- the alchemical name of lead being Saturn.
 Salt of Seignette. Same as Rochelle salt.
 Salt of soda Old Chem., sodium carbonate.
 Salt of sorrel Old Chem., acid potassium oxalate, or potassium quadroxalate, used as a solvent for ink stains; -- so called because found in the sorrel, or Oxalis. Also sometimes inaccurately called salt of lemon.
 Salt of tartar Old Chem., potassium carbonate; -- so called because formerly made by heating cream of tartar, or potassium tartrate. [Obs.]
 Salt of Venus Old Chem., blue vitriol; copper sulphate; -- the alchemical name of copper being Venus.
 Salt of wisdom. See Alembroth.
 Sedative salt Old Med. Chem., boric acid.
 Sesqui salt Chem., a salt derived from a sesquioxide base or analogous compound.
 Spirit of salt. Chem. See under Spirit.
 Sulpho salt Chem., a salt analogous to an oxy salt, but containing sulphur in place of oxygen.
 Sal n.  Chem. & Pharm. Salt.
 Sal absinthii [NL.] Old Chem., an impure potassium carbonate obtained from the ashes of wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium).
 Sal acetosellae [NL.] Old Chem., salt of sorrel.
 Sal alembroth. Old Chem. See Alembroth.
 Sal ammoniac Chem., ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, a white crystalline volatile substance having a sharp salty taste, obtained from gas works, from nitrogenous matter, etc. It is largely employed as a source of ammonia, as a reagent, and as an expectorant in bronchitis. So called because originally made from the soot from camel's dung at the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Africa. Called also muriate of ammonia.
 Sal catharticus [NL.] Old Med. Chem., Epsom salts.
 Sal culinarius [L.] Old Chem., common salt, or sodium chloride.
 Sal Cyrenaicus. [NL.] Old Chem. See Sal ammoniac above.
 Sal de duobus, Sal duplicatum [NL.] Old Chem., potassium sulphate; -- so called because erroneously supposed to be composed of two salts, one acid and one alkaline.
 Sal diureticus [NL.] Old Med. Chem., potassium acetate.
 Sal enixum [NL.] Old Chem., acid potassium sulphate.
 Sal gemmae [NL.] Old Min., common salt occuring native.
 Sal Jovis [NL.] Old Chem., salt tin, or stannic chloride; -- the alchemical name of tin being Jove.
 Sal Martis [NL.] Old Chem., green vitriol, or ferrous sulphate; -- the alchemical name of iron being Mars.
 Sal microcosmicum [NL.] Old Chem. See Microcosmic salt, under Microcosmic.
 Sal plumbi [NL.] Old Chem., sugar of lead.
 Sal prunella. Old Chem. See Prunella salt, under 1st Prunella.
 Sal Saturni [NL.] Old Chem., sugar of lead, or lead acetate; -- the alchemical name of lead being Saturn.
 Sal sedativus [NL.] Old Chem., sedative salt, or boric acid.
 Sal Seignette [F. seignette, sel de seignette] Chem., Rochelle salt.
 Sal soda Chem., sodium carbonate. See under Sodium.
 Sal vitrioli [NL.] Old Chem., white vitriol; zinc sulphate.
 Sal volatile. [NL.] (a) Chem. See Sal ammoniac, above. (b) Spirits of ammonia.
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 microcosmic salt
      n : a white salt present in urine and used to test for metal
          oxides