ARUSPICES, or HARIISFICES, an or der of priesthood, among the Romans, that pretended to foretel future events by inspecting the entrails of victims killed in sacrifice ; they were also consulted on occasions of portents and prodigies. It appears that women were admitted into this order.
AS, in antiquity, a particular weight, consisting of twelve ounces ; being the same with libra, or the Roman pound.
As was also the name of a Roman coin, which was of different matter and weight, according to the different ages of the commonwealth.
It is also used to signify an integer, di visible into twelve parts, from which last acceptation it signified a whole inherit ance. The as had several divisions, the principal of which were the uncia, or ounce, being the twelfth part of the as ; sextons, the sixth part of the as ; qua drans, the fourth part ; triens, the third part ; and semis, half the as, or six ounces. Bes was two-thirds of the as, or
eight ounces ; and dodrans, three-fourths of the as.
ASAFtETIDA, in chemistry, a gum resin obtained -from ferula asafcetida, a perennial plant, which is a native of Per sia. When the plant is about four years old, its roots are dug up and cleaned, and from their extremity, when cut, a milky juice exudes, which soon hardens, and constitutes asafoetida. It comes into this and other countries in Europe in small grains, of different colours, hard and brit tle. Its taste is acrid and bitter, its smell is strongly alliaceous and fetid. Alcohol dissolves three-fourths of this substance, and water takes up about one-fourth, if applied before the spirit. It yields an oil, when distilled with water and alcohol. The specific gravity is 1.32.