glucuronide (gloo kyoor’ u nid), n. Biochem. a glycoside that yields glucuronic acid upon hydrolysis. Also, glycuronide… Random House
Guppy took a dip into the chemistry laden waters of the prefix zone (glut, gluco and glyc).
Welcome to another installment of The Oracle Report when we pull a random word from a big dictionary and, well:
Spell Check is givin’ me hell again, this time for the use of such archaic science-speak. Seems science has moved along leaving large portions of the English language in its wake. The good news is the vast amount of cross reference allowed by The Random House present here: the gist of it lies with things like proteins, carbohydrates and fats (sounds like food) primarily of living things (sort of) and their uses, combinations etc.
The strange and unusual part is about the word that comes right after glucuronide:
Glue (gloo), n., v., glued, gluing. —n. 1, a hard, impure, protein gelatin, obtained by boiling skins, hoofs, and other animal substances in water, that when melted or diluted is a strong adhesive. Random House
We call this hide glue, and graciously accept it here to bind together all the riff raff orbiting around in these pages (way out of our wheelhouse). Thank goodness nature always prevails, this time providing my witless mind a powerful adhesive to stick together all the loose pieces in the brain, proving once again that language is the glue that holds it all together.
Hide glue is interesting stuff and deserves a lot of credit for holding together tools and furnishings since the stone age, where nothing goes to waist. But that’s another topic for another time.
Since we are on the subject of flesh and blood:
If ever you have the chance to spend your every waking hour with a dog, seize the opportunity, since it is the only way to truly cross the species divide, and is one of the great miracles in life. Living rough, there is no better companion.
Bruno in his new kit, at the gate, ready for anything.
Another chapter of The Spell of Ai headed your way next week.
And that’s a rap.
Hide glue is still very much in use (use it myself) by restorationists, period woodworkers, bookbinders, chairmakers and folks in the many arts. A common practice is to recycle the glue from antiques, put it in the glue pot and use it again and again.
O and I forgot to mention, Bruno is looking sharp in the kit.