peromancy

[Pref. pyro-, and Gr. manteia =divination.] Divination by fire. "Four kinds of divination, hydromancy, pyromancy, aeromancy, geomancy." -Auliffe: Parergon. pyr-o-mā-ni-a, [Pref. pyro-, and Eng. mania (q.v.).) Insanity, marked by an irresistible desire to destroy by fire. IMG:content-0023.png:[blocks in formation] Chem.: C5H4O3. Pyrocomenic acid. A monobasic acid discovered by Sertürner in 1817, and prepared by the dry distillation of meconic or of comenic acid at 260° to 320°. It crystallizes in large transparent tables or in long colorle needles, soluble in water and in alcohol, melts at 120°, but begins to sublime at 100°. Its aqueous solution is colored red by ferric salts. It is a weak acid, and its salts are very indefinite and unstable.