Talc: an earthy concrete; of a fibrous or leafy texture; more or less pellucid, bright or glittering; smooth and slippery to the touch; in some degree flexible and elastic, so as scarce to be pulverable; soft, so as to be easily cut; suffering no change in an intense fire, or no other than a diminution of its brightness, flexibility, and unctuofity; not acted upon by acids, either in its crude flare, or after vehement calcination. There are several different appearances of this earth; among which, the greenish soliaceous Venice talc has been selected for medicinal use; though it does not appear capable of answering any medicinal intention as not being dissolved, or sensibly affected, by any known humid menstruum: on account of its unctuous softness, and the silver hue which it exhibits when reduced by rasping or otherwise into powder, it has been employed externally as a cosmetic. The fibrous flexible amianthus or asbestos and the more rigid fibrous alumen plumqsum, seem to approach to the nature of the talcs, and made an equally insignificant addition to the articles of the materia medica in our former pharmacopoeias.