The Collaborative International Dictionary
Trituration \Trit`u*ra"tion\, n. [Cf. F. trituration, L.
trituratio a thrashing of grain.]
The act of triturating, or reducing to a fine or impalpable
powder by grinding, rubbing, bruising, etc.
--Paley.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1640s, from Late Latin triturationem (nominative trituratio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin triturare "to grind" (see triturate).
Wiktionary
n. 1 the act of triturating; grinding to a fine powder 2 something triturated, especially dental amalgam
Wikipedia
Trituration is the name of several different methods used to process materials. In one sense, it is a form of comminution (reducing the particle size of a substance). In another sense, it is the production of a homogeneous material by mixing component materials thoroughly. For example, a dental amalgam is formed by combining particles of an alloy with mercury.
In organic chemistry, trituration is a process used to purify crude chemical compounds containing soluble impurities. A solvent is chosen in which the desired product is insoluble and the undesired by-products are very soluble or vice versa. The crude material is washed with the solvent and filtered, leaving the purified product in solid form and any impurities in solution.
In pharmacology, trituration can also refer to the process of grinding one compound into another to dilute one of the ingredients, add volume for processing and handling, or to mask undesirable qualities. For example, the amount of hormone in a dose of Levonorgestrel formulated as a progestogen-only contraceptive is only 30µg, which is far too small to handle. In a typical product, the drug is triturated with c. 1700 times its mass of sugar before being compressed and coated to produce the final tablet.
In juicing, a triturating juicer is a style of juicer used to break down fresh produce into juice and fiber.
Usage examples of "trituration".
A trituration made from the leaves, berries, and tender twigs, is given for epilepsy, in doses of twenty grains, twice or three times a day.
There was no sign of disease, but the edges were white and worn looking, as if by some trituration.
Some of you will probably be more or less troubled by the pretensions of that parody of mediaeval theology which finds its dogma of hereditary depravity in the doctrine of psora, its miracle of transubstantiation in the mystery of its triturations and dilutions, its church in the people who have mistaken their century, and its priests in those who have mistaken their calling.
From this, successive triturations are made, each one being one part in ten parts.