Coiioh^fFool, Max, Hempy&c, 323 



of the .volatile alkali ; or they may stand at any convenient 

 place at the side of the steaming-kettle or of the steaming- 

 vat, and the condensed alkali, instead of being returned into 

 the steaming-kettle, may be laid aside for other purposes, or 

 for sale, as the way and manner in which the patentees ob- 

 tain the volatile alkali and apply it to the purpose intended, 

 and which constitutes a part of their invention, may some- 

 times render such sale advisable ; that is to say, instead of 

 employing volatile alkali or ammonia in the prepared state, 

 as usually sold in commerce, they employ either urine or soot, 

 or any substance containing it naturally, or which may be 

 made to produce it by either putrefaction or lixiviation, or 

 any of the common chemical processes that may not be too 

 expensive for such an application and use. 



Thus, if urine be the material employed for producing the 

 volatile alkali, it should be allowed to stand till it putrefy or 

 become stale ; for which about a week's time in summer, and 

 three or four weeks in cold weather, will generally be requi- 

 site ; but, indeed, the longer the better. By this putrefaction 

 an internal movement and new arrangement in the elementary 

 principles of the urine is effected by nature so as to produce 

 in it real volatile alkali, which only requires to be called fortli 

 and brought into action by the aid of proper means, of which 

 the following may serve as an example: — To about eight 

 parts of stale urine add one part of caustic or quick-lime, 

 the fresher burnt the better ; stir the ingredients, and allov/ 

 them to rest for about six or eight hours, to give time to the 

 sediment to settle at the bottom of the cask or other vessel in 

 which the mixture is made. The clear liquor or lye may 

 then be drawn off by a plug or cock at such a height from 

 the bott(mi of the vessel as to allow the lye to run off without 

 disturbing the sediment. By this means the volatile alkali 

 which was formed in the urine by the putrefactive process is 

 rendered caustic, the lime seizing on the carbonic acid which 

 served to neutralise it and render it mild; and all that is now 

 necessary is to put this lye into the steaming-kettle before 

 described, and then, by means of heat, the whole alkali will 

 disengage itself from the urine and pass into the steaming- 

 vats, to exercise its action upon the goods deposited therein, 



S 8 2 • which 



