OF AROMATIC VINEGAR. 215 



II. 



Letter from Mr. William Henry. Concerning the Inven- 

 tion of Aromatic Vinegar. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



1 AM fenfible that an apology is neceflary for intruding on The appropria- 

 you and on your readers, a fubject which may appear, on faft^eTia matter^" 

 view, to have little claim to general attention. If the rights of general con- 

 and interefts of an individual were alone involved on this oc- cern * 

 cafion, I mould not have requefted a place in your Journal, 

 for the following ftatement. But it is furely matter of general 

 concern, that the appropriation of difcoveries and improve- 

 ments fhould be dealt with ftrict juftice to their authors : for 

 the profpect of this diftribution of " honour where it is due," 

 is one of the molt animating principles of action ; and the 

 extinction of this motive would follow an indifference on the 

 part of the public, to the claims of inventors. 



More than fifteen years ago, during the delivery ofacourfeDifcovery that 

 of chemical lectures by my father, in this town, he had occa-^j^ ^ J ~ 

 iion to notice a quality of the acetic acid or radical vinegar, and eflential oils, 

 which had not to his knowledge been obferved before ; viz. 

 its property of diflblving camphor and various eflential oils. 

 The compound was found to poflefs a moll pungent and agree- 

 able odour ; and as the vinaigre des quatres voleurs had gained 

 much reputation in preventing infection, it occurred to him 

 that the newly difcovered folution would have ftill more 

 powerful effects, in confequence of its high ftate of concen- 

 tration. A bottle of this preparation he gave to a late active 

 magiftrate and philanthropift (T. B. Bayley, efq. F. R. S.) 

 who, in the courfe of an unwearied and undaunted exercife 

 of his public functions, was frequently expofed to the dangers 

 of foul and infected air. Mr. Bayley was highly gratified by 

 its effects ; and not only .made conftant ufe of the aromatic 

 vinegar on the bench, and on his vifits to the prifon, but in- 

 troduced it to the adoption of feveral of the judges, and prin- 

 cfpal gentlemen at the bar. He alfo firft fuggeited to my 

 father the propriety of benefiting by his difcovery, and was the 

 medium of a connection with Mr. Bayley, perfumer, in Cock- 

 fpur Street, which has been continued to the prefent day. 



The 



