CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 199 



to the conclusion, that the smooth spaces, which might be observed in 

 the midst of places where waves broke, were owing to the presence of 

 oil, which might either come from decaying fish, or some other sub- 

 stance from which oil exuded. 



Commodore Wilkes confirmed the statement and observations made 

 by Professor Horsford. He cited the instance where he had seen the 

 same effects in a violent storm off the Cape of Good Hope, from the 

 leakage of a whale-ship. He stated it was very curious to observe over 

 what a great extent a small quantity of oil would produce the effect 

 spoken of. 



Professor Henry stated, that almost every one knew the anecdote of 

 Franklin stilling the sea, to the astonishment of the uninitiated, by 

 stretching his cane over the aide of the ship, the cane having a small 

 vial of oil in the end of it. The subject was not new. It had been in- 

 vestigated very fully, some twenty years ago, by order of the Dutch 

 government, and the results published. The philosophy of the phe- 

 nomena was that, when oil was placed on water, the oil had more 

 cohesion for the water than for itself, while with water it was differ- 

 ent ; it had greater adherence to itself than it had to the oil. If you 

 attempt to separate the two by a disc placed on the surface of water 

 which oil has covered, the break is not between the oil-and water, but 

 between oil and oil. He further stated, that he had made some inves- 

 tigations to find out the measure of the film of oil which spread over 

 the surface of water he experimented on ; and for that purpose he had 

 spent a whole month, blowing soap bubbles. He thought the stillness 

 of the waves was owing to the lubrication of their surface by the oil. 



SUBSTITUTE FOR COLLODION. 



PULVERIZED shell-lac is dissolved in highly rectified spirits of wine. 

 The solution assumes, on cooling, a demi-solid and gelatinous consist- 

 ence. This is the mixture used by upholsterers for polishing furniture. 

 Spread on linen or silk and applied to the skin, it has all the proper- 

 ties of collodion. Thus, it is impenetrable to air, water, oil, and even 

 to organic humors and secretions. It in no way irritates the skin, and 

 adheres to it perfectly. Its adherence is so perfect that it might 

 replace dextrine in cases of fracture. Wounds cure rapidly when cov- 

 ered with this mixture. Journal de Pharmacie, Aug. 1851. 



SUBSTITUTE FOR MARINE GLUE. 



A TRANSPARENT substance, well adapted to replace the marine glue 

 of Jeffreys for many purposes, particularly where a transparent joint is 

 required, as in the union of pieces of glass, has been invented by Mr. 

 S. Lenher, of Philadelphia. The composition is as follows : Caout- 

 chouc 15 grains, chloroform two ounces, mastic half an ounce. The 

 two first-named ingredients are to be first mixed ; after the gum is dis- 

 solved the mastic is added, and the whole allowed to macerate for a 

 week. More caoutchouc may be added where great elasticity is desir- 

 able. The convenience of its application with a brush, cold, recom- 

 mends it for approval. Franklin Journal. 



