Flinty Substances found in Ashes of burnt Hay-ricks. 211 



knowledge of chemistry, will not help me out), formed a great 

 portion of many of the masses produced, some of which pos- 

 sessed much more flinty appearances than others ; and those 

 portions which appeared to be formed of hay alone had a 

 great resemblance to fine network, en masse, and were easily 

 pulverised, probably from their not having been exposed to such 

 intense heat as the harder substances. Some wood, also, both 

 in the dry and the green state, was consumed, which might also 

 contribute to the formation of these flinty substances. I have 

 no doubt but there must have been some cause for such flinty 

 formations, besides the hay ; for I witnessed a similar fire 

 (five hay-ricks), a few years ago, in Nottinghamshire, in the 

 ashes of which I am not aware that any flinty substances at 

 all were found : indeed, if there were any, they were so in- 

 considerable, both as to size and number, as to escape notice; 

 whereas in the late fire in the Kent Road I saw some masses 

 that measured from 18 in. to 2 ft. in length, and 12 in. or 14 in. 

 broad, many of which were sold from a shilling to half-a-crown 

 each. The taste of these substances was very salt. 



I have a still further reason for thinking that salt formed 

 a portion of these masses. I remember, some years ago, that 

 one of my father's favourite horses went blind, from a film 

 which rapidly spread over both eyes. A skilful veterinary 

 surgeon was consulted as to the means of cure ; and he used 

 the following recipe : he ordered a branch of a green ash tree 

 to be cut, about 1 ft. long, and 6 in. in diameter ; in one end 

 of which he bored a hole with an auger, about 1 in. in di- 

 ameter, and 7 in. or 8 in. deep ; this cavity he filled with com- 

 mon salt; then plugged up the hole with a well-fitted plug of 

 the same wood (green ash), and cast it into the fire, where 

 it continued till the wood was entirely consumed. There 

 then remained in the fire a flinty cylindrical substance, not 

 unlike the substances found in the fire above alluded to. This 

 substance was pulverised, and, a small portion being put into a 

 quill, was blown into the eyes of the horse. The remedy was 

 a painful one ; but so effectual, that the horse, in a few days, 

 had the full use of his vision. 



I am therefore of opinion, that the hay alone did not pro- 

 duce the masses found in the ashes; but, however, to bring 

 the matter to a certainty, I shall be most happy to supply any 

 gentleman with specimens of the substances produced in the 

 fire above alluded to, in as great a variety as I can select, if 

 they will take the trouble to analyse them. It would, also, be 

 worth while for any gentleman to make the experiment with 

 the green ash and common salt, as mentioned above, in order 

 to compare the two substances together. N.B. — All commu- 



