186 Scientific Tntelligence — Arts, 



much more difficult to detect the adulterations when effected by the 

 admixture of mannite^ than when by the admixture of salicine, &c., 

 while the former can be furnished for less than one-fourth of the ex- 

 pense of the latter. 



For some years past an extensive chemical establishment has been 

 in operation at Brussels, in Belgium, built up at great expense and 

 care, and expressly designed for the manufacture, on a large scale, 

 of imitations of all the most important foreign chemical preparations 

 used in medicine ; while, at the same time, an agent was travelling 

 in this country making sales, and soliciting orders in all the principal 

 towns on our sea-board. The articles were prepared and put up 

 with consummate skill and neatness ; and the imitation was so per- 

 fect that it was impossible for the unsuspecting purchaser to distin- 

 guish them from the genuine, notwithstanding that, in some instances, 

 they did not contain over five per cent, of the substances represented 

 by the label. Since the law went into effect at the port of New 

 York, not a single package has been presented for entry. Dr 

 Bailey states, however, that he has been informed that the persons 

 formerly connected with the Brussels firm, are now in this country 

 engaged in the same iniquitous business ; hence the adulterations 

 spoken of. — Annual of Scientijic Discovery, p. 188. 



23. To restore Decayed Ivory. — Mr Layard, in his explorations 

 among the ruins of Nineveh, discovered some splendid works of art 

 carved in ivory, which he forwarded to England. When they 

 arrived there, it was discovered th^t the ivory was crumbling to 

 pieces very rapidly. Professor Owen was consulted to know if there 

 was any means of preventing the entire loss of these specimens of 

 ancient art, and he came to the conclusion that the decay was owing 

 to the loss of the albumen in the ivory, and therefore recommended 

 that the articles be boiled in a solution of albumen. The experi- 

 ment was tried, with complete success, and the ivory has been 

 rendered as firm and solid as when it was first entombed. 



24. Ivory as an Article of Manufacture. — There are several 

 sorts of ivory, differing from each other in composition, durability, 

 external appearance, and value. The principal sources from which 

 ivory is derived are the western coast of Africa and Hindostan : 

 Camaroo ivory is considered the best, on account of its colour and 

 transparency. In some of the best tusks the transparency can be 

 discovered even on the outside. The manufacturers have a process 

 by which they make poor ivory transparent, but it lasts only for a 

 short time. A third kind of ivory, called the Egyptian, has lately 

 been introduced, which is considerably lower in price than the 

 Indian, but in working there is much waste. By an analysis, the 

 African ivory shows a proportion of animal to earthy matter of 101 

 to 100; the Indian, 76 to 100; and the Egyptians, 70 to 100. 

 The value of ivory consumed in Sheffield, where it is much used in 

 making handles for cutlery, is very great, and nearly 500 per- 



