234 On a new Method of Bleaching, 



I have no doubt but that linen garments may be bleached to advantage bythe fame pro- 

 cefs ; but as it was neceflary to bring thefe notions to the teft of experiment, I invited 

 Citizen Bawens to alloCv me to make the experiment on a large fcale with his apparatus. 

 ^ Accordingly, on the 'ayth Pluvoife, in the year IX. I had 200 pair of flieets from the 

 hofpital of the Hotel D'teu at Paris, ohofen among thofc that were moft foiled, and taken 

 to the manufadlory of Citizen Bawens. ^ 



Three experiments were made upon thefe flieefs. 



Experiment I. One hundred and thirty flieets were impregnated with a cauflic alkaline 

 - ley, containing one hundredth part of foda. They were kept for fix hours in the engine of 

 (team; after which they were impregnated again, in order to be placed again fix hours in 

 the fame machine. 



The fame procefs was repeated a third time ; after which they were carefully rinfed, and 

 no fpot of wine, gteafe, blood, or animal ejedlion, was to be feen. One quarter of a 

 pound of foap was ufed in rinfing thefe, cloths. 



All the afliftants were convinced that the ordinary procefles would not have given cither 

 fo perfeft a white, nor fo agreeable a lixivial fmeil. 



The texture was in no refpeft altered. 



Experiment -2. The alkaline ley contained only fix parts of foda, but five pounds of 

 foap were alfo added. The cloths were treated in the fame manner, and the refults ap- 

 peared more advantageous. They were more eafily walhed out. 



Experiment 3. To the bath of the fecond experiment a fufEcient quantity of new ley was 

 added. One hundred and forty flieets were treated like the preceding, and the refult was 

 the fame. 



It muft be obferved that the water of the Seinei in which thefe fheets were rinfed, was 

 at that time very yellow. 



This experiment appeared to me to offer feveral refults worthy the attention of the 

 Inftitute. 



In the firft place the procefs is economical. Two hundred pair of flieets, which were 

 bleached by three fuccellive operations, demanded an expenditure, according to the account 

 furniflied by Citizen Bawens, which is in the proportion of 7 to lO, compared with that 

 commonly made in the hofpitals. This expence may be reduced to lefs than one-third, if 

 a fuitable place attd apparatus were appropriated to this ufe. 



2. Two days at moft are required to complete the operation. This oeconomy of time 

 is incalculably beneficial. 



3. The linen is neither changed nor torn, as it pafles through the hands only once, -and 

 it is of no ufe to beat it. 



4. The extreme heat to which the linen is expofed In the apparatus, caufcs its texture 

 to be penetrated by the alkaline fluid to fuch a degree, that the fubftanccs with which it is 

 impregnated cannot be maflted from its adlion ; fo that the putrid exhala;tions, and other 

 fubftances attached to its texture, arc ncceflarily deftroycd or changed in their nature. 



This 



