of PcjlUcnUal Fluids, 41 



combine with a portion of the alkah cryftallifing ahout tlie 

 ietcli-tnbs, and to ccniiltute fak-petrc. The labourers at 

 pot-afli works, though much expnfed to night air, were {<A- 

 dcm vifited by the ordinary fevci's cf the chmatc. , 



His aitention being thus called to the properties of alkali?, 

 was foon engaged in a more minute in'veftigation of the hif- 

 tory of pot-afh, by the following incident. Dr. Mitchill re- 

 ceived from the Chamber of Commerce in Glafgew, a letter 

 complaining of the bad quality of certain barrels of pot-adi 

 and pearl-afli exported from New York tinder the infpe&or's 

 brand, and proved by the bleacher at Paifley, to whom it had 

 been fold, to pofTefs hardly any qualities for whitening goods. 

 This letter was accompanied with a notorial copy of the pro- 

 ceedings in a fuit at law brought by the bleacher at Paiflev, 

 plaintiff, againft the commiflion merchant in Glafgow, dc- 

 fcjidant, for damages on account of having fold him unmer- 

 chantable alkali; in which the Court gave judgment for the 

 plaintiff. Thefe papers were fubmittcd to the Chamber of 

 Commerce in New York. In confequence of this. Dr. 

 Mitchill was requefted by the prefidcnt of that body, a Ihoit 

 time after, to vifit with him the ftores of the public infpeftors 

 of pot-afli and pearl-a(li in the city of New York. Among 

 niany other fafts which were collected during this vifitation, 

 it was related by the iufjjeftors, that, while the labourers in 

 the pot-afli flore kept themfeives at home and were wilhiu 

 the influence of the alkali, tlie peftilcntial air of the citv had 

 not affcAed any of them with difeafej and Dr. Mitchill dif- 

 covercd afterwards, that if ihefe very labourers expofcd them- 

 feives to the noxious gas in the air abroad^ they fickencd and 

 died like other people. 



While thefe things were under confideratlon, the Lcgifla- 

 ture of the State alfemblcd. At that time there was con- 

 fiderablc converfation throughout the United States concern- 

 ing the internal and domedic means of defending the countiy 

 from in\afion by a foreign enemy. A nian appeared with a 

 j)i'oj<;i^ for fetting up a nuuiufadlure of falt-petre in the 



