Some Account of the Elajlk-Gum Tine. 'I9 



would for ever balance its difadvantages : cloths, and cover- 

 ings of different defcriptions, might then be made from this 

 gum-cloth with an expedition fo much greater than by the 

 needle that would at firft appear very furprifing ; the edges 

 of the feparate pieces only requiring to be wet with the milk, 

 or its whey, and brought uito contaft, when the article 

 would be finifhed and iit for ufe. Should both milk and 

 whey be wanting, a folution of the gum in ether can always 

 be obtained, by which the fame end would be accomplinied. 



Of all the cloths upon which I made experiments, nan- 

 keen, from the ftrength and quality of its fabric, appeared 

 the beft calculated for coating with the gum. The method 

 I followed in performing this, was, to lay the cloth fmooth 

 upon a table, pour the milk upon it, and, with a ruler, to 

 fpread it equally. But, fhould this ever be attempted on a 

 larger fcalc, I would recommend the following plan : — To 

 have a ciftern for holding the milk a little broader than the 

 cloth, to be covered with a crofs bar in the centre, which 

 muft reach under the furface of the milk, and two rollers at 

 one end. Having filled the ciftern, one end of the piece of 

 cloth is to be paffed under the bar, and through between the 

 rollers ; the former keeping the cloth immcrfed in the milk, 

 die latter in prefling out what is fuperfluous, fo that none 

 may be loft. The cloth can be hung up at full lenoth to 

 dry, and the operation repeated until of whatever thicknefs 

 wanted. For the rcafons above-mentioned, care muft be 

 taken that one fold docs not come in conta6l with another 

 while wet. 



Having obferved that moft of the patent catheters and 

 bougies made with a folution of the elaftic gum, whether 

 in ether or in the elfential oils, had either a difaoreeable 

 ftickinefs, or were too hard tq admit of any advantao-e being 

 derived from the clafticity of the gum; I was induced to make 

 fome experiments with the milk towards removing thefe ob- 

 je£lions. 



From that fluid, by evaporation, I made feveral laro-c- 

 fized bougies of pure gum, which, from their over-flexibility, 

 were totally ufelefs. I then took fome flips of fine cloth co- 

 vered with the gum, which I rolled up until of a proper fize, 

 P % and 



