Smoke from Sleam-Engines and Furnaces. 391 



tiful tincture, which yielded an odour of a very nauseous kind, 

 but of very httle flavour, and which gave a precipitate with wa- 

 ter ; it was soft, and of considerable specific gravity, sinking ra- 

 pidly in water ; circumstances which distinguish it from common 

 resin ; in very minute quantities it purges. It appears to be the 

 element in which all the powers of the elaterium are concen- 

 trated, and which have been denominated elatin. 



" I. The residuum, insoluble in alcohol, weighing 8.4 grains, 

 (Exp. E.) was boiled in double distilled water, when b.9 grains 

 were dissolved. 



*' J. The above solution was copiously precipitated Ihie^ by a 

 solution of iodine, and was scarcely disturbed by the persulphate 

 of iro7i. 



" K. The part insoluble, both in alcohol and water, which 

 was left after Experiment I. amounted to 2.5 grains; it burnt 

 like wood, and was insoluble in alkalies." 



From these experiments. Dr. Paris expresses the chemical 

 composition of elaterium in the following manner: — 



F. Water 4 



B. Extractive 2.6 



I.«<B.D.J.Fecula 2.8 



C. Gluten 5 



K. Woody matter 2.5 



H. Elatin "\ . „ 



G. Bittter principle J ' 



{■ 



10 

 The bitter principle in elaterium is very distinct from its ex- 

 tractive matter : the solution obtained in Exp. G. being diluted 

 and swallowed, produced only an increase of appetite ; and the 

 solution B. produced no effect whatever. 



SMOKE FROM STEAM-ENGINES AND FURNACES. 



On the 2d of May Mr. M. A. Taylor brought forward a mo- 

 tion in the House of Commons, for a Select Committee to con- 

 sider of the practicability of compelling persons using steam- 

 engines and furnaces to erect the same in a manner less preju- 

 dicial to the health and comfort of the public. His object, he 

 said, was to consider of some means by which the smoke might 

 be consumed before it issed from the chimneys. From the dis- 

 coveries he had made, and from what he had himself witnessed, 

 he was sure that the smoke which now issued to the destruction 

 of all kinds of vegetables, might be removed and prevented. He 

 had formerly brought this subject before the Mouse, and a Com- 

 mittee had l)ccn graiitcd, the report from which clearly showed 

 that the plan for cuubuining :smokc was not iinpraclicabic. Since 



tiicn 



