COTTON. 169 



of silver-gilt wire, which he prepares lor the 

 manufacturers of Paisley, to be woven in the 

 corner of each demy of muslin, in imitation 

 of the Indian custom. 



The cotton-wool is not only used for ge- 

 nuine articles, but is employed to adulterate, 

 or as a substitute for silk; and even many of 

 our linen cloths have a considerable portion 

 of cotton in their composition. 



Cotton cloth, like that of linen, when de- 

 cayed, is transformed into paper for printing. 



The seed of the cotton-plant intoxicates 

 parrots. Old medical authors mention the 

 seeds as being a good remedy against coughs, 

 and of a singularly stimulating quality. 



Leewenhoek accounts for cotton producing 

 inflammation, when applied to wounds in lieu 

 of linen, by a discovery which he made in 

 examining the cotton with a microscope. 

 The fibres were found to have two flat sides, 

 whence he concludes that each of its minute 

 parts must have two acute angles or edges ; 

 which acute edges being not only thinner 

 and more subtle than the globules, whereof 

 the fleshy filaments consist, but also more 

 firm and stiff than any of the globulous flesh, 

 it follows that, upon the application of cot- 

 ton to a wound, its edges must not only 



