VOL. XIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. <8i 



like a fixed salt. — At the soap houses they mix f of earth with J- of lime, and 

 dissolve the composition in boiling water ; when stirring it often with a slick 

 there floats at top a thick brownish substance, which they preserve in basins 

 apart ; and this scum is much richer than the liquor underneath, yet both are 

 used in making the soap. Into a large copper caldron they put 50 quintals of 

 oil, applying a very hot fire, which burns continually until the soap is m^cje. 

 When the oil has boiled, they begin to throw in some of the scum, and some 

 of the liquor from which the scum was taken. They often repeat this, throw- 

 ing in the scum and liquor for 13 or 14 days, in which time the soap is 

 usually perfected. The brownish scum, and what is useful of the liquor, in- 

 corporating with the oil ; what is useless sinks to the bottom of the caldron, 

 where it is let out to make room for throwing in more. The water, thus let 

 out, is again thrown upon a new composition of earth and lime; but when the 

 liquor becomes wholly insipid, it is then judged to beexhausted : after 13 or 14 

 d.iys, when the soap s finished, it is laded out of the boiler, and laid upon a 

 lime floor to dry. 



The proportion is 2 load of earth, of 5 quintals each, to 50 quintals of oil. 

 The produce is between 70 and 80 quintals of soap.! The earth is bought at a 

 dollar a load ; and the soap, when this account was made, at 6f a quintal. 

 There is employed in making soap yearly at Smyrna 10,000 quintals of oil. 

 Bringing soap earth employs J 000 camels every day throughout the year, or 

 rather 1500 daily for 8 months ; the 4 summer months being too hot for 

 camels to travel. An ordinary soap house produces 1000 dollars a year clear 

 profit, on an average. 



On Chylificnlion. By Mr. WUlam Cowper. N°220, p. 231. 



The dentcs incisorii, or cutting-teeth, are first employed in dividing the 

 food. When a proportionable piece is thus taken into the mouth, the lower 

 jaw is variously moved by its proper muscles, and mastication i5 begun, and car- 

 ried on by the assistance of the tongue, cheeks, and lips ; the first two still 

 applying the less divided parts of the aliment to the denies molares, tdl there 

 is an equal comminution of all its parts. At the same time several of the 

 muscles, employed in the .motion of the lower jaw, are aUo serviceable in 

 promotitig the saliva or spittle, separated from the blood by the parotid glands; 

 those of the lowfr jaw, and under the tongue into the mouth ; the salival 

 glands of the cheeks and lips also contributing their juice«, do altogether join 

 with the iTiasticated aliment, before or at the same time it iii made fit to be swal- 

 lowed ; which action is called deglutition. 



Deglutition is thus performed ; the aliment, as well what is fluid as that mas- 



VOL. IV. M 



