Appendix. 395 



and had undergone an obvious alteration, which led to a renewed 

 trial of its strength. It was now found that a hank of the same yarn 

 supported a weight of 24 1| pounds, and it had therefore recovered 

 very nearly its original tenacity. 



At this period I was obliged, by unavoidable circumstances, tc 

 abandon the inquiry ; and the inducement to resume it ceased in a 

 great measure to exist, in consequence of the discontinuance, for a 

 season, of the pressing inconvenience which had given birth to it. 

 It was only recently that my attention was recalled to the subject by 

 the well grounded alarm which lias overspread the continent of Eu- 

 rope, and in a less degree extended over this country, in consequence 

 of the devastating effects of a disease, [cholera,) the contagious na- 

 ture of which is rendered highly probable, and which, like other con- 

 tagious diseases, may be presumed to be capable of being conveyed 

 hyfomites* It is therefore of the greatest importance to devise ef- 

 fectual and easily practicable means of extinguishing the first sparks 

 of that distemper which may show themselves in this country, avoid- 

 ing at the same time greater injury than is necessary to individual in- 

 terests or to general commercial prosperity. 



The first step vidiich appeared to me desirable, on resuming the 

 investigation, was to decide, beyond all doubt, whether raw materials, 

 as well as manufactured goods and articles of clothing, could be ex- 

 posed without injury to a dry heat approaching 212°. Of raw ma- 

 terials, I took cotton as the one which, from local advantages, I could 

 best submit to the necessary trials ; and I had the benefit of the zeal- 

 ous assistance of a friend-j- engaged in the spinning branch of that 

 manufacture. Raw cotton, of ordinary dryness, as recently taken 

 from the bag, was exposed, during two or three hours, to a steady 

 temperature of 180'° Fahrenheit, in a vessel heated by steam of com- 

 mon density. It lost, generally, between two and three ounces from 

 the pound. The effect on the staple, as determined by the inspec- 

 tion of persons versed in the arficle, was apparently such a degree of 

 injury, as to forbid all expectation that the cotton could be rendered 



* Whether cholera be or be not contagious, I do not feel myself called upon to dis- 

 cuss; the question being still one of great uncertainty and difficulty. From all the 

 facts, with which I am acquainted, it appears to me probable, that the contagion of 

 cholera (if such be the character of the disease) requires, like some other contagions, 

 the concurrence of particular states of the atmosphere. If the question should be 

 decided in the negative, so far as respects cholera, the suggestions of this paper will 

 still apply to other ascertained contagions. 



t Peter Ewart, jun. Esq. 



