68 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



ally, dry, with a cloth-like surface, before 1836. This discovery 

 was the subject of much comment by the press throughout the 

 United States, from 1836 to 1838; and in reference to it the 

 certificates were given, and medals of public institutions were 

 awarded at that period, with the inscriptions, which will be 

 found in the appendix. They are only selections among many 

 testimonials of a similar authority. 



But what is of greater importance, is the fact that before the 

 year 1839, it was never heard of that India rubber of any kind 

 could be so prepared or wrought, — whether by the Indians, or 

 from the gum as it exudes from the tree, as was attempted by 

 Americans, or re-manufactured by any process whatever, — that 

 it would not be stiffened by the cold, or softened by exposure to 

 heat of the sun and a warm climate, and also that it would not 

 be quickly acted upon by all the essential and common oils, or 

 be divested of its peculiar property, adhesiveness, which is now 

 done in the manner hereafter described. 



This change wrought in gum-elastic by sulphurous gas and a 

 high degree of heat, was first made by the writer in the town 

 of Woburn, about ten miles from the city of Boston, Mass., in 

 the winter of 1838 and 1839, under circumstances of such a 

 nature, that there could be no mistaking the facts in the case, 

 or blending the results of the writer's laboi's with those of any 

 other individual. The circumstances of the inventor prevented 

 public notoriety of the discov^ery of 1839 as soon after it was 

 made as would have been desirable. These circumstances are 

 alluded to in a subsequent chapter. 



A more detailed account of the particulars attending this dis- 

 covery, is given under the head of experiments. 



At the time specified, the inventor was so completely insu- 

 lated by misfortune, (seemingly courted by him, in persisting in 

 what appeared to every one else an idle and foolish enthusiasm,) 

 and all his acts and pretensions at that time were so censured 

 or ridiculed, as to identify, in the most unquestionable manner, 

 the inventor with the discovery. As regards the original state 

 of native India rubber, and the change wrought in it by treat- 



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