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108 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



by Dr. Joseph Bradshaw, an eminent medical practitioner, and 

 a native of England. He had previously formed an acquaint- 

 ance with this gentleman, who took a deep interest in the im- 

 provement of gum-elastic, and frequently inquired after the 

 success of the experiments with it. Specimens made by this 

 process attracted his particular attention at this time, and he 

 expressed to the inventor his intention of visiting his friends in 

 England soon after, and kindly offered to take specimens to the 

 manufacturers there, with a view to negociations for him. At 

 the time he sailed, in the month of , 1836, the inventor 



made up for him a small assortment of specimens of gum-elastic 

 drapery, which he took directly to the house of 

 ., England. 



These specimens were much admired by this house as novel- 

 ties, and assurances were given to the Doctor, that if the inven- 

 tion proved to be a useful one, a liberal compensation for it 

 would be made by them. The English patent was taken out 

 by Mr. Hancock, without any communication with the inventor. 

 This may be correct according to the English patent laws, but 

 is not according to the ideas of justice entertained by the in- 

 ventor. The acknowledgment was however given, which is 

 implied in the legal preface attached to English patents, when 

 they are obtained for improvements introduced from another 

 country.* 



The improvement gradually obtained the confidence of the 

 public in the United States, and became the subject of news- 

 paper paragraphs throughout the country. 



During the fall of 1836, he also obtained medals at several 

 fairs, one of them being for the application of India rubber to 

 the art of printing. 



Success now seemed certain, and he was prepared to demon- 

 strate, by the manufacture of the goods, the utility of the improve- 

 ments of which specimens had only yet been produced. 



The manufacture was continued in Bank street during the 

 winter of 1836-37. In the meantime, a large factory with 



* B7 information obtained from a foreigner. 



