DISCOVERY OF VULCANIZING. 119 



present, and who were acquainted with the manufacture of gum- 

 elastic, to this effect, as remarkable, and unlike any before known, 

 since gum-elastic always melted when exposed to a high degree 

 of heat. The occurrence did not at the time appear to them to 

 be worthy of notice ; it was considered as one of the frequent 

 appeals that he was in the habit of making, in behalf of some 

 new experiment. 



He however directly inferred that if the process of charring 

 could be stopped at the right point, it might divest the gum of 

 its native adhesiveness throughout, which would make it better 

 than the native gum. Upon further trial with heat, he was fur- 

 ther convinced of the correctness of this inference by finding 

 that India rubber could not be melted in boiling sulphur at any 

 heat ever so great, but always charred. 



He made another trial of heating a similar fabric, before an 

 open fire. The same eflfect, that of charring the gum, followed ; 

 but there were further and very satisfactory indications of ulti- 

 mate success, in producing the desired result, as upon the edge 

 of the charred portions of the fabric, there appeared a line, or 

 border, that was not charred, but perfectly cured. 



He now removed with his family to Lynn, in order that he 

 might have access to the steam power of Messrs. Baldwin & 

 Haskins, for the purpose of trying experiments in vulcanizing by 

 steam. 



A few weeks after, he removed from Lynn to Woburn, where 

 he now pursued his inquiries and experiments for some months 

 quite alone, until the desired result was obtained. On ascertain- 

 ing to a certainty that he had found the object of his search, and 

 much more, and that the new substance was proof against cold, 

 and the solvents of native gum, he felt himself amply repaid for 

 the past, and quite indifferent as to the trials of the future. 



The facts have been stated precisely as they occurred in re- 

 ference to the discovery of the acid gas, as well as the vulcan- 

 izing process. The incidents attending the discovery of both 

 have a strong resemblance, so much so, they may be considered 

 parallel cases. It being now known that the results of the vul- 



