364 



On East Indian Isinglass. 



as the largest and thickest sounds, or those of full grown 

 adult fishes, seemed to be the purest Isinglass. We are 

 aware of the bulky appearance of the little albumen contain- 

 ed in the large Sulea Isinglass, but if this be collected on 

 a strainer and dried, it will be found to amount to no more 

 than 6 per cent., 94 per cent, nearly, being pure gelatine 

 which is entirely soluble, yet the large Sulea Isinglass was 

 declared by some to be insoluble. In small Sulea and other 

 smaller fishes, the results were more unfavourable. 



Others protested against the smell, which they declared 

 to be peculiarly offensive. Our Isinglass, after eight or ten 

 day's exposure only to the sun and dew, had lost completely 

 its fishy smell before it was packed ; it is probable, however, 

 that it had been packed too fresh, and that the packages 

 may have got damp on board ship, or perhaps in the Custom- 

 house or other stores at home ; in that case the smell would 

 be very offensive, but the article might still be perfectly 

 freed from smell again by re-exposure for a time to dry air. 

 We cannot exhort merchants and others too much as to the 

 importance of having Isinglass perfectly dry when packed, 

 and well aired when offered for sale. 



We would therefore recommend exposure to the open 

 air for months before packing, and that the packages should 

 be small, not exceeding ten lbs. each. Our packages were 

 large chests of eighteen cubic feet each, and from which the 

 article ought to have been removed and well aired in Lon- 

 don before offering it, either as samples or for sale. The 

 package of the article during so long a voyage is a subject 

 of much importance. 



We cannot take upon ourselves to say how far the article 

 may have been injured after it left our hands by exposure 

 to a hot sun in the month of March, when passing the Cus- 

 tom-house, and other forms prior to shipment, or what in- 

 jury it may have sustained from damp or other causes on 

 board ship, or in the docks and stores in London. 



