416 
Glue> 
stance will wash much the same as soft soap. I was ^ill 
anxious (if possible) to fall on some method to dissolve 
fish without the intervention of any other substance but 
water. I put a certain quantity into a jar, which was 
kept perfectly close, till the whole was completely dissolv- 
ed into a fine soft soapy mass, but the smell was so into- 
krable, it was almost impossible to examine it with much 
attention. I thought this a good opportunity to try the 
effect of alkali in a state of solution, to destroy any infec- 
tion, or to counteract putrefaction. I mixed the putrefi- 
ed fish with a weak solution of pearl-ashes, when I was 
most agreeably surprized to find the offensive smell des- 
troyed in a few minutes ; the only flavour which the fish 
retained, was resembling horn, which had got a small 
scorch with fire, but it was no way offensive or disagree- 
able. 
I tried numerous other experiments relative to making 
glue, particularly with the common rosin, by mixing it 
with some substance, so as to make it soluble in water. 
Rice affords a glue mucilage, which in a certain degree 
effected that purpose ; f rom linseed I found the same, &c. 
But I am afraid I have already tired your readers, who 
may feel very little interest in these matters ; but of this I 
am certain, the chemical experimentalist will eagerly catch 
at every hint which may throw some light on the effect 
produced by the combination of different substances, and 
I can assure all those who have leisure time, that no study, 
I had almost said no amusement, will afford so large a 
fund of entertainment as chemical experiments. I well 
know that repeated disappointments will attend the most 
skilful operator, and the most plausible compounds will 
often produce a substance very different from what is ex- 
pected; but even these very disappointments produce 
such appearances as doubly to increase our curiosity, and 
only gives a greater excitement to make farther experi- 
