> 
Textile Fabrics. 487 
must of necessity undergo a very marked alteration in its 
properties. 
Much has been expected from the use of adjuncts restrain- 
ing the acids from operating on the cellulin :—Carbonic 
acid, hydrogen, some base combined with the acid, are 
amongst the ideas in this direction. It is improbable that 
free hydrogen can exert any influence, except in retarding 
all action on every substance by its presence. Free car- 
bonic acid, on the contrary, whilst its action would be in no 
wise injurious to the cellulin, would exert some influence, 
under certain conditions not easily attained, as a solvent of 
not easily soluble compounds:—Under ordinary conditions, 
its action would be zz/, for it is dislodged from all combina- 
tions by probably every organic acid present. As bases 
combined with these acids, the salts of alkalis, and alkaline 
earths have, in every instance, been proved almost without 
action on the substances desired to be solved. One bizarre 
use of occult incantations in the mix-’em-up style is the 
compound of “ Aqua-regia, oyster-shells, and cast iron,” 
recently very gravely given to the world by Royal Letters 
Patent. The originators of these ideas are evidently gro- 
ping in the dark, and reflection should teach them that, so 
long as sulphuric, chlorohydric, and nitric acids have so 
great a tendency to become largely hydrated, and then to 
substitute bases for the hydrogen thus taken into combina- 
tion, so long will all attempts to use these acids under any 
mask prove unavailing to remove any substances from ad- 
mixture with cellulin without also considerably damaging 
‘the cellulin itself. 
The agent of next importance is chlorine, or the chlorites. 
Their use has formed a considerable portion of the treat- 
ment of vegetable fibres; for the effect they produce in 
loosening the cells from each other, caused them to be 
recognised at an early period as powerful agents in bring- 
ing the matters accompanying cellulin into a soluble state: 
a modified process of chlorine bleaching is, by many 
operators, relied upon as sufficient to attain the desired end. 
To fully appreciate the value of these agents it is necessary 
to recall to mind in what way chlorine can be supposed to 
act in bleaching. The operation in question, and that of 
bleaching, are evidently parts of the same action. Chlorine 
first liberates oxygen from its union asa chlorite or from 
water, by combining partly with other elements of the sub- 
stance, and partly with the hydrogen contained in it or in 
the water. If the oxygen be liberated, its effect must be 
