164? AMBER. 
neglected. Some persons, however, have still an ab- 
surd notion that a collar or necklace of amber, tied 
round an infant's neck, will enable it to cut its teeth in 
safety. Oil of amber combined with liquid ammonia 
constitutes a white soapy liquor called eau-de-luce. 
It has already been mentioned that insects are occa- 
sionally found in amber. These are generally in a very 
perfect state, and consist of flies, small moths, &c. 
Grains of sand, pieces of iron pyrites, and the leaves 
of plants, are also sometimes found in it. Insects, sand, 
and other substances, are likewise remarked in a species 
of gum, called gum anime, which, in colour, appear- 
ance, and qualities, so nearly resembles amber, that it 
is almost impossible to distinguish the two substances 
from each other. Large productions, which were for- 
merly supposed to have been made of amber, such as 
a column ten feet high in the Florentine Museum, are 
now usually considered to have been formed of this 
gum ; and many of the large beads of what are sold as 
amber necklaces are made of it. 
If a piece of amber be fixed on the point of a knife 
and lighted, it will burn entirely away, emitting at the 
same time a white smoke, and a somewhat agreeable 
though sickly odour. When rubbed it has the property 
of attracting light bodies ; hence one of the ancient 
Greek philosophers attributed to it a certain kind of 
life. From the name of electron, which was given to 
it by them, in consequence of this property, we derive 
our word electricity. 
