1S4 ON THE DECOMPOSING POWER OF HOT STEAM. 
true collodion in appearance, are found to produce a plaster 
of inferior adhesive power, and which ceases to adhere on 
being moistened. Such specimens yield a white precipitate 
upon drying, which appears to be due to the presence of 
water. The residue, after the evaporation of the best speci- 
mens, is nearly transparent in thin sheets, having some- 
what the appearance of tissue paper, and is not readily 
inflammable. 
ART. XLI.— ON THE DECOMPOSING POWER OF WATER AT 
HIGH TEMPERATURES, IN A SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL 
POINT OF VIEW, AS DEVELOPED BY R. A. TIGHLMAN. 
By William Procter, Jr. 
The important influence exercised on the arts for their 
improvement, by the discoveries in chemistry which are 
so constantly coming to light, is a cause of deep satisfaction 
to all who give a thought to the progress and amelioration 
of our race, through the increased facilities they afford to 
an enlightened ^civilization. Such, especially, are those 
discoveries which tend to cheapen and increase the produc- 
tion of substances closely connected with the comfort of 
mankind, and upon which all depend. He, then, is a true 
benefactor to his fellow men, who, whilst immured in the 
recesses of the laboratory, closely interrogating nature, 
elicits from her revelations fraught with mighty conse- 
quences to the economical relations of society. 
Of this character appear to be the investigations and dis- 
coveries of Richard Albert Tighlman, in reference to the 
