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PREPARATION OF COLLODION. 
ART. VIII. — PREPARATION OF COLLODION, OR SOLUTION OF 
GUN-COTTON, AS AN ADHESIVE MATERIAL FOR SURGICAL 
PURPOSES. 
M.Malgaigne has recently communicated to the French 
Medical Journals some remarks on the preparation of gun- 
cotton for surgical purposes. Several French chemists, at 
the suggestion of M.-Malgaigne, attempted to make an 
ethereal solution of this compound by pursuing the process 
recommended by Mr. Maynard in the " American Journal 
of Medical Sciences," but they failed in procuring the cotton 
in a state in which it could be dissolved by ether. It appears 
that these experiments had employed a mixture of nitric and 
sulphuric acids ; but Mr. Mialhe ascertained, after many tri- 
als, that the collodion, in a state fitted for solution, was much 
more easily procured by using a mixture of nitrate of potash 
and sulphuric acid. 
For the information of our readers who may be disposed 
to try this new adhesive material, we here give a descrip- 
tion of M. Mialhe's process for its preparation. It appears, 
from the results obtained by this chemist, that cotton, in its 
most explosive form, is not the best fitted for making the 
ethereal solution : — 
Finely powdered nitrate of potash . . 40 parts by weight. 
Concentrated sulphuric acid * 60 44 " 
Carded cotton 2 « " 
Mix the nitre with the sulphuric acid in a porcelain ves- 
sel, then add the cotton, and agitate the mass for three mi- 
nutes by the aid of two glass rods. Wash the cotton, without 
first pressing it, in a large quantity of water, and when all 
acidity is removed (indicated by litmus-paper), press it firmly 
* The common commercial acid will answer. When very weak, a 
longer immersion of the cotton is required. 
