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ON  A  COMPOSITION  FOR  ATTACHING  LABELS. 
ON  A  COMPOSITION  FOR  ATTACHING  LABELS. 
By  Frederick  Stearns,  Pharmaceutist. 
Having  noticed  in  the  March  number,  the  present  year,  of 
the  American  Journal  Pharmacy,  an  article  upon  "  Unalterable 
Labels  for  the  Cellar,"  it  occurred  to  me  that  the  method  I  have 
employed  for  some  years,  in  giving  adhesiveness  to  dispensing 
and  other  labels,  might  be  of  some  service  to  the  readers  of  the 
Journal.    It  is  as  follows  : 
Take  of  white  glue  (Cooper's  best)  three  ounces,  (avoir.  ;)  re- 
fined sugar  one  and  a  half  ounces  ;  water  ten  fluid  ounces,  or  a 
sufficient  quanity.  Dissolve  by  the  aid  of  a  water-bath,  and  use 
while  warm,  applying  it  by  means  of  a  suitable  brush  to  the  re- 
verse side  of  the  labels  while  uncut  or  in  sheets.  After  being 
dried  and  moderately  pressed  they  are  ready  for  cutting. 
A  little  experience  will  show  the  propriety  of  increasing  or 
lessening  the  amount  of  water  used ;  for  instance,  if  the  paper 
is  thin  and  well  sized,  more  may  be  added  ;  on  the  contrary,  if 
the  paper  be  thick  and  without  sizing,  less  is  required ;  in  all 
cases  it  should  be  quickly  and  evenly  spread  upon  the  paper. 
It  is  not  applicable  to  the  purpose  of  a  common  paste,  as  it 
can  only  be  used  while  warm. 
I  have  found  the  use  of  it  to  possess  these  advantages  :  Labels 
prepared  with  it  adhere  more  firmly  than  when  any  other  adhe- 
sive substance  is  used ;  it  does  not  penetrate,  and  thus  disfigure 
the  label,  and  when  applied  to  glass  they  never  become  loose,  as 
is  often  the  case  when  acacia  and  tragacanth  are  used,  when 
moistened  with  saliva.  No  disagreeable  impression  is  left  in  the 
mouth,  as  with  dextrine,  and  it  would  well  supply  the  place  of 
that  material  upon  Post  Office  stamps,  gum  tickets,  etc. 
Detroit,  June  10th,  1856. 
