The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-04-07
A substilutc for White Lead.

made at late session Ofihe French A |
cademy Of Arts and Science, is taken |
from Paris paper. Ii contains informa'
ton which is curious, and which we hope |
may meet the attention Of practical men,
and lead 10 useful results:
In 1885 NJ. Leclaire, house painter, |
having witnessed the ravsges that white
lead made amoDg the workmen engaged
IN his business, set himself 10 seek for
some white substance, which could take
the place in the arts, Of the poisonous ar
ticle which had heretofore been used. |
After having examined all the white sub
stances which nature offers, he finally ar
rived at the white of zinc, and he discov-
cred that this oxyde had all the qualities
of the white lead without having any Of
its incODvenieucies.
Winter than the white lead, the Oxyde
of zinc reflects the light instead of absorb
ing it, gives finer tone, and covers bet
ter the surface on which it is spread
Moreover 1t is not subject to any of the
action ofthe sulphurs, which blscken so
quickly paintings in white lead. Final
y, and it is the capital point, the prepara-
tion and use fit do not in any way
affect the health of the workmen.
After having assured himself that the
mechanical preparations of the white of
zinc might be realized in an economical
manner,M Nj. Leclaire was desirous to com
plcte his invention by replacing, on the
painters pallet, all the colors of which
lead makes part, by other articles Of
which zinc will be the basis. In this diff
fcult enterprise. he has had as near as
we can now judge, the most complete
success, and the inventor of white zinc
has filed up the gamut ofunchangeable
colors by the substitution of stable and
inoffensive colors for those which have
copper and lead for the basis. He has
even succeeded in replacing the sicalives
of which litharge always forms part, by
substance the properties of which are
equal to it, and which only contains man
ganese.
The harmlcssness of all these substan-
ces seems 10 be demonstrated, now by
decisive experiments. NJ. Leclaire en-
ploys constantly in all the different quar-
ters of Paris, two hundred workmen, in
the application of coors. Among them
are several who had been compelled to
leave off their trade in consequence OF
suffering from the painters jcholic.. None
of them have felt the least inconvenience
from the use ofthe new substances. The
workmen employed in the manufacture
of the zinc white. have also presented
none ofthe phenomena of intoxication
notwithstanding the imperfections which
necessarily result from atemporary ar
rangment.
AS to the superiority of the new color
in reference to their stability, the curious
, experiments presented by M. Arago leave
no doubt in this respect. 1t is enough to
quote one. After having covered the
+ two halves of board, one with the col
ors of M. Leclaire, the other with those
S which are still used by painters, the sur
, face was exposed to the uniform action o
| a current of sui phuric hydrogen. The
first half preserved all its freshness, while
1 the second Immediately turned black
!. this durability of the colors. prepared b
/ NJ. Leclaire does not make the creates
d merit of his Invention, it may. neverlhe
Il less, be considered as very importar
Al circumstance. What is there intact NOR
r, precious to preserve, after the life of MAI
O than that If the works to which his ge
MUS has given birth, and is ii not valua
BILE present to make our painters, that {
e placing on their pallets, colors that tim
|. cannot change.
l. But again. this is not the highest re
oi commendation of NJ, Leclaire's inventio
l. to the public attention Itremains to /
e seen whether we can finally renounce
r. manufacture which kills persons who al
: employed in it, and if we can spare civ
% lization from those regular, systemat
l. murders which it is reduced TO accep
'r while it protests against them. We sha
s. know soon what is to be done, and if tn
T. Academy recognizes the invention an
! awards to it the honors claimed by i
author, we hope governments will TAX
masures to interdict manufacture whiC
u will become monstrous, as soon as it cea
es TO be any longer necessary.
as To MAKE CLoTH, SILK &c. WAITE