Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-07-23
Asbastus.

hSOsStuS.
This IL ono Of the most singular produc-
tions Of nature. Formed Of the hardest Of
rock elemcn,s-of silica aud magnesia. with
little alumina and lime, its texture is such
tha, ono would suppose il to consist OF veg
etablo fbre-. Its splinter, the facility with
which we can separate the filamcnts, which
are extremely delicate, flexible and elastic,
can only bc compared to lint or whiio
threads Of the most beautiful kind. IL Is
sometimes, on the contrary, hard. brittle
and colorcd in way to 30 eonfounded with
fragments Of wood broken in spliniers. In
these two cases il is marked by very oppo-
site characteristics in one the ,enaeity and
strength OF so firm thread, in the other
woody texture and sometimes sufficient hard
ness even to scratch glass. Now COMPACT
and elastic as cork, here in masses Of dir.
ty white, like that Of dried paste, and there
with flamsn,s like locks Of hair, /, received
from mineralogists Of old the different names
Of mountain cork. leather aud fossil paper,
Chemists called IL living linen, or salanan-
drno wool.
Asbc.ius-,he Grcet word from which
this name /. derived, signifies incombu.tible
lis found very generally in diGcrcn, coun-
tries. The SieHes pour ioD,-a French
Journal. as its nAmO denotes, Of popular sei-
eucc,-trOm which We are deriving the sub
stance o, this article, states that part OF
Savoy produces 1t Of the most neIiblc kind
and having the lonGes, and most silky hbrcs.
That procured from the Ural mountains in
Siberia is singular in being compact when
IL Is taken from their sides, bu, becoming
leHibls and silky when imprcgnA,Cd with
moisture. II Is found in veins in the noun
tains. and never at all mingled with tho
substance Of the granite or gne's. in which
rocks It mos, frequently occurs The iras.
nents Of a.bes,u- often secn in the interior
Of rock crystal, show that the cavities in
which they are deposited were filled with
liquid which contained silica in solution,
and which was thrown OF in order that
equalization nigh, 50 on smoothly and
regularly.
AsbOsiu. was esteemed precious BY the
Aneien,s; they employed !, to make tissue,
which ,ervcd 70 envelope the body when /,
was burned after death, aud to preserve its
ashes unminglcd with those Of the fuel by
which !, was consumed. 4 large marble
urn was discovered IN 1909, in vineyard
near Rome. containing piece Of this asbcs-
tus-cloth more than two yard, in length by
ons and thrce-qulriers in width; it rcsem-
bled cloth made Of hemp, bu, i, was rs sOi,
and glossy as silk. IL confined the half
burnt bones and skull Of some ancient wor.
thy. they placed il in the library Of the Va
ticau. Obtained from Persia at great ex-
pense, tho custom Of burning the corpse IN
a tissue Of this substance could only b. cur
rcu, in the richest families. The price Of
the cloth Of asbcsius was indeed 10 high that
Pilny considered 1t in effect reserved for roy.
al sepul.ures. Superior qualities Of 4,
served for cloths for the sacred lamps, and
Tor the tAble-linen of the wealthy after uss
IL was said 10 DO thrown into the fire by the
servants TO DO cleaned.
Pliny was ienoran, Of the nature OF as
bes,us he classed twith vegetable suhstas-
ces and called i, " unchangeable linen"
lie compared its value to that Of fine pearls,
aud added that it was prepared TO sustain
the bea, Of Ere by the LrOiling sun OF the
Indian dcscrts where !, grew. We are sur
priscd to ind the Aucients giving credit to
tales so absurd. Plny, the Roman natural
is,, believed. on the testimony Of the sago
Ana1ilaus, that n tree developed in u tissue
Of Asbestus eoHld stand without injury tho
blows OF an axe.
lu modern times some industrious lndiyid-
uals have occupied themselves in spinning
asbestus, and have succeeded in making il
into cloth by resortlng TO the eIpcdient Of
mixing it with cotton or linen, without
which the thread has not sufficient strength
to DO woven. They then put il into the fire
and draw il forth tissue Of pure asbestus.
This roundabout way would probably have
been unnecessary il they had known and
employed the kind OF asbestus best fitted for
their Ohpct. Madame Perpenti has succeed.
ed IN Italy for some years past IN fabricating
from il cloths, paper, and even lace. A
book was deposited in the French Institute,
printed entirely upon paper thus manuiae-
tured by this lady. The processes OF man.
ufaeture are described as quite simple and
not very expensive. The paper is very good
either for writing or printing-by employ
ing an ink composed Of manganese and sui
pharet Of iron, the writing will be presery-
ed even after having passed through the fire,
aud the paper has the great value Of sccur-
lug precious documents from destruction by
tie flames. A.bes,us has always been EN-.
ploysd IN various other useful purposes Of
which we have not now room 10 speak.
Country Gentleman.
tn. cr,~vsv Srn,p CANr hardly meats