Note 274 — ON THE THEORY AND ART OF PRESCRIBING.

Dr. MacCulloch, in illustration of this subject, states, that ink, paste, and seeds, are among the common articles which suffer from such a cause, and to which this remedy is easily applicable. With respect to articles of food, such as bread, cold meats, or dried fish, it is less easy to apply the remedy, on account of the taste; cloves, however, and other spices whose flavours are grateful, may sometimes be used for this end. It is notorious that gingerbread, and bread containing caraway seeds, are far less liable to mouldiness than plain bread. The effect of cloves in preventing the mouldiness of ink is generally known; and the same result may be obtained by oil of lavender in a very minute quantity, or by any other of the perfumed oils. Russian leather, which is perfumed with the tar of the Birch tree, is not subject to mouldiness, as must be well known to all who possess books thus bound; they even prevent it from taking place in books which are bound in calf, and near which they may happen to lie. Paste is another perishable article, and although Alum which is used by the book-binder will certainly preserve it longer than it would remain useful without it, still it is not very effectual. Rosin, sometimes used by the shoemaker, answers the purpose better, and appears to act entirely on this principle; it is however far less effectual than even oil of turpentine; Lavender, and the other strong perfumes, as Peppermint, Anise, and Bergamot, are perfectly effectual, even in a very small quantity, and paste may be thus preserved for any length of time.