The occurrence did not at the
time appear to them to be worthy of notice. It was considered as
one of the frequent appeals that he was in the habit of making in
behalf of some new experiment. He, however, directly inferred that
if the process of charring could be stopped at the right point, it
might divest the gum of its native adhesiveness throughout, which
would make it better than the native gum.
"He made another trial of heating a similar fabric, before an open
fire. The same effect, that of charring the gum, followed, but
there were further and very satisfactory indications of ultimate
success in producing the desired result, as upon the edge of the
charred portions of the fabric there appeared a line, or border,
that was not charred, but perfectly cured.
"These facts have been stated precisely as they occurred in
reference to the acid gas, as well as the vulcanizing process.
"The incidents attending the discovery of both have a strong
resemblance, so much so they may be considered parallel cases. It
being now known that the results of the vulcanizing process are
produced by means and in a manner which would not have been
anticipated from any reasoning on the subject, and that they have
not yet been satisfactorily accounted for, it has been sometimes
asked, how the inventor came to make the discovery? The answer has
already been given.
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