Asbesti

Cronstedt Min. §§ 79---83. and perhaps § 102—105 alſo; but I have not yet ſubmitted the aſbeſti to the liquid analyſis.

This is a very ſingular and beautiful Foſſil, it is not found in veins in marble as many of the other Aſbeſti are, nor in compact and ſeparate maſſes of itſelf in the earth as the reſt; but ever in a looſe diſhevell’d form, and very much reſembling the artificially ſeparated filaments of ſome unknown ſpecies of that body; it is uſually found in conſiderable bundles, and is compos’d of long and generally crooked filaments of a flatted figure, and of a pure ſnow white; they are conſiderably broader than the filaments of any known ſpecies of the Aſbeſtos, and are found from two inches, to eight, ten, twelve, or more in length:[…]

For, at the time that this paper was written, no perfect analyſis of the aſbeſtos had as yet been made, and two only of its principles were known. We would, however, hope to flatter ourſelves, that we have determined the ſpecific difference of the aſbeſtos among eleven varieties, both as to their agreement in external characters as well as inward compoſition. / The aſbeſti have been hitherto applied to little or no uſe. Formerly, indeed, cloths made of the ſoftest kinds were employed to wrap up the bodies of the dead, that, by its qualities of reſiſting fire, their aſhes might be preſerved. But on the abolition of funeral piles, the utility of the aſbeſtos ceaſed.

See Asbestos. On this Cronſtedt obſerves, that the natural ſtore of the aſbeſti is in proportion to their economical uſe, both being very inconſiderable.

Some pathostreptococci, slightly hemolytic and also some coagulase, negative staphylococci or staphylococcus, as well as asbestos bodies. / Q. They call it asbesti on here. / A. Well. asbestos bodies.

[…]they are the largeſt of all the ultimate fibres of the Aſbeſti, but are evidently ſuch. This ſeems the lighteſt of all the ſpecies of the Aſbeſtus.

Theſe are the Aſbeſti. The antients uſed to make cloth of the Aſbeſtus, which they called linum incombuſlabile.

AMIANTHUS, in natural hiſtory, vulgarly called earth-lax, a fibroſe, flexile, and elaſtic mineral subſtance, compoſed of ſhort and abrupt filaments; being a genus of that order of foſſils called aſbeſti. See the article Asbestus.

To this ſpecies of cockle, or ſhirl, belong moſt of thoſe ſubſtances called imperfect aſbeſti; and as the cockle perfectly resembles a flag from an iron furnace, both in regard to its metallic contents, and its glaſſy texture, it is no wonder that it is not ſoft enough to be taken for an aſbeſtus. It has however, only for the ſake of its ſtructure, been ranked among the aſbeſti; and it is ſurpriſing, that the fibrous gypſum, from Andrarum, in the province of Skone, has eſcaped being on the ſame account confounded with them. The ſtriated cockle, or ſhirl, compared to the aſbeſti, is of a ſhining and angular ſurface (though this ſometimes requires the aid of the magnifying-glaſs to be diſcovered) always ſomewhat tranſparent, and is pretty eaſily brought to a glaſs with the blow-pipe, without being conſumed, as the pure aſbeſti ſeem to be.

’Tis ſaid, the Aſbeſti are formed of Talc, reſolving itſelf into Clay: it muſt then have been ſtriated in the plated ſtate: but ’tis not ſo.