regation or cohesion or corpuscular attraction, by acting
upon matter of a different kind; or by taking place between
the ultimate constituent parts of bodies, producing by its
action, substances possessing properties frequently very
different, and sometimes contrary to those of the constituent
parts."

Throughout the book the order of presentation is the experiment,
rationale, and remarks. A study of the "Philosophy" shows clearly
that Cutbush presented his material in a rather original fashion. His
method is not observable in any of the text-books of that date.

In discussing potash, Cutbush wrote:

"It has been supposed ever since our countryman, Dr.
Woodhouse, made an experiment with potash that this alkali
had an inflammable base. I am disposed to believe that the
Doctor was the first one who hazarded this conjecture as to
the inflammable nature of potash _when treated in certain
ways_. The Doctor found that a mixture of pearl ash with
soot, calcined by a very intense heat in a covered crucible,
when cold caught fire on the affusion of water. The
experiment was repeated with charcoal with the same result
and the inflammation probably arose from the action of the
base of the alkali on the water."

He says:

"That Thomas Cooper ... repeated this experiment, and
succeeded, I think, after several attempts, in procuring the
metal. Dr. John Redman Coxe and myself also performed it, but
in our attempt we failed. The professor, however, persevered,
and finally procured it.... My brother, Dr. Edward Cutbush,
succeeded in procuring it by using the heat of a
black-smith's forge. I have not heard of any other attempts
in this country except by a gentleman in New York, who was
also successful."

These statements substantiate the idea that Woodhouse isolated the
metal potassium quite independently from any European chemist; it even
looks as if he may have isolated it in the manner referred to before
Sir Humphrey Davy had separated it with the aid of the electric
current.

In the first volume of the Philosophy there is a frontispiece, a lamp
furnace, consisting of a brass rod, fastened to a piece of metal,
furnished with rings of different diameters, and thumb screws to raise
or lower the lamp and rings when in use. By this furnace evaporation,
digestion, solution, sublimation, distillation and other processes,
which re