must at the same time be admitted, that such substantial nutriment greatly contributes to their strength, their full, athletic size, and florid complexion.—Those of our readers, who wish to acquire additional information on this subject, we refer to Dr. W. Falconer's elaborate "Remarks on the Influence of Climate, Situation, Nature of Country, Population, Nature of Food, Way of Life: on the Dispositions and Temper, Manners and Behaviour, Intellects, Laws and Customs, Forms of Government, and Religion of Mankind" (4to. 18s. Dilly—Mawman, 1781), in which this interesting topic is minutely and ingeniously discussed.
Clock. See Time-piece.
CLOSE-STOOL, a chamberimplement of considerable utility to patients and invalids; though it has lately been in a great measure superseded by the invention of water-closets. These, however, being attended with such expence as to preclude many families from their acquisition, it may be useful to mention an easy method of suppressing the fetid exhalation arising from vessels of the former description, when kept in sick-rooms, especially during the night. A foreign writer suggests the following expedient: Take a handful (we suppose, three or four ounces) of green vitriol; dissolve it in half a gallon of boiling water; and, when cold, pour a quart of it on the feces immediately after each stool. In this simple manner, we are informed, the most unpleasant stench will be effectually neutralized; a circumstance of great importance in putrid and malignant fevers.
Clot-burr. See Burdock.
CLOTH, in commerce, a mapufa6ture made ot wool, cotton, flax, hemp, &c. woven in a loom. In this place, however, we shall treat only of woollen cloths: these are of various qualities, fine or coarse, which depend on a variety of circumstances.
The best wools for manufacturing cloth are those of England and Spain, especially of Lincolnshire and Segovia. In order to use them to the best advantage, they should be previously scoured, in a hot liquor consisting of three parts of pure water, and one of urine. When it has soaked a sufficient time in this liquor, to dissolve the grease, it is drained, and properly washed in running water: as soon as it feels somewhat rough, and is divested of all smell, except the natural one of the sheep, it is said to be properly scoured. The wool is next exposed to dry completely in the shade; after which it is beaten with rods upon wooden hurdles, or on cords, to cleanse it from the dust and grosser filth, and prepare it for spinning, when it must be well picked, in order to separate the remaining impurities.
After this process, it is oiled with oil of olives, and given to the spinners, who first card it on the knee with small fine cards, and then spin it on a wheel; care being taken to make the thread of the warp one third less than that of the woof, and to twist the former more compactly. The thread is then reeled, and formed into skeins: that designed for the warp is wound on small tubes, pieces of paper, or rushes, so disposed that they may be easily put in the eye of the shuttle; that intended for the warp is wound on large wooden bobbins. As soon as it is warped, stiffened with size, and dried, it is mounted on the loom. The weavers, of
