HORN

For the purposes of the turner and comb-maker, horns of the goat and sheep are preferred on account of their superior whitene and transparency. For medical purposes, those of the stag ( HARTSHORN ) are ordered to be employed. Horn is dyed with the same dyes, and in a similar manner to bones and ivory. Horn is softened, bent, and moulded, by means of heat and pre ure. For these purposes boiling water and a screw pre are commonly employed. Horn is reduced to plates or sheets by sawing it, and then exposing it to powerful pre ure between hot iron plates; the pith having been previously removed, and its texture softened by soaking for some days in water, and subsequent boiling in that liquid. Surfaces and edges may be united or cemented together by softening the horn by the heat of boiling water, placing the parts in contact under strong pre ure, and exposing the whole thus arranged to the heat of boiling water. Horn is stained or party-coloured to imitate tortoise-shell, by a solution of terchloride of gold, for the red portion; nitrate of silver, for the dark brown and black; and nitrate of mercury (hot), or a paste made of red lead, and potash or quicklime, for the brown. When the last is used the horn must be heated and exposed to its action for some hours.