Essence d’Orient

[Fr.] A pearly-looking substance, found at the base of the scales of the blay or bleak, a small fish of the genus cyprinus . Prep. The scales are scraped from the fish into a tub containing water, and after agitation and repose the fluid is poured off, and its place supplied with fresh water, and this in its turn, after agitation and repose, is also poured off. This part of the operation is repeated till the ‘e ence’ and scales are perfectly freed from impurities, when the whole is thrown on a sieve, which retains the latter, but allows the former to flow through. After repose for a short time, the e ence is obtained as a deposit at the bottom of the ve el. Obs. E ence d’Orient has a bluish-white and pearly aspect, and is employed to cover the interior of gla bubbles and beads, in imitation of pearls and mother-of-pearl. Its tendency to putrefaction, while in the moist state, may be obviated by the addition of a little liquor of ammonia.