CEMENT, in a general sense, any glutinous sub-
stance capable of uniting and keeping things together
in close cohesion. In this sense the word cement com-
prehends mortar, solder, glue, &c. but has been ge-
nerally restrained to the compositions used for holding
together broken glasses, china, and earthen ware. For
this purpose the juice of garlic is recommended as ex-
ceedingly proper, being both very strong, and if the
operation is performed with care leaving little or no
mark. Quicklime and the white of an egg mixed
together and expeditiously used, are also very proper
for this purpose. Dr Lewis recommends a mixture
of quicklime and cheese in the following manner;
"Sweet cheese shaved thin, and stirred with boiling-
hot water, changes into a tenacious slime which does
not mingle with the water. Worked with fresh parti-
cles of hot water, and then mixed upon a hot stone
with a proper quantity of unslacked lime, to the con-
sistence of a paste, it proves a strong and durable ce-
ment for wood, stone, earthen ware, and glass. When
thoroughly dry, which will be in two or three days, it
is not in the least acted upon by water. Cheese barely
beat with quicklime, as directed by some of the che-
mists for luting cracked glasses, is not near so effica-
cious." A composition of the drying oil of linseed
and white lead is also used for the same purposes, but
is greatly inferior.