This section is from the book "The Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia", by Luke Hebert. Also available from Amazon: Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia.
A term made use of in Chemistry in relation to affinity; thus, oil has no affinity to water unless it be previously combined with an alkali; it then becomes soap, and the alkali is said to be the intermedium which causes the union.
 
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