called to a volume by Cutbush entitled
"Lectures on the Adulteration of Food and Culinary Poisons.... With a
Means of Discovering Them and Rules for Determining the Purity of
Substances." It was published at Newburgh, N. Y., in 1823. The writer
has never seen this volume. His search for it has been unsuccessful.

Another publication was "A Synopsis of Chemistry, Arranged
Alphabetically, Comprehending the Names, Synonyms, and Definitions in
that Science." New York: E. Lewis, 1821. This book is also exceedingly
rare.

The real magnum opus of Cutbush resulted in "A System of Pyrotechny"
(1825), which voluminous publication did not appear until after his
decease, and then largely through the efforts of his wife and former
students in the Cadet Corps, for, in _Silliman's Journal_, this note
appeared:

"Mrs. Cutbush, widow of the late Dr. Cutbush, of West Point,
proposes to publish by subscription a Treatise on Pyrotechny
by her husband, Dr. James Cutbush.... By the reputation which
Dr. Cutbush sustained, as well as by the ability which his
elaborate treatises on these subjects already published in
this journal display, there can be no doubt that this
posthumous work will be worthy of the public patronage, which
we hope will be liberally bestowed."

Even to-day this publication stands out preeminently and for years has
been referred to by artisans and by scientists. Chapters dealing with
military fireworks have been seriously studied. In the light of the
violent fires, grenades, etc., used in the late war the writings of
Cutbush become very fascinating. They show that he truly blazed the
way in this field. In the introduction to this splendid volume he
wrote:

"On this head, that of the application of chemistry to
pyrotechny, we claim so much originality, as, so far as we
know, to have been the first, who applied the principles of
chemistry.... As this subject, however interesting to the
theoretical pyrotechnist, cannot be understood without a
knowledge of chemistry, it is obvious that that science is a
powerful aid to pyrotechny.... Viewing pyrotechny either as a
science or an art, there is undoubtedly required in its
prosecution much skill and practice. The mere artificer or
fireworker by constant habit may understand, it is true, how
to mix minerals, prepare composition, charge cases, etc., ...
but without a knowledge of chemistry he ca