Siccatives Or Dryers

The terms 'siccatives' and 'dryers' are applied to three classes of substances. Perhaps the most correct or appropriate application of these words is to those metallic compounds which are used in order to increase the rate at which the drying oils harden, but in the literature of the subject we often find that drying oils which have been thus treated, and likewise certain resinous solutions, are spoken of as siccatives. In the present chapter we describe the dryers proper only, referring our readers to the chapters on oils and on varnishes for the necessary particulars concerning the other materials which may be included in the group under discussion.