White Lead

a preparation of lead used as the basis of white paint. It is prepared by subjecting sheets of lead to the action of acetic acid, an active principle present in vinegar. In making white lead one method is the following: Sheets of lead shaped like pies are piled on one another in earthen pots containing a little acetic acid. The pots are stacked in a pit which is covered with spent tanbark and allowed to stand for three months. A little over half of the metal will be found converted into white lead. As it is not subject to atmospheric influences, it makes, with linseed oil, the best of white paint for the protection of wooden surfaces. See Paint