CATGUT is the name applied to cord of great toughness and tenacity prepared from the intestines of sheep. It is used for the strings of harps and violins, as well as other stringed musical instruments, for hanging the weights of clocks, for bow-strings, and many other purposes where toughness, flexibility, and durability are required. To prepare catgut the intestines are cleaned, freed from fat, and steeped for some time in water, after which their external membrane is scraped off with the back of a knife or other blunt tool. They are then steeped for some time in an alkaline ley, smoothed and equalized by drawing out, bleached with sulphuric fumes, if necessary dyed, sorted into sizes, and twisted together into cords of various numbers of strands according to their uses. The best strings for musical instruments are imported from Naples; and it is found that lean and ill-fed animals yield the toughest gut.