cohesure

— He was of opinion that the action of the sand was not of a chemical nature, but that the attraction of cohesure, or adhesion, exerted on the surface of the sand in contact with the impurities, constituted a physical force sufficient to overcome the weak chemical affinity in virtue of which salts were held in solution, and to cause the exposure to the action of the air, and consequent neutralization of much of the organic impurities.