A coating-composition comprises an aqueous solution of a binder consisting of a protein glue or a water-soluble gum, and a flexibilizing agent therefor comprising sorbitol, the ratio of binder to flexibilizing agent being not greater than 9 to 1 and not less than 1 to 3. Specified binders are gelatine, hide glue, bone glue, albumin, casein, soya bean casein, zein, dextrine, gum, acacia, gum tragacanth and gum karaya, and the flexibilizing agent may consist of sorbitol alone, or of sorbitol in admixture with glycerine or lower polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene or diethylene glycol. The compositions may also contain linseed or mineral oils, sulphonated castor oil, hardening agents such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and alum, and preservative or anti-mould ingredients such as copper sulphate, b -naphthol, and sodium benzoate. Instead of incorporating formaldehyde into the mix, the coated surface may be exposed to the action of gaseous or aqueous formaldehyde. The composition may be used as an adhesive, as an oil-proof protective film or impregnant for pressed paper pulp bottles or for woven fabrics, as a paint for concrete, as a varnish for artificial leather, and as a coating for paper, cloth, metal, wood and asbestos. It is applicable to the formation of strippable films such as are used in wrapping, or it may be coated on to the hemispherical ends of metal rods, and stripped therefrom to form gelatine capsules. According to examples: (1) a book-binder's glue comprises glue, water and sorbitol, with or without b -naphthol; (2) an adhesive comprises glue, water and sorbitol, with or without formaldehyde; (3) oil and greaseproof compositions for coating fibrous materials comprise glue or gelatine, water and sorbitol; (4) a gasoline-proof flexible fabric is made by coating a sateen base with a mixture of glue, glycerine, water and sorbitol, passing the coated fabric over heated drums, and then applying a wash of aqueous formaldehyde solution; (5) a composition for making gelatine capsules comprises gelatine, water and sorbitol, with or without a dye and a preservative; (6) a varnish for artificial leather comprises casein, ammonia, water and sorbitol; (7) a pigmented coating - composition comprises glue, white lead, linseed oil, cottonseed oil, kerosene, water and sorbitol; (8) porous surfaces are rendered impermeable to petroleum oil by coating with a mixture of corn dextrine, water and sorbitol.ALSO:A coating-composition comprises an aqueous solution of a binder consisting of a protein glue or a water-soluble gum, and a flexibilizing agent therefor comprising sorbitol, the ratio of binder to flexibilizing agent being not greater than 9 to 1 and not less than 1 to 3. Specified binders are gelatine, hide glue, bone glue, albumin, casein, soya bean casein, zein, dextrine, gum acacia, gum tragacanth and gum karaya, and the flexibilizing agent may consist of sorbitol alone, or of sorbitol in admixture with glycerine or lower polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene or diethylene glycol. The compositions may also contain linseed or mineral oils, sulphonated castor oil, hardening agents such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and alum, and preservative or antimould ingredients such as copper sulphate, b -naphthol and sodium benzoate. Instead of incorporating formaldehyde into the mix, the coated surface may be exposed to the action of gaseous or aqueous formaldehyde. The composition may be used in the formation of stripable films such as are used in wrapping, or it may be coated on to the hemispherical ends of metal rods, and stripped therefrom to form gelatine capsules. In an example a composition for making gelatine capsules comprises gelatine, water and sorbitol, with or without a dye and a preservative.ALSO:A coating-composition comprises an aqueous solution of a binder consisting of a protein glue or a water-soluble gum, and a flexibilizing agent therefor comprising sorbitol, the ratio of binder to flexibilizing agent being not greater than 9 to 1 and not less than 1 to 3. Specified binders are gelatine, hide glue, bone glue, albumin, casein, soya bean casein, zein, dextrine, gum acacia, gum tragacanth and gum karaya, and the flexibilizing agent may consist of sorbitol alone, or of sorbitol in admixture with glycerine or lower polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene or diethylene glycol. The compositions may also contain linseed or mineral oils, sulphonated castor oil, hardening agents such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and alum, and preservative or antimould ingredients such as copper sulphate, naphthol and sodium benzoate. Instead of incorporating formaldehyde into the mix, the coated surface may be exposed to the action of gaseous or aqueous formaldehyde. The composition may be used as an adhesive, as an oil-proof protective film or impregnant for pressed paper pulp bottles or for woven fabrics, as a paint for concrete, as a varnish for artificial leather, and as a coating for paper, cloth, metal, wood and asbestos. It is applicable to the formation of strippable films such as are used in wrapping, or it may be coated on to the hemispherical ends of metal rods, and stripped therefrom to form gelatine capsules. According to examples: (1) a bookbinder's glue comprises glue, water and sorbitol, with or without b -naphthol; (2) an adhesive comprises glue, water and sorbitol, with or without formaldehyde; (3) oil and greaseproof compositions for coating fibrous materials comprise glue or gelatine, water and sorbitol; (4) a gasoline-proof flexible fabric is made by coating a sateen base with a mixture of glue, glycerine, water and sorbitol, passing the coating fabric over heated drums, and then applying a wash of aqueous formaldehyde solution; (5) a composition for making gelatine capsules comprises gelatine, water and sorbitol, with or without a dye and a preservative; (6) a varnish for artificial leather comprises casein, ammonia, water and sorbitol; (7) a pigmented coating-composition comprises glue, white lead, linseed oil, cottonseed oil, kerosene, water and sorbitol; (8) porous surfaces are rendered impermeable to petroleum oil by coating with a mixture of corn dextrine, water and sorbitol.ALSO:A coating-composition comprises an aqueous solution of a binder consisting of a protein glue or a water-soluble gum, and a flexibilizing agent therefor comprising sorbitol, the ratio of binder to flexibilizing agent being not greater than 9 to 1 and not less than 1 to 3. Specified binders are gelatine, hide glue, bone glue, albumin, casein, soya bean casein, zein, dextrine, gum acacia, gum tragacanth and gum karaya, and the flexibilizing agent may consist of sorbitol alone, or of sorbitol in admixture with glycerine or lower polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene or diethylene glycol. The compositions may also contain linseed or mineral oils, sulphonated castor oil, hardening agents such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and alum, and preservative or anti-mould ingredients such as copper sulphate, b -naphthol and sodium benzoate. Instead of incorporating formaldehyde into the mix, the coated surface may be exposed to the action of gaseous or aqueous formaldehyde. The composition may be coated on to the hemispherical ends of metal rods, and stripped therefrom to form gelatine capsules. According to one example a composition for making gelatine capsules comprises gelatine, water and sorbitol, with or without a dye and a preservative.