Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-05
CURIOUS MINERAL.
Asbestos and its characteristics
An Interesting story About il.

Boston Jcurual of Chemistry.
Asbestos is one OF the most curious and inter
estiDg of minerals; or, we might say Glasses OF
minerals, the name being applied TO quite a
number OF varieties or tremo!ite. actinoite.
etc. which are themselves varieties OF an
phtboie, or hOrnbiende, as it Is more commonly
called. Chemically viewed, these are com
pounds OF silica, magnesia- lime and oxide or
iron. They differ from other varieties OF horn
blende chiefly In containing little or no alum
ina, and are remarkable for assuming a fbrous
character. the fcreS being sometimes very long,
iine and flexible. and having much the appea =
aDce OF lax. They form compact masses bur can
otteh pe easily separated by the fingers. Tney
vary III color from white To green and light
brown. The name asbestos is rom the Greek,
and means incOInbustible. IL is nothing strange
that mineral should De incombustiole. bur
that delicate threads, looking like flax. should
not be destroyed by fire. bur should come forth
Nom the ordeal only the whittier, Ike ordinary
thread when washed ii water. Naturally seemed
rtmaI kable phenomenon 10 tae anclents who
gave them the name. The finest variety is
called amianthds, which IN tie Greek means
being removed oy fire. The resemblance OF
these mineral threa1s to tidS a. once suggests
that they might BE- woven into an incUmouS-
tfb.e Fabric and this was done by the ancieRts,
the cloth being mainly usoC for wrapping
corpses for the funeral pile In order TO preserve
the ashes or the body from being mixed with
those Of the materials used IN baruing it
An Italian writer relates an amusing fl ,iden;
which is worth repeating here 10 IS34 a man
working IN his vineyard Dear Naples while
digging trench n which 10 set Out some vines
came across an old Paruscan tomb, IN which
he found garment somewhat Ike a large shirt
apparently made or coarse linen. H.. took II
home 10 his Wife, VINO washed &c again and
again, but finding 1t impossible 20 get Il clean.
az last USED II 1or Wlpns dirty floors and SINH
lar Kitchen work. When II had become too
much solled for this puTpOSc, she rhre. II our
Oh the dust heap. Here II was picked no by
some ooys, one OF whom carried It home to his
father. the village baker. He, after due exam
ination, decided that II was tit FOR nothing but
cleaning out his oven. To this use he put It.
nntl IL became 50 black with coal dust
that he threw II into the oven with the
laggots 10 neat IL. But what was his aston
ishment, on opening the oven to clean II
out before putting In his bread to find the old
linen shirt unconsuIned but white and clean,
though the faggots were burnt TO ashes.
street. crying, 40, san Giuseppe, have mercy
Oh me. the devil has got into my oven,H He
then went TO the priest for confession. and told
him what had happened. The good man would
not believe tbs tale but on going with the ba-
ker 10 inspect the oven, was more frightened
than his paTiShtoner had been. Joining the viii
layers and old women who had collected round
the bakers house. he told them, crossing him
self. that the devil indeed had got into theoven
FOR be had seen him with his OWE eyes WhaI
was TO be done? He must b. expelled somehow
or other. Mass must be said. The priests nf
the DelghoorfDg villages collected a PRO
cession formed. ceremonies gone through and
the evil one cast out OF the oven BY eXCrcfS inr
him. SO all this was done. aBd alter snrInk
ling the oven with the conSecrated water. fine
piece OF bedeviled linen was dragged forth with
q pair OF tonSS and thrown with execrattonS
upon dung heap outside the village. Thu
oven, was thus purified. and the village freed
from an unwelcome visitor. An apothecary OF
the next village hearing o. this miraculous
piece OF linen, dared TO go and look at It and no
carry II away. Seeing that IL was something
curious, lie took IL Into the city and presented
1t 10 an antiquarian friend. After passing
through various hands, IT reached The GREAT
national museum OF Naples. where eDshr,ned
IN glass case and repOsing On a velvet cushion.
IL found final resting place as one OF the most
perfect known specimens OF ancient asbestos
cloth.
In our day some experiments have been made
with fabrics OF asbestos especially AS mate
rial for Ill eT1enS dresses. but we are not aware
that these have led to It's permanent use for
that purpose. Some years ago II was tested in
Paris, where fremen, wearing hoods or helmets
OF the incombustible cloth, and garments OF II
put On over other clothing rendered nreproof
by chemical preparations, remained for some
minutes without injury IN the midst of blaZIne,
piles OF wood and straw. Asbestos has also
been used for lining safes, for making incom
bust1ble WickS for lamps. and for chemical
filters; but It's Industrial application Is sill very
limited. The mineral is found in many local.
ties. but the chief deposits or Il are in SAVOY and
Corsica, and on Staten Island IL New York har-
hnr - N>'