Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-26
HISTORY OF SOAP.
his ORIGIN UNKNOWN, BUT THAT
WAS MANY CENTURIES, AGO.
The Oldest Record q Group Of Bubble Blow
ers-A Soap Factory In the City of Pom
peii-Processes of Manufacture Which

peii-Processes of Manufacture Which
The origin of soup is mystery, but wa
have many evidences Of its antiquity. 1t
Is mentioned at least twice in the Bible.
under the name Of borith, at period cor.
responding to several centuries before
Christ.
In the Louvre in Paris there Is an inter
esting old vase of Etruscan manufacture
whose age is computed at about $500
years. 1t is interesting IN connection with
our subject as bearing a group Of children
in relief who are engaged in blowing bulb
bles from pipes. Though we must not
overlook the fact that certain vegetable
juices are capable of being used in blowing
bubbles, it is for many rsnsons more prob,
able that soap OF artificial manufacture
was employed for tho purpose.
In the unearthed city Of Pompeii, the
preservation Of which has been the means
of revealing to us many antique customs
there Is to be seen soap manufactory
with all tho kettles and other parapherna-
lia pertaining to the business; also guam
tity of soap, evidently the product Of this
antique "soapery."
1Hc HicinoraDie volcanic eruption, while
removing city from the face Of the earth,
preserved to us the evidences of high civ.
ilization
had the good fortune, when visiting
Pompcii, to secure some of this ancient
soap and also quantity Of a peculiar
white clay of highly saponaceous char
acter and possessing remarkable detergent
properties 1t was taken from the bottom
| NJ a mol
the spring, no doubt, from which the Pom
| peiian soap manufacturer obtained the
water which he used in making his SOAP.
Political economists tell us that the
quantity OF soap consumed by nation is
q gauge of its state of civilization, and In
this connection it is interesting to observe
that the country in which the soap manu-
iacture was first conducted as "a CONNER
cial enterprise is far behind others today
as u soap making or soap consuming com
munity.
The English manufacture the greatest
quantity of soap per head Of population,
the output being little over one pound
per week per head, while In America 1t Is
just n little under that figure. But we
must not cOncede that this indicates a
higher civilization in England than Mt
home. Great Britain not only consumes
more soap than we do in various manu-
features, but she exports u great deal Of
her product TO other countries, some Of
which is used by the people of the United
States. So our consumption Is doubtless
at least equal to that of our English
cousins. Germany follows next, then
France, then Holland, while Italy takes
poor sixth place.
The United States can boast the largest
and most perfectly equipped soap factories
in the world. Some of them have capac-
ity of more than 5000, 900 pounds week
striking contrast to the little establish.
ment at POmpeii, which, though perfect in
its equipment, had scarcely capacity Of
rs many grains, equivalent to about 40
pounds, in the same time.
OF all the soaps which are now or have
ever been manufactured, those made from
olive oil are the best. 1t Is not surprising
that the olive growing countries of south
ern Europe should have acquired such
great and worldwide reputation rs soap
producing regions for their natural ad-
vantagcs for such an industry are great.
Tho climate and the fertility of their soil
fitted them wcll for the cultivation of the
olive on the ono hand and on the other the
supply of seaweed, known as
barilla, or barigla, from the ashes of
which they prepared their caustic lyes gavo
them an advantage over the rest of tho
world
However, through the discovery of
means of producing caustic soda i'm unlim-
lted quantity from our enormous salt de-
posits, and even from the ocean itself,
has ceased TO be local indus
try.
At the present time the alkai plains Of
the United States promise to become an
important center for this industry for
there In nature is to be found large
of alkali which can be had for
the trouble of taking it from the soil 1t Is
now being used in converting into soap
the tallow and grease from the large herds
OF live stock raised on the adjoining plains.
In Its essentials the process of manufao-
turing soap has scarcely changed since the
time OF the Pompeians. The large fac.
tories use the selfsame methods that were
employed In Pompcii Is or moro centuries
sgo, ana the process is so simple that tho
farmer, or more frequently his wife, can
and often does make his own household
soap.
The simple boiling of quickened I've
with grease or oil and the subsequent ad.
ultlon OF salt to separate the excess of wa
ter ana glycerin, which would make the
soap TOO soft were they not removed, con-
stitute the process. Grease and oils used
N soapmaking all contain glycerin, and
soapinaking consists in boiling the fat
long enough and with sufficient caustio lye
to separate all the glycerin from the fat.
Until the last two decades it was the
habit of the soapmaker to throw away all
his waste lyes which contained this glycer-
In, and in this way an enormous value In
material must have reached our sewers
since the commencement of the present
Today nearly every soap works is also
glycerin factory, and this Is n very i'm
portant and profitable branch Of the bust
ness.-Youth's Companion.