The Washington times., 1905-08-17
Origin of Soap.

Soap is SO common a feature of daily
| life people are apt to forget that it is
the basis Of one of the oldest and most
valuable industries in the world.
The first mention OF soap was made
in the writings of Piiny. who claims il
was first invented by the Gauls and
made of compressed fat and wood ashes
For many years the Germans were the
most expert soap makers.
The Emperor Charles V of Spain had
among his servants an expert soap
maker.
Many people believe that cleanliness
and soap are the results of civilization,
but this is a totally erroneous idea. Civi-
Hzation Is rather the result of cleanli-
ness and soap.
Hundreds Of years ago, when Rome
was the center of civilization. bathing
was almost the most important feature
of their day, and soap was as indispen-
sable To them as ii is TO civilized people
today.
Their favorite kind was made OF a fine
! piece OF pumlce stone. around which was
! nodded a cake of soap. As the cake
turned in their hands the edges of the
/ pumice would touch the skin. and so
wear away all foreign substances. keep
| ing the skin n healthy condition and
+ free from all accumulations thai might
iinjure its clearnesS. SoItntsS, ana DedulE;
/ During the excavation OF the ruins oI
( POmpelf the shop OF a soap manuTac-
Iurer was discovered with soap IN H.
| which proves that even at this early
date it was in great demand
! The real secret OF the cleansing power
( of soap has never been properly eX-
plained. II Is probably due TO what Is
known as hydroIysis. or partial decom-
/ position into free alkaH and insoluble
| acid soap. and 10 the power of the So
/ luton to dissolve fats.
There is a great deal to be feared
! from the use or poor soap. When the
| Importance Of the part it plays IN eV'
/ eryday life is realized one should be
| very careful IN its choice, as some cheaI
soaps are made OF alkal1 and acids ina
are most injurious TO the skin,
! AS a rule any soap which appears II
I i store under the name of any respect
! able house is OF good quality No mons
OF any standing can afford 20 put worth
less goods on the market
| II is no longer the fashion to US,
either highly perfumed or highly col
| ored soaps The purest are very white
| ana without perfume OF any klnd,
/ In old days. when soap was first made
the more highly perfumed II was The
more people wanted 1t. but now it /!
considered very bad taste TO use any
but the most dellcately scented soap.
In New York city the manufaetnre o
soap gives employment 10 At least 20,
people, and the product represents mil
lions OF dollars every year II Is a trade
demanding great skill and in those de
partments where technical and chemica
! knowledge is required. the wages paiC
are very high.
1t is curious fact that the funda
mental recipe for soap today is almos
exactly the same as that used hundred
/ years ago.
The fancy soaps come from every
I where, though, perhaps, the best known
are manufactured IN France.
/ The three most important reasons 70
the value OF soap are as follows:
II removes dirt and all Infectious ma
terial from the skin.
Soap removes any exceptions whicl
may be lodged ia the Cpening of IN,
pores Of the skin.
Soap softens the epidefmis or QUITE
skin and prevents it from jcracking.