Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-03-28
CHEMISTS At SEA-
Formulas That Have Baffled
Scientists for Centuries.
Substitute for Rubber, outta PERCH.
Camphor Cork, Rust and Mortar
oefIss the Skill Of the Most
Noted Inventors,

1t was announced a few weeks 10,
that noted chemist of the Imperia
technical school Of Moscow had solve
the problem Of making artificial rub
per. and that he could sell the neu
product at about 30 cents a pound,
Yet. in spite Of this widely nh.
seminated piece Of news. the price q,
rubber remains pretty much the Same
The reason may be found BY examIn,
ing the patent once records, sav,
London Tit-Bits. During the past ten
or twelve years nearly 300 patents
Tor artificial rubber have been taken
out. eA
Substitutes have been made from
petroleum. from coal tar, turpentine
peat. from nitrated linseed oil and Nv
treating cereals with phyalin.
The latter invention made a cons,d.
cradle sensation 30 long ago as 1905.
yet, judging by. the constantly in.
creasing demand for the natural prod.
uct, 1t has had little effect upon tho
real rubber market. ga
The chemist. working in the labor.
atory. can take any substance and
analyze it-that is, break 1t up into
Its original constituents and tell Won
what they are, and how much Of each
element the substance in question !.
composed Of. E.
But when it comes to building nm
the original substance out of ,ts
prime constituents there he is at sea,
by dint OF long and patient expert.
ments, or perhaps by pure chance. he
may succeed in reproducing some
natural products. but that is as far as
he can go.
Indigo dye took many years to
synthesize. A German chemist &C.
complished 1t at last, but the curious
discovery was made that, II blended
with the natural product made from
the indigo plant. the color produced
was both more durable and brighter
than that made by either dye alone.
50 artificial indigo has not yet ruined
the indigo planter.
Artificial camphor has also been
produced. It is now made from pine
tree turpentine But the chemist has
not yet succeeded in synthesizine
gutta percha. This commodity grows
yearly more rare. Enormous guam.
titles are required for making golf
balls and for the covering Of subms-
rine cables. A fortune awaits the
clever man who can make artificial
gutta percha at price which will al.
low 1t to compete with the juice Of
the Dichopis gutta. -
Cork Is another substance of every
day use which seems to defy the in.
ventor. The only substitute for cork
is paper treated with parafan wax.
But such q cork could not be used for.
q bottle of wine. So far nothing has
been artihcially made to compete
with the bark of the cork oak.
+, At Delhi, the new capital Of india,
stands an ancient iron monument,
which. though exposed at all weather.
er, never rusts or decays. Yet 1t has
no protective covering. Here is a
secret which would be simply invalu.
able to the world, which has been dis
covered by some Indian artificer Of
old time and most unfortunately been
lost.
At recent meeting Of the Iron and
Steel institute Mr.. Cushman said that
we could face the future with com.
placency If we could rediscover the
secret. To ship owners alone 1t would
mean a yearly saving OF millions.
Rust is the great enemy of the steel
ship, and she has constantly to 60
Into dock to have her hull coated
with anti-corrosive solution.
The mortar made by the ancients
defies our laboratory workers Of to.
day. Many ancient dyes are more
durable than any modern one and Of
these. too, we have, lost the secret, az
we'll as of the wonderful and prac j
tically everlasting ink which was used
by the monks Of old.