Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-03-29
chemists AT SEA
Formulas That Have Baffled
Scientists for Centuries.
Substitute for Rubber. outta Percha.
campher Cork. Rust and Mortar
Defies the skill Of the Most
Noted Inventors.

It was announced q few weeks ago
that a noted chemist of the Imperial
Technical school OF Moscow had solved
the problem OF making artificial rub.
Der. and that he could sell the new
product at about 32 cents a pound
Yet. in spite OF this widely dis
seminated piece Of news. the price OF
rubber remains pretty much the same.
The reason may be found by examin'
Ing the patent office records. says
London Tit-Bits. During the past ten
or twelve years nearly 800 patents.
for artificial rubber have been taken
out
Substitutes have been made from
petroleum from coal tar turpentine.
peat. from nitrated linseed oil and by
treating cereals with phyalin.
The latter invention made a consid.
cradle sensation so long ago as 1906;
yet. judging by the constantly In
creasing demand for the natural prod.
uct. II has had little effect upon the
real rubber market. ~,
The chemist working in the labor
atory, can take any substance and
anaiyre it---that Is. break II up into
its original constituents, and tell you
what they are and how much of each
element the substance in question Is
composed or
But when II comes to building un
the original substance out of its
prime constituents there he Is at sea
BY dint OF long and patient experi,
ments or perhaps by pure chance. he
waa nrs.~ 4. .N..A
natural products. but that is as far as
he can 60, - s ~
Indigo dye took many years to
synthesize A German chemist nc
complished it 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 bv either dive alone
so artificial indigo has not yet ruined
the indigo planter
Artificial camphor has also been
r-oduced " r. now made from n'ne
fee turpensine But the chemist has
rot vet succeeded in svnthesiziuR
-gutta percha This commodity grows
yearly moro rare. Enormous guam
halls and for the covering OF subma.
fine cables. A.. fortune. awaits the
clever man who can make artificial
vi'tta percha NJ 3. price which will al.
low II 10 comnate with the Juice OF
fhc n'chopis sutta
Cork In another substance Of every.
dav use which seems to DEFY the in.
rentor The only substitute for corl,
is par treated with parafin wax
Put such cork could not be used for
a bottle Of vine So far nothing has
been artif,ciallv made to compete
with the bark OF the cork oak
Az Delhi the new capital. OF India
stands an ancient iron monument
which thoueh exnosed at all weather
er. never rusts or decays Yet 1t has
no protective covering Here Is
secret which would be simply invaIu.
able to the world. which has .been die.
covered bv some Indian artificer OF
nld time and most unfortunately been
lost
Az recent meeting or the Iron and
Steel institute Mr Cushman said that
we could face the future with com
piacency II we could rediscovers tho
secret To, .ship owners alone It would
mean yearly saving or millions
Prst is the great enemy OF the steel
ship and she. has constantly to go
irto dock to have her hull coated
with anti-corrosive solution.
The mortar made by the ancients
de''es orr laboratory workers OF to
day, MANY ancient dyes are more
durable than any modern one and OF
these tooa we have lost the secret. as
well as Of the wonderful and prac
tical1y everlasting ink which was used
by the monks OF old