Evening star., 1921-03-06

Unless it were truly neutral. if it had
any definite chemical properties. ere
il had gone far among the fibers it
would encounter a chemical opponent
or affinity and be stopped d. the re-
action or absorbed. With Il real
neutral fluid, however. he had Il suit
able carrier for such chemical agents
as he chose to dissolve the crystals
and distribute the tannin against pos
sible rvcrEStalIiZation. A scientific
friend refers to this as Howard :
'principl. of permanency.' because the
penetration CT preparations with the
neutral fluid as their base goes SO far
beyond what have heretofore been re-
garded as finite limitations.
Its practical applications have been
many and varied. one finds them all
through leather tanning and manu-
featuring. Mr.. Howard has one prep
aration which restores to improperly
tanned betting leather the wonderful
interIacing of fibers and multiplies its
tensile strength at the same time
that il renders the belt impervious to
water and, in special cases, TO chem
icals of different kinds. One concern
has Il use for u great leather belt
over two months. Treated by the
Howard method, they give good SerV-
ice now for six months.
Glove feathers have received his
attention. He takes a piece of glove
leather which has been ruined in the
tanning. and brings it back to where
it is mellow and flexible. Cordovan
shoes would hardly have their present
popularity but for him. Cordovan
leather used to acquire a bloom"
(Which came from the stuffing chem
icalS usedb after being exposed to the
air. 1t was difficult of manipulation
in shoe manufacturing and stiff, and
hard on the wearer for the first week,
were shoes made of it. Now all that
is changed by the removal of the
acids left by the tanning.
On his own estimate. one Massachu-
setts shoe manufacturer saves $500 a
day by the use of Il single Howard
formula. In another case. $25. 900
worth of heel lifts, supposedly ruined
ny hood. were not only restored by
hlm, but We're worth S32 900 when he
had finished with them.
Mr. Howard has an emulsion which
is OF no small popular interest. Shoes
treated with il wear three times as
long as otherwise. More. il absolutely
them. This emulsion en-
ters the fberS and bars water from
their minute spaces. while admitting
air In a special form il neutralizeS
The acids in perspiration and keeps
the insole, which is SO important to
any shoe, soft and flexible
IT is in connection with the emul-
sion that the difficulty has arisen
of keeping the neutral fluid, which is
its foundation. in Il container. The
ordinary tin can. though watertight
in the usual sense, is quite too porous
to hold it. and Mr.. Howard has had
to have made cans of d special grade
of tin.
Howard's work with fibers led him
not unnaturally to textiles. and here
again his neutral fluid served him
well. By its use he fireproofs cloth
sending in with it chemical agents
which permanently protect the fbers
from combustion. Nor can this be
washed out. 1t leaves no perceptible
odor. What tireproof clothing means
to workers in the steel and iron in
duStrieS. in glasSmaking. in foun
dries and in many another line of
work where there is constant danger
from fire needs no extended comment.
Similarly, Howard mothproofs fab
RIGS so that with one application.
which affects a garment in no other
way whatever. it is protected for the
rest of its life from the little winged
mischief makers. The Howard method
of protecting sails from mildew-and
rests on the same basis. His neutral
fluid carries the proper eler>ents into
the fibers to a point where they can
defy oXidiZation.
Mrs. Howard wished for a dustless
duster one day. A dustless duster is
not now novelty. but the kind. that
Howard got up for his wife is. 1t
works like Il charm. Mrs. Howard is
his best pal. Though an invalid now,
and never a strong woman. she has
kept his records in shape and looked
after many practical affairs while her
chemist husband was unraveling ma
lures mysteries.
The cure for poison ivy came the
same way. AS a boy Howard was al
ways getting poisoned himself and later
on the little daughter of d neighbor of
whom he was fond seemed especially
susceptible to this trouble. The chemist
soon found a cure, which is nothing in
the world but plain hyposulphide OF
soda. which can be procured at any
drug store.
Another neighbor asked for something
to spray on horses and cattle to keep
flies and insects off them. Blooded
stock have highly organized nerves and
need protection from these pests. They
got il from this Chemist. and 4. COM,
4 = u