Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-02

n
\ Developments Of science, and one
that promises to prove OF the great
est practical value to everybody who wears
or buys furs. is the study now being made
Of the hairs which compose the fur OF ami
mails These little threads OF animal mat
ter-so slender that tn the naked eye they
all LOOK very much alike-are being studied
with the most painsta!iing care, and what
is being discovered about them will make
j, far easier 10 select the most durable furs
and TO avoid being cheated with clever I'M
itaiions of ermine. sable and other rsrc
and costly FMS.
The hax seals, sables. offers, wolves,
minks. Us and other furbearins anil,
mais, indg even the humble skunk
and woodchIVe, are being examined under
the most powerful microscopes-dissect
measured weighed. photographed and
subjected to all sorts OF delicate labora-
tory tests. The strength OF each Kind of
hair is being tested in order to see how
well it vii! wear when made up into ar
ticlcs of clothing. And the minute but num-
erous differences OF structure which make
the hair of one species OF animal quite
different from that OF every ether species
are being carefully not ed in order to fix
an absolute standard for identifying the
various kinds of fur and thus detecting
fraudulent limitations and substi,utions of
the cheaper for the more expensive va
rietics.
Already this work has progressed SO far
that experts like Leon Augustus Hausman,
of the Cornell University Geological Lab
oratorv al Ithaca. \. y, are able to tell
what animal any given piece OF fur came
from by studying single one OF It's hairs
under their microscopes. The day may not
be far distant when prudent buyers Will
insist ON dealers supporting his claims
as 10 q fnr's scnuineness with labora-
tory analysis OF one Of its hairs. And
the next step Will be 10 have laws requir.
ing each skin to be marked with scientific
evidence Of what il Is, just as Is now done
in the cas-" Of foods and medicines
As everybody who has bought or sold
furs knows. few articles OF commerce are
tho subject OF more dishonest practices.
The scarcity Of sable, seal and other skins
which colmand enormous prices has led
to the flooding OF the market with count.
less limitations fashioned in the most in.
genious way from the inferior skins OF
rabbits. muskrats, woodchucks and other
animals which are found in great abun.
dance. Many of these limitations are 90
clever that even dealers of long experience
are deceived by them and the average
man or woman is entirely helpless 10 tell
which Is the real article and which the
bogus. The manufacture OF these mita.
uon fn!s has become an enormous indus
Try. ore riyalling in magnitude that OF the
genuine, slmon-pure thing
This is why the scientific study OF tho
structures and Identification Characters
ties Of animal hairs Is something OF more
than geological significance. II is a matter
OF practical dol!ars-and-cents interest to
every Wearer OF turs who wants to get me
most FER his or her money
IL il" now possible" SAYS Profe.so,
Eaus!nah in the American Journal Of
Natural History. 40 clip, dye, pail and
qtherwis" alter :urs of certain types so
tna' ihc'r original appearance Is entirely
ioSt ana they may De sold under names no,
"inicrio- fms. remodeled. may be SOLD
under The names Of furz much superior in
gshrin2 quality o: &: warmth or In both.
a.. for Example, when remUdeied rabbit
"a tur NOTABLY poor in wearing quality Is
sold as e!nine, or remodc.ed rluskra, a.
sold a. ten times their legitimate value.
warmth and durability considered
me pelis o: animals from warmer laii.
tudeH, such Is the oposaum. woodchuck
'inaTMoD, TacccOn ana certain species of
monkeys, are worried up by skilful ur
drczsers INTO products very different from
,heiF originals The names which are
gwen 10 suth remodcled furs are the
names Of animals OF colder lat!tudes. such
as otter seal, sable etc.-an!Ingls which
possess iurs superior to those OF the crea.
lures ot warmer zones IN respect 10 dense.
meas and aoitness OF the under or Fur hair
era 10 iAl.ness and length OF the over or
protective halr Furthermore, the tycinY
ana processing 70 which the warner iati.
,nHc iuih are subjected render the hair
ie Durable because more brittle
y u Is clear tina. there exists a need for
some definite criterion by means OF which
inFS' 10 matter how altered by the, dyer
gnu repoaeler, can be indubitably identi.
ht.a as 70 species source. This need the
microscopic study % the hair shafts OF
mammals VIII help 10 meet"
inlnw The Cuticles