802 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



THE INDIA-RUBBER INDUSTRIES * 



By THOMAS BOLAS, F. C. S. 



rNDIA-RUBBER, or caoutchouc, possesses properties so widely 

 J- different from those of most other substances that it became an 

 object of very great interest as soon as it made its appearance in the 

 civilized world, and its industrial importance has rapidly increased as 

 the knowledge of its remarkable characters and manifold applicability 

 has become more extended. At the present time, caoutchouc holds 

 such an important position with regard to the economy of modern arts 

 and manufactures, that, were it suddenly to be withdrawn from circu- 

 lation, many minor industries would in consequence cease to exist ; 

 while numerous large and important branches of handicraft would lan- 

 guish until arrangements could be made to adapt their operations to 

 the altered circumstances. 



It is, however, during the last forty years that India-rubber has 

 enjoyed its greatest triumphs as an industrial agent that is to say, 

 since the art of vulcanization was discovered and perfected by the 

 labors of Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock, and others. 



The earliest rumor of the existence of caoutchouc reached Europe 

 nearly five hundred years ago ; the first visit of Columbus to Hayti 

 having brought to light the fact that the natives of this island were in 

 the habit of making playing-balls of an elastic gum. Nothing more 

 appears to have been heard of India-rubber until Torquemada, rather 

 over two hundred and fifty years ago, described the Mexican Indians as 

 not only making playing-balls of India-rubber, but also as fabricating 

 helmets, shoes, water-proof fabrics, and other articles of elastic gum. 

 This writer gives some details as to the collection of the juice and the 

 making of various articles from it, thus giving us the first view of the 

 India-rubber manufacture as a branch of industry. We do not hear, 

 hewever, of samples of India-rubber reaching Europe until long after 

 this, and little more appears to have been learned regarding the sub- 

 stance until the celebrated French naturalist, La Condamine, made a 

 communication to the Academy of Sciences at Paris concerning caout- 

 chouc, he having had ample opportunities of studying the subject in 

 Para. In the memoir in question, La Condamine gives very detailed 

 particulars regarding the Para India-rubber tree, the collection and 

 treatment of the juice, and the methods made use of by the natives 

 for the production of various articles of caoutchouc. He tells us that 

 the substance in question was used for making torches, these being 

 only an inch and a half in diameter by two feet long, and yet burning 

 for twelve hours. Again we hear of the use of India-rubber for the 

 making of playing-balls, and it appears that the natives were in the 

 habit of using enema or injection bottles made of caoutchouc. 

 * Lecture before the London Society of Arts. 



