476 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 1, 1912. 



Hitherto Manihot seeds only yielded 8 per cent, of oil against 

 26 per cent, in the case of Kickxia. The oil from the seeds of 

 both trees seems to be of good quality and possibly serviceable 

 as edible oil. For the definite solution of the above important 

 questions a good deal of work is still necessary. The breaking 

 of the hard Manihot fruit and the removal of the Hgneous husk 

 from the seed have been effected in a technically satisfactory 

 manner. 



GUTTA PERCH.A. 



A close investigation of the subject of New Guinea gutta 

 percha is approaching completion ; dealing particularly with the 

 latices of the various trees yielding same, as well as with the 

 components present which do not contain that substance. 



Following up previous reports of the institution, it is recorded 

 that the question of the improvement by treatment of inferior 

 grades of gutta-percha, has now been satisfactorily solved. Pro- 

 vided that no considerable reduction takes place in the prices of 

 the higher grades, it is claimed that this process will show a good 

 profit, where large quantities of the raw material are being 

 worked up. 



SYNTHETIC RUBBER. 



With reference to the numerous inquiries received during the 

 year as to the prospective importance of synthetic rubber the re- 

 port expresses the opinion that it will not have an immediate 

 effect upon the development of prices. As it says : 



"For the one method of extraction the original material seems 

 to be too dear, while for the other it is not available in sufl5cient 

 quantity. For the plantation cultivation of the German colonies, 

 the only danger now, as in the past, lies in the rapid development 

 of the plantations of the East." 



Such are a few of the salient points of this comprehensive 

 10,000 word report; the chief interest of which is the indication 

 of further investigations along the progressive lines which mark 

 the operations of the "Zentralstelle," under the skilled and 

 enterprising direction of Dr. Marckwald and Dr. Frank, as a 

 section of their laboratory. 



THE HENRIQUES CHEMICAL LABORATORY, 

 BERLIN. 



A REMARKABLE instance of continuity in methods of 

 •** analytical research is afforded by the history of the 

 "Chemical Laboratory for Commerce and Industry," founded 

 July, 1890, in Berlin, by the late Dr. Robert Henriques; a name 

 familiar to-the last generation of rubber scientists. From the 

 inception of his enterprise Dr. Henriques devoted attention to 

 the establishment of purely scientific bases for analytical work 

 connected with the rubber industry. It is true that the investi- 

 gations of Wallach, Gladstone and Hibbert, Tilden and others 

 had more or less fully covered the ground, but the utilization 

 of their experiences for strictly analytical purposes, was hardly 

 practicable. 



Another of his special subjects was the theory of vulcaniza- 

 tion ; in addition to the chemistry of the manufacture of rubber 

 substitutes. 



Towards the latter part of the year 1900 Dr. Henriques fell 

 ill, dying two years later. On June 15, 1901, Dr. Edward 

 Marckwald took over the laboratory; Dr. Fritz Frank being 

 associated with him from April 1, 1902. Above are portraits 

 of the two last named chemists, who arc still at the head of the 

 establishment; the memory of Dr. Henriques being perpetuated 

 in its title : — "Chemical Laboratory for Commerce and Industry 

 — Dr. Robert Henriques' Successors — Proprietors, Dr. Edward 

 Marckwald and Dr. Fritz Frank." The scientific bases estab- 

 lished by Dr. Henriques have been developed by his successors. 



Early in 1904 Dr. Frank became sworn expert for rubber and 

 allied branches, to the Berlin Provincial Tribunals I, II and III; 

 being appointed in 1907 to similar positions with the Berlin and 

 Potsdam Chambers of Commerce. 



A new department was added in April, 1910, in the form of 

 the "Central Rubber Bureau for the Colonies," the last report 

 of which is dealt with in another column. This section was 

 specially intended for the treatment of all questions affecting 



Dr. Edu.ard !M.\rckwald. 



plantations ; as well as the cultivation, extraction and prepa- 

 ration of crude rubber. 



The laboratory is now divided into three sections : 

 A. Investigations, reports, chemical and technical consulta- 

 tions ; in all matters affecting the extraction of rubber, 

 crude rubber, working of rubber, and rubber goods. 

 Investigation and valuation of coal, turf, asphalt, mineral 

 oil and tar; as well as the industrial products of same. 

 Central Rubber Bureau for the Colonies. 



B 



C 



Dk. Fritz Fr,\nk. 



When taking up its quarters in its present location, the 

 laboratory was supplemented by an experimental plant, which 

 has permitted the carrying out of experiments relating to vari- 

 ous manufacturing processes. 



Further enlargement of the establishment is now recognized 

 as likely to be an unavoidable necessity in the immediate future. 



