November 1, 1919.] 



THE INDIA RUBBFR WORLD 



77 



wise and eliminate the temperature factor, tlie use of the wash 

 on the left arm was discontinued while continuing the applica- 

 tion to all the other exposed parts ; five days later the left arm, 

 and the left arm only, was broken out with the typical rash. 

 Thinking possibly that this might be due to more frequent con- 

 tact with this arm with the stock, the treatment was omitted 

 from the right arm and again continued on the left. Four days 

 later an eruption appeared on the right arm, while all the other 

 parts treated with bicarbonate were entirely free from any 

 dermatitis. This patient used bicarbonate for a period of four 

 weeks and during that time had no sign of rash except on the 

 forearms when the wash was omitted as previously mentioned. 

 Before using bicarbonate, this patient had had the rash on some 

 exposed part of his body almost continuously for nearly three 

 months. 



A squad of ten men was selected for further tests as to the 

 efficacy of the bicarbonate solution. These men, selected from 

 the various departments handling this stock, had all been 

 troubled more or less severely with rash. This squad was sup- 

 plied with the bicarbonate wash and carefully observed from 

 day to day during a period of two weeks. All, without excep- 

 tion, showed marked improvement ; the old rash healed rapidly 

 and no new eruption developed. During the course of these 

 observations there were several very warm days, W'hich brought 

 on quite a wave of rash among those not being treated. Not one 

 member of the squad, however, developed any rash during this 

 hot spell. 



On the strength of these results bicarbonate solution was pro- 

 vided, so that all the men handling the raw stock containing the 

 hexamethylene-tetramine could obtain it if troubled with this 

 rash. Though it was not possible to obtain as accurate data on 

 all those applying the solution, the reports obtained from both 

 the foremen and the men using the solution were very en- 

 couraging. 



At the Eighth Annual Congress of the National Safety 

 Council held at Cleveland on October 4, 1919, a representative 

 of the Hood Rubber Co. stated that they had had very con- 

 siderable success in combating this rash by using an aqueous 

 solution of borax containing gum arabic. He stated that this 

 mixture dried with some difficulty, and they had installed elec- 

 tric dryers to obviate this trouble. Though the writers have not 

 had opportunity to test this treatment, they feel that the bicar- 

 bonate solution offers a much simpler treatment ; it dries readily, 

 is free from the alkaline reaction of borax and in addition costs 

 very much less. 



While it is true that the necessity for the application of any 

 preventive or prophylactic solution such as bicarbonate of soda 

 or borax, is a serious drawback to the use of a substance as an 

 accelerator, it docs not prohibit its use. It offers a better solu- 

 tion of the difficulty certainly than that offered by the Com- 

 mittee on Accelerators. "Change of occupation," with the en- 

 tailed loss of wages and curtailed production, can scarcely be 

 considered a satisfactory antidote, either from the standpoint of 

 the employe or employer. 



The use of the bicarbonate solution is attended with no dis- 

 agreeable results. When first applied to a severe case there is 

 considerable smarting, but this soon stops after the solution has 

 dried and the patients report that the severe itching which al- 

 ways accompanies this rash is relieved within a few hours, and 

 there is a marked improvement in the appearance of the skin 

 after twenty-four hours. The solution can be applied to the 

 face and neck and even around the eyes with perfect safety. 

 This is of particular importance, as some of the most severe 

 cases are those in which the face, especially around the eyes, is 

 affected. A case which recently came within the observation of 

 the writers was that of a man whose entire face was inflamed 

 to such an extent that both eyes were completely closed. Not 



only was the face affected, but also the arms, shoulders and 

 legs. This case was so severe that it was found necessary to 

 put the patient to bed. Four hours after the first application 

 the inflammation had subsided, the patient stated that the itching 

 sensation was practically gone and he was able to partially open 

 his eyes. At the end of ten hours he was quite comfortable 

 and slept through the entire night. This was quite remarkable 

 for those suffering from the rash complain chiefly of being kept 

 awake at night. Thirty hours after the first treatment he had 

 sufficiently recovered to be discharged from the hospital. 



Though the bicarbonate has an apparent curative effect, it is 

 unquestionably chiefly preventive. The case just cited seems to 

 contradict this, but the writers feel that the curative action was 

 simply due to arresting the further action of the absorbed hexa- 

 methylene-tetramine. The chief interest in this treatment is the 

 fact that further development of new rash is prevented, and the 

 old rash is thus allowed to heal without further infection. 



These observations are published with the realization that 

 they represent the action of bicarbonate on a comparatively 

 small number of cases, but the rtsults seem to justify the con- 

 clusion that bicarbonate can be successfully used in controlling 

 the hexamethylene-tetramine rash. 



In presenting this paper the writers wish to acknowledge their 

 appreciation of the cooperation of both Dr. D. V. McDonald, 

 medical director, and John Young, chief chemist, of the Fire- 

 stone Tire & Rubber Co. 



WESTINGHOUSE WAR MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED. 



The four annual War Memorial Scholarship awards of $500 

 each, established by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing 

 Co., East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have been announced. The 

 following men were successful: Herbert S. Pahren, Cincinnati, 

 Ohio, order clerk in the Cincinnati office, who has selected for 

 his scholarship a technical engineering course at the University 

 of Wisconsin; Arthur Marthens, East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 

 of the cost department, who has chosen a course in electrical 

 engineering at the Carnegie Institute of Technology; Paul O. 

 Langguth. draftsman in the engineering department at East 

 Pittsbugh, who has selected as his award an electrical engineer- 

 ing course at the University of Pittsburgh, and Andrew P. Les- 

 niak, of the production department at East Pittsburgh, who has 

 selected a course in mechanical engineering at the University of 

 Pittsburgh. 



Two classes of scholarships are provided by the Westinghouse 

 company : 



(a) For sons of employes of the company or its subsidiaries 

 who have been employed for five years or longer. 



(b) For employes of the company and its subsidiaries who 

 have been continuously employed for at least two years and who 

 shall not, on September 1. have exceeded the age of 23. Not 

 more than two class B scholarships will be awarded in any year. 



Each scholarship carries with it an annual payment of $500 for 

 a period not to exceed four years, the payment to be applied 

 toward an engineering education in any technical school or col- 

 lege selected by the successful candidate with the approval of 

 the scholarship committee. 



These scholarships have been established as a memorial to those 

 employes of the company and its subsidiaries who entered the 

 service of their country during the war. Four awards will be 

 made each year. 



UNITED STATES PRODUCTION OF BARYTES. 



The crude barj-tes produced and marketed in the United States 

 in 1918 was 155,241 short tons, one-fourth less than the quantity 

 marketed in 1917, and one-third less than that marketed in 1916, 

 according to statistics collected by the United States Geological 

 Survey, Department of the Interior. The average price per ton 

 was $6.73, as against $5.66 in 1917 and $4.56 in 1916. 



