ACHIEVEMENTS OF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY DUISBERG. 253 



tition of the schools and the home where the cellit films would be 

 largely used on account of their noninflammability. The only help 

 then would bo such action by those in authority as to make it difli- 

 cult to employ inflammable films and to facilitate tlie use of cellit 

 fihns. There are prospects of such legislation at least in Germany, 

 which would put an end to cinematograph firos with their great danger 

 to life and property. 



NONINFLAMMABLE CELLULOID (cELLON). 



The problem of manufacturing nonmflammable celluloid by mix- 

 ing cellit with suitable camphor substitutes wliich burn difficultly or 

 not at all may be considered as definitely solved. Eichengrim has 

 simplified the manufacture to an extraordmary extent by showing 

 that certain acetylcclluloses may be gelatinized in the same way as 

 nitrocellulose. As is well known, nitrocellulose with camphor in the 

 presence of a solvent yields a so-called solid solution, and even in 

 the dried state may be easily cut or formed into sticks, tubes, or 

 tlireads. Cellit when treated in exactly the same way with appro- 

 priate camphor substitutes, can be converted into "cellon," the non- 

 inflammable substitute for celluloid. Single blocl<s weighing 200 

 pounds are already produced on a large scale wliich like celluloid 

 can be sawed, cut, and polished; when heated can be pressed or bent; 

 and when subjected to steam at a high temperature can be drawn 

 and molded. Compared with celluloid, cellon has the advantage of 

 being more elastic, soft, and ductile. It is therefore frequently used 

 as a substitute for hard rubber, gutta percha, leather, etc. Cellon, 

 in the form of a liighly viscous, su'up-like solution, may be employed 

 for coating fabrics, wood, paper, metal, etc., with a thick, enamel- 

 like uniform and pliable surface. Thus, patent leather, artificial 

 leath(U", insulators, balloon covers, etc., may be produced. In France 

 this varnish is already employed for enameUng aeroplanes. Objects 

 made of tliis novel anc' \\ddely useful material are to bo found among 

 the exhibits being manufactured by the Rhemisch-Westfalische 

 Sprengstoff Action Gesellschaft in Cologne and the Societe Indus- 

 trielle de Celluloid in Paris. 



RUBBER. 



Finally, i will refer to one <jf the gr<iatest successes and yet one of 

 the most difficult problems of the chemical industry, viz, the pro- 

 duction of synth(itic rubber. I am proud of the fact that its pro- 

 duction was successfully accomplished in the worlds which are under 

 my management, and that I was able to follow every stage of this 

 important discoveiy. Perhaps y<ju would be interested to hoar, 

 although it is getting late, liow the whole thing happened, especially 



