I 'I . 1 MBF.R 1, 1914. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



125 



rubber manufacturers will find the authorities of the Medical 

 Supply Depots desirous of welcoming any suggestions for 

 further applications of rubber to existing equipment. 



Of decidedly varied employment, however, arc articles of 

 rubber for medical and surgical purposes. Experiment and 

 experience have shown that articles < i rubber fulfil the re- 

 quirements both of lightness and of freedom from breakage. 

 We enumerate a few of the i < important items em- 

 ployed in the Field Medical Supply Department of our 

 own army: Hot-water bottles; ice-caps; syringes, both of hard 

 ami soft rubber; atomizers; powder dusters; catheters; stomach, 

 and rectal tubes; operating cushions or "Kelley pads"; air 

 cushions and air beds; rubber gloves and fingi i cots; tubing; 

 sheeting; tourniquets; aprons; funnels; bandages; crutch 

 tip-; me. Heine droppers; collapsible drinking cups, lolding 

 buckets and bath tubs; pans of inhalers; washers for hypo- 

 dermic and other syringes. 



Incidentally, the .Medical Supply Division of the United 

 States Army is 

 said to be in a 

 position to take 

 care of the 

 want- of an 

 army far in ex- 

 cess of i air pres- 

 ent >tanding 

 army, on forty- 

 eight hours' 



notice. ... 



T , .. . United States Arm} Lourniquei 



In addition to 



these, the governments use extensive quantities oi hard rubber 



goods for general purposes, ["hese embrace combs; tooth, hair 



and nail brushes; soap dishes, etc. 



The Medical Supply Section of our own army is under the 

 immediate jurisdiction of the surgeon-general, whose office is 

 in Washington. Supplies for the army are purchased by the 

 officers in charge of the various Medical Supply Dei>"t-. 

 winch carry stock in New York, St. Louis, San Francisco 

 and some other cities. Supplies are generally purchased upon 

 competitive bids. Specifications for annual stocks are issued 

 once a year, but additional specifications are issued almost 

 continually during the year. The Field Medical Supply Depot 

 i- a special branch of the service, with headquarters at 

 \\ ashington. 



THE EMDEN'S END A RUBBER RELIEF. 



It is stated that the "Emden." the German cruiser which sunk 

 twenty-five or more merchantmen belonging to the Allies before 

 it was brought to book by the Australian "Sydney," cost the rub- 

 ber industry, or more accurately the rubber insurers, about a 

 million dollars. Three of the merchantmen sunk by the "Em- 

 den's" guns had cargoes of rubber from the Far East, bound 

 for London, amounting, all told, to about 3,000 tons. 



A NEW LIFE-SAVING INVENTION. 



A recent report of Consul General R. E. Mansfield, sta- 

 tioned at Vancouver, British Columbia, contains a description 

 of a life-saving suit invented by Captain More, a shipmaster 

 of Vancouver, and patented in Canada. Great Britain, France, 

 the United States and Belgium. It is made of rubber and can 

 be easily put on. It is entered from the top, i- equipped 

 with a hood which, when adjusted, leaves only the face ex- 

 posed to the water. A belt, passing around the body just 

 below the arms can be quickly inflated by blowing into a tube 

 attached. The wearer floats in an upright position and water- 

 tight pockets on each side provide receptacles for food and 

 liquids. Successful experiments have recently been conducted 

 and demonstrations made in the use of this suit. 



AMERICA AND THE EUROPEAN WAR. 

 By Ludwig W. Schmidt. 

 rROM general information received by the writer in pri 

 * letters, it seems that the German rubber industry was 



fairly active during the first months of the war, and, con- 

 sidering the enormous demand for war materials and the in- 

 fluence rubber has on many industries connected with the 

 uction of such supplies, it appears that the demand for 

 rubber manufactures will continue — at least as long as Ger- 

 many can keep the enemy outside her boundaries. The rub- 

 ber industry in England i- certainly as busy as it >-> in Ger- 

 many, and its opportunities are greater. England can add to 

 the demand from her own ivai office the considerable amount 

 mess done by Germany before the war. pro- 

 vided her industry i- able to replace German goods in quality 

 and price Little definite information ha- been obtained re- 

 he I rench rubber industry, but it can mised 



that the works which are interested in the manufacture of 

 war material w ill i isy. 



Under these circu ■ - it is clear that the demand for 



raw rubber must be very 1 Germany cannot get new 



supplies. It has, as far as can be ascertained, large quanti 

 of raw rubber in -tock, which, however, must some day be 

 exhausted; and it is an interesting problem what Germany 

 will then do. 1 1 is verj likely that her reclaiming industry is 

 already supplying thai part of the demand which until now has 

 been an reclaimers. It is impossible to say 



whether any amount of reclaimed rubber is -till leaving this 

 ri rmany. If so, the quantity must be small. 



Everything, therefore, points to the conclusion that a 

 end of the war stocks in raw material as well as in reel, 

 rubber will be small and that large replenishments will have 

 to take place. It is impossible to -ay what the end of this 

 conflict will be and what the economl situation in the war- 

 ring countries will be at its conclusion. However, it seems 

 practically certain that a new and strong demand for raw 

 material and reclaimed rubber will arise as soon as normal 

 conditions have been restored. Thin will materially affect 

 the American reclaimer. The European field has been a very 

 good one for him in the past and there is no reason why it 

 should not again be as satisfactory. Of course it will take 

 some tinu to resume old relations, and confidence will be 

 shaken. Nevertheless, it would be bad policy to let the war 

 interfere with development of business in Europe. The mar- 

 ket- of England. France, Germany and some of the other 



countries ai 1, but those oi Spain and Italy remain open 



and it is i • d that these nations will be able to main- 



fain their neutrality. Both these markets can be entered suc- 

 fully by the American reclaimer, and it would be advisable 

 to take steps at once t" develop this export business, while 

 Russia, one of the largest producers of reclaimed rubbi 

 greatly hampered in her movements and the Russian industry 

 suffering in consequence. Having secured Id in these 



two markets, it will be much less difficult to resume business 

 relations in the older market* when peace is restored than it 

 would be if relation- had been entirely cut off. 



Incidentally it may be remarked that, as a result of the 

 war, there will not only be a large demand for reclaimed 

 rubber, but in addition to this there ought to be an increase 

 in the supply of waste rubber. Whether this will be of the 

 first class, of course, is doubtful. War waste as a rule is not 

 of the highest grade, but the cessation of collection during 

 the past few months will bring in its wake a I; !nme 



of material, which ought to benefit the reclaimers in the 

 United States. It seems probable, therefore, that the war, 

 while at the moment stopping the business of the American 

 reclaimer in Europe, will not injure it permanently. On the 

 contrary, a large demand can be expected when normal mar- 

 ket and manufacturing conditions are restored. 



