116 . CASEIN. 



will only absorb barely 1 per cent, of moisture in the same 

 time. Galalith is unacted on by fats, oils, benzol, ether, 

 alcohol or dilute acids, but it swells up considerably in alka- 

 line liquids, which have no action on celluloid. 



Both materials are bad conductors of electricity. Thus 

 experiments made in the Vienna Technical High School 

 with plates of celluloid and of galalith ^ inch thick showed 

 both to be impervious to a current of 16,000 volts tension. 

 The great points of superiority possessed by galalith over 

 celluloid are its freedom from all smell and its uninflammable 

 character. If held in a flame it merely chars, swelling up 

 and giving off a disagreeable smell like burnt horn, whereas 

 celluloid as is well known ignites at once and continues 

 to burn rapidly with liberation of pungent vapours of 

 camphor. The uninflammability and insulating power of 

 galalith will secure it a wide future in electrical work. 



Galalith is made on a large scale at the Wim passing and 

 Harburg works of the above-named company. The casein 

 is obtained from dairies in Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia, 

 where it is separated from sweet skim milk by rennet, the 

 whey being consumed for fodder. 



