Popular Science Monthly 



seem to be an almost impossible posture. 

 The toes of the left foot, which is in the 

 stirrup, barely touch the floor and the 

 worker is forced to lean foward and 

 press his abdomen against the upper 

 pole of the stump that he may retain his 

 balance. 



In the case of plucking machines much 

 of the danger to health is eliminated be- 

 cause the plucking machines are supplied 

 with suction devices which carry off the 

 loose particles of fur and dust. 



The next treatment to 

 which the skins are sub- 

 jected is the most dan- 

 gerous one. It is known 

 as carroting. The pelts, 

 with what fur remains 

 on them after the long 

 hair has been removed, 

 are placed on a table 

 and scrubbed with ni- 

 trate of mercury solu- 

 tion. This gives a bril- 

 liant yellow color to the 

 light parts of the fur. 

 Hence the name. In some 

 instances this work is 

 done by hand and in 

 others bv machinerv. 



69 



volving brush which passes through a 

 bath of mercury. In either case it is 

 necessary for the workman to wear 

 strong gum gloves to protect his hands 

 from the mercury solution. 



The carroted fur is now taken to dry- 

 ing rooms where it is placed on racks and 

 dried in ovens. When the mercurial 

 solution has been volatilized the skins 

 are put through the shaving process. 

 Machines cut the hair from the skins 

 and deposit it on metal trays. Girls 



"Carroting," or scrubbing the rabbit pelts with nitrate of 

 mercury solution. It is the use of this nitrate of mercury 

 which constitutes the* greatest hazard in the fur felt trade 



When carroting is done by hand the 

 workman holds the pelt on a table and 

 scrubs it with a brush which he dips in 

 the mercury solution. When it is done 

 by machinery he holds the pelt on a re- 



fur are for the 

 workers suffer 

 ing brought on 

 ter. Some of 

 found to be per 



Combing rabbit skins to 

 remove particles which 

 may be lodged in the fur. 

 A good workman combs 

 twelve hundred of these 

 skins a day 

 sort out the hair of the 

 various parts of the ani- 

 mal's body and place it 

 in groups. The skins, 

 when they are denuded 

 of hair, are used to 

 make glue. 



It is impossible to de- 

 scribe the noise of the 

 cutting machines. Unless 

 a person has leathern 

 lungs he cannot make 

 himself heard in the cut- 

 ting rooms, even if he 

 shouts close to your ear. 

 The girls who sort the 

 most part young. The 

 from defects of hear- 

 by the unearthly clat- 

 the workers who were 

 fectly devoid of hearing 



