Gums, Resins, 



14 



To a thoughtful man no great intellectual effort is required to understand 

 that none of these difficulties would exist if one could directly utilise the vege- 

 table milks or juices before the natives of the tropical forests had coagulated 

 and rendered them into balls and other shapes ; in a word, if it were possible 

 to make these coagulations at the works, but in definite forms, appropriated to 

 all usual necessities. If this could be done, the enormous and costly plant, the 

 complicated, long and expensive operations, would tints be nearly totally sup- 

 pressed. Operating in this Avay, one would but imitate the Indian, who makes 

 for his personal requirements in the forest boots, cartridge bags, hats, and all 

 sorts of objects, but who, knowing nothing of mixing and vulcanizing, neces- 

 sarily produces unstable articles. If, however, he knew all the marvellous pro- 

 perties of the latex, he could have at hand all the means for fixing the form 

 of his objects. 



The properties or qualities were determined 18 years ago by a young 

 doctor of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, Doctor Morisse, who, sent out by the 

 French Government at the head of a scientific mission from 1887 to 1889, in the 

 regions of the Upper Orinoco and the Rio Negro, in order to especially study 

 latex-bearing trees in those far-off regions, described the dry-smoking of Para 

 rubber and established the antiseptic conditions of the operation. He first used 

 the term antiseptics as applied to rubber, in showing what was the purpose of the 

 smoking, and he determined the rules of chemical operations which it was prudent 

 to practise to prevent the fermentation of the latex, and to prevent it from being 

 resinous, or becoming resinous if exposed to air. Living at some 3,000 kilometres 

 from the coast with the Indians, and having little but the rubber as raw material, 

 he first of all tried to adapt it to his own personal wants. Then he sought by 

 every means to solve all the mysterious unknown points of this interesting problem, 

 studying the gum at its very source, in the latex, and even in the trees which 

 produced this vegetable milk. The first mission was followed by two others at 

 five years' interval, and the author succeeded so completely that all the ulterior 

 laboratory experiments have but confirmed the laws he laid down, and he 

 may be incontestably called the creator of the first scientific theory of raw 

 rubber. 



It is these results, the application of his theories, which, patented every- 

 where after long, patient and serious controlling experiments, will now permit 

 the manufacture of rubber to be reduced to its most simple expression. If one 

 remembers that the manipulations at present practised in rubber works increase 

 the price of it by at least 30 per cent., in spite of the enormous mass of inert 

 powders, substitutes and inferior gums which good quality rubber is made to 

 absorb ; if one considers that an average pneumatic tyre costs from £5 to £15 

 at wholesale prices, lasts a comparatively short time, and that in France alone 

 tyres to the value of about £2,000,000 were sold in 1904, or about 84,000 covers 

 and an incredible quantity of inner tubes, it is easy to see what an enormous 

 value the new process is likely to have. 



The problem to be solved was twofold :— 



1. The transport of fresh rubber milk into France without any alter- 

 ation whatever of its properties. 



2. Its coagulation, moulding and vulcanization. 



The author's studies, completed by microscopical analyses and a long 

 series of practical experiences, have disclosed all the secrets of the latex, and 

 have permitted him to solve these different problems with relative facility ; 



