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Ch. 8: Vegetable and Imitation Ivory

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290 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT
matter, a pearly or coralline appearance could be imparted to this artificial product.*
As a substitute for ivory a composition containing milk as one of the ingredients has been experimented with, the name bestowed upon it, "Galalith," suggesting the half-mythical galactite, or "milk-stone," of olden time. The great world war operating to cut off much of the usual sup­ply of ivory and the fear that, even under normal conditions, the wholesale slaughter of elephants would sooner or later render genuine ivory a very scarce article, has served to draw attention toward any possibly satisfactory substitute, and the new milk-containing composition has been favour­ably received in some quarters.
An effective method of distinguishing genuine ivory from its vegetable substitute has been recommended. This is to treat a sample piece of the material to be tested for from twelve to fifteen minutes with concentrated sulphuric acid. The whiteness of genuine ivory remains unaffected by this treatment, while the vegetable ivory, derived from the Pkytelephus macrocarpa, becomes rose-tinted. It can, however, readily be restored to its original hue if washed with water, t
The substance named celluloid, composed of cellulose or vegetable fibre reduced by acids to gun cotton, camphor being then added, is the most commonly used substitute for ivory. After the addition of the camphor and any required colouring matter, the resultant mixture is con­densed in cylinders, and finally moulded by heat and pres­sure into the various desired forms, whether useful or ornamental. Lacking as it does all the finish and delicacy of ivory, even in its external appearance, the camphory odour pervading celluloid and its inflammability make it
*Chemical News, October, 1866, p. 19.
^Scientific American, Supplement No. 1235, p. 19800; September 2, 1899.
Ch. 8: Vegetable and Imitation Ivory Page of 681 Ch. 8: Vegetable and Imitation Ivory
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