On a new form of reagent against perspiration effects on shoe materials
In a discussion of a series of tests connected with the fastness of colours on textile fibres, Villavecchia (1918) mentions the use of neutral ammonium acetate or common salt solution for measuring the colour resistance to perspiration. Thus in the case of coloured cotton, this is immersed for 10 min. alongside an equal quantity of white cotton yarn in a 0·1% aqueous ammonium acetate at 80°C., and the extent of colouring of the yarn as well as the degree of stripping of the coloured sample noted after drying without rinsing. An odd number of degrees of fastness is arbitrarily assigned to the coloured specimen according to the result, e.g. V degrees if neither the original tint nor the whiteness of the yarn is changed. Similarly with linen, hemp and ramie. For coloured wool both methods are used, viz. with sodium chloride and with ammonium acetate. In the former case, the alteration in colour is noted after simply dipping the wool in salt solution and allowing to air-dry out at room temperature. In the latter case, an equal quantity of white zephyr wool in addition to the white cotton is present. V degrees in all cases are stated to be conventionally adopted between industrial associations and dyestuff manufacturers for materials which are fast enough to reveal no change whatever in the testing bath. For coloured silk there are no precise data, and usually it is immersed in distilled water for several days to ascertain if any colour is lost.
Human Foot Perspiration, its Nature and Interactions with Footwear
Investigations on perspiration, particularly in regard to feet, are not easy to carry out; observations have to be made under a variety of conditions and complicating factors. A man's foot perspiration may be alkaline whilst another's is acid, and the same person may show different reactions on the same day.
Investigations on the rôle of organic matter in plant nutrition
1. As the result of decomposition of green manure in a swamp soil, the coarse fractions (including coarse and fine sand) of the surface layer (first 3 inches) decreased by 11·2 per cent. while the fine ones (silt+clay) increased by 9·8 per cent. in the course of 43 days. The effect was less pronounced in the manured soil maintained at 60 per cent. saturation, while no alteration was to be noticed in the case of the unmanured specimens. 2. Treatment with dilute hydrochloric acid prior to dispersion had no appreciable effect on the estimates of mechanical composition obtained in the different cases. Loss in solution was also comparatively small. 3. The silica-sesquioxide ratio increased slightly as the result of decomposition of green manure in swamp soil. The composition of the fine fractions was also altered, the total percentages of the oxides of iron, aluminium and silicon increasing from 90·5 to 99·3 in the course of 71 days. 4. The practical significance of the above and related observations has been discussed.