" There are various forms of this.
Some are phenolic condensation products of formaldehyde like those we
have been considering, but some use coal-tar compounds having no phenol
groups, such as naphthalene sulfonic acid. These are now being made in
England under such names as "paradol," "cresyntan" and "syntan." They
have the advantage of the natural tannins such as bark in that they are
of known strength and can be varied to suit.
This very grasping compound, formaldehyde, will attack almost anything,
even molecules many times its size. Gelatinous and albuminous substances
of all sorts are solidified by it. Glue, skimmed milk, blood, eggs,
yeast, brewer's slops, may by this magic agent be rescued from waste and
reappear in our buttons, hairpins, roofing, phonographs, shoes or
shoe-polish. The French have made great use of casein hardened by
formaldehyde into what is known as "galalith" (i.e., milkstone). This is
harder than celluloid and non-inflammable, but has the disadvantages of
being more brittle and of absorbing moisture.
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