A MAGIC CHEMICAL.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1600, 6 February 1906, Page 4

A MAGIC CHEMICAL.

The Hungarian chemist. P.runn, claims to have discovered a liquid chemical compound which renders curtain kinds of niutiiT proof against the effects of time. He asserts that it doubles the density of nearly every kind of stone, and renders it waterproof. It imparts to all metals qualities which defy oxygen and rust. It is also a germicide of hitherto unequalled powers. The professor says that, while travelling in Greece, some *JS years ago, he noticed that the mortar in stones of ruins which Here known to he over 2001) years old was as hard, fresh, and tenacious as if it had been made only a year. He secured a piece of the tjiortar, and has been working on it over since until now, when, lie says, he has discovered the secret. The compound is a yellow liquid, which the professor lias'christened zorene. He describes the following experiment : A piece of ordinary and easily-breakable slag, after immersion in zorene, defied the full blow of a hammer. There was the same effect on ordinary bricks and a block of red jarrah wood. All three were then immersed in water for a loner time. Wlien taken out and weighed with delicate scales, the presence of a single particle of added moisture could not be detected. Two pieces of steed submerged to an ammonia test equal to five years' exposure to the air, emerged from a bath as they entered it. An ordinary table knife whieli had lain open for five months did not show the slightest stain. 'Professor iirunn asserts thrit he will b«- able to make roads dust, germ and waterproof, thus giving a commercial value to hundreds of millions < f tons of slag which is now useless in the mining and smelting districts. His discovery will, at' the very least, he says, double the life of metals exposed to the air, such as iu bridges, railroads, vessels and tanks. I