Life-Saving Kapok: A Romance Of Commerce

Northern Advocate, 27 May 1941, Page 9

Life-Saving Kapok: A Romance Of Commerce

Kapok is, in its way, one of the romances of commerce. It is one of those humble things which do so much for our good health and comfort, yet remain unseen and unknown by countless folk. Kapok comes from an immense tree, which grows in abundance in most tropical countries. It resembles a huge, leafless skeleton with great roots supporting, it like buttresses, but it provides the means not only of saving life and making one comfortable, but also for bringing about death. Kapok saves many lives at sea, it brings ease to many a tired body, and often, too, it causes both the innocent and the guilty to die a sudden death.

For eight months in the year the tree is bare and dead-looking, but about the beginning of April it suddenly puts out innumerable flamecclcured flowers, and the tree resembles a mass of fire. The blossoms scon deepen to a blood-red and fall off, to be succeeded by tiny knobs that grow into fruit resembling both in shape and size small pears; they are full of gossamer fibre. The fruit bursts when ripe and the fibre, which has become a creamy down of silky sheen and texture, is scattered far and wide by the wind. It is this down — lighter than thistledown and very oily—which is of so! much use in commerce, and is invaluable on land and at sea.

For years it was used in upholstery to stuff mattresses and chairs and cushions. Then by accident it was discovered that kapok, when treated with heat, becomes three to four times larger, and singularly light and buoyant—lighter than any other fibre known and with the added advantage that it will not absorb water. Kapok cannot get wet, the fibres of it are so oily—hence the reason, too, of its being one of the most inflammable things. A spark sets it on fire, and it blazes up like petrol. Kapok, after it has been treated with heat, far surpasses cork and air belts for buoyancy. With 21b. of it as a lining to a waistcoat it is impossible for the average person to sink when in the water. That is the reason why lifebelts and all other life-saving devices are packed with kapok, which does not absorb water but keeps it out, and the buoyant air in. During the last war this down was practically unobtainable for packing cushions and mattresses; it was all required for the navies of the Allies and their merchantmen. Many a person at sea, when the U-boats and floating mines were sinking vessels, was saved by means of a kapok lifebelt or waistcoat.

Civilised man uses kapok to save life, uncivilised man in equatorial Africa uses the tree which grows it to destroy life. Kapok bark contains a deadly poison, which the natives put to use in a trial by ordeal. The allegedly guilty person is made to drink water in which the kapok bark has been steeped. If death takes place he or she is guilty; if it does not innocence is proved. What the negroes do not understand is that if a big sip of it is taken the person instantly becomes very sick, throws up the poison and so escapes death.