A HOSPITAL FOR BOOKS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1508, 24 January 1901, Page 16

A HOSPITAL FOR BOOKS

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OLD VOLUMES NEW ANB WHOLE. (“Pearson’s Weekly.”) If a clever hoy or girl choose to establish a book hospital there is no doubt but that plenty of patients—quite enough to afford a comfortable living—would apply for treatment. Patience, neatness, and care are the capital required, with time to learn how to nurse abused or aged volumes back to a good physical condition. Purc’hasei*s for libraries will tell you that they are continually rejecting books because they are tattered and avorn, or “holey.'’ These could be sent to the hospital and doctored into value. All public as well as private libraries would be patrons of such an enterprise, and to their own great- gain.

“The art of restoring and mending books.” says ono who speaks with authority, “is as yet much in its infancy.” One cardinal rule to keep in mind is never to try experiments with valuable works; try new methods of restoration on comparatively worthless books. For book bindings which have lost their gloss a preparation is made as follows : Take pov dered gum-copal, add to it oil of rosemary sufficient to form a solution. Pour off the superfluous liquid and mix the remainder with sufficient alcohol to dissolve it well. In making, take only enough oil to cover the copal; and of

alcohol, aboui* eight parts to the whole. A. fresh ink spot can. ho easily removed from o- printed page by rubbing to with ■a finely pulverised mixture or saltpetre, sulphur, alum and powdered pumice scone, if the spot be an. .old one moisten it- first with a- little water. When the iuk does not penetrate the paper it can he .removed by erasure- with a sharp penknife or a preparation of powdered puin_ ice stone and vulcanised india-rubber, sold 1 at the shops. When this does not work; its action can be aided by moistening it. Alter .erasure rub- the spot wit powdered. pumice stone, and' then polish with a- burnisher. Or, still another, way ; lay underneath the- blot a pad of blotting paper; dip a- fine sponge in lemon juice, and press it on the stain so as to moisten it. Then with a clean, soft rag, folded into- a pad, press on the spot, and the pad, lifted oft’ will remove a little of the ink. Repeat this process, taking a olea-n part of the pad each time. Do not try to rvh the stain out, but to draw the ink away or cut by absorption. To- become an expert at this treatment pour ink over a worthless page and experiment. In- old ’manuscripts ink spots were sometimes covered with ornaments in gold or colour. To remove’ grease spots heat an iron and hold it ns near as .pass idle to the stain without discolouring the paper, when, the grea.se or wax will disappear. Upon any traces that are left put powdered calcined magnesia, for a- time. Bone, well calcined .nna* powdered, is an excellent absorbent of grease; also plaster ,of Paris. For extracting- spots of a resinous nature use ears d© Cologne, turpentine, or benzine. A beautifully bound book, and quit© new, had oil from •& lamp spilt over it. The culprit called for quicklime, but there was none to be had. So .fee* got some bones, which he quickly calcined and pulverised, and 1 applied. The next •morning there was no trace of oil. but only an .odour which soon vanished. Book 'worms and their .ravages have been made the- subject of recent experiment in America. An ounce of prevention, is worth a good many pounds of cure in the case of book worms. Books kept clean and well dusted are seldom visited -by them. To get rid. of these pests pyrethrum insect powder may be used, or carbon bisulphide, evaporated in closed boxes or cases containing the books. To- mend a worm-eaten hole- on a page take another piece of paper of the same quality and chop it- fine with a knife. Cfoa&biue it- with Hour paste-, which has a little clear, white glue in it. Lay a piece of tin under the ,sheet Which, has tlie hole, spread the paste, which is •really soft paper, with a knife over the hole. When dry if is- well mended. The pulp. must he a fine paste, not Lumpy and stringy. It* is better first -to experiment on a sheet of paper in which holes have been punched, because success may noo crown one’s first efforts. Torn edges may often be reunited so as to- be almost as good as new. This is remaking paper with paper. Pages .which have been torn, 'across, or engravings usually have a tranverse rent; that is, a rent which leaves a. small flap edge. With, good glue- taken in microscopic quantities* on the point- of a camel’s hair brush, the edges may be re-united. When ,a book is dog-eared o-r its leaves have been turned, if the paper is not too 'stiff, there is .a chance of -restoring them-. Dampen the leaves one By one with water, in which a little gum tragaeanffh has been dissolved. This is not so much an adhesive as a stiffener., and is used as such for laces. . Then flatten the leaves, putting a piece of smooth, white - paper b-ehweeii every Teat. If there is any trace of dampness* in ■a library, or books begin to- show mould, place a pan of quicklime near the shelves. This is better, than a stove to dry the air. In the process of slacking the Lime absorbs all the moisture in the atmosphere. "When slacked it must- be thrown, -a-way and a new lot procured. Do not pack books tightly together on their shelves, as the bindings are liable to hurst.- •