Oilcloth

OILCLOTH, a fabric (paper, jute, linen, etc.) coated with oil-resin varnishes or a rubber mixture, which has become, as a result, impermeable to water and gases. The first impregnated, waterproof fabric appeared in England in 1627. In 1754, a patent was issued in London to an inventor of oilcloth for the oilcloth he invented. The material used for preparing oilcloth is quick-drying linseed oil, to which various resins (copal, rosin, etc.) are added. Previously, to obtain higher grades of oilcloth, rubber, previously dissolved in gasoline, turpentine, etc., was mixed into these varnishes. For certain grades of oilcloth ('rubberized fabric'), rubber is the primary material. As 'fillers' for thickening, adding weight, and coloring, zinc oxide, chalk, kaolin, etc., are added to the mixtures covering the fabric. The production of oilcloth generally boils down to the fact that a fabric with an even surface (absence of knots, shives, etc.) is impregnated or coated, usually with the help of a varnishing or priming machine, with a specially prepared thick varnish or rubber mass; once applied to the fabric, these mixtures dry out after some time. Fabrics coated with a rubber mass undergo light vulcanization. Depending on the purpose of the oilcloth, the layer of varnish or rubber mass is applied (usually repeatedly, by building up) to one or both sides of the fabric. Various grades of oilcloth are widely used for upholstery, mats, compresses, for the preparation of waterproof clothing, ice bags, oxygen pillows, etc. GLUE (varnish), a liquid medicinal form used in dermatology. Glue, applied to the skin, after a short time forms a dense, dry, non-sticky cover on the affected tissue. Glues can consist of tragacanth mucilage with glycerin and water (5:2:100); collodion with castor oil, the so-called Collodium elasticum; gelatin 30.0, glycerin 20.0, and water 100.0 with the addition of 50.0 zinc oxide; or of alkaline casein with glycerin and water and a small amount of vaseline. Glue is applied to the affected area with a soft brush and, upon drying, is covered with a dry dressing. Gelatin glue is warmed in a water bath before use. A medicinal substance (ichthyol, tar, pyrogallol, sulfur, etc.) is mixed beforehand with the glue or applied separately to the skin, and then covered with the appropriate glue. The therapeutic effect of glue consists in the fact that an elastic, permeable, compressive dressing is formed on the affected area of the skin, which does not restrict the movement of the organ and is less noticeable to the patient.