Unscaled Fibres. A New Aspect of Fibre Research

Abstract

HITHERTO both chemical and physical investigations on wool have dealt with the properties of the fibre as a whole. Conclusions drawn only from such observations as to how the structurally different parts (scale and cortex, and also medulla in the case of kempy fibres) are concerned in the total effect, can only be inferential. To resolve any property of the fibre into the contributory effects of scale and cortex requires removal of the scales in such a way as to leave the residual fibre core intact for separate investigation.