Catgut

Catgut is employed in the fabrication of the strings of violins, harps, guitars, and other musical instruments; as also in the cords used by clock-makers, in the bows of archers, and in whipcord. It is generally prepared from the intestines of the sheep, rarely from those of the horse, ass, or mule, and not those of the cat. The first stage in the operation is the thorough cleansing of the intestines from adherent feculent and fatty matters; after which they are steeped in water for several days, so as to loosen the external membrane, which can then be removed by scraping with a blunt knife. The material which is thus scraped off is employed for the cords of battledors and rackets, and also as thread in sewing the ends of intestines together. The scraped intestines are then steeped in water, and scraped again, when the large intestines are cut off and placed in tubs with salt, to preserve them for the sausage-maker; and the smaller intestines are steeped in water, thereafter treated with a dilute solution of alkali (4 oz. potash, 4 oz. carbonate of potash, and 3 to 4 gallons of water, with occasionally a little alum), and are lastly drawn through a perforated brass thimble, and assorted into their respective sizes. In order to destroy any adherent matter which would lead to putrefaction, and the consequent development of offensive odours, it is customary to subject the catgut to the fumes of burning sulphur—i.e. sulphurous acid, which acts as an Antiseptic (q.v.), and arrests decomposition. The best strings come from Italy, and are used for musical instruments. These are known as Roman strings, but they are made in several Italian towns, the most valuable coming from Naples. About 10 per cent. of the violin strings manufactured are false—i.e. they produce two sounds. Gut strings for musical instruments become useless after being kept a few years. Cord for clockmakers is made from the smallest of the intestines, and occasionally from larger ones, which have been split longitudinally into several lengths. The catgut obtained from the intestines of horses, asses, and mules is principally made in France, and is employed in the same way as leather belts for driving lathes and other small machines.