Asbestos, a name given to several fibrous minerals noted for their resistance to fire. A piece of common asbestos seems to be composed of parallel fibers which frazzle up in a ragged fashion until they form a soft mass, not unlike fine cotton in appearance. Placed in the hottest of fires, the fibers turn red, and even attain a white heat; but on cooling off, not even the finest fiber is injured or changed in appearance. In addition to being fireproof, asbestos is a poor conductor of heat. It may be pounded into asbestos wool or cotton, then spun, and woven or twisted into asbestos rope, paper, and cloth. Asbestos cloth is flexible, chemical proof, and is absolutely noncombustible. It is used extensively in packing joints, covering steam pipes, for lamp mats, fireproof linings for hot air shafts, theater curtains, firemen's caps, hats, and shoes, and chemical-proof laboratory mats. Asbestos paint and asbestos roofing are advertised extensively. A commercial grade of asbestos is not at all rare. A new mine has been found in Georgia. Vermont produces a small quantity. Siberia and Cape Colony are large producers of commercial asbestos. Italy was long the chief source of fine grades, but, of late, Quebec has supplied the American market with an excellent article. New supplies have been found in the Rocky Mountain states. By way of a jest, it is said that the ashes of a piece of asbestos paper shaken into one's shoes are a sure preventive of cold feet. See TALC.