Fibre deteriorated

Deterioration of rubbers, fibres or plastics resulting from attack by living organisms. Birefringence... 

Usage Roots are collected in late autumn or spring, washed, voided of root fibres and dried with moderate heat. Root may be chewed or broken up and boiled as a tea. Doses range from 2 to 10 inches of root. Root deteriorates with age. Usually inactive after 1 year. Store closed in cool dry place. 

Deterioration of each of the fibres various components will affect the mechanical performance, but to different extents and through different mechanisms. Breakdown of the intercellular glue will obviously facilitate slippage of the ultimates, and this is often a particular problem for archaeological linen. Here though, we have chosen to focus mainly on the deterioration of the structural cellulose filler, which may be the more pertinent to the weakened condition of the Victory sailcloth. 

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