Interesting that Perflex is rearing its ugly head again.  Perhaps
I can explain a bit about it.  My father was a colonel in the U.S. Army
Chemical Corps and was marginally involved in the Perflex disaster.
When I was tearing my hair out about it, he told me that originally it
was ordered by the Army as a material strong enough to withstand being
dumped out of helicopters, filled with fresh water for soldiers in the
Vietnamese jungles.

It was very successful, but when it was found that the Vietnamese were
making good use of the bags for their own purposes, the Army ordered
the manufacturer to revise the formula so that, although strong enough
to withstand the dropping from on high, it would soon disintegrate in
the humid climate.

This was successful (and cheaper) and so it was continued to be
marketed as Perflex for civilian use, without any notice that the
formula had been down-graded, and that was the cause of the disaster.
But even if the manufacturer were to revive the original formula, which
would be a perfect material for organ work, nobody would touch it with
a ten-foot pole.

A few people and organ builders were able to get some of the original
material (my father was able to filch a square yard of the real McCoy)
and the pouches and pneumatics are still going strong today.

Vic Searle in Tokyo

 [ On 1963/08/09 Union Carbide Corp. was granted copyright on the
 [ trademark "Perflex", a "Plastic Film and Sheeting for Use as
 [ Wrapping and Packaging Material."  Ref. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Viskase-Companies-Inc-Company-History.html 
 [ -- Robbie