Montgomerie is sometimes credited with discovering the substance. He is responsible for it coming into widespread use, but it had in fact been known for some time by a few natives who used it to make handles for parangs (Malayan machetes) and other items. However, it was not widely known, even amongst native Malays. Montgomerie said that most people he showed it to could not recognise it. It had even made its way to Europe,As early as 1656, John Tradescant had brought a material to England which he called mazer wood and which is thought to be gutta-percha because of the similarity in its properties (Straits Times, 1884; Baker, p. 89). José d'Almeida, a Portuguese doctor and trader in Singapore, also brought samples to the Society of Arts around the same time as Montgomerie after seeing native whips made from the material (Oxley, p. 22). but again, was not widely known.Straits Times, 1884 Montgomerie's discovery began in 1822 when he was shown a different natural rubber, gutta girek, and was told of the existence of a harder material, gutta percha. However, he could not obtain a sample at the time and did not get another opportunity until 1842 after he returned to Singapore. In that year a Malay showed him a parang with a gutta-percha handle. Montgomerie purchased the item and requested that more of the substance be provided. After experimentation, he concluded that its thermoplastic properties would be ideal for making many surgical instruments. The natural rubbers used for this purpose at the time were easily damaged by solvents and could not withstand the tropical climate.
