New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-24
A New Medical Discovery.

We notice the following article in the
Editors Scientific Record. in the December
number Of Ha,per's Magazine:
substance called "aseptin has recently
becn introduced into trade by Swedish
dealer as a preservative material tor milk.
meat. etc, This is said to be simply bOraclc
acid. or borax, the double aseptin consist
inc of two parts of Dorax to one part OF
aInm. Putrefaction is said to be prevented
by the addition of this preparation, but
mouldiness in animal substances Is not. AL
thonph a very short time has elapsed since
aseptin has been brought into notice, thou
sands of pounds are now sold almost daily
in Scandinavia and Germany.
We wish to remark that aseptin was also
patented in this country, and the spec;hca-
fiOn in the Patent Office describes the COM
pound as consisting OF b0rlc acld, alum;
suoar. common salt, gum tragacanth ana
chloric acid. (D We mention these facts
because we believe aseptin led to'a dis
covery of really great value by one OF our
own citizens-Professor Oldberg-who,
though educated in Sweden, is now identi-
fed With US, and fills with honor the chair
OF pharmaceutical chemistry in Howard
University having previously occupied the
same position in Georgetown College.
Professor Oldberg hearing OF the re-
markable prophecies of aseptin. and beng
interested in all useful scientific discovery,
was led to investigate the matter, and
though disappointed to find the incongruous
mixture described in the specification OF the
patent, he satisfied himself, by experiment,
Of its preventative qualities, and also that
these qvere due to the boric acid!
This substauce, under the name of ''se-
pan," he endeavored to introduce into the
market as food preservative, having
strong certificates from such men as Profess
sors Antiscll and Tilden, of the United
States Department of. Agriculture, as to its
perfect harmlessness. Oysters, treated with
from New York to Chicago without becom-
ing in the least tainted, and other demon
strations of it's preservative powers given
but, although ocular evidence of the fact
that milk aud cream could be kept sweet
many days by the addition of a small guam
dairy in this city, and other large
milk dealers, we're afraid of it, and refused
to use it. Continuing his experiments, Prof.
Oldberg finally made the important discOv
cry that concentrated solution of bOric
acid would dissolve and hold in solution
large quantities of any of the balsamic
gums such as benzine, myrrh, balsam Of
Peru, TOlu, etc. But while the presence of
these gums in the new compound (which
he patented, and calls BOrobalsamine,)
was found to prevent mOuldiness in organic
substances preserved by it, yet further at
tempts to introduce it as q food preserva-
tive in this country were abandoned, be-
cause of the wider field Of usefulness and
profit which he saw open before him
through the curatre powers it now pos
sessed. Logical reasoning and conclusion,
as we'll as repeated successful trials, salts
fed him that for the treatment Of all skin
diseases he had, in this powerful antiseptic,
with the well-known healing
of the resinous balsams.
remedy destined to supersede all others
now in use. Whether this expectation will
be realized we are bile to say, but the
facts above stated were communicated to
Us by gentleman of high standing in the
and we publish them because
Of the interest this discovery is awakening
n the minds vi scientific men.