Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13
ARTIFICIAL BUTTER.
HOW 1T IS MADE.

ARTIFICIAL BUTTER.
HOW 1T IS MADE.
H0sc it may be Detected.
Our food inspectors have again discovered in
our markets and provision stores the preSencelof
artificial butter In considerable quantities, and
several samples OF it have been undergoing an
analysis by District Chemist DeSmedt. 1t will
be remembered that few years since our mar
kets were overrun with this artificial product
and the prejudice was so strong against its sale
as to result in the passage by Congress of a
special act fixing penalty of 500 for its sale.
Notwithstanding this its manufacture seems to
be continued and so skillful is the Imitation to
the genuine article that it Is not difficult
to deceive the most careful consumers. The
fault of the statute lies In the fact that the COM
plainant has to go before the grand jury instead
of the Police Court with his grievance, and as
1t will require witnesses who are able to tell be-
yond doubt that the article is not genuine to
convict there are but few who are willing to
undergo the searching cress-examination they
would be subjected to unless they are well ad-
vanced in chemistry and can demonstrate be-
yond doubt their ability to show the differ
ence between the "da1ry product" and the
sSlaugher- house" article.
THE MANUFACTURE
OF artificial butter or oleomargarine, it
Is stated, was commenced in Paris dur
ing the siege by the German army, when
U
cut on from the Inhabitants. 1t is related
that M. Mege Mourlez, a chemist, was COM
missioned by the French government to make
duct to take the place OF butter to be supplied
at much lower price, and capable of being
kept without becoming rancid. N. Mege Mou-
which quickly reduced them in weight, and
caused them to give reduced quantity of
milk, but the milk always produced butter,
leaving still the query "where did it come
q believed nrO1unpd q
fat of the animal, which being carried
into the circulation. was deprived of its stear-
Inc by respiratory combustion, and furnished
under the influence Of the mammary pepsn. 1t
was changed into butyr1c Oleomargarine, or
butter. Guided by this observation he was not
long in obtaining, by an ingenious process from
beef suet, a fat fusible at nearly the same tenn
perature as butter, and of agreeable taste. He
then transformed this same fat into butter by
process similar to that OF nature. This process
was by grinding up the fat of the best quality of
newly slaughtered beeves between two cylinders,
which, falling into deep vat heated by steam,
and containing for every 1000 kilogrammes OF
fat 800 k1logrammeS OF water, and kEOgramme
OF potaSsic carbonate, besides two Sleeps or
pigs stomachs, In small pieces. The tempera-
ture was raised to As degrees and the mass care
fully stirred At the end OF two hours the fat,
all raised to the surface, when 1t was let of into
another vat heated on water-b bath to 80 de-
grees, and two per cent. of sea salt added. In
two hours 1t became clear, and presented fine
yellow color, and the odor Of freshly churned
butter. This becoming cooled, was cut into
draulic press and then separated into two nearly
equal parts, viz: stearine and liquid oleomar-
Rar1ne The stear1ne he manufactured into can
passed through cylinders udder a shower Of
water to wash 1t and give 1t conscience.
The oleomargarine was then
MADE INTO CHEAP BUTTER
in the following manner: To so kilogrammes of
melted oleomargarine In churn he added about
Iftroc ri \nf0 ,,,tIlr
grammes of water containing ten soluble parts
OF 90 grains OF the mammary gland of the COW.
The churn was put In motion and in fifteen
minutes the grease and water became trans
formed into a thick cream which in turn was
changed into butter. The chufning being over,
water was poured In aud the butter separated
containing butter milk which was removed
This product was then placed under a stream OF
water, where 1t was worked In way to chang,
1t into well washed butter of fine appearance
This when properly made, agrees with butter at
Its melting point. 1t Is little deficient in flavor
but not enough to cause any remark. When
careleSSly made 1t contains traces of membrane,
and may also show crystals OF the stearates. II
is colored with annatto from saffron which Is
sometimes adulterated with sulphate OF copper.
THE SECRET OF MANUFACTURING IT
was introduced into this couatry in 1872 or 5 b.
French chemist named Paraff, who formed
company In New York and made profitable
business of it. Paraf1 is said to be now serving
time In prison in Brazil for counterfeiting Bra.
lillian coin. A factory was opened In Brooklyn,
others on Long Island, and the business soon
spread to Philadelphia and Baltimore, the last
named place It is believed furnishing the greater
portion which comes to this city.
Itsprocess OF manufacture has become consid-
erably simplifled since the time of NJ. Mege
Mourlez, enabling the manufacturer to produce
1t with less trouble and cost than originally.
1t has been claimed that the actual cost OF its
manufacture Is from IA to II cents per pound
and the wholesale prices (at the average price
OF butter, 30 to So cents is from 16 to % cents
per pound. 1t Will be remembered that about
three years since IL was reported that our mar
kets and stores were full Of it, and numbers of
samples were tested at the Agricultural depart
ment, but Just about that time the price of but
ter declined and the pure stuff drove the .'oleo'
out OF the market.
HOW TO DETECT IT.
There are several ways of detecting oleomar-
garine. One is by the microscope. The differ
ence between 1t and pure butter is shown at
once under this glass. Pure butter shows a
mass OF globuleS similar In Sh e and appearance
with intermediate layers OF salt and water.
be- anG Of %ha appeas
tirely different in character and appear
ance from butter. Prot DeSmedt tests it
ase Size Of R1eie q oeS5magaIne
wineglass and ether poured on sufficIent to
cover and dissolve II, which Is FASTENED by stir
r I'M with teaspoon. The whole becomes solu-
Die. out the salt Is Immediately preciptated,
when the liquid mass is poured off into saucer.
or what IS better, small glass plate or saucer
Iue WOIk vi eVapOrLatl0n commences at once.
and continues until every trace of the ether is
gone, leaving the stearine or tallowy substance
openly exposed with its offensive odor and ap-
pearance. The character or appearance OF good
butter Is not changed by similar test; the
fatty substance left after the evaporization of
Inc ether retaining the odOr OF pure butter to-
tally unlike that OF the stearine from oIeomar-
gar1ne. This test Prof. De Smedt thinks bet
yer ana every way more satisfactory than by
the microscope. As a general thing, however.
any persons used to marketing can satisfy
themselves from the greasy smell Of the artifi-
cial butter OF its character. 1t is not as a gen
eral thing, so dense as pure butter and usually
has wbfttSh appearance on the outside
A SEXTON in Gloucester, Mass, was sum-
moned to prepare for burial an aged man. with
whom he was well acquainted Arriving at the
mouse, he was requested to go up stairs to the
bedroom, where the body was lying. Up he
went, and while removing his coat, was dunn
founded on seeing the supposed dead man rise
In BED, and In hollow tone OF voice articulate:
'.Halloa, John, how are you? Shake hands.n
The sexton was almost frozen with terror: but
In moment said: Il came up Sam, to see if
you didn't want me to make new kind OF
Cruel" The sick man asSented: the cruel was
maze and carried up. and the affair passed on
Inc patient lived until the next day and when
the section was again summoned, there was no
IeSuScfIatiOQ.