The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-17
ARE THEY ARTIFICIAL EGGS?
What an Inventor Says He Can Do to Supply
the Market at Half Cent Apiece.
New York Tribune,

New York Tribune.
In the back of Broadway Office a curl
Gus invention was exhibited yesterday to several
provision dealers and merchants. The inven-
ton consisted of a number of artificial eggs,
which resembled the real article so exactly that
none but an expert could distinguish them The
shells were made of a clear transparent compost
ton, and the shape was perfectly modelled. The
portion surrounding the yolk was made of albu-
men, and the yok itself of ground carrot and
saffron. Three ofthese artificial eggs were placed
on platter by the exhibitor with half dozen
real ones, and the men present were told to
select the bogus ones from the collection. The
first expert exposed his ignorance by picking out
three real eggs and declaring them to be arti-
fetal The second. with little better luck,
owing partly to his avoiding the three selected
by his unfortunate predecessor managed to
pick out two of tho real eggs and one of the arti-
hclal ones. Thus with varying results each OF
the six men tried his skill in determiningNthe
difference between the eggs by their appearance
When each had had a trial and failed, the exhib-
itor said:
Now, gentlemen. you can test them in anoth-
er way" frying pan was then placed on the
stove, and in few minutes it began to simmer.
Two of the artificial eggs were picked up, their
shells broken and the contents dropped into the
hot pan, where they soon began to simmer and
sputter. A little salt and pepper, brisk two
minutes stirring with fork and as fine dish
of scrambled eggs could be prepared at a
restaurant placed before the expectant
guests
Help yourselves, gentlemen. They are as
good as the real article. Nothing poisonous or
dsagreeabe about them"
This invitation was complied with at once, and
the several verdicts were Delicious" ''Better
than the real article, What are they made off,
''Thev not artificial. but fresh eggs from the
country"
well, gentlemen" smilingly responded the
exhibitor, whether real or artificial can make
any quantity of those eggs at cost of about
half cent apiece while you cannot buy their
equal for less than two or three cents. You have
just had proof that You cannot tell them from
the real article by their appearance or by their
taste when scrambled. In an ome!ette there is
equally no per1eptible difference but when
boiled the imposition is much more easily de-
tected. But even then nine people out of ten
would be deceived. the only difference lies in
the fact that the yok and surrounding white
portion will not harden separately as they do in
the real egg The flavor is about the same
which after all should be the main considera-
ton. 1t is my intention to put these artificial
eggs on the market soon, and my object In in
viting you here to-day to make you favor
ably impressed with them. | think have done
it. Good-day, gentlemen"
The resemblance to real eggs, if the eggs are
artificial, is close. The white and yolk are we'll
defined, and the membrane between the white
and the shell is all there. The yok however.
has a peculiar gummy consistency, and the film
between the white and the yolk was lacking in
the eggs that were broken. Some experts said
that they were ''limed eggs" and that some I'm
Stacked lime had accidentiy got into the packing
and becoming heated by moisture, had
caused changes in the interior of the eggs
The appearance of the shell seems to be that of
lined eggs Mr. Van Houten sent some of the
eggs to the New York Butter. Egg and Cheese
Exchange for examination by experts, and Dr.
William K. Newton, the health inspector of
Paterson, took some for analysis. DIR. Newton
has not completed his Investigations but was re-
ported to have expressed an opinion that the
eggs are eggs.