Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-05-14
A CHEMICAL DISCOVERY.
The Wonderful swcctcning Qualities oi
saccharIuc. n New Product of ConI Tar

The Wonderful Swcotening Qualities of
Saccharinc,a n New Product of Conl Tar.
"Confectioners, jelly-makors, the
fruit-canning men and other Industries
that use large quantities of sugar in the
manufacture of their products, are in
tremor Of excitement over new dis
covory in chemistry" said chemical
friend to the reporter.
"What is itP" inquired the reporter
with his usual curiosity and desire for
information.
"Tho name given TO il by its discov-
crer, G. Fahlberg, German chemist,
residing in this country, is 'saccharine.'
Saccharum is the Latin for sugar.
Saccharine would signify the sugar of
sugar-the sweet principle of sugar.
However, he does not get it from sugar
Mt all. 1t is product of coal tar, which
has already furnished so large num-
Der of wonderful and useful products
and so varied in their application that
coal tar now has line of chemists who
coniine their attention exclusively to
Investigations in that special field.
Wonderful and varied as these dis
coveries have been, many chemists
think the threshold has scarcely been
passed, and that coal tar vet
holds incalculable wealth for fortu-
nate analysts, and many precious favors
for art. science and the COMMON affairs
of everyday life Look Mt what coal
tar has already given us prior to this
discovery of saccharnc-a host of COM
pounds, some liquid, some solid, some
gaseous. Coal oil or petroleum is a
native mixture of the solid element,
carbon, and the gaseous element, hy-
drogcn. The lighter products of coal
oil, by distillation, are benzine, naph-
tina, sunlight fluid and so forth, while
in the retort remains matter even more
attractive for the chemist. The ami
line dyes those beautiful colors, iri-
descent, fluorescent, some lasting,
some evanescent-are products of coal
tar. Medicine has found here n multi
tude of valuable remedies. There is
carbolic acid (not strictly an acid at
ally which has so many and valuable
uses. Then there are cresylic acid,
salicylic acid, chinoline and antipyrin
Antipyrin is now the medicated hobby
for fevers. 1t is much like quinine,
and is considered a useful substitute
therefor. Then there are vaseline,
cosmoline and petrolatine which are
more valuable than any animal fats for
making ointments. They do not be-
come rancid and never change. These
can even be used for shortening pas
try"
The reporter held up his hands in
horror.
"Why not?" continued the chemist,
with unrutlled composure. "They do
not undergo change like butter and
lard. tell you the pastry cook who
will use cosmoline or vaseline under
standingly will take rank at the head of
his craft. They are tasteless and harm
less. Then there is karin, q valuable
feorifuge, and resorcin, II dry, white
powder of great value rs an antiseptic.
The reporter here reminded the
chemist that he had diverged from the
original topic--the discovery of sac
charine and the benefits likely to result
from that discovery.
80 l have" he replied, smiling,
'but am an enthusiast ON coal tar
chemistry. Well, to return to sac
charine. Why do l speak of confec-
TONERS, jelly-makers, fruit-canners?
They all use large quantities of glu-
cose, which is cheaper than sugar, but
they can not do away with sugar.
This will enable them to sweeten their
glucose. Saccharine presents the ap-
pearance of white powder and is
soluble in alcohol, ether, glucose
and glycerine. Its chemical name is
benzoyl sulphonic imide. 1t is harm
less and intensely swat npa
ounce dissolved in ten thousand |
ounces of water-over six hundred |
gallons, say sixteen barrels--is so
sweet as to cloy the taste. 1t is esti-
mated to be about two hundred and |
thirty times sweeter than the best cane |
sugar. 1t is not dccomposed in the
human system, but eliminated from the |
body without undergoing any change,
and may for that reason be valuable to |
persons suffering from diabetes. Physi- !
clans will be glad to find a substance |
by means of which diabetic persons |
may enjoy food which has not hitherto !
been admissible in their case.
"Saccharine is now priced at twelve |
dollars pound, and even at that price
is considerably cheaper than real sugar.
Like all discoveries, it is dearer now
than it will be, and in all probability in
a comparatively short time it will not
command more than half that price
per pound, if so much. 1t is not un-
likely that in time the use of saccharine
will make an impression on cane-grow-
ing and on the sugar interest generally"
Journal.
"BuFFALoEs arc bred in Kansasn IL IA