The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-15
srssnssd ~ a,scsas Arrangements Copyrighted 1886
OUT II [ II E.
IN TWO PARTs-PART !.

white this true story unwillingly, in perform
ance of duty. So much of false and of half
truth has been of late whispered regarding the
nature, author and circumstances of rumored
discovery that it falls to my lot, as the only one
OF the three chief participants in the following
ct present able to make full statement Of the
case of his own knowledge, to clear the name
and pay tribute to the genius OF John Wilcox
In November of the year 1885 forwarded all
my belongings from New York to my future
hoIae, my birthplace, San Francisco Ny chosen
friend, Wilcox, fitted up for me an Office and
suite of rooms in the western addition, consist
ing of library, bed room and sort of labora-
tory, which was at liberty to use for dissect-
ing-room or any other of my surgical studies
In the first week of December started from
New York, and, being stopped at Los Angeles by
a railroad "washout" which prevented travel and
Geographic communication, took coast steam
or and reached San Francisco, unheralded,
week before my travelling companions on Mon
day.
Entering my rooms in the afternoon, man.
aged to surprise Wilcox on his return from bush
ness, and trought him home to dinner. After
this we hal lounged for hours before that rarest
Va NdlAOEulA blkHts, . WOOu iiEc. OiU uoOuo,
old thoughts, old friends, all that decade
sweeps out of mans mind until some sudden
meeting with one Of the sharers of the heroic
days of school and college. had occupied us over
beer and pipes until the clock stood at IL and
Wilcox rose to 90.
But the man never lived who could part at
such a time with chum on his first motion,
and forced him back with touching appeal to
habits. Surely. Wilcox the prince of good Eel.
lows in his day at Berkeley would never leave
with his bottle half empty, with no word Of the
present or futuref
'Wel, old fellow, I'll break my hours for you
this once. while you brew me glass of punch,
famous of yore. and tell me more of your life in
Germany than your letters did-spare those
bushes I, too, was remiss-and just what you
are going to do, now that Frisco sees you again."
So while l set the kettle singing on the hob
told my prosac history of the ten years spent in
Bonn and the Paris hospitals; how my
private means were enough to support
surgeon; l purposed fighting my way
In this worst of places for a young American,
provincial city, until won the reward of years
of hard study. AS / went on over the delicious
compound, Wilcox, lying lazily on his settee and
pinchng the rug with dreamy fingers, chuckled
grimly: II always thought you would adopt
this line Of NEEDING mems bodies; you were such
great cook with your original recipes How
good they all were! will give one of the old
suppers Friday to al of you old fellows that will
make us ten years younger"
''Then shall follow suit and cook you oil the
old dainties myself, and if the boys are doing as
we'll at their law partnership as you say, we'll
make them stand dinner at Grimauds, as of
yore. Dropped in on the old man, just IS snufy
as ever, and he actually remembered me. But
now tbs ali ready; draw up, well beloved rest
from thy toll, and let not thy desire lack equal
share Now tell me how the science of chem
istry goes on with you"
WELL" he replied, you know Price and are
In partnership / nodded. / had never been
on intimate terms with Price, and always rather
disliked him. eve have laboratory together
on Drumm street, where manufacture for
public use all kinds of artificial essential oils,
and several other chemicals of similar nature,
besides very fair line of aniline dyes. 1t pays
pretty well. much being done by improved
processes of our own, and, have four or
five hands, leaves US plenty of time for expert
ments in advanced chemistry. Whenever you
wish, III show you over the whole place. No
great affair, but yields US good income, about
certain as most business"
Lighting my pipe, met Wilcox's eye. It was
cleaning brightly and his whole frame, as he
still nervously fumbled the rug, seemed CULVER
ing with suppressed excitement knowing that
this in him BODIED the communication of some
secret asked: what morep
He looked up undecided for moment; then
his face lighting up eagerly he answered: II
see you know my old gossiping nature still.
Well. to other men would say this is all my his
tory, but with you things are different and it i
tell you part of my secret, Haight old boy.
know you will keep 1t in the same miserlv way
you always did your own. But to begin. While
Price And are together in the business part of our
concern and in some of the experimental work, in
most of it 1t is each for himself.
Nov do you know anything of the attempt to
discover an artificial substitute for GUNNER /
gave a start. / had met during my studies many
scientific men, both in Europe and America de-
ticular at Bonn, from whom had heard much
on the subject; so / begged Wilcox to explain the
matter, merely from knowing how he would suf
fer in leaving aught untold.
Now he resumed, filling his glass once
more II need hardly tell one of your profession
the Importance of such a discovery. You know
how the invention of anine threw half the
population of Denmark out of the madden rails
ing business, and diverted to the pockets Of the
lucky inventors all the profits formerly made
from the madder-dyes, until the secret became
generally known. when, of course, competition
fessened and divided them. Now the man who
discovers artificial quinine can If he will, make
for himself all the money earned by the
shippers of Peruvian bark, the shippers jobbers,
manufacturers who prepare it, and the whole
sale druggists as well-millions in a single year.
And at least this; for he can so unjersell the
present prices as to secure market all the world
over.
ssNow. have discovered this process No
wonder you start, for it is your thick headed
Wilcox who has done it. And it is not mere
invention, either, but a genuine discovery as
we'll which will lift my name to the place
Daltou's and Sheele's aud Lavoseier's now oc-
cnpy-one that will write anew the whole sci
ence of chemistry"
By this time was as wild with excitement as
Wilcox himself. go on, / cried, Ego on! Why
viii you drag solp
''All In good time. old man; let me explain or
you won't see the vastness of the discovery.
Well. suppose you analyze quinine, what will
you fndY So many parts each OF carbon,
oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. But, if you
were to combine these elements indicated
by the formula, would you have
auininel Not bit of il. There is some
thing left that defies all analysis BY methods
now in USE 1t is the very soul of the drug and
hs.;ia