The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-28
SACCHARIN.
REMARKABLE QUALITIES OF ~
CURIOUS PRODUCT.
It Is Derived from Coal Tar,
and Is the Sweetest Substance
Known-It's Uses In
Medicine, etc.

| U1cuICluC, 0tCs st,Tcfl
The curious product from coal tar
known as saccharin was introduced by
French chemist two years ago, since
when factory for its production was
established in Westerhausen, near the
old historic town of Magdeburg, IN
Prussia. Saccharin has become so for-f
midable rival of cane and beet root
sugar for many manufacturing purposes,
that the producers of these look upon
the new material with great disfavor.
Late French papers state that the French
sugar manufacturers have begun cam
peign against it, and the society of
Agriculturlsts have petitioned the Gov
erument to forbid its manufacture, as I
being prejudieial to the beet root sugar
trade, although experiments have shown
that it is not no1ious. no g3S
It has been found that in its pure state,
it is difficult of solution, but this defect
is corrected by the addition of an aka
line bicarbonate that is added by small
portions to the saccharin mixed In the
water. No heat is employed, as under
the influence of heat soda will transform
ssccharin into salicylic acid. Neither
flies. bees nor other insects will touch
saccharin in any form, butphysicians are
already prescribing it for patients afi.
tiicted with diseases which will not adj
NIT of their taking sugar. A gentleman
to whom sugar was forbidden triedssac1
charm, using it alone to sweeten lemon.
juice and stewed cranberries. He found
that it would not mix, and experimental
with various things to remedy It, but
was unsuccessful until he thought of
glycerine; one dram of saccharih with
one pound of glycerine, heated to solu-
ton, makes mixture closely resembling
honey, and one that readily dissolves in
water, milk, tea, coffee, wines and
liquors. a.s.s, q
Saccharin is used now in cake. candy
and champagne. Its sweetening power
is 800 times greater than that Of sugar, !
and it has neither the latter's nutritive
nor injurious properties. It does not
ferment, and is in no way altered by the
action of yeast and other ferments.' In
addition to this, it has also antiseptic
properties which make it useful In pre-
serving articles of food. It is q condi-
ment, or spice, and should never be-
tasted in its pure state. ~ W.
A distinguished American chemist,
when asked for some information re-
specting the new material, said: t.Sac-
charm is really in many waps remark
able product. 1t is the sweetest sub
stance known. One part of it in 20, 000!l
parts of water will give the water per-
ceptibiy sweet taste equal to one part of
cane sugar in $50 parts of water, and
solution of one in 10, 900 is intensely
sweet. In appearance it is white
crystalline powder. soluble in $50 parts
of water at twenty-five degrees Cent?
grade, and is easily soluble in alcohol
and ether. It's scientific name is benzoyl
sulphonic amide. '..''
"Curiously enough, saccharin is in no
way related to the class of sugars (carbo.
hydrates), either chemically or physio-
logically. 1t is not only unfermentabie,
but it possesses an anti.zymotic action;
that is, it retards the ammoniacal fer
mentatlons in certain secretions. It is
indigestible, inert and non-poisonous
when taken into the stomach, and passes
out unchanged. These properties give
it an important place in dietetics, phar.
macy and therapeutics. When mixed
with the food of diabetic or obese
patients it enables them to indulge in
sweetened dishes which ordinarily must
be denied them on account of the in
furious effects of sugar under such con-
ditions. ".
lit is harmless and effective sweet
ening agent for bitter medicines, and
chemical combinations of it with several
alksloids, such as quinine, strychnins
and morphine, have been employed with
marked success. It is also given with
otherremedial agents, or in pure solution
as an anti-fermentative medicine in
various gastric and intestinal dis!
orders. fE
besides these medical uses, 'saccharin
is largely employed in France as SUBJ
stitute for sugar in confectionery and
liquors. One part of it to 1000 or 1000
parts of glucose grape sugar. makes an
equivalent to cane sugar for confeotion-
ers' use, and one part of saccharin to-
5000 parts of liquid is considered sufil
cient for making sweet liqueurs. Alto
gether there is good reason for the
concern felt by sugar producers on
account of a substance, teaspoonful of
which will convert barrel of water
into good syrup, and which does not
decay, mould or ferment, and has no
injurious effect upon the human system.
HThe chief difficulty in the way of its
use is the high cost of production; but
improved processes will doubtless be
devised which will bring its market
value to much lower figure than it now
commands. ."-Frank Leslie's.
So)t Wotor 90 q Tonfc