Wichita eagle., 1888-10-25
OUR TRICKS OF TRADE.
THE CHEMIST THE MAGICIAN OF
THE PRESENT DAY.

Always Beneficial to the Public-The
Business of Adulteration systematically
Carried On-The Results.
In this era Of universal enlightenment
the training of the successful tradesman
is much broader than that of his prede-
cessor of fifty years ago. The latter con-
sidered himself fully educated when he
was able to distinguish the quality OF the
different grades of the various articles in
which he dealt, and as very few methods
of sophistication and adulteration were
known, his task was comparatively easy
one. With the merchant of the present
day, however, everything is different He
can depend on his own Judgment only in
very few instances. He must know not
only how to manipulate his wares SO as
20 undersel his competitors, but he
must be continually on his guard
to make sure that the articles
which he himself buys shall be just
as represented He may be dealer in
woolens and buy his stock from the
deacon who passes the plate in church,
yet he never neglects to have his samples
examined by an expert, and analysed if
necessary. But the strangest phase of
the whole matter is that, so universal has
the custom become, he does not consider
it any reflection on his neighbor to take
this course, and if be finds that the goods
are not as represented, he thinks none the
worse of him. after he has claimed and
secured his rebate. No branch of trade is
free from this sophistication, and as long
as the resulting article is not injurious to
the health Of the people, we have come to
accept it without a murmur, as an newt
able result of competition. With such
state of affairs, it will readily be seen that
the merchant Of rye olden time" would
now stand slim chance of success unless
he called in outside aid.
A NEW ADULTERATION.
The chemist is really the magician, who
today is sought by one party to develop
new adulteration, and tomorrow is called
upon to analyze the article which he has
just succeeded in adulterating His Ia
boratory becomes the confessional for
merchants Of all degrees, and he must be
as silent and secret as the clergyman. But
his power is greater than the ecclesiastic,
who cannot read our thoughts, and who
may know only what we care to tell him.
But to the chemist all facts within his
province are accessible. If we are frank
with him, we can render easier the work
which we have fer him to do If, how
ever, be has suspicion that anything has
been withheld, he has but to make an
analysis and the whole secret is open to
him. In his realm he is king. He says
to the merchant, "Do thus, and the bust
ness man, realizing that his only way to
success is by following such injunctions,
does so, and is relieved for time. Soon,
however, he learns that he is being under
sold, and once more has recourse to the
magician, who finds that some brother
genins has stolen his charm, and it be-
comes necessary for him to conjure up
more powerful one, only to have it, in
time, again stolen.
The following incident, related by dis
tinguished chemist, may be interesting
as showing how Systematically this bust
ness of adulteration is carried on. The
gentleman mentioned was recently con-
suited by firm Of oil dealers, who were
naturally anxious to learn how it was that
their competitor was always able to under
sell them, in face Of the fact that the
chemist of their factory could not discover
any adufteration in their rivals product.
On analysis. no foreign substance ap-
peared. and the consulting chemist was
forced to confess himself nonpluseo. In
the course of conversation he happened to
mention, quite incidentally, that the only
trace Of petroleum oil, which he had con-
sidered accidental. The oil dealer inquired
the amount of this oil present, and on
finding that it was about q per cent. i'm
mediately said that tho problem was
lo1E
planned, made il a barrel of forty gallons
a difference Of one gallon, and, by extract
ing this quantity of an oil worth fifty
cents, and substituting gallon Of an in
ferior kind worth, say, ten cents, his rival
had been enabled to draw away almost all
his trade.
POISONOUS DYES.
People have become so accustomed to
finding the discussion of the subject os
adulteration confined to articles Of food
and drink that they are apt to consider
that this is the only part of it Of any i'm
portance. Physicians, however, can tell
a different story. For instance, they are
frequently consulted for disorders which
can be directly traced to cheaply dyed
articles Of dress, ard many of the most
obstinate cases of skin disease are due to
Before the art of dyeing had progressed
much most of they dyeing colors in use
were prepared from simple vegetable ex-
tracts. Soon, however, the demand was
greater than the supply. and the chemist
was called upon for substitutes. Step by
step he followed nature back to her labor.
atory, and finally was able to announce
that he could produce at will in unlim-
tied quantities dye stuff which could
not be distinguished by any test, either
chemical Or physical, from the natural
product. The substance which he had
made was alizarine, the coloring matter
of madden, and the article from which he
made it was common coal tar. This dis
covery worked a revolution in the indus
trial world. The path, once it had been
pointed out, was easy to follow, and In
quick succession came the announcements
of new colors made from this same waste
product-coal tar-until at the present
day any color or tint can be supplied
from it.
But here, too, the practice Of sophisti-
cation soon became prominent factor.
until the question was, not how well can
dyes be made, but how cheaply. The
process of manufacture is long one, and
great caro- is required at every step to
thoroughly remove the powerful chemical
agents by which the necessary changes
are brought about. Here was the oppor-
tunity for cheapening the final product
An incomplete removal of these chemicals
means less labor and less expense; hence
the indifferently finished product can be
sold cheaper. Unfortunately, however,