Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-11-24
A CURIOUS PRODUCT.
INTERESTING FACTS CONCERNING
SAcCHARIN AND ITS USES.

The New Sweet Manufactured from Coal
Tar-Uscd Now in Cake, Candy and
Champagne What an American Chem.
list Says-Mcdical Uses.
The curious product from coal tar
known as saccharin was introduced by a
French chemist two years ago, since
when factory for its production has
been established in Westerhauscn, near
the old historic town of Magdcburg, in
Prussia. Saccharin has become so for
midable rival of cane and beet root
sugar for many manufacturing purposes,
that the producers Of these look upon the
new material with great &sfavor. Late
French papers state that the French
sugar manufacturers have Begin cam
paign against IL, and the Society Of Ag-
riculturists have petitioned the govern
ment to forbid its manufacture, rs being
prejudicial TO the beet root sugar trade,
although experiments have shown that
1t Is not noxious.
1t has been found that in its pure state
1t is difficult of solution, but this defect
is corrected by tho addition Of an aka
limo bicarbonato that is added by small
portions to tho saccharin mixed In the
water. No heat Is employed, as under
tho influence Of heat soda will transform
saccharin into salicylic acid. Neither
flies. bees nor other insects will touch
saccharin in any form, but physicians
are already prescribing it for patients
afflicted with diseases which will not
admit Of their taking sugar. A gentle
man to whom sugar was forbidden tried
saccharin, using it alone to sweeten
lemon juice and stewed cranberries. He
found that it would not mix, and ex-
perimented with various things to rem
cdy 1t, but was unsuccessful until he
thought of glycerine; ono dram Of sac
charm with one pound of glycerine,
heated to solution, makes q mixture
closely resembling honey, and one that
readily dissolves in water, milk, tea,
coffee, wines and liquors.
ITS swEETENINd POWER.
Saccharin Is used now in cake, candy
and champagne. Its sweetening power
Is 300 times greater than that of sugar,
and it has neither the lattcr's nutritivo
nor injurious properties. 1t 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 II useful in pre-
serving articles of food. 1t Is condi-
ment, or spice, and should never be
tasted in it's pure state.
A distinguished American chemist,
when asked for some information re-
specting the new material, said: "Sac-
charm is really in many ways q re-
markable product. 1t is the sweetest
substance known. One part of 1t in TO-
600 parts Of water will give the water q
perceptibly sweet taste equal to one part
of cane sugar in 250 parts Of water, and
a solution Of one in 10000 il intensely
sweet. In appearance it Is white
crystalline powder, soluble in 230 parts
of water at 20 dcgs. Centigrade, and Is
easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Its
scientific namo is benzoyl sulphonic
amide.
"Curiously enough, saccharin is in no
way related to the class of sugars (carb-
hydrates), either chemically or physio-
logically. 1t is not only unfermentable,
but it possesses an anti-zymotic action;
that is it retards the ammoniacal fer
mcntations in certain secretions. 1t 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 dipbetic or obese
patients il enables theA to indulge in
swectened dishes which ordinarily must
be denied them on account of the injuri-
GUS effects OF sugar under such condi-
tions.
A HARMLESS swEETENINd.
at is n harmless and effective sweeten-
ing agent for bitter medicines, and chemi-
cal combinations of it with several aka
loids, such as quinine, strychnine and
morphine, have been employed with
marked success. 1t is also given with
other remedial agents, or in pure solu-
ton as an anti-fermcntative medicine
in various gastric and intestinal dis
orders.
Besides these medical uses, saccharin
is largely employed in Franco as a sub
stitute for sugar in confectionery and
liquors. One part of it to 200 or 1000
parts of glucose (grape sugar. makes an
equivalent TO cane sugar for confec-
toners use, and one part of saccharin to
5000 parts of liquid is considered sufli-
cient Tor making sweet iqueurs Al
together there Is good reason for the
concern felt by sugar producers on ac-
count of substance, teaSpoonful Of
which will convert barrel of water
into good syrup and which does not de-
cay, mold or ferment, and has no injuri-
GUS effect upon tho human system.
1.-The chief difficulty In the way Of its
use is the high cost of production; but
improved processes will doubtless be dc.
vised which will bring its market value
To n much lower flpuro than IL now com.