The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-23
A CURIOUS PRODUCT.
INTERESTING FACTS CONCERNING
SACCHaRlN AND IT'S USES.

The New Sweet Manufactured from Coal
Tar-Used Now in Cake, Candy and
Champagne-what an Americas Chem
I list says--Metifcai Uses.
Tie curious product from coal tar
known as saccharin was introduced by q
French chemist two years ago, since
when a factory for its production has
been established in Westerhausen, near
the old historic town Of Magdeburg, in
Prussia. Saccharin has become SO for
midable a 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
paign against it, and the Society of Ag-
riculturists have petitioned the govern
mpnt to forbid its manufacture, as being
prejudicial 10 the beet root sugar trade,
although experiments have shown that
it is not noxious.
| 1t has been found that in its pure state
it il 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
saccharin into salicylic acid. Neither
flies. bees nor other insects will touch
saccharin III any form, bat 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 II alone 10 swcCten
| lemon Juice and stewod cTanborries He
| found that il would not mix. and ox-
| perlmouted with various things 70 rem
| edy II. but was unsuccessful until he
thought OF glycerine one dram of sac
charm with one pound Of glyccrine
heated TO folution. makes mixture
closely resembling honey. and cue that
readily dissolvcs in water, milk tea,
coffee, wines and liquors.
ITS swEETENING POWER.
Saccharin is used now in cake candy
and champagne. Its sweotening power
is 500 times greater than that Of sugar,
and it has neither the latters nutritivo
nor injurious properties. IL does not
fcrment. and IS in no. way altered by the
action of yeast 3nd other fermonts. III
addition 10 this, it has also antiseptic
properties which make it useful in pre-
serving articles OF food. IL is a cOndi-
ment, or spice, and should never be
tasted i'm it, pure state.
A distinguished American chemist,
when asked for some information re-
specting the new material, said. Sac
charm is really in many ways a re-
markable product. Ii is the sweetest
substance known. One part Of it in &C.
900 parts Of water viii give the water "a
perccptibly sweet taste equal TO one part
Of cane sugar III 250 parts Of water. and
solution Of one IN 10000 is intensely
sweet. In appearance 1t Is a white
crystalline powder soluble III 230 parts
Of water at % dogs. centigradc. and is
easily soluble in alcohol and ether Its
scientific name is benzoyl suiphonic
amidc
"Curiously enough. saccharin is in no
way related 10 the class Of sugars (carb-
hydrates), either chemically or physio-
logically. II is not only mfennentahlc,
but it possesses an anti-zymotic actior;
that is, it retards the ammOniacal fer
mentations in certain secrctions. Il is
indigestiblc, inert and nOn-poisonOus.
when taken into the stomach. and passes
out unchanged. These properties give it
an important place la dictetiCs, phar-
macy and therapeutic. When mixed
with the food Of diabctic or obese
patients it enables them 10 indulge in
sweetened dishes which ordinarily must
be- denied them Oh account Of the injuri-
ous effects Of sugar under such condi-
tons.
A HARMLESS swEETENING.
1T is q harmless and effective sweeten-
ingagcnt for bitter medicines. and Chcini-
cal combinations Of il with several aka
ioiis. such as Quinlae, strychulnc end
morphine, have been employed with
marked success. Il is also given with
other remedial agents, or in pure solu-
ton as an anti-icrmontatire medicine
i'm various gastric and intestinal dis
orders
beside these medical uses. sacCharin
Is largely employed in France as sab
stitute for lugar in confectionery and
liquors. tht Idlt OF 1T 10 f''N 't a WV
parts OF glucose (grapc sugar makes an
equivalent 10 cane sugar for conicc-
TONERS use, and one part of saccharn 10
5000 parts Of liquid is considered suih-
cient for making sweet liqueurs. Al
together there is good reason for the
concern felt by sugar producers on ac-
count of a substance, a teaspOonful Of
which will convert a barrel Of water
into good syrup and which does not de-
cay, mold or fcrment and has no lnJurl-
Gus effect upon the human system.
The chief difficulty III the way Of is
use is the high cost Of production; but
improved processes viii doubtless be de-
vised which will bring its market value
10 a much lower figure than It ROW COM
mands. Prank Leshes.
Tattooing Conyicts for Identification.
The latest fad in prison manage
ment," said q prison official, rs tattoo
| ing. 1t il a ready means OF identiiica-
ton. and !. bound TO become popular in
prison management Ny idea is TO tattoo
a convict every time lie is imprisoned,