The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-04
THE C.;EM,eT THE MAGICIAN Or
-hE PRESENT DAY.

day, however, every lining - uihtfchb' tic
can depend On his own Judgment only in
very few instances. lie must know not
only how to manipulate his wares so as
TO underseli his competitors. but me
must be continually on his guard
to make sure that the articles
which he himself buys shall be just
as represented. lie may be a dealer in
woolens and buy his stock from the
deacon who passes tho plate IN church,
yet he never neglects to have his samples
examined by an expert. aud 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 he finds that the goods
arc 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 70
accept il without niurmur, as an newt
able result Of competition. With such
state of affairs. il will readily be seen that
the merchant Of Eye olden time would
now stand a slim chance Of success unless
he called in outside aid.
A NEW ADULTERATGON.
The chemist IS really the magician, who
today is sought by one party 10 develop Q
new adulteration, and tomorrow is called
upon 20 analyze the article which he has
just succeeded in aduterating. His Ia
boratCry becomes the confessional for
merchants Of al degrees, and he must be
IS silent and secret as the clergyman. Bat
his power is greater than the cccesiast!c.
who cannot read our thoughts and who
may know only what we care to tell him.
But To the chemist all facts within bis
province are accessible. If We are frank
with him, we can render easier the work
which we have fer him 10 do. H. how
ever, he has O suspicion hat anything has
been withheld, be has but to make an
analysis and the whole secret Is open 10
him Ia his realm hci5 king. lie says /
% tho merchant. DO thus, and the bush /
ness man, realizing that his only way 90 /
success is by following such iniunctions, 7
does so. and is relieved for time. Soon, /
however. lie learns that De is being under.
sold and once more has recourse 20 the I
magician, who finds that some brother /
genius has stolen his charm, and il De- I
comes necessary Tor him 10 c0njure Up a /
more powerful one, only to have it, in |
time, again stolen.
The following iadient.rela.ed by dis
tinguished chemist, may be- interesting
as showing how systematically this busi.
ness Of adu.teratiOn Is carried on. The
gentleman mentioned was recently con
g Il. 80 fr NfsII
naturally anxious % learn how 10 was that
their competitor was always able 90 under
sell them. in face Of the fact that the
chemist Of their factory could not discover
any adulteration in their rivals product.
On analysis, 10 foreign substance ap-
peared, and The consulting chemist was
forced 70 confess himself nOnpluse0 in
the course Of conversation he happened o
mention quite Incidentally that the only
impurity lie had been able TO find was a
trace Of petroleum oil, which be had con-
sidored accidental The oil dealer inquired
the amount If this oil present, and on
finding that il was about . per cent, inn
mediately said that tho problem was
solved Two and half per cent, he ex
planned, made IN n 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 10 draw away almost all
his trade.
POISONOUS DYES.
People have become so accustomed 70
finding the discussion of the subject of
adulteration confined to articles OF food
and drink that they are APT 70 consider
that this IS the only part of it Of any im
portance. Physicians, however, can tell
a different story. For instance, they are
frequently consulted for disorders which
can be directly traced 20 cheaply dyed
articles Of dress and many Of the most
obstinate cases Of skin disease are due 70
poisonous coloring matters
Before the art Of dyeing had progressed
much most Of they dyeing colors in use
were prepared from staple vegetable OK
tracts. Soon, however the demand was
greater than tie supply, and the chemist
was called upon for substitute. step by
step he followed nature back 10 her labor
atory, and finally was able to announce
that he could produce at will IN uniim
tied quantities dye stun which could
not be distinguished by any test, either
chemical or physical. from the natural
product. The substance which he had
made was alizsrine, the coloring natter
Of madden. and the article from which he
made IL was common coal tar. This dis
coyery worked a revolution In tho indus
trial world. Tho path, once 10 had been
pointed out. was easy TO follow and in
Quick succession camo the announcements
Of new colors made from this same waste
product-coal tar-until ut the present
day any color or tint can be supplied
from it.
But here. too. the practice Of sopListi-
cation soon became prominent factor
until the question was, not how well can
dyes be made, but how chcaply. The
process Of manufacture is a long one, and
great care is required ct every step 10
thoroughly remove the powerful chemical
agents by which the necessary changes
are brought about. Hero was the opPOr-
tunity for cheapening the final product.
An incomplete removal of these chemicals
means less labor ard less expense; hence
the indiflerently finished product can be
sold cheaper Unfortunately, however,
these impurities thus left IN the dye are
in most Instances highly irritating to the
skin, and When an article dyed with such
substances is worn it IS very liable TO
cause trouble, especially If tho skin Is
chafcd or scratched Boston Herald.