The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-06-27
DO THE GIRLS KNOW THIS!
Chewing Gum Made of Petroleum Refuse,
and the Doctoring May Be Injurious.

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and the Doctoring May Be Injurious.
From the New York Mail and Express.l
"Wha. is chewing gum made from ?"
repeated n very large producer in
Brooklyn of the now almost universally
used substance TO n reporter, who with
others was being shown around the ex-
tensive works. THAT is one of the Sc
crets of the trade, and we have no de-
sire to give il away. Suffice it to say
there are few only who know its original
foundation, for that is disguised com
pletely IN the CONNECTIONS which are
placed around it,"
This reply only excited the curiosity
of the reporter, and while looking out
of one of the windows of the works he
noticed n large truck bearing en- its side
the name of a well-known candle man
ufacturer in New York. The truck was
heavily laden with bags OF some kind
of substance evidently intended for use
in the works. Following up this clue
the reporter called at the candle factory
in question and learned that the sub
stance delivered at the chewing gum
factory was the refuse of petroleum
after the kerosene had been extracted.
The informant said:
"The crude petroleum is pressed I'M
til the black OIL is extracted. This is
refined and produces paratiine and sub
sequently kerosene which can also be
further refined The refuse is yellow
scale, which can be made into hard
paraffine wax, used in the manufacture
of candles. The same yellow scale can,
by a process known to the chewing-gum
makers, be made into a soft wax which
will yield easily TO the action of the
teeth. 1t is of such peculiar nature
when thus prepared that, if once chewed
upon, it will almost Involuntary cause
the person in whose mouth it may be to
continue the work of mastication."
But kerosene oil has nasty taste
and smell, while chewing gum has
not"
True; but You must remember that
the oil has been squeezed ont, or at
least the greater part of it. If you
were to take the yellow scale rs II first
comes from the press, II would doubtless
have some of the same taste and smell
that you speak of; but after II has been
subjected TO several processes, and art
fully hidden under the essences con-
tanned IN the confections which cover
the chewing-gum, few would recognize
the yellow scale or refuse of the petro-
leum."
But is not the substance injurious to
health?'
Not more so than any other kind of
wax. OF course, excessive use of any
thing may prove injurious. The great
GOT owl tbot / cor, c,1r,,,i Nvp,,11 no IN,
the extraordinary exercise of the sail.
vary, glands. thereby depriving them of
that force which nature gives them
when requiring their use in the proper
mastication of food. OF couse | am
now only speaking of the petroleum
basis of the chewing gum as sold, and
have no knowledge of the composition
of what covers the little cakes in the
shape of CONNECTION. The latter is
naturally taken into the stomach, while
the waxy portion is generally thrown
away after it has served its purpose as
a chewing gum. Ii the paratfine wax
was used as soon as it is refined, it
would be simple, tasteless substance,
and consequently less attractive than in
the forms IL Is now sold.
AS chewing gum is cheap would it
not pay better TO make the so-called
refuse into paraffine wax candles?"
1T would, if there was as large a de-
mand for the candles as there is scale
made in the process of getting out the
oil. There being so much yellow scale
produced, something has to be done
with it or it would go to waste. A
market has, therefore, been found
among the chewing-gum manufacturers,
who get it at an almost nominal rate.
Hence the profit, despite the cheap
price at which it is sold"