Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-02-26
More about Artificial Sugar


In my last article in the HERALD there
was an error, made either in copying it
on the typewriter or somewhere else, in
the figures relating to the conversion of
cellulose (wood) into cane sugar. A
molecule of cane sugar has the compo-
sition of two molecules of cellulose plus
two atoms hydrogen and one of oxygen,
which is just the composition OF mol
ecule of water; therefore to convert Gel
lulose into cane sugar it would be nee
essary to cause one molecule OF water to
combine with two molecules of cellulose.
As the catalysis which causes the Gle
ments of water to combine with other
substances is called hydrolysis, the con-
version of cellulose into cane sugar
might be called half hydrolysls.
One of the several catalYtic agents
which will convert celluIose into grape
sugar is very diluted acetic acid, that is,
vinegar. Vinegar as condiment on
salads, cabbage and greens" is useful
because it aids the too weak and insult
ficient diastase to convert the indigest-
ible cellulose of these leaves into the di-
gestible sugar. Thus sugar is made by
vinegar, as vinegar IS often made from
sugar. Common vinegar is 80 per cent
water, SO that pure acetic acid is 10
times as sour as vinegar, and yet it con-
tains the same elements in exactly the
same proportions as grape sugar. 1t is
composed of carbon 2, hydrogen A, oxy-
gen q grape sugar is CO, H12, DC.
believe that the chemists have not
yet told us what is the composition of
the disstase by which the bee converts
the juice of the flower (which is not hon
ey) into honey; but think it is mostly
dilute formic acid. which Is found iG
considerable quantities in ants and is
named from the Let word for ant. II
contains one atom Of carbon to of hyd-
rogen and 2 of oxygen. Although an
organic acid, several chemists have sue |
ceeded in making 1t artiticially and pro-
badly it can be manufactured in any
quantity and cheaplY, Between the
long series of organic acids of which
formic acid is the first member aud acct
ic acid the second and the long serioes
of alcohols of which eommon alcohol is
the second member there is a series of
corresponding compounds called aide
hydes, each of which contains one pro-
portion less of hydrogen than its cores
ponding alcohol. Chemists can readily |
convert an alcohol or an acid into its
corresponding aldehyde. The German
chemist Baeyer has, by a very strong
pressure, converted the gas of formic al
dehyde &C molecules of which CORES
pond to one of grape sugar. into sub
stance having the properties of sugar
but it was an unstable compound and it
soon decomposed spontaneously.
All these things put together, it seems
to me, make few of the many obscure
steps which lead to the hiding place Of
the cataly tic agent which will convert
wood into cane sugar, an agent which
will be the divining rod to a Big Bonan
"a compared with which the famous one
of Nevada would be only a poor pocket.
But, though cane sugar is commerce
ally of far greater value than grape SUI
gar, the latter is far more valuable than
the former as a food. The eminent
psychologist Carpenter, tells us (Human
Physiology, 9th, ed, 45) that grape su
gar is true food which is taken up by
the blood, helps to keep up the animal
heat and some Of il makes fat, while
cane sugar is assimilated only in very
small part, and the great bulk of it is
Immediately thrown out of the system
as waste matter. Cane sugar is not q
true food but mere condiment, and
although perhaps as harmless as a con
diment can be, yet in large quantities it
must be a heavy tax on the excretory
organs. Therefore, while grape sugar
is good as a condiment, it serves as a
food even better than white bread and
potatoes, which are mostly starch which
must be converted into grape sugar by
digestive organs before it can be assimi-
lated by the blood. If we could get
pure glucose from wood at reasonable
advance on the cost of manufacture it
might make half our living and oe not