The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-08-04
ELKTON. AUGUST 4, 1894.
WHEN CHEMISTRY SUBLIME SHALL
REIGN.

WHEN CHEMISTRY SUBLIME SHALL
REIGN.
Fanciiul writers on the probabilities
and possibilities of the future have
long been predicting, that the time
is not far distant when all forms of
food, now obtained directly from
animal and vegetable sources, will
be obtained from the mineral king
dom through the refining and sub
limating processes of chemistry.
The theory upon which these
scientific speculations are basad, may
not with our present knowledge of
the possibilities of chemical discovery
challenge our credulity or faith, but
the subject of food production
through chemical means is at least
an interesting matter OF speculation,
and hence public attention is being
directed to it.
At present all animal food is OBJ
tanned directly or indirectly from
vegetable growths but the vegetables
grow in the soil, and are built up of
particles taken from their constit
uents. 1t is quite natural that a
person, seeing a plant drawing from
the ground substances which it COM
bines into luscious fruit, should ask,
"Why cannot Chemistry do the same 2
Chemistry can analyze the soil, can
tell just exactly what its constituents
are and how they are combined it
can also analyze the fruit and show
of what material it is composed;
what is to prevent its procuring the
same materials from the sell in which
they are known to exist and making
the fruit itself.
A French chemist, M. Berthelot,
now asserts that this is among the
possibilities of the near future. Chem
istry is working at the problem, and
he fixes its triumphant solution at
not later than the year 1000. 1t
may come we'll within the next cen
fury. The production Of alimentary
matters-food-has, he says, been
resolved in principle for forty years
by the synthesis of grease and oils.
That of hydrates of carbon is now
going on. and that of heterogeneous
substances is not Tar off. When
energy can be cheaply obtained"
says M. Berthelot, "tood can be made
from carbon taken from water and
nitrogen taken from the air. What
work the vegetables have so far done
science will be able to do better and
with far greater profuslon and indie
pendently Of seasons or evil microbes
or insects" In that happy time
"there will be no passion to own
land. Beasts need not be bred for
slaughter, man will be milder, and
more moral, and the reign of chemis-
try will beautify the planet"
Toward this beatihc condition
of mankind, if reports are to be
credited, American scientific genius
has already pointed the way. The
startling declarations now being SO
generally made by scientists, that
the greater part OF all cattle slaught-
cred for food purposes are upon
microscopic tests found to be more
or less affected with tuberculosis, is
exciting general apprehension which
is not confined to timid or nervous
people, that milk upon which we are
all so dependent, has ceased to be a
source Of wholesome and nutritious
food, but has become the insidious
source of disease and death gems.
But chemistry has risen equal to
the occasion, and Cincinnati news,
paper informs us, that a local expert
is prepared against such emergency
with "a combination of water, solids
and fats that is equal to the purest
milk. 1t is, in fact, chemically pure
milk, and is, of course, free from all
faint OF disease that COW milk has.
This chemical milk will raise
cream, will sour, turn to curd and
water, and butter and cheese can be
made from it the same as from COW
milk. At present the cost OF pro-
duction is more than ST gallon, but
the promise is that, with few more
experiments, he can reduce the price
to 10 or IS cents gallon, and by
making it in wholesale quantities can
retail it at the usual 6 cents a quart.
1t will be but a short time, according
to this, till the Dry Feed Dairy will
disappear from the milk wagons to
be replaced with Chemically Pure
Milk, Made from Distilled Water
and the Purest Fats"
What imagination can even feebly
measure the grand possibilities of
these beautiful theories, when further
discovery and even limited amount
o! practice, shall elevate the labora.
tory OF the chemist into the great and |
reliable source OF all food products?
What heavenly time that will be
for nervous people, when the chemi-