Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-04-27
CHEWING GEM,
Something About Its Method Of Man.
ufncturc and It's Origin.

tnlngS were used by the manufacturers
In making the gum, such rs refuse from
the slaughter houses blood, bones.
hoOfs and fat-and other uncleanly AMI
disagreeablc things. This anti-chew.
Ing gum man adds that no one Is per-
mitted to 60 through a chewing gum
factory. and that the process IL kept n
dense, invlolate secret because the man.
ufacturers do not want the truth to get
out.
So far MS the process of making chew.
Ing gum Is concerned the anti-gum man
was right in saying that makers try to
keep 1t secret, but his enthusiasm led
him astray when he charged the manu-
facturers with putting in other than
clean, harmless materials In making the
gum. As matter Of fact, the greater
part Of the different varieties Of gum
Is made Of clean vegetable products
mixed and put together In clean fac
tory, where the floor and machinery are
as free from dirt MS the kitchen Of
Dutch housewife. For reasons best
known to themselves chewing. gum
makers are given to the habit Of max.
Ing their gums behind closed doors and
giving out that the process rs well rs
the materials for making the compound
are known to only select few.
Nine.tenths Of the gum chewed In this
country II made Of chiclc. the gum Of
the sapodilla tree Of Mexico and South
America, granulated sugar and flavor
ing extracts. The other tenth Is spruce
gum and white or paraiiin gum, the Int.
ter q product Of petroleum, mixed with
sugar and 6av0ring essence. The Ouly
real secret In the making Of the gum Is
that part Of tho process which refines,
cleans and prepares the crude chiclc
gum for the sugar and iavors. This
eapodilla tree Is a member Of the caout-
chOuc family and distant relative Of
the rubber tree. The gum was first
brought to this country, not for the pur.
pose Of making chewing gum, hut to
adulterate rubber. Nearly twenty-five
years ago Thomas Adams. Of New York,
imported ten tons Of chicle gum and be.
gan series Of experiments for the pur-
pose Of mixing It with rubber and thus
producing cheap, hard rubber. The
chlcle could not be vulcanized. and tho
experiments proved failures. Then Mr..
Adams tried to sell his useless gum, but
no one wanted II. and he was about to
dump It oil into the North River when
he received the idea which resulted In
chewing gum. He was In candy
store and heard o little girl ask for
mystic chewing gum" 1t occurred to
Mr.. Adams that his chicle gum might
make chewing gum, and he tried some
Of II. The result was the rubber gum
Of two decades ago. 1t was without ia.
vor, for It was but refined chiclc gum.
At that time the chewing gums were
tho white, or parafiin gum and spruce
gum, but chewing gum was confined to
school children, and did not become
craz, until favoring compounds and the
FREQ use of printers Ink made 1t popu.
lar.
When the chiclc gum Is received at
the factories from Mexico 1t Is covered
with dirt, leaves and splinters Of bark
and wood. 1t IL nearly Of the consist.
cncy Of putty. and looks like It. Tho
chicle gum II flrst cleaned Of Its i'm.
puritlcs and then worked down In o
kncoding machine until It has the right
texture. Heat and chemicals play IN
important part In this refining process.
aud when It Is ready for tho next step
1t Is taken to the mixing machine,
where pure granulated sugar and the
essential oils which flavor It are mixed
with the chicle gum. These fiavoring
extracts IRE peppermint. wintergrceii,
Vanilla. licorice. pineapple. stra wbcrry,
tolu. sarsaparilla. blood.orangc. and
half a hundred other sweet ana spicy
things. Sometimes two or three fiavors
are blended. and now gum Is sent out
with catchy name. Pcpsin IL Raced
In some gyms and barley malt Is anoth.
or medicinal gum. When the gum IL
sweetencd ana favored It IL rolled out
into thin sheets, cut up into pieces AMI
wrapped In tin.foii, tissue paper or lace
by girls.
In spite Of the dainty preparations
sent out In attractive papers by the
makers, tlsc Old.fashi0ned, non favored
rubber gum still has an immense sale.
It II made up into sticks which are
nOtched 30 rs to break OF into small
"chews." When first put into tho
mouth the pure, untreated chicle, or
rubber gum, crumbles between the
teeth, but In q short time It becomes
plastic, and by athletes 1t IL considered
better than the fiavOring compounds.
This IL what reputable physician Of
Chicago has to shy Of chewing gums,
"In many cases dyspepsia and indi-
gestion can be cured-really and abso.
lntcly cured by the intelligent use Of
non. Favored gum. The best gum to
use IL pure spruce gum. Chew It for ten
minutes before eating and half an hour
after eating, swallowing the saliva.
Next to spruce gum comes the old. fash
toned rubber sum. The action Of the
gum releases the saliva, and ut the same
time by sympathetic action aids the pro.
cess of digestion In the stomach. Tho
continuous use Of gum wastes the sail.
~ and lays the foundations of nervous
and stomach ailments. There IL moth.
Ing In the composition OF chewing gums
which Is ut all hurtful unless the gum
itself Is swallowed: then trouble may
follow. for 1t Is injurious to the diges-
tive Juices"