The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-11

Cncmicai syntnesis O"es ~ Lhis'ence W
Him-sugar Made From Giycerin-To-
bacco, Tea, Coffee and Other Commercial
Products to he Made ArtinciaIly.
The new French cabinet Is essentially
ext rimcntal. The most experimental por-
ton of 1t is Undoubtedly tho minister who
takes over from NJ. Hanotaux heportfolio
of foreign affairs.
NJ. Berthelot, an elderly professor of 6S,
with virtually 10 experience in the con-
duct of public Office, has been intrusted
offhand with tho most complex and most
difficult Of tho functions 10 be welded by
the governing group. How he will acquit
himself of his responsibilities during the
short time that the cabinet Is likely to
continue in Office is one of the burning
questions of the hour. As q rule, the
academic spirit has been a failure when
applied TO the problems of practical states
manship. The qualities essential in deal
ing at first hand with grave international
issues arc not as a rule developed duringa
lifetime spent exclusively In the laboratory
or the study. NJ. Berthclot may possibly
prove "a brilliant exception TO a hitherto
universal rule, or. like the general in Mark
Twain's story, he may DO SO favored by
fortune rs TO achieve plumbers more valua-
bic than the successes of Other men. But,
on the whole, reasoning from experience
n analogy, the probabilities seem to DO
all the other way.
Meanwhile 1t Is interesting to note the
claims which NJ. Berthelot possesses to
fame apart altogether from his political
efforts. In his special domain of chemical
knowledge no ranks among the first of his
contemporaries. Chemical synthesis-the
science of artiloially putting organized
bodies togcther-may be said TO owe its
existence TO him. The practical results
expected to flow from his experiments and
-dlscoYerloS- are enorlnnus. Thus, sugar
has recently been made in the laboratory
from glycerin, which Professor Berthelot
first made direct from synthetic alcohol.
Commerce has now taken up tho question,
and an invention has recently been patent
ed by which is to be made upon a
commercial scale from two gases at some
thing like ! cent per pound. NJ. Berthe
lot declares ho has not the slightest doubt
that sugar will eventually be manufac-
turod on the largest scale alphabetically
and that the culture OF tho sugar cane and
IA bNtS IbbO VIII DC GDlaaAOntu bNNtSA>t
they hayo ceased TO pay.
The chemical advantages promised by
M. Bertholot 60 future generations arc
marvellous. Ho cites tho case Of ALARM, n
compound whose synthetic manufacture
by chemists has destroyed "a great agrioul-
tural industry. Ii Is the essential com
mcrcial principle Of the madder root. which
was once usod I'm dycing wherever dyoing
xynS pnrrioI nn M. .IM,f-t- LaVn nnxy
succeeded in making puro indigo direct
from It's elements, and it will soon DO a
commercial product. Then tho indigo
fields, like the madder folds, viii be aban-
doncd, industrial laboratories having
usurpcd their place.
Blu these scientific wonders do not stop
here. Tobacco, tua and coffee arc To DO
made a%rtinoially. Not only this, but there
is substantial promise that such tobaccos,
such tens and such colTees rs the world has
mover seen will DO the outcome. Thcobro
mino, the essential principle of cocoa, has
been produced In tho laboratory. Thus
synthetic chemistry is getting ready To
furnIah the three great nonalcoholic bcycr-
ages I'm general use. The tea plants, coffee
shrubs and cocoa trees must some day fol-
low tho lead of madden aud indigo.
Tobacco will bo obtained in % similor
fashion. Professor Dcrthclot has obtained
pure nicotine whose chemical constitution
is perfectly understood. by treating salo-
mine. "a natural glucosidc, with hydrogen.
Synthetic chemistry has not mado nicotine
directly ns yet, but IL has nearly rcIchod
~, AMI tic labor. tory manufacture OF ulc-
otino may fairly bo expected at any time.
The tobacco leaf " simply so much dried
vegetable matter I'm which nicotine Is nat
urallv stored. Chemistry will first mako