The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-13

is rendered so cheap tnat IL enters largely
into all of our canned, and bottled goods.
our lager beer is preserved with it, most
of our carbonated beverages depend upon
it for their preservation, canned meats
are put up with it, and a good percentage
of our preserved foods depend upon il for
their keeping qualities. When properly
used it is not an injurious agent, IL tends
to kill the bacteria of decomposition, but
when introduced into the stomach in. any
quantity it destroys the digestive pow
ers of that organ.
to find some acid that would preserve
meats and food artificially for an indef-
mite period, and which would at the same
time not destroy the aualty or nutritious
principles. II decomposition could be ar
rested the food supply OF the world would
be better reguiated ana prices would pc
tabOred in various feds with success
they have discovered the bacteria which
develops cheese, and under proper condi-
lions they cultivate these TO the great adj
vantage of the trade. They have dis
eliminated between the harmful and bene-
fetal bacteria of milk, ana while the
growth of one is checked the culture of
the other is forwarded. They have pro-
duced the Tactic acid, which Is the sour
principle of our milk, ana they have bot
tied up the bacteria which causes the but
ter to become rancid. Through these vari-
Gus channels the chemists are working to-
ward the same goal-the discovery of the
cay and decomposition in our food for an
indefinite period. Some think that they
have already the grand preserVauve IN
sight, and none despair of ever obtaining
it, What a revolution in our civilized life
this discovery will make can be scarcely
imagined, 1t VIII be more important taip 70 70
viii place in the hands of man an agent
more powerful than electricity. Food and
drink will be eheapened by one-haif
throughout the whole world, and present
mammoth cold storage houses viii prove
obsolete institutions.
In the world of metals chemistry has
,aA wonderful than
any recorded of Aladdins lamp, If we
can believe the promises of those who
ought to know the outlook for realizing
the dreams of the ancient alchemists is
far brighter than ever before in the his
tory of The world. Transmitting the baser
metals into the precious ones IS no longer
| left to the idle dreamers and philosophc
| theorists Modern science approaches the
! question in cool and calm manner, max
| ing sure of every step before another is
/ attempted. The chemist in his laboratory
| regards the diamonds as so many crys-
| tails of salt, and he proceeds to find out
| all about their constitution and properties,
| after which he tries to construct one.
| Some years ago a Glasgow chemist as
| tonished the Royal Society by announcing
| that he had discovered a method of man
! ufacturing real diamonds. The specimens
| he exhibited were very small, but no one
! questioned their geuuineness. Since then
! real diamonds have been produced in the
! chemists laboratory, but the expense of
! making them has always been greater
than that required to dig. them. Conse-
] y
| come of practical value, although any day
| the real status of the business may be
| completely altered. The present market
rate for diamonds is sufficiently high to
| stimulate any one to continue researches
| in the endeaVOr to cheaper the process.
The projects for making gold began in
! the middle ages. and since then numerous
attempts have been made. To-day we do
not try to make gold, but the chemists
do the next thing to it. They discover
traces of the precious metal in the air,
water and gases of the earth and then
| try to find some method of extracting IL
in such quantities that will make the
work profitable In 1872 Sonstadt dem
| onstrated that there were traces of gold
in the ocean, and that the vast bodies
of salt water held tons of the precious
metal in solution. Genuine gold has
| since been extracted from the ocean by
| chemists Off the Isle of Man the yield
about one-thirteenth of a grain TO the
ton and the water from the Kristinia
| Fiord produced one-tenth of grain to
the ton The cold water of the northern
| more gold than that of the southern
oceans The gold is held in solution by
the iodine which is obtained from the
iodate of calcium. Silver has also beer
century ago Malaguti and Bdrocher an
nounced to the world that they had ex-
tracted real silver from the ocean.
in M0fHoH teg,a IU ouantities in the air an6
gases around us, and chemistry may
some day unlock the vast storehouse
so that they can be released and util'
lied. Thus on every hand chemistry Is
at the foundation of all our sciences and
II touches our life at every point. The
advance determines largely the future
happiness of the race, and 1T Is making
such rapid strides forward that 1t Il
difficult TO say what door will be opened
on the morrow to reveal things only
vaguely dreamed of before.