Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-06
BUILT UP by CHEMISTRY.
"Made" Products That Take the
Place of the Natural.
(New York Tribune.)

| tNeW York Tribune)
From Vienna there has come the news
Of a discovery that has created muct
more than a ripple Of excitement over
scientific Europe. 1t is contended in a
J paper read by pr. Leo I.lienfeld before
the International Congress for Applied
| Chemistry, in the Austrian capital a
| fortnight ago, that a method of making
| artificial albumen has been found. Coal
| tar is the basis, 50 DR.. I.ilienfeld declares.
| of his "buNt-up" albumen, the chemical
| combination, as nearly as he will divulge
| II, being phenol, amydo-acetic acid and
| phosphOro-chlorico oxide. The reports do
not give further details. but they go on
| to say that DR.. Lnienfeld convinced the
congress Of the success Of his process by
producing the new albumen before
their eyes afterward demonstrating it's
identity with natural albumen by the
well-known reaction tests.
In the absence of corroborating details
and full scientific explanation of what
mas been accomplished, the chemists OF
New York are inclined TO doubt the dis
covery on the whole. They freely con-
cede that it may be possible for the ad-
Vances these last few years in synthetical
chemistry-Or chemical synthesis, that
new science recently so vigorously prose-
cuted, chiefly in Germany-have been very
great, but this seems altogether too sud-
den jump" Lilienfeld, they say, is not
numbered among the great European
chemists, and that he should in this man
ner have solved one of the great possible
problems of the future is almost incredi-
bic. Berthelot they continue, has work
ed in the path Of building up foods sci
entiically for many long years. and vet
has met with no success, though at times
in his world-famous laboratory he has
seemed close TO il.
INTEREST AMONG SCIENTISTS.
And yet there is much interest felt here
in the possibility that Lilienfeld may have
discovered something, may have advanced
in some degree the science of chemical
synthesis 1t is generally believed that
IN this new direction science is standing
upon the threshold of "a new day. Almost
any hour the gates may be opened, and
the possibilities are extensive. The fear
is that this may prove to be another SEN
sational scientific rumor without the
weight of evidence behind II. The method
of the 'discovery's" announcement in a
purely popular way in the European
papers causes scientists to doubt, aud IT
is considered somewhat significant that so
far none Of the technical journals have
commented on II, though II Is conceded |
that there has hardly been time
On the subject OF chemical synthesls |
however, the entire chemical world is |
aroused. and scores of laboratories in |
Germany and elsewhere are actively ex-
perimenting, for discoveries along these |
lines have enormous commercial posi- |
bilities in them. Substances that hitherto |
have been produced only by processes of !
nature are now built up" in the labo- |
ratories with great exactness meeting |
every test. What is more. they can be !
made in this way at far less cost than |
they can be taken from some plant, fire.
quently rare one. The essential ele-
ment, the extract. instead OF being dis /
titled or yielding TO some complicated
method of treatment, is made up In the
reverse way-working backward as IL
were.
What has already been accomplished in
his field would make a long story. Scores
of compounds" elements, essences, and
essential principles are under way.
proved scientifically possible; commercial
successes or their secrets all but wrested
BY experimenting scientists. No one out
tide OF the active field of chemistry knows
What strides have been made and what
he future seems TO have In prospect
5erthelot's work has already been mem
Toned. This scientist, however. is but one
II the many. His attention has mainly
zen directed TO the rbuilding upy OF