The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-12-26
"RED ALBUmEN" A FRAUD.
Another Scheme Of the U. S. Salyx
Company Exposed--Same Con-
Germ Exploited the Fraud
"Black Pepsin", Some
Years Ago.

ltt up W tHe utIlduu lOi tuC di tiSiS'
Some orders are received for "red al
bumen'', some for blood albumen and
Others merely state that the article
wanted is albumen. In almost every
instance the wholesaler has been ask
ed to rush" the order, and numerous
orders have been received by tele-
graph and invariably with the word
''rush". The orders received have
been for amounts of one pound up to
as much as seventy-fve pounds and
have come from druggists in all parts
Of the United States. Many of the
dealers have been supplying blood al
bumen where the customer has not
specified "red albumen" and several
thousand pounds of blood albumen
have been sent to out-of-town drug
gists this last week. The unusual de-
mauds on the article was the cause
of an advance in price. In most cases
where the customer called for y'red
albumen" the dealer has written ex-
planning that nothing is known of
the preparation, except that it Is
made by the United States Salyx
Co., New Concord, Ohio, which fact
is enough to condemn it without any
Investigation, as that concern ex-
plotted the now well known frauds
.'black pepsin" and "per algretta,
which have been repeatedly exposed
bv the various pharmaceutical jour-
mails and the chemists of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, at Washing.
ton.
The cause of the extraordinary de-
mand for ''red albumen" is attributed
to letters which have recently ap-
peared in daily newspapers through
out the country. The letters are all
worded exactly the same, and most
of them are signed, "Parmaceutist,"
and dated New York City, November
q, 1901. The 'letter" is addressed to
the editor of the paper in which it
appears, and tells of the writer hear
ing a lecture before the chemical
class of the medical university where
he was a student, in which the pro-
fessor, while analyzing an egg, stated
that "the reason hens did not lay as
many eggs in the winter as in the
summer was that in winter they could
not get the necessary food to produce
the yolk of the egg, and If farmers
would feed their fowl powdered red
albumen in the winter they could
have as many eggs as in summer"
The writer then told how the ''red al
bumen" which could be bought at any
drug store for go cents a pound, should
be mixed with black or red pepper,
and some ground feed, half wheat
bran and half cornmeal. He also ex-
planned that his father and brother
were farmers, and had fed their hens
with the mixture, with excellent re-
suits and were making fine profits sell
ing eggs.
Naturally every farmer or person
interested in fowls who read the ar
ticle, rushed to the drug store for
some I"red albumem" and doubtless
a great many of them were geatly
surprised to find that the Druggist
could not supply the article. For
some little time druggists were puz-
zled as to what caused the sudden de.
mand for "red albumen", and orders
were sent to the nearest jobbers,
"post haste. It was not long, how
ever, till the scheme" was unearth-
ed, and it is said few druggist are
supplying "red albumen", although
many are still having a good sale for
blood albumen.
That the scheme originated from
the same source as did the "black
pepsin", "per algretta", compound
extract of salyx," hypersamphire"
and similar fraudulent preparations
which have been exposed in the Era,
is evident from a circular recently
received by Wholesale druggists in
this city, sent out under the name of
the ~. S. Salyx Company, New Con-
cord, Ohio" This circular says, "We
will advertise red albumen 800, 900
worth this month, so you will surely
have orders very soon. Red albumen
will make hens lay all winter, no mat
ter how cold it may be. 1t is pow
der put up in five-pound packages, 20
packages to case. Retails 10 cents
a pound. Wholesale, 81 package,
40 cents a pound 10 per cent of to
Wholesale and jobbing trade" In the
same circular are listed powdered
Puri VIII, powder for preserving
fruit in natural state without being
heated or sealed" "Per Algretta,"
compound Extract of Salyx." and
"Zulu Vulier."
The fraud "black pepsin" was
claimed by the maker, the ~. s
Salyx Company" to increase the
yield of butter. The preparation
was shown to be composed of salt, an
natto, rennet and organic matter,
worth about cents per two-ounce
box. 1t is said the ''red albumen"
sent out by the concern is COM
posed of ground oyster shells
and red pepper.-The Pharmaceutical
Era.
Mid Winter Holidays.