The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-06-28
TALK ON DENATyRED ALCOHOL
Kansas Expert Discusses the Coming Cheap Fuel From
The Chemists Standpoint

large number OF wichitas prominent /
business men were present at the /,
Chamber os Commerce and listened /
10 Clarence r. Albaugh OF Kinsman
discuss the subject Of denatured alco- I,
hol from scientific standpoint Mr.
Albaugh has made a special study OF
the chemical side Of denatured alco-
hol and was well prepared to handle
the subject
When he concluded many questions
were asked by those who are especial !
" interested in the manufacture and
commercial use o fthe article Nothing
definite was done toward the estab.
lishmeut Of the plant here. although
several men have become interested
In the matter and are determined to
make Investigations as to the cost Of
installing plant In this city. In his
address MI Albaugh said:
There are no secrets connected with
the manufacture of denaturized alco-
hol II Is simply a process Of infinite
and careful detail calling for the
trained application Of several sciences
AS business men you recognize that TO
be at all modern ard consequently to
be at all successful. financially ,it Is.
necessary that any business be care.
fully and technically administered In
its details.
So much has been said and written
. of this facinAting a2tiect that Il js un-
necessary 20 say that "denaturized"
alcohol differs from ordinary ethyl or
grain alcohol only in having added to
Il a sufficient quantity Of some pois-
on to make it unfit for beverage. The
substances added however must be
of such nature as not to impair the
combustibie or solvent properties Of
the alcohol, yet be Of suck a nature
as to be separated with extreme diff
hculty Since to be properly COM
.-bustlble alcohol must be 80 per cent
pure and since also. alcohol may be
separated from almost any Nfdfd or
salt by distiilation. and since further
the poison must be cheap only two
substances are at present available
which lend themselves readily to the
parpose. Methyl or wood alcohol be-
ing of nearly the same specific gravi'
ty and boiling point completely com
bustible and cheap; may be used in
per cent proportion. Benzol, a
member OF the aromatic series closely
related to phenol or carbolic acid a
eoaltar product having nearly the
same properties this may be used in a
one-half per cent solution The Ger
man government permits either OF
these roisons to be used in what are
-.stermed the Incomplete" denaturiza
ton Of alcohol to be used as solvents
or compounds aud sciences For com
plete denaturization a STANDARD de
naturizer is used. while a great mum
Der OF compounds are also permitted
The ordinary process in general
familiar To everyone as process
Of fermentation followed by one ol
distinauon. But in these easily men
toned processes lies either lhe sue
cess OF failure Of the business aud II
Is TO become proficient in these, thai
our American brewers and distillers
send their sons for every wearisom,
apprentice helps in the old world IN
stitutions closely bound to nieroscope
and testtuhe. Bn the brewer and Il
auor distIller of denatured aicoho
seeks only the greatest possible pro
QUESTION Of alcohol Thus our problem
Is one OF direct chemical and bacter
iaologicai method, rather than on
of hoquet This fact should hav'
something to do In modifying tn
design Of the present American plan
and It's machinery simplifying
much
Just as IN the brewery, the iistille
oI alcohol must grind and "mash" hi
raw material If this be Of starch
nature The "mashingr consists d
placing the ground material wit
water ia steel chamber filled vii
live steam and heated TO a temper'
tine OF l550-17o per cent G. for se'
eral f.3urs When 81 is Thought th,
every starch een Is filled with moi
ture al this temperature the pre-
sure is Suddenly reduced TO atmo
pheric qressure. or even below pr
dlcing steam within aud the cons
qucnt explosion every cell upturin
cellulose wall and exposing the stare
10 the immediate aud unhindered a
tiou OF the malt enzime This enzin
or vegetable catalyser is one Of 50
les Of substances, whose methods
fermeniation and operation are litt
understood though, much eoncentri
cd study is devoted to them The
action may be Illustrated by The pla
niim tip with which gas lights a
lighted. producing or rather haste
ing. according 10 the mash law, ehe
ical combination, by means Of its pr'
ence without Itself undergoing al