The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-05

Inc following extracts are from let
tiers received by the writer from
VIM. E. Johnson. of Laurel. Nd. one
4 the Editors of The New Voice:
There is pending in Congress sew
eral bills to take the tax OFF OF alco-
sol, for industrial purposes. after 1t
has been chemically denatured, so as
to be undrinkable. The leading tenn
perance reformers of the country are
heartily in favor Of this proposed
measure not only as an industrial but
as a temperance reform. Herein are
extracts from letters written by DIR.
Funk. DR.. Dickie, Leving and Ste
phens, as we'll as the New Voice edi-
torial, revised by our own John G.
Woolley.
only one point of concern is ever
raised by temperance men and that
is, does denaturation effectively rem
der the alcohol undrinkable, and is it
practicable for dealers to restore de-
naturized alcohol to beverage use?
Every nation in Europe save Tur-
key. Greece, Spain, Portugal, Canada,
and Peru, does this very same thing,
and the temperance people of those
countries find it greatly to their advan-
tage. Temperance societies in Ger
many have been organized for this
very purpose, to divert the alcohol in
to useful purposes.
The American Chemical Society of
5000 members, comprising practical
ly every chemist of standing in the
United States, endorse the proposal
and have committee headed by DR..
Ira Rensen, President of Johns Hop
kins University to aid in securing this
legislation. 1t is uncomfortable that
such a body of chemists would en-
dorse chemical proposition that was
unfeasable. Following are extracts
from letters to Mr.. johnson from
Prof. H. w. Wiley, Chief Of Bureau
of Chemistry of Agricultural Depart
ment U. S. A, and ]. Fl. Long. OF
North Western University Medical
School, Chicago, Ill.
United States Department of Agricul-
ture.
Bureau of Chemistry.
Washington, d. c.
Office of the Chief.
Mr.. w. E. Johnson, Editor,
Standard Encyclopedia Of the Al
cohol Problem,
Laurel, Maryland.
January 80, 1906.
Dear Mr.. Johnson: l am working
| now on a paper which propose to
bring before the Committee on Ways
and Means on the subject of the use
of tax-free alcohol in the arts. l will
answer your questions as briefly as
| possible and in the manner which
you request.
/. 1t is practicable to denaturize
alcohol so as to make it undrinkable
for the ordinary consumer. There are
many persons, however, whose taste
is so depraved and whose craving for
alcohol is so great that they will
drink it directly off of anatomical
| specimens. No amount of denaturing
could prevent consumption of alco
sol In this way, but the amount sc
consumed would be naturally very in
significant.
! 2. Alcohol is undrinkable when
properly denatured because of its ex
cessively bad taste and odor.
8. The skillful chemist is able, liz
most cases to secure again pure al
cohol from the denatured product
/ This would not be possible, however
for the ordinary man unframed II
/ chemical manipulations, and the cosi
of producing drinkable alcohol from
the denatured article would be fal
greater than paying the tax.
l feel very strongly that the use oil
| tax-free alcohol for technical pur
ficing in any respects the interests Of
the treasury in the matter.
| Respectfully.
H. w. WILEY. Chief.
Northwestern University Medica
| School,
Chicago. Illinois.
| Department of Chemistry.
/ Mr.. William E. Johnson.
Laurel. Md.
February 5th. 1906.
/ Dear Sir: In answer to your ques
| lions about denaturing alcohol I viii
say this: Common ethyl alcohol may
| be very readily denatured so as tt
render it absolutely unfit for drink
| For this purpose different materials
have been used in different countries
In this respect the German laws have
/ faap tho un0cf norfonfIv wnreod or,
| and are the most liberal.
Theoretically it Is possible to refine
or rectify this denatured alcohol 81
that it may be again converted int
| whfskey. but this change can not b.
carried out economically or practical
ly except by the use of complicated
| apparatus. 1t can not be done on 1
4 L. I