Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-20
THE CHEMISTRY OF MUMMIEs.

valuable anatomical studies on num-
mined remains have been made nj the
government school of medicine at Cal.
TO 81 recent years under the auspices
Of Prof' Elliot Smith. In the course
OF these studies w. A. Schmidt has in
Vestigated mummliied material of dlf-
terent epochs from the chemical and
biological point OF view, experiment.
ing on mummies 5000 years old dat
Ing back IN period before embalming
as practsed in later times was known
In the Nile valley Says w. D. Halli-
burton Ia notice of this work in
Nature;
1T is remarkable that, In spite Of
TINS lapse of time organic materials,
which Of all others are liable to de-
cay. should still manifest In the test
tube their characteristic reactions. Tho
presence of solid and volatile fatty
acids, proteins, and cholesterin, with
traces Of intact fat was demonstrated
me nigh percentage OF fatty acids
leads the author to the conclusion that
they originate, not wholly from fat,
but mainly from the body proteins. The
formation of adipocere in the muscles
OF corpses left In the water or work
az the morgue in Paris as evidences OF
the possible conversion OF protein into
iatty material. Al the present time,
however the doctrine of the metabollc
change Of protein into fat is regarded
with skeptlclsm by most Psychologists,
In spite Of the large amount OF fatty
acids radicals in the protein molecuie.
The mummy protein, although Il re-
tains the general characters OF album-
nous material has lost those specific
properties which enable us TO distin-
gulsh that OF human origin from that
which Is found In other parts OF the
animal kingdom. In other words. IL no
longer gives. what - termed the bio
logical reaction This Is disappointing
although II WAS doubtless expected Mr.
schmidt also found that he could no
longer detect hemoglobin, and the sub
stance regarded as blood by previous
observers was doubtless composed az
colored gum ana resin employed in en-
halming. In reference ia the process
OF emhalming itself. he was unable 10
ma any soda; the so-called natrlun
bath really consisted OF a solution of
common salt
THE old Egyptians simply plokled
their corphes IN brine and the various
balsams used were mere accsssorles
which could have exofted no real In.
ntence on the process Of mummihca-
ton. The real agent az work here was
Undoubtedly the extraordinarily dry
climate OF Egypt aud IL Is this also
winch has acted as preservatiye OF
me organic material which can still
be- Identified.
THE research reminds me of small
piece " work which was carried out by
Dr. otto Rosenheim. a few
years ago. Small pieces OF the cara
pace OF fossil Eurypterld were placed
az his disposal by Sir H. Ray Lam
kesier and Nh l3athor Of the Natural
History Museum, and he WAS able 10
demonstrate in them the presence OF
ehitln' their organic suhstratum. In
TINS case one was dealing with prehis-
toric material compared with which
an Egyptian mummy is quite recent.
rms KIND OF work appeals To the I'M
aslnation' and enc can only hope that
II II Is continued stiil further light ana
Interest VIII be thrown on the records
OF past ages. boston Transcript.