The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-24
At Last Competitor for Beef
Trust Is Seen.
PICK EATS" OUT OF THE AIR
Chemistry and Electricity Al
ford Chance for Development.
Russian Plans TO Use Carbon
DiOxide From Air.

Chicago, Sept 24.-Artifcial eggs
made from the air, will be the mex
great feat of chemistry.
DR.. Paul Walden of Riga. Russia pres
fdent-elect of the Ninth Internationa
Congress of Applied Chemistry, to be
held in st. Petersburg in 1915, made
this prediction just before his depar-
ture from Chicago with $50 world
famed chemists who are touring the
United States.
No longer will the price of eggs be
dependent on the vagaries of the hen
If DR.. Walden's prophecy is realized
Not only eggs but variety of nj
trogenous foods will be made from the
air some day. declared DR.. Walden
who was asked to hazard prediction
as to the most remarkable discovery In
chemistry that will be related to the
international congress, over which he
will preside in 1915.
Notwithstanding the remarkable ad-
vance made in synthetic chemistry in
the last few years, the science has
many surprises still in store. 1 con-
slider it practically certain that some
day. and not very distant one
either, we shall be drawing food sup
plies from the air. Why not? Prof
Bernthsen, of Germany, has already
succeeded in making the simple COM
pound of heterogeneous hydrogen in the
form of artificial ammonia, the nitro
gen for the purpose of being separated
simple compounds in imitation of ma
ture, we shall soon learn how to make
more complex compounds"
Tc Compete With Beef Trust.
The great Russian chemist admitted
that his prediction, if realized will
revolutionize- the worlds ideas of food
supply, solve the problem of the high
cost Of living and provide an ever
ready source of competition for the
beef trust
Modern chemistry is simply teach
ing US to do for ourselves what nature
has always done for u.s. continued DR..
Walden Nitrogen is one of the great
nourishing elements of such foods as
meats and eggs. 1t occurs in Hmitless
quantities in the air. Seventy-nine OF
the volume of the atmosphere is nitro
gen, the rest being oxygen and other
gases.
An egg is a complex compound OF
nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur and hydro
gen. The chemical process of the hen
will be initiated in the laboratory
1.-TWO great fields for the further de-
velopment of science are the chemistry
of the air and chemistry of electricity.
IJndreamed of benefits to mankind Will
come with the discoveries to be made
in these fields. Electricity is becoming
more and more an aid to synthetic
chemistry
Il speak of Professor Bernthsen's sue
cess in making synthetic ammonia in
2 practical way, for it was only a short
time ago that we depended for our
supply of ammonia on various am
monium compounds existing in nature
Formerly we were able to do very lit
tie with the uncombined nitrogen in
the atmosphere. Now that we have
learned to harness it and put it to
use. the possibilities are wonderful.
There is a lot of carbon dioxide in
the air which I believe we shall some
day be able to use in making synthetic
foods. Just as the plants now use it by
a DESCRIPTION"
Most of the visiting chemists left for
Cleveland.