Year: 1873

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Scientific Discovery.


4 Paris correspondent writing on May
10th says Scientific Paris has new
sensation. Yet, if all be true that is told
of the wonderful discovery whose history
| propose sending you, it deserves a
higher title than that of mere sensa-
ton. 1t will revolutionize the condition
of mankind raise the poor to condi
ton in life where the sweat of their brow
will bring them at least the proper and
full reward of toll prevent the bicker-
ings of traffic whence now spring the
causes for which nations go to war; turn
our political economy into the channels
of something like common care for the
common interest; aud break down many
of the social barriers which have nothing
except their age to recommend them
This is saying great deal, but the event
will carry out my assertions. The fret
requisite of mankind is food. and if that
can be proviled at ali times iu sufficient
quantity aud quality to sustain life with
out extraordinary labor exposure and to
perils. it must be conceded that all have
claimed is true. If, moreover, the food
have spoken of is of the best quality,
and exactly ad apted to the different ages
and varied physical institutions Of the
race. then the creates. triumph of the
age has been achieved And all of this
Professor Guere,te claims to be true of
his discovery.


1t seems that the idea occurred to the
learned scientist twenty years ago, that
lie might experiment with animal and
vegetable food so far as to discover the
primordial clements needed to sustain
and foster life. lie argued that as man
is sustained by the flesh of animals and
by vegetables, it might be possible to
resolve these articles of dict into their
elements, discoyer the sources from which
they drew their life, and by judicious
com animation of their most nutritious
qualities and the throwing out of that
which was useless and harrnfd, produce
an artificial species of food which would
supply every need Of the race. He
sought what Huxley would call the pro
toplasm of life, and it is claimed and ad
mtted by number of his learned coun-
trymen that he has found it 1t has
been. az | said, the work of twenty years
to perfect the discovery, but two thou
sand years would not have been wasted
had they been successfully applied to
the same purpose With an increasing
supply of food for the race always at
hand wish slight expense of Labor, the
miseries of the poor, and the necess tiles
of crime are largely decreased. The
slaughter of animals and the animal
destruction of the vegetable world is
done away. Science gives its nanna
with a large hand, and the one great
need of the world is supplied from an
unfailing source.


The gentleman to whom this discovery
is due, is well-known in the City OF
Lyons, where he holds the cliair Of
Chemics in the University He was
born at Auvergne in 1S0S, graduated in
medicine at the universities of Paris and
Naples, was appointed a lecturer at the
former institution in 1S4l, and was pro
NOTED to the professorship of chemistry
in the University of Lyons in 1Si5.-
Since that time be has made the latter
city bis abode, visiting Paris only at rare
intervals. He was pointed out to me
one day last week on the Rue des Ital-
lens, and l was told to take special no.
tice of him, which was the easier done
as he walked with eyes bent down and
evidently engaged in deep thought -
This, | am told, is his custom-but at
home he is seldom seen on the streets. as
he confines himself closely to his labora
tory. when not occupied with his public
duties. He is small, gray haired, with
broad forehead and deep set eyes ttiIeir
color l could not see). and a s,ubby
moustache, half concealing a firm mouth
Like most scholars, he is somewhat stoop
shouldered, and walks with a shutting
gait As a chemist, no man in France |
ranks higher though he is little known
outside of his own scholastic circle, for /
the reason that he has never published
anything. His life has been devoted to
the discovery he is now perfecting, and
that promises to bring him such laurels |
as no other man of his age has achieved.


There has been no public exhibition
yet made of the food which Prof Guer-
ette has prepared, and | can speak of it
only from the description given by scien-
tifc men, who are enthusiastic in praise
of it. They have been made acquainted