ARTIFICIAL ALBUMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 7

ARTIFICIAL ALBUMEN.

ANIMAL FOOD NEEDLESS. (From Our Own Cokrespondent.) LONDON, August 5.

Dr Horowitz, the Vienna correspondent of the Chronicle, has been able to-day to j announce once more an astonishing and sensational scientific discovery. it was he who first published the discovery of the Rontgen Rays, and of Professor Schenk's strange tliecriLi of sex-genesis. To-day he sends, in some detail, news of an amazing experiment -with which, yesterday Dr I Lilienl'eld closed the Congress of Chemists in Vienna. The last day brought the greatest sensation, says tlie telegram, "namely, the discovery of a method of producing artificial albumen with absolutely the same nourishing qualities as found in that which is obtained from organic beings." This is a discovery of enormous consequences to the life of nations. The problem, which was one of the most difficult in organic chemistry, has been solved, after years of study, by Dr Leo Lilienfeld, of Vienna, in the most simple synthetic way. By the condensation of phenol and amydoi acetic acid with phosphoro-chloric oxide, IDr Lilienfeld produces "pepton," a subj stance which it has been hitherto believed could be produced by organic beings only. All doubts were dissipated when Dr Lilienfeld, before the eyes of the congress, performed the whole synthetic process and produced the artificial albumen, demonstrating its complete identity with the natural albumen by the reaction process. "The simplicity of his synthesis," the correspondent goes on to say, " was astounding, and all present felt they had witnessed a great historic event. The no\irishment of human beings will be cheapened, and meat, mankind's piincipal food, and all other organic products containing albumen will be easily replaced by a manufactured article." The Standard's Vienna correspondent i mentions that the process is extremely simple, and though it may be some time artificial albumen can be made in the laboratory as cheaply as the natural article, in the form of meat, etc., the relative cost may ultimately be reversed. WHAT WS MAY COME TO. The scope of the invention, " if," as the Chronicle says, " that be confirmed," paralyses the imagination. Meat will no longer be dependent upon living animals, but will be made in the municipal laboratory. Therefore, the graziers' business will be gone, and the herds of fattening oxen will no longer wind slowly o'ev the lea until they reach the slaughterhouse. The cattle steamers' days are numbered, and the White Star Company need build no more Cymrics. Chicago must look for another title to fame. Every vegetarian can now feast to his heart's content on artificial sweetbreads, and amydo-acetic acid saute au Madere. The provisioning of ships will consist of a few carboys of phenol and a dispenser. We shall all have on the breakfast table a cruet containing phoro-chloridic oxide, with which we shall make our own eggs. "A little more phenol, please; this egg is not fresh." Eggs for political purposes will be manufactured with a deliberate deficiency of chloridic oxide. In war time amydol will, of course, be contraband of war. The cock-crowing nuisance will be abated, as poultry will shortly be extinct. The Kosher butcher of the Jews will be an analytical chemist. " Our acetic-amydo-phosphoro - chloride makes delicious sausages," will be a familiar advertisement. More marvellous ramifications of this unparalleled discovery we must leave to~our medical contemporaries. What a sermon the Spectator will preach us on this text next week!