so CALLED "RED ALBUMEN" A FRAUD.* 



W. H. JORDAN. 



Poultry-feeders and farmers throughout western New York have been 

 much excited during the past few weelis by the exploiting of " Red Albu- 

 men." Doubtless many of them have been victimized; for druggists report 

 demands for this material almost unprecedented even in the sale of patent 

 medicines, and so far as evidence collected by the Station goes each pur- 

 cha ser has been defrauded. 



There are at least two preparations sold under the name red albumen, 

 probably more; for the di-uggists in many places were evidently not sup- 

 plied with the original material, but realized that the farmers were deter- 

 mined to be " gold-bricked " anyway and so met the demand by substitut- 

 ing compounds from their own stock. One of the preparations, that reach- 

 ing the Station under the label of the United States Salyx Co., New 

 Concord, Ohio, has practically no feeding value as it contains only -fn of 

 1 per ct. of protein (albumen), the remainder being almost wholly oxide 

 of iron (red paint) and sand. No phosphorus was found, nor was there 

 any evidence of strychnine or the newly discovered (?) " alequet." Unless 

 fraud has been worked upon the Salyx Co., this is the original "red 

 albumen." 



If so, instead of being worth 50 or 60 cents a pound, it is worth only 

 from 1 to 2 cents a pound as " Mineral Red " or " Ground Iron Ore " used 

 for paint. 



Druggists, or others who have substituted some other product for the 

 original " red albumen," have been less conscienceless toward the farmers; 

 for tliey have sold them an albuminous compound, probably a by-product 

 wliich contains 11 or 12 per ct. of nitrogen or about 72 per ct. protein. 

 This sells for varying prices, depending upon the druggist's mood; but 

 usually at the price fixed for the original article, 50 or GO cents a pound. 

 Animal meal, which supplies the best of albuminoid matter for poultry, 

 contains more than half as much protein and sells at from 3 to 5 cents 

 a pound. 



* Reprint of a circular. 



