MOLASSES ACTS AS ANTISEPTIC. 281 



When one reflects upon the possibilities of this molasses Possibilities of 

 utilization, appalling facts become apparent. In the ordinary blood-molasses 

 slaughter-houses of most of our popular centres the volume or comt) i nations - 

 quantity of blood that remains is something stupendous as, 

 for example, in Vienna, where it reaches 6,000 tons per annum. 

 If we should combine residuum molasses with this product, we 

 would have at once at our disposal enough forage to feed the 

 majority, if not all, of the live stock of that empire, and there 

 would be very little call for other feeding stuffs. 



Molasses-blood combinations are always made up of other in- Molasses acts 

 gredients, such as bran, oil cake, etc. In these mixtures, as antiseptic, 

 molasses, according to Fredericksen and Clausen, prevents the 

 putrefaction of the blood, owing to the presence of a large per- 

 centage of sugar. The activity of micro-organisms in this com- 

 bination is thus paralyzed. Experience appears to show that 

 it is a mistake to add more than 10 per cent, blood to the 

 molasses. It is interesting to note that in order to obviate 

 organic changes entirely one may heat the forage at a tempera- 

 ture of 80 to 100 C., which means to desiccate the product so 

 that it will ultimately contain 15 to 20 per cent, moisture. 

 Without doubt this has an excellent effect, as it obviates the 

 contamination of many diseases, such as tuberculosis. The 

 disinfecting action of molasses was discovered as follows, the 

 present arguments being the outcome of the observations of 

 Stein, at Copenhagen. A servant accidentally upset a certain 

 amount of molasses into a receptacle full of blood. In the 

 desire to make amends for his individual shortcoming he 

 endeavored to procure other blood, but not being successful he 

 admitted the accident. The receptacle which had previously 

 contained the overturned blood w r as forgotten and put aside, 

 and when examined later it was noticed that the blood had 

 been completely preserved through the intervention of the 

 molasses, and it was in no way altered from its primitive 

 organic condition. 



Fresenius has endeavored for a long time, but without suc- 

 cess, notwithstanding even the action of micro-organisms, to 

 bring about a putrefaction of a molasses-blood combination, by 

 keeping it in an oven, at a temperature of 37 C., during a 

 long period. 



