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 weeks 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- 
chaser has been defrauded. 
There are at least two preparations sold under the name red albumen, 
probably more; for the druggists 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 vs 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 Sialyx 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 they have sold them an albuminous compound, probably a by-product 
which contains 11 or 12 per ect. 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 60 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 8 to 5 cents 
a pound. 
— 
* Reprint of a circular. 
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