Tlic problcni of thc teclinicnl prodaction of fntty ncids by true synthesis or by tlic ositliition of Iiiincl'iil oil fractions cotitiiiues to nttract intcrcst, iiltlioiigli tlic iipplicntion of sricli fatty acitls in tlic protlrictioti of q-ntlictic fats is pcrlinps not so ctiergcticnlly ~~ursiirtl to-clay as it wiis i i t n titiic w l i c ~n ctlil)lc fiits were rchtivcly scnrcc. Tlic nrtificiiil 1)rodiict ion of ii Iiiitilriil ran. mnteriiil ~J I tlic factory nl\vnys posscsscs nn nttrnction for tlic clicmist, :ind lie nutoiiiuticnlly nssocintcs tlic prol)lcm of tlic ~iinnnfncturc of :irtificinl fats i1111l f n t t g iicitls with tliosc of iirtificiiil silk, syntlictic indigo nntl otlicr triiiinplis of clicniical tcclitiology. It niiglit i)c :is ~c l l , a t tlic OlltsCt, to iisk liirn to kccp in ~i i i n t l also nrtificiiil or syntlictic mlhcr, iirtificinl cotton nntl similar niatcrials, wliicli, :ilthoiigIi iintIoul)tctlly cnpiihlc of production, lire outsitlc tlic rcnltii of cconomiciil tcchnical ninnufiicturc.
Tlicrc iirc four ninin corisitlcrntions wliicli niust I)c tlisciissctl iii tlic surrey of tlic possi-Idity of Iiiiitirlf:ictririIig f n t sul)stitiitcs : i d artificiiil fatty iicitls, iintiicly :-1. T ~I I I ~ sgntlictic fatty iicitIs-tii;itlc, say,