A p r . , 1915
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ElVGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
and dyes, provided there is a certainty of outlet as to volume and continuity. “There is no inherent defect in our coke industry with regard to the actual making of these things; the only question involved is whether i t be more profitable to burn the benzol, toluol, and the like, contained in the gas, as a fuel, than to separate them from each other for purposes of sale. “The materials of the preceding paragraph are the ones used in the coal-tar explosive industry, as well as in the coal-tar medicinals Each of these three industries coand dyestuffs industries. operates with the others to make full use of those materials; alone none can fully make use thereof nor succeed; the correct and proper utilization of these materials require successful coexistence of all three industries in one and the same country.” In a s t a t e m e n t m a d e b y H. A. M e t z . before t h e C o m Senate, 62nd Congress, m i t t e e of F i n a n c e of t h e o n t h e m a t t e r of d u t y on Aniline Oil a n d S a l t s , h e s a i d : “ o r if the f o r e i g n e r s d i d n o t d r o p t h e i r p r i c e s t h e a r ticles w o u l d p r o b a b l y b e m a d e h e r e , a n d p r o v i d e t h e b a s i s for a r e a l c o a l - t a r (chemical) i n d u s t r y , e t c . ”
u. s.
H e r e w e find t h e m o t i v e f o r t h e o p p o s i t i o n b y t h e f o r e i g n m a n u f a c t u r e r a n d t h e i r a g e n t s , b e c a u s e if t h e d y e s t u f f s i n d u s t r y w a s assisted b y p r o p e r p r o t e c t i o n in t h i s c o u n t r y t h e y k n o w t h a t i n t e n y e a r s we w o u l d c o m p e t e w i t h t h e m i n t h e m a r k e t s of t h e world. T. B. W a g n e r h a s g i v e n us a t e x t o n t h e s u b j e c t w h e n h e s t a t e d i n his a d d r e s s before t h e A m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e of C h e m i c a l E n g i n e e r s t h a t : “Strange as it may seem, the starting of industrial enterprises is not always due to the chase of the almighty dollar, as is generally and perhaps pardonably assumed, but in many instances it is directly caused by the enactment of laws with more or less restrictive tendencies.” S w i t z e r l a n d p r o d u c e s n e i t h e r coal, coke nor coal t a r , a n d y e t of t h e 16.6 p e r c e n t of d y e s t u f f s n o t o b t a i n e d f r o m G e r m a n y in t h e y e a r 1913b y this c o u n t r y t h e m a j o r p a r t was o b t a i n e d f r o m Switzerland. Switzerland t h e n could h o l d us at h e r m e r c y b e c a u s e of h e r a b i l i t y t o s u p p l y herself, o r o t h e r n a t i o n s w h o m i g h t b e a t w a r w i t h us, w i t h explosives. W e c a n r e a d b e t w e e n t h e lines. T h e r e is no s e c r e t w h e n c e t h e success of t h e f o r e i g n c o a l - t a r c h e m i c a l i n d u s t r y . It is f u l l y s e t f o r t h in
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t h e r e p o r t of t h e U. S. Tariff B o a r d d a t e d F e b r u a r y 7 , 1912,p a g e s 225 and 226: The German chemical industry knows practically no competition between individual establishments engaged in the manufacture of the same products; and the elimination of competition and general tendency toward combination observable in all industrial countries, h u t especially pronounced in Germany, has in that country gone further in the chemical and allied industries than in any other manufacture. This has been accomplished by the formation of ‘syndicates,’ ‘cartels,’ ‘selling associations,’ and to a lesser degree by the absorption of, or amalgamation with, rival concerns, formed secretly or openly for the purpose of controlling output and prices. The law puts no obstacle in the way of such consolidation, and in several instances governmental agencies operating large chemical establishments form a party t o the agreements. * * * * Practically all the important manufactures of the chemical industries and many products of lesser importance are under some form of syndicate control, more or less strict, and more or less extensive as to production, prices, supply of raw materials or division of territory. Chemical manufactures lend themselves more readily to consolidation than any other, because within a given line the products from one source are not visibly different from those of other sources, and, on the same basis of purity, do not differ a t all. The products, therefore, carry little if any individuality, which is the principal basis of competition. Quite a number of these organizations are bound by agreements of some kind to international ‘cartels,’ the object of which is to control the international markets.” S h o u l d t h e A m e r i c a n m a n u f a c t u r e r s use s i m i l a r m e t h o d s , i n d i c t m e n t s w o u l d p r o m p t l y follow. Were t h e y p e r m i t t e d t o use t h e m , however, t h e foreigner would u n q u e s t i o n a b l y b e b e a t e n at his o w n g a m e . If t h e n it is n o t t h e desire of t h e p e o p l e of t h i s c o u n t r y t o f o s t e r its aniline i n d u s t r y , l e t us, a t l e a s t , as a m a t t e r of p a t r i o t i s m , d e m a n d t h a t o u r G o v e r n m e n t e n t e r i n t o t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of t h e n e c e s s a r y explosives derived f r o m t h e coal-tar chemical compounds, a l t h o u g h in so d o i n g o u r a m m u n i t i o n of t h e c h a r a c t e r d e s c r i b e d b y Dr. S c h w e i t z e r a n d q u o t e d a b o v e ill c o s t t h e c o u n t r y m a n y , m a n y t i m e s w h a t i t could b e supplied f o r b y an e s t a b l i s h e d a n d p r o t e c t e d a n i l i n e i n d u s t r y T. J . P A R K E R in t h e United States. I‘
SYMPOSIUM ON THE GQNTRIBUTIONS OF T H E CHEMIST TO AMERICAN INDUSTRIES Papers presented a t the 50th Meeting of the A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L SOCIETY, New Orleans, March 31 t o April 3, 1915
CONTRIBUTIONS OF T H E CHEMIST TO ‘JXE INDUSTRY
WINE
By CHARLESS. ASH
Demonstrating the value of chemistry and chemists t o an old established industry, which has been commercially successful without either, is never an easy matter. To attempt such a demonstration to the wine industry of California fifteen years ago seemed like an almost hopeless as well as an entirely thankless task. The California wine industry had been established by European wine makers some thirty years before and for that length of time had been conducted by “thumb and screw” rules. While wines of good quality were not turned out each year, the results obtained by the wine maker were entirely satisfactory to the dealer. Spoilt and poor wine was attributed to a “poor vintage.” The arguments which could be advanced a t that time showing the value of the chemist to other industries had little effect.
When the chemist looked for employment in the wine industry he was naturally asked what he could do for the benefit of the industry. On replying that he could make an analysis of the wine, he was met with this answer-“Well, after I know the composition of the wine what good does it do me? Can you tell me whether the wine is good, bad or indifferent? An expert taster can tell all these things.” Of course, a chemist knowing nothing about wine could not interpret the analysis he had made, and an analysis without an interpretation is useless, while an incorrect interpretation is fatal. So the stand taken by the wine merchant was absolutely correct, as far as his knowledge went. The fallacy of his position a t that time (15 to 20 years ago) was that he unknowingly did depend upon the chemist. Chemical preservatives were in common use all over t h e world, their preservative value having been discovered by chemists. All wine having a sufficient quantity of preservative was sterile and, therefore, gave no trouble after shipment.
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T H E J O U R I V A L O F I N D U S T R I A L Ait’D ENGPATEERING C H E M I S T R Y
The chemist begins to be of value to the wine industry only when he becomes familiar with the wine business and becomes a wine man. When that happens he will know that as wine is a natural and not a synthetic product, he must adjust his scientific knowledge to the nature of the product and not try to change the character of wine to meet his scientific views. As the chemist becomes familiar with the wine he will be able to interpret his analyses correctly, to segregate the sound from the unsound wines and to anticipate their stability. This was most desirable and useFul t o the wine merchant. Pure food laws were coming into effect in European countries. Salicylic acid (the preservative commonly used) had to be abandoned and the chemist was instructed to look for a preservative that could not be detected. At that time benzoates were very difficult of detection and benzoic acid was adopted as a preservative. But analytical science soon caught up, and benzoates also were of no value. The chemist is still looking vainly for a preservative t h a t cannot be detected. As wine makes itself spontaneously when the grapes are crushed, i t was considered a purely natural product and its goodness or badness the result of chance. So we have to this day the much-abused phrase, “the fine vintage of I%-.’’ The reasons for good and bad vintages were unknown. T o be sure, Pasteur had made his classic researches and his views had slowly made themselves felt throughout the world. 1Vhere pure yeast was planted in sterile media, as in beer, the quality of the resulting product was largely dependent upon the quality of the yeast. I n the manufacture of wine, it is obvious that the must cannot be sterilized in the same way t h a t beer can be. The chemist a t this time, being able to anticipate the stability of a natural wine, concentrated his effort upon the production of wines of sufficient stability to keep in a warm climate rather than the finding of a preservative that could not be detected. The use of a preservative in such a wine would only add to the cost and do little, if any, benefit. It holds good in all food industries, I think, that the need for preservatives decreases as knowledge of the product increases. Through the efforts of t h e writer, wine was shipped without preservatives as a n experiment: the first car was shipped with many misgivings. It was expected that every barrel would blow up, and the entire carload be lost. This was a very trying time for the chemist, as his theories were on trial and a failure meant a return to the old regime. The car, however, gave perfect satisfaction and nothing was heard afterwards. From t h a t time on, the use of preservatives decreased and methods for improving the vintage increased; in fact, a chemist’s knowledge took the place of preservatives in the business. The production of stable wine-that is, a wine that does not deteriorate on shipment--is a most complex problem. To go into the problem is outside the province of this short paper. It can be said, however, that if the chemist has been of any benefit t o the wine industry he has been of benefit here. To the direct question-“What has the chemist done for the wine industry?”one can with justice reply : I - B ~ proper methods of handling he has made the use of preservatives unnecessary. n-He has insured the uniformity of the product as completely as seasonal differences will allow. 3-He has reduced the quantity of spoilt wine from 2.5 per cent to less than I per cent (about 0.46 per cent average). 4-He has reduced the quantity of inferior wine from Zj per cent to 5 per cent. (Some grapes always gire inferior wine no matter what care is given to the products. Usually these grapes are those grown on over-irrigated ground and over produce.) One of the most important duties of the chemist is, as we have said, the production of a uniform product, without which uniformity no business can be successful. Some details may not be out of place. There is no difficult37in turning out, for ex-
V O ~7,. 10 4.
ample, a uniform sugar, but a uniform wine is less easy. Every vintage is slightly different, yet if a brand of wine be established it is necessary t o supply your customer always with wine of exactly the same type. Otherwise, the consumer, being used to the one wine, objects t o the other. The wine chemist has to help in the attaining of uniformity. rls the blending of wines is the final operation, and as these blends compose a t times 100 different wines, this is:perhaps one of the most important duties of the wine chemist. Blends are usually made up first in sample, analyzed, blended as nearly as possible t o the composition of the previous blend of this type, and the directions for the blends then distributed to the winery which is to make them up. Bf ter blending, samples are again sent to the laboratory where the chemist again analyzes them to see whether the blends have been properly and uniformly made. The following samples show the method of checking the blending. The analyses of the sample blend made in the laboratory, and the actual blend made in the cellar must agree; otherwise, the blend is not uniform and must be reblended. Per cent alcohol b y volume Winehaven Claret-Blend Sample blend 12.29 12.37 Finished b l e n d . . ~. Wahtoke Port---Blend Sample b l e n d . , . . , , , 20.78 20.78 Finishedblend., , , . ,
. . ..
I
..
Grams per 100 cubic centimeters T o t a l Volatile Reducing acidity acidity sugar Tannin No. 485 (265,000 gallons) 0.500 0.060 0.145 0.135 0.510 0,060 0.150 0.140 No. 482 (144,500 gallons) 0.390 0.043 6.60 0.070 0.046 0.390 6.63 0.079
Besides this, the mine chemist has duties in common with all chemists, He must analyze the water and soils of the vineyards owned by his company, analyze the supplies used in the wineries or in the vineyards, advise as t o fertilizers to be used and devise means to gather as many by-products as possible. I must say, in conclusion, that the wine chemist, in spite of temporary discouragements, is having more intimate relations with the Wine Industry. He is, in fact, becoming quite friendly, a n d he has hopes of being on the same good -terms as his brothers in the sugar, dyeing, oil, petroleum, gas, soap and other industries, which the chemist has made famous. MONADXOCR BUILDING,SAXFRAXCISCO
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CHEMIST TO THE COPPER INDUSTRY B y 1. B. P. HERRESHOIW Vice-President Nichols Copper Company and Consulting Engineer General Chemical Company
During the last forty years there has been a n enormous increase in the copper mined, smelted and refined in the United States. The following figures clearly show this increase : l i , 5 0 0 long tons ..................... ; . . 64,708longtons 1894 ~ . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . , . 158,120longtons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362,739 long t o n s 1904 1912 ........................... . . . . . . 563,;OOlongtons
I n 1 8 i 4 the United States produced 1884
.....n
Of the 17,500 tons produced in 1 8 7 4 ~Calumet & Hecla produced 87 per cent. This was before the producing days of Montana and Arizona copper, which began in about 1883. It is fair t o assume that there were very few, if any, chemists employed in the copper industry in the United States in 1874. At that time, among the few laboratories in New York City, the largest one made only one or two copper analyses per year, and it was known then that Calumet & Hecla had employed one of the very few expert chemists in the country to help them, if possible, out of some chemical difficulty. About 1884 a few chemists were employed in the earlier work of developing going on in Montana and Arizona. You will notice the marked increase in the output of copper from the years 1884 t o 1894. It was not until after 1890 that the real value of chemists in improving operations in mining, as well as in concentrating, roasting, smelting and refining copper was fully appreci-
