NEWS EDITION VOL.
13, N o . 1
JANUARY
10, 1935
Industrial Chemistry AND ENGINEERING
VOL.
27, CONSECUTIVE
NO. 2
P U B L I S H E D BY THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL HARBISON E . H O W E , EDITOR
SOCIETY
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Distillation Symposium a Great Success chemical engineer, he must be fundamentally a chemist, must perfect himself in that science, and must keep abreast of its developments. Dr. Lewis then took up in an interesting fashion a discussion of the possible contributions which the scientificially trained mind may make t o the sociological and economic problems of the day. In answer to the question, "Is technological advance an evil?", h e stated positively that we must have more of such advances rather than less, if we are to achieve that coveted economy where squalor cannot exist. Unquestionably, there is need for straight thinking, and those who should best be able to do it are those who are accustomed to doing it, as are the scientist and the engineer. The scientist has the ability t o develop, uncover, and use funda mental principles. This, coupled with intellectual integrity in the approach to a problem, should make it possible for the scien tist to offer a real contribution. Undoubtedly, the problems in sociology and economics are highly complex and most of those in these fields are unfamiliar with the scientific approach which the chemist must use in the solution of his problems. It is said that one group of five economists who were asked t o make a report recently produced six. One involved t h e few points upon which the group could agree, and there were five minority reports, each man setting forth in detail his own indi vidual ideas which differed from those of each of his committee men. This sort of thing is well-nigh unheard of in chemistry. A chemist in an investigation, having established and set up what the variables are, changes one at a time and thus reaches a sound conclusion which can be checked with the experiments repeated by his fellows. Unfortunately, the sociologist and the economist do not, nor can they, proceed likewise. Their experiments cannot be repeated. Neither can many of them be conducted on a laboratory scale. Now the chemist and his fellow scientists discover their fundamental guiding principles through relatively simple pro cedures which can be checked, whereas the sociologist and the economist require more involved thought t o unravel the facts which they must ascertain. It may also be said that the scien tists and the engineers are also facing the necessity of untan gling underlying principles from more complex facts as they ad vance in their own work, and they should not hesitate, there fore, to bring to bear any talents they may possess in an effort t o assist in the untangling process and move toward the solution of modern sociological and economic riddles. The sessions of the symposium were planned to encourage thorough discussion, and give ample time for promoting ac quaintance, and, as always happens "on such occasions, groups of two and three could be found discussing some special feature. I t now only remains for the division to perfect plans for future sym posia on the various interesting topics that can be selected for similar treatment and a t points where a large attendance of those most interested can be assured. Perhaps such meetings could b e held to advantage on a regional basis and the subject selected ac cording to t h e major interest or specialty in that area. Plans perfected well in advance might make possible preprinting of pa pers so that only the major points could be presented, leaving more time for the discussion certain to develop under such pro cedure. Much could be gained by agreeing o n a long-time pro gram and assigning topics a full year before their discussion is expected. All of those at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who in any way contributed to the success of the symposium have earned the thanks of the division and of the SOCIETY as well.
T H E FIRST SYMPOSIUM under the auspices of the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry of the AMERICAN CHEMI
CAL SOCIETY, held a t the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, December 28 and 2 9 , 1934, proved a great success from every point of view. Other divisions, such as those of Organic Chem istry and of Colloid Chemistry, had demonstrated that special sessions of this sort could be held to the advantage of all con cerned, but it remained for D. B . Keyes, a past chairman of the division, to conceive of this meeting and promote the various fea tures which characterized it. T h e details were in charge of a com mittee under the chairmanship of F. W. Adams, of the Massachu setts Institute of Technology, and the final program will be found on page 456 of the N E W S EDITION of December 20, 1934.
One hundred and fourteen registered for the event, but a con siderably larger number attended. T h e registration was distrib uted as follows: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (staff), 10; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (students), 13; Bos ton and vicinity, 2 0 ; Massachusetts (exclusive of Boston and vicinity), 7; New York, Ν". Υ., 19; N e w York (exclusive of New York City), 7; Connecticut, 4; Delaware, 5; District of Colum bia, 1; Illinois, 3; Indiana, 2 ; Michigan, 2; N e w Jersey, 8; Pennsylvania, 9; Virginia, 1; West Virginia, 1, Province of Quebec, Canada, 2 . Sixty-five were present at the informal dinner meeting on t h e evening of December 28, when Dr. Adams presided and presented Dr. Keyes after the dinner. Dr. Keyes spoke with pride of t h e high, caliber of the men attending the sym posium, and there w a s no doubt that the great majority of those who have become identified with the problem of distillation were in attendance, either to present papers or to lead and participate in a thorough and helpful discussion. He also paid a tribute to the work of the division from which there have sprung during the past several years practically all of the other divisions of the AMERICAN CHEMICAJL SOCFETY which devote their attention to
some phase of applied chemistry. As one field after another has thus become segregated, the Division of Industrial and Engineer ing Chemistry has sought new activities and specialties and now needs the support o f the industrial chemists and chemical engi neers, not only in joining tfcie division, but in bringing to it help ful suggestions for future activities. W. K. Lewis w a s presented and spoke in his characteristic delightful and vigorous manner. He referred to the status of chemical engineering when he was a student and compared it with the advantages of today. The course in chemical engineer ing which he took a t the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was described in the catalog as a course to acquaint mechanical engineers with chemistry. He regards himself as fortunate in having seen laid at Technology by t h e late W. H . Walker the basis of chemical engineering as it is taught and practiced today. There has now become available a quantitative basis by which there have been achieved great success in design of equipment, improved efficiency, increased economy, flexibility in operation, and dependability of procedure. Enormous strides have been made toward better training for chemical engineers, and one of the greatest factors is the professional cooperation not possible 25 years ago. E)r. Lewis stressed the fact that today the line of demarcation between industrial chemistry and chemical engineering is as faint and indistinct as i s the boundary between pure and applied science. In his opinion, symposia, such as the one on distillation, should be held under the auspices of the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry of t n e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, for,
notwithstanding special work which engages the attention of the 1
