THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK
Chemists face a higher risk of death from cancer than other U.S. professional men Relative frequencies of death, by causes, among male American Chemical Society members, 1948-67, and U.S. professional men, 1950, ages 20-64 ACS members
Cause of death
No. of deaths
Malignant neoplasms* Neoplasms of the digestive organs and peritoneum Neoplasms of the stomach Neoplasms of the intestines and rectum Neoplasms of the biliary passages and liver Neoplasms of the pancreas Neoplasms of the respiratory system Neoplasms of the urinary organs Neoplasms of the bladder and other urinary organs Neoplasms of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues Lymphosarcoma, etc. Leukemia and aleukemia Diabetes mellitus Vascular lesions affecting central nervous system Diseases of the heart and rheumatic fever Diseases of respiratory system Cirrhosis of liver Accidents Suicides
Professional men
Relative Relative frequency frequency (%) (%)
444 143 20 68 13 36 74 24
20.6 6.6 0.9 0.3 0.6 1.7 3.4 1.1
15.6 5.8 1.2 2.7 0.6 0.9 3.0 1.0
10
0.5
0.5
94' 61 33 21 117 995 30 17 155 97
4.4 2.8 1.5 1.0 5.4 46.2 1.4 0.8 7.2 4.5
2.2 1.2 1.0 1.3 6.8 46.5 2.5 2.1 6.7 3.4
•Total includes other categories not listed. Source: Dr. F. P. Li, National Cancer Institute
doubled frequency for cancers of the lymph organs and pancreas. Dr. Li's data don't identify which types of chemists face the highest risk of cancer nor do they specifically pinpoint the causes. But there's an inference that long-term occupational exposure to chemicals is the cause. The NIH scientist admits that his studies are still exploratory. But they do indicate the need for greater evaluation of the possible hazards from chronic exposure to chemicals.
WEED CONTROL:
Legislation Is Lagging Legislation needed for preventive weed control is lagging, in fact, is at about the stage where laws on insect and disease control were early in the century. But this legislative gap may soon be filled, a USDA official told a meeting of the Weed Science Society of America in Las Vegas, Nev. Many preventive measures are used in the U.S., but there is little legislation coordinating control efforts. Also, present laws are not very helpful in preventing new kinds of weeds from being introduced into the country. Russian thistle, Johnson
grass, water hyacinth, and, more recently, witchweed have migrated to the U.S. And America has given to Europe ragweed, buffalo bur, goldenrod, sunflower, and witchgrass. In his report to WSSA (delivered by D. R. Shepard), Dr. Robert J. Anderson of USDA's Agricultural Research Services described the efforts of an interagency ad hoc committee on preventive weed control. The group investigated the problem and found large areas where necessary legislation is nonexistent. The committee reports, for example, that there is little authority for preventing the import or interstate movement of noxious weeds, weed parts, and seeds. Also, present laws are not enough to stop movement of materials containing these things. There is also no authority to keep weed seeds from moving from farm to farm. There is a Federal Seed Act, but this and.state seed laws permit a wide tolerance of weed seeds in crop seeds sold commercially. One third of the states, moreover, have no limitation on the percentage of weed seeds permitted in crop seeds sold. Those that do have limits that range from 1 to 4% by weight. As a remedy, USDA is considering
two possible approaches. One would be to amend the Federal Seed Act to prevent crop seeds containing weed seeds from being imported or moving interstate and to lower the level of weed seeds permitted either to zero or to the lowest practical tolerance. As an alternative procedure a USDA committee is drafting a completely new noxious weed control act. It would assure federal-state cooperation in control programs and authorize specific measures to keep noxious weeds from spreading either from abroad or within the country. Another goal is a uniform noxious weed control law in every state. Such a uniform law has been prepared by representatives from WSSA, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, USDA, and other federal agencies.
DRUG INDUSTRY:
The Best Attack Is . . . The beleaguered drug industry last week attempted to defend itself against the latest frontal assault on its public image—this one launched by former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner James L. Goddard. Responding to Dr. Goddard's highly critical article on drug industry practices in the March issue of Esquire, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, in a letter to the magazine, calls the article a "shallow and misshapen commentary." "With few changes, it could be revamped into a diatribe against a host of other industries," said PMA president C. Joseph Stetler, whose group represents 136 member firms which account for 95% of the sales of ethical drugs in the U.S. In his article, "The Drug Establishment," Dr. Goddard presents the same old attacks against drug makers that have been leveled over the yearsalleged profiteering, duplicative research, and excessive promotion. He defines the "establishment" as a "close-knit, self-perpetuating power structure" of drug manufacturers, government agencies, and select members of the scientific and medical Attack and counterattack Goddard
Stetler
community. Dr. Goddard says that the public is largely unaware of the workings of the firmly entrenched "establishment." And this detached position "creates an ideal climate in which its members can go about their business—making money—while preserving the myth that they are publicspirited saviors of mankind," Dr. Goddard claims. PMA counters that the system which Dr. Goddard ironically portrays as running "with all the smoothness of an intricate Swiss watch," has contributed markedly to the wide availability of drug products. "Such efficiency has steadily lowered drug prices to the consumer in years when virtually all other prices have kept rising," Mr. Stetler says. He derides Dr. Goddard's charge that "molecular manipulation" (modification of existing products), for the most part, results in "me too" products that make no contribution to medical science. Prototype structures are the basis for almost all research, and modifications of such structures have led to most drug advances, Mr. Stetler says. He adds that the $430 million major firms spend on R&D is concentrated in areas related to the most important diseases, and that firms spend little time today pursuing minor improvements of existing products. In writing about government subsidy of drug research, Dr. Goddard gives the false impression that drug firms benefit vastly from government largesse, according to Mr. Stetler. Actually, he points out, the Government financed only 2.4% of drug industry research in 1968—"less than almost any other major industry in America."
COLLEGE RECRUITING:
More Jobs, More Pay The college recruiting season is reaching its peak. Not only are companies seeking more graduates than in 1968, but they are wooing them with offers of higher starting pay. At the bachelor's level, 29% more jobs are open and starting pay offers average $37 per month higher. For students at the master's level, the demand is up 15% and starting salaries will be $50 higher monthly. Northwestern University's director of placement Dr. Frank S. Endicott surveyed 208 firms for his annual report on "Trends in Employment of College and University Graduates in Business and Industry/' Of the companies surveyed, 133 expected business to be better in 1969 than in 1968. Only 10 firms expect the general business outlook to be worse. Although only 20 companies con16 C&EN FEB. 24, 1969
sider themselves in the chemicals and drug category, 53 companies hope to hire 357 male bachelor's-level graduates for chemistry positions. This compares with 46 companies and 321 jobs in chemistry in 1968. The average starting pay being offered is $754 per month this year, up from $710 monthly last year. The average offer to women at the same level will be $711 this year. In engineering, the salary discrimination against women is smaller. They will be offered $806 per month; the average for men will be $818 monthly. Of the surveyed firms, 130 are seeking to fill 7895 engineering positions, up 36% from 123 companies and 5819 jobs in 1968. Engineers are the most sought-after graduates, representing about one third of the total needed. At the master's level 57 firms hope to fill 960 engineering positions for men in 1969 at $957 per month average starting salary, up from $911 monthly last year. The highest starting pay at the master's level will be $991 offered to masters in business administration with a technical B.S. degree. This category also received the highest offers last year at $931 per month. Students with other technical master's degrees, including chemistry, will be offered an average starting salary of $919 monthly, up from $869 in 1968. The $100 to $150 monthly earnings advantage for engineers holds true for the first five years on the job. After 10 years the average salary of men with general business training tends to catch up. At this time sales jobs get the highest pay. Another item Dr. Endicott's survey covered was why people left their first jobs. After three years 36% had changed jobs; a 45% loss in sales jobs was highest. The most important reasons for changing companies were for higher salaries, more chance for advancement, more challenging work, and preference of different geographical location. Northwestern's Endicott Engineers command top salary offers
West Virginia Pulp & Paper's Nissan Rewarding careers in pulp and paper
PULP & PAPER:
Few Glamorous Jobs The pulp and paper industry is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and keep the best of technical people. Its manpower problems, like those of any other nonglamor industry, are likely to grow worse as the more ambitious scientists and engineers continue seeking their rewards where the industrial action seems to be—at Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Xerox, and like companies. At the 54th Annual Meeting of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry last week at the New York Hilton Hotel, members crowded into an all-afternoon session on "manpower development. " Seven speakers discussed ways by which the 13,000-member TAPPI might ensure an adequate, continuing supply of technical people for the pulp and paper industry. Summing up the problems, panelist Arthur W. Plummer, technical director, Chesapeake Corp. of Virginia, said: "The paper industry is not well known on campus and is not getting the technical manpower it needs. Although several associations have tried to bring the technological needs of the paper industry before young people, their efforts have been too little, too late, or too uncoordinated. "The associations have failed to recognize that student enrollment in engineering schools increased only 1.0% between 1967 and 1968 while general college enrollment increased about 4.0%. Today's short supply of engineers will only get tighter over the next few years," Mr. Plummer predicts. Outlining what is being done to attract and keep technical manpower, Dr. Alfred H. Nissan, corporate research director, West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., described the technical manpower development department
