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I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E 13 I N G C H E M I S T R Y
s h a d y finisliod Carloton and the two older boys have enterod on careers in science. Doctor Exner has always been a faithful member of the Congregational church in Northfield and has ever given staunch support to all forwnrd4ooking civic movomcnts. His life has been an example to the student body of the meaning of the higher ideals of mankind. The ANERICAN CNENICAL SOCIETY and its Minnesota Sectiou have always occupied an important phco in the scientific side of his life. He is a frequent visitor at the section meotings even though they are almost dw;tys a long ~ t from y Northfield. In carrying on the lmiiness of the section, his wise counsel and ndvice have been of great help, cspeeinlly during the earlier yeas.
Vol. 25, No. 8
Today if one were to visit t,he hhoratwy a t Carleton, he would usually find Doct,or Exnor in his customary irhite jacket, assisting the student in some difficult, part of nn experiment or giving neccssrtry advice on important details of the work. His close ppwonnl interest in the studont I ~ R Snevm failed and the smile which lights his face on seeing one of his former students is a thing to he cherished and remembered. One has a feeling after such a visit that he has been in tho preserico of a true friend whom it lins been a privilege to know and from whom he has received much that, has guided and molded his life.
I,. H. l l ~ ~ ~ n s o x
Edward Ellery
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lI1C chemist-hero of this tale is at present acting president such an orgmimation is uau:dly the m ~ i i\~.hokeeps the group of Union College, during the illness of Frank Wrkor coijperating and growing. EIleuy has been true to this tradition. Day. During his activity the number of local chapters has grown from Ellery v m horn in Albany in 1868 and grsdunbtd from Col- thirty-four to sixty-two, and thirty-two dubs have been added gate University in 1890. tfe came to Union Collego in 1O:M :LS to the ul.~nnisation--verit~blegrowing plots in which prepara assist,arit piofersor of chemistry and beoamc full piofswir in tioii for rcsewch is cultivated. Xllery would shrink from being 1905. In Iris first vems a t Union he the eredit,rd wit,h the entire erowth of the sooietv only teaclier of his subject, though the c:rtiilog duriiig the psst twelve yoars, but any one who listed nine courses in chemistry. There axe lim sat in its executive committee meetinm realnow six ohomistry toaeliers in his deyartment. izes how greatly his carnest efforts to keep in At Union, EIlery took over those old laboraclose touch with all American scieutists has intories and the lecture room f r o m w-hence fluenced the success of Sigma Xi. H i s careC o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y had taken, in 1864, fully kept wrd catdog of these men covers a t that dean of American chemistry, Charles F. present about twenty-six thousand members. Chandler. Union College had been one of He was instrumental in the establishment of the first to recognize the importance of chemthe society's research fund, and he is a memher istry in a rapidly growing country, and Proof the fellowship committee. Through his fessor Chandler, fresh from abroad, had started constant, active interest there are researches there, in 1857, an agricultural and chemical brought up for consideration which, through l a b o r a t o r y . For many years the red-tiled t h e m o d e s t y of the investigators handling floors and the steeply built soats of the lecture thnn, would not otherwise be presented to room of old South College remained hut tittle the committee. altered, but in 1916 Doctor Ellery supeririEllery adopted an unusual course in his Photo by Bochroch tended the building of his oresent moclcrn dermrtment. In mite of the attractions of the Butterfield Chemicu1'L~b"riLtoy. During his EDWAXU ELI'ISXY more advanced teaching, he delivered freshman work here he has introduced much of the spirit chemistry lectures himself. Again, his lecture and work of chemic4 research consistent with good college courms i h n R:LS foilowod by frequent and quite informal meetings with in the suhjeot, and he has been particularly mindful of the nceds the students. The result was that the head of the department of the premedical students who prepare in chemistry in thew had close contact with these boys when they were forming their laboratories. Mrhny of the physicians who now < h e l lwithin one first impressions of seience. The friendly relrttions fostered in ur two hundred miles of Scheneetady studied the elemcnts at the pleasent intimacy of these group meetings continued throughUnion, going from there to near-hy Albany Medical College, rT-hioh out. the college course, making it the easy and natural thing for is a part of fJnion University, for their subsequent training. the students t o turn to IUery for counsel and guidance. All Ellery has always heen a good public servant. Iie hiLs lieen this has given him an asset of value, not alone to Union zad its city chemist since 1903, and w&s a member of the Schenoctudy students, but to the public. For years there have been fewer Board of Education from 1923 to 1929. He has alvrays directed openings in good medical colleges for students than there were his efforts with high aims and is deeply religious in feeling. l i e men who wanted to be doctors. It has been of the greatest quite nat,urally becsme desn of Union's faculty in 1919 in eunie- importance, then, that texhers of the fundamentals, or the quenee of his intorest in young men and his serious mindedness, elements, should know their students so well that they could coupled with his easy approaohability. guide not only them but rtlm the officers of the medical sehools Tie has studied abroad a t different periods, hut it was in 1896, who had to pass upon candidates for admission. This Ellcry a t the University of Heidelberg, that he received his doctor of ha8 been nblc to do with competence. The effort has not been confined to the premedicitl group, however. 1Ie has always philosophy degree. His interest in research, oiamped, perhaps, in it.s nnt,urni stressed the need of coordination between pregraduation activit,rend in the college by the severe requirements of an eeonomicnlly tie8 and postcollege camem, and i t is his firm conviction that operated tesching Inborntory, led him to help scientific research college professors should know thoroughly not only their students, in general through the society of Sigma Xi. l i e became a hut the requirements of the universities, professional schools, member of the Union chapt.er in 1905, its secretary from 1906 and industries for which these students are preparing. Thus to 1908, and thereafter its president until 1912. In 1021 he wiis men who have felt Ellery's influonce may be found in such elected lratiunsl secrotary of Sigma Xi. This gnvo him tho np- widdy varying fields as General Electric, Bell Telephone, port,,mity to do niore for research. Tho national secretary of Brmuur Packing, Du Pont, International Nickel, etc., on the ~
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August, 1933
YG C H E M I S T R Y I N D U ST R I A L AM D E N G I N E E R I i
one hand, and in law, medicine, dentistry, and theology, on the other. But, in the last analysis, it is the character of the man which has won the confidence and love of his students and colleagues,
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and given him his power. There is in him an integrity of the spirit which manifests itself in square dealing and in forgetfulness of self, and an innate kindliness that warms all his human contacts. WILLISR. WHITXEY
BOOK REVIEWS PHYSIOI,0GICA41, EFFECTS OF RADIANT ENERGY. B y Henry Laurens. American Chemical Society Monograph 62. 608 pages. Chemical Catalog Company, Inc., 330 W. 42nd St., Xew York, 1933. Price, $6.00. THIS is another timely summary of the rapidly accumulating literature in specialized fields. The total of more than 900 references, over half of which are more recent than 1925, suggests the extent of writings on this subject. The author has limited the field to the physiological effects of those irave lengths received from the sun and from lamps designed to supplement sunlight-for example, tungsten filaments, carbon arcs, and mercury arcs. A large part of the studies is centered about those wave lengths in sunlight (290-310 mp) which produce erythema and have antirachitic activity. The author believes, however, that these limited wave lengths have been overemphasized, and he has attempted to give a balanced picture of the effects of infra-red, visible, and ultra-violet light. In Chapter 1 an extensive review is given of the characteristics of radiant energy from different sources and the methods of measurement in the different wave-length regions. Only those data are emphasized which have been obtained by the more exact methods. The effects of geographic location, season, time of day, and condition of the atmosphere on sunlight and sky light are illustrated by many tables and graphs taken from the literature. In the following chapters the physiological effects of radiation on the skin, the eye, the circulatory system, and the blood are reviewed. The effects on metabolism are treated in 6 chapters. The discussion of plant metabolism is limited to a detailed statement of the experiments and results of a few workers. However, the examples are well chosen t o illustrate the method of attack and the nature of results. The clinical application of light therapy is particularly well done. The author calls special attention to the lack of agreement in the results of different workers. He does the public a real service in warning against the claims of overenthusiastic light therapists. “Radiation * * * cannot act as a substitute for dietary deficiencies * * * .” Furthermore a normal subject may benefit from a certain light dosage which will have an opposite and serious effect upon a subnormal person. The book will be of great value to those interested in the biological effects of radiations. GEORGE 0. BURR T H E TECHNICAL MAN SELLS HIS SERVICES. By Edward Hurst. 239 pages. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 330 W. 42nd St., New York, 1933. Price, $2.00. REPRESENTATIVES of large corporations, during prosperous days, made annual visits to technical schools to interview graduating classes. There were more openings than applicants, and graduates were usually placed before commencementj. Selling of service was not an essential problem. The most promising graduates were often confronted with several offers from which to choose. Some faculty men begrudged the time seniors devoted to interviews. Today, all technical schools would welcome the return of employment representatives. Hurst, who for many years has assisted technical men in securing positions, has produced a timely book. It is readable and especially helpful and inspiring to young college graduates. One of several seniors who read the volume made the following comment: “ ‘The Technical Man Sells His Services’ points out that the college man should, in his sophomore year, begin to consider in what line he would like to specialize because the man who specializes stands a better chance of obtaining a position. Further, the man who takes his course seriously should not underestimate his value to a concern.” The first 4 chapters cover Reconnaissance, Scrutiny, Contacting, and Technique, and serve as an introduction to the following 10
chapters in which the case method is employed to present successful methods used by technical men in selling their services. Each case is interestingly presented, although the author has erred in picturing the employer as too dumb and the technical men as too clever. The initial salaries mentioned are entirely out of line. In the final chapter the author raises the question, “Does not the real danger lie in another direction-namely, excessive timidity?” The book should encourage confidence on the part of the technical man. The book is recommended especially to technical men who are seeking employment, and to personnel men and faculty advisers who are keenly interested in seeing their students conduct successful interviews. WEBSTER N. JOXES VOCATIOSAL GUIDANCE I N ENGINEERING LINES. By the American Association of Engineers. 521 pages. Mack Printing Company, Easton, Pa., 1933. Price, $2.50.
THISbook contains 60 chapters, of which 7 are contributed by the editors and the remainder by different individuals. The first 19 chapters are general and the balance are devoted to specialties. The book has a predominantly civil engineering flavor, each of the three members of the editorial committee being from that profession, and 17 of the 49 chapters devoted to specific branches of engineering being in fields generally considered as subdivisions of civil engineering. The chapter on chemical engineering is contributed by Theodore B. Wagner who writes from his long industrial experience and with an authoritative viewpoint as a past president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He discusses the nature of the work of the chemical engineer and illustrates it by examples from specific industries. He also lists the colleges which offer courses approved by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Ceramic Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, and Oil and Gas Engineering are each given a chapter among the “Specialties.” Chapters are also devoted to Ethics, Idealism, and Compensation. The book is interesting but it seems too bulky and detailed for the subfreshmen for whom it is primarily written. -4LFRED H. WHITE IYDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY. B y William Thornton Read. vii 576 pages. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1933. Price, $5.00 (postage additional).
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READhas compiled a remarkably accurate and concise syllabus of chemical industry; he has struck out boldly along a path few have tried before him. The first noteworthy innovation is the inqlusion of 5 chapters intended to assist the student in orienting himself in the industry he hopes to enter. The idea is good but the terseness of its execution leaves room for improvement. Three chapters cover chemical engineering in a manner acceptable in such a book. The treatment accorded this subject is primarily devoted to descriptions of the tools of chemical industry and their functions which are necessary to an understanding of their applications. The description of the processes of chemical industry, which naturally forms the major part of the book, has been confined to the essentials of operating processes. The author has avoided pitfalls by confining his descriptions to major processes and modifications instead of attempting to include all the suggested methods of making each product. Manifestly this information has been obtained from, and checked by, those who operate plants rather than from literature descriptions, as most textbooks are. The arrangement of material on the basis of the chemistry of the processes involved rather than by-products or raw materials produces a result which is sometimes strange. One has some difficulty with the fact that phosphoric acid, for instance, is
