rite i o i x T
W. J. Murphy, editor of C h e m i c a l a n d E n g i n e e r i n g N e w s , pre* sents C. G. Fisher with original cover drawing from C&EN
Fisher Receives Pittsburgh Award A STAFF REPORT
> Y virtue of his contributions to chemisy in t h i s a r e a as exemplified in his ovision of useful tools for t h e chemb, I commend to you this c a n d i d a t e for e P i t t s b u r g h Award—Chester G. Fisher. i t h these words, H . V . Churchill of t h e luminum C o m p a n y of America coni d e d his address, one of t h e four which eceded t h e presentation of t h e 1947 t t s b u r g h Award t o Chester G. F i s h e i , under a n d president of t h e Fisher ientific Co. T h e award, which is m a d e nually, was p r e s e n t e d by Gilbert Thiesi of t h e Koppers Co., Chairman of t h e ttsburgh Section of t h e AMERICAN
including several previous recipients of t h e coveted honor, one of whom, E. R. Weidlein of Mellon I n s t i t u t e , functioned a s toastmaster. I n addition to Churchill, who confined himself principally to discussing the contributions of t h e medalist to chemistry through his work, W. A . Gruse of the M e l lon I n s t i t u t e spoke on Fisher's contributions to t h e science through the A M E R I C A N CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
T h e famous F i s h e r
collection of alchemical paintings, p r i n t s , and etchings was t h e topic of the last speaker on the program, W a l t e r J .
IEMICAL SOCIETY at a regular m e e t i n g
M u r p h y , editor of CHEMICAL AND E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S w h o t r a c e d t h e h i s t o r y of
t h a t group o n D e c . 1 8 in t h e University ub of P i t t s b u r g h . Over 150 members t h e P i t t s b u r g h Section w e r e present,
the accumulation of t h e collection. T h e lead-off speaker for the occasion was Alexander Silverman, h e a d of t h e
chemistry d e p a r t m e n t a t the University of Pittsburgh w h o spoke on " T h e School D a y s of the M e d a l i s t . " Professor Silverm a n ' s frequent departures from his prepared script t o reveal boyhood a n d collegiate pranks of M r . Fisher were t h e source of much amusement for the g a t h e r i n g a n d mild b u t obvious e m b a r r a s s m e n t for t h e medalist. Professor Silverman was well qualified t o speak on this side of the medalist because of their long friendship which began when both were u n d e r g r a d u a t e s a t the Western University of Pennsylvania, the former name of t h e University of P i t t s burgh. Throughout h i s talk, Professor Silverman,as did t h e speakers who folio* 1 him, continually referred to t h e medalist as " C . G.," a t e r m by which he h a s been known to his associates for many y e a r s . T h e history of t h e growth of t h e Fisher Scientific Company was traced in the talk b y H . V. Churchill who a t t r i b u t e d its birth t o t h e necessity of providing a p p a r a t u s a n d chemicols for t h e control laboratories of the iron a n d steel, companies of P i t t s burgh. Just before t h e turn of t h e cent u r y , Churchill explained t h a t t h e only supplier for s u c h materials in t h e P i t t s burgh area w a s t h e P i t t s b u r g h Testing Laboratories, who maintained a s t o c k of laboratory a p p a r a t u s for t h e steel indust r y in the c a p a c i t y of a g e n t s for Eimer a n d Amend of N e w York City. I n 1902, t h e speaker continued, the medalist, then a y o u n g m a n of 2 1 , convinced the h e a d of P i t t s b u r g h Testing Laboratories of t h e advisability of establishing a laboratory supply business which would be separate and a p a r t from P T L . T h i s was done a n d the new organization was named t h e Scientific Materials Company, a n d for s o m e years c o n t i n u e d to act as agents for Eimer a n d Amend. C . G. Fisher came into full ownership of t h e company when he bought o u t the remaining interests held i n it b y t h e P i t t s burgh Testing Laboratories. F r o m this point on, Churchill revealed, t h e c o m p a n y rapidly grew a n d i t became necessary to move i t into i t s present q u a r t e r s o n Forbes Street in Pittsburgh. T h r o u g h t h e years,
AT. V. Churchill, Aluminum Co. of America; E. R. Weidlein, director of Mellon Institute; Thiessen, Koppers Co., and chairman of Pittsburgh ACS Section; Alexander Silverman, chemistry department of the University of Pittsburgh; and W. A. Gruse of Mellon
DLUME
2 5,
NO.
5 2 . .DECEMBER
2 9,
1947
Gilbert head of Institute
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annexes were added to the original building culminating in the recent addition of a. large air conditioned plant to the older structures. In 1926, the name of t h e organization was changed from Scientific Materials Company to that of the Fisher Scientific Company. Mr. Churchill declared that i n the middle thirties, the Fisher Scientific Company established its development laboratory, a department which he believed has done much to increase the efficiency of laboratories throughout the country b y means of improved apparatus. Even prior t o t h e creation of this group, the speaker continued, C. G. Fisher had made several important contributions to the world's laboratories. Among these, Churchill revealed, we re the first inverted microscope optical bench camera made in this country, t h e construction of the first American made combustion train for the determination of carbon in iron, and the first electrically heated and thermostatically controlled bacteriological incubators. In addition t o this, he pioneered in the development of gas analysis equipment and i s generally considered to be the main originator of the "unitized" equipment in this field now in general use throughout the United States. Perhaps his best known accomplishment, Churchill declared, is the famous Fisher burner about which t h e speaker said, "If Fisher had made no other contribution to laboratory apparatus than the Fisher burner, laboratory chemists woixld yet be deep in his debt. The contributions of the medalist to chemistry through the AJVIERICAN CHEMI-
CAL SOCIETY were the substance of the talk delivered by the next speaker on t h e program, W. A. Gruse, of t h e Mellon Institute. Dr. Gruse, revealed that the medalist is an original member of the Pittsburgh Section of the ACS and functioned on several committees as a member or chairman during his long membership. He has been in the foreground in cajLjipaigiiS t o raise funds for both section and civic purposes. His most recent deed in behalf of the ACS, the speaker said, w?as the recent announcement that he would finance an ACS award in analytical chemistry. This, Dr. Gruse claimed, is indicative of his many years of effort to bring prestige a n d recognition to the profession of analytical chemistry. Art Collection Walter J . Murphy, editor of CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING N E W S , Industrial
and
Engineering Chemistry, and Analytical Chemistry t revealed that Fisher's interest in the collection of alchemical prints and paintings was shared by I > . Edward Barlett of Dartmouth College who often exchanged pictures with t h e medalist. Eventually, Fisher bought t h e Barlett collection which together with those he had collected formed the nucleus of the now famous Fisher collection. The second stage in building up the collection, Mr. Murphy revealed, was that 3850
in which Mr. Fisher visited Europe in search of old prints and engravings. The medalist commissioned several art dealers on that continent and in England to purchase works of this type whenever they were offered for sale. The third phase of this art quest, the speaker continued, saw the search extended into the finding and procurement of oil paintings. This was especially difficult because many of the best examples were hanging in European public art galleries and were not available at any price. The medalist was persistent, however, a n d his collection was augmented by several fine works obtained through the settlement of estates.
A large increment to the Fisher collec tion was made in 1940 when Fisher's agent purchased t h e famous collection of Si William Pope in England. The shipmen to the United States was accomplished ii jpite of damaging bombing of the shi) en route which forced it t o return to Eng land for repairs. Included in t h e Fisher collection a present are approximately 36 original o paintings, t h e work of such famous artist as Younger, Baga, Van Slingcland, an others. In addition t o these, the collec tion. includes over 100 rare old engravers prints, m a n y of which are copies froii famous paintings now in European mu seurns.
SOCMA Re-elects Officers A.
STAJFF R E P O R T
T HE all time high membership of thet Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association held its meetfng a t: the Hotel Commodore in New York oni Dec. 10. This record total membership> was announced at the business meeting off the organization by the chairman of thez membership committee, J. P.Remensnyder of Hcyden Chemical Co., who revealedI that 10 new company members joined1 during 1947. A further increase in membership is anticipated during 1948. The business session of the meetingr highlighted the program. It was duringr this gathering that the re-election off Ralph E . Dorland of Dow Chemical Co. to the presidency of SOCMA was announced. Also re-elected were E . I I . Killheffer of D u Pont and E. C. Kxinz off Givaudan-Delawanna to vice presidenciess and C. M. Richter to the treasurership. The report of the Committee on International Commercial Relations wass listened to with rapt interest by those who0 attended the business session. The chairman of this committee, H. L. Simons off Harold L. Simons, Inc., revealed t h a t h i s committee had prepared and submittedd Ralph E. Dorland of the Dow Chemical Co. tvas re-elected president off SOCMA, and August Mers of thee Calco Chemical Division of American Cyanamid Co. tvas elected to honorary membership on the Board of Governorss 1 I 1 I I I I I I I I
several briefs for submission to the cor mittee for reciprocity information whic held extensive hearings on the subject reducing duties under the Trade Agre ments Act. Dr. Simons pointed out that propose rate changes were considered at Genei along with the charter for the I nteraation! Trade Organization and these results we made public in November. T h e speak went on to say that although all of tl suggestions by his committee were not a cepted by t h e Government some of the views were considered in connection w i paragraphs 27 and 28, the "coal t a r pro uct" paragraphs that have consideral effect on t h e synthetic organic industry. Dr. Simons continued by saying th although t h e Trade Agreements Act w come u p for congressional renewal befc June 1948, i t may be eclipsed by the pr( entation of the I T 0 charter which is bei prepared i n Havana at the present tin If the Havana draft approximates th formulated at Geneva, the chairman sa: it will be essential for SOCMA t o wat t h e situation closely and urge Congn not to approve i t in t h a t form for the b< interest of the domestic industry. Dr. Simons closed his remarks by t pealing to the membership to assist committee in their presentation of the dustry's views t o Congress. The business meeting was also the sec of the presentation of a resolution hon ing August Merz for his contributions t h e association. Dr. Merz, who for ma years was president of the organizati< was elected as a n honorary member of \ board of governors of the association the year 1948 with power to act. The business meeting was followed w a social hour and a dinner at which 1 principal speaker was William Hei Chamberlain who spoke on "The Russ Challenge."
C H E M I C AL A N O
ENGINEERING
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