INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING
4
INDUSTRIAL fe E N G I N E E R I N G
CHEMISTRY NEWS EDITION Published
by the American
Chemical
Society
Editor: H. E. H O W E Managing Editor: B. P. GARNKTT Assistant to the Editor: Χ. Λ. PARKINSON Associate Editor: D. H. KII.I.IÎFFIÎK KDITORIAL, OFFICE:
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Entered as second class matter at Easton, Pa. Issued three time a month; Industrial Edition on the 1st; News Edition on the 10th and 20th Subscription to Industrial & Engineering Chemistry-, S7.50 per year; News Edition only. Si.50 per year. Single copies, 10 cents. Subscriptions should be fent to Charles I,. Parsons, Secretary, 1709 G St., N. W., Washington, D. C.
MAY 10. 1923
Make It a Policy
A
scientist h a s j u s t been a p p o i n t e d t o an i m p o r t a n t foreign p o s t b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t of t h e United S t a t e s . His a p p o i n t m e n t is n o t a political o n e . H e h a s been asked b y t h e D e p a r t m e n t of C o m m e r c e t o m a k e investiga tions of a n a t u r e t h a t only a m a n t r a i n e d in science could make. T h e official s t a t e m e n t from, t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Commerce announcing t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of F r e d e r i c k E . B r e i t h u t a s 4 'Chemical T r a d e Commissioner," a t Berlin, s t a t e d t h a t "on a c c o u n t of t h e significant d e v e l o p m e n t in t h e chemical i n d u s t r y in G e r m a n y a n d t h e i m p o r t a n c e of these develop m e n t s t o t h e A m e r i c a n i n d u s t r y , t h e d e p a r t m e n t felt it d e sirable t o secure t h e services of a chemist w i t h a commercial background t o s t u d y t h e present condition of chemical affairs in t h a t c o u n t r y . " T h e interest of t h e American public will b e well served b y this m o v e , for w h i c h Secretary H o o v e r deserves general com mendation. Able m e n , trained in science principally, a n d possessed of a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e requirements of business and public affairs, should b e on t h e staffs of our embassies a n d legations in all of t h e m o r e i m p o r t a n t countries. T h e r e a r e scores of technical p r o b l e m s , or commercial a n d political p r o b lems particularly affected b y technical a n d scientific consider ations. As business m e n find themselves more a n d more turning t o t h e scientist for assistance, so will nations b e required t o t u r n to h i m for advice a n d counsel in t h e settlement of commercial problems which p r e s e n t themselves in increasing n u m b e r s . T h e R u h r p r o b l e m , for instance, if it ever is settled s a t isfactorily, m u s t necessarily require t h e services of scientific men to collect evidence a n d weigh it with wisdom and justice. We believe t h a t in t h e formation of treaties, international agreements, t r a d e a r r a n g e m e n t s a n d all m a t t e r s affecting t h e production a n d exchange of goods, t h e scientist will be a s essential t o e q u i t a b l e a n d fair dealing as t h e economist a n d political d i p l o m a t . Moreover, his services in reporting facts concerning technical a n d scientific work i n progress will b e of inestimable v a l u e . T h e G o v e r n m e n t will d o wisely t o observe t h e w o r k of Major B r e i t h u t in Berlin and consider t h e addition of other equally qualified m e n t o servo "milarly on t h e staffs of other commercial a t t a c h é s .
CHEMISTRY
News Edition
Course in Illuminating Gas at S u m m e r Session The D e p a r t m e n t of Chemical Engineering of Columbia University announces a summer course in the "Manufacture and Distribution of Illuminating G a s , " under Prof. J. J. Morgan. The Summer Session opens July 9 and ends August 17. The course will include five lectures a week, laboratory work four afternoons each week and plant inspection one afternoon a week. Credit for the course is six points. To aid the members of the class in getting first-hand information on present practice in gas manufacture, six plant inspections a n d several special illustrated lectures are arranged. This course is open t o all who have had training in general chemistry, or who have had experience in the gas industry. The fees for the course a r e : University Fee, $6.00; Lectures and Plant Inspection, 3 points, $24.00; Laboratory, 3 points, $24.00; Laboratory Deposit, returnable less breakage, $15.00. F u r t h e r information m a y be obtained from the Director of the Summer Session, or Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City.
INDUSTRIAL NOTES The Duriron Co., Inc., announces that the new location of its New York office is Room 5723, Grand Central Terminal. The Truscon Laboratories, Detroit, Mich., producers of waterproofing materials, has issued in pamphlet form an article on " I n t e g r a l Waterproofing—A Practical Discussion," by Samuel R. T. Very. The article originally appeared in "Architecture," which gave permission to reprint. The first abstract of proposed changes for the U. S. P . X., covering most of t h e organic and many inorganic chemicals, has been printed by the Committee on Revision of the Pharmacopoeia of the United States of America. The committee invites criticism a n d announces t h a t requests for copies of the abstract and comments upon t h e same should be addressed to E . Fullerton Cook, 636 South Franklin Square, Philadelphia, Pa. The E . I. du P o n t de Nemours & Co. announce the development of a sulfur color of a reddish navy-blue shade, known as Sulfogene Direct Blue Β Concentrated. The Bakélite Corporation announces t h a t production of phenol will soon be under way in the new plant which has been erected near Cleveland, Ohio. I t is also announced t h a t the corporation will manufacture a surplus beyond its own needs which will be marketed along with t h e line of Bakélite products. The fifth annual convention of the National Lime Association will be iicid αϊ ihe Hotel Commodore, New York, June 13 t o 15.
T e l l s H o w R a i l r o a d s M a k e U s e of C h e m i s t s Chemistry in the service of the railroads was the general topic of t h e M a y meeting of the Ν . Υ. Section of the American Chemical Society a t the Chemists' Club, 52 East 41st St., on M a y 4. M . E. McDonnell, chief chemist for t h e Pennsylvania Railway System, spoke on "Some Problems Confronting the Railroad Chemist," and C. P. Beistle, chief chemist for the Bureau for Safe Transportation, on "Fire Hazards in Freight Trans portation." Several chemists for the large railway systems were present and took p a r t in the discussion of these problems.
BRASS MAIL BOXES An important new use for brass was marked a t Atlantic City on April 18 when t h e Postoffice Department placed t h e first brass mail boxes ever used in this country a t all mail collection points along t h e boardwalk. Atlantic City was selected for t h e first use of t h e brass boxes because the sea air is particularly severe on the steel, it being necessary in some cases to replace boxes along t h e boardwalk in as short a time as three months.
Platinum Stolen Prof. W. B, Meldrum of Haverford College, Haverford, Pa., reports t h a t several hundred dollars' worth of platinum, including dishes, Gooch crucibles and crucibles, has recently been stolen from t h e Chemistry Laboratory of Haverford College. "Owing to certain peculiar circumstances," Prof. Meldrum stated, "we do n o t wish to give further details a t this time."
