J U L Y 20. 1938
NEWS EDITION
not been found. Here, on the contrary, the relatively good course of precipitation of the salt alone is greatly hindered by the presence of sodium sulfate, so that a quantitative precipitation may not be possible. An interesting fact was discovered, however, in that this negative effect of sodium sulfate was greatly reduced at high concentrations so that a solution containing at least 160 grams of sodium sulfate gave a satisfactory precipitation. It was further found that this unfavorable effect of sodium sulfate could be altogether eliminated by an addition of potassium sulfate which paralyzes the negative action of the sodium cation. The temperature of the reaction was* studied in the range of 75° to 95° C\ and an optimum was found at 90° C. With optimum conditions, the reaction requires only a few minutes for its completion, after some "incubation" period. The precipitates contain an amount of alkali which, if necessary, can be removed by some refining process. In general, the hydrolytic process, if the effect of the excess of alkali is duly accounted for, represents a reliable procedure which, because of its simplicity, is more advantageous than other precipitation methods. New G l a s s P r o d u c t s Are B e i n g I n t r o d u c e d The application of safety glass in various fields has been very extensive recently, and the glass industry has paid attention to this demand by introducing its own products on the market and improving their quality. The Glass Research Institute at Hradec Kralove has compared the foreign and domestic laminated safety glasses and found the latter of equally good quality. Another group of manufactured safety glass is the so-called hardened glass, which is now on the market under the trade names "Mirit" and "ThoraxRestex." In some respects these products have been shown t o be superior t o foreign products. The Engels Co. at Bilin has introduced Dethermal Glass, a special ferrous glass which absorbs the thermal and infrared radiation, but is highly permeable t o the light rays. Dethermal Glass " L " has a light permeability of 61 per cent and a heat permeability of 27.4 per cent; another quality, marked "X," shows light permeability of 36.4 per cent and heat permeability of 13.6 per cent. The Muhlig-Union Glass Works introduced the Tnermolux glass, which is a nontransparent glass consisting of three layers, the one in the center being made of a special glass wool. The effect of this glass is a perfect distribution of light, even of direct sunrays. and creates an indirect homogeneous light in a room. A high degree of acoustic insulation is also achieved. This glass is successfully applied as window glass in rooms where coloring and color matching are important. May 29. 1938
INDIA
Abundant supplies of potassium nitrate occur in India, and the above method eliminates completely the use of caustic potash and potassium chlorate imported annually in India to over 400,000 rupees ($150,000). Another interesting finding which came to light during the above work is the possibility of producing ammonia from Indian potassium nitrate by an electrochemical method. Production of Rayon Is t o B e I n v e s t i g a t e d The Government of Bombay has decided to experiment with the production of artificial silk by the wood-pulp process, which is claimed to be a better and cheaper method than making it from cotton. Accordingly 75,000 rupees ($28,850) has been appropriated for 1938-39 Factories for Heavy C h e m i c a l s t o B e Started It is understood that Tata Sons, Ltd.. Bombay, have decided to start a factory for the manufacture of soda ash in Western India. This firm is already engaged in chemical manufacture, producing glycerol, sulfuric acid, and other chemicals. According to present plans a joint stock company will be registered to acquire the Okha Salt Works and build a factory about 10 miles away from the port of Okha. It will manufacture soda ash and 20 other allied products to meet approximately half of the Indian demand. The question of restarting the existing factory in Dharangadhra State for the manufacture of soda ash, caustic soda, and sodium bicarbonate has also been engaging the attention of a prominent industrialist in Bombay. Its ammonia soda plant has an annual capacity of about 20,000 tons. The imports of soda compounds, which are considered an index of the industrial progress of a country, have almost doubled as compared with 1923-24. In 1927 the Government of India had t o turn down the plea for protection of the glass industry because it was dependent on imported soda ash, which forms on an average 05 per cent of the total raw material. It is felt that the indigenous supply of soda ash will remove the impediment to the progress of the glass industry in India. New M a r k e t s B e i n g S o u g h t for Cashew N u t s The Indian cashew nut industry depends at present almost entirely on the demand of the American consumer. Unfortunately, signs are not wanting that this demand is on the decline, and it i< being further restricted by adverse tariffs. Attempts are therefore being made to develop new markets for this product if it is to continue to give employment to 10,000 to 15,000 people. Much work has been done in receiii years with a view to the industrial utilization of the cashew oil extracted from the shells of the raw nuts during the process of roasting. Processes have been devised for using it in the preparation of different
A. P . S o m , J a m s h e d p u r , via Tatanagar New M e t h o d Developed for M a n u facture o f P e r m a n g a n a t e of P o t a s h S. S. Joshi, head of the Chemistry Department of the Benares Hindu University, and L. S. Chandrakant, a pupil of his, have developed a new method for the production of permanganate of potash utilizing manganese dioxide, potassium nitrate, and certain catalysts in small amounts. Electrolysis of an appropriate mixture of these substances in the fused state under certain conditions gives the permanganate directly in satisfactory yields.
CourUtv. Skinner A Sherman, Inc.
403 kinds of varnishes, insulating coatings, molding compositions, inks, etc. Large quantities of the oil were exported during 1937, principally to the United States and Germany, and in view of the growing demand for it, new methods for its extraction are being developed so as to prevent the large wastage incurred in the ordinary treatment of the nuts. C h e a p Process I s Developed for Making P u l p from B a m b o o The Paper Pulp Section at the Dehra Dun Forest Research Institute after 20 years of patient research has worked out a reasonably cheap process for breaking down the Indian bamboo for use in paper making. Following this research it has been possible to launch work on a commercial scale in Bihar, Orissa, and Burma in the Bamboo pulp industry. (Government C o n t i n u e s t o R e d u c e Duty o n Soda A s h In 1035 the Government of India, while turning down the glass industry's request for protection, owing to the absence at that time of indigenous supplies of raw materials, the most important of which is soda ash, decided to afford the industry a certain measure of relief by rebating the duty on imported soda ash. This concession expired in June, 1038, but because of the possibility of producing indigenous soda ash on a commercial scale the Government of India has extended the concession for a further period of two years, or until it is satisfied that soda ash in commercial quantities is being produced in India.
EMANATIONS T h e D w a r f ' s Diary or Dopey Drools a Bibfull We sailed away to Naples Across the sunny sea To check some fancy fables About the Isle Capri, And also Grecian Temples The ruins of Pompeii, "Vet, why in hell," I wondered, "Did I leave the U. S. A." Then cocktails bv the Tiber St. Peters and St. Pauls The Forum, Coliseum And ancient city walls. Green noodles at Alfredoe's With all the wine in Rome, While what I really wanted Was my transportation home. Albergo Villa d'Este Enshrined on Lake Como; The Alps, Lucerne, Geneva, Amboise and Chenonceaux. The ancient road to Paris; Versailles, late afternoon, "Oh! speed it up dear chauffeur For I want to get back soon.** The ferry train to London; Bleak Windsor and its Mall; A sunny day in Sussex, That night ye Old Pub Crawl An ancient feudal castle With water in its moat Then glory? Hallelujah! We caught a five-day boat. THOMAS MIDGLEY, J R .
Annual dinner of the Society of Chemical Industry. Left. Viscount Leverhulme and R. K. Stratford. The latter has just been inducted into office as president of the Canadian Chemical Association. Center. Honorable W. D. Euler, t h e principal speaker; Lord Leverhulme, t h e outgoing president, and Victor G. Bartram, t h e incoming president of the Society of Chemical Industry, t h e latter wearing the president's chain of office. Right. Lord Leverhulme and Otto Maass, of McGill University, who was inducted into office as president of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry. Lord Leverhulme presents the Messel Medal t o L. H. Baekeland. Story o n page 397.
Snapped at the International Union of Chemistry We are indebted to retiring vice chairman for the United States, Edward Bartow, for the snapshots which border these two pages across the bottom and lower left-hand and right-hand sides. They were made at the meeting of the International Union of Chemistry in Rome, May 14 to 21.
Left. H. von Euler, Sweden, and L. J. P. Keffler, Great Britain. Below. J. Eggert, O t t o H a h n , and Max Bodenstein of Germany.
Representatives of A. C. S. Midwestern Cooperating Sections. Front row. A. W. Broomell. W. H. Keller, J. W. Meek, Ed. F. Degering. R. C. Stillman, and A. N. Stevens. Second row. M. J. Copley. C. E. Waring. E. W. Comings, C. M. Blair, Lawrence Newburn, and C. L. Shrewsbury. See page 407. Photographer, T. DeVries.
Synthetic organic chemical unit of Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, Ind. ( nearing c o m pletion, in which organic medicinals will be manufactured.
Francesco Giordani and A. de Dominicis of Italy
Paul Walden of Germany in earnest conversation
Augusta Behal, France, and W. Swietoslawski, Poland
Einar Biilmann and K. Warming Denmark
