high potency and low toxicity. Like wise s t e m m i n g from these investiga tions w a s a n imposing list of publica tions a n d patents. M a n w h o won cosmetic chemists honor this year never holds punches in appraising t h e status of certain commer cial products. H e found some of newer germicides lacking in number of re spects and did not hesitate to say so. O n e reason for their deficiencies, h e found, was inadequate testing Some of Klarmann's lines of research called for long and arduous investigation such as sun-screening compounds. Sub stances which merited consideration as s u n b u r n preventives were located only after studying absorption spectra of many compounds. This was one of his earlier tasks at Lehn & Fink. A friend of long standing, E d w a r d Sagarin, of Standard Arornatics, says that Klarmann's extensive work on germicides has to a great degree laid t h e basis for the w i d e current interest now shown in the introduction of anti septics into cosmetic preparations. Born in Austria, Klarmann obtained degree in chemical engineering in 1922, a n d t h e Se. D . in 1923 from Uni versity of Halle, later serving as instruc tor in physical chemistry in Technolog-
ical Institute of Brunn. H e also was instructor and fellow in department of physiology at Halle. H e showed an early interest in structure of protein molecule, d u e it is said t o association at Halle with E m i i Aberhalden, disciple of t h e great Emil Fischer. H e came to t h e U n i t e d States to con tinue studies a n d further his researches, and w i t h this idea in mind, planned to join t h e staff a t Rockefeller Institute. This led to two h a p p y events—a position with L e h n & Fink and, in 1930, United States citizenship. T h r o u g h Rockefeller Institute Klarmann learned that the c o m p a n y was seeking a researcher with training in biochemistry. T h e medalist "was m a d e chief chem ist b y his company in 1927, three years after starting as research chemist. H e was vice president in charge of research d u r i n g the last war and last July took over m a n a g e m e n t of technical services. Klarmann has been active in associa tions representing h i s activities. One is the Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association which just elected him first vice president during its meeting in Washington. H e has been chairman of its disinfectant and sanitizers division and was formerly president of the So ciety of Cosmetic Chemists.
Hair Oil Resists Syndets Only 2 2 % removed vs. 6 8 % from w o o l , say Toilet G o o d s ' Chemists . . . Cationic surfactants most toxic NEW YORK.-Synthetic detergent shampoos clean hair without removing; excessive amounts of oil from the hair, according to a p a p e r by V . C . Ester, H . Henkin, and J. M. Longfellow, of Colgate-Palmolive, before t h e scientific; section, Toilet Goods Association. T w o> shampoos, one a clear liquid containing; a m m o n i u m salt of sulfate monoglycerides of coconut fatty acids, and the; other a cream, with sodium lauryl sul fate, r e m o v e d only 2 2 % of oil from t h e5 hair, w h e r e a s water alone removes more; t h a n half this a m o u n t of oil. T h e use of wool, the standard test, leads to fallacious conclusions if results; are extrapolated to human hair. W i t hι wool, 6 8 % of oil is removed with de tergents. T h e results, based on labo ratory work with hair cuttings, are veri fied b y extracting hair which was sham pooed on models a n d subsequently cut. T h e resulting hair was clean and lustrous, indicating that shampoos didI good cleansing, even though removingζ b u t little oil. Cationic wetting agents, detergents,, a n d emulsifiers are more toxic thanι anionic and nonionic, according to J. K. F i n n e g a n , Medical College of Virginia,, VOLUME
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and J. B. Dienna, of Rohm & Haas. Acute oral toxicities were determined in rats; also the irritancies on mucous membranes of rabbit eyes were studied b y t w o techniques, while some tests on h u m a n s were m a d e . N o broad generalization as to toxicological characteristics can be made—only cationic ap p e a r e d most toxic b y all tests. Silicones are now used in emulsion forms in typical cosmetic products such as cold cream, hand cream, brushless shave cream, lip p o m a d e , lipstick base, and hair dressing—a welcome addition because of limited solubility of solvents conventional in this field. Among the silicones in cosmetics is a new fluid, al cohol-soluble. T h e chemist needs im agination to make full use of the unique properties of silicones for the markets that are expected t o unfold in the near future, according to E . G. Tajkowski and T . H . Reilly, of General Electric. Cologne sticks are prepared by gelling action of sodium stéarate on alcohol, said A. L . Fishbach, Oxzyn Co. Also one adds plasticizers, perfume oils, a n d color. In one process, previously p r e p a r e d sodium stéarate is used; in another, where sodium stéarate is pre-
» DECEMBER
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pared as part of the process. Safety is important, with necessity of grounding all equipment and eliminating all sources of sparking. There is special need for determining free stearic acid and sodium stéarate, with corrections for interferences. Modifications of the cologne stick formula are used to make sun screen sticks, insect repellents, deodorants, and aftershave sticks. Statistical quality control has been adopted by cosmetic manufacturers. T h e area in which control charts are useful is divided into three parts: where the interest is in the quality of t h e product itself, either as a finished article or at some earlier point of manufacture; in problems relating to the manufacturing process such as whether the process can be considered to b e in control and how much variation may b e expected, if in control; and where a measuring process or results of an experiment are studied.
^ A c e t a t e d y e i n g t e c h n i q u e , which embodies the use of E a s t m a n gas and. the G L F series of light-fast dyes, has been developed by F . P. M a u p a i D y e ing. According to tests, t h e process gives twice t h e fastness to gas a n d three times the fastness to light a s compared with ordinary acetate d y e i n g techniques with 3 % gas inhibitors added. ^ Germanium transistor, developed by Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator, is said to b e 100 times as powerful a s present commercial types. I t has a. power output of 20 watts—enough t o operate motors, valves, and relays. T h e unit has already been incorporated into a prototype aircraft electronic fuel g a g e m a d e b y the company, b u t it is not y e t in commercial production. ^ Ray-tracing service which makes use of thinking machines to trace light rays through optical systems has b e e n introduced by Armour Research F o u n dation. T h e resulting information c a n be used by optical designers to determine w h a t happens in a lens system o i w h a t will h a p p e n in a system b e i n g planned. T h e electronic calculator n o t only provides answers b u t also m a k e s its own decisions for handling information fed into it. ^ Steel m e l t i n g process that provides a closed circuit system to protect t h e chemical reactions in the molten b a t h from all of the variables in outside air content, such as moisture, gases, a n d pressure, is being developed by Universal-Cyclops Steel. T h e process will permit t h e removal of air from t h e melting furnace by substituting a v a c uum, an inert gas, or a reducing gas. 5289
