MAY, 1948
0
HANS EDUARD FIERZ-DAVID RALPH E. OESPER University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
A n l o ~ c!he present-day workers who have devoted themselves particularly to dye chemistry none is better known on both sides of the Atlantic than H. E. FierzDavid. The family records of this Swiss chemist and teacher go back to 1360 and apparently none of his forefathers ever studied a t any university. He was born at Zurich on January 5,1882, and after graduating as technical chemist there in 1904 he went to London to continue his training. At the Royal College of Science (now Imperial .College of Science and Technology) he worked with Martin 0. Forster and they published several joint papers on organic topics. Fierz next went to the' Mond Nickel Company in South Wales and several articles and patents are permanent records of his short stay with this organization. After a year in the brewing industry at Munich, he transferred to Geigy and Company a t Basel. Here he was in charge of the manufacture of many intermediates and finished dyes and these years laid the foundation of his reputation in this field. He expected to remain an industrial chemist and had little or no desire to enter into pure science. Nevertheless, he accepted a call to the chair of organic technology a t the Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule in Zurich and has been a valued member of its faculty since 1917. The list of his publications is imposing. Besides many papers on
dyes, te$ile fibers, and organic subjects, he is the. author of hooks which in the original German or translations have made his name familiar in many countries. These, among others, include: "Grundlegende Operationen der Farbenchemie," 7th edition, 1947; "Kiinstliche Orga~sche Farhstoffe" (1925--supplement 1935); "Die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Chemie," 1947; "Abriss der Chemischen Technologie der Textilfasern," 1948. He edited the dyestuff section of volumes 1 4 3 5 (1996-1939) of Friedlander's "Fortschritte der Teerfarbenindustrie und verwandter Industriezweige." Volume VI of Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis (1928) contains his lengthy articles: "Dyes and Colouring Matters" and "Analysis of Colouring Matters." Dr. FiereDavid feels strongly that chemists must not occupy themselves solely with chemistry; a hobby is essential to real happiness. He formerly was an active mountaineer, but now has substituted the study of C. G. Jung's psychology as his means of relaxation. He feels, in contradistinction to most of his colleagues, that science does not necessarily promote human happiness. His best product, he believes, consists of the 140 doctorate candidates who worked under his guidance. Many of them now occupy important positions, including some in America.
