IND U STRIAL
dFiNGINEERING C H E M I STRY Published by the Arnericso Chemioal Sooiety
HARRISON E. HOWE, Editor
Find the Inventor
life in one way or another. There is ample evidence of just that kind which can be directly attributed to research without going into the controversial question as to whether science destroys or creates the greater number of jobs. From several sources have come the figures we are about to quote, bearing upon the tangible results for the consumer, as measured by a decrease in cost and a high increase in efficiency, owing to the investment of industry in the work of the scieptist. It will be recognized that nearly all of these changes have come to the public at the hands of big business rather than from the small concerns which, for some unknown reason, seem generally to be regarded as the more wholesome and purer of the two. The United States News in a series bearing upon the work of the manufacturer has entitled it “The Story of American Efficiency.” Efficiency usually involves research of some type, and we believe our point is still good. In 1915 the average life of an automobile tire was about 3000 miles, whereas today it is approximately 20,000 miles, while the costs are about 25 per cent of the earlier prices. In 1928, 1475 cubic feet of gas from coal could be purchased for a dollar. In 1938 the figure is 1727 cubic feet. An electric refrigerator which cost $334 ten years ago has its place taken by one of approximately the same capacity but selling for $169. In 1912 a dollar bought 11.1 kiIowatt-hours of electricity; in 1927, 14.7; and in 1937, 22.7 kilowatt-hours. Turning to communications, a telephone message from coast to coast cost $18.50 in 1918; $9.00 in 1928; $6.50 in 1938. To bring this down to more nearly the distance most of us telephone, a long-distance message over 970 miles cost $7.50 in 1926; $2.75 in 1936; and the time required to establish connections has been reduced by about 70 per cent. Fifteen years ago a really good radio cost $200. Today for $50 one can buy a set with more power, better reception, and entitled to be described as “around the world” model. In the cement industry there has been efficient progress, for 50 cents purchased 99 pounds in 1923 and 127 pounds in 1937. A dollar bought only 2 ounces of aluminum in 1888; today it will buy 5 pounds. Improvements in the processing and distribution of milk
W H E N E V E R possible candidates are under discussion for one of the coveted medals awarded to those who have outstanding achievements to their credit in the field of chemistry, there is sure to be mentioned a notable work which cannot be attributed to a single individual. When many of the medals were established research and development were not so organized nor so mpch a coiiperative effort as they are today. One could designate with comparative certainty the individual more responsible than any other for this, that, or the other success. Today that is changed in most laboratories, and even the patent literature frequently carries more than one name as the patentee. This was emphasized in the discussion in Rochester on whether medical products should be patented. It was said that these newer things in the field of medicine are likely to be developed by a group made up of the repreSentat,ivesof several sciences, and that is true in large measure in other fields of activity. If different sciences are not represented, then there may at least be associated together those who have intensively cultivated some specialty in chemistry itself. With this refinement of the science and the pooling of resources of a group to pursue research on a carefully coijrdinated plan, it becomes increasingly difficult to find the inventor. In consequence, there is more uncertainty in choosing the individual to whom some medal may be handed without question. Perhaps rules may require changing in conformity with the times.
A Witness for the Defense T HA§ become something of a habit to attack indusImoney try. The greater the industry, as measured by invested and facilities, the louder the attack. But even the smaller groups are not immune at times. If industry needs a witness for its defense, no better one than research can be found. Notwithstanding all the efforts at educating the public, there is still only a small percentage interested in scientific research, except as its application can be measured by the things it helps to provide which enrich 60 1
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
products show a similar result because a dollar in 1928 bought 49.5 pounds and today it buys 56.5 pounds. The steel industry has shown an increase in prices of about 8 per cent, but this is for a better steel than was formerly available, and during this improvement the raw material cost has advanced 11 per cent, while the hourly wage rate has increased 26 per cent. The automobile industry is one of the greatest users of steel and the car of 10 years ago cost $17.70 per horsepower, whereas today that cost is only $8.45. A comparison of the cars themselves serves to emphasize that today the consumer gets far more for his money than the difference in dollars shows. If you prefer to fly, then note that in 1929 a 3-place open cockpit type airplane cost $7335; now a 5-place cabin type ship can be bought for $5695. Gasoline affords another example. We get twice as much gasoline for a dollar as in 1921, when, excluding tax, the price was 31.4 cents per gallon, whereas today on the same basis it is 14.3 cents, and this leaves out of consideration improvement in quality. The average coal consumption in central stationgenerating plants in 1919 was 3.2 pounds per kilowatthour. In a decade this was reduced to 1.65 pounds per kilowatt-hour. In 1914 some 220 pounds of coal were consumed per barrel of cement made, but by 1934 this had decreased to about 145 pounds. Coming to the chemical field, the prices of viscose rayon yarn have decreased from $2.00 per pound in 1926 to about 50 cents per pound, with the quality immeasurably better. The price of fixed nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda is about half that of 15 years ago, and there has been a great increase in consumption. Neoprene, produced for some time at costs considerably in excess of the selling price, was introduced at $1.05 per pound and is now around 75 cents. The price hislory of cellophane is one of 18 successive reductions, starting at $2.65 a pound in 1924 and coming down to 41.5 oents in 1937. Natural camphor imported from the Far East reached $3.75 a pound in 1918. This encouraged research and ultimate success in the production of synthetic camphor with prices below 30 cents a pound. In the 10-year period 1927-37 the following items decreased in the amounts indicated: acetic acid, 100 pounds, from $3.38 to $2.43; ammonia, 7.5 t o 4.5 cents per pound; ammonium sulfate, $2.38 to $1.37 per 100 pounds; borax, $90 to $40.67 per ton; chlorine, $4.00 to $2.15 per 100 pounds; formaldehyde, 10.33 to 5.75 cents per pound; methanol, 67.5 to 33 cents per gallon; phenol, 17.5 to 13.25 cents per pound; and trisodium phosphate, $3.50 to $2.10 per 100 pounds. If we look at similar statistics with respect to some of the well-known pharmaceuticals, this is the story : Since 1914 barbital has been reduced from $20 to $3.00 (85 per cent) ; phenacetin, from $3.00 to $1.30 (56.7 per cent) ; aspirin, from $4.40 to 60 cents per pound (86.4 per cent); and arsphenamine, from $3.50 per dose to 46 cents per ampoule (86.9 per cent). Since 1922
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cinchophen has been reduced from $10 to $3.00 (97 per cent) and benzocaine from $12 to $3.25 per pound (72.9 per cent) ; since 1923 procaine hydrochloride has been reduced from $35 to $11.50 per pound (67.1 per cent). Ephedrine hydrochloride has decreased in price from $28 per ounce in 1926-27 to $3.25 in 1938 (88.4 per cent) ; phenobarbital, from $32 per pound in 1929 to $4.00 in 1937-38 (87.5 per cent) ; pollen, from $12 per 16-dose set in 1932 to $10 in 1938 (16.7 per cent) ; haliver oil, from $1.49 per 100 capsules in 1936 to $1.00 per 100 in 1938 (32.9 per cent) ; and sulfanilamide, from $9.00 for 5 grains in 1937 to $4.98 in 1938 (44.7 per cent). This sort of data could be continued in many other lines of activity and is certain to be most impressive where research has been adequately supported under capable direction for a reasonable time. We believe it is a good record on behalf of industry, operating in what has been known as the American way. For the benefit of those who think there may be some better way of managing, this may be interesting. During the period that business has been substantially reducing the price of products and services t o consumers, offering better goods and more for the dollar, the aggregate government cost per capita since 1913 has been more than quadrupled. The plaintiff may take the witness.
The Value of Literature T MAY be thought that the value of literature is Isubject well established that further comment on the is hardly justified. Yet we frequently see so
evidences of incomplete searches and occasionally find those who feel that they have neither interest nor responsibility in maintaining the highest possible standard of scientific publication. It was notable that, in a recent great exposition in Germany, special attention was paid to books and journals through general and other displays emphasizing special fields of technology. These exhibits received quite as much attention as did equipment and product. We would cite also the note on “Routine” by John H. Perry, which appeared in the Hexagon. As he points out, alone and unaided it would be impossible for one man to gain sufGcient first-hand experience to cope with modern competition. To his own knowledge he must add from that of others, if he is t o grow throughout his professional career. This he can do by personal contact and by studying the printed works of both ancestors and contemporaries in science. It is in the technical literature that he finds the richest source of this experience by proxy. Affiliation with one’s technical societies and associations and reading their journals is one of the most important and productive ways of gaining a wider experience and greater knowledge.
