October 20, 1932
I N D U S T R I A L
A N D ΕΝ G
I N D E X τα INXERISATIONAX CPJTICAL T A B L E S A N A N N O U N C E M E N T w a s made by the National Research C o u n cil several m o n t h s a g o of a detailed subject index t o the seven v o l u m e s of International Critical Tables t o be prepared under t h e direction of C J. "West;, associate editor o f the tables and director of the Research Inf orrmafcion Service of t h e council. Work on t h e index lias n o w reachecl a rjoint where it i s believed that the p u b lication will be ready i=or distribution by April 1, 1933. Advance subscriptions h a v e been accepted a t a price n o t t o exceed four dollars. T h i s nrice will be continued until February 1, 1933. After that d a t e it -will b e advanced, probably to s i x dollars. A l l subscrib-ers t o t h e tables who desire t h e index a t t h e prepublication price should send their orders a t once t o t h e National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington, D . C , in order that a- sufficient number of copies m a y be printed to m e e t their requirements. T h e index will be a, volume of 4 5 0 to 500 pages, and will c o n tain between 50,000 a n d 60,000 items. Every compound a n d every system for whieh data a r e given i n the tables will b e listed in t h e index, as well as all subject headings which appeared i n the previous brief index issued- T h e publication will appear o n l y in English. IMPROVEMENT I N CHROMIUM-PIATING PREDICTED SCIENTISTS OP THE "BUIUBAU OP STANDARDS h a v e been successful,
after long experimentation, in evolving a theory which may form a basis for practical improvements in plating articles witn chro m i u m . Experimentation along this line has not been completed, but i s continuing as -rapidly a,s funds allow. It was felt b y b u r e a u o f Standards workers that, during their investigation, a theory of t h e process might b e evolved. Once set down t h e t l i e o r y might b e criticized, manipulated, a n d extended b y other workers i n t h e field and improvements in chromium-plating m i g h t be promoted, thus effecting a saving through elimination of w a s t e caused b y inadequate processes. Uneven "throwing" o f t h e solution on articles when dipped was t h e crux of the problem, i t was found. It is to this end t h a t t h e theory aims to move. It was also found in t h e bureau's experiments that, although t h e plating baths consist principally of chromic acid, a small amount o f sulfate i s also necessary. I t was s h o w n that the beneficial effect o f tne sulfate i s caused b y the fact t h a t it prevents the formation of a n impervious film on the electric cathode,, t h u s permitting metal deposition. It was found possible to explain satisfactorily all the prin cipal facts of chromduna-plating i n terms o f this theory, and to m a k e certain predictions which a r e experimentally confirmed. L I Q U I D G U M I N H I B I T O R FOR CRACKED GASOLINE T H E UNTVERSAL O I L PRODUCTS Co., of Chicago, after several years of persistent research w i t h scores of substances, compounds, and mixtures, has d e v i s e d a g u m inhibitor i n liquid form. T h i s is called "Universal inhibitor" and i s a preventative rather t h a n a cure. It i s said effectively t o prevent gum formation when added to freshly cracked gasoline. The inhibitor is a liquid which v a porizes with t h e gasoline in which it i s used. T h e material^ is now in wide commercial use. I t is claimed to have four major advantages: (1) It s a v e s cost· in treating; (2) avoids volumetric loss; (3) preserves antiknock v a l u e ; and (4) forestalls g u m formation.
D Y E D GASOLGNTE N O W PERMITTED I N COLORADO T H E COLORADO L A W which gave t n e State Oil Inspector dis cretion t o bar t h e sale o f dyed gasoline in t h e state has been de clared unconstitutional a n d amended, after a hearing before J u d g e E. V . Holland in the D e n v e r District Court. Ethyl gaso line was t h e only colored motor fuel which, could b e sold i n the s t a t e until a year ago, w h e n the D e r b y Oil Co., Wichita, Kansas, attacked "the constitutionality of t h e l a w and sought an injunction restraining the S t a t e Oil Inspector from interfering with the s a l e of Flexgas. D U S T E X P L O S I O N S S H O W METHODS W H I C H C U T LOSSES TWELVE EXPEROUCENTAL DUST EXPLOSIONS at the Arlington, Va., experiment fazrm of tbe U. S. Department of Agriculture, October 4, demonstrated tbe deadly and destructive power of certain dusts when they explode and also demonstrated construc tion metbods whieh minimize the destructive force and have helped reduce the annual dust explosion loss from §4,160,000 in 1921 to S1,100,7QO in 1931. The explosions were part of the program of the Food Section of the National Safety Council Congress meeting in Washington. Dust from various sources
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CHEMISTRY
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was exploded! in a miniature "factory," comprising a room, a con necting gallesry, and tower with a total volume of 333 cubic feet. The tests demonstrated methods of protecting manufacturing plants against structural damage by releasing dust explosion pressures thr-ough adequate vents, as worked out by the Chemi cal Engineering Division of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. U. S. E X P O R T S E X P A N D FOR THE P'IBST T I M E in five months, August foreign trade saw exports to I S nations increasing over July and imports from 27 of the 39» chief sources turning upward, according t o information made publie by t h e Department of Commerce. America's leading markzets all increased their purchases in August, and total exports roses by about $2,500,000 t o a total of S109,205,121. The oiutstan-rding gain was in shipments to France, which rose from S5,704^834 t o S9,219,342. Exports to Germany mounted from 56,969,235 t o $8,663,232. Other countries t o which ship ments rose -were Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, Irish Free State, Italy, Norway, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, British India, Bong Kong, N e w Zealand, and Egypt. Imports ad v a n c e d nearly §12,000,000, bringing t h e total t o $91,110,475, and wereev^en more widespread throughout the world. POTASH P'RODXJCBD under t h e concession t o extract chemicals from t h e wafers of t h e Dead Sea in Palestine recently reached the U n i t e d Stat-es in a shipment of 550 tons to C . Tennant Sons & Co., NTew Y"ork, selling agents i n t h e United States and Canada for Paleslin?e Potash, L t d . Regular shipments from Palestine to t h e United States are planned. According to a recent state ment i t is expected that between 3000 a n d 4000 tons of pure pot ash w i l l be produced by Palestine P o t a s h , Ltd., i n 1932, and by 1933, when -the equipment has been completed and full operation made possilble, t h e annual output will run around 10,000 to 12,000 tons-
Necrology JAMES
GLAISTDUNG
DAILEY
J A TVTBs GriL.AifDiNQ DAILEY, for five years chief engineer of Defi ance Spark IPlugs, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, died at his home o n October 2 at t h e age of 55. Mr. Dailey was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. I n his professional career he had been asso ciated wth* the United Gas Improvement Co., the Carpenter Steel Co,, X e d o u x & Co., t h e Crown Cork and Seal Co., the Tungsten IProducts Co., and t h e Calco Chemical Co. For nine years, he worked in Mexico a s chemist and metallurgist for t h e ClincJhfield Fuel Co., and also had represented the National Ani line atndCrsLemieal C o . in Buenos Aires a s branch manager. Mr. D a i l e y vos a Mason, and a member of t h e AMERICAN^ CHEMICAL SOCIETY, t l h e American Institute of Chemical Engineers, t h e American '•Ceramic Society, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. WILLIAM AUGUSTUS P U C K N E K WiXLiAMi AUGUSTUS PUCKNER, secretary of t h e Council o n Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association since Mnrc3i 1,1906, died at t h e Presbyterian Hospital i n Chicago, October 1, 1932, aged 6SDoctor JPuckner was born in N e w Holstein, Wis., and was educated a>t the Chicago College of Pharmacy, Harvard Univer sity, and itihe University of Heidelberg. H e w a s professor of chennistiy a t t h e old Chicago College of Pharmacy, n o w t h e School of 3?harmaey of t h e University of Illinois, from 1890 t o 1910». He was a charter member of t h e Chicago Section of t h e AMEDRICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY and was chairman of t h e Chicago
Section in 3.903. For many years D o c t o r Puckner was considered one o f the l e a d i n g alkaloidal chemists of the world. On March 1, 190Ô, h o ^ a s chosen secretary of t h e Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry- and continuously held that position for twenty-six years. During some of this time it required courage to carry on h a the fJace of great difficulties. In 1909 his vision became s o impaired tlhat i t was necessary for him t o give up laboratory work entirely amd even t o have t h e services of a guide. I n spite of this handicap Doctor Packner efficiently performed a most useful worlk inth*e interest of public good. Doctor Puckner was a member o f the Cornmittee o n Kevision of t h e U. S. Pharmacopeia and of t l a e Cormmittee o n Synthetic Drugs of t h e National Research Coumcil urader t h e chairmanship of Julius Stieglitz. H e received honorary degrees from the university of Pittsburgh and t h e PhiLadelphiia College of Pharmacy. Doctor Puckner w a s u n married, He i s survived by three brothers, Rudolph, Alfred, and Edw/ard P u c k n e r , now living in Wisconsin.
