INID USTRIAI! andENGINEERIN6 CHEMISTRY
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Harrison E. Howe, Editor
EDITORIALS there was once well-nigh world leadership in nearly every branch of science.
NTERNATIOXAL SCIENCE. Scientists have always boasted that in their field there is the greatest freedom from political influences. Following the World War it was in scientific gatherings that the first willingness of former enemies to associate with each other appeared. It was pointed out that science is naturally international, that it is not the exclusive property or activity of any political area, of any one group, or indeed of any particular race. A t such international gatherings scientists have been too much interested in the work at hand to have time to think of, and worry about, political questions that may at the moment confront the countries of any of those participating. We hope this is not to be changed, but late last year information appeared in the British scientific weekly, Nature, which in turn relied on an obviously trustworthy report in the Basler National Zeitung, that a science congress center has been created in Germany for the purpose of making the most of international scientific conventions as a way to spread the Nazi doctrine. As we understand it, only approved meetings may hereafter be held in Germany and the Germans who attend them must’be good Nazis. Further, when the representatives of German science are permitted to attend scientific meetings in foreign cities, they are to be organized, led, and instructed, that they may inject into discussions whenever possible the utmost of Nazi doctrine. How this works out has already been demonstrated at a meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft at Berne when the reelection of a capable officer was opposed by the German representatives on the sole ground of his race. How strange this seems to us, particularly when we examine the list of Nobel prize winners and check the race of those who resided in Germany at the time of their award! Of course this effort to spread a political doctrine will not interfere with holding international congresses of science, but if persisted in it will certainly be to the detriment of the country which attempts it, and may cause further scientific retrogression in a place where
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IMITING DEFINITIONS. What is more rare than a perfect definition? In his famed dictionary published in 1755, Samuel Johnson defined oats as a grain given in England to horses and in Scotland to the people. Posterity has drawn the conclusion that Dr. Johnson did not like the Scotch and probably Scotchmen of that day did not think much of Dr. Johnson, his dictionary, or his definition. Dr. Johnson may have been the first writer of controversial and prejudiced definitions, but his disciples have been hard at work ever since and occasionally crop up, even among eminent scientists and engineers of our own day. All prejudiced definitions are amusing, but just as some conscientious English schoolboy of the eighteenth century may have wanted to know what oats really are, not what Johnson thought of the Scotch, so there are consumers today who would like to know what a substance is, not what some prejudiced definition writer would like it to be. Definitions of materials, particularly when adopted by prominent organizations, have a way of appearing in specifications, and clever salesmen are not above assisting those who draw contracts in the use of standardized phrases to limit or direct sources of supply. The body that writes a definition usually finds itself in a difficult position. It is under pressure from the manufacturer of the material, the fabricator has his special interest, and the informed consumer demands data detailed beyond what the other groups may think he should have. Then the exploitation of the definition, its interpretation, and its special applications are other phases. One of our sister societies is faced with just such a diMicult task. This chances to do with Portland cement, which long ago was defined by it as “the product obtained by finely pulverizing clinker produced by calcining to incipient fusion an intimate and prop-
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erly proportioned mixture of argillaceous and calcareous materials with no additions subsequent t o calcination excepting water and calcined or uncalcined gypsum.” That was before extensive research had been done on ways to improve the service life of cement. It did not anticipate the possibility of using certain additions, whether chosen from the field of organic or inorganic chemistry, which might perfect the material and be beneficial to the consumer. Then came the application of the results of research and, lo and behold, the new cements were somewhat outside the approved definition. Some of the addition agents are now regarded as deleterious. Others are claimed to impart distinct advantages. There are those who hold that the small quantities used make it difficult to protect the consumer against unsatisfactory compounds and mixtures, while yet another group believes that the consumer may rely upon the established physical tests to determine whether a cement possesses the desired characteristics. Under these circumstances it is not difficult to see how some manufacturers would be tempted to use the situation to their advantage and to bring influence to bear to maintain the status quo, nor how others, perhaps more forward looking, would urge a definition in terms of physical characteristics and capacity for service more or less regardless of a definite composition. Sometimes such arguments end in a poor compromisethe writing of two definitions for the same product, one to please each of the warring factions. This is confusing to the consumer who may then be easily exploited in a number of ways. A practical solution might well be to take a leaf from the Food and Drug Administration procedure and depend upon intelligent labeling to avoid discrimination, to checkmate exploitation, and to protect the consumer. Once clearly labeled, competition could be depended upon to keep the purchaser informed of any deleterious additions. But in all this, what interests us most is that definitions shall not be drawn to limit scientific progress. Just suppose that we were still controlled by a definition of gasoline devised in 1890, or even 19001 If that persisted, very little of the motor fuel offered today and used with satisfaction could be described as gasoline. Or what would have been the case with lacquers, to name one of many substances which through novel compositions and methods of processing have undergone beneficial modifications within our time? Maybe cement is only now entering upon an era which may see it substantially changed from what we have known because of the attention which chemists and chemical engineers are giving it, with the aid and benefit of modern theories, new materials, and new conceptions of the mechanics involved in making it more and more useful. The consumer, who after all is‘the
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one to be served and is the most interested, is entitled to a definition which will protect him against an inferior product but which will not preclude his ever getting a better or a cheaper one. ROP PROTECTION. A large amount ofresearch looking to the protection of food crops is, quietly in progress. It is a difficult field controlled by a number of complex factors, such as finding protective reagents nontoxic to warm-blooded animals, compounds that will persist under atmospheric and light conditions, those that will spread easily, adhere through rain and wind, and preferably leave n o residue either toxic or difficult to remove. The organic chemist has found here a problem worthy of his mettle. Several years ago in an editorial we pleaded for attention to this task of finding a way to reduce the use of insoluble cumulative poisons, and so we are much interested in the recent advances. One of the groups active in this work is the Crop Protection Institute, formed in 1920 under the auspices of the National Research Council. The purpose was to find better means for utilizing the extensive equipment and facilities of state agricultural experiment stations, the universities, etc., and the expert knowledge of the staffs of these several institutions in cogperation with the manufacturers of insecticides and fungicides and those who make the equipment necessary for their utilization. The progress of the institute has been gradual but nevertheless steady, and the reports issued from time to time show great accomplishments with commendable economy. New copper fungicides, oil sprays, the possibility of pyrethrum culture in the United States, preliminary studies of organic compounds of promise as insecticides and fungicides, development of a better spray for codling moth and other insects, new fumigants, new contact insecticides, extensive sulfur investigations, development of insecticides and fungicides utilizing sulfur and carbon bisulfide, research on plant extracts that might be useful, improved methods of applying a variety of sprays-these indicate the types of problems which engage their attention. The field is one where chemistry serves with distinction and in cooperation with those who know the ways of plants and insects has helped to make progress which is reassuring in the interminable conflict with fungi and insects for our food supplies.
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THANKS,
NEW YORK. From its Tercentenary Fund the New York Section has contributed $1000 to the Endowment Fund of the SOCIETY.This was made possible by the support given by the industry to the national meeting in 1935 and its successful management. A list of such appreciated contributions will be given in the NEWSEDITION of April 10.
