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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
News
Edition
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry 9th Conference Held at T h e H a g u e , July 18-24, 1928 During the past few years many criticisms of the International Union have been expressed, especially in England and America. The need of a reorganization of activities has been recognized for some time by several of nost interested in its success. Suggestions along this line made b y Doctor Cohen, t h e president, at the Washington., meeting two years ago, and p r e liminary modification of its s t a t u t e s were offered last year a t Warsaw. During the present meeting t h e principal business was the further consideration of these changes and the adoption of the new statutes and regulations. The result has been to a l t e r considerably the character of t h e organization. In the past its efforts have been devoted principally to securing international agreement upon subjects of common interest, b u t hereafter its activities will also be directed towards the organization of international congresses of chemists. F u t u r e meetings will be held a t two-year intervals, a n d each alternate one will be an International Congress organized on a n elaborate scale. A marked desire to improve the character of the Union in another direction was also expiessed. T h i s was t o enlarge its international character b y enc< uraging t h e entrance of those nations not a t present affiliated with the Union. Toward t h i s end t h e following distinguishe< 1 chemists were present at T h e Hague a s invited guests: from ciermany, Professors Bodenstein, Haber, Markwald, and Stock ; from Austria, Professor Wegschneider; a n d from Russia, Professors Ipatieff, Schilow, Stepanow, Tschitschibabin, and Z e l n s k y . As a further mark of the desire of the Union to receive into its membership t h e countries not sit present represented, the following resolution was ":;^;:imousV adopted b y the Council: The Intc'riv1* .ona.1 Union of Chemistry is happy to salute the chemists of < tcrmaiiy .uistria. and Russia, who have come as guests t o the conference «it The flattie. It hopes that the chemical groups in these countries will soon r^anize themselves in the manner leading to their admission into t h e I Mr jn.
Although Doctor Cohen and other members have favored t h e above improvements for some time, it was the English delegation which insisted.most strongly on their immediate a d o p t i o n . I n fact, Sir William Pope, in explaining w h y the dues of G r e a t Britain had n o t been paid, said it was t h e result of their dissatisfaction with t h e Union, and t h a t no further p a y m e n t s would ">e made until assurance was obtained that t h e meetings would be « rganized in a manner worthy of scientists. H e asked w h a t > 'ould have been t h e opinion of v a n ' t HofT of an international §, athering of chemists at which less t h a n twenty papers describing advances in the science, had been provided. Although t h e I nglish were not present last year a t Warsaw to aid in the ina igiiration of the changes, they came to T h e H a g u e fully determined t o see them put through. According t o the new statutes, t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Union of J ure a n d Applied Chemistry has for its objects: (1) the organiation of a permanent cooperation between the chemical associations of t h e adherent countries; (2) the coordination of their scientific and technical means of action; (3) contribution to t h e advancement of chemistry in all the extent of its domain, n o t a b l y t h e holding of Conferences and Congresses. It has its provisional headquarters a t Paris. The m a n n e r in which countries may adhere t o the Union, a n d the contributions to be paid by each, as well a s their representation in t h e Council, remain unchanged. After six years, however, those countries now adhering through their governments can continue only if they have established organizations of their chemists to represent them. The terms of office are limited to four years for all except t h e secretary, and the number of vice presidents has been increased from six to eight, of which four are t o be elected each two years. T h e president must be chosen from among the a c t u a l or retired vice presidents, and the vice presidents from among the m e m b e r s of the council. In order to provide for t h e possibility of t h e president being unable to perform his duties, the Bureau shall designate in advance one of the vice presidents t o serve in his stead until t h e next meeting of t h e Council. Although it is n o t written in the statutes, an effort is t o be m a d e to choose about half the officers from the industrial field. The decisions of the Council in all questions regarding international scientific usage (nomenclature, symbols, s t a n d a r d s , etc.) a r e to b e adopted provisionally for one year. The final v o t e is t o be made by correspondence, and each nation has votes equal t o t h e number of its representatives in t h e Council. A majority of t h e total number of available votes in the Council is necessary for the final adoption of a n y measure regarding national usage. A Bureau of the Union, elected from among t h e Council, is charged with the execution of all business m a t t e r s a n d t h e nomination of officers. I t is composed of t h e acting and retired
presidents, t h e secretary, a n d the eight vice presidents. T h e General Assembly is composed of t h e councilors a n d delegates from each c o u n t r y , b u t the total from o n e country m a y in no case exceed fifteen. A meeting of the Council, the General Assembly, and the Commissions shall be designated a s a Conference of t h e International Union of Chemistry. Although delegations of not more than fifteen chemists a r e permitted to participate in a Conference, programs of scientific a n d technical interest, open to all, will b e organized simultaneously a n d as many as desire may participate. T h e next meeting will be held at Liege, Belgium, in 1930. I t will consist of both a Conference of the International Union and a Congress of Industrial Chemistry organized by t h e Societe de Chimie Industrielle, of which Jean Gerard is vice president. T h e invitation t o convene a t Liege was ofTered in t h e broadest t e r m s to include chemists of all nations, w h e t h e r a t present adh e r e n t s to t h e Union or n o t . I t is expected t h a t the 1932 meeting will b e a large Interna-fcional Congress of Chemistry, organized a t Madrid b y t h e chemists of Spain in association w i t h a comm i t t e e of t h e International Union. In general, the discussions of the modifications of t h e statutes were moderate, and in m o s t cases agreement was rapidly reached. In the case of t h a t concerned with t h e languages to be employed, however, t h e discussions were so heated a n d prolonged t h a t it was necessary t o postpone decision until a later d a t e . T h e questions involved were whether Spanish should be included as one of the usual languages of the Union, and whether publication of all reports, resolutions, a n d official acts should be in Knglish as well as French. T h e following officers were elected: president, Kmar Biiimann of D e n m a r k ; vice presidents, d'Artigas, Bchal, Bodtker, H. M o n d , Parravano, licese, Sakurai, a n d Swietoslawski. Of these, Belial, Bodtker, Mond, and Sakurai were selected b y lot to serve t w o years. Doctor Mond was chosen by the Bureau t o be t h e successor to the president in case the necessity should arise. Jean Gerard was reelected secretary. In order t o insure t h a t excellent scientific programs shall be arranged in connection w i t h t h e meetings of t h e Union, t h e following committee was c h o s e n : Delepine, C h a v a n n e , Giordani, K r u y t , and Lowery. T h e committee wirier* will represent the Union in t h e organization of t h e Congresses will consist of t h e president, secretary, a n d t h e vice president from t h e country i n which t h e congress is to b e held. In the c a s e of t h e Madrid congress in 1932, these will be Messrs. Biilmaim, Gerard, a n d d'Artigas. Perhaps t h e most i m p o r t a n t action t a k e n by t h e Union was t h e instructions given t o the Commissions. At t h e suggestion of Sir William Pope, t h e commission on chemical elements was revived and directed to resume the publication of official annual tables of atomic weights. T h e present commissions on the reforms of nomenclature ^vere requested to bring their work t o a close a s soon as possible. Additional work along this line will be s t a r t e d by new commissions when considered necessary. The permanent commissions on physico-chemical s t a n d a r d s (Doctor T i m m e r m a n s ) and that o n the annual tables of c o n s t a n t s (Doctor Marie) were retained. The commissions on ceramics and on bromotology were discharged, and several others instructed to discontinue o r reorganize their work. The thoughtful, deliberate, even-tempered c h a r a c t e r of the D u t c h people perhaps accounted more t h a n a n y t h i n g else for t h e h a r m o n y and good-will which prevailed. The business meetings were held in one of the parliamentary c h a m b e r s of the government. It contained an assembly hall a n d n u m e r o u s committee rooms, each provided w i t h a large table a n d comfortable chairs. The local c o m m i t t e e maintained a n information bureau in t h e midst of t h e s e rooms and provided refreshments at a l l hours. It was a r o u n d these tables t h a t disagreements were most frequently settled. A b o u t HO delegates 'were present from 17 countries, and 10 guests from :$ countries. The delegation from the United States was m a d e u p of Doctor Bancroft, c h a i r m a n , and Messrs. Baker, Bartow, Rkeley, Moore, Reese, Ryerson, Seidell, S m y t h , and Swain. Of t h e six regular councilors chosen b y t h e National Research Council—namely, Messrs. Bartow, Norris, Patrick, Parsons, P a t t e r s o n , and Reese, only two were present. Other American chemists who came, but could not take p a r t in the business of t h e meeting because of n o t having been designated as delegates in advance b y the N a t i o n a l Research Council, were Messrs. Coleman and Bradfield and Miss S c h o t t . A special program w a s provided for t h e ladies, a n d special features and excursions -were, of course, arranged for all. Mention should b e made of a delightful t e a and e n t e r t a i n m e n t in lovely g a r d e n s offered by S. van den Bergh a t his e s t a t e near T h e Hague. T h e r e were four excursions: one to the c i t y of R o t t e r d a m and
September
10,
1928
INDUSTRIAL
AND
ENGINEERING
its h a r b o r s unci flying field: a n o t h e r lo the agricultural region between L c y d e n and H a r l e m ; a visit to t h e huge reclamation project n o w being actively prosecuted in t h e Zuidersee; and a trip t o t h e city of Amsterdam. Perfect w e a t h e r prevailed. F r o m b o t h t h e point of view of business accomplished a n d pleasure e n j o y e d , the meeting was one of t h e most successful ever held b y the International I'uioii.
C o m m i s s i o n on Chemical Literature 1 At the Fifth Conference of t h e Union held at Copenhagen in 1924, a Commission de D o c u m e n t a t i o n was formed t o s t u d y the o r g a n i z a t i o n of record keeping in the domain of pure a n d applied c h e m i s t r y . T h e m a t t e r has been discussed from t i m e to t i m e , a n d l a s t October a conference on t h e subject, under t h e auspices of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Office of C h e m i s t r y , was convened in P a r i s . A r e p o r t of this conference, m a d e by J. Alingh Prins, F. D o n k e r D u y v i s , a n d W. P . Jorissen was presented a t t h e meeting held a t T h e Hague. T h e r e p o r t w a s considered by t h e Commission, under t h e chairm a n s h i p of D o c t o r Jorissen, and t h e following r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s were m a d e : The Commission de Documentation suggests that t h e International Office of C h e m i s t r y call a. conference of experts of all nations at Paris to study t h e question of a n international organization of chemical literature a n d the establishment of cooperation between t h e existing organization in different countries. I t is also suggested that the International Office of Chemistry take t h e initiative in the establishment and distribution of a complete list of periodical publications, b o t h old a n d new, which may b e of interest as sources of chemical information. T h u s , t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Union desires t h a t t h e best qualified persons whio c a n be assembled shall begin a serious s t u d y of m e a n s of c o o r d i n a t i n g and d i s t r i b u t i n g chemical l i t e r a t u r e . Invitations t o c o o p e r a t e in t h i s u n d e r t a k i n g will b e issued t o all w h o may be a b l e to assist o r may be interested in t h e m a t t e r , and c a r e will be t a k e n t h a t n o possibility of governmental obligation shall d e t e r a n y o n e from participation. I t is h o p e d t h a t a w a y will he found for e x p e r t s from America to assist i n t h i s very i m p o r t a n t u n d e r t a k i n g . T h e rapidly increasing v o l u m e of chemical l i t e r a t u r e m a k e s very necessary b e t t e r efforts t o organize its distribution. I t is in t h e interest of all to c o n s e r v e effort expended in unnecessary duplication a n d d i s t r i b u t e m o r e systematically t o each individual worker t h e p a r t i c u l a r documents most needed b y him. Any i m p r o v e m e n t along t h i s line may b e expected t o yield t h e greatest r e t u r n s in r a p i d i t y of development of chemical science.
C o m m i s s i o n o n t h e Reform of Biological Chemical Nomenclature 2 T R A N S L A T E D BY A T H E R T O N S E I D E L L T h e commission m e t under t h e presidency of Gabriel B e r t r a n d a n d t h e following were present: A. H a r d e n a n d Ida S. M a c L e a n , E n g l a n d ; O. F e r n a n d e z a n d J. G i r a l , S p a i n ; A. Seidell, United S t a t e s ; G . Bertrand a n d M . Bridel, F r a n c e ; K. S h i b a t a , J a p a n ; V. V e s e l y , Czechoslovakia; Mille. Y. Djoritch, J u g o s l a v i a ; and Al. I o n e s c o - M a t i u and S t . Minovici, R o u m a n i a . T h e s u b j e c t of glucides a n d protides was n o t further discussed a t t h i s m e e t i n g , since a m e n d m e n t s or objections to t h e proposals of l a s t y e a r h a d not been received a n d , u n d e r the present s t a t u t e s of t h e U n i o n , their final a d o p t i o n depends u p o n the result of a vote by c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , which will be taken during t h e next few months. T h e n e w husiness was concerned with t h e classification of the lipides. M . Bertrand presented t h e r e p o r t elaborated by h i m and also a r e p o r t of t h e British N a t i o n a l C o m m i t t e e a n d informal s u g g e s t i o n s which he had received in reply t o a r e q u e s t sent t o P. A. Levene. T h e Commission, under t h e c h a i r m a n s h i p of M . B e r t r a n d , proposes t h e following classification of the g r o u p lipides: T h e lipides are divided into ternary lipides, which arc those containing only c a r b o n , hydrogen, a n d oxygen, and complex lipides. which are those containing, in addition, phosphorus or both phosphorus and nitrogen. (A) T h e ternary lipides are subdivided into: (1) Clycerides. which are lipides in which the alcohol is glycerol. (2) Ceridrs, which a r e lipides formed by the combination of higher monovalent alcohols and fatty acids of. in general, high molecular weight. (.'*) Sterides, which a r e lipides in which the alcohol is a sterol. (4) Elholides. which are lipides formed by the combination of several molecules of alcohol-acicIN in which the acid function of one molecule ctheri lies t h e alcohol function of another molecule (It) T!i e torn ft! ex lipid's: 1 Report presented a t the Ninth Conference of t h e International Union of Pure a n d Applied Chemistry. The Hague. July I S 24. li)2N. 2 Results of the deliberations held July 19 a n d 20. 1H2K. at the Ninth Conference of t h e International Union of Pure ami Applied Chemistry.
CHEMISTRY
In thi-. cast- the term phosphatides is aboli-.hnl. It is replaced !»y the terms pints pholipi, and t h e degree of Ph.D. in June, 1928.
Dawson Transferred to Texas Paul R. Dawson, who for some time has been translating t h e Austrian and German letters published in t h e N E W S E D I T I O N , has recently been transferred from Soil Fertility Investigations, Bureau of Chemistry and Soils, Washington, D. C - , to Austin, Texas, where he will be employed in a similar capacity b y t h e Government. He has rendered invaluable assistance in the c o operation he has given us, and our best wishes go wi"th him in h i s new field of activity. The SOCIETY h a s been fortunate in securing trie services of Albert R. Merz, Fertilizer Investigations, Bureau o f Chemistry and Soils, Washington, D . C , t o carry on t h e work which M r . Dawson has so ably performed.
Gas Nuisances May Be Converted into Valuable Products In t h e course of a study by t h e Bureau of Mines of t h e cause of service gas meter stoppages, it developed that t h e principal trouble was gum formation from indene a n d styrene. These compounds are always present i n manufactured gas. In freshly made gas t h e y are very volatile and readily carried in t h e g a s stream, but o n standing in contact with other gas constituents t h e y tent! to polymerize. Gums are thus formed in fiouse meters, and necessitate the removal of t h e meters for cleaning. A recent survey of the gas industry develops t h a t there are 8 million pounds per year of styrene and twice t h a t amount o f indene available if completely removed from the gas. These compounds could b e used i n the manufacture of plastics. Styrene could be used in t h e manufacture of perfumes, and possibly also in rubber manufacture. It is suggested t h a t here is a field for development of industrial values in these substances, which are now admittedly industrial nuisances.
Bakelite Corp. Petitions Supreme Court The Bakelite Corp. has filed a petition in t h e Supreme Court of the United States, asking for a writ of prohibition to p r e v e n t the United States Court of Appeals from hearing the case o f Frischer & Co. vs. t h e Bakelite Corp. until trie Supreme Court has ruled t h a t the procedure in the case is constitutional. T h e case was to have been heard in t h e October t e r m of t h e Court o f Customs Appeals, following t h e ruling of this court on M a y 2 5 that t h e procedure was constitutional. The controversy i s over a finding of the U. S . Tariff Commission that Frischer & Co. a n d others were guilty of unfair competition within t h e meaning o f Section 316 of the Tariff Act of 1922 in importing beads a n d other articles made from synthetic phenolic resin o f form C i n violation of U . S. patents owned b y the Bakelite Corp-
Effect of Smelter Fumes on Vegetation
Editor, News Edition, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: In your issue of August 10 (page 7 ) , the statement is made t h a t t h e neon gas patent granted January 19, 1915, has been held valid and infringed by the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and that this modifies the decree of the District Court, which held that the patent w a s valid b u t not infringed. This statement is correct a s it refers t o the decision of the Dis trict Court. However, t h e decision of the Circuit Court was that "Patent No. 1,125,476 (January 19, 19151 is held to hivalid a n d infringed as to claim 1." It is obvious that the decree was modified in two directions and, although infringement was conceded, the validity of the patent was restricted. PHOTION INSTRUMENT CORP., 574 SOUTHERN BLVD., NEW YORK, N . Y.
M I V T O N BERGS.TEIN
Three-Hundredth Meeting of Cincinnati Section The Cincinnati Section will observe i t s three-hundredth meeti n g on October 10, 1928, by a dinner a t the Hotel Alms. Gerald L-. Wendt will be the principal speaker, and will probably discuss some phase of t h e relation of research t o industry- The meeting will b e open t o t h e public. The Chemical Society of Cincinnati and vicinity was organized December 19, 1890, with twenty-two members and T. H. Morton as its first president. On M a y 18, 1891, it united with t h e A M E R I C A N CHEMICAX, SOCIETY a s the Cincinnati Section.
Three charter members, John Uri Lloyd, Alfred Springer, and Ernst Twitchell, all residents of Cincinnati, are expected to attend t h e three hundredth meeting. Doctor Norton, t h e first president, is living in London, England, where h e has been associated with a syndicate for recovering the valuable mineral deposits in and around the Dead Sea. The present membership of the Section is nearly three hundred, representing practically every field of chemical activity.
Officers of Virginia Section 1928-29 The following officers have been elected to serve the Section fo; 1928-29: Chairman, R. F . McCrackaii Vice Chairman, I*. C. Bird ^Secretary- Treasurer, W. J. Nissley Editor Bulletin, W. G. Crockett Assistant Editor, J. C. Forbes Business Manager Bulletin, W. Catesby Jones
Councilors: H. Kl. McConnell J. W. Watson Chairman Membership Committee, B. K. Steadxnan Chairman Entertainment Committee, W. R. Cornthwaite Chairman Publicity Co?nrnittee, J. H. Elder
Warning to Chemists! This i s to warn all chemists who are i n the vicinity of Niagara Falls o n September 25, 1928, not t o fail t o appear at the Niagara Hotel, for there the Western N e w York Section will hold its famed annual get-together conclave. Need more be said? Chemists will be welcomed Dinner will start a t 6:30. Bach year t h i s meeting is used t o announce the most startling discoveries. T h i s year, i t is understood, the scientific communications will b e tremendous. T h e Darktown Chemists will also hold forth. B e Warned! A n d Fail N o t !
Corrosion Symposium Among the subjects which are helpful in the experimental study of corrosion a n d its avoidance, and which are t o be discussed at t b e Corrosion Symposium a t t h e Swampscott meeting are: How films of corrosion products affect t h e further progress of corrosion. Inhibitors of corrosion a n d mechanism of their action. The mechanism of films or film reactions which cause passivity i n chromium-iron alloys. Effect of corroding solutions on the galvanic relations of metals. Relation of corrosion to physical strain and failure. N e w developments i n alloys and metal combinations for corrosion resistance.
The Bureau of Chemistry and Soils of t h e U n i t e d States Department of Agriculture will undertake chemical a n d pathological studies of the effect of sulfur fumes on vegetation as a result of the preliminary survey of areas in Columbia R i v e r Valley, State of "Washington, alleged t o have been damaged by fumes from the smelter a t Trail, British Columbia. The purpose of t h e investigation is t o determine t h e character of the injury to t h e vegetation and t o form some i d e a as to t h e American Chemical Society—76th Meeting, Swampscott, Mass., September 10 t o 14, 1928. lines of investigation to follow and t h e number of men needed Regional Meeting—University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., in the field. An economic survey to determine the value of t h e October 2 6 and 27, 1928. area now affected b y tiie smelter operations has already been started. In the near future t h e Bureau of Plant Industry will Association o f Dairy, Food, and Drug Officials of the United States—Hartford, Conn., September 11 to 14, 1928. send a forest pathologist t o ascertain the extent of the damage t o the timber. When the investigation is completed the results Optical Society of America—Bureau of Standards, Washington, will be sent t o the State Department. D. C . , November 1 to 3 , 1928-
Calendar of Meetings
