Letters to the Editor FURNITURE
INDUSTRIAL L A B O R A T O R Y TABLE 6610
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II it tria n
Frontier
DEAR SIR:
It was undoubtedly more than mere coincidence that the June 30 issue of C&EX which carried a brief note in the front of the magazine alx>ut F. C. Whitmo re's untimely death also Contained a letter from. him. expressing: the lift he had received from reading Roger J. Williams' "The Human Frontier/* As one of "Rooky's" last acts, it underlined one of his most beloved attributes, his concern about human beings and especially the chemist. It was especially fitting that Rocky should have shown concern over the hu man frontier, and that lie; was all for set ting the record straight even at the last minute on what a chemist had been doing about the "matter of taste." Rocky did a lot for chemistry in America. The medals and awards testify to that. But he also did much more for chemists, and as hu mans they carry that with them even though Rocky has moved to some new laboratories. C. J. KRISTER
Wilmington, Del. Gas
Cylinder
DEAR S I R :
I have read with interest G. E. McCasland's letter in your issue of May 19. The compressed gas industry has pro vided adequate standards, and in develop ing these standards safety and accident prevention were primary considerations. Briefty, the threads on ga,s cylinder valves fall into four divisions i.e., right-hand or left-hand and externad or internal. In general, right-hand threads arc used for nonfuel gases or for water-pumped gases, and left-hand threads for fuel gases or oilpumped gases. The nominal diameters of the threads in each division are spaced far enough apart so that they will not engage with the thread of the adjoining size. It is undoubtedly true, that some manu facturers of compressed gases do not yet have all of their cylinders equipped with valves that have the standard outlets. The transition from old to new docs take time. Mr. McCasland takes issue with the i n dustry because it has not standardized ort a color code for gas cylinder content iden tification. Frankly, the compressed g a s industry has consistently opposed the use; of colors as a means for identifying cylin der content for the folio wing reasons: ( 1) Color impressions are not the same t o all persons; (2) relying on color for con tent identification may become habit ; (3) there are not sufficient primary colors for the number of gases; (4) the use o f colors for identification of cylinder con— 2230
C H E M I C A L
tent would introduce an additional hazard in the use of the product. I am not certain about the exact num ber of materials that are stored or shipped as compressed gases, but there are con siderably more than 50. This means that color combinations or shades of pri mai*}'· colors would have to be used. The Compressed Gas Manufacturers' Association has consistently recommended that gas cylinder content be identified by the use of the proper name or trade name of the gas, legibly marked on the con tainer, in an appropriate manner. This recommendation was translated into a specific standard, and adopted by the American Standards Association in 19-12. Compliance with,industry recommenda tions as well as accepted standards is an individual matter, but the users of the product can be helpful in promoting sr compliance. I t is the opinion of this asso ciation that users of compressed gases who obtain cylinders that are not properly marked to indicate content should refuse to accept delivery of the containers and should insist upon adequate marking con sistent with the industry standards. Mr. McCasland's comment about the use of adapters is a little confusing, for I cannot believe that he means to imply that the same regulator should be adaptable to any cylinder regardless of gas content. The hazard of such use of a pressure regu lator is obvious. The valve thread outlet standards of Compressed Gas Manufac turers' Association provide for adapters which permit the use of existing cylinder valve equipment with connecting equip ment for the same gas only. The use of adapters for any other purpose could create an extremely hazardous situation. I t should be noted t h a t although the compressed gas industry has literally mil lions of gas cylinders in constant service, it has an enviable accident record. F. K. FETHERSTON
Kew York, Ν. Y. Ammonium
Nitrate
DEAR SIR:
The unfortunate explosions which re cently brought disaster to Texas City should bring with renewed force to all of us as chemists a realization of our responsibili ties to the public. In discussing with an engineer friend immediately after the accident the possi bility of the ammonium nitrate being contaminated with organic matter, the writer was told of a commercial practice followed by TVA and approved by the De partment of Agriculture, of coating ammo nium nitrate with a paraffin-rosin-petrolatum mixture to prevent caking. A brief search through Industrial and Engineering Chemistry reveals a paper on this subject ή\ Ν D
E N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS
in D e c e m b e r 1944, s t a t i n g that this anticaking mixture ''is now being used by the Tennessee Valley A u t h o r i t y . " T h e paper did n o t discuss the possible effect of this t r e a t m e n t on t h e explodability of t h e ni trate. Y e t another paper appeared from the s a m e laboratory t h e following month discussing t h e effect of organic materials such a s p e a n u t hull meal on combustibility of a m m o n i u m nitrate in fertilizer mixtures. Is i t n o t surprising t h a t , after t h e lesson of O p p a u in 1921, we are courting danger by a d d i n g organic materials to nitrates? And is a n a c t of Congress necessary to pro hibit it? I t has n o t been published whether t h e nitrate a t Texas C i t y has been so t r e a t e d . I suggest it would be a p p r o p r i a t e for our SOCIETY to have a representative present at this inquir}' now being m a d e . VAXDERVEER VOORHEES
Hotnewood, Chemistry
Ih. in
Braille
DEAR SIR:
I w a s interested in D a v i d L. Davidson's letter in C & E N , M a y 26, concerning Braille chemical notations. I t h i n k all questions a n d problems concerning Braille embossing should be referred to t h e Ameri can P r i n t i n g House for the Blind in Louis ville, K y . T h e American Printing House is responsible for the brailling of textbooks used in schools for t h e blind. F o r a num ber of y e a r s they h a v e used as a s t a n d a r d system of notations a monograph pub lished b y t h e Edwin Gould Printery of the New York Institute for t h e Education of the Blind. U n t i l t h e A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L SOCIETY
and other scientific bodies adopt t h e D y sonian system, it is highly improbable t h a t the American Printing House will do so, since Braille texts m u s t necessarily follow as closely a s possible i n k p r i n t texts. If an a u t h o r w a n t s to illustrate an organic chemical b}^ a graphic formula, t h e n the embosser will endeavor t o do t h e same. At t h e present time there is a standardized way t o do this. P A U L C.
New Vork
MITCHELL
Ν. Υ.
The Employment
Outlook
DEAR SIR:
Supplementing Walter J. M u r p h y ' s editorial in C&EN, J u n e 30th, it is signifi cant t h a t the experiences of the Regional E m p l o y m e n t Clearing Houses tend t o confirm t w o points of view he emphasized. I n d u s t r y , from some time in March, had been very doubtful of the future a n d a n ticipated a sharp recession. As J u l y a p proached it had begun to discount t h e fear of a major recession a n d rather tentatively had become optimistic. T h e percentage of unemployed experi enced m e n in the R E C H files remained approximately constant a t a little over 2 5 % until the first of March. As of April V O L U M E
2 5,
N O .
31
»
-
1 it was 26.S%: as of May 1 it was 25.9%; as of June 1 it was 2 S . 5 % and as the month of June closed, it had reached nearly 3 2 % . Offsetting this, however, was the fact that more inexperienced chemists were available as they completed their training in large numbers for the first time since the w a r . I n this same period, t h e percentage of students on file increased sharply from, less than 1 2 % on April 1, to slightly over 1 8 % on July 1. For the first time, employers who did not require experienced m e n were able to select young graduates a n d to some extent this mili tated against the employment of the ex perienced m e n . This affected the per centage of s u c h men on file. I t would appear, however, t h a t t h e major influence was the reduction in t h e number of projects which were at least temporarily abandoned. Since the middle of June, if t h e Xew York office is a cri terion, a n u m b e r of these plans have again been activated a n d firms are seeking more chemists t h a n they did in the earlier p a r t of the y e a r . B u t though optimism is again a p p a r e n t , it appeared too late to affect the m o n t h l y figures. I t is interesting to note t h a t there has been no tendency t o reduce t h e salaries of professional employees. On t h e contrary, there are signs t h a t salaries will continue to increase, a n d in spite of the influx of young g r a d u a t e s into t h e field there is sufficient d e m a n d t o absorb them a n d there need b e no competition on a salary basis. Pessimism seems t o have reached t h e academic circles much more generally t h a n the ^industrial areas. T o o m a n y young g r a d u a t e s have been advised by their colleges t h a t it is difficult t o get em ployment a s chemists a n d t h a t they can expect only inadequate salaries. F o r t u nately, t h e d a y when a young graduate worked for experience, and indeed cash payment w a s an honorarium for which one m u s t be especially grateful, h a s passed. Although t h e Middle Atlantic R E C H has scrupulously avoided taking an offi cial position on salaries, it has been able to advise applicants a n d employers of current conditions based on the d a t a collected from literally scores of visiting employers. This information should b e made available in e\ r ery university in t h e country. We have found t h a t starting salaries for in experienced bachelors of science approxi m a t e $250 a m o n t h or its equivalent. T h e equivalent i s in terms of pension plans, vacation, a n d sick leave, or other worth while commitments, and usually includes a promise to m a k e adjustment upward after six m o n t h s ' employment. Similarly, masters of science a n d chemical engineers, receive a m i n i m u m of §25 per m o n t h more. I n the last several months, t h e lowest salary accepted b y P h . D . ' s t h a t has come to our a t t e n t i o n was S350 per month. M o s t Ph.D.'s can command considerably more t h a n this a n d a few, even without experi ence, have been placed at §6,000 per year. A U G U S T
4,
1 9 4 7
HARD LEAD FLOW RATE METER FOR
CORROSIVE SERVICE H2S03 K 2 Si F6 Al2 (SO,), NR.CI A n d similar
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Fig. 7 3 5 - B H - M a s t e r Enclosed FLOWRATOR with leveling screw, spirit level and hose nipple connections T h e F d> Ρ F L O W R A T O R , variable area type flow meter, permits an instantaneous reading o f the t r u e flow rate. Each instrument is ac curately calibrated at our factory for your exact requirements. Liquid flows d o w n t o . 0 . 1 5 cc per min. and gas flows d o w n to 3 . 0 cc per min. can be measured with ease. All-glass meters are now sold at E V E N L O W E R prices than prevailed during t h e war. W r i t e for catalog 3 2
FISCHER €r PORTER CO. DEPT. 7T-2B
HATBORO. PENNA. 2231
As long as chemists can initiate their industrial careers on such a favorable economic basis all of us can feel that the profession offers excellent security to its members. It is important that every effort be made to maintain the status which has cost two wars to win. W. J . BAËZA
ings have consistently been ignored by the politicians with dire results for the world;* his representative was debarred from the counsels of t h e League of Nations, and he has been treated in the same way by the United Nations. A. G. LIPSCOMB
Halifax,
Yorkshire,
England
New York, X. Y. The author of the above letter is director of the Middle Atlantic Regional Kmploy menl Clearing House—Editor.
Science
of
Humanics
DEAR SIR:
On returning from a visit t o t h e USA and Canada, I found on m y desk C&EX for M a y 19 and was interested to read the letter from C. J. Krister. Mr. Williams' book, " T h e Human Frontier," has not come m y way, b u t I should like to suggest to your readers that, the proposed science of " h u m a n i c s " is already well established and t h a t a body of able teachers of the science exists in every country in the world—even in the USSR. This science has occupied t h e attention of thinking men from the earliest times, and its supreme exponent lived nearly 2,000 years ago. In common with so many of his successors he suffered a n ignominious death, betrayed b y his own people into the hands of a totalitarian power. His teach-
I.osson
in
l^tgic
DKAR S I R :
I a m not acquainted with t h e facts of which Mr. Gordy writes ι April 28 C&KN), but I have learned some lessons in logic which 1 hasten to apply. I quote from his letter: "Letter-writing is one of t h e favorite pressure devices of the left wing." M r . Gordy writes letters he must be a left-winger. I further learn t h a t since I do not agree with some of M r . Gordy's opinions, he, therefore, mu»t be in the minority. I cer tainly must conclude then that he as part of t h e "left-wing minority characteristi cally operates by creating a misleading furor." In fact., he has created such a furor that 1 hasten back to ray chemistry books with renewed marvel a t the logic of science and the illogic of scientists. Γ II VIΝ ('. M A DORRK Y
(Vu'cago, ill.
INDUSTRIAL
LITERATURE
Adhesive, Label. Folder on can labeling adhesives supplied in lump form and on shipping case glue. Bulletin 16 CEN-8-4. PAISLEY
PRODUCTS, I N C . , 1770
Canalport
Ave., Chicago l(i, 111. Antioxidant. Bulletin on composition, properties, aitd effects of Aminox for natural rubber passenger tubes. Research Report 8 CEN-8-4. U. S. RUBBER C O . , Naugatuck Chemical Division, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, X. V. Aromatic Materials. Data sheets on R^-U-Dors for replacing unpleasant odors of plastic coatings with a slight fragrance. Technical Bulletin 4-7-3 CEN-8-4. GIVAUDAN-DELAWANNA, INC., Industrial Products Division, 330 West 42nd St., New York 18, Ν. Y. Blowers. 20-pagc catalog of blowers and exhausters, centrifugal type, with capacity tables, features of design, general specifica tions, a n d illustrations of typical applica tions. Bulletin B-5 CEN-8-4LAMSON CORP., Allen Billmyrc Division, Syracuse 1, Ν. Υ. Brazing Alloy. Folder on properties, use, and forms in which available of a silver brazing alloy with 1145° F. working tem perature. Bulletin 15 CEN-8-4. HANDY & HARMAX, S2 Fulton St., New York 7, Ν. Υ. Canvas. Pamphlet describing fire-, water-, wear-, weather-, and mildew-resistant quali ties of canvas for industrial use. Booklet "Fire-Chief" CEN-8-4. ΛΥΜ. Ε. HOOPER AND SONS C O . , Juniper and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. Chemicals. S-page interim price schedule for fine and industrial chemicals. Price
TRONA
Schedule 3 CEN-S-4.
BROMINE Muriate and Sulphate of
POTASH REFINED POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
THREE ÉLÉPHANT
SODA ASH
·
SALT CAKE
LITHIUM CONCENTRATES
J. T. BAKER CHEMI
CAL CO., Phillipsburg, N . J. Chemicals, Fine. June 1947 wholesale price list. List 0-47 CEN-8-4. MANN FINE
CHEMICALS,
136
Liberty
St.,
New-
York 6, Ν. Υ . Construction Materials. Catalog of acidproof materials for maintenance and con struction, including insulator cements of various types, resinous silicate, and asphalt cements, sealing compounds, enamel, and bricks i n a variety of shapes. Catalog CE N8-4.
N U K E M PRODUCTS C O R P . , Buffalo 20,
Ν. Υ.
BORAX
Consultants. "The Chemical Consultant and Your Business" describing services and basis o n which they are available. Brochure
and
BORIC A C I D
1947 CEN-8-4.
FOSTER D . SNELL, I N C . ,
29 West 15th St., New York 11, Ν . Υ. Desoxyephedrine. Data sheets on Desephrine Mann with section on therapeutic use and bibliography. Data Sheet CEN-8-4·
AMERICAN POTASH & CHEMICAL CORPORATION! NEW Y O R K 1 7 , Ν ; Υ .
122 EAST 4 2 n d STREET 231 S. WA SAULE STREET , CHICAGO 4 , ILLINOIS
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6 0 9 S. GRAND AVENUE • LOS ANGELES- 14, CALIF.
CHEMICAL
MANN
FINE
CHEMICALS, 136 Liberty
St.,
New York 6. Ν . Υ. Dewatering Coal. Folder on Eliptcx dewaterizer for removing surface moisture from coal and other materials as small l/6 by 0 inch. Bullet in 129 CEN-8-4. HEWITT-ROBINS, INC., Robins Conveyor Division, 270 Passaic Ave., Passaic, N . J. AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
