April 10, 1932
I N D U S T R I A L
A N D E N G I N E E R I N G
These papers were of unusual merit and evoked considerable discussion. M u c h interest was also shown in papers dealing with certain hemicelluloses and gums; with optically active diphenyls a n d trisaryl methanes; with molecular rearrangements; with the electro negativity of hydrogen and methyl radicals; and with the chemistry of narcotine and hydrastine. ARTHUR J. H I L L , Secretary
PAINT
ANDVARNISH
CHEMISTRY
Τ Η Ε D I V I S I O N met at the St. Charles Hotel to hear and diseuss twelve papers covering a wide range of interest. The morning session featured a symposium of seven papers on the subject "Painting Problems in the South." The average attendance w a s about sixty-five, but at times well over a hundred were present. The meeting was conducted by Harley A. Nelson, chairman of the division. A t the business session following the program it was voted t o hold a session, at t h e fall meeting of the SOCIETY in Denver. Twelve n e w members joined the division at the meeting. The lacquer raw materials monograph committee reported t h a t their new officers, Chairman J. S. Long and Secretary Η. Ε. Hancock, were proceeding with the editing of the individual chapters and expected to go t o press this fall. T h e following were appointed as a nominating committees to report a slate for the next business meeting: C. S. Neal, chairman, M. F. Pratt, and Η. Ε. Hancock. At the divisional dinner held a t La Louisiane, addresses were made b y t h e division's guests, Charles L. Parsons, Secretary of the SOCIETY, and D. J. Devlin, of New Orleans. ROBERT J. MOORE, Secretary
C H E M I S T R Y SUGAR
81
CHEMISTRY
T H E DIVISION O P SUGAR CHEMISTRY held an interesting a n d
enthusiastic meeting in N e w Orleans. T h e two sessions were well attended. Convening for the first time in t h e vicinity of what is sometimes called the "Sugar Bowl" of the U n i t e d States, there was a historic background for t h e scientific program. T h e papers read covered a wide range of subjects, from t h e technical phases o f the manufacture and marketing of sugar to the latest scientific research i n the pure chemistry o f t h e sugars. The discussion as to t h e possibilities for new uses for sugars showed the need for further intensive work o n this world-wide problem. W . L. HOWELL, Cliazrmarz
WATER,
SEWAGE, A N D SANITATION
A N UNUSUALLY
CHEMISTRY
INTERESTING and authoritative program in-
cluded three groups of papers devoted to industrial waste pollution and purification; the quality of water—particularly from t h e standpoint of taste—and special purification methods and equipment now available for securing the desired quality; and analytical methods a n d t h e interpretation and application of analytical data. Aside from these three groups, t i m e l y a n d important papers were presented o n the behavior of calcium salts a t boiler temperatures, on t h e application of mechanical sludge removal to water-softening plants, and o n the catalysis of air oxidations in which biological processes are involved. Both t h e morning and afternoon sessions were well attended, and rigid adherence to t h e time schedule contributed materially to t h e satisfaction of the audience a n d speakers alike. E . J. T H E R I A U L T , Secretary
PETROLEUM CHEMISTRY
TΗΕ D I N N E R of the Division of Petroleum Chemistry on Tuesday evening a t La Louisiane w a s attended by approximately seventy-five members, wives, and guests. Doctor Redman was t h e guest of the division which was honored also by the presence of Doctor Gomberg and Miss Gomberg. F. S. Sullivan, substituting for J. C. Morrell who was unable to be present o n account of illness, gave those present a very enjoyable evening. A double quartet from Tulane University sang several numbers that were vigorously applauded. A brief report of the division's activities was made by the chairman, who also announced t h e appointment of the following c o m mittees: nominating committee, Ralph R. Matthews, J. B e n nett Hill, and J. C. Morrell; committee to organize a symposium for the Washington meeting on the "Physical Properties of Hy drocarbon Mixtures," W. H. Bahlke, L. M . Henderson, a n d G. G. Brown; committee to organize a symposium for the Chicago meeting on the "Pyrolysis of Hydrocarbons," P . K. Frolich, C. D . Hurd, and Fred Frey. C. R. WAGNER, Chairman
PHYSICAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
ΊΓΉΈ INTEREST of the Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Division, as well as the Division of Colloid Chemistry, centered about t h e Symposium on "Adsorption," which was held under their joint auspices. E i g h t papers were presented o n Tuesday before an enthusi astic audience of about two hundred and fifty. Many sides of the subject were covered, ranging from a discussion of surface activation b y Taylor, through such problems as the adsorption on m e t a l surfaces, discussed b y Langmuir, Patrick, and Becker, to fehe more strictly colloidal aspects of the field, presented l>y Harrkins, Bancroft, and Weiser. Benton gave a most interesting discussion of t h e curious phenomenon of discontinuous adsorp tion».. Ο η Wednesday morning t h e discussion of problems in colloid chenmistry was continued in an interesting series of papers l>y Eolimes, Weiser, Kolthoff, Taft, and Snell. T h e division then split: into t w o groups, Section A in which twenty papers o n subjects of physico-chemical interest were presented, and Section Β ira which nineteen papers o n analytical and general inorganic ehennistry were read. The session of Section Β continued nearly all «day Wednesday and was fairly well attended. The papers covered ar \lytical methods, such as uses of eerie sulfate, deter mination of fluoride, magneto-optic method; preparation metlhods for various substances; also a number of physicocheimical subjects, such as the determination of isoelectric Doings, Although attendance was somewhat smaller than usu \ t3ie papers evoked a n enthusiastic response, attested in part by t i i e fact that a dozen new members were recruited for the division. Η. Η . WILLARD, Chairman, DONALD H . ANDREWS, Secretary
Local Section Officers Discuss Cooperation T H E N E W ORLEANS meeting of the Local Section Officers' Committee was held o n Thursday at a. 7:30 A.M. breakfast. In t h e absence of the chairman, Η. Τ . Herrick, t h e chair was taken by Ward Evans, of Chicago. The meeting was well attended, approxi mately 3 0 members being present. Matters of interest discussed were: pro gram coopération; choice of lecturers; regional organization and i t s limits, with the consideration o f appointment of key men t o act a s managers for the regional local areas; distribution of expenses of lecturers; local publicity; organization of local sections and arrangement o f their dates of meeting in order to make local and federal tours possible; uniform time of election of local program chairmen, with the possibility of continuation for one year of one o r more members of each year's program committee s o t h a t there will always b e some o n e who is familiar with the procedure; sixbmeetings of t h e local sections, instructional activities, and chemistry courses; association with other local scientific societies; foreign lecturers; gain in membership; funds for these activities. T h e secretary reported upon the activities of t h e committee since the September meeting i n Buffalo. I n M a y , Doctor Redman will make a tour beginning at t l i e Midwest Regional Meeting in St. Loins, M a y 6, 1932: then t o Dayton, Ohio, M a y 9; Columbus, Ohio, M a y 10; Cincinnati, Ohio, M a y 11 ; Purdue Section, Lafayette, Ind., M a y 1 2 ; a n d Indianapolis, Ind., May 13. The committee is grateful t o Auburn A . Ross, of Indianapolis, for help i n arranging this tour. After t h e Denver meeting Doctor Redman will speak before a number of sections in t h e West, east of Denver, beginning September 5, 1932. The secretary asked for instructions i n regard to this tour, H . C. Sherman, o f New York, made a tour through t h e South and spoke before a number of sections on his w a y to N"ew Orleans. Cooperation in groups of t h e local sections was aided b y your officers. Carleton Ellis will address t h e four sections of South Jersey, Delaware, Philadelphia, and Princeton on succeeding days from April 19 t o 22, 1932. T h e Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus, Ohio, Sections a r e cooperating more or less a s a group with outlying sections aiding them. T h e southern sections are beginning t o cooperate. Their diflBculties are those of small numbers and wide distances, b u t cooperation will reduce the expense. H . B. Friedman, of Atlanta,, Ga., has been a rallying point for such cooperation among th.e southern sections. A number o f other groups are also cooperating and, i n order to keep t h e best procedure in mind, t h e secretary reiterated t h e advised procedure:
82
NEWS
Early in t h e year, say i n March, each section should, malce a list of its preferences a s to lecturers for -the sixcceeding year, a n d circ-ulate this list with t h e sections in the local aarea. "When, each section has exchanged its local preferences, there should t h e n b e a meeting of t h e program chairmen of these sections, w h o will have placed before them three types of lecturers: (1) SPEAKEBS F O B LAHGB T O U R S . These names will be presented by t h e secretary under the direction of t r i e officers of the A M E R I C A N CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
(2) SPEAKEHS F O B LOCAL T O U R S IN Τ Ή Ε LOCAL A R E A . These tours can be arranged from choices from t h e mutual preference lists. They may extend over only a few sections, or i t migfcit be possible to r o u t e them for tours t o a considerable n u m b e r of sections. T h i s second involves a n ar rangement of the dates of meetings s o that they come more o r less on suc ceeding days. Such an arrangement i s shown in t h e Langmudr tour, which begins in Milwaukee on September 16 a n d e n d s in Columbia, Mo., on September 2 0 . (3)
S P E A K E R S F O R T H E INTDIVIDUAL AJND S P E C I A L
CHOICE
OF E A C H
SECTION. E a c h section has i t s own local coloring i n regard t o lecture subjects, and there will undoubtedly "be s o m e necessity of satisfying this in each section. When this is arranged there will b e a definite and s y s t e m a t i c choice of lecturers of t h e best type. It will t h e n be very much easier f o r t h e sections t o obtain lecturers and will also distribute the expense. In addition, it is possible that this will later develop i n relation t o instructional activities of t h e type of t h e sub-meeting of t h e Chicago Section. I t is well realized t h a t , in order t o p u t such a plan into effect, efforts m u s t b e made early in t h e year. It i s impossible t o put i t fully into practice t h i s year, b u t we hope t h a t a n u m b e r of sections- will avail themselves of it during the coming year a n d trxat this cooperation will elaborate itself into other forms of collaboration among t h e sections.
At a meeting of t h e Board o f Directors of t h e SOCIETY after Doctor Gomberg's tour, i t was decided that the SOCIETY payhalf of the traveling expenses incurred b y the President's tour t o the local sections, whieh w a s done with respect t o Doctor Gomberg's tour. T h e secretary stated that i n th»e last three years almost every section had been visited by a President of the SOCIETY, a t small cost a n d with improved convenience. I t was, however, brought to "the attention of the meeting that these tours made considerable demand upon the powers and good nature of t h e President of t h e SOCIETY, and. that the sections must n o t make such demands every year. There w a s much discussion about the various sectional activi ties. The Chicago Section reported upon the successful results of several years' experience with sxib-group meetings and in structional activities, and "Ward Evans stated "that t h e secretary of the Chicago Section would be glad t o send information in regard to t h e plan for such activities t o a n y other sections. The meeting was o f great value in. allowing representatives of t h e different sections to exchange experience a n d information on their activities. It was generally considered advisable that each section should have one o r more serni-popular m'etings a year, with a speaker and program which would attract t î e public. There w a s some discussion about employment and unemloyment and President R.edman stated that t h e SOCIETY might nd i t necessary to solicit funds from its members co relieve those in distress- T h e President stated t n a t i f i t was iound necessary, every member would have the opportunity to contribute according t o his means. I n the general discussion o f t h e matter, the President assured t h e local sections of t h e entire s y m p a t h y of the officers of t h e SOCIETY and their desire to b e helpful in every possible way.
E
ELLICB M C D O N A L D ,
Secretary
As F A B AS t h e women were concerned, N e w Orleans was a place to b u y antiques. Apparently they were not bothered b y the suspicion that antiques, like gin, may be synthetic. O N E CHEMIST after visiting t h e water works held up a glass of clear, sparkling liquid at dinner a n d said thoughtfully, "You'd scarcely think this represented t h e sewage of t h i r t y million people, would you?"
ABSTRACTS OF ]NE VV OEULBAJNS M E E T I N G
PAPERS
The A. C S. N e w s Service, 706 Mills Bldg., Washington, D . C , i s in position t o supply a limited number of sets of t h e abstracts of papers presented a t t h e New Orleans meeting a t $1-00 p e r set. T h e abstracts will be as furnished by t n e authors of papers, a n d will be mailed in mimeograpned form. The sets are not guaranteed to b e complete, but they will contain all abstracts obtainable from division secretaries u p to the t i m e of t h e meeting. In order t o save unnecessary correspondence and t h e keeçing of records, it i s requested that those desiring sets remit S I .00 with their order.
E D I T I O N
Vol. 10, N o . 7
The Listening Post a t New Orleans DELIGHTFUL,
was i t not, t o be
entertained among scenes most of us know only in stories and e t c h i n g s ? N o w pirate stories and t h e legends of t h e Old South take on new meaning for those of us f o r t u n a t e enough to h a v e v i s i t e d t h e "Paris of N o r t h America" under t h e g e n i a l guidance of the Louisiana Section.
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A N D T H E LADIES! Could anything i^g^Miaaaai^^feir!^^»ii^^ be more fitting than that on our visit to N e w Orleans t h e percentage of ladies with us should be the highest o n record? A T T H A T , one of our very good friends (name omitted for family reasons) when registering a t the Roosevelt in a double room had to be asked by the room clerk who w a s w i t h h i m . T h e embarrassed reply, just before a hasty lobster-faced exit up the elevator, was: "Oh, yes. M y wife." FOR THE benefit of those unfamiliar with t h e foreign language of the city, the name of the part of New Orleans on the other side of Canal Street, where the delicious Creole food was obtainable and obtained by most, is pronounced Vee-yuh Car-r-r-ay. T o give i t the necessary additional touch, it means "the old square." O N T H E evidence of no less skilful a mind than that of our eminent Past President, Irving Langmuir, New Orleans i s a city without directions. N o north, south, east, o r west was determinable, for the sun rose in the south and s e t almost anywhere it seemed to choose. Although i t seemed evident to m a n y that the Mississippi, flowing in a general southerly direction in ail the geographies, would be a safe landmark, even this failed when it was found on careful examination to flow n o t o n l y south but east, west, and north as well. Remarkable river! FATHER COYLE with his unfailing good b u m o r was woefully missed. CHARLES E . M U N R O E is now our only surviving charter m e m ber and although absent was given a round of applause in con gratulation. SINCE THE poor old depression is being blamed for everything, without breaking in any respect, perhaps it will b e the last straw that one of our very eminent companies sent only o n e representa tive, instead of t h e customary half dozen o r more. N o t o n l y that, b u t the lone representative spent a good part of his time en route in the d a y coach, albeit happily. I t was worth t h e ef fort even of hitch hiking, although no record of a nitch hiker has y e t been reliably reported. UNEMPLOYMENT C A M E in for i t s share of discussion, w i t h the
conclusion that even that is not as bad as press-agented. Cer tainly t h e members of t h e SOCIETY did their best to remove the causes of any unemployment among the fc>ell nops b y asking directions to all sorts of places and among t i i e cooks and waiters of the Vieux Carré by eating early, long, and o f ten. FORTXJNATELY, t h e two hotels, Roosevelt and S t . Charles, are within sight of each other, so n o one got lost netween them; for cause, that is. E V E N THE cemeteries joined the many antique sîxops in attracting everyone. Fortunately, at last reports, no one's curiosity had reached the point of requiring a protracted stay in a n y of them; t h e cemeteries, that is. PROTRACTED STAYS were definitely in order, however, over Oysters Rockefeller, Pompano en Pappillote, and Crepe Suzette. A s a matter of fact, the number of gourmets among us grew surprisingly as the meeting progressed. Obviously, whether claiming t o b e food chemists or not, the careful study of t h e art of minute traces, as practiced b y N e w Orleans cooes, should have been t h e most prominent item on the program in name, as i t was in fact. T H E N , there is t h e story told of one of oxu* good friends who brought his wife to New Orleans one day and. didn't know h e had left her there until his neighbors a t home began to» enquire for her next day. His identity, too, must for obvious reasons remain untold here. A T LEAST it is that kind of a place. IT I S even related that one eminent chemist was heard t o wonder whether a figure in the distance was a porter or a man. " C A F É BRULLO" is the name of the concoction with which L a Fitte and his piratical horde regaled his guesrts o n T u e s d a y evening. For t h e benefit of those outside t h e reach of the l o u d speakers it might be explained that the Louisiana Section s u c -
