I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G CHEMISTRY
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Meeting Calendar American Chemical Society
Minneapolis, January 13. Meeting, 8 P. M., "Chemistry and Art," by C. G. Fink. MONTANA. Bozeman, January 16. "In dustrial Electrochemistry," b y C. G. Fink. NORTHEAST
TENNESSEE.
Elizabethton,
VOL. 15, NO. I
14th Midwest Regional Meeting O m a h a , Nebr., April 29 t o May 1,1937 MAHA'S Hotel Paxton will be the head quarters for the 14th Midwest Re
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January 27. Dinner, 6:45 P. M.: gional Meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMI CAL SOCIETY, April 29 t o M a y 1, 1937. meeting, "Ultraviolet Fluorescence and The entire mezzanine floor of the Paxton Its Applications," by H. H. Willard. 9 3 R D MEETING. Chapel Hill, N . C , April will be used for the convention. Regis NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. Institute of 12 to 15, 1937. tration and all the general and divisional Paper Chemistry, January 15. Meeting, 94TH MEETING. Rochester, N . Y., Sep 8 P. M., "Technological Asjpects of Ten meetings will be conveniently held on this tember 6 to 10, 1937. floor in air-conditioned rooms. nessee Valley Authority, b y F. W. 95TH MEETING. Dallas, Texas, April 18 An interesting program is being or Trezise. to 21, 1938. ganized with a prominent place reserved PHILADELPHIA. Franklin Institute, Janu 9 6 T H MEETING. Milwaukee, Wis., fall of for agricultural and food chemistry, as is ary 21. Meeting 8:15 P. M., "Reaction 1938. o f Sulfur Dioxide and Olefins," by C. S. fitting in such a strongly agricultural FOURTEENTH COLLOID SYMPOSIUM. Min region as that which surrounds Omaha. Marvel. neapolis, Minn., June 10 to 12, 1937. A Symposium on Eggs will be one of the PRINCETON. Frick Chemical Lab., Prince 14TH MIDWEST REGIONAL MEETING. features of the agricultural and food ton University, January 22. Meeting, Hotel Paxton, Omaha, Nebr., April 29 chemistry divisional program. Morris J. 4:30 P. M., "The Reaction of Sulfur t o May 1, 1937. Blish, of the Experiment Station, Uni Dioxide and Olefins," by C. S. Marvel. SEVENTH NATIONAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY versity of Nebraska, Lincoln, is chairman PUHDUE. Chemistry Bldg., Purdue Uni SYMPOSIUM, Division of Organic Chem of the division, with George F. Stewart, versity, Lafayette, Ind., January 14. istry. Richmond, Va., December 28 to Omaha Cold Storage Co., Omaha, as Meeting, 7:30 p. M., "High-Pressure 30. 1937. secretary. Technology," by N . W. Krase. Attractive programs are also being ar RHODE ISLAND. Brown University, Provi Local Sections dence, January 14. Meeting, 8:15 P. M., ranged in the other divisional groups. Titles are invited for all groups and may "Chemical Studies on Tubercle Bacilli," AKRON. Women's City Club, January be sent to the group secretaries or to by R. J. Anderson. 28. Dinger, 6:30 P. M. ; meet ing, 8 P. M., C. L. Kenny, chairman of the program ROCHESTER. Lattimore Chemical Lab., "Recent Progress in the Study of committee, Creighton University, Omaha, University of Rochester, January 18. Vitamins," by C. G. King. Nebr. T h e dead-line date for the ac Meeting, 7 P. M., "Recent Developments CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. Chemistry ceptance of titles will be March 15. in Research and Technology of Wine Amphitheatre, State College, January Edward Bartow, of the University of Making," by Donald K. Tressler. 20. "Recent Developments in Research Iowa, is chairman of the industrial chem SOUTH JERSEY. D U Pont-Pennsgrove and Technology of Wine Making," by istry group. L. B. Parsons, chief chemist Country Club, Carney's Point, N . J., Donald K. Tressler. of the Cudahy Packing Co., South Omaha, January 19. Meeting, 8 P. M., "Cosmic CHICAGO. Stevens Hotel, January 22. Nebr., is secretary. Rays," by W. F. G. Swann. Meeting, 7:45 P. M., "Some Fundamen L. F. Yntema, of the University of St. SOUTHEAST KANSAS. High School Bldg., tals of Ceramics," by C. W. Parmelee. Louis, is chairman of the physical and Joplin, Mo., January 16. "Modern CINCINNATI. University of Cincinnati, inorganic chemistry group; E. Roger Finishes," by E. W. McMullen. January 13. Dinner, Y. M. C. Α., Washburn, of the University of Nebraska, SYRACUSE. Onondaga Hotel, Syracuse, 6:30 P. M.; meeting, 8 P. M., "High-Pres Lincoln, Nebr., secretary. Ν. Υ., January 18. Dinner, Syracuse sure Technology," by N . W. Krase. Cliff S. Hamilton, of the University of University, 6:30 P. M.; meeting, 8:10 COLUMBUS. Ohio State University, Nebraska, is chairman of the organic p. M., "Synthesis under Pressure," by January 13. "The Use of Electron chemistry group; Mary L. Morse, of N. W. Krase. Diffraction in Chemistry," by L. O. Duchesne College, Omaha, Nebr., secre WASHINGTON. Cosmos Club, January 14. Brockway. tary. Meeting, 8:15 P. M., "Chemical Appli CORNELL. Baker Laboratory, Cornell Frank B. Dains of the University of cations of the Raman Effect," by James University, January 19. "PhysicoKansas is chairman of a combined chemi H. Hibben. Chemical Behavior of Matter under cal education and history of chemistry WESTERN N E W YORK. Chamber of Com Very High Pressures," by R. E. Gibson. group. Arthur W. Davidson, of the merce Auditorium, Niagara Falls, DELAWARE. Wilmington Y. M. C. Α., University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kans., is January 19. Dinner, Red Coach Inn, January 20. Meeting, 8 P. M., "The secretarv. 6 : 3 0 P . M . ; meeting, 8:15 P. M., "Some Production of Wood Pulp from Southern Aspects of the Chemistry of Steel," Pines," by Charles H. Herty. by John Johnston. DETROIT. Fort Shelby Hotel, January 18. Washington Conference of Meeting, 8 P. M., "instruments for De tecting Toxic and Combustible Gases," Chief Chemists of Customs Other Scientific Societies by E. W. Gilliland. Laboratories EASTERN N E W YORK.
Rensselaer Poly
AMERICAN
PHYSICAL
SOCIETY.
Chapel
technic Institute, Troy, January 20. Hill and Durham, N . C , February 19 Dinner, 6:30 P . M.; meeting, 8 P. M., and 20, 1937. "Information on the Forces in Liquids AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION. and Solutions Obtainable from Com New York, Ν . Υ., October 5 t o 8, pressibility Experiments," by R. E. 1937. Gibson. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BIOLOGICAL CHEM INDIANA. Hotel Severin, Indianapolis, ISTS. Memphis, Tenn., April 21 to 24. January 15. Speaker, N. W. Krase, 1937. Joint meeting with the Federa University of Pennsylvania. tion of American Societies for Experi KANSAS CITY. Science Bldg., University mental Biology. of Kansas City, January 14. Meeting, FIFTH INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL AND 8 P. M., "Organic Inhibitors of Corro CHEMICAL CONGRESS OF AGRICULTURAL sion," by Charles A. Mann. INDUSTRIES. Scheveningen, Holland, KANSAS STATE COLLEGE. Kansas State July 12 to 17, 1937. College, Manhattan, January 13. "Or TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE P U L P ganic Inhibitors oi Corrosion," by AND PAPER INDUSTRY. Waldorf-Astoria Charles A. Mann. Hotel, New York, Ν. Υ., February 22 to MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE. Kedzie 25, 1937. Chemistry Laboratory, Michigan State College, East Lansing, January 19. Dinner, 6 P. M.; meeting, 7:30 P. M., "Instruments for Detecting Toxic and Akron Rubber Group t o Meet Combustible Gases," by E. W. Gilliland. HE Akron Rubber Group will meet on MIDLAND. Auditorium, Dow Chemical the evening of January 15 at the Akron Co., Midland, Mich., January 20. City Club. H. T. Youngren, of the OldsMeeting, 7:30 P. M., "Russia—In and mobile Division of the General Motors Out of Eclipse," by D . H. Menzel. Corp., will speak on "Sc~me Highlights on MINNESOTA. Auditorium, School of Automotive Engineering." Chemistry, University of Minnesota,
T
MEETING of the chief chemists of the customs laboratories was held in the A Conference Room, Customs Offices, Wash ington, D . C , December 7 t o 9, 1936, by John F. Williams, chief of the Laboratory Division of the Bureau of Customs. The purpose of the meeting was to dis cuss the problems pertinent to the tech nical examination of merchandise im ported into the United States. The Customs Service maintains 10 field laboratories throughout the United States, the largest of which is located in New York City. In these laboratories 51 chemists annually examine approximately 100,000 individual merchandise entries. In order that absolute uniformity in the application of the Tariff Act shall obtain at all ports of entry it is basically es sential that these laboratories maintain effective channels through which informa tion may be exchanged. T o this end, on March 28, 1936, the Division of Labora tories, with headquarters in Washington, was set up, whose function it is to co ordinate the activities of these technical men and to assure that each laboratory be maintained at the highest state of scien tific effectiveness, and that the experiences
NEWS EDITION
J A N U A R Y 10, 1937 of each in turn be made available to all the rest. At the conference the following phases of laboratory operation were discussed: laboratory procedure and forms; supplies and equipment; laboratory funds; meth ods of analysis; exchange of samples be tween laboratories; methods of sampling; and other equally pertinent problems. In the course of their conference in Washington the chief chemists visited the headquarters laboratory of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the National Bureau of Standards, and the laboratories of the Department of Agriculture. After their Washington conference, they visited the Philadelphia laboratory of the Bureau of Customs, which is the most recently reno vated laboratory in the Customs Service. This was followed by an inspection of the New York laboratory. P h y s i c s a n d C h e m i s t r y of M e t a l s to Be Discussed at Μ . Ι. Τ. HE rewards of cooperation in research in t h e field of metals through joint invesT gation of fundamental problems by physi cists, metallurgists, and chemists will be discussed by leaders in these fields a t a meeting t o be held a t the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on January 28 a n d 29 under the auspices of the institute a n d the American Institute of Physics. T h e meeting emphasizes the promising trend toward a most productive type of research in which technical workers bring to prob lems of fundamental interest the special ized knowledge and methods of their several fields. T h e purpose of the meeting is to discuss thoroughly recent developments in t h e physics and chemistry of metals, as well as the opportunities for still greater advances through the combined cooperative efifort of all workers whose knowledge may in some way contribute to problems of m u tual interest. From a half to one hour each will be allowed for presentation of t h e important papers and ample time will be given for discussion. Some of the more general papers to be presented are: "Research Problems in t h e Steel Industry," by E. C. Bain, United States Steel Corp.; "Inclusions in Ferrous Alloys," b y A. B. Kinzel, Union Carbide and Carbon Co.; "Flow Phenomena in Heavily Stressed Metals," by P. W. Bridgman, of Harvard; "Electronic Structures in Metals and Alloys," by J. C. Slater, head of the Department of Physics at M. I. T . : "Corrosion," by J. R. Bums, of the Bell Laboratories; "Elastic Properties of Ferrous Alloys," by A. V. de Forest, of M. I. T . ; and "Chromium-Nickel-Iron Alloys," discussed by V. N. Krivobok, of the Allegheny Steel Co. In another group of papers various tech nics and their applicability are to be pre sented, while in the third group some especially complex scientific problems met with in ferrous alloys will be discussed. Arrangements for the meeting are in charge of John Wulff, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., who will act as secretary, and Henry A. Barton, director of the American Insti tute of Physics.
Broadcasts of Northeastern Section HE Northeastern Section announces T the following broadcasts by members of the section: January 8
M. J. Ahern, Weston College, "Chemistry of 1936. I." January 15 M. J. Ahern, "Chemistry of 1936. I I . " January 22 Ernest H. Huntress, Massa chusetts Institute of Tech nology, "Nature's Paint Box—the Coloring Matters of Fruits and Flowers." January 29 John A. Seaverns, Chairman, Broadcast Committee, "The Chemistry of the Automo bile—Tires and Ignition." Copies of the talks may be obtained a t 7 cents each from John A. Seaverns, 99 Broad St., Boston, Mass.
Progress in Physics (Continued from page 4) by fast atomic particles, physicists have learned a great deal. Each target element investigated presents its own character istic behavior as to (1) the kinds of trans mutations it may undergo, (2) the rela tive likelihood of each as a function of the energy of the striking particle. The products formed have their own charac teristics, such as stability or instability and, if the latter, average time of life and character of radiations emitted. The number of known alchemical reactions has already gone into the hundreds. Nuclei are found to have "excited states" and to emit "line" spectra. These states or energy levels are measured in hundreds and even thousands of kilovolts and the radiations are in t h e gamma-ray region or beyond. The energy of constitution or excitation of nuclear particles contributes, according to the Einstein law, to their mass. This law has been verified experimentally and great progress has been made in deter mining atomic weights more accurately t h a n ever before. These weights have been deduced from observed energetics of nuclear reactions a n d then confirmed in general by improved mass-spectrum meas urements b y Aston, Bainbridge, and Dempster. An extremely important outcome of nuclear research is tne fact that unstable or radioactive isotopes have been pro duced in the case of many common ele ments—e. g., sodium and phosphorus. These may be enormously useful to chem ists and biologists as "tracers," whereby the atoms of these elements may be fol lowed through complicated reactions and biological processes. I t is t h e old method of tagging fish and birds applied to funda mental chemistry. These materials are being produced mainly by the use of cyclo trons, a number of which have been p u t into operation in various parts of the country. Other devices, directly em ploying high voltages, are also available. Physicists, concerning themselves with the fundamental properties of the ultimate elements of matter, are greatly interested in the law of force between such particles as protons, neutrons, and electrons. Tuve and others have successfully studied the scattering of protons by protons and several experimenters are studying the similar interaction between protons and neutrons. The forces thus studied are those which account for the stable con stitution of matter. Present results indi
15 cate that protons and neutrons all have the same, close range, attractive forcefields. Superposed on these are t h e repul sive Coulomb fields d u e to t h e electric charge in the case of protons. There are also fields due to t h e spin of t h e particles. I t is now clear t h a t cosmic rays should be classified under nuclear research, not t h a t we have knowledge of their origin b u t rather because cloud-chamber and counter experiments show t h a t they interact freely and violently with atomic nuclei. It was in the course of such experiments that Carl D . Anderson m a d e the discovery of the positron in 1932, for which he was this year awarded t h e Nobel Prize. Sharing the prize with him is Victor Hess, original discoverer of the cosmic rays themselves. Partly by the nature of nuclear reactions produced by cosmic rays, but more b y studies of how the rays vary in intensity over the face of the e a r t h because the earth's magnetic field affects moving charged particles, Compton and others conclude that practically all primary rays are such particles. Most observers agree with him, but Millikan a n d his colleagues still hold that a t least a large part of t h e rays are photons. All will agree t h a t they may have enormous energies per "ray, running up to billions of electron volts. Secondary rays, which are the positrons, electrons, photons, and probably others coming from primary-ray-tœ.-nucleus encounters, are being intensively studied. They may appear singly, in pairs, in showers, or even in bursts of many rays. These phenomena, once interpreted, will obviously tell much a b o u t both the primary rays and the nuclei. X-Rays I n the field of x-rays, measurements have been carried to greater extremes of accuracy, resolution, a n d wave length. Measurements of absorption coefficients of the elements have been made in t h e wave-length region between ordinary x-rays and gamma-rays. X-rays have been extensively used t o study the state of electrons in metals a n d to throw light on the behavior of a t o m s in solids as a function of temperature and chemical association. For several years physicists have been puzzled by a discrepancy between the value of tne electronic charge, e, derived from x-ray and density measurements of crystals on the one hand and the famous Millikan oil-drop experiment on the other. The discrepancy, it seemed, was larger than the possible error of either method. This year the difficulty h a s been traced to the figure used by Millikan for the viscosity of air in the relationship deriving drop sizes from rates of fall. The latest value of e is 4.799 * 0.007 X 10" 1 0 e. s. u. Low-Temperature Research Mention should be m a d e of advances in low-temperature research. Interest centers once more on t h e phenomenon of super-conductivity. A combined experimental and theoretical attack on this mystery is undoubtedly making headway but it is too early to forecast conclusions. Professional A d v a n c e s In this review of fundamental research progress, no mention could be made of professional advances. Physicists are trying to introduce their services and those of their science to industries and t h e general public. Announcement has recently been made t h a t a new monthly Journal of Applied Physics will make its first appearance in J a n u a r y , 1937.
