Aug., 1920
T H E J O U R N A L O F I N D U S T R I A L A N D EiVGINEERIlVG C H E M I S T R Y
had both worked in the Parry Sound, Ontario, region, and had agreed upon the mining story as the most plausible and easily supported account of the origin of the platinum. There was no evidence t o indicate that Fredericks was implicated in the theft of the platinum or in the attempted disposal of it, except t h a t he acted as a guide for Brown in New York. It was learned t h a t Brown’s stop a t Charleston, while on the way t o New York, was in the nature of a visit and apparently had no connection with the stolen platinum or t h e government plant at Nitro.
DRAWINGS OF STANDARD APPARATUS Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Eizgineeriizg Chemistry: The work of the AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY Committee on Guaranteed Reagents and Standard Apparatus will necessarily be slow in regard to reagents and apparatus which have been in use many years. There is, however, one line of work on which immediate results may be obtained if t h e editors of journals and authors of papers will cooperate with the committee. When a new piece of apparatus is described the committee would be glad to recommend as standard the exact form w e d by the author who describes it. The makers of apparatus would be glad to furnish their customers with apparatus like that of t h e author. One who has not given special attention to this point would be surprised to learn the small proportion of instances in which this is possible from the illustrations and descriptions published. In many cases there may be a wide range of dimensions which will prove entirely satisfactory. If the author considerr: this point he will know that any chemist who may desire to use the apparatus will know the proper dimensions, but makers who never have used such apparatus will be called upon to make it merely from the published drawing, and even if they all succeed in making something which can be used there may be several sizes and shapes made for the same piece of apparatus. This causes unnecessary work for makers and frequently dissatisfaction on the part of their customers. A simple and obvious remedy would be for editors of journals to refuse to publish descriptions or illustrations of apparatus which were not sufficiently complete to enable any good workman t o reproduce the article described. Editors t o whom this sugge:stion has been made have expressed sympathy with t h e idea but have not been sure that they could enforce such a rule. Some authors are not skilled draftsmen and cannot easily have such work done for them. The Association of Scientific Apparatus Makers of the United States of America is so interested in this question that when the matter was taken up with the chairman of its Committee on Standardization he agreed t o take care of the drafting needed t o make proper drawings of apparatus recommended as standard by t h e Committee on Guaranteed Reagents and Standard Apparatus of the AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY.Of course this offer should not be taken to cover t h e making of illustrations of every sort. It is intended primarily to take care of the newly described apparatus which t h e two committees consider likely to be used rather widely. If you will secure from authors complete dimensions, even on a rather rough drawing, the Association of Apparatus Makers will see t o it that you have a suitable drawing for reproduction, provided the two committees think it worth while. Authors who submit complete drawings and specifications will save some time in publication of papers if you adopt this policy. Any delay in publication of their papers on this account will cost much less t o the interested parties than the present common practice of publishing with nothing t o indicate t h e dimensions of apparatus described. W. D. COLLINS,Chairman, U. S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Committee on Guaranteed Reagents WASHINGTON, D. c. June 16. 1920 and Standard Apparatus
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JOSEPH A. HOLMES SAFETY ASSOCIATION The Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association has recently announced the award of seven gold medals t o miners for spzcial deeds of bravery in th? saving of human life in the United States during the last three years. The Association was eqtahlished in 1916 in memory of Dr. Joseph A Holmes, the creator and first director of the Bureau of Mines, and is composed >f representatives of the leading technical and labor institutions of the United States, and receives its supp irt through voluntary contribirtions. In addition to the awards for heroism, the Association plans to recognize with awards the invention and application of safety devices in the industries concerned. It hopes in the future to devote attention t o imnrovement of health cond;tions and t o combating occupational diseases in mines and metal1 ~gical 1 establishments.
MACMICHAEL TORSIONAL VISCOSIMETER Editor OJ the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: Referring t o the article in the Illarch issue of THISJOURNAL (page 282) on the MacMichael Torsional Viscosimeter, by Winslow H. Herschel, of the Bureau of Standards, I regret very much that I was not advised that this work was under consideration, as I would have been very glad to furnish one of the late model instruments for testing. The machine actually used was one of the very earliest models, not even provided with heating coils, or with a number of other improvements found in the later models. Referring to the paper itself, my attention has been called to the fact that the term “poise” had been officially adopted as the name of the unit of viscosity in the C. G. S. system. I immediately wrote t o the manufacturers requesting them t o discontinue the use of the term “degrees M,” equal to 0.1 poise, and to graduate all future machines for direct reading in poises, which I understand has been done. It was never intended that this machine should be calibrated according to a mathematical formula, as this is obviously impossible, or at least impractical, from the very nature of the instrument. The method recommended is to secure a sample of oil or other standard testing fluid, having a known viscosity nearly that of the samples to be tested. This sample should be tested by the Bureau of St.andards a t approximately the same temperature at which the machine is t o be used, as 60°, IOO’, or 210’ F. With such a sample i t is only the work of a mpment to adjust the speed of the machine to give t h e reading on the dial corresponding to that of the standard sample. The readings for other fluids of the same general temperature and viscosity will be found closely accurate, the results, of course, being expressed directly in poises. Where large differences in viscosity or temperature are dealt with, more than one standard testing sample is recommended, corresponding to various conditions to be met. I t is also suggested that a large sample of fluid be procured, say, 0.5 or I gal., as there is always some slight loss in handling during tests. Of this, IOO cc. are to be sent to t h e Bureau of Standards for testing. The charge for this work is very moderate. It is not particularly difficult to design a machine having a relatively simple mathematical treatment, giving primary readings for determining viscosity directly in poises. Such a machine would probably follow along t h e lines already laid down by Couette, using concentric cylinders, protecting end caps, etc. Such a machine, however, would probably not be well adapted t o ordinary commercial uses. The-present machine was designed to fill a definite need in the testing of colloids and suspensions, as well as true solutions. It is not intended to give primary readings from which original data can be calculated, its function being to compare the vis-
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THE' J O U R N A L O F I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
cosity of two fluids under similar conditions, the value of one of which is already known. As fiirnished at present it will handle rapidly and easily tests from far below zero, in laboratories equipped for such work, up to 4 m 0 or 5oo' F. Also certain improvements are now being perfected by the manufacturers to extend the range of the instrument to viscosities much higher than could heretofore be measured, and to include means for testing the set of glue and similar materials. The action of the machine depends on two laws, namely, that under similar circumstances: ( I ) Deflection is proportional to speed. ( 2 ) Deflection is proportional to viscosity. When used as directed within the limits outlined above, these will be found to hold true with sufficient accuracy for a very wide range of practical purposes. R. F. MACMICHAEL CONSOLIDATED KANSASCITY SMELTING A N D REFIXING Co.
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( I ) That density is constant, or that the effects of its variation are negligible. (2) That the variations of speed are negligible. (3) That the clearance between the bottom of the disc and the bottom of the oil cup is not changed by removing and replacing the wire. (4) That only one diameter of wire is used.
It is not believed that these assumptions are permissible, but that frequent recalibrations are necessary, and it is highly desirable purposely to vary the speed and the diameter of t h e wire in order to increase the range of measurable viscosity. That the deflection is proportions1 to the speed and to the viscosity is, of course, true under certain conditionq of speed, viscosity, and degree of accuracy required. WINSLOWH. HERSCHEL. BUREAUO F STANDARDS WASHINGTON, D. C. May 27, 1920
EL PASO,TEXAS April 12, 1920 .
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Editor of the Jourltal of Industrial and Engiiheering Chemistry: In reply to the criticism of Mr. R. F. MacMichael, concerning my article in the March issue of THISJOURNAL, the following points may be offered: As shown in Equation I O there is not a constant ratio between poises and deflection, so that a machine graduated for direct reading in poises could not have a uniformly graduated scale. ii more serious objection is that the graduation in poises must be based on the following assumptions if a single scale is used:
THE EFFECT OF AIR IN STEAM ON THE COEFFICIENT OF HEAT TRANSMISSION-CORRECTION In a n article of the above title [THIS JOURNAL, IZ (1920), 6441 a printer's error was made in the final equation of t h a t article, page 646. The equation as printed read: loglolz = I f 6.0240% I t should hare read: Iog,,h = I f o 0246% C. S. ROBIXSOSCAMBRIDGE, MASS.
WASHINGTON LFTTER
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BY J. B . MCDONNELL. Union Trust Building, Washington, D. C. I N D U S T R I A L ALCOHOL SITUATION
Laboring under the excessively stringent regulations imposed under the prohibition enforcement act, which is administered by the Internal Revenue Bureau of the Treasury Department, the industrial alcohol industry found itself in an increasingly difficult situation. This was laid before Bureau officials a t a conference held in June, attended by representatives of the alcohol, chemical, and drug industries, and by representatives of the War and Navy Departments. Because of the illness of Commissioner Williams a t the time, Paul Myers, assistant to the Commissioner, presided a t the conference, a t which several other Bureau officials were also present. The statements made were prepared in the form of a complete report for Mr. Williams. Improvement in his condition, however, has not occurred as rapidly as was expected and the whole question has not yet been passed upon by him. It was suggested that a special officer of the Bureau, having a technical knowledge sufficient to meet the situation, be appointed to undertake direct supervision of the enforcement of the law as applied to industrial alcohol. I n this manner the industry would be relieved from hampering restrictions and red tape, now surrounding it as the result of its coming under the general enEorcing squadron and many minor officials. -4s a further aid the visitors suggested the appointment of an advisory board from the membership of the various organizations most closely interested. Realization of the seriousness of the situation was expressed by Revenue officials, and there is little doubt that some action will be taken to relieve it. Just what this will be, of course, cannot be said a t this time, inasmuch as Commissioner Williams, who will decide what is to be done, has not yet returned to his desk. Relief must and will be granted, other officials have stated, and it would not be surprising if the recommendation of the conference were adopted. Action is looked for within the next ten days or two weeks. It was stated a t the conference that, with a production capacity of 650,000 gal. of industrial alcohol, per day, the industry was producing only about 46 per cent of its capacity, and a serious shortage was threatened, with a curtailment in prospect.
With petroleum occupying such a prominent place on the industrial stage a t present, it is not perhaps remarkable that some attention, whether wise or not, should have been turned to alcohol as a possible substitute for gasoline. Prior t o adjournment of Congress, Representative Knutson, of Minnesota, introduced a resolution providing an appropriation for the Bureau of Chemistry of the Department of Agriculture t o undertake a study to ascertain if alcohol could be turned to such a use. Later, Dr. Manning, until recently head of the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior, questioned the good judgment of the Minnesota member in proposing to turn the investigation over to the Bureau of Chemistry. The Bureau of Mines should conduct the investigation and experiments, if made, Dr. Manning declared. The resolution, however, was lost in the shuffle among the many thousands that met a similar fate. While there has not been any extensive investigation as a result of that resolution or a similar one, it apparently is the opinion of Government chemists here that alcohol is not destined to become a substitute for gasoline. It would be necessary to introduce other chemicals into it, and even then the price would be high, and doubt is expressed as to the possibility of turning it out in sufficient quantity. I t s use would not be practicable, furthermore, without material changes being made in the motors built to consume gasoline. BUREAU O F CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATIONS
Interesting developments with regard to the manufacture 01 dyestuffs from furfural, obtained from corn cobs, very probably will result from experiments which are being conducted by Dr Johns, in charge of the color laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry of the Department of Agriculture. Experiments are now being conducted by the Bureau t o ascertain the contents of the solutions resulting from washing of wool. Wool grease, it has been found, contains -potash as well as nitrogenous substances. Samples of the liquids from wool washing establishments all over the country have been obtained by the Bureau, and analysis has definitely established the presence of these substances. Work is now progressing toward a method of extracting and separating them for commercial purposes.
