IiVD USTRIAL AiVD ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
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Vol. 16, No. 2
PERKIN MEDAL AWARD J. H. Critchett, one OF Mr. Becket’s close associates, related some personal impressions of the medalist, calling attention particularly to the thoroughness with which he conducted all investigations. X r . Becket’s boundless energy, constructive imagination, wonderful grasp of detail, and remarkable memory were referred to and illustrated. His ability to read character, his capacity for organization, his fairness to those who worked with him, and his high scientific ability were also emphasized and lauded by Mr. Critchett. Clinton P. Townsend, patent attorney, who had been associated with much of Mr. Becket’s progress, spoke on “Becket and His Work.” He mentioned that a total of sixty-four patents had been granted the medalist, the first one in 1906 and the last one in 1923. Each of these patents represents in its specifications a complete On July 26, 1906, there gathered in technical paper, said Mr. Townsend, London in the hall of the Royal Inand Mr. Becket would never consent stitution, in which Michael Faraday to having specifications for any of his eighty-one years earlier had discovered benzene, a notable group to honor patents written until his work had been sir William Henry Perkin for his discarried absolutely to completion. The covery of mauve fifty years previously. speaker emphasized the potnts that At that meeting Dr. Baekeland preMr. Becket always moved toward the sented a congratulatory address in behalf of American chemists. larger objective, that he had a keen A little later Perkin came to Amer“economic sense of direction,” and ica, and there gathered a t Delthat he had designed, built, and opermonico’s, for a dinner in his honor, FREDERICK .M. BECKET ated the largest electric furnaces in four hundred of those interested in the world. chemistry to celebrate in similar manner the discovery of the first aniline dye. Dr. Chandler, whom it is our Charles H. Herty brought a “message from Canada,” which pleasure to have with us tonight, presided as chairman of that not- consisted of a resolution expressing the satisfaction and pride able dinner gathering. The previous month a sum of money was of the Montreal Section of the Society of Chemical Industry in raised by subscription and presented to the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry to found a medal for work in the award of the Perkin Medal to Mr. Becket, who is a native of applied chemistry. At this dinner W. H. Nichols presented the Montreal. Dr. Herty had been requested to deliver this resofirst Perkin Medal to Sir William Perkin with words of love and lution to the medalist on the former’s recent visit to that appreciation from American chemists. He further called attention to the fact that this medal was “to be given hereafter annu- section. Leo H. Baekeland, president-elect of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL ally to the American chemist who has most distinguished himself by his services to Applied Chemistry.” In the years that SOCIETY, congratulated the recipient on behalf of the SOCIETY and have since elapsed this has been done, and the list of Perkin expressed pride in the fact that Mr. Becket has been a member medalists (given below) is now the honor roll of American chemof the SOCIETY for many years. istry. Charles F. Chandler, in presenting the medal to Mr. Becket, DATEOF gave a brief biographical sketch of the recipient and said that PRINCIPAL FIELDSOR INVENTIONS AWARD AWARDED TO he has been chiefly interested in processes for the extraction of Discoverer of first aniline color 1907 Sir W.H. Perkin Metallur y‘ contact sulfuric acid 1908 J. R . F. Herreshoff the rarer metals from their ores and in the manufacture of calCorn prd&&ts industry 1909 Arno Behr cium carbide; that he has invented processes for the reduction Carborundnm; artificial graphite1910 E. G. Acheson Metallic aluminium 1911 Charles M. Hall of the rarer metals, such as molybdenum, vanadium, titanium, Desulfuring oil and subterranean sul1912 Herman Frasch fur industry tungsten, zirconium, and chromium, and alloys with each other Dry air blast 1913 James Gayley Colloids and flexible roller bearings and with the common metals, for which he has received sixty1914 John W. Hyatt Electrical measurements; electro1915 Edward Weston four patents from the United States Government. In condeposition of metals; flaming arc Velox photoprint paper; bakelite and 1916 L. H. Baekeland ferring the medal Dr. Chandler then spoke as follows: synthetic resins; caustic soda inH E seventeenth impression of the Perkin Medal was presented to Frederick M. Becket in recognition of Valuable original work in applied chemistry, on Friday evening, January 11, a t the Chemists’ Club, before a large gathering of chemists, a t a regular meeting of the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry. The meeting was presided over by Ralph H. McKee, chairman of the section, and Charles E’. Chandler, senior past president of the Society of Chemical Industry residing in the United States, made the presentation. The meeting was opened with brief introductory remarks by Chairman McKee, who called attention to the fact that the date of the award coincided with the birthday anniversary of the recipient, and related the history of the medal as follows:
T
1917 1918
Ernst Twitchell Auguste J, Rossi
1919 1920
Frederick G. Cottrell Charles F. Chandler
1921
Willis R . Whitney
1922
William M. Burton
1923
Milton C. Whitaker
dustry Saponification of fats Development of manufacture and use of ferrotitanium Electrical precipitation Noteworthy achievements in almost every line of chemical endeavor Development of research and application of science to industry Achievements in oil industry: efficient conversion of high-boiling fractions into low-boiling fractions Great constructive work in field of applied chemistry
Frederick M. Becket, Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Arts: It gives me great pleasure as representative of the affiliated chemical and electrochemical societies of America to place in your hands this beautiful Perkin Medal as a token of the appreciation and affection of your fellow chemists. Mr. Becket received the medal amid the prolonged applause of the audience, which had risen during the presentation, and then read the following address:
