I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
112
Vol. 22, No. 2
PERKIN MEDAL AWARD T H E twenty-fourth impression of the Perkin Medal was presented to Herbert H. Dow,.president of the Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich., a t the meeting of the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, a t the Chemists’ Club in New York City on January 10, 1930, in recognition of his achievements in the fields of bromine, alkalies, magnesium and its salts, phenols, and other developments of his organization. Charles A. Lunn presided. Presentation of the medal was made by Marston T. Bogert. James T. Pardee spoke on “The Early Days of the Medalist,” relating many interesting incidents in his boyhood and emphasizing those points which later culminated in his successful researches-“an inventive turn inherited from his father, business ability to make his inventions profitable, will power to carry on against all odds, and above all, an amazing optimism.” Mr. Barstow spoke on “The Accomplishments of the Medalist,” showing how the originality and inventive ability of the medalist had borne
fruit by constant application of his engineering and chemical genius to manufacture on a large scale. In Doctor DOW’S speech of acceptance he traced the economic development of manufacturing processes from olden times, and showed how this development had been accomplished in his company by the use of constantly improved equipment. The Perkin Medal is awarded annually by the American Section of the society of Chemical Industry “to the American chemist who has most distinguished himself by his service to Applied Chemistry.” The medalist is chosen by a committee representing this society, the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, the American Electrochemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Societe de Chimie Industrielle. It was founded in 1906 a t the time of the semi-centennial celebration of the discovery of mauve by Sir William H. Perkin, the first medal being presented to Sir William himself.
Perkin Medal Awards DATEO F AWARD
1906 1908
DATEOF
AWARDED TO Sir William H.Perkin J. B. F. Herreshoff
1909
Arno Behr
1910
E. G. Acheson
1911
Charles M.Hall
1912
Herman Frasch
1913
James Gayley
1914
John W. Hyatt
1915
Edward Weston
1916
Leo H. Baekeland
1917
Ernst Twitchell
1918
Auguste J. Rossi
1919
J. G.Cottrell
1920
Charles
1921
Willis R. Whitnev
F. Chandler
TO PRINCIPAL FIELDS OF INVENTIONS AWARD AWARDED
Pioneer work in synthetic dye industry Improvements in chamber process for sulfuric acid; development of the contact process for sulfuric acid, of a roasting Iurnace for pyrites fines, of a copper smelting furnace, and of electrolytic refining of copper Work in field of corn products, including grape sugar, crystallized dextrose, mill starch, and utilization of various byproducts Development of Carborundum, artificial graphite, graphitized electrodes, soft graphite, deflocculated graphite, Siloxicon, Aquadag, and Oildag Development of process for manufacture of aluminum by electrolysis of alumina in fused cryolite bath Contributions to refining of Canadian and Ohio petroleums and his method of mining sulfur Invention of dry air blast for manufacture of iron Discovery of celluloid and deveiopment of its manufacture Achievements in electrodeposition of metals, electrolytic refining of copper, construction of electric generators and motors, arc and incandescent illumination, electric measuring instruments, and the Weston standard cell Discovery of Velox paper, Bakelite, and of other synthetic resins Discovery and development of use of organic sulfo acids as catalysts in hydrolysis of oils and fats for production of fatty acids and glycerol Achievements in field of titanium steel and other titanium alloys Recovery of helium from natural-gas wells and electrical precipitation of suspended particles Work as educator and expert in field of industrial chemistry, a s pioneer in field of sanitary chemistry, and for invention of system of assay weights Achievements a s research director of General Electric Company, in de-
1922
William M. Burton
1923
Milton C. Wbitaker
1924
Frederick M. Becket
1925
Hugh K. Moore
1926
R. B. Moore
1927
John E. Teeple
1928
Irving Langmuir
1929
E. C. Sullivan
1930
Herbert H. Dow
PRINCIPAL FIELDS OF INVENTIONS velopment of metallized incandescent filaments of Gem lamps, of tungsten lamps, of gas-filled lamps, of insulating materials, alloys, and new apparatus and electric equipment High-temperature process of cracking petroleum under pressure Achievements in manufacture of alcohol, ethyl acetate, acetone, other solvents, and the utilization of by-products Processes for extraction of rare metals from ores, manufacture of calcium carbide, and reduction of rare metals and alloys Development of electrolytic processes for chlorine and caustic soda and recovery and utilization of by-products in pulp and paper industry Achievements in field of helium and radioactive elements Achievement in manufacture of acids, alkalies, chlorine, permanganate, special chemicals; design of plants for same, distillation of hardwoods; utilization of pine oil; and chiefly for recovery of potash and borax a t Searles Lake, Calif. Accomplishments in field of low pressures; conduction, convection, and radiation of heat; vapor pressure of metals; new vacuum pumps and vacuum gages; atomic and crystal structure; eiectronic and ionic currents; highpower vacuum tubes; theories of absorption, evaporation, and passivity; first t o apply argon and nitrogen in tungsten lamps; atomic hydrogen flame for welding; and conception of space charge in thermionic tubes Development of special glasses for heat resistance, for transmission of certain light rays, and for other purposes Developments in bromine and electrolytic production of chlorine and alkali; in manufacture of metallic magnesium and its salts; and in introduction of novel processes for phenol, aniline, and other organic chemicals.
