Princeton Chemical Laboratory Dedicated - C&EN Global Enterprise

On a day ideal for the occasion, and amid delightful surroundings, such as only the classical campus at Princeton can provide, the new Chemical Labora...
0 downloads 0 Views 943KB Size
Download PDF
News Editor: HARRISON E. HOWE

Assistant

to Editor:

N . A. PARKINSON

Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Published by the American Chemical Society

EDITORIAL O F F I C E , 706 Mills Bldg., Washington, D. C.

PUBLICATION OFFICE, Easton, P a .

Edition Consulting

Editor:

ROBERT P. FISCHE -JMS

Associate

Editor:

E. P. PARTRIDGE

ADVERTISING D E P T . , 419 F o u r t h Ave., NewYork

E n t e r e d as second-class m a t t e r at the P o s t Office at Easton, P a . , under the A c t of March 3, 1879. as 40 times a year. Industrial Edition monthly on t h e 1st; NEWS Edition o n the 10th a n d 2 0 t h ; Analytical Edition on t h e 15th of January, April, J u l y , and October. Acceptance for mailing a t special rate o f postage provided for in Section 1013, A c t of October 3 , 1917, authorized J u l y 13, 1918. Subscription t o INDUSTRIAL AND E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y , $7.50 p e r year;

per year (single copies, 10 cents).

Volume 7

ANALYTICAL E D I T I O N only, $1.50 p e r y e a r ;

Subscriptions should be sent to Charles L. Parsons, Secretary,

N E W S EDITION o n l y , $1.50

Mills Bldg., Washington, ID. C.

OCTOBER 10, 1929

Number 19

Princeton Chemical Laboratory Dedicated On a d a y ideal for t h e occasion, and amid delightful surround- ratory, to harmonize with the adopted architecture off the U n i ings, such as only the classical campus a t Princeton can provide, versity and to provide a building a t once beautiful and w e l l the new Chemical Laboratory was formally opened on September adapted to t h e uses of a chemical laboratory, presents a most 26. difficult problem. Following the acceptance of the keys by President Hibben, In his address President Hibben indicated how long t h e plans have been in t h e making. The site for the new laboratory was H u g h Stott Taylor, chairman of t h e department, presented -the purchased by t h e trustees and presented t o the University in following address: 1915 through the generosity of Henry Clay Prick. It had been Address by Hugh S. Taylor planned then t o proceed w i t h the building, but i t was deemed This is indeed a happy and historic d a y in t h e development unwise t o undertake i t at a "time when the colleges of the country o f chemistry at Princeton. On behalf o f the members of t h e were devoted t o the prosecution o f the war. However, t h e plans Department of Chemistry I wish t o express my indebtedness to began t o be developed in. 1917, and President Hibben men- you, President Hibben, and t o the Board o f Trustees o f the U n i tioned in particular t h e services o f Professors L. W . Mc.Cay and versity for the courage and generosity with which you h a v e Lauder W . Jones in contributing s o materially from their rich ex- m e t t h e demands at Princeton for a laboratory so splendidly constructed and equipped as this building, which your now t u r n perience i n furthering the work -which has come t o completion over t o our care. Through a long period of years we h a v e under t h e "catalytic influence" of Taylor. Perhaps t h e most waited hopefully for this day, and our trust in your determination important statement made b y President Hibben was t h a t if the t o do everything that was possible for our welfare has been handsomely justified. University had not had We are proud of t h i s the men and t h e research fulfilment of our dreams, fund for science amountand wish t o thank those w h o have cooperated ing t o three million dolwith us s o whole-heartlars, in which chemistry edly in t h e effort. To enjoys a large share, the the architects we o r e a trustees would not have design a t once architecturally handsome and yet felt justified in providing eminently practical for the building just d e d i the purposes to which it cated. is t o be put. The coWhen C. Z. Klauder, operating engineers have insured that thee structure the architect, following is efficiently equipped the entrance of the acawith heat, light, power, demic procession and the ventilation, plumbing, s i n g i n g of "America," stoneware service, and. all the other details thai: a presented to P r e s i d e n t modern chemical laboraHibben a large key symtory must posssess. T h e bolic of t h e keys of the designs o f architect a n d laboratory, he said, engineer have seen translated into the r e a l i t i e s among other things, that t h a t we s e e around u s by the b u i l d i n g had been a varied group of organiplanned with the stock zations, t o o numerous to room as the salient feadetail, b u t to which we wish to express our heartiture, a n d referred t o the est thanks for -their e v e r special architectural and evident effort, not only to building features of the do the job, but to do the structure. In replying, job in t h e b e s t possible manner. Those of us w h o the president d e s c r i b e d h a v e been most intimately the l a b o r a t o r y as the associated with the work crowning effort of t h e know that in every inarchitect upon the camstance t h e best in thought Courtesy Architecture and Building a n d effort has been offered pus, particularly since the for our better satisfaction. E n t r a n c e to P r i n c e t o n ' s N e w C h e m i c a l Laboratory construction of a labo-

2

NEWS

EDITION

Vol. 7, N o . 19

Professor McCay and I wish on this occasion publicly t o express dences that, in the n e w fields t o be conquered, chemistry must our appreciation to our absent colleague, Lauder W. Jones, for draw yet more largely from her sister sciences of physics and his large share of the labors of the departmental committee remathematics. We are indeed fortunate here that ways have sponsible for the work. Many of t h e details of design in t h e been devised t o insure close cooperation between t h e sciences building are t h e result and, by reason of that cooperative effort, we are drawing ever of h i s rich store of e x - increasing numbers of students t o our graduate schools from all perience in t h e conparts of the world. struction of laboratoW e commend especially to t h e parents and guardians of our ries. Largely owing t o Princeton undergraduates a serious consideration of the rich the unremitting labor opportunities for scientific training which Princeton now offers in and care of our curator, contrast with earlier decades, a n d w e bespeak their counsel and W. B. Foulk, t h e s e encouragement to their sons seriously to consider the opportunidetails have been ties to which they are heir. I n return for their labors we offer achieved, and to h i m them a life in science rich in its satisfactions, full, scholarly, and also we owe a n outenduring. Non-estmortuus quiscientiam vivificavit. standing contribution to the p r o b l e m s of Honorary Doctor of Science Degrees c h e m i c a l laboratory Dean Augustus Trowbridge of t h e Graduate School then stock distribution, organization, and c o n presented the following candidates for honorary doctor of science trol. degrees, which were conferred b y the president: W e owe a s p e c i a l debt of gratitude t o Irving Langmuir, President of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL the numerous benefacSOCIETY, claimed as a distinguished colleague b y physicist and tors, research foundachemist alike, and recipient of prizes a n d honors from national and t i o n s , public-spirited foreign societies in both sciences. corporations, friends, H e completed his studies for the doctorate a t the University and alumni of Princeof Gottingen i n 1906, and returned t o this country a s instructor t o n w h o , b y t h e i r in chemistry a t Stevens Institute. In 1909 h e w a s called to generous c o n t r i b u - take a leading part i n carrying o u t a far-sighted policy of fostering tions, have enabled t h e research in pure science adopted b y the General Electric Co. U n i v e r s i t y t o open In the laboratory of this great industrial corporation, Langmuir these laboratories to a has for twenty years attacked fundamental problems with the large staff of teachers, H u g h S. T a y l o r freedom of an academician, y e t with all t h e powerful resources r e s e a r c h men, a n d of the industrial engineer. students who may carry out their t a s k s with adequate equipment Langmuir's is t h e accepted concept of adsorption and the and an endowment which meets t h e present needs generously. orientation of molecules a t surfaces; his studies have furnished We wish to thank those who h a v e come t o us today from far us a mechanism of gas reactions a t the surface of the metal and near t o share with us our happiness. We are especially tungsten, universally used in electric illumination, long-distance honored by our foreign guests, and are proud to have with us s o telephony, and radio. A brilliant investigator, in command of tools distinguished a company of honorary alumni. T o t h e repre- worthy of his skill, Langmuir h a s made important contributions sentatives of the universities, colleges, learned societies, a n d t o our knowledge of molecular and atomic phenomena. research foundations w e tender our appreciation of their presence. M a x Bodenstein, professor of physical chemistry in the We trust they may take back with them pleasurable memories University of Berlin and director of t h e Physikalisch-Chemisches of their visit. Institut which has long been preeminent in this field in Germany The successive laboratories a t Princeton have covered t h e a n d has attracted students of t h e science from all over the world. whole epoch of modern chemistry. From Old Nassau, the lecAs research student with Victor Meyer and later while privat tures of John Maclean, two of which w e have reprinted and disdocent with Ostwald, Bodenstein, early in his noteworthy career, tributed among you today, voiced t h e dissatisfaction of the late began the series of classical researches on t h e velocity of chemical eighteenth century chemist with t h e theory of phlogiston and h i s transformations with which he has enriched t h e subject of rebelief in the new principles of the science which the quantitative action kinetics. T o Bodenstein is due t h e concept of chain data of Dalton and Lavoisier m a d e possible. From 1873 t o reactions, which has been of fundamental importance in t h e ex1891, chemistry at Princeton, in t h e old John C. Green School of planation of chemical reactions i n general. T o him also is due the Science, was largely descriptive and analytical. Outside, in t h e discovery of t h e role played by t h e purely chemical changes which Old World, organic chemistry was in i t s full flood of development, follow on the absorption of light by photochemical systems, and but contacts with Princeton were f e w and the processes of change t h i s discovery has cleared a n e w and fruitful field of work. were here b u t slow. In 1891, the chemical laboratory of Nassau Bodenstein worthily maintains the high traditions of initiative Street, devised and equipped through the exertions of one w h o a n d thoroughness which have characterized German chemical must ever be held in the highest e s t e e m by Princeton men, Pro- research. fessor H. B . Cornwall, was opened for use. In this laboratory Sir James Colquhoun Irvine, principal and vice chancellor, Unithe old era passed, and versity of S t . Andrews. t h e great change began. Through h i s writings Young enthusiasts, fresh while professor of chemfrom their s t u d i e s a t istry h e w o n a worldother universities here wide recognition a s exand abroad, made up the pert on the s t r u c t u r e leeway a n d b r o u g h t , and synthesis of organic with their enthusiasm, compounds, notably of the knowledge necessary the sugars a n d of cellut o p r o v i d e , h e r e in lose. I n t h e period of Princeton, the best of industrial d e p r e s s i o n possible chemical educafollowing t h e war, the t i o n . T h e c u r v e of British Government seprogress has been ever cured unpartisan techupward; some of us feel nical advice and aid in w i t h p r i d e that i t is f r a m i n g a n d adminisauto-accelerative in its tering reconstructive nature and wonder to m e a s u r e s . In t h e dewhat pace i t will attain. p a r t m e n t of scientific Certain it is that, in t h e and industrial research recent years, the growth Sir James's great execuhas been a b n o r m a l l y tive ability, combined rapid and has rendered with t h e mastery of a imperative the building pure science on which w e dedicate today. industries of great national economic imporDuring the lifetime of tance are based, was early the old laboratory t h e enlisted and generously science of physical chemdevoted in the service istry has had its rise to of his country. full estate. There are Courtesy ACME News Pictures now abundant e v i N e w C h e m i c a l Laboratory, P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y Jean Baptiste Perrin,

October 1 0 , 1 9 2 9

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

Nobel Prize L u r c a r t e , director of the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of the University of Paris, a n d director of t h e newly founded Institut Routhschild for research in biophysics. A native of t h e city in which P a s t e u r made his first important discovery, Perrrin was early attracted t o a scientific career, a n d at the a g e of twenty-one secured by competition a place in the Ecole Normale Supericure. On graduation he w a s retained a s teacher i n this, the highest school in France's system of public instruction. We o w e to Perrin "the classical determination of t h e magnitude of the important physical constant known as Avogadro's number, and we owe to him also the demonstration of the applicability of the atomic concept to small particles showing t h e Brownian movement. His masterly analysis of this phenomenon lias l a i d the foundation of a rational study of colloidal systems, a n d t h u s opens t h e way for further and much needed work i n biophysics. H i s ideas on the interaction of radiation and matter, while t h e y have n o t obtained general acceptance, have had a stimulating effect on research on the mechanism of chemical reactions. Perrin possesses in a marked degree t h e qualities of the eminent scientists of his gifted race—strong individualism, daring a n d imagination in the interpretation of results, clarity in exposition. Frederick George Donnan, professor of chemistry in t h e University College, London. A pupil of van't Hoff and of O s t wald, h i s outstanding contribution t o science has been t h e application of the theories of physical chemistry t o the chemistry of colloids and especially t o biological processes occurring at c e l l walls. His pioneer work o n equilibria of salt solutions a t membranes h a s guided ire numerable studies of the conditions obtaining in living matter and. has determined i n great measure t h e direction which biophysical research has taken. In Liverpool and in London under Donnan's guidance t h e leading physio-chemical institutes f o r research in t h e British Commonwealth were maintained, and. from these has gone o u t a whole generation of scientists who a r e guided in the discovery a n d production of new a n d useful substances b y the chemical philosophy of this great investigator a n d inspiring teacher. Prayer and benediction by D e a n Robert P. Wicks was followed b y the singing of "Old Nassau," which concluded t h e formal exercises. In additions to the foreign guests receiving t h e honorary d e grees, K . F. JBonhoeffer a n d M . Polanyi of the Kaiser "Wilhelm Institut, Berlin, and C. N. Hinshelwood of Trinity College, Oxford, were present Many delegates from educational institutions and learned societies in their academic robes made u p a colorful procession, a n d the lecture room where the exercises were held w a s quite filled with t h e official party and many others w h o came for- the occasion. We do not have the space n o r the details to call attention t o all the unique features of the new laboratory. The building is indeed of generous proportions, housing the many research and student Laboratories, a library which is an architectural g e m , t h e offices, e t c , which a r e expected in a building of this sort. Daylight has- been. admitted t o all rooms i n generous quantities. Even t h e smaller research. laboratories are of ample proportions. A n industrial type of flooring which h a s stood the test in chemical factories has been. employed. Chromium-plated hardware is everywhere in evidence a n d will be made a part of an experiment since t h e thickness of t h e coat is known. Parts of ring stands and other equipment are of stainless steel, the history of which has been recorded—again as a part of an experiment. Perhaps n o other academic laboratory in t h e country i s as well supplied with a variety o f electrical outlets and a supply of electromotive force. Movable tables, upon which apparatus can b e readily assembled, impress one a s most worth while. These tables have= tops o f wood covered with an asbestos board t o which equipment can be attached or through which holes may b e bored as required. Standard outlets from supply lines along the s i d e s of the laboratory complete the arrangement so that tables c a n be placed at will for a particular piece of research. I n t h e qualitative laboratory the customary superstructure on the tables h a s been eliminated so t h a t a clear view o f all parts of the room can be readily had. Every laboratory worker will a t once be struck by the ample store room, located in t h e center of the structure o n the basement floor and provided with all the appliances SO necessary t o its efficient functioning. I f an army travels on its stomach, certainly a laboratory equally depends upon i t s supply room, a n d at Princeton it is evident t h a t painstaking thought has been given t o every detail. One is impressed

3

b y the storage space for g a s cylinders, b y the complete washing, rinsing, and drying equipment where t h e apparatus of t h e students is cleaned for them, and by special rooms for volatile solvents, for solutions, and for every other important item. Princet o n has waited long for such equipment and there is every reason t o believe that, now it is provided, research under able guidance will produce a long list of important results. Following t h e dedication a n d t h e luncheon for guests and delegates at t h e Princeton Inn, a conference o n "Catalysis and t h e Mechanism of Chemical Reactions" took place, the program for which appeared on page 14 of t h e September 20, 1929, issue of the N E W S "EDITION.

Meeting o f the Rubber Division at Atlantic City The Rubber Division m e t a t Atlantic City, N. J., Thursday and Friday September 2 6 a n d 27. There were exactly t w o hundred registered- T h e ten papers o n the program were all presented, together with reports of committees. The officers elected for n e x t year are: Chairman, S . Krall; Vice Chairman, H . A. Winkelmann; Secretary-Treasurer, H. E . Simmons; Executive Committee, A. H. Smith, N . A . Shepard, W. A. Gibbons, Ly. B. Sebrell, I. Williams; Sergeant-at-Arms, E. R . Bridgwater. T h e latter position was recently created for the purpose of seeing that everyone attending the meetings is duly registered, and t h a t small gatherings of talkative members d o not disturb t h e meetings. At t h e meeting of the Executive C o m m i t e e , plans were made for enlarging the division's reprint journal, Rubber Chemistry and Technology, and i t was voted to enforce t h e recommendations of the Papers Committee on the preparation and presentation of papers. I t was also voted that t h e division t a k e care of the traveling expenses of t h e secretary-treasurer o n h i s trips to t h e meetings. At t h e banquet, held Thursday evening, the guests of honor were W . F. V . Cox, secretary of t h e Institution of the Rubber Industry, London, England, and H. E . Howe, Editor of INDUSTRIAL AND E N G I N E E R I N G CHEMISTRY.

Mrs. John

McGavack,

soprano and wife o f one of t h e members, sang several numbers including some negro spirituals and o t h e r southern songs. These were a l l thoroughly enjoyed. Other musical numbers were given b y E v a n Prosser, Powell Evans, and Joseph S. I/illy, and group songs were sung under t h e direction of J. E. Skane, Walther Grote delightfully presented some "Dark Secrets." W. B . Wiegand. chairman of t h e N e w York Group, was toastmaster. Thursday afternoon w a s ''open" a n d many of the members took advantage of the summery weather to enjoy golf, swimming in t h e surf, strolling o n the boardwalk, e t c . The program f o r t h e ladies included a rolling-chair party, a theater party, trips t o special points of interest, and a tea. T h e New York Group acted as host, and the following were chiefly responsible for t h e success of the meeting: S . M: Cadwell, program; I X F. Cranor, hotel and transportation; Mrs. Cadwell, ladies' entertainment; W . H. Cope, finances; E . H. Grafton, registration; K. J . Soule. J. E . Skane, W . Scott, music; and W. L. Sturtevant, special liaison officer. H. L. F.

Do You Want a News Edition Index? We must decide within a short t i m e whether or not w e shall continue the practice of publishing a n index for the annual volume of t h e N E W S EDITION. This index: will n o t be published hereafter unless it can be clearly showm that it i s wanted b y a substantial number o f our readers. W h e n the N E W S EDITION was initiated, the intention was t o have i t carry items of interest of t h e m o m e n t rather than of permanent value. I t was t o be a newspaper of chemistry, and w e have not changed that plan. It w a s thought t h a t t h e N E W S EDITION would n o t be kept on file, but t h a t interesting items would be clipped from i t ; consequently no index was provided for t h e first volume. I t w a s not long, however, before some requests for an index were received, principally from libraries and institutions, and t h i s led to t h e compilation of an index for the second and succeeding volumes. Opinion is divided as t o whether or not a mistake was made and as t o whether t h e index should now be continued. Besides t h e valuable space required to print t h e index, some time i s invested i n its preparation- I t seems clear that, unless there is a real demand for i t , it s h o u l d be discontinued and t h e space used for news. Will y o u n o t help us decide this question? A p o s t card will carry your opinion, and we are equally interested in w h a t m a y be said both i n favor of continuing and arguments for discontinuing the NEWS E D I T I O N index. Unless a substantial demand is indicated the index will not be printed this year.

NEWS EDITION

4

Vol. 7, No. 19

C h e m i c a l M e e t i n g s in N e w York

L a n g m u i r to L e c t u r e before L o c a l S e c t i o n s

The following chemical meetings have been scheduled for the 1929-30 season in New York. All of the meetings will b e held in Rumford Hall, Chemists' Club, 52 East Forty-first St., New York. N. Y .

Irving Langmuir, President of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, has returned from a most successful lecture tour in the Middle West, where he gave five lectures before joint meetings

Oct. Oct.

Oct. Nov.

Nov. Nov. Dec. Dec. Jan.

Jan. FebFeb-

Feb. Mar. Mar.

April April

May May

May June

1929 11 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 18 American Chemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 25 Societe d e Chimie Industrielle. Regular meeting 8 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Grasselli Medal. J o i n t meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 15 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 22 American Electrochemical Society. Regular meeting 6 American Chemical Society. Regular meeting 13 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 1930 10 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Perkin Medal. Joint meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 17 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 7 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 14 American Electrochemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting A m e r i c a n Chemical Society Society of Chemical Industry Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 21 Society of Chemical Industry. Regular meeting 7 A m e r i c a n Institute of Chemists (Room A) 14 American Chemical Society (in charge). Nichols Medal. Joint meeting Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 4 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 11 Societe d e Chimie Industrielle (in charge). Joint meeting A m e r i c a n Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Society of Chemical Industry 2 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 9 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Joint meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Society d e Chimie Industrielle 23 American Electrochemical Society. Regular meeting 6 A m e r i c a n Chemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting Societe d e Chimie Industrielle Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society

Regional M e e t i n g of Maryland, Virginia, a n d W a s h i n g t o n Sections W a s h i n g t o n , D. C , Friday, October 18, 1929 2 p. M.—Afternoon Meeting, Room 39, George Washington University, 21st a n d G S t s . , N . W. D. H. A N D R E W S , Johns Hopkins University, " T h e R a m a n Effect and Molecular S t r u c t u r e . " F. O . R i c e , J o h n s Hopkins University, " T h e Decomposition of Organic Molecules." R. IE. LUTZ, University of Virginia, " O n the Mechanism of Addition to Conjugated Systems of Double Bonds." 0. 33. M A Y , Color Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry a n d Soils, " T h e Semi-Plant Scale Production of Gluconic Acid by M o l d Fermentation." 6 p. M.—Dinner, Cosmos Club (Entrance on Madison Place). 8:15 P. M.—Evening Meeting, Department of Interior Auditorium. IRVING LANGMUIR,

President

of

the

AMERICAN

CHEMICAL

SOCIETY,

" C h e m i c a l Reactions Produced by Heating Tungsten or Platinum F i l a m e n t s in Gases." T h i s meeting will be followed by a Social Hour a t which light refreshments will be served.

All information regarding the meetings will be available a t the desk of the Cosmos Club, 1520 H St., N. W. Visitors to Washington who stay over till Saturday and are desirous of visiting any of the laboratories in the city are invited to meet a representative of the Washington Chemical Society at the Cosmos Club on Saturday morning at 9 o'clock. In order to facilitate the arrangements of the Entertainment Committee, it i s requested that all persons who intend t o be present at the dinner notify J. H. Hibben, Geophysical Laboratory, 2801 Upton St., Washington, D. C , as soon as possible, and not later than October 16.

of the local sections of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.

H e will go on another lecture tour where he will again speak before joint meetings of sections of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY i n the following places: October October October October October October October October

17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 a n d 26

Philadelphia. Washington N e w York (luncheon) Rochester Buffalo Detroit Cleveland Ada, Ohio, Regional Meeting of Northern Ohio

The title of his lecture on this tour will b e "Chemical Reactions Produced b y Heating Tungsten or Platinum Filaments in Gases." These tours have been arranged b y the Local Section Officers Committee.

Regional Meeting Ada, Ohio, October 2 5 and 26, 1929 F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 25, 9:30 A. M . Address of Welcome by R o b e r t Williams, president, Ohio Northern University. Paper by R . N. Maxson, head, D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y , University of Kentucky. Paper by J e s s e E. D a y , associate professor of chemistry, Ohio State University. Paper by J a m e s M o n t g o m e r y , director, W a t e r W o r k s D e p a r t m e n t , Piqua, Ohio. " R e c e n t W o r k on E n z y m e s , " by A. P. Mathews, professor of biological chemistry, Medical School, Cincinnati, Ohio. F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 2 5 , 2:00 P . M. Paper by H a r r y 1ST. Holmes, head, D e p a r t m e n t o f Chemistry, Oberlin College. Paper by H . F . Kriege, chief chemist, F r a n c e Stone C o . , Toledo, Ohio. Paper by H a r r y F . Lewis, head. D e p a r t m e n t of Chemistry, Ohio "Wesleyan University. Paper by Wayland M. Burgess, D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y , University of Cincinnati. "The Rare Gases of the Atmosphere," b y R. B. M o o r e , dean of science, Purdue University. Business Meeting. F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 2 5 , 6:30 P . M.. BANQUET

Toastrnaster, William McPherson, President-elect of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL

SOCIETY.

Address, "Chemical Reactions Produced b y Heating T u n g s t e n or Platinum Filaments in Gases," b y Irving Langmuir, President of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL

SOCIETY.

The s p e a k e r s have n o t all announced t h e i r topics. S a t u r d a y , O c t o b e r 2 6 , 9:00 A. M . Industrial

Trip.

Ladies a r e invited and entertainment will be furnished for them.

M e e t i n g of R u b b e r T e c h n o l o g i s t s T h e second meeting of the Akron Rubber Group for 1929 will b e held on October 14. I t would be hard t o imagine a better program than t h a t arranged for this meeting. K. D . Smith, of t h e B. K. Goodrich Co., is in charge of the program. Through his efforts and acquaintance in the trade a number of experts have consented t o appear on a program dealing exclusively with problems relating to the design of tires. J. O . Swain, of the Firestone Steel Products Co., will discuss "Rims and Their Relation to Tires.'* The subject of the second paper, by V. L. Smithers, of Smithers, Inc., will be "Present Tendencies in Tire Design and Construction." The third subject will be "Indoor and Outdoor Testing of Tires." This will b e presented by J . C. Sproull, of the B . F. Goodrich Co. No wide-awake technologist or engineer c a n afford to miss this interesting group of papers. T h e meeting is being held b y courtesy of t h e B. F. Goodrich Co. in. the K. of C. Club, 282 West Market St., Akron. Tickets will b e on sale b y various members of the group. Since vacations are over and summer activities about a t an end, preparations are being made for the largest turnout in t h e history of the group. Come, meet your friends, enjoy t h e dinner, and be educated.

NEWS EDITION

4

Vol. 7, No. 19

C h e m i c a l M e e t i n g s in N e w York

L a n g m u i r to L e c t u r e before L o c a l S e c t i o n s

The following chemical meetings have been scheduled for the 1929-30 season in New York. All of the meetings will b e held in Rumford Hall, Chemists' Club, 52 East Forty-first St., New York. N. Y .

Irving Langmuir, President of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, has returned from a most successful lecture tour in the Middle West, where he gave five lectures before joint meetings

Oct. Oct.

Oct. Nov.

Nov. Nov. Dec. Dec. Jan.

Jan. FebFeb-

Feb. Mar. Mar.

April April

May May

May June

1929 11 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 18 American Chemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 25 Societe d e Chimie Industrielle. Regular meeting 8 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Grasselli Medal. J o i n t meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 15 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 22 American Electrochemical Society. Regular meeting 6 American Chemical Society. Regular meeting 13 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 1930 10 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Perkin Medal. Joint meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 17 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 7 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 14 American Electrochemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting A m e r i c a n Chemical Society Society of Chemical Industry Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 21 Society of Chemical Industry. Regular meeting 7 A m e r i c a n Institute of Chemists (Room A) 14 American Chemical Society (in charge). Nichols Medal. Joint meeting Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society Societe d e Chimie Industrielle 4 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 11 Societe d e Chimie Industrielle (in charge). Joint meeting A m e r i c a n Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Society of Chemical Industry 2 American Institute of Chemists (Room A) 9 Society of Chemical Industry (in charge). Joint meeting American Chemical Society American Electrochemical Society Society d e Chimie Industrielle 23 American Electrochemical Society. Regular meeting 6 A m e r i c a n Chemical Society (in charge). Joint meeting Societe d e Chimie Industrielle Society of Chemical Industry American Electrochemical Society

Regional M e e t i n g of Maryland, Virginia, a n d W a s h i n g t o n Sections W a s h i n g t o n , D. C , Friday, October 18, 1929 2 p. M.—Afternoon Meeting, Room 39, George Washington University, 21st a n d G S t s . , N . W. D. H. A N D R E W S , Johns Hopkins University, " T h e R a m a n Effect and Molecular S t r u c t u r e . " F. O . R i c e , J o h n s Hopkins University, " T h e Decomposition of Organic Molecules." R. IE. LUTZ, University of Virginia, " O n the Mechanism of Addition to Conjugated Systems of Double Bonds." 0. 33. M A Y , Color Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry a n d Soils, " T h e Semi-Plant Scale Production of Gluconic Acid by M o l d Fermentation." 6 p. M.—Dinner, Cosmos Club (Entrance on Madison Place). 8:15 P. M.—Evening Meeting, Department of Interior Auditorium. IRVING LANGMUIR,

President

of

the

AMERICAN

CHEMICAL

SOCIETY,

" C h e m i c a l Reactions Produced by Heating Tungsten or Platinum F i l a m e n t s in Gases." T h i s meeting will be followed by a Social Hour a t which light refreshments will be served.

All information regarding the meetings will be available a t the desk of the Cosmos Club, 1520 H St., N. W. Visitors to Washington who stay over till Saturday and are desirous of visiting any of the laboratories in the city are invited to meet a representative of the Washington Chemical Society at the Cosmos Club on Saturday morning at 9 o'clock. In order to facilitate the arrangements of the Entertainment Committee, it i s requested that all persons who intend t o be present at the dinner notify J. H. Hibben, Geophysical Laboratory, 2801 Upton St., Washington, D. C , as soon as possible, and not later than October 16.

of the local sections of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.

H e will go on another lecture tour where he will again speak before joint meetings of sections of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY i n the following places: October October October October October October October October

17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 a n d 26

Philadelphia. Washington N e w York (luncheon) Rochester Buffalo Detroit Cleveland Ada, Ohio, Regional Meeting of Northern Ohio

The title of his lecture on this tour will b e "Chemical Reactions Produced b y Heating Tungsten or Platinum Filaments in Gases." These tours have been arranged b y the Local Section Officers Committee.

Regional Meeting Ada, Ohio, October 2 5 and 26, 1929 F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 25, 9:30 A. M . Address of Welcome by R o b e r t Williams, president, Ohio Northern University. Paper by R . N. Maxson, head, D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y , University of Kentucky. Paper by J e s s e E. D a y , associate professor of chemistry, Ohio State University. Paper by J a m e s M o n t g o m e r y , director, W a t e r W o r k s D e p a r t m e n t , Piqua, Ohio. " R e c e n t W o r k on E n z y m e s , " by A. P. Mathews, professor of biological chemistry, Medical School, Cincinnati, Ohio. F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 2 5 , 2:00 P . M. Paper by H a r r y 1ST. Holmes, head, D e p a r t m e n t o f Chemistry, Oberlin College. Paper by H . F . Kriege, chief chemist, F r a n c e Stone C o . , Toledo, Ohio. Paper by H a r r y F . Lewis, head. D e p a r t m e n t of Chemistry, Ohio "Wesleyan University. Paper by Wayland M. Burgess, D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y , University of Cincinnati. "The Rare Gases of the Atmosphere," b y R. B. M o o r e , dean of science, Purdue University. Business Meeting. F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 2 5 , 6:30 P . M.. BANQUET

Toastrnaster, William McPherson, President-elect of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL

SOCIETY.

Address, "Chemical Reactions Produced b y Heating T u n g s t e n or Platinum Filaments in Gases," b y Irving Langmuir, President of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL

SOCIETY.

The s p e a k e r s have n o t all announced t h e i r topics. S a t u r d a y , O c t o b e r 2 6 , 9:00 A. M . Industrial

Trip.

Ladies a r e invited and entertainment will be furnished for them.

M e e t i n g of R u b b e r T e c h n o l o g i s t s T h e second meeting of the Akron Rubber Group for 1929 will b e held on October 14. I t would be hard t o imagine a better program than t h a t arranged for this meeting. K. D . Smith, of t h e B. K. Goodrich Co., is in charge of the program. Through his efforts and acquaintance in the trade a number of experts have consented t o appear on a program dealing exclusively with problems relating to the design of tires. J. O . Swain, of the Firestone Steel Products Co., will discuss "Rims and Their Relation to Tires.'* The subject of the second paper, by V. L. Smithers, of Smithers, Inc., will be "Present Tendencies in Tire Design and Construction." The third subject will be "Indoor and Outdoor Testing of Tires." This will b e presented by J . C. Sproull, of the B . F. Goodrich Co. No wide-awake technologist or engineer c a n afford to miss this interesting group of papers. T h e meeting is being held b y courtesy of t h e B. F. Goodrich Co. in. the K. of C. Club, 282 West Market St., Akron. Tickets will b e on sale b y various members of the group. Since vacations are over and summer activities about a t an end, preparations are being made for the largest turnout in t h e history of the group. Come, meet your friends, enjoy t h e dinner, and be educated.

October 10, 1929

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

5

T h e R e s e a r c h L a b o r a t o r y of H e n r y A . G a r d n e r , W a s h i n g t o n , D. C , Enlarged and R e f u r b i s h e d This laboratory h a s been transformed i n t o a beautiful building faced with limestone and greatly enlarged in size. I t will b e dedicated as the Norris B . Gregg Memorial of the American Paint and Varnish Manufacturers' Association a t the October 3.6, 1929, convention of the Association i n Washington. T h e research work of the Association on colors, resins, pigments, oils, varnishes, a n d paints will b e conducted a t this laboratory in t h e future under M r . Gardner's direction.

Dow to Receive Perkin Medal B y v o t e of a committee representing t h e Society of Chemical Industry, the A M E R I C A N CHEMICAI, SOCIETY, the American

Electrochemical Society, t h e American. Institute of Chemical E n gineers, and t h e Societe de Chimie Industrielle the Perkin Medal for 1930 will b e awarded t o Herbert H . Dow. The presentation will be made on January 10, 1930, a t a joint meeting at the Chemists' Club, N e w York, N . Y. I t is expected t h a t other speakers on t h e program will be James T. Pardee, E . O. Barstow, a n d William H. Nichols. The medal is awarded for the achievements of Doctor D o w as represented in the fields of bromine, alkalies, magnesium and. magnesium salts, phenols, and other developments of his organization.

Stoughton to Receive Grasselli Medal The Grasselli Medal for 1929 has been awarded t o Bradley Stoughton a n d t h e formal presentation will be made on N o vember 8, 1929, a t the Chemists' Club, N e w York, N . Y . T h e special reason for which this is awarded i s a paper o n "Light Structural Alloys" presented several years ago. Professor Stoughton will speak o n "Materials for Aircraft Construction.''

Snoddy Receives Edison Fellowship Leland B. Snoddy, of Lexington, K y . , h a s been granted an Edison Fellowship for Research in t h e Research Laboratory of t h e General Electric Co., Schenectady, N . Y . , for the year 1 9 2 9 - 3 0 . This fellowship was established b y the General Electric Co. this year in honor of Thomas A. Edison and i n commemoration of t h e fiftieth anniversary of his incandescent lamp. I t carries a grant of $3000, and i t s purpose is to give t h e fellow an opportunity t o carry on research work o f his own choice, provided suitable laboratory facilities are available. Mr. Snoddy i s the first recipient of this fellowship.

Gold Medal for Thesis on Textile Chemistry Professors of Chemistry in Colleges and Universities Not Teaching Textile Chemistry: In order t o stimulate t h e interest of your regular chemistry s t u d e n t s in textile chemistry, bring t o their attention the need of chemists in t h e textile industry, and t h e opportunities for research in this field, I have decided to offer a gold medal each year i n various colleges and universities, or groups of these, f o r t h e best thesis upon some phase of chemistry a s applied t o the textile industry. My reason for publishing this open letter i s to learn how many colleges will be interested in this project, and to secure the cooperation of t h e interested faculties i n formulating t h e conditions governing t h e award, as well a s i n selecting a suitable design for the medal. Roughly, the present idea is to grant t h e medal for the best thesis submitted upon some piece of original research concerning .any phase of chemistry i n the textile industry. T h i s research m a y b e either in t h e laboratory or in the literature. In order t o be eligible t o submit a thesis in this contest, t h e s t u d e n t must have a satisfactory standing in all classes or a

satisfactory average, and the thesis must be in such shape a s to b e suitable for publication. Theses accepted will be published, if possible, in o n e of t h e textile journals, whether wanning a medal or not, with details regarding the student. The young man will receive regular rates for this material from the journal, and i t is hoped that this may lead him t o a position in the textile industry. There will b e no limit a s to how many theses m a y be submitted from any one institution. I t will be decided later whether it will be best t o offer a medal in each institution interested, or to divide the institutions into classes according to size, location, or otherwise. I will b e glad to have the opinion o f all interested chemistry teachers o n all of these poixits, a s well as suggestions a s t o rules, designs, e t c . C H A S . E . MULLIN C L E M S O N COLLEGE, S . C.

September 24, 1929

Research Awards off American Pharmaceutical Association A t the meeting o f the American Pharmaceutical Association held at Rapid City, S. D.,. August 2 4 to 31, 1929, that organization's Committee on Research, after a study of seven requests for grants from the association's research fund, recommended the following awards, which were approved by the association at i t s general session: T o H. V . Amy, of the College of Pharmacy of Columbia University, for completion of the $2000 fund required to finance t h e two-year fellowship planned for the study o f the deterioration of chemicals and pharmaceuticals under the influence of light, $200. T o E. H . Kraus nnd F. F. Blacke, of the College of Pharmacy of the U n i versity of Michigan, f o r continuation of research on t h e phenol halophthaleins, $200. T o E. Kremers and S. Checfaik, of t h e College of Pharmacy of the University of Wisconsin, f o r research on thymol derivatives, $250. T o W. J . Husa, of the Colleges of P h a r m a c y of the University of Washington, for continuation o f work on the stabilization of pharmaceuticals, $100.

The $750 available for research grants this year represents one-half of the annual interest o n the A. Ph. A. research fund— a fund accruing out of the profits o n the sale of the National Formulary, one o f the publications of the association. H . V. A R N Y

Maltbie Chemical C o . Gives Research Fellowship on Creosote Announcement has been made that t h e Maltbie Chemical Co., Newark, N. J., has contributed a grant for a research fellowship for the comings year to t h e Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, The research work to be done under this fellowship will be fundamental in character and will cover a study of t h e toxicity, pharmacology, arid bactericidal efficiency of creosote, creosote compounds, and constituents of creosote. The work t o be done under t h i s fellowship follows t h e chemical researches o n creosote of the past year under the Maltbie Chemical Co. Fellowship a t Princeton University.

Vol. 7, No. 19

NEWS EDITION

6

T h e Lacquer Institute Manufacturers of about 75 per cent of the lacquer s o l d have formed a trade group for t h e purpose of securing t h e many advantages incident to joint study of the economics, manufacture, and merchandising of lacquer products. One of the prominent manufacturers in the new institute is authority for t h e statement that the success attained b y cooperation i n other industries led to careful consideration of some of the faulty practices in the lacquer trades, and t o the conviction that open discussion of these m a t t e r s would lead to some stabilization of methods that would bes of sustantial benefit t o the whole industry—manufacturers a n d customers. I t is the purpose of the members of the institutes to take advantage of the encouragement offered by federal institutions, such as the Department of Commerce and the Federal Trade. Commission, in the adoption of a code of business practices that will have to do with the elimination of wasteful methods in manufacturing, selling, and shipping the product, standardize containers and their use, study terms, discounts, and allowances, promote open and fair competition, and prohibit misrepresentation as to uses and quality of lacquers. The organization is along open and simple lines, i s without penalties or restrictions, and is to be mainly educational a n d suggestive. An experienced trade association secretary has been engaged, and well-known legal counsel consulted. A t t h e last- meeting in New York steps were taken to create a code of business practices, among the provisions of which will be declarations supporting the sanctity of a fixed contract and the encouragement of fair and open merchandising methods, and against unfair discriminations, secret rebates, payment of unearned discounts, and abuse of trade terms. An earnest effort will b e made to keep both manufacturing and merchandising o n a high plane and to prohibit misrepresentations concerning the product or purposes of any manufacturer. I t is contemplated that eventually plans will be adopted for the collection and distribution t o the trade of accurate statistics relating t o the volume of production and use o f lacquer products, and for conducting such campaigns a s are desirable to promote t h e use and service of the material by industrial advertising and other means. A significant factor of potential importance in the functioning of the institute is the benefit to customers, many of whom have expressed themselves strongly regarding the confusions now existing in lacquer merchandising. Assurance of intelligent: classification of products is greatly desired b y the consumer. The officers of the Lacquer Institute are Charles H. Reed., the Forbes Varnish Co., chairman; A. W. Steudel, SherwinWilliams Co., vice chairman; W. C. Dabney, Jones-Dabney Co., and P. E . Kennedy, Murphy Varnish Co., additional members of the executive committee. H. B . Sweatt, 5 5 W e s t Fortysecond St., N e w York, is the secretary and treasurer, sand McKercher & Link, of N e w York, are counsel.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l Heating and V e n t i l a t i n g Exposition The great national importance of heating and ventilating to modern life and the absolute dependability of every character o f building upon these two industries will be emphasized at the first International Heating and Ventilating Exposition to be held in the Commercial Museum, Philadelphia. While it is a matter seldom given more than a passing -thought, buildings without heat and ventilation would be useless. It w a s this thought and the desire to demonstrate to the world the marvelous evolution in scientific thermal advancement made in r e cent years that prompted the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers t o hold an exposition during the period of the society's thirty-sixth annual meeting in Philadelphia, January 27 to 31, 1930. __ These men of science who have passed through the tryang years from the introduction of vacuum and vapor heating and air conditioning to t h e development of the unit heater, the u n i t ventilator, and light weight non-ferrous heating surfaces are anxious to present in exhibition form the pioneering and present-day record of the industry's activities and progress. Electrical interests are experimenting in the field of house heating; room-cooling units are an accomplished fact; panel heating' is about to be given a trial; oil and gas interests are v y i n g with each other to improve their status; and in the coal fields rapid strides are being made t o simplify heating operation and reduce costs. All of these interests will be represented a t the Heating and Ventilating Exposition. Products which will be shown, as indicated by spacer alreadyreserved, include every type used in heating and ventilating the boilers and furnaces in which combustion is performed, equipment using air, water, or other heated fluids for the transfer o f heat systems used t o distribute the heat, and t h e radiators for

diffusing it to create comfort for human, animal, and plant. T h i s range of equipment will include that which is used in the individual home as well as in the industrial plant. A great complexity of apparatus, equipment, instruments, devices, and products fits into this scheme of things—refractories, insulating materials, blowers, fans, air-conditioning and humidifying equipment, pipe and piping systems, pipe fittings, unit heaters, and all the control and regulating apparatus and instruments used at any stage i n the generation o f heat, cooling, and ventilating. This list gives only a limited idea of the types of equipment t o be shown and does not include a n y of t h e supplemental or auxiliary material a n d apparatus.

Scientific Research on Bricklaying a t Mellon Institute The Multiple Industrial Fellowship on Portland Cement of Mellon Institute of Industrial Research a n d the Eastern Face Brick Manufacturers' Association h a v e recently inaugurated a broad scientific study of the problems of bricklaying. So many factors are involved in t h e construction of a brick wall t h a t it is necessary to limit t h e investigation to combinations of variables most likely to occur in actual practice. T h e project has been under discussion for a considerable period of time; experiments were begun b y F. O. Anderegg, senior industrial fellow a t Mellon Institute, and his assistants only after a satisfactory program had been developed. A t present over three hundred experimental brick walls or panels have been erected in order to find the most suitable combinations of materials and workmanship. T h e following problems are being investigated: t h e rate of absorption and total absorption of moisture by brick; the surface characters of brick; t h e merits of different cementing materials, ranging from pure lime to pure cement, and of various sands a n d mortar pigments; t h e effect of varying the type of backing, both as t o material a n d size of unit; t h e results of variation i n workmanship, including pointing, tapping, and the filling o f head-joints; the effect of variation i n design, involving a study of coping and parapet construction, of capillary contact, of condensation, a n d of elasticity; and t h e behavior of mortar with reference t o the other variables in all types of climatic conditions. All results of these studies will be published for the benefit of those interested in building construction.

Chemistry A p p o i n t m e n t s at University of Pittsburgh The following have been added to the chemistry faculty of t h e University of Pittsburgh for the college year 1929—30: Nicholas Dietz, J r . Martin E. McGreal Edward F. Furtsch Harold D. Leberman Walter W. Braun David Glick Carl H. Rasch

Henry Seaman Benjamin F. Stimmel Carl A. Wardner William A. Waugh D W . Weaver, Jr. E. Gurney White Guy H. White, Jr.

Hans d u Mont a n d Chi Fang Lai h a v e been appointed postdoctorate fellows. Doctor du Mont goes t o Pittsburgh on an exchange fellowship of t h e German University Student Exchange, and Doctor Lai on a fellowship. "

Organic S y n t h e s e s "

T h e board of editors of "Organic Syntheses" (an annual publication of satisfactory methods for t h e preparation of organic chemicals) h a s decided t o collect, revise, and rearrange t h e preparations described i n the first nine volumes so as to make t h e m more suitable for general use i n synthetic organic chemistry. All of these preparations are t o be published in a single comprehensive volume, t o be designated a s the "Collective Volume—Revision of Volumes I—IX." I n this work of revision, we would greatly appreciate suggestions in t h e w a y of corrections, difficulties i n checking, new and unproved methods, e t c . H E N R Y GUZMAN IOWA STATE COLLEGE AMES, IOWA

Record Breakers A t midnight, August 8, t h e E a s t Works plant of t h e Middlet o w n Division of the American Rolling Mill Co. had completed 1,158,000 man-hours without a lost-time accident. This is 45 consecutive days for over 3700 men. This is thought t o be a world's record for a steel plant a n d supplants the record ending June 29, made by Butler Works of the Columbia Division of Armco. T h e Pennsylvania plant completed 66 consecutive days but only 1,006,135 man-hours.