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INDUSTRIAL
AND E N G I N E E R I N G
Research Guidance GUSTAVUS J. ESSELEX, Gustavus J. Esselen, Inc., Boston, Mass. W H E N a manufacturer first begins to be interested in the possi bility of taking advantage of chemistry in his operations, i t not infrequently happens that h i s thoughts turn i n the direction of setting up a small laboratory in some corner of his plant and em ploying a young chemist just out of college to work o n his prob lems. To those experienced in t h e conduct of industrial re search, it is obvious that the return on such an investment will be meager and slow, regardless of the mental brilliance of the indi vidual employed. It is not merely that the recent graduate will be entirely ignorant of the details of the operation i n any par ticular plant, but more important, he will lack experience in formulating and organizing his work in such a way as to attain the desired result in the minimum of time. To do this successfully requires the ability to distinguish between what is significant for the problem in hand and what is not, and this ability comes only with experience. Under such conditions the manufacturer or business man is likely to lose interest in the possibility of scien tific work, whereas, as a matter of fact, there i s hardly a manu facturing industry today where the principles of modern chemis try cannot be applied to advantage. In spite of this situation, there are still some manufacturers who, while they do not feel that they can afford t o establish a real research department, nevertheless would like to have studies carried on under their own roof, so t o speak, provided that there was some way in which experienced direction could be applied to the problem and at the same time keep the cost of the work within moderation. For such manufacturers we have worked out a plan known as our research guidance plan, which not only solves this problem for the manufacturer but also provides both employment and valuable experience for the recent technical graduate. As its name implies, it furnishes research guidance both for the busi ness executive and the recent graduate in the laboratory. I n its simplest outline, the plan consists in working out with the manu facturer t h e details of space, equipment, and arrangement re quired for a laboratory to take care of his particular needs. A recent graduate who has shown promise in his college work is then employed t o work in this laboratory. Before h e actually starts, however, t h e problems which are t o be studied are agreed upon with the manufacturer and t h e work is then laid out by one of the members of our staff who is experienced in organizing and plan ning work of this character. Periodic conferences, usually at weekly intervals, are held with the man who i s working a t the plant. A t these times the results of the previous week are reviewed and t h e work for the following week is laid out. A regular progress report is rendered t o the manufacturer. The plan has also been found effective when applied t o small research departments, already established b u t whose functioning i s in need of stimulation and correlation with other plant activities. Such a plan offers a number of advantages. I n the first place, a manufacturer has the benefit of experienced direction of his work without having to employ a n experienced man full time. In t h e second place, a manufacturer has the benefit of the wider rspective which a consulting organization can bring to bear cause of its broad industrial contacts. Furthermore, it places the manufacturer in contact with a group of experienced workers, which is obviously a marked advantage over contact with any single individual, regardless of how able and experienced he may be. I n some instances there is an obvious advantage in having problems studied in close proximity to actual manufacturing operations, and our research guidance plan offers this advantage as well. Finally, the fact must not be overlooked that it affords to the recent graduate an opportunity for training and experience under experienced direction. When properly handled this research guidance plan can be made to yield results with such measure of promptness a s the nature of the problem permits, and in this way t h e interest of the manufacturer in scientific work is permanently retained.
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC PERFUMES T H E U S E AND APPLICATION of natural and synthetic perfumes are covered in an illustrated 62-page bulletin prepared a s a manual for the use of its customers by the N . V. Chemische Fabriek "Naarden,*' Naarden, Holland. The subject is discussed in an interesting manner under the headings of essential oils, syn thetic perfumes, special products, resinoids, perfumery, extracts, lotions, toilet powders, creams, and soap perfumes.
ADDRESSES of former members of the First Gas Regiment (30th Engineers) during the World War, are desired by the Reunion Committee. Please communicate with Master Sergeant James F. McLaughlin, The Chemical Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, M d .
CHEMISTRY
Vol. 13. N o . 1
ACTIVE INTEREST SHOWN IN PRODUCTION OF TUNG OIL T H A T THERE I s an active interest in the production of tung oil in t h e United States is shown in a recent report b y C. C. Concannon, chief of the Chemical Division, Department of Commerce. The United States is purchasing annually about 70 per cent of the Chinese crop of tung oil. At present approximately 50,000 acres have been planted to tung trees in this country, distributed roughly as follows: Florida, 16,600 acres; Georgia, 3500; Louisi ana, 2500; Mississippi, 27,000; and Texas, 400. Experiments are being conducted elsewhere in the cultivation of tung trees. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Burma, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and Russia have shown interest.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSE AT UIVIVERSITY COLLEGE DISTILLATION, evaporation, and air-conditioning are features
of a course in chemical engineering offered by University College, downtown evening division of the University of Southern Cali fornia, Los Angeles, Calif., in the winter quarter which started January 7. Unit processes, together with heat transfer, filtra tion, and the flow offluidswill be studied. Laboratory work and surveys with analysis, ore assaying, non-metallic minerals, or ganic chemistry, and rubber technology are other studies offered during the quarter. A PLANT for t h e production* of solid carbon dioxide has been completed a t Sandyford Works b y T h e Western Chemical Co. (Paisley), Ltd. The product, known as Cardice, is distributed by the Carbon Dioxide Co., Ltd.
Necrology MARY RUGGLES ANDREWS M A R Y RUGGLES ANDREWS, chemist in the Research Laboratory
of t h e General Electric Co., died a t the Deaconess Hospital in Boston, Mass., o n November 1,1934. Mrs. Andrews, an alumna of Massachusetts Institute of Tech nology, joined the staff of the research laboratory in 1906. She was married to W. C. Andrews in 1908 and, after his death, resumed chemical work at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York. In 1918 she returned t o the research laboratory of the General Electr: Uo. and pursued studies in the field of high vacuum technic, including "clean-up" phenomena in gases at low pressures and investigations o n the formation of tungsten carbide. A charter member o f the Eastern N e w York Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, she was always enthusiastic in
the support of the activities of the section. The esteem in which she was held by those associated with her is best expressed in t h e words of L. A. Hawkins: "Her work is being taken over by others but the passing of her lovable person ality will remain an irreparable loss, leaving only an enduring memory of her constant cheerfulness, her quick understanding, her generous helpfulness, and her sweet but strong character." WARREN E. EATON PLUNGING 1600 feet from his glider into Biscayne Bay, Warren E. Eaton, 4 6 years old, was killed o n December 1. Mr. Eaton was head of the Norwich Pharmacal Co., Norwich, Ν. Υ., which he inherited from his father in partnership with his two brothers. He was one of t h e most expert operators of motorless aircraft J n the country, and president of the Soaring Society of America. THOMAS MIDGLEY THOMAS MIDGLEY, inventor and for many years head of t h e Development Department of the Fisk Rubber Co., died Decem ber 26 in Bradenton, Fla., at the age of 74. A native of England, he came t o the United States as a boy. While engaged in bicycle manufacturing in Columbus, Ohio, he turned to t h e automobile field and was one of t h e earliest in ventors of removable rims. His company was taken over b y t h e United States Rubber Co., with which he was prominently identified for many years. For the last twenty-five years he had devoted himself chiefly t o research work, mostly for the United States and Fisk Rubber Companies. He was closely associated with his son, Thomas Midgley, Jr.
