George B. Kauffman California State University Fresno, 93740
November 1, 1769 November 3, 1955 November 7,1933 November 11,1794
November 11.1925 November 11.1945
November 12,1864 November 14,1797
I
Selected Dates in American Chemistry November
Benjamin Rush gives his first lecture of a complete course in chemistry at the College of Philadelphia. Poliomyelitis virus is crystallized by Dr. A. Schwerdt a t the University of California, Berkeley. The 21st Amendment repealing the 18th Amendment (Prohibition of ethanol) is voted by the U.S. Congress. In a letter to Benjamin Rush, Joseph Priestley from Northumberland, Pennsylvania, declines the Professorship of Chemistry a t the College of Philadelphia because of "difficulty and irksomeness of a journey to Philadelphia" and the necessity of leaving his wife 4 months each year. On the same day Priestley is unanimously elected. Discoverv of existence of cosmic ravs is announced a t Madison, is cons in. Discoverv of americium (at. no. 95) and curium (at. no. 96) is announced to the world for the first time on Armistice Day, 1945 on the Quiz Kids program by Glenn T. Seaborg. The Chemical Society of Union College holds its 96th and last meeting. "An Attempt to Accommodate the Disputes among the Chemists Concerning Phlogiston. In a Letter from Dr. Mitchill to Dr. Priestley, dated 14th Nov. 1797" appears in the Medical
674 / Journal of Chemical Education
Repository (New York), 1,514 (1798). November 15,1937 The first ACS student affiliate chapter is chartered at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania. November 16,1945 Announcement of the discovery of americium and curium by Glenn T. Seaborg et al. November 22,1970 The U.S. Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston announces that ten of its scientists have perfected a process to extract water and oxygen from Moon soil. November 25,1960 The first atomic reador for research and development begins operation a t Richland, Washington. November 26,1801 Charles Hatchett (1765-1847) announces his discovery of columbium (niobium) before the Royal Society. November 20, 1774 Benjamin Rush publishes the results of experiments in which he obtained an ounce of crude saltpeter from a half pound of dry tohacco stalks in the Pennsylvania Packet under the pseudonym "Peregrinus." November 29,1921 In a letter to Henry Gilman, Charles L. Parsons, a world renowned expert on beryllium, wrote, "I do not believe that there is a gram of pure metallic beryllium in the world today-I would not take a contract to furnish you with a gram of pure metallic beryllium for $10,000."
