July 10, 1928
INDUSTRIAL
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Sillimanite—A New Laboratory Ware Sillimanite i s the name given a new laboratory ware which the originators and distributors believe possesses the required c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a greater degree than do o r d i n a r y porcelains. Edward G . Nellis Sillimanite laboratory ware is an outgrowth of Edward Granville Nellis, who passed away on June 2 7 , 1928, research originally un at h i s summer home in Quogue, Long Island, was born on June dertaken to develop a 30, 1379, i n New York City. He was t h e son of Edward J. and spark plug insulator M a r y Nellis. which would withstand After a t t e n d i n g Betts Academy at Stamford, Conn., and Yale the severe requirements University, he engaged in newspaper work on t h e New York of airplane e n g i n e s . Times. Later h e was connected with t h e Real Estate Record and Investigations carried Builders' Guide of N e w York, which w a s subsequently absorbed on at the B u r e a u of by tine F. W. Dodge Co. He then became identified with t h e S t a n d a r d s a n d else A M E R I C A N CHEMICAL SOCIETY, handling the advertising in t h e where showed that in SOCIETY'S journals. the highest fired porce I n association with F . Warner Robinson and Ralph Reinhold, lains there were always he organized t h e Chemical Catalog C o . in 1915, becoming its t o b e found crystals vice president. In t h e early part of 1920 Mr. Nellis and his asso i d e n t i f i e d a s Silli c i a t e s acquired Pencil Points Press, Inc., publishing a magazine manite. A synthetic devoted t o architecture. Both enterprises were conducted from Sillimanite w a s p r e Figure 1 419 F o u r t h Ave., New York, Ν. Υ . U p o n t h e retirement of Mr. pared and employed in Robinson i n 1926, Mr. Nellis became president of the associated various proportions in place of quartz in porcelain bodies to con companies . firm the belief that porcelains possessing it were t h e m o s t satis On October 1 , 1908, Mr. Nellis married Louise, daughter of factory. Reverend and Mrs. Jesse F. Forbes. He is survived by his Figure 1 shows a section of a typical porcelain, t h e quartz w i d o w and two daughters, Janet and Barbara. grains being readily dis Funeral services were held on June 2 9 in N e w York City, and cernible a s t h e larger, interment was a t Westhampton, Long Island, Saturday, June 30. irregularly shaped crys M r . Nellis w a s a member of t h e Chemists' Club, the Advertis tals. Figure 2 shows ing Club, the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, and the American what might happen t o Section of the Society of Chemical Industry. such a quartz grain a s the result of strain s e t up b y changes in t h e r a t e of e x p a n s i o n Personnel of Chemical Division National c a u s e d by inversion. Research Council Figure 3 is of Sillimanite showing it t o b e a T h e personnel of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical homogeneous mass of T e c h n o l o g y of the National Research Council for 1928-29 will c r y s t a l s which, after be a s follows: firing, are monotropic; Vice Chairmen (cont'd.): Chairman: that is, they undergo n o Charles A. Kraus George A. Hulett inversions or molecular S. C . Lind changes upon heating Edward Mack V i c e Chairmen: H. S. Miner W. C. Geer and cooling. James F. Norris Roger Adams The Champion Charles L. Parsons Marston T. Bogert C. L. Reese R. M. Burns Figure 2 Porcelain Co., of D e C. M. A. Stine W. M. Clark troit, became interested W. T. Taggart James B . Conant in the'work of the Bureau of Standards and soon found that t h e E. W. Washburn William J. H a l e Frank C. Whitmore Harry N . Holmes preparation of large quantities of artificial Sillimanite presented serious problems, and began a search for a natural deposit of S i l l i m a n i t e . In 1920 a deposit of t^gy-i:.-'.i^'--:'c 7^"':-^L-v-^^^--^^>\'s&"". Loevenhart Honored Sillimanite (Andalusite) o f g r e a t A m o n g the five University of Wisconsin medical men to whom tonnage was s o m e two hundred scientists paid honor when the seventh annual located in the I n y o Congress of Anesthetists of the United States and Canada con M o u n t a i n s of v e n e d in Madison, June 7 to 9 , is Arthur S. Loevenhart. T h e C a l i f o r n i a , and recognition took the form of a joint scroll and was tendered in now all the usual appreciation of their significant researches o n the effects of anes laboratory porce thetics o n the blood, and the chemistry of the former. lain shapes a n d vessels can be sup plied of Sillimanite ware, which i s be Snell Expands Consulting Activities ing distributed by Foster D. Snell h a s resigned from t h e teaching staff of Pratt the Central Scien I n s t i t u t e , where for the past five years he has had charge of the tific Co., of Chi course i n technical chemistry. His present plans are for the cago. expansion of consulting work previously carried on, including An a t t r a c t i v e p l a n t supervision, development of n e w products and processes, brochure entitled a n d legal testimony. This work will be conducted from his "The S t o r y of n e w office at 130 Clinton St., Brooklyn, Ν . Υ. His laboratory Sillimanite Labo w i l l remain at 3 5 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn. Figure 3 ratory Ware" has been issued b y the Central Scientific Co., giving results of a series of exhaustive and continuous tests over a period of two years. These tests show t h e John Johnston received t h e honorary degree of doctor of resistance to mechanical shock to be very high, and the ware also science from N e w York University o n June 6. Others receiving exhibits marked resistance t o sudden changes in temperature. honorary degrees a t the same time were Charles A. Lindbergh, The brochure gives data with respect t o coefficient of expansion, D u n c a n M. Genns, Cass Gilbert, Clarence H. Mackay, Wilfred melting point, porosity, and tensile strength. It is well illustrated T. Grenfell, Daniel Guggenheim, Vincent Massey, a n d Charles with views of manufacturing operations, with graphs of the tests Evans Hughes. made, photomicrographs, and photographs of t h e ware itself made t o emphasize a number of attractive features. D . W. Wilson h a s been elected vice president a n d general m a n a g e r of t h e D r y Quenching Equipment Corp., a subsidiary R. K . Summerbell, of Ohio State University, has accepted a of the International Combustion Engineering Corp,. 200 Madi position on t h e chemistry staff of Northwestern University. s o n Ave-, N e w York, Ν . Υ.
Obituary
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Sixth Colloid Symposium With one hundred and forty registered and o n e hundred others attending the sessions, t h e Sixth Colloid Symposium concluded a three-day live meeting a t the University of Toronto o n June 16. Delegates were on hand from university and industrial labora tories throughout the United States and Canada, and a number of Europeans well known in the colloid field attended the sessions. Every branch of science was represented, and "the meeting left no doubt as to t h e significance of t h e colloidal s t a t e in chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, and engineering. The twenty-five papers read and discussed pointed t o colloidal studies as a common denominator for modern specialized re search. Among the topics were soap solutions, lubricating films, preparation of catalysts, phagocytosis, mechanism of the digestive enzymes, vulcanization, rubber substitutes, explosives, structure of wood, and the supercentrifuge. A special series of lectures on molecular forces in thin films was given during the week by Sir William Ha.rdy, director of the Low-Temperature Station for Research in Biochemistry and Physics, of Cambridge University. Sir William also delivered a public lecture o n modern advances in t h e storage and preserva tion of foods, based on recent work at Cambridge. During the meeting announcement w a s macie of promising results in the treatment of cancer with a colloidal metal. The suspension has been prepared by E . F. Burton, of the Physics Department of t h e University of Toronto, and used by Arthur C. Hendrick, Toronto physician. The experiments for which success is claimed have been confined as yet to animal material. Throughout t h e sessions it was evident that t h e Colloid Sym posia have done much t o clarify and unify t h e concepts which underlie the science of colloid chemistry. Problems involving nomenclature are gradually being settled. Conflicting views relative t o fundamental principles are becoming harmonized. A continuance of these symposia will go far toward placing the science of colloid chemistry upon a firm foundation. T h e visitors were accommodated in University of Toronto residences and in Hart House, t h e m e n students' commons. Informal and formal dinners and other entertainment were on the program. Much of the credit for a well-organized and smoothly conducted meeting is due to Harry B . Weiser, chair man of the sessions, and to Έ,. F . Burton, i n charge of local arrangements. The Seventh Colloid Symposium will m e e t at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, M d . , June 21 t o 23, 1929.
Canadian Convention of Chemists Attended by nearly t w o hundred representatives of t h e chemical profession in Canada, t h e eleventh annual convention of Cana dian chemists, held in London, Ontario, June 6 , 7, and 8, 1928, marked new progress in the field of chemical activities in the Dominion. A new organization, t h e Canadian Chemical Asso-· ciation, was formed to federate t h e existing chemical organiza tions in Canada for the promotion of common a i m s . For a number of years the Society of Chemical Industry has had branches in Canada at Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa, which have served the needs of t h e chemists i n these localities very well. With the formation of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry in 1921, professional chemists in all parts of Canada were united in one status-giving organization. To meet the need for meetings of chemists in various parts o f the Dominion, outside the three centers mentioned above, several local branches of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry were formed and sub sequently other local organizations of chemists were created. At previous conventions the subject of federating these societies has been discussed, and at Quebec, in 1927, a. representative committee was appointed to study the matter a.nd t o report at the next convention. The report of t h i s c o m m i t t e e a t the Ivondon convention was favorable to t h e establishment of a federation of existing societies and the resolution was adopted. Each local group will have a representative on t h e central council, but individuals will n o t become members of the Canadian Chemical Association. The Association i s designed t o represent the chemists of Canada in matters of national concern and will also serve as a committee of management t o take charge of annual conventions from year to year. Reflecting the difficulties which have boen overcome in the creation of the new Association, the first official resolution passed indicates the spirit in which t h e Canadian Chemical Association was brought into being: The Canadian Chemical Association begs to congratulate its first president, Professor G. S. Whitby, McOill University, on t h e successful outcome of his unwearied efforts on behalf of the Association, since it is v e r y largely owing to Professor Whitby's energy, tact, and unfailing good humor that the difficul ties attending the establishment of the Association have b e e n overcome, that vigorously expressed differences of opinion have been reconciled, and that objects desired by all Canadian chemists have been happily attained.
A t London, for the first time, it was found possible to divide the program into sectional meetings. A symposium o n the ap
News Edition
plication of chemistry in the textile industry was arranged in cooperation with the Canadian Woolen and K n i t Goods Manu facturers' Association. A biochemical symposium brought the biochemists and industrial chemists together for the first time in Canada. A symposium on chemical education in Canada, arranged by A. C. Neish, of Queen's University, Kingston, provided a review of the teaching of chemistry in high schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities in each of the provinces in Canada. In the discussion on the papers presented in this symposium, industrialists, university professors, and high school teachers contributed many suggestions of value. It was gener ally conceded that the symposium should be productive of a greater degree of uniformity in the teaching of chemistry through out the Dominion. General meetings provided a n opportunity for the considera tion of statistical records of progress in the chemical industries and for the delivery of papers of industrial interest, as well as for the hearing of addresses on research problems. During the convention the annual meeting of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry was held. This organization comprises in its mem bership practically all of the professional chemists in the Domin ion. A meeting was also held of the Canadian Council of the Society of Chemical Industry, which has branches in Ottawa and Montreal. From the beginning the convention arrangements went smoothly. Meetings were held on time, arrangements for entertainment were adequate, opportunities for discussion were afforded, so that the net result was highly profitable to those who attended the eleventh annual convention of Canadian chemists. Next year the convention is t o be held in Toronto. S. J. COOK Ottawa, June 21, 192S
Meeting of Section Officers, Eighth Midwest Regional Meeting, Minneapolis, Minn· The meeting of the officers of sections in t h e midwest region was called to order by the chairman, H. A. Schuette, at the Campus Club, University of Minnesota, at 12:30 P. M. Friday, June 8, 1928, for the transaction of the business of the Midwest Regional Meeting. Present were H. A. Schuette, M . C. Sneed, Edward Bartow, R. E . Kirk, R. C. Fuson, W . O. Richtmann, Charles D . Hurd, George Glockler, and C. H. Bailey. The min utes of the Seventh Midwest Regional Meeting (Chicago, 1927) were read and approved. Doctor Schuette for the executive committee presented a statement of policies for the Midwest Regional Meeting. With minor modifications this statement was accepted and approved by the committee [see I N D . ENG. CHEM., 20, 705 (1928)]. In view of the fact that two national meetings are to be held in the midwest during the calendar year of 1929, namely at Columbus, Ohio, in the spring of 1929 and a t Minneapolis in the fall of 1929, it was moved and seconded that no Midwest Regional Meeting be held during the calendar year 1929. This motion was unanimously carried. I t was moved that the retiring secretary, C. H. Bailey of the Minnesota Section, be made chairman for the next Midwest Regional Meeting. Some discussion of the various possible locations for the 1930 meeting followed. In this connection it was noted that no formal invita tions for this meeting have yet been received. In line with Section 7 of the statement of policies, no secretary was elected, it being understood that the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY section serving as host at the 1930 meeting would be asked to designate a secretary from the ranks of its active mem bers. The most convenient dates for the 1930 meeting were then the subject of discussion. It appeared to be the opinion of those present that the last week of M a y is generally most convenient.
Meeting of American Association of Cereal Chemists The fourteenth annual convention of the American Association of Cereal Chemists was held at Minneapolis, Minn., June 4 t o 8, 1928. The convention was unique to the extent that it involved joint sessions with two other associations—the Association of Operative Millers and the Midwest Regional Meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
Twenty-two papers and reports were presented. One of the notable events occurred during the joint session with the AMERI CAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Midwest Regional Meeting when the Thomas Burr Osborne Medal w a s presented to T. B. Osborne in recognition of his contributions to cereal chemistry. C. B, Morison discussed the life and work of Thomas Burr Osborne, with particular reference to his contributions t o the chemistry of the cereal proteins. He indicated that Doctor Osborne's work in this field began in 1889, under the direction of Doctor Johnson,
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and con tinued through several decades. Doctor Osborne's classic monograph on the proteins of the wheat kernel attracted the attention of the entire scientific world and still constitutes a fundamental source book for all researches in this field. T o date Doctor Osborne has published more than t w o hundred and fifty papers a n d books, and he still maintains an active interest in researches in biochemistry. The gold medal bearing a portrait medallion of Doctor Osborne in low relief was presented by the president of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, L. R . Olsen. In the absence of Doctor Osborne, an address of acceptance was read by C. I„. Alsberg. The cereal chemists participated in the dedication of the new biochemistry building at the University Farm during the after noon of Thursday, June 7. A t the business meeting of the Association on Wednesday, June 6, the following officers were elected: president, C. E. Mangels; vice president, M. A. Gray; secretary-treasurer, M . D. Mize; editor-in-chief of Cereal Chemistry, C. H. Bailey; managing editor, R. C. Sherwood. The Association was honored b y the presence of six foreign members, and t h e registration w a s equivalent to more than half of t h e American membership. While n o final action was taken in regard to the place of meet ing in 1929, the informal ballot indicated a preference for Detroit, Mich.
Syracuse Chemical Exposition The Third Annual Chemical Exposition, sponsored jointly by t h e Syracuse Section and Syracuse University, was held M a y I S and 19 in the university chemical building. I t attracted over 1500 visitors, including several hundred from out of town. Forty-two teachers of hemistry, representing 35 secondary schools, brought with them nearly 400 high school students. The entire chemistry building was *n display during the Exposition, including the research and special laboratories as well as the general laboratories and museum. About 100 student exhibitors were on duty constantly t o attend and ex plain t h e set-ups, many of which involved continuous reactions. Responsibility for the exhibits was divided among the staff, graduate students, and the men's and women's professional chemical fraternities. Maude B. Scofield served as general chairman. A t t h e close of t h e first day t h e Syracuse Section held its regular M a y meeting, attended b y over 500 members and visitors. G. E . Matthews, of the Research laboratory of the E a s t m a n Kodak Co., gave an illustrated lecture on "The Scien tific Applications of Photography." At t h e close of the lecture several short skits from t h e S. U. KLemSho were presented. The chemistry teachers who attended the Exposition devoted one-half day t o a meeting at which the topic for discussion was, "Means b y Which the Syracuse Section M a y Serve the Teachers of Chemistry in Its Area." Henrietta Hay den, of Syracuse University, presided. Papers were presented by Lucy E. Latham, of the Sherrill High School, representing out-of-town schools; Geo. W . Fowler, of Central High School, representing local schools ; Clarence E . Baer, supervisor of science, representing t h e State Department of Education; and I*. C. Jordy, repre senting t h e Syracuse Section. These papers appear in full in t h e M a y , 1928, issue of the Syracuse Chemist, 21, N o . 9. The speakers strongly recommended t h e establishment of an Educa tional Service Bureau t o function in a wide variety of w a y s — from selling chemistry t o boards and superintendents of educa t i o n to sending o u t lecturers and exhibits or advising students concerning opportunities in chemistry and the choice of a career. I t was also felt that employers are neglecting a great opportunity i n not creating more vacation and part-time positions for boys w h o wish to get in touch with chemistry. Those interested in obtaining further details should address R . A. Baker, Syracuse University, chairman of the standing Committee on Chemical Education of the Syracuse Section of
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T h a t the generalities of organic chemistry do n o t hold as regularly as text and reference books in this neld m a y lead one to believe was the text of the address, "Some Peculiarities of Highly Branched Aliphatic Compounds," delivered a t the pre ceding meeting, April 25, by James B . Conarit, of Harvard University.
Second International Conference o n Bituminous Coal T h e Carnegie Institute of Technology announces t h e Second International Conference on Bituminous Coal, which will be held under its auspices in Pittsburgh, November 19 t o 24, 1928. T h e purpose of the Congress is similar to that held in 1926: to present the results of recent studies of coal that have t o do with improved methods of utilization and combustion. The program will include t h e discussion of low-temperature distilla tion, high-temperature distillation, coal-tar products, power, smokeless fuel, complete gasification of coal, hydrogénation, pulverized fuel and its new applications, fixation of nitrogen, coal beneficiation, etc. A n invitation is extended t o scientists in all countries to take part in this conference. T h o m a s S. Baker, t h e president of t h e Carnegie Institute of Technology, recently visited Europe and received tentative acceptances from distinguished specialists in this field in Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominion of Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Spain, either to be present or t o contribute papers at t h e Congress. This list will b e considerably enlarged by additional acceptances. • Scientists of all countries who may wish t o take part i n the Congress are requested to notify a s soon as possible the secretary, Sumner B . Ely, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Removal of Naphthalene from Gas—A Correction Editor of News Edition, Industrial In
the
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OP INDUSTRIAL
Chemistry:
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CHBMISTRY, 6, 7 (June 10, 1928) is a brief description of the Koppers type naphthalene removal apparatus, under the title "Removal of Naphthalene from Gas." This description is correct except the last paragraph, which contains several errors. I t is stated that "approximately 16.5 gallons of light oil per million cubic feet * * * 40 gallons of light oil per million cubic feet of gas reduces i t s naphthalene content * * * . " The Koppers naphthalene scrubber does n o t use light oil a s the scrubbing medium, b u t gas oil. A s is well known, light oil is the term used t o designate t h e mixture of benzene, toluene, etc., which can be recovered from coal gas. Gas oil, o n the other hand, is a petroleum fraction used for carbureting blue gas. T h e cost of gas oil is very much lower than that of light oil. In this same paragraph the costs of naphthalene removal in t w o typical plants are given as 1.8 cents and 1.5 cents per thousand cubic feet of gas. These figures are one hundred times the correct ones, t h e costs for power, labor, and materials in these t w o plants being 0.018 cent and 0.015 cent, respectively, per thousand cubic feet of gas treated. Any process for naphthalene removal costing 1.5 cents per thousand cubic feet of gas would be too expensive for consideration by the gas industry. The operating costs of t h e Koppers process are extremely low, a feature which makes i t especially attractive. JOHN F . B Y R N E T H E KOPPERS COMPANY LABORATORIES M E L L O N INSTITUTE PITTSBURGH, P A . June 22, 1928
Italian Dye Merger
Wisconsin Section
A n important dye merger is that of the Aziende Chimiche Nazionali Associate (A. C . N . Α.), with a capitalization of 100,000,000 lire, which has been formed b y the three largest Italian manufacturers of dyes—the Società Italiana Prodotti Esplodenti, Cengio, Soc. Anon. Materie Coloranti Bonelli, and Società Italica Colon Artificiali.
Before disbanding for the summer months the Section elected n e w officers as follows: Chairman, W. O. Richtmann; Vice Chairman, W. E . Tottingham; Secretary-Treasurer, E . O. Wiig; Editor, H . A. Schuette; Councilors; J. H . Mathews and A. S. Loevenhart. The final meeting of the year, M^y 17, was addressed by Β . Μ. Duggar, of the Botany Department of t h e University of Wiscon sin, w h o took for his subject, "Is It Possible that Non-living Chemical Substances M a y Induce Certain Highly Infectious 'Diseases' of Plants?" The discussion centered around the mosaic disease of plants, which is thought to be due to a filterable virus.
American Chemical Society—76th Meeting, Swampscott, Mass., vSeptember 10 t o 14, 1928. Institute of Chemistry—Northwestern University, Evanston, 111., July 2 3 to August 18, 1928. Regional Meeting—University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., October 26 and 2 7 , 1928. Association of Dairy, Food, and Drug Officials of the United States—Hartford, Conn., September 11 to 14, 1928.
t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
Calendar of Meetings
