T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
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and it may safeIy be assumed that among them there ate many that would be found to have valuable medicinal properties. It was, for example, recently observed by the writer that a plant which is very abundant in the southern states contains a large proportion of an alkaloid, the composition and properties of which are still undetermined, and many others of a similar or equally interesting charadter could certainly be found. Numerous plants, especially in the western flora, contain aromatic substaqces, but the composition and possible utilization of these substances, either in medicine or the arts, still remains to be ascertained. Such subjects, whether they be considered to pertain to pharmaceutical or biological chemistry or any other branch of chemical science, require for their elucidation the highest chemical training and skill, and an especially broad knowledge of the character and behavior of all classes of organic compounds. A considerable staff of experienced investigators could, therefore, be most usefully employed in such lines of work, since results would be achieved which would often be of lasting benefit to mankind. The details of organization and policjr to be pursued by the national institute which it is proposed to establish having already been entrusted to a capable committee, the writer, in concluding these brief remarks, can only express the hope that their labors may be attended with the most abundant success. PHYTOCHEMICAL LABORATORY BUREAUO F CHsMISTRY WASHINGTON, D. C. March 10, 1919
FREDERICK B. POWER
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN THE VARIOUS COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD I n normal times the amount of chemical research in the various countries can be gauged with considerable accuracy by the number of abstracts published in Chemical Abstracts of papers produced by citizens of the different nations. I n the abnormal times brought about by the great world war such figures reflect the situation with less accuracy because of the chemical research on war subjects not published and because, as it happens, it has been possible to cover the current German and Austrian chemical literature with only a fair degree of completeness. This literature has been covered pretty well, however, so that the figures, though a few per cent low as regards Germany and Austria, tell a story that is really not far from the truth and one that is of a good deal o€ significance COUNTRIES United States. Great Britain.. France. Germany. Austria. Italy.. Russia. Ilolland Norway.. Sweden. Switzerland. Belgium. Japan.. Spain.. Denmark. Argentina. .........
-Number of Abstracts1913 1917 1918 4136 3940 4602 2741 1560 1531(b) 2481 794 841 1258 6539 2065 539 112 95 286 905 305 67 474 264 328 276 326 22 15 19 110 36 64 129 114 226 2 185 254 71b) 166 17 34 26 17 41 20 49 Not Not counted counted 52 89 42
...... ..... ............ ........... ........... ............. ............ ............ .......... ........... ........ ........... ............
............ ..........
...- - ...........
Other Countries..
---Per cent of Total1913 1917 1918 21.1 43.9 45.4 14.9 16.8 14.7 7.6 9.2 13.3 19.7 13.8 34.9 1.1 2.9 1 .o 2.9 4.9 3.1 2.5 2.5 0.7 2.6 3.6 1.8 0.08 0.24 0.18 0.58 0.40 0.62 1.42 1.21 1.08 0.99 0.02 0.06 1.58 0.38 2.78 0.18 0.19 0.24 0.19 0.19 0.21 0.54
0.27
0.84
0.46
TOTAL 18,681 10,483 9,108 a) The Japanese chemical literature was not covered completely prevfous to 1918 (b) Of these’ 147 appeared in Canadian publications.
The figures for 1918 in the accompanying table are new. Those for 1913,the last year not affected by the war, and for 1917, have already been published and discussed,’ but are furnished again for ready comparison. It will be noted that the number of chemical papers published in the United States in 1
Tars JOURNAL, 10 (1918), 236.
Vol.
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No. 4
1918 is smaller by a bit less than five hundred than in 1917, but that the per cent of the total is up a little. It is interesting to specdate on the margin by which the United States will maintaih its lead. E. J. CRANE OHIO STATE UNXVERSITV COLUMBUS, ORIO February 4. 1919
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BACK TO THE COLLEGES AND UNNERSITIES Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: Your editorial in the February‘issue of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry entitled “Back t o the Colleges and Universities” agrees so completely with my own views that I appreciate the oppbrtiinity to lend emphasis to the good advice you are giving to our young men. Even before the war there was a very serious shortage of highly trained chemists in the United States and now, since the industries and the rapid expansion of research institutes and laboratories have absorbed such men much faster than they have been supplied, the shortage is a source of very grave concern to such as look ahead in considering the welfare of our country in the industries, in educational fields, and in other branches of research. Our young men should understand that there is for the moment an ample supply, indeed an excess, of the half-finished product, the college graduate, with which the country has in large measure contented itself in the past and that what our country needs most emphatically, if it is to stand any chance of competition with European industry and science, is an ample supply of the finished product, the university Ph.D., or the equivalent of the graduate technical school. Broad training and mastery of the resources in research, in organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry, is represented by the graduate degree and this it is that lends its vital value to the degree. What patient would care to lend himself knowingly to treatment by a physician who had completed only half of the highly developed training which is now required for the M.D. degree in order to make the physician of to-day familiar with all the resources of modern medicine? In the same way our research laboratories and industries have realized to their own great advantage the value of the completely trained chemist. For that reason my own advice to able young men returning from service has been to return to their studies to complete their training-for their own good and for the good of the country. Men showing no decided promise in chemistry are advised to drop the science and turn to some field better qualified to bring out the best that is in them. This advice tallies, I believe, exactly with your own views. UNIVERSITY O F CHICAQO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS February 17, 1919
JULIUS
ST~EGLITZ
TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS IN CHEMISTRY AT THROOP COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY Upon the recommendation of its Director of Chemical Research, Throop College of Technology has established six Teaching Fellowships in Chemistry carrying an annual stipend of $750 each, in addition to free tuition. The primary object of these fellowships is to give to a group of well-qualified men a training in chemical research which will prepare them for the many important positions in scientific and industrial research laboratories and in the development departments of American chemical industries. The Fellows will devote not more than twelve hours a week to instruction work of a character that will afford them useful experience. The remainder of their time will be available for research and advanced study leading to the higher degrees.
Apr., 1.919
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
The Fellowships are open to men who have taken thorough undergraduate courses in chemistry and physics (and preferably also courses in mathematics through the calculus), and who have already demonstrated their interest and resourcefulness in scientific work. Applicants should have already received, or should expect to receive before September 1919, a bachelor's degree, or better, a master's degree, from a college or university of recognized standing. The new chemistry building, which was erected in 1917, provides excellent facilities for instruction and research. A permanent annual income of $10,000has been provided for the support of chemical research. Advanced courses in chemistry, varied somewhat in different years, are offered to the Teaching Fellows and other properly qualified students, in the following subjects: Chemistry of the Rarer Elements, Organic Chemistry (Special Topics), Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Radiochemistry and Photochemistry,, Kinetic and Electron Theories. In addition, Fellows coming from other institutions have the opportunity of attending two somewhat unique courses offered to junior and senior students at Throop College, namely, the unusually thorough problem course in Physical Chemistry consisting of 150 classroom exercises, and the laboratory course in Special Analytical Methods which familiarizes the student with a large variety of physicochemical and other special methods of analysis. Dr. Arthur A. Noyes, Director of Chemical Research a t Throop College, in cooperation with the other professors of the chemistry department, will suggest to the Teaching Fellows a variety of problems for research, and will be in close touch with their research work during the portion of the year which he spends a t the college. I n physics and mathematics, work of an advanced character is being organized under the supervision of Dr. Robert A. Millikan, Director of Physical Research a t Throop College; Dr. Harry Bateman, Professor of Aeronautical Research and Mathematical Physics; and Dr. James H. Ellis, Assistant Professor of Physicochemical Research. Applications should be sent to Professor Stuart J. Bates, Throop College of Technology, Pasadena, California, so as to reach him not later than April first of each year.
DENATURED ALCOHOL FORMULA
NO. 30 FOR SPECIAL DENATURATION OF ALCOHOL FOR
USE BY CHEMlCAL AND PHYSICAL LABORATORIES
Treasury Department Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue Washington To Collectors of Internal Revenue and Others Concerned: The following formula, designated as No. 30, in Regulations No. 30, revised, for the special denaturation of alcohol to be used exclusively as a reagent for analytical and testing purposes by chemical and physical laboratories, is hereby authorized : To each IOO gallons of pure 95 per cent ethyl alcohol add I O gallons of pure methy! alcohol, which methyl alcohol is to have a specific gravity of not more than 0.810 at 60' F. Alcohol so denatured shall not be redistilled or purified before use, and is not to be recovered for reuse. The use of specially denatured alcohol, Formula No. 30, will not be permitted until the intended use and method of its use is fully and satisfactorily set forth in the application filed. Laboratories availing themselves of the privilege here granted must duly qualify, keep records, and otherwise comply with the law and regulations, as in the case of manufacturers using specially denatured alcohol. The form of bond will be 582 or 582-A. DANIELC. ROPER Approved: CARTERGLASS S~crclaryof ihc Treasury Commissioner of Internal Revenue February 2 0 , 1919
379
THE NEXT PHARMACOPOEIA May 1920, only a little more than a year hence, will again witness the assembling in Washington of the delegates to the United States Pharmacopoeial Convention. This fact should stimulate pre-convention activity on the part of those who have had experience with the present revision and are prepared to suggest improvements for a new edition. It is desirable a t this time that pharmacists, physicians, chemists, botanists, biological experts, or any others who use the U. S. P. IX should submit to the chairman of the Revision Committee, either personally or through associations, such helpful information as their experience may have suggested, or which may have come to their attention. These suggestions will be compiled systematically and circularized to the present Revision Committee, the authors being credited in each instance with the recommendations, and the compilation will be submitted to the 1920 convention for the benefit of the new Committee of Revision. The Committee of Revision earnestly urges cooperation in the preparation of this report and requests that suggestions be sent in on a special form. using a separate sheet for each subject. As many forms as are desired may be obtained from Charles H. Lawall, Chairman of the Committee of Revision of the United States Pharmacopoeia, 39 S. Tenth St., Philadelphia, Pa.
AMMONIACAL SILVER OXIDE SOLUTIONS
In the course of some recent work in this laboratory, circumstances called for the use of an ammoniacal solution of silver oxide. Several explosions, one of them being serious, resulted from handling this material. Silver nitride (AgaN) and related explosive compounds are well known, but it is commonly asserted that they are only formed, by the prolonged action of ammonium hydroxide on silver oxide in the presence of air. Precautions had been accordingly taken to exclude air and also to use only freshly prepared material, yet it was made painfully evident that this did not prevent silver nitride from being formed, nor is there any obvious theoretical reason why access of air should play any part in its formation. In the circumstances, a warning as to the properties of ammoniacal silver oxide solutions and the ease with which readily and powerfully detonating compounds are generated in them seems not out of place. ALFREDTINGLE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY DEPT. OB CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE OTTAWA,CANADA, October 25, 1918
CONCERNING MANUFACTURE OF SULFONIC ACIDS The Department of Agriculture announces that the Color Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry, of this Department, has developed, on a laboratory scale, a new process for the manufacture of certain sulfonic acids. This process, as carried out in the laboratories, appears so promising that it is thought that some manufacturers of chemicals and dyestuffs in this country may be able to supply their demands for these and other valuable compounds by this process, provided the process can be reproduced upon a technical scale so as to obtain results commensurate with the laboratory investigations. The process refers particularly to the sulfonation in the vapor phase of benzene, naphthalene, and other hydrocarbons. With a view to helping the chemical industry of this country, the Department of Agriculture hereby announces that it is ready to assist manufacturers who wish to produce these compounds. The expenses of the technical installation and of the
