April 20, 1931
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T h e New Chemical Laboratories of Picatinny Arsenal J. B . ROSE, Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, N. J. A one-story building 34 by 31 feet is devoted to research work In 1926 the chemical laboratory of Picatinny Arsenal was It contains an destroyed b y collapse and fire resulting from an explosion in a o n detonating compounds and fuse powders. storage depot contiguous to the Arsenal. With the resumption office, chemical laboratory, physical testing laboratory, and three of operations in t h e Arsenal, laboratories were improvised i n rooms for mixing,* pressing, and testing compositions. A second one-story building contains t h e physics and pyro buildings which were not destroyed, and i n 1928 Congress pro vided funds for rehabilitation which included the construction of technic research laboratories. n e w laboratories. These Because of the sensi are now completed and tivity to outside in have been recently oc fluences of the tests in cupied. volved, the stability con trol and experimental As the investigations work is carried out in a n d tests are of great another one-story build diversity, ranging from ing, 34 by 23 feet, which analytical control t o re c o n t a i n s t w o labora search of a fundamental tories and a preparation nature, and some of the room. work involves the han I n addition to the dling of explosives, the laboratory b u i l d i n g s , design of the new labora s m a l l , semi-permanent tories was planned t o structures are used for minimize hazards by the film and solvent segregation of certain storages, five similar types of work in sepa structures serve for t h e rate buildings. Five overnigbt storage of ex laboratory buildings are plosive s a m p l e s , t w o required on this basis. b u i l d i n g s of twenty Each of t h e new build rooms each are required ings i s constructed of for the storage of master brick, with facings of samples, and five build Indiana limestone. Fire ings containing thirtyproof construction has Main, Organic Research, and Initiator Research Laboratories six compartments are been carried out with used for experimental metal window frames a n d sashes, mastic and terrazzo floors, and metal laboratory and surveillance storages a t elevated temperatures. The laboratory organization consists of research, stability, and furniture. T h e work desks and benches are topped with alberene stone, and all hoods are constructed of alberene stone, monel analytical sections, a technical library, and a photographic studio. metal, and wire glass. Each hood is divided into 3-foot com When the large variety of materials and chemicals entering into ammunition production and development is considered, it is partments, has a glass-windowed back, and is placed in front of a window. A monel-metal steam bath occupies one compart recognized that the scope of t h e laboratory work necessary is m e n t of each hood, the top of the bath being level with the floor correspondingly large. T h e analytical section does work comparable with that of a of the compartment. Gas, electricity, air, vacuum, and steam facilities are available commercial testing laboratory; the stability section is the sur veillance center for t h e Army as a whole; a n d t h e research section works in t h e fields of physics, pyrotechnics, cellulose, nitrocellu lose, physical chemistry, high explosives, colloids, detonating compounds, and fuse powders. Specifications which are essentially chemical are prepared b y the laboratories. Wlaile much is of a confidential nature, suf ficient fundamental work i s done to warrant t h e publication of papers on physical constants, organic syntheses, physical chem istry, colloids, t h e development of analytical methods, and t h e application of special chemical compositions in ammunition de velopment and practice. Because of the necessity of chemical research and control in ammunition development and manufacture, the new laboratories a t Picatinny Arsenal are of distinct importance in t h e list of na tional assets available for emergencies, as well a s for the mainte nance of a state of preparedness.
Department of Agriculture Makes Sound Pictures
An Organic Research Laboratory
i n each hood and at work desks and benches. Bottled gas i s used, with cabinets installed outside of three of the buildings. The largest building, 112 b y 42 feet, has two floors and a semi basement. On t h e first floor are the administrative offices, the technical library of the Arsenal, and t h e analytical laboratories. T h e second floor i s occupied by the physical-chemistry, colloid, a n d calorimetric laboratories, the photographic studio, and a lec ture room. In the basement are located the metal-testing labora tory and furnace room, main stock room, constant-temperature room, laboratory for physical tests, sampling rooms, and a locker room. The organic research building, 6 5 by 3 8 feet consists of one floor a n d a semi-basement, and contains a n office, seven research laboratories, a stock room, a n d laboratories for low-temperature nitration, optico-chemical, organic combustion, and powder proc e s s work. T h e work done in this building relates chiefly t o cellu lose, nitrocellulose, and high explosives.
The United States Department of Agriculture has initiated the production of sound pictures in its studio in Washington. A complete sound-on-film recording system is now aiding the work of scoring lecture pictures. The recorder has been installed t o run synchronously with projectors equipped for the projection of sound-on-film, so that i t can be utilized for scoring existing silent pictures with sound effects, or lectures, a s well as for re cording speech i n synchrony with cinematography made by a camera interlocked with t h e recorder. One of the films sched uled for conversion into "talkies" is "Forest o r Wasteland?" a Forest Service film completed last fall as a silent film. Another i s the Indian sign language film that the Office of Motion Pictures i s making for the Department of the Interior.
Μ. Ι · Τ. Graduates Enter Industry Albert H . W e h e has accepted a position with the H y d r o Engi neering and Chemical Co., Elizabeth, N. J. Albert L . Eigenbrot has joined the staff of the M . W . Kellogg Co., manufacturers of refinery and power plant equipment, Jersey City, 1ST. J. David M . Gordon has entered the South American service of t h e Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey. All are recent graduates of the course in Fuel and Gas Engineering a t t h e Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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Hudson Receives Hillefcrand Prize Claude S. Hudson, professor of chemistry a t the National Institute of Health, received the Hillebrand Prize of the Chemical Society of Washington a t a special dinner meeting held March 26. The prize is awarded each year for the most meritorious contribution t o chemical science made b y a me^mber of t h e local section. Doctor Hudson received this récognition for a paper presented before the society o n "The R i n g Structure of Sugars," w h i c b g a v e i n d e t a i l the methods of synthesizing and structural d e t e r m i n a t i o n of many- varieties of sugars. T h e Hillebrand Prize award was founded in 1925 i n memory of W. F. Hillebrand, late chief of t h e division of chemistry V. S. Bureau of Standards. The former recipients of the prize are R . F. Jackson, G. W. M o r e y , E . P. B a r t l e t t , and J. H. Hibben. As part of t h e presentation ceremonies held at t h e Cosmos Club, Phoebus A. Levene, of the Rockefeller I n s t i t u t e of Medical Research, gave a n address in honor of Doctor Hudson o n "Sugars in the Service of Chemistry," and Ε . Τ. Allen, Courtesy, of t h e Qeophysical Laboratory, Harris &· Ewzng, Washington, D. C. spoke oil "Doctor Hillebrand Claude S. H u d s o n as I Kriew Him."
On the Spot Interest h a s been expressed in t h e symbolism of the "spot"— the emblem -which is printed regularly o n t h e covers of Chemical Abstracts a n d which is reproduced herewith. "When the present cover for Chemi cal Abstracts "was designed t w o years ago, Editor Crane w a s fortunate, as he explains, i n having t h e help of T h o m a s E. French, a m a n of wide r e p u t a t i o n in lettering and design. He advised a decorative spot for the middle o f the p a g e . I t was decided t o try to work out a distinctive emblem -which would combine attractive appearance and appropriate symbolism. Accordingly P r o f e s s o r French was asked t o design an e m b l e m which might be considered t o sym b o l i z e the b o i l i n g down to ab stract form of the chemical literature appearing throughout the world. How well he succeeded e a c h can judge for himself. The globe a n d the books are meant t o symbolize -world literature. The evaporating dish on the tripod, w i t h fumes passing off, sug gests that chemical literature is meant a n d symbolizes the boilingdown process. T h e C . A. monogram is added for balance and t o identify the whole a s distinctly a Cliemical Abstracts emblem.
Daytoa Section Active On November 1, 1929, t h e Dayton Ohemists' Association was organized a n d b y January 6 , 1930, h a d grown t o 52 i n member ship. It w a s not until November 3 tJhat this organization peti tioned to become a local section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, a n d o n February 2 of this year it w a s installed byCharles L. Parsons, Secretary of the SOCIETY, and William Mc Pherson, w i t h the same officers w h o h a d been elected t h e previous May—namely, Charles A. Thomas, chairman, M . E. Haas, vice chairman; Mrs. Alice "W. Epperson, secretary; and P . E . Marling, treasurer. This young chapter has enjoyed an unusually interesting schedule of meetings during the season of 1930-31. T h e speakers have induded Jesse E . Day, Henry Pederighi, J. B . Johnson, M . R. Whitmore, G. P . Young, E . R . I r w i n , H. G. Botest, H . M . Williams, William McPherson, George D. Beal, and A . S. Rich ardson, a n d the subjects discussed have covered practically every phase of chemistry. The three meetings scheduled for tiae remainder of the season promise t o be equally as interesting. On M a y 4 Edward W . .#Fasig will speak on paints, on M a y 16 there will b e a trip t o "Antioch College t o inspect the new ctiemistry building, a n d the last meeting of t h e season, on June 1 , will have H. E . Howe a s t h e speaker. The Dayton Section has t h e advantage of being in a n industrial
Vol. 9, No. 8
and educational territory, with the Frigidaire Corp., the National Cash Register Co., five subsidiaries of the General Motors Corp., the Thomas and Hoehwalt Research Laboratories, and t h e University of Dayton located in Dayton ; and paper mills, var nish and paint industries, Antioch College, and Wittenburg University all nearby. As great success in the future as has been granted it s o far is wished the new section.
Montana Section Plans Spring DMeeting The general plans for the spring meeting of t h e Montana Section of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, -to b e held in A n a
conda o n M a y 15 a n d 16, have now been formulated. F . G. Cottrell, of the Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, and of electro-precipitation fame, has been invited t o attend this meeting and to visit t h e plants of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., wtrich has one of t h e largest installations of the Cottrell precipitator. The meeting will consist of trips to the -Anaconda Copper Mining Co. plant, addresses and a technical pajjer, a n d a business meeting a t which t h e new officers will b e elecrted. Members of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY who are expecting to b e in t h e
vicinity are cordially invited t o attend, and a x e asked t o notify either E . L . Larison, Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Anaconda, Mont., or William M . Cobleigh, Montana State College, Bozeman, Mont.
Virginia Section Joins Virginia Academy of Science in Ninth Annual Meeting The Virginia Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY will
meet as the Section of Chemistry a t the ninth annual meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science a t the Mon-fcicello Hotel, N o r folk, Va., April 2 4 a n d 25, 1931. The cbemis-try sessions will b e held on the first day, Friday, April 24, arid on Saturday, April 25, there will be general meetings with t h e Academy of Science. On Sunday, the 26th, will occur t h e celebration at Cape Henry in commemoration of t h e first landing of t h e settlers o n Virginia soil. I t is expected that t h e President of the United States will attend. The local Committee o n Arrangements extemds a cordial invi tation t o all members and friends interested, and asks those de siring t o attend t o address T. C. Johnson, Virginia Truck Experi ment Station, P . O. Box 881, Norfolk, Va., f o r further informa tion.
Ninth Colloid Chemistry Symposium The Ninth Colloid Chemistry Symposium will b e held in t h e Chemistry Building of T h e Ohio State University o n June 11, 12, and 13, 1931. The university extends to the members of t h e symposium and their families or guests the courtesies of i t s dormitories from Wed nesday noon, June 10, t o Saturday noon, Jt^ne 1 2 . T h e rate, including breakfast, i s $1.50 per person per d a y . Breakfast will be served in Pomerene Hall, a building within 1 t o 5 minutes' walk of the dormitories. The reception rooms of t h e dormitories and the University Faculty Club will b e at t h e disposal of t h e members and guests. T h e office of the Department of Chemistry will be t h e headquarters room. Those desiring t o avail them selves of these campus accommodations should communicate with Wallace R. Brode, Chemistry Building, T h e Ohio State University. Requests for reservations should include: the day or days for which desired; the number of persons; and whether for man, woman, or m a n and wife. . # Those preferring down-town hotel acconaunodations should communicate directly with any of the following suggested hostelries: Deshler Wallick Hotel or Neil House C$3 t o $5 and up); Chittenden Hotel or Hotel Fort Hayes ($2.50 to $ 4 and up). All other communications relative to the symposium should be addressed t o W . G. France, Local Chairman on Arrangements, Chemistry Building, T h e Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
The Flow Sheet The first number of The Flow Sheet of the Chemical Process Industries has recently been issued b y the Chemical Catalog Co., Inc., 419 Fourth Ave., N e w York, N". Y. This is a 4page leaflet, in each issue of which i t is planned to include a page giving engineering data, charts, o r chexnical tables, a n d a page of bulletins which deseribe new materials a n d new equip ment. T h e data sheet of the current issue presents t w o pump efficiency curves, with reference t o pages in the Chemical E n gineering Catalog where other pump data are available. On the fourth page is a selected list o f chemical engineering books, with brief summaries of* the field covered b y each. Copies of The Flow Sheet m a y be obtained on request from the Chemical Catalog Co., Inc.
