E DI TORI A LS. 1827 Friction matches (England) Sb,S, and KC10,. 1837 Substitution of PbO, and Pb(NO,), for KC10, in phosphorus match. 1845 Schrotter (Vienna) discovered and identified red phosphorus. 1848 Bottger invented ‘ I safety match” containing no phosphorus, and striking on red-phosphorus-coated striking surface. 1858 Lundstrom manufactured safety matches in Jonkoping (Sweden). 1897 France prohibited use and manufacture of yellow phosphorus match. 1903 Germany prohibited yellow phosphorus match. Law effective Jan. I , 1907. 1906 Berne treaty. Prohibition of yellow phosphorus match in France, Denmark, Luxemburg, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany. I go8 Great Britain prohibited yellow phosphorus match. Law effective Jan. I , 1910. At the present time there are three principal kinds oE matches manufactured. First the “safety” match containing no phosphorus and designed t o be struck on a prepared surface containing red phosphorus. A characteristic composition for match heads of this sort contains potassium chlorate, potasshm bichromate, sulphur, manganese dioxide, iron oxide, glass powder, glue and gum arabic. The striking-surface composition contains red phosphorus, antimony trisulphide, dextrin, and lampblack. The second kind of match is the ordinary “strike-anywhere” or parlor match, containing yellow phosphorus and designed to light when rubbed against any rough surface. A characteristic composition contains glue, glass powder, iron oxide, lead oxide, and phosphorus. The principal variety of this kind of match i s that which lights only when rubbed on the tip, not on the side. The third kind of match strikes anywhere but contains no elementary phosphorus. The most successful match of this sort heretofore has been that whose composition contained phosphorus sesquisulphide, P,S,. It is stated t h a t 3.5 g. of thissubstance, corresponding to 6000 matches, shows no harmful action. The French government match factories, following the procedure of SBvPne and Cahen, use phosphorus sesquisulphide in formulas containing also potassium chlorate, zinc oxide, ocher, glass powder, and glue. Various other substitutes for yellow phosphorus in ‘ I strike-anywhere ” matches have been suggested and tried, with more or less success, in an endeavor to discover a better substance for the purpose than phosphorus sesquisulphide. The latter has the disadvantage of decomposing when stored for some time in a damp place, giving rise to the offensive hydrogen sulphide gas. The list includes a mixture of phosphorus trisulphide and pentasulphide or triphosphorus hexasulphide, zinc thiophosphite, brightred phpsphorus (Schenk) , phosphorus suboxide and cupro-barium polythionate. The list will no doubt be exte‘nded in the near future, and an entirely unobjectionable substance found. As many as five years ago matches were manu-
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factured and distributed in the United States containing no poisonous phosphorus, thus demonstrating the practicability of the process. Each box bore the legend: “These matches do n o t contain phosphorus. A new discovery.” They were found upon experiment to strike perfectly on suitable rough surfaces such as wood and cloth and ordinary objects. The following statements are quoted verbatim from Dr. Andrews’ report: Those who have followed the results of studies of the conditions surrounding industrial employments with reference to the effect upon the health of the employees are impressed by the possibilities of a scientific movement to improve working conditions and reduce occupational dangers. The manufacture of matches in the United States beyond any other industry presents an opportunity to improve conditions and easily to make p most dangerous industry entirely harmless. Peculiar to this industry is a disease which, without great expense, without a long struggle against poverty, indifference, ignorance, and neglect, may be absolutely eliminated by the prohibition of the use of white phosphorus. This disease, known to medical and dental professions as phosphorus necrosis, continually threatens those who work in match factories where poisonous phosphorus is used. The phosphorus most frequently attacks the jaw bones, and sometimes necessitates the removal of an entire j+w by surgical operation. A harmless substitute for the poison that is commercially practicable is readily available. Why, then, do our manufacturers not use this substitute? Many would gladly do so, but i t costs just a little more to make nonpoisonous matches. Condition is so keen that a single manufacturer can not place himself a t natural disadvantage with his rivals in business. In the leading countries of Europe the governments have come to the aid of both workers and manufacturers by requifing all manufacturers to discontinue the use of the poison. I n these countries the manufacturers are all on an equal footing in competition and the danger of phosphorus poisoning is entirely eliminated.
And again further on: The company owning the patent rights for the use of sesquisulphide of phosphorus in the manufacture of matches in America believing this article to be a remedy for the prevailing trouble in manufacturing matches, namely phosphorus necrosis, has expressed (in writing) its willingness t o permit the use of the sesquisulphide of phosphorus by other manufacturers on equal terms, if the use of white phosphorus is prohibited by law.
It would seem t h a t the time has come when the government must take definite and positive action which will lead to the prohibition of the poisonous phosphorus match. Regulation will not suffice. Prohibition is necessary. If President Taft’s recommendation for a prohibitive t a x is the best form for the legislation to take, the needed law should be passed without delay. THE PRICE OF GLYCERINE.
CRUDE,C. P. and dynamite glycerine have commanded high prices during the year 1910. During the latter part of the year C. P. glycerine was selling for 2 4 % ~ per . pound in drums, the price not including the package. In early November, soap lye crude glycerine reached the astonishing price ,of I 7c. per pound, basis of 80 per cent., and saponification crude sold ’ proportionally higher. The causes of these high prices have been variously stated by different observers. Among the explanations advanced are the following: the prevailing high prices of all commodities; the high prices commanded by fats and fatty oils; the great demand for explosives for construction work on the Panama canal; general activity
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T H E JOUR-YAL OF I A Y D G S T R I A L A S D E S G I S E E R I S G C " E A X I S T R Y .
in construction and mining requiring the use of explosives. Whatever the immediate cause, undoubtedly the demand for glycerine to be used in the manufacture of nitroglycerine explosives is the determining factor. The United States is a great producer and consumer of glycerine. I n spite of the fact t h a t this country produces enormous quantities of glycerine in soap and candle factories, very large quantities of crude and refined glycerine are imported from all parts of the world. A considerable part of the glycerine imported from foreign countries is probably derived from fats and oils originally exported from the United States. At the same time, Australia, Argentina and Russia are large producers of animal fats, and tropical oils are entering the European market in constantly increasing volume. At present prices, when glycerine sells for two or three times the price of the raw material from which it is derived, it must be considered as something more than a by-product-it becomes one of the principal products of the saponification of fats, even j n the commercial sense. The amount 'of glycerine left behind in soap and not won from fats in the autoclave becomes of greater relative importance. Of the total glycerol theoretically yielded by fats (about 10.6 per cent. for neutral tallow), good soap factory practice will recover from 80 t o 90 per cent. and of this the still will win 9; per cent. or more. These are good yields and the percentages in many factories will not run so high. I n t h e autoclave, 95 per cent. can usually be recovered. Nevertheless there appears to be an opportunity here to improve the practice in such a way, t h a t to t h e future chemist, present-day yields will appear low and present-day practice wasteful. For some months, the soap-factory chemist has been watching the soap kettle closely to obtain greater yields and studying methods to reduce the percentage of glycerol in cold-made soap (of no apparent use there); and beyond a doubt the soap factories all over the world are obtaining higher yields of glycerol to-day than they were two years ago. Thus may the enhanced value of a product stimulate chemical control to the point of developing improved practice without any new discoveries or innovations in manufacture.
ORIGINAL PAPERS. WASTE WOOD AND ITS UTILIZATION, B y GEORGEB F R A ~ K P O R T E R
The United States is the most wasteful nation in the world: wasteful in living, wasteful in manufaeturing, and wasteful in conserving its natural resources. This prodigality of the nation's wealth has been largely due to extravagant methods of manufacture. A quarter of a century ago, when economical methods were not considered essential t o industrial life, practically every industry in the whole country was the very synonym of waste and extravagance. Our unparalleled wealth of natural resources, together with high tariff walls, made i t unnecessary for manu-
Jan.,
1911
facturers to utilize by-products in order to earn large dividends or to compete with other nations. I t is a remarkable fact t h a t while these great storehouses of natural products had become necessary to the world's industrial progress, in only a few cases were the ram materials converted into marketable products a t home. On the contrary, they were sent abroad to be worked up b y highly technical institutions, and returned a t many times the value of the crude products. I n the early years of our industrial development, the very idea of utilizing what was then called industrial waste, seems t o have been distasteful to the n-hole nation. Our manufacturers did not understand the nevi by-product movement which had given the European nations industrial supremacy; neither were they willing even to t r y t o understand it. They saw only the great treasures stored up in our mines, our forests or in our great fertile plains. They would not see the small b u t no less important things which belonged to the new by-product movement. I t was doubtless this unfortunate condition which kept the highly technical chemical industries from the rapid growth which would have followed under more favorable conditions. With everything a t our doors for which a nation could ask, and with a demand for the products which can only be made from by-product waste, i t seems strange t o the chemist of to-day t h a t our industries should have remained so long in .this undeveloped condition. The only logical conclusion which may be drawn is t h a t the American people were either not desirous or not capable of developing the industries to t h a t degree which has made the German Empire what i t is to-day. I t should be stated here, in justice to the chemists of the present, and out of genuine respect for the pioneers of the last generation, t h a t the undeveloped condition of our chemical industries can in no way be attributed to them. As a matter of fact, chemists have, throughout the whole of our industrial life, occupied a peculiar position. Their work has been largely a labor of love, a love for the science and a love for mankind; a t any rate, they have received little else for their labor. They have repeatedly sounded \yarning notes of waste and extravagance to the industries and incidentally urged them to employ the new economical methods of manufacture if the LInited States \\-ere to be considered in the industrial race of the future. This frantic appeal t o the people of the country to stop the wanton destruction of our national resources has, until recently, been entirely ignored. The classical work of the chemists of the East, with their campaign of industrial education, is having a most wholesome influence upon the eastern industries. The work in the Middle West, North, West and South is likewise having a salutary effect upon the manufacturers, for they are beginning to see t h a t i t is better to save a t the spigot than it is t o save a t the bung. On the whole, there is hope of a great industrial revival such as t h a t which has made Germany the greatest of the industrial world-powers.
