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THE RELATION OF CHEMISTRY TO THE ENRICHMENT OF LIFE* Man brought nothing into the world and through long and painful ages he added little to that nothing. He might labor, but to what avail? Suffering from diseases with which he knew not how to cope, terrified by natural phenomena which he could not explain, he struggled on, gaining bit by bit the power of original and constructive thought which has resulted in the wonders of the modem world. "Never in the past has man lived in so compact a world, never has he had such facilities for intercommunication with his fellows, never has he been endowed with such control of natural forces and, above all, never before has he had it in his power to direct so definitely the course of his own development." The stellar rBle in this drama of progress, this enrichment of life, has been played by chemistry. Other sciences have, of course, played no small part, yet chemistry, because it deals with the fundamental material of all m a t t e r d e ments-has affected and beRum K N ~ B L E come part of every other science. We cannot study biology, geology, archeology, or astronomy without a basic knowledge of chemistry. The housewife, the man a t the gasoline filling station, the psychologist, and the statesman must know and understand the fundamental laws of chemistry, for they are the laws of Nature, and "the laws of Nature are the will of God." By their observance only can man hope to come into harmony with the universe and with himself. Since chemistry is woven into the very warp and woof of life, constructive achievements of the chemist represent increased knowledge and happiness for the whole human race.
* Prize-winning high-school essay.
1928-29.
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J O ~ A OF L Cmnn~chr.EDUCATION
SEPTEMBER, 1929
The ultimate aim of human endeavor is the betterment of living conditions and the lengthening of the span of life. It is to the chemist that humanity has turned for aid. In that master of biochemistry, Pasteur, the plea of unnumbered generations of men found answer. At last humanity was given a champion, protected not by a coat of shining armor hut by a keen intelligence, and armed not with sword and buckler hut with a microscope and the desire to know and be of service; a champion who was to reveal the chain which connects microbe and man and by breaking it, to deliver humanity from a thraldom under which i t has groaned for unknown ages. The result of his researches upon fermentation and spontaneous generation represents a transformation in the practice of surgery, the greatest boon ever conferred upon humanity. Joseph Lister applied the principles of Pasteur's discoveries to the treatment of wounds and from these heginnings modern surgery took its rise. At the present time there is scarcely a hospital in the civilized world where the principles of aseptic surgery are not carried out, not a household which has not benefited by it, not a physician who is unaware of its meaning. The amount of prevention of suffering and prolongation of life due to it are altogether incalculable. As a result of the experiments of this trained chemist we now have a knowledge of the causes of disease, the means of conferring immunity, or of providing antitoxins which by their specific action upon the virus of diseases successfully save human beings as well as the lower animals, from death and incapacitating illness. Cholera, dysentery, malaria, smallpox, plague, scurvy, rabies, diphtheria, and many common illnesses have been practically eliminated, and so have the poverty and distress which result from them. The discovery of anesthetics made possible surgical operations which hitherto could not have been attempted, and removed from the simplest operations the pain which previously had been an important factor in their failure. The whole world has profited by the research of the chemist in regard to the endocrine systems of the body. Diabetes, goiter, and cretinism, as well as abnormal and subnormal physical development, are known to be caused by the improper functioning of the endocrines. The isolation and preparation of insulin, adrenalin, thyroxin, pituitrin, and a fifth specific hormone, as yet unnamed, is a gigantic stride toward the day when man will truly he master of his fate. Leprosy has lost its curse, because i t yielded to treatment with the pure acids of chaulmoogra oil combined with ethyl alcohol. Sleeping sickness no longer takes its toll in the tropics because the French chemist, Farneau, produced "Pasteur 309" which frees the body of the trypanosome (the
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cause of the disease) in a few days and makes the body immune to further attacks. The list of vanquished is long and is increasing constantly as man pushes onward in his war against disease. Before a disease can be prevented it must be understood. If a sure remedy is to be found, there must be a knowledge of its nature and transmission, and "that knowledge is obtained by the man of science," equipped with the tools of a modem chemist. The farm problem occupies an important position, not only on the front page of the local newspaper and in the halls of the National Capital, but in the future welfare of our country and of all countries. While politicians theorize and argue, the chemist is quietly working out the farmer's destiny. Crops are improved by chemical selection; farm animals are fed in accordance with the strictest application of the laws of physiological chemistry; insects and destructive plant diseases are controlled by chemicals; destructive animal diseases have been brought under control; the butterfat content of milk is determined by the Bahcock test; and cheap and efficient fertilizers are being produced. Soil analysis and the right fertilizer mean a new life to six millions of farms. While the farmer seeks a market for his produce, the chemist seeks economical methods of refrigeration and transportation to present markets. Dry ice, frozen carbon dioxide, is replacing ice as a refrigerant. By its use, ice cream, butter, eggs, cheese can beshipped by mail or express. The profitable utilization of agricultural waste products has engaged * the attention of chemists since we first heard the word "conservation." Liquid vegetable oils are converted into solid fats by hydrogenation; cottonseed is now the source of fertilizers, cattle feeds, oil, soap. The protein constituents of cottonseed will soon be converted into human food. Paper is made from cornstalks, and in Germany pigs are fattened on sawdust. Waste straw is converted directly into fertilizer, and hemp, soy beans, peanuts, sorghum, cottonseed, or sugar cane may have been the original source of your wearing apparel. The chemist bas given the farmer the means with which to purchase comforts and luxuries and time in which to enjoy them. This applies in varying degree to all humanity. The importance of applied chemistry is aptly illustrated in the development of new industries and the revolutionizing of old ones, within the last decade. In some instances entire industries are undergoing rapid changes. In others, the process is less rapid but not less significant. The business which does not employ chemists to eliminate waste and produce new products is already doomed. Reduction of manufacturing costs bas resulted from simplification and standardization. Mechanical engineers have produced "fool proof" machines for practically every
operation. Harder, lighter, and stronger metal alloys, the products of the chemist and the metallurgist, have made these things possible. Discoveries with revolutionary possibilities are being made almost daily. Before the war the dye business of the world was practically a German monopoly. Today we are producing over 95Y0of the dyes we use. These are made by our own processes, developed by our own chemical engineers. Part of the tragedy is being removed from the "tragedy of waste." Business has begun to realize that lack of research has hitherto resulted in millions of dollars lost in waste products. Now by-products are manufactured which often exceed the value of the original product. The prevention of waste has become almost as important as the discovery of ways of synthesizing the things that command good markets Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are the comer-stones upon which is being built the foundation of synthetic chemistry. The consequences of its rise are already immense and in the future immeasurable. There is no serious shortage of raw material, for water and air are plentiful and, should our supply of coal and petroleum become exhausted, cellulose can be grown anywhere except in the polar regions. With an ample supply of the necessary material for the formation of any number of unknown organic materials, as well as for the synthetic production of those now existing, why should any nation make war upon another? Much less energy expended at home would result in greater progress. With the use of structural formul?~,the chemist can now plan beforehand the most complicated compound, and then go into his laboratory and make it. The Coolidge x-ray tube, dhich promises to revolutionize the practices of chemists and engineers, photographs the spectra of atoms, giving the chemist a better idea of the material with which he works, and making it possible for him to do his work more expeditiously. The number of experiments necessary to obtain desired results will thus be reduced. "That the field of synthesis is limited is due only to our ignorance," says Edwin E. Slosson. We must look to the theoretical laboratory for increased knowledge, where men are seeking new truths and clearer insight into the mysteries of nature. If the services of the chemist in the enforcement of law should suddenly be withdrawn, chaos would result. It is the chemist who ascertains the presence of adulterants in foodstuffs and determines which of these ingredients are harmful. It is he that aids in the detection of crime and he that brings the criminal to justice. The chemist purifies the city's water, disposes of its refuse, and eliminates its smoke nuisance. The chemist has revolutionized household economics. The food supply has been broadened and stabilized; the laundry, the bakery, and the factory have assumed domestic drudgery; tasteful clothing is within the reach of all; innumerable new industries, based on the
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findings of the laboratory, offer means of decent livelihood to millions, and careers to thousands. There is now amusement for the multitude-movies, talkies, radio, and phonograph programs. The chemist has put cultural advantages in every home. We have now only to assimilate that culture. Because the manual labor of ancient Greece was performed by slaves the Greeks had time to think, and a high state of culture resulted. Today machines are our slaves. Science has given man leisure. Now the masses must be educated to use this leisure in a worthy manner if we wish to progress collectively. At present every one has time to think, hut the millions prefer the movies. Isolation breeds distrust and differences of outlook. In annihilating distance and bringing the world and its peoples closer together the chemist is clearing the way toward lasting peace and good-will. Radio, telephone, and cable have tightened the bonds of understanding about the world. Airplane and airship have power to increase intimacy, understanding, and far-flungfriendships, thereby enriching the lives, not only of individuals but of nations. The importance of pure research, i. e., the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, without regard for its immediate or future value, must not be overlooked. Theoretical chemistry must advance at all times, for upon the development of theory, the revelation of new laws, depends the progress of applied chemistry. Practical discoveries,and inventions always follow theoretical development. E Mendelteff's system has been of great value in predicting the discovery of new elements. The existence and properties of scandium, gallium, and germanium were predicted when those elements were as yet unknown. In the adjustment and revision of atomic weights and the development of a systematic study of the elements the periodic law has been of great service. The classification of the elements by atomic numbers was another step fonvard in theoretical chemistry. Becquerel's half-accidental discovery of the radioactivity of uranium compounds led to investigations which have marked an important era in the history of chemistry. I n adopting the explanation of radioactivity we have abandoned the idea that an atom is an unchangeable thing. We know that new elements are produced from old by atomic decomposition. As the research of the theoretical chemist continues who knows how soon the tremendous energy of the atom may he made available? "The future of our civilization depends upon the widening spread and deepening hold of the scientific habit of mind," said Professor John Dewey. Essential to a scientific spirit is a temper of mind which seeks for conclusions, but does not jump at them. Vision, a trained intelligence, and an open mind are qualities which must characterize the average
man of the future if we are to make the most of the destiny within us. When these qualities will have become common attributes, war and its attendant waste and misery will have vanished. Inability to see a situation from another's viewpoint will be replaced by a new tolerance, a new understanding. Scientific education will make the man of the future fully aware of the fearful possibilities of the use of scientific discoveries for other than constructive purposes. The search for knowledge will weld all men into a common brotherhood without race or caste distinctions. "As lantern-bearers, it is the clear duty of the men of science to show the way." Over two hundred years ago Sir Isaac Newton said, "I seem to have been only a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself in now and then h d i n g a smoother pebble or a prettier shell'than ordinary, whilst the great Ocean of Trnth lay all undiscovered before me." Vast progress has been made since Newton conceived of the existence of invariable natural laws, yet today the student realizes, with even deeper humility, that the "Ocean of Truth" remains obscured by the fog of our comparative ignorance. Occasionally we obtain a glimpse of small tracts of water, but we know that the truth yet to be discovered so far exceeds that which we now have, that comparisons are useless. We are, however, stimulated to greater efforts, inspired by the possibilities which a chance discovery may have; we know that low is the supreme gospel of this universe and of all universes; we seek to understand those laws in order that we may realize the significance and the underlyigg harmony of the world in which we live, "to the end that all undertakings may be better ordered, all lives enriched, all spirits fortified."
