News
Edition INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY Published by the American Chemical Society FEBRUARY 10, 1923
T h e Status of Chemistry and Chemists in "Human-Interest" Activities A R a m b l i n g Discourse b y G. A. Menge N D it came to pass, quite recently and in strict propriety would permit, he took advantage of an opening to switch leaderthat a chemist, a real chemist, found himself tête-a-tête ship in the discourse to his more worthy companion. —he probably couldn't avoid it gracefully—with a rather And that is picture No. 2—the lack of preparedness on the part unusual type of woman. She was a very gracious and accom- of the average chemist to take effective advantage of an opporplished hostess. Besides being an expert home-maker and home- tunity to preach the gospel of the value and importance of chemkeeper, she was actively, intelligently and sympathetically istry to t*Aj past, present, and future progress of mankind and interested in the work of certain civic or semi-civic clubs and sim- to preach it in terms which are acceptable and comprehensible ilar organizations, was an active member of a local chapter of the to the layman. We can hardly wonder at—we certainly cannot D. A. R. and was well informed sneer at—the lack of accurate upon current events of local, and comprehensive information national and international interon matters chemical among even est and importance. In short, the more intelligent and well-inj l f l R . Menge's "rambling discourse" proposes she was a woman of remarkable formed laymen when we consider 1V1 to his fellow cHemists» "Let u s prepare refinement, culture, and broadthat among chemists themourselves t o tell the people the fascinatgauge interests—ready for keenselves there are far too few who ing facts about our Science." He regretfully ly intelligent discussion of alcould give, spontaneously and holds that chemists, generally, are poorly most any subject that is of praceffectively, a reasonably comprepared t o talk entertainingly and so that tical importance to every-day prehensive presentation of the even well-educated and cultured persons, who affairs—except Chemistry! As I important contributions that may not be versed i n the language of the Scigot the story her conception of should be credited to chemistry ence, can understand. He suggests a means of a chemist was typified largely by in humanity's onward march. preparation, a course in appreciation of "the her neighborhood drug-store Nor will that fact reflect the dehuman side of chemistry." clerk and of chemistry by a hazy gree of individual 'discredit that Moreover, this article deals interestingly notion of "analysis." Of conimpulsive interpretation might with the work of the Chicago Section in i n structive and creative chemistry indicate if we consider that too troducing chemistry to women's clubs and she had little or no conception generally the chemist's fundaother cultural organizations, through good and a perspective of the part mental training consists of this or speakers. that chemistry has played in that many years of cramming human progress or a vision of its the "hard-boiled," "bone-dry," future possibilities was simply skeleton facts and principles of beyond the range of her dreams. the science, with little, if any, Get the picture? Sure you do! That's No. 1. And I con- presentation of its romantic history and little, if any, specific fidently venture the assertion t h a t it is typical of the average encouragement to bring into fixed perspective a picture of layman on the subject of chemistry in practically every commu- the part it has played in that onward march. B u t again I nity in the land. Even well-educated men and women who are venture an assertion—it is that in this instance our brotherthoroughly alive, wide awake, actively interested in human chemist—though poorly equipped—was probably better preaffairs and anxious to acquire a broad range of practical and cul- pared than many would have been. tural knowledge are generally deplorably weak in their concepOur Hero is Bombed! tions of the applications and importance of chemistry in our social and industrial development. But let us get back to our Now for picture number 3. I have indicated t h a t our hero story. "passed the buck" of leadership in the tête-a-tête to his fair and capable vis-a-vis. He manifested wmolesome interested A Rare Opportunity curiosity concerning the general purposes and the specific acOur hero recognized a golden opportunity for delivering a tivities of the organizations in which the lady was actively inmost effective lecture on culture chemistry, so to speak, to a terested, which bit of cleverness, however, ultimately involved very receptive, intelligent and interested auditor who would him in further embarrassment as you shall see. The question of very probably pass it on. But, alas! he was not possessed standing committees, covering this or that phase of the organiof the genius of a Slosson, neither was he prepared with an as- zation's work, and their functions; the question of federated semblage of appropriate facts (how many of us would be?) that committees, composed of delegates irom various similar organiwould enable him t o take full advantage of the opportunity. zations scattered throughout the city, and their functions—all However, he was face to face with a duty to his profession. A came in for their share of clean-cut, lucid, snappy confident dishurried reading of Dr. Slosson's inspiring address, delivered at cussion by that alert, intelligent feminist and good citizen. the Pittsburgh meeting and published in the October number of But it was when they were on the subject of the regular the J. I. E. C , had given him an advantage he would not otherwise meetings that the bomb was exploded which flashed the have enjoyed, and, in a lame, halt and stumbling way, he was picture that you'll get in a minute. "Programs" was the fuse thereby able to hold the interest of his auditor and even to ex- that set off the bomb! Just by way of illustration these incite her comment. But he felt decidedly uncomfortable and un- cluded a talk by a lawyer on the subject, for instance, of "Why equal to the occasion—so he says—and, as promptly as good form You Should Make a Will and How," and by a judge on "The
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Duties and Responsibilities of Good Citizenship/' and b y an M . D . on " T h e Progress of Medicine and Surgery during the P a s t Fifty Years," and by an engineer on " T h e Building of the P a n a m a Canal," and by other representatives of the same group on similar subjects and by speakers on economics, literature, art, music, travel, etc., etc., etc. Surely our hero must have felt in his bones t h a t his fair, clear-headed companion would reach the point of springing the question she did. I can't quote it literally b u t it was to the following general efrect: " D r . , why is it that, although these organizations include on their programs speakers representing almost every phase of human activity and human interest, a n d although they cooperate more or less i n the development of their programs—I say, why is it t h a t I have never seen a chemist scheduled as t h e speaker on any of their pro grams?" ANG! There it is, fellow-chemist! Picture No. i>! And B notice t h a t it is capable of two interpretations according to the angle of vision you apply to it, like those old ivory-soap signs or, better perhaps, for our simile, like one of those modern photo-signs of t h e beautiful girl, in the merchant's showwindow, wl:-ch (the photo-sign ί mean—not the window) scowls a t you from one angle and smiles at you from another. Anyway, from one point of view, picture number three might be construed as a serious indictment of chemists, as a class, for their failure t o assume a t least as large a share of leadership in civic activities as it indicates for the other professional groups noted. From another point of view we might derive the more generous interpretation t h a t ihe chemist, as a type, is too modest and retiring to take advantage of such opportunities t o present to and impress upon t h e public the essential character and the true value of his contributions to t h e general comfort, welfare and progress of mankind. In either case the general result is the same—the chemist simply doesn't appear and the utterly in conspicuous (but tremendously important) part t h a t he plays in the drama of mankind is largely lost, as far as the general public is concerned, in the obscurity of his own voluntary se clusion and in t h e unexplained mystery of the effects he pro duces. Of course, it occasionally happens t h a t a great crisis, like the late world war, jams the chemist to the. front of the stage and just forces him to assume a " s t a r " role in the drama of hu manity and for a brief spell he may revel in conspicuous leader ship, spectacular glory and fullsome publicity. B u t to the laity such sporadic chemical outbreaks are new and strange and star tling experiences. Therefore when the crisis is past they see this strange leadership drift back into its accustomed obscure role with indifference, if not relief, and placidly resume their con sideration of more familiar roles, such as this sensational trial, or that phenomenal cure, or the other engineering wonder. Do You Recognize t h e Image? Now are these "pictures" substantially true and typical of t h e general status of chemistry and chemists? I believe it will be generally conceded t h a t they are. If so, isn't it high time t h a t the fraternity of chemists make some concerted, organized effort to get out of the shadows and into the high lights? Isn't it high time t h a t they abandon their customary role, from the point of view of the public, of apparently insignificant and inconsequential, though mysterious and occasionally dynamic, "supers" to other more assertive professions and take their turn a t the front of t h e stage, in t h e spotlight of popular, interesting leadership in h u m a n affairs generally, along with the professions of law, medicine, engineering, and others who have had the courage, pride, a n d sense of duty, but no more justification or better qualifications, t o assume such leadership? " P i c t u r e " N o . 1 clearly indicates the need—the absolute necessity—of adopting such an attitude on the p a r t of chemists generally— not merely one here and there, b u t everyone who is concerned and properly equipped—if the chemist and his work are to occupy the place their value to society should give them. I t is probably safe to say t h a t of all the professions none touches more intimately t h e everyday affairs of mankind than chemistry a n d yet none is more remote a n d subtle or less obvious, t o the layman, in its effects. There is no one upon whose daily life t h e law does not obtrude in some form or other and most of us make intimate personal contact with it sooner or later. The profession of medicine, in one or another of its variations, is an intimate acquaintance of every family. One can hardly walk down the street without having the engineering profession jump a t him a n d excite interest a n d comment through some construc tion, completed or in process. And so it goes, oxceptfor chemistry! You cannot skin through your daily paper without having some or all of the popular professions photographed iipon your retina (and thereby hangs another tale—for publicity is in more or less
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direct proportion to popular interest—no interest, no publicity!) —but only the few, t h e relatively very few, who are initiated, recognize and appreciate the vital importance of chemistry to all of them. Chemistry, y o u see, does not obtrude itself upon th*». public mind but hides under the skirts of practically all other human activities, cringes from publicity, and apparently tries to conform more or less t o the biblical definition of charity—it surely doesn't "vaunt itself" or "behave itself unseemly." Anyway, if we want the public to know and appreciate chemistry we've got t o tell them about it—tell them loud and long and everlastingly and interestingly and everywhere simultaneously. Hig\H T i m e for A c t i o n B u t I am not yet done sermonizing on these three "paragorical" pictures. Take another peek a t No. 2. If you get m y angle on it you will find an indictment of the chemistry faculties of our universities a n d technical schools for their failure to embel lish their teaching with more of " T h e H u m a n Side of Chemistry" and for their failure to place greater emphasis upon t h a t phase of the subject t h a n has ever been the practice of any of them, t o the best of my knowledge and belief. I know t h a t in my own undergraduate and graduate study of the subject I received mighty little of it and I frankly confess t h a t in my ten years' experience as a teacher of t h e subject I gave mighty little of it. And yet it seems to me now that this human side of chemistry offers one of the greatest and most delightfully fascinating sources of inspiration that the teacher of chemistry could find especially as developed and presented, with such masterly skill and con vincing appeal, by our o w n Dr. Slosson—long life to his pen and ever-increasing effect t o his preaching and influence! If the professional chemist is t o be even moderately well equipped to meet the broader obligations to society and to the cause of popu lar chemistry, which I h.ave so poorly and inadequately outlined, it would seem t h a t this phase of the subject should be made a definite and positive requirement—an important, even if minor, part—in his fundamental training. Nor should our chemistry faculties overlook the possible effect, of such humanistic modi fications and amplification of their efforts, upon t h a t much larger group of students who a r e required to take a year or more of chem istry as a p a r t of their general training, and who, by the way— according to my observation and experience—too generally con sider it one of the most diabolical bugbears of a general education. How many, many times have I found members of this group whose sole aim in chemistry was to "get b y " with the least pos sible study and then forget it promptly and completely or remem ber it only with resentful distaste. Perhaps the right amount and the right presentation of t h e human side of chemistry would greatly enhance appreciation, by this entire group, of the uni versal practical value of chemistry. I t might even stimulate their interests to the point of inducing their real study of the subject. And finally it might result in the annual distribution through our professional, industrial, commercial, banking, and other circles of a large group of graduates with a sympathetic, rather than an antagonistic, attitude toward chemistry. S it worth a try? If so, would it not be highly desirable, and Ipare, a first step to t h a t end, for the leaders of the A. C. S. to pre or to appoint a specially qualified chemist to prepare, and publish a pamphlet, presenting this phase of chemistry-teaching and citing instances of chemical contributions t o progress, for distribution among our chemistry faculties and for such addi tional distribution as would be practically helpful? The Individual's Responsibility B u t responsibility in such a movement does not end, even if it begins, with the agencies specified. I t extends also to t h e local sections of the A. C. S. and to individual chemists. " P i c t u r e " N o . 3 shows one phase of responsibility t h a t t h e local sections might assume. In every community where such a local section centers there are social organizations of one form or another t h a t would doubtless be glad to hear a qualified chemist discourse in an interesting understandable way on some chemical subject of popular appeal. Should they be brought together? If so, it is the responsibility of t h e local section to develop a plan and organization for accomplishing t h a t purpose (the Chicago Section has already reached that point in such a development) and it is t h e responsibility of the local individual chemist to respond generously to t h e call for such service. There is an awful lot more that might be said—and said much more gracefully, much m o r e cleverly, and much more effectively t h a n I could ever hope t o be able to say it—but anything more from my feeble pen probably would n o t strengthen the cause, in behalf of which I h a ^ e h a d the temerity to make this contri bution.
