by Doctor Frank C. Whitmore upon Chemistry and the Institute of Politics (Chemical Bulletin, Feb., 1927, page 39) : A good deal was done a t the Institute of Politics a t Williamstown, Mass., in selling chemistry to the ~ublic. The general public already knew a good deal about chemistry but there seemed t o he a general impression that chemistry was magic. . . Many people seemed to believe that the chemist really could do anything he wanted to and do it right away and that if he failed to supply what was needed as soon as the demand arose i t was either because of laziness or just plain meanness. It is our fault that the public has that feeling about chemistry. We have shown them its magic and little else. It is time now t o show them there is something more-that i t usually requires a lot of hard work and a reasonable amount of time and capital before the chemist is able t o perform magic. We must continue t o impress the people with the fact that we can do things for them, but we must also make them see that we are not able t o meet their demands as soon as they arise unless we have had the opportunity t o work on them for a while beforehand.
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I believe there are a host of other chemists who feel quite as Doctor Whitmore upon this matter. They, with the writer, feel there should be a conscious effort made to get the public out of the attitude which associates chemists with wizards, magicians, and other medieval superstitions. We meet this in o w freshmen; we meet it in the doctors, some of whom expect a chemist to be omniscient in the field of chemistry, and we meet it even in our educated business man who views the world's dwindling fuel supply without alarm because "the chemist will find a substitute."
UNITED STATES CIVIL-SERVICE EXAMINATION The United States Civil-Service Commission announces an open competitive enamination for Associate Analytical Chemist. Applications must be on file with the Civil-Service Commission a t Washington, D. C., not later than June 13th. The examination is to fill a vacancy in the United States Public Health Service. for duty a t Marine Hospital No. 21, Stapleton, N. Y., a t 53000 a year, and vacancies occurring in positions requiring similar qualifications a t approximately the same rate of pay. The duties of the position a t Stapleton. N. Y., will be to conduct investigations and experimentations in connection with the making of blood tests and the determination of arsenic in minute amounts in combination with blood serum, spinal 5uid, or any body exudate. Competitors will not be required to report for examination a t any place, hut will be rated on their education, training, and experience; and a publication or thesis to be filed with the application. Full information may be obtained from the United States Civil-Senrice Commission a t Washington, D. C., or the secretary of the United States civil-service board of examiners a t the post-officeor custom house in any city.
