T H E J O U R N A L OF I X D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y have been investigated, and the results correlated to the findings a t operation and autopsy, to establish the value of these methods on a firm diagnostic footing. But it is likely that with the development of better technique they will prove of great aid to the surgeon and physician in diagnosing these obscure conditions. Before closing, we must mention some of the more recent clinical tests which are the direct result of enzyme investigations. I-A method for determining urea quantitatively in the urine and blood. 2-A test for the diagnosis of pregnancy. uREAsr2-~o~~owingthe discovery of Takeuchi that the soya bean contains a urease, a method based on this observation has been developed for estimating the amount of urea in the urine and in the blood. The procedure is briefly as follows: A given quantity of the extract, or powder, of the dried soya bean is added to the material to be tested, and the ammonia which is formed from the urea is estimated in the usual way. The advantage of the testcis that it is rapid and specific. Abderhalden’s test for pregnancy is based on the fact that foreign proteins circulating in the blood call out specific ferments which attack them. The test is as follows: A placenta, or after-birth, is ground up, washed free from all water-soluble material, and placed in a dialyzing bag with some serum from a suspected case. If the woman is pregnant, ferments specific for placental tissue are present in her serum. These will digest the placental tissue contained in the bag, and the dialysate will give the test for protein with ninhydrin, a reagent which gives a blue color with it. If she is not pregnant no ferments are present, and consequently the ninhydrin reaction is negative. A similar method is being tried for the diagnosis of cancer, using the cancer tissue instead of placenta, and dialyzing it with serum from the suspected case. The fact that proteins introduced into the circulation other than through the intestinal tract are split up by ferments is of great importance in the study of anaphylaxis and in diseases like hay fever, urticaria, asthma and peculiar disturbances in the nervous control of the circulation. It seems that proteins taken through the mouth are split up by the digestive juices in such a way as to deprive them of their specificity, and
With F. W. Clarke, “Some Selenocyanates,” Be?., 11 (1878), 1325.
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they are not absorbed until this has taken place. This would point to some regulating mechanism for preventing the reabsorption of heterogeneous albumin. It is probable that the feeding of excessive amounts of foreign proteids is responsible for the condition known as hives, for the disorders following the eating of shell fish and strawberries, and probably for some of the digestive disturbances found in infants fed on cow’s milk. In hay fever, the continued absorption of proteids present in pollen, produces, in sensitized individuals, the well known symptoms of the disease. Anaphylaxis, or in English, hypersensitiveness, is the opposite condition to protection. The word was coined to describe the peculiar effect which certain poisons possess of increasing, instead of diminishing, the sensitivity of the organism through their action. A hypersensitiveness occurs after the injection or absorption of a foreign proteid, and becomes manifest on the repetition of the injection. For example, if a guinea pig is injected with a given non-fatal amount of horse serum! and the injection repeated a t regular intervals, after a time the animal develops an immunity, and is able to tolerate a dose much larger than the original one. Whereas, if an interval of time is allowed to elapse, say ten to fourteen days after the first injection, the second dose will produce a train of symptoms, in severe cases, characterized by great restlessness, rapid and labored breathing, collapse and death. It is well known that some people are very susceptible to horse serum. This should be borne in mind if it is necessary to inject diphtheria antitoxin, as these very alarming and sometimes fatal anaphylactic phenomena occur, especially if t h e patient has had a previous, protective dose. In this connection it is interesting to note that some people are unable to ride behind a horse without attacks of sneezing, running of the eyes, etc. Some asthmatics who are sensitized to horse proteid have their attacks brought on in this manner. This brief r6sum6 suggests the great importance of ferment investigation in the practice of medicine and surgery. HARRIMAN RESEARCH LABORATORY ROOSEVELT HOSPITAL, NEW YORKCITY
OBITUARIES WILLIAM LOFLAND DUDLEY On the morning of Tuesday, September 8, 1914, en route from Clifton Springs Sanitarium to his home on the Campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, William Lofland Dudley breathed his last after a sudden stroke of paralysis. During recent years, Dr. Dudley had been in poor health and his many friends became much concerned about him, especially when two years ago he retired from active participation in his professional, educational and sociological work. Born April 16, 1859, in Covington, Kentucky, Dudley did not see the allotted three score years, but that part of his life following the attainment of his majority was full of hard work, enriched by good he did on every hand, and blessed with spontaneous affection from all those who enjoyed his friendship. Prepared in the public schools of Covington, he entered the .University of Cincinnati from which institution he was graduated in 1880 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. Last June he was the recipient of the degree of Doctor of Laws from his dma mater. Dudley early exhibited his interest in chemistry, coming as a student under the influence of F. W. Clarke, then professor of physics and chemistry in the University. As a junior in college1 he prepared a selenocyanate, an analogue of Buckton’s double sulfocyanate. While a senior under the direction of
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Professor Clarke, he isolated a new volatile alkaloid, “spigelina,” from Spigelia marilandica, or pink root.’ The youthful bachelor of science served as demonstrator of chemistry for one year in the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati during which time he worked out a modification of Bottger’s subnitrate test for sugar* and a new test for gallic acid.3 During the same time he published a work on the “Chemical Examination of Urine’I4 and a chart to be used by students in their study of urine. He a t once became professor of chemistry and toxicology, in which capacity he served that institution for six years, when he resigned to accept the Chair of Chemistry in Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1885, Miami conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine. While a t Miami he carried out an elaborate investigation on tobacco smoke, the poisonous principle of which he determined to be carbon monoxide.6 He was prominent among the music-loving people of Cincinnati, possessing a rich voice which charmed many in solos and ensemble 1 “Preliminary Notice of a New Volatile Alkaloid,” J . A n . Chem. Soc.. 1 (1879). 286; and A m . Chem. J.. 1, 154-5. 2 “Laboratory Notes on a Modification of BBettger’s Test for Sugar,” A m . Ckem. J . , 2 (1880). 47. a “A New Test for Gallic Acid,” A m . Ckem. J., 1 (ISSO), 48. 4 Broadside, Cincinnati (1880). 5 “Poisonous Effects of Cigarette Smoking,” Medical N n v s (Philadel-. phia), 1883, p. 53.
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a t church and a t charity concerts. He was a communicant of a conscientious attendant a t the meetings of the scientific the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was ever active in civic societies and educational associations. As one result his students now occupy some of the most important technical positions affairs, being a commissioner of the Cincinnati Industrial Exposiwithin the range of the influence of Vanderbilt University. tion from 1881t o 1885 and vice-president in 1884. During this period he was retained by John Holland, the famous Professor Dudley inaugurated courses in organic chemistry manufacturer of gold pens, giving much of his spare time to and in 1888 substituted manganese oxide for copper oxide in the investigation of iridium. H e published a paper on the combustion methods of analyzing carbonaceous and hydrogeniridium industry1 and one on Holland’s method for melting aceous substances.’ iridium.2 In a paper published in the Scientific Proceedings of Professor Dudley began taking his students t o visit industries that they might get a conception of chemical engineering. the Ohio Mechanics’ Institute, Jan., 1882, Dudley described Among these was a black powder plant and the outcome of one his own contributions t o Holland’s process of making iridium of these visits was his description of the “Pierce Process for the points for gold pens. Holland found he could melt iridium by producing a phosphide. Dudley was able to remove the phosProduction of Charcoal, Wood Alcohol, and Acetic Acid,” pubphorus afterwards by repeatedly heating the phosphide in lime. It is a masterpiece of accurate lished in Hart’s Journal From this iridium he made presentation, showing to incandescent electric filascale in careful drawings ments, which required no many details of construcvacuum, and he also subtion. I had the pleasure stituted this iridium for the of being with him while negative terminal of an arc gathering part of his data. The problem of “delintlight. The different status of ing” cotton seed subseteaching in a professional quently to be pressed for oil school and a university conis one of great import to fronted him on moving to the southern part of our V a n d e r b i l t . He carried country and a problem to into the academic life the which many inventors have knowledge of a man of devoted much attention, the affairs, who was a striking economic solution of which contrast to the be-cloistered still promises a rich reward, student or the frocked for many million dollars pedagogue, especially charworth of “de-lint’’ now goes acteristic of a denominato waste. D u d l e y w i t h tional institution of that S. Perry secured U. date. Such a teacher, one Patent No. 344,951 for rewho taught and with rare moving the lint chemically. d power, one leading in moveIt depended upon treating ments for community welthe seed alternately with fare, one associating intigaseous N203 and SO$ and mately with public men, a air. The process worked scholarly man of polish most satisfactorily on the who moved among people laboratory scale, but never with grace and without seems to have been tried academic condescension or out commercially. He was bland servility, possessing not much interested in comthe more familiar charactermercializing once he had istics of educationalists of worked out his idea. He today, was of tremendous had sufficient means for his influence, especially when needs and no desire for t h a t man remained the born wealth. aristocrat in his concepLater he completed a tions of honor and standcritical comparative study ards of integrity, but who of the Roese and Allena t the same time was a WILLIAM LOFL.AND DUDLEY Marquardt4 methods for democrat. He saw the the determination of fusel needs of the middle southwest-and he set himself the task of oil which led to the conclusion that the latter is more accurate meeting some of those needs. A powerful university was wanted and more rapid. This study he utilized in his investigations in that city having more varieties of educational institutions than of the filtration of alcoholic liquids through wood charcoal, in any other city of like size in our country. Practical men of eduwhich he concluded that oxidation plays no part in the removal cation were needed to take hold of important places in the of fusel oil. To him it was a case of adsorption. industrial development of the middle south and southwest 1 “Some Modifications of the Methods of Organic Analysis by Combustion,” A m . Chem. J.. 10 (1888), 433 and Be?. deut. chem. Ges., 21, 3172. which is rich in many ways, but even now not operating to the 2 J. Anal. A p g l . Chem.. 5 (1891). 241. highest efficiency. He studied the professional status of various 8 “Process for the Removal of the Lint from Cotton Seed,” J. A n a l . callings in that part of the country. He visited institutions A p p l . Chem., 6 (1892), 140. of learning in the North, South and Europe. He spent vacation “Notes on the Roese Method for the Determination of Fusel Oil and a Comparison of Results by the Allen-Marquardt Method,” J . Am. Chem. days seeing the industries where chemistry could help and was 1 2
Trass. A m . I n s t . M i n . Eng., 12, 577. Chem. News. 45, 168
Soc., SO (1908), 1271. 5 “The Filtration of Alcoholic Liquids through Wood Charcoal,” J . A m . Chem. Sor., S O (1908). 1784.
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I n 1908 he also completed an investigation on the influence of coal gas on the corrosion of wrought iron pipe laid under the streets in the city of Nashville, in which he came to the conclusion that coal gas had a retarding action.’ I n his scientific work there is frequent evidence of the chemicomineralogical influence of his distinguished teacher-and he himself shared in that compensation of the inspiring teacher in the work of his own students after they had left him. In 1880,~with Clarke, he described a new occurrence of graphite a t the Ducktown Copper Mine and in 1890 he published an analysis and description of a curious occurrence of vivianite, which was made up of plant roots, I cm. in diameter and up to 400 cm. in length, entirely replaced by hydrated iron and aluminum phosphate.3 Not infrequently Dudley harked back to his work with Holland and the elements of the eighth group. He showed that platinum black is soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, b u t only when oxygen is present.4 He worked on the electro-deposition of iridium5 and showed that iridic hydrate, Ir(OH)4, suspended in bags would serve to keep the bath of uniform composition, This was later independently determined by Wahl, who graciously acknowledged Dudley’s priority, the delay of publication of whose work was due to professional obligations. In I 896 he prepared and described nickelo-nickelic hydrate,6 Ni304.2H20. Later7 he gave a n account of further work on the “Action of Fused Sodium Dioxide on Metals,” describing a ferric hydrate, Fe203.H20, which was magnetic, and a hydrated platinum sesquioxide, Ptz03.2HzO. His last published scientific work, and perhaps his most important in the field of pure inorganic chemistry, was with E. V. Jones on a “Spectrographic Study of Tellurium,” in which he found little evidence of the oft-suspected complexity of that chemical element of today.8 Professor Dudley made no great contribution to the theories of chemistry. Few are they that do. However, for years he sought a relation of the color transmitted by thin films of metallic elements and that emitted by their incandescent vapors, but was unable t o associate them t o his satisfaction, although many new data were presented in the paper published in 1 8 9 2 . ~ I had the pleasure, as a graduate student, of assisting him in part of this work. From a long and critical study of the relationship of the heat of vaporization of gases to their density and also their boiling points,1° he enunciated the following law: “ I n any homologous series, the heat of vaporization in a unit of volume of the vapor, under the same conditions as to temperature and pressure, is proportional to the density and also to the absolute boiling point.” I n an official capacity he attended the opening of the Kent Chemical Laboratory of the University of Chicago, which marked a prominent forward movement in the development of our science in this country, and reported the proceedings for our S0ciety.l’ At t h a t time his own chemical laboratory occupied the entire ground floor of the large Vanderbilt Hall. A bequest from the 1 “Effect of Coal Gas on the Corrosion of Wrought Iron Pipe Buried in the Earth,” J . A m . Chem. Sac., SO (1908), 247 a n d Progressite Aqe, 26 (1908). 137. 2 “Graphite from Ducktown, Tenn.,” A m . Chem. J . , 2 (1880), 331. 3 : ‘ A Curious Occurrence of Vivianite.” A m . J . Sci., .-A\ S., 40 (1890), 120. 4 “ T h e Action of Gaseous Hydrochloric Acid and Oxygen on the Platinum Metals,” J . A m . Chem. Sac., 16 (1893). 272. 6 “ T h e Electro-deposition of Iridium, a Method of Maintaining the Uniform Composition of an Electroplating B a t h without the Use of a n Anode,” J. A m . Chem. Sac., 16 (1893), 274. 6 J ” A m . Chem. Sac., 18 (18961, 901. 7 A m . Chem. J . , 28 (1902). 59. 8 J . A m . Chem. Sac.. S4 (19121, 995. 9 “ T h e Colors a n d Absorption Spectra of Thin Metallic Films and of Incandescent Vapcrs of the Metals, with Some Observations on Electrical Volatility,” A m . Chem. J . , 14 (1892). 185. 10 J . A m . Chem. Sac., 17 (1895). 969. 11 I b i d . . 16 (1894). 213.
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Furman estate was intended for a new laboratory, but the estate was long involved in litigation. Vanderbilt Hall was destroyed by fire and in time the legal controversy was decided in favor of the University. From the quarter of a million dollars thus made available Professor Dudley designed Furman Hall, the new laboratory which was built about ten years ago. He was not satisfied with the various kinds of flooring then in use, so set about designing a composition flooring which, in the opinion of the writer, is one of the most satisfactory materials for the construction of floors known today.‘ His patent (V.S. Pat. No. 839,829 of 1906) covered a magnesia-cement composition containing cellulose water-proofed with paraffin and asbestos. I t was offered by friends to a number of composition flooring concerns, but never taken up by them. No doubt his patent has been infringed, but he could not be persuaded to prosecute. “I’d like them to be decent, but what’s the use of a nasty fight? I have my‘laboratory floor and it’s what I wanted.” He preferred peace, but there was no honorable length to which he would not go, when once he entered a contest. Professor Dudley lectured fluently and easily, yet with forceful clarity. His lectures were abundantly illustrated, many demonstrations being devised by him but never published, although Science printed a short note from him on a neon tube.2 He described a most satisfactory down-draft3 which he devised for his lecture table and which may well be patterned after by others. Professor Dudley and Kirkland were intimate friends and messed together before the latter married. Dr. Dudley never married. After Dr. Kirkland became Chancellor of the University he called upon Dr. Dudley in many ways, among them to assume the deanship of the medical school and thoroughly reorganize it, as Dudley had urged. This extra labor was begun in 1895 and continued to his retirement. New buildings were designed and equipped; a strong faculty was brought together; the standard was raised and the number of students increased until the medical college of Vanderbilt ranked in the first class of medical schools. During the first few years of this extra work he also undertook the direction of affairs of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition of 1897 and handled it with such care that no deficit appeared a t its end, an unusual condition for such undertakings. These and other civic duties caused him t o sacrifice his music, though he maintained constant interest in all forms of art and literature, being a n active member of the select and famous Round Table and The Oaks of Nashville. Dr. Dudley never seemed in a hurry, but he was always on time. H e possessed a n even temperament that was most difficult to ruffle, yet he was not unfamiliar with righteous indignation. When he espoused a cause, he was unflaggingly persistent in its prosecution. H e did not recognize such a thing as failure. H e had much to do with the legal contest between the Board of Trustees of the University and the Methodist Episcopal Church South concerning the gift of Mr. Carnegie. The Trustees, Chancellor Kirkland and Dr. Dudley won eventually and the medical school increased its endow-ment a million dollars thereby. Thrown back into a field where he began his teaching he renewed his interest in the applications of physical science to medicine, Right after Rontgen’s announcement he persuaded his colleague, Professor Daniel, to radiograph his (Dudley’s) head. One of the results observed was the whitening of Dudley’s hair nearest the Crookes tube, He was, therefore, the discoverer, or if not the discoverer, one of the first and an independent observer, of some of the physiological effects of X-rays. When he wept to Vanderbilt, Dr. Dudley organized an athletic association because of his love for clean sport and clean sportsmanship. I n resolutions recently passed that -4ssociation said : “He had a wider and a more intimate acquaintance with the 1 2
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Proc. Eng. Assoc. of the South, 18 (19071, 3. “Keon and Electric Waves,” Science, New Series, SO (1909). 525. J . A m . Chem. S a c . , 30 (19081, 973.
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T H E J O r R i Y d L O F I N D C S T R I . 4 L A N D EAVGI-VEERING C H E M I S T R Y
students and alumni of Vanderbilt University than any other person; he was loved by all of them, and that was his sufficient compensation ” The \-anderbilt athletic field is called “Dudley Field.” He extended his influence to students of other institutions by organizing the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association about twenty years ago. I t became very powerful and he was its president up to two years ago. He was a member of .the Executive Committee of the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association and an active member of the Football Rules Committee which brought about many reforms in the modern American game. He organized the University Club of Nashville and was its president through the trying years. He had many interests in students’ affairs, being grand consul of the Sigma Chi fraternity (1897-9). Dr. Dudley had collected a very large and valuable scientific library, which he left to Vanderbilt University. His recognized administrative ability brought him offers in executive positions in other institutions, but he preferred to remain a t Vanderbilt with the upbuilding of which he had had somuch to do. He was a loyal member of the American Chemical Society (since 1890). urging all his graduates to become members. He served the Society in many ways, organizing the Nashville Section and being a Councillor-at-large when he died. He was an active fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, especially “Section C” before the Chemical Society became active. He was secretary (1888) and then chair-
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man of Section C (1889), his retiring address being a splendid presentation of an extensive study of the nature of amalgams.‘ He was a Fellow of the London Chemical Society (since 1890). a Member of the German Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry (since 18871, American Electro-chemical Society, and others. He was secretary of the section of inorganic chemistry a t the International Congress of Arts and Sciences in St. Louis in 1904. He was an United States Commissioner to the Seventh International Congress of Applied Chemistry, member of the Executive Committee and Vice-chairman of the Section on Law and Legislation of the Eighth Congress. He, as other members of that committee, took long trips to New York and did much towards making that Congress successful. He long ago became a non-resident member of the Chemists’ Club2 and fathered the splendid paper about the Club which was presented a t the Cincinnati meeting of the Chemical Society3 and later appeared in THISJOURNAL. This is only a part of the life-story of a good man, whose intimate friendship I was privileged to share a quarter of a century. He had many intimates, who loved him. He was a man whom men loved. The influence of such a man goes on through generations. He was noble in all that is associated with a gentleman and now rests with his forebears in the place of his birth. CHARLES BASKERVILLE COLLEGE OF THE CITYO F NEW YORK September 21, 1914
CURRENT INDUSTRIAL NEWS B y M. I,. HAMLIN
SOME PHASES OF T H E INDUSTRIAL SITUATION IN GREAT BRITAIN The European war has created such unprecedented conditions in the foreign industrial world that all other factors fade into insignificance, and because of the tremendous recent changes even the latest news before the development of general hostilities is entirely out of date. Since the beginning of the war German periodicals have been stopped and there is practically no news directly from the continent, but the English journals give a complete and accurate description of the conditions existing there. In a long editorial Engineering (London) says in part [98 (-4ug. 2 1 , 1914), 2531 after praising the course of the government: The Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade have done well to offer guidance and help by emphasizing the importance of prompt and vigorous progagandism, in order t o extend our markets by the taking of every legitimate means of utilizing the opportunity presented by the cessation of exports from Germany and Austria-Hungary, particularly to our Colonies. The total exports from Germany during the six years ended ~ sterling( I 1. sterling 1912 increased fiom 3 1 2 ~I )to 4 4 0 ~ : ’million = 54.86). If we take only manufactured articles, we find the increase is from 2 I I to 2841,’2 million, while in iron and steel and manufactures thereof the advance has been from 353/4 million to 60 million sterling, and of machinery, including locomotives and boilers, from 17.3 to 34.8 million sterling. In 1912 Germany’s exports of electrical appliances and apparatus exceeded 8 million sterling. Of dynamos, our exports in 1913 were 2,269,000Z., whereas Germany’s total in 1912 was 2,521,000L. In the case of electric glow-lamps the disparity is enormous, the exports from Britain being 152,50ol., as compared with z,447,0001, from Germany. And so i t is throughout practically the whole range of electrical industry. In this respect alone, i t will be seen that there is a great field for British endeavour. The textile industry is one of very great consequence, even t o engineers by reason of its machinery requirements, and it is found, for instance, that while our exports of cotton stockings and socks
in 1913 totalled only 19g,oool., those from Germany totalled g,g~g,oooZ.in 1912, the last year for which German export statistics are available. The United States, Argentina, France, and almost all countries in the world have been captured by Germany. Of woolen and worsted piece goods Germany’s exports totalled 13l’2 million, and here Canada, Australia, Argentina, Japan, and British India, in the order named, account for a very considerable part of the total. In respect of cutlery our exports were 836,0001., whereas Germany’s were 1,747,8ooZ.-double our total. In the case of iron and steel wire our exports totalled 1,058,100l., and Germany’s 3,176,oool., or three times our total. Of enamelled hollow-ware, etc., our exports were only 531,0ooL., and those of Germany 1,776,0001.again more than a threefold total. The great disparity which is brought out by these Government returns of the British and German exports serves to illustrate clearly the efficiency of Germany from a commercial and industrial point of view. N o one can for a single moment have doubted this efficiency, or the keenness with which commerce, particularly overseas commerce, has been pursued by the people of Germany. Time and again we have enforced this, and have sought to point the moral. Consequently there can be no base motive attributable to us in again directhg attention to this question. We have contended that if we are to fight Germany in neutral markets we must adopt the German methods so far as these are essential. I n the great majority of cases the superiority of our products has been recognized, but less durable and cheaper goods are obtainable from other countries. This is a fault of our qualities. In iron and steel wire, where the German exports are treble those of Britain, the same holds good. In the interior of Africa and in the uplands of Australia, the purchasers of fencing-wire, whether plain or barbed, do not think that any advantage is to be gained by the superior and climate-resisting qualities of the British wires, except where they are in use close 1
Proc. A . .A. A . S . , 38 (1889), 149. Mr. Berolzheimer, the Librarian of the Club, kindly collected t h e
bibliography here used. 3 THIS J O U R N A L , 6 (1914), 4 0 i .
