May, 19x9
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N 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
CONCERNING THE MANUFACTURE OF PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE On June 16, 1917, the Department of Agriculture announced that the Color Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry had developed, on a laboratory scale, a new process for the manufacture of phthalic anhydride and was ready to cooperate with manufacturers in the attempt to develop the process on a commercial scale. All of the cooperation that could be handled a t that time wa5 obtained and on November I , 1917, the offer of cooperation was withdrawn. Inasmuch as a number of manufacturers recently have expressed a desire to produce a phthalic anhydride and cooperate with this Department in the experimental work, the Department of Agriculture hereby announces that it is ready to assist manufacturers by reopening this offer of cooperation on the same terms and under the same form of agreement as originally made with other manufacturers. This offer of additional cooperation is made possible by the release from war work of men of the Color Laboratory. It will not be held open indefinitely. DECISION CONCERNING IMPORTATION OF GERMAN CHEMICAL PRODUCTS The following decision was recently announced in a letter from Alien Property Custodian Garvan to Burwell S. Cutter, Chief of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce: All of the German dye and chemical patents (and in this classification there is included allied subjects, such as metallurgy, fertilizers, fixation of nitrogen, hydrogenation of oils, etc.) have been seized by the Alien Property Custodian and sold
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to the Chemical Foundation. The Chemical Foundation will use the patents to prevent interference with the American industries to which they relate by Germans after the war, by issuing non-exclusive licenses to American manufacturers, and will also institute suits for infringement based upon the importation of the goods of German manufacturers. It seems to me that it would be desirable to advise the trade in the United States that importation of German chemical products may result in infringement of patents owned by the Chemical Foundation and thereby lay the importer open to prosecution.
THE RESEARCH DIVISION, CHEMICAL WARFARE SERVICE, U. S. A.-CORRECTION Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineeizng Chemistry: In the article of the above title [This JOURNAL, 11 (191g), 931 I inadvertently neglected to mention the fact that Dr. M. Gomberg, of Michigan, with facilities turned over to him by the University of Michigan, did, gratis, some exceedingly important work for ns on mustard gas and other toxic gas syntheses a t a time when our staff was working feverishly, early and late, to make mustard and other gases. He had charge of one of OUT important laboratories. Dr. James Withrow, of Ohio State University, also deserves especial notice and praise for his work on prussic acid, cyanogen chloride (both laboratory and plant), arsenic trichloride, and other substances. At one time he had charge of a group of 40 men. PITTSBURQH, PA. G. A. BURRELL March 19, 1919
WORKS AND LABORATORY ACCIDENTS In response to the editorial, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” p. 183, of the March 1 9 1 9 issue, THISJOURNAL, the two following communications have been received. It is again urged that detailed information be sent to THISJOURNAL whenever accidents in works or in laboratories occur, so that legitimate publicity may work for the common good.-[EDIToR. ]
FIRE PROTECTION IN CHEMICAL PLANTS Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engipeering Chemistry: Recent severe fire losses in some 01 the newly established chemical plants have directed the attention of fire insurance underwriters and engineers to the general conditions surrounding the chemical industries to-day. The event which prompted this letter was the destruction by fire of a large synthetic dye works in Massachusetts with a loss of some $zoo,ooo. This fire occurred on March 6 . This plant was engaged in making sulfur and azo colors and some nitrosophenol had been made and stored in the building. The owners some 8 months previous to the fire had had trouble from the spontaneous heating of this material, but no actual fire had occurred. At the time of the fire, however, some 1 2 to 2 0 barrels of this material which were stored in the building were observed to be fuming, apparently from spontaneously generated heat. Before steps could be taken to remove the material from the main building the cloud of fumes which had collected under the roof of the building burst into flames. Although the building was equipped in part with automatic sprinklers, the nature of the fire was such that the sprinklers did not subdue it. The early breaking of an important water main crippled the sprinkler protection and the hose streams available were not sufficient to prevent the almost complete destruction of the plant. We believe this fire presents a very good example of one of the new hazards which are appearing in our industrial
plants While the fire insurance interests are striving to keep abreast of the times in the matter of chemical hazards, it has proved very difficult to obtain satisfactory information along these lines. It appears to be the general opinion of those in touch with industrial activities that the American chemical industries, particularly the coal-tar dye industry, are facing a critical period in their growth. The clamor of the trade for the artificial protection of tariff and other legislation may fairly be construed as an admission of the unstable condition of these industries. I t is t o be hoped that as much energy is being devoted to the study of the means and methods of securing economy and efficiency in plants making our chemicals as is being given to the effort to stifle foreign competition by legislative means. It is quite evident that the lavish and wasteful methods, excusable or necessary in war time, must give way to rigid care and far-sighted economy, if these industries are to succeed to a stable and permanent position in our national life. There is no industry which presents such a wide field of opportunity to-day, and none more essential to the full and independent development of our other industries and our agriculture and medicine, and it is a national need that the chemical industries be put on a stable economic basis as soon as possible. In considering the steps necessary to place any industry upon a sound economic basis, and a basis upon which it can meet foreign competition on favorable terms, the need for adequate protection of the material property on which it depends against severe fire loss should be given careful attention. Chemical plants of this country have, as a class, become notorious for their heavy fire loss record. The effects of this record are far-reaching. It is becoming increasingly difficult for such plants to secure the best indemnity against fire, and the cost of this indem-
