CHEMICAL NEWS Feb 23, 1917 Advertisements. WAR NOTICE Issued by an all-British Firm employing all-British labour, whose capital is and always hai F. E. BECKER & CO., 17-27, HATTON WALL, W. & J GEORGE (London), Ltd., Proprietors. LONDON, E.C. BACK NUMBERS AND VOLUMES. WE ili E have FOR SALE a limited number of the EARLIER VOLUMES and NUMBERS of the CHEMICAL NEWS, and are prepared to supply orders at the following rates (Carriage extra) : A discount is allowed off the above prices (except where offered at published price) when a substantial number of volumes or numbers are purchased in one transaction. The following volumes can only be supplied bound, as some of the numbers are out of print:-- All the other volumes can be supplied complete, either bound or unbound. A few bound Complete Sets, from Vol. 1 to date, can be purchased at published price. We still have in stock a few copies of the GENERAL INDEX to Vols. 1 to 100, which can be purchased at £1. All communications should be addressed to the MANAGER, CHEMICAL NEWS, 16, NEWCASTLE STREET, FARRINGDON STREET, LONDON, E.C. Feb. 23, 1917 REFRIGERATION & ICE MAKING. THE LIGHTFOOT REFRIGERATION Co. LTD. WOOD BROTHERS GLASS COMPANY, LTD., BARNSLEY. (1) An excellent Soda Glass suitable for ordinary use, branded and (2) A Highest Resistant Glass for Analytical and Research Work, branded Obtainable from Laboratory Outfitters, and is always stocked by : WM. TOOGOOD, Ltd., 77, Southwark St. C. & J. MONTGOMERY, 147, Royal Ave. BELFAST. Messrs. THOMSON, SKINNER, & HAMIL-GLASGOW. TON, 38, Sauchiehall Street. BATTLE, SONS, & MALTBY INSIST } LINCOLN. (NEWCASTLE on-TYNE. SHEFFIELD. STOCKTON on-TEES. W. FINLAYSON, 141, High St. THE ALCHEMICAL SOCIETY was formed in 1912 for the study of the early history of Chemistry and the works and THE JOURNAL OF THE ALCHEMICAL SOCIETY, Edited by H. STANLEY REDGROVE, B.Sc., F.C.S. (Author of " Alchemy: Ancient and Reprints of the 1913 Address of the Honorary President, Prof. JOHN FERGUSON, LL.D., &c., on "Some English Alchemical Books," may be obtained from the Publishers at 18. net per copy. The Annual Subscription to the Society is 12s. 6d. Members receive the Journal gratis, and those desirous of doing so, may receive Les Nouveaux Horizons, the official publication of La Société Alchimique de France, free of charge, except postage (6d. per annum). For further particulars apply to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. SIJIL ABDUL-ALI, 26, Bramshill Gardens, Dartmouth Park, London, N.W. London: Printed and Publisbed for the Proprietor by Rowin John Davey at the Office 16, Newcastle Street, Farringdon Street, E.O February 23, 1917 THE lo! Property of Chemical Laboratory of Harvard College CHEMICAL NEWS Edited by AND JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE Established Sixty-eight Years. Sir Wm. CF, M., F.R.S.] (WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED the "chemical GAZETTE"). F. W. ATACK, M.Sc. Tech., B.Sc. (Lond.), F.I.C., Fellow of the London and American Chemical Societies. CAPPER PASS & SON, LIM., BRISTOL Assisted by L. WHINYATES, Assoc. M.S.T. are Buyers of THE GERMANS USE OZONE. Can you compete with them AFTER THE WAR? 12 Page Pamphlet of Ozone Apparatus. OZONAIR Limited, 96, VICTORIA STREET, LONDON, S.W. SULPHUROUS ACID and SULPHITES. Liquid SO, in Syphons, for Lectures, &c. PHOSPHORIC ACID and PHOSPHATES. CARAMELS & COLORINGS for all purposes. A. BOAKE, ROBERTS, & CO. (LIMITED), Stratford, London, E. An up-to-date compilation of Chemical, Physicochemical, Mineralogical, and Mathematical Tables, together with Technical Methods of Analysis. With Contributions by C. F. CROSS, B.Sc (Lond.), F.I.C., on "Cellulose and Paper." W. F. A. ERMEN, M A. (Cantab on "Textile Fibres." A. GROUNDS. B.Sc. Tech., on " Mineralogy" and "Cement. ' H. MOORE, M.Sc. Tech., on "Fuels and Illuminants." F. ROBINSON, M.Sc Tech., F.I.C, on "Brewing Materials." Messrs. SHERRATT & HUGHES, 34, Cross Street, MANCHESTER. 1030 pp. Price (- vols.) 10/6 net. Or, post free, 11/-. "It is gratifying to read that the Editor's enterprise has been rewarded by success, and it is certain that when the Year Book becomes more widely known it will meet with the appreciation it deserves."Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, 1916. T. TYRER & CO., Ltd Stirling Chemcal Works, · STRATFORD LONDON, E OHEMICALS for Analysis, Research, and Technical purposes. TECHNICAL EXPERIMENTS carried out on a MANUFACTURING SCALE. Inquiries solicited from INVENTORS and FATENTEES (especially Foreign) under the New Act, 1906. CHEMICAL APPARATUS AND REAGENTS. Pure Chemicals for Research Work. JOHN J. GRIFFIN & SONS, LTD., KINGSWAY, LONDON, WC. ituation wanted as Chemist or Assistant Manager. Skilled Metals, Mineral Analyses; Food and Drugs (five years' experience; knowledge of Machinery. Aged 27; served in Army, silver badged -Offers to J., care of E. J. Gosling, F.RI.B.A, 1, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, London. Vacancy for a Senior Assistant in the Analyst's Departmert, Great Northern Railway Company. University Wanted," MEMOIRS OF THE GOODWIN Graduates in science or Associates of the Institute of Chemistry will SANDS," by Mr. Gattie.-Address, W. S., CHEMICAL NEWS Office, 16, Newcastle Street, Farringdon Street, London, E.C. The he Library and Technical Instruction Committee invite applications for the Position of TEMPORARY LECTURER AND DEMONSTRATOR in CHEMISTRY at the MUNICIPAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, BELFAST. Salary £160 per annum. The appointment is for the duration of the War. Applications will be received from women as well as from men. Particulars of the Duties and Conditions of Appointment, together with Form of Application, may be obtained from the undersigned, with whom applications (on the special form provided for the purpose) must be lodged not later than Noon on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1917. Applications should be accompanied by copies of three recent testimonials (original testimonials must not be sent). CANVASSING IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, AND WILL DISQUALIFY. THE PRINCIPAL Municipal Technical Institute, Belfast. have preference Applicants must be accurate analysts, capable for work in a general analytical laboratory dealing with boiler and drinking waters bacteriological and microscopical examination), oilgas, coal-gas, solid and liquid fuel, general metallurgy, lubricants, soaps, paints, cloth, and railway stores of all kinds, food, drugs, chemicals, tar products, dangerous goods, explosives, &c. - Applica tions, stating age, qualifications, previous experience, and salary required, should be addressed to THE ANALYST, G.N.R., 43, Bridge Terrace, Doncaster. Wanted, Assistant Laboratory Chemist, used to Food and Drugs Analysis. Give full particulars as to experience and salary required, also age. Must be ineligible.-- Address, Doctor," CHEMICAL NEWS Office, 16, Newcastle Street, Farringdon Street, London, E.C. Wanted, Autoclave or Papins or similar DIGESTER, on hire or purchase -Write, The British Vegetable Products, Ltd., Chapel Street, Kingston Road, Portsmouth. ANALYST WANTED FOR LARGE CHEMICAL WORKS. Apply, giving experience and salary required, to Box "A 30," CHAS. W HOBSON, Chemists in War. CHEMICAL NEWS VOL. CXV., No. 2988. CHEMISTS IN WAR. By R. B. PILCHER, Registrar of the Institute of Chemistry in Great Britain and Ireland. OWING to the conditions of modern warfare chemists have been more than ever in request. To give a full account of their work, if it were possible, would be imprudent, but it s well to place on record a statement confined to what it is permissible to relate, giving some indication of the importance of the profession of chemistry to the nation n these times. It may be doubted if the general com imunity realises that the chemist plays a part in the production of all iron, steel, copper, and other metal, of every explosive, of cloth, leather, rubber, glass, and material of war generally, and that his help is no less necessary in connection with the supplies of food, pure water, and medicine. The Government has secured the guidance of chemists and other men of science to assist in the investigation of suggestions and inventions and to bring their knowledge and experience to bear on measures and devices of offence and defence, while apart from those acting in an advisory capacity, chemists have been called fo service in the field as well as in the factory. In such times there is a demand for the solution of problems of an unusual character which can only be entrusted to men of the highest scientific training, with initiative and foresight. So much had we come to rely on foreign sources of supply for many of our needs, that means had to be found for dealing promptly and efficiently with diffi culties some of which, unless overcome, threatened serious disaster. The chemists of the country have not been found wanting. The laboratories of our universities and colleges have become small factories for the preparation of drugs and medicaments, and many institutions have been entrusted with the examination of materials used in the manufacture of explosives. The measures taken in this emergency secured uniformity in method and the standardisation of processes which would otherwise have been difficult to attain. Under the supervision of thei professors, students unfit for service with the colours have been helping the country and at the same time gaining useful experience. Several hundred chemists have been engaged for assist ance in the laboratories and in the works of Government and controlled establishments supplying armaments, muni tions, and other materials of war. Many of these have found an opportunity of helping the country through the registers maintained by the Institute of Chemistry and other societies for this purpose. In cases where the number of men having technical experience in some branches was limited, the authorities have made arrangements for probationary training, so that their services should be available when required in new factories. The staffs of the chemical departments of Woolwich Arsenal and cther Government factories have been considerably augmented, as also that of the Government Laboratory, which, as the recently published report shows, has been largely responsible for the examination of foodstuffs and many other requirements of the Expeditionary Forces. In previous wars the authorities have considered officers of the R.A.M.C. sufficiently trained for all necessary military duties involving chemical knowledge, but in the present conflict, with an unprecedented demand for 97 medical men, qualified chemists have volunteered in such numbers as to give practical force to the suggestion that they should be engaged for the purification and examination of water supplies and for dealing with matters of hygiene requiring chemical knowledge. As a result many have been appointed to commissions and engaged for scientific work, not only with the R.A.M.C., but also with the A S.C., A.O.D., and other units. Attached to various forces at home, with the armies on the Continent and in Africa, chemists have thus rendered valuable service. In consequence of methods of offence initiated by the enemy, such as the employment of poisonous gases, there arose a further demand for men with training in chemistry for service in the field. For the duties involved the authorities deemed it expedient to enlist men with such training, rather than entrust them to men without any scientific knowledge, and the unit thus formed is a fighting force. With the assistance of the universities and technical colleges and the various bodies interested in chemistry, an entirely new force was brought into existence. At that time there was no question of compulsion, yet it was raised with little difficulty, being subsequently augmented, by the addition of other troops. The men went voluntarily, and were sent abroad at very short notice, and after short training went into action. The officers were mainly selected from chemists who already held commis sions, while sergeants and corporals with knowledge of chemistry were transferred from other units. That they did their work well is shown by the following abstracts from despatches of Lord French and Sir Douglas Haig :— LORD FRENCH, October 15, 1915. "Owing to the repeated use by the enemy of asphyxiating gases in their attacks on our positions, I have been compelled to resort to similar methods; and a detachment was organised for this purpose, which took part in the operations commencing on September 25 for the first time. "Although the enemy was known to have been prepared for such reprisals, our gas attack met with marked success, and produced a demoralising effect in some of the opposing units, of which ample evidence was forthcoming in the captured trenches. The men who undertook this work carried out their unfamiliar duties during a heavy bombardment with conspicuous gallantry and coolness; and I feel confident in their ability to more than hold their own should the ene.my again resort to this method of warfare." SIR DOUGLAS HAIG, May 19, 1916. "The valuable nature of the work performed by the officers of the Central Laboratory and the chemical advisers with the Armies in investigations into the nature of the gases and other new substances used in hostile attacks, and in devising and perfecting means of protecting our troops against them, is deserving of recogni. tion. The efforts of these officers materially contributed to the failure of the Germans in their attack of December 19, 1915, as well as in the various gas attacks since made." SIR DOUGLAS HAIG, December 23, 1916. "The employment by the enemy of gas and of liquid flame as weapons of offence compelled us not only to discover ways to protect our troops from their effects, but also to devise means to make use of the same instruments of destruction. Great fertility of invention has been shown, and very great credit is due to the special personnel employed for the rapidity and success with which these new arms have been developed and perfected, and for the very great devotion to duty they have displayed in a difficult and dangerous service. The Army owes its thanks to the chemists, physiologists, and physicists of the highest rank who devoted their energies to enabling us to surpass the enemy in the use of a means of warfare |