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J HE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



who, after passing their examination, have 

 worked one or two years with one of the pro- 

 fessors, with whom we are associated. When 

 such a chemistjoins our service, we do not ex- 

 pect, if for instance he should enter the depart- 

 ment of colors, that he should even know what 

 a color is. We have found it most satisfactory, 

 if we introduce the young chemist ourselves in 

 our special field. For that purpose every chem- 

 ist must first pass through our experimental dye 

 and print labratory, in order that he may learn 

 dyeing and printing, and becomes aware of the 

 requirements of the dyers' industry, as regards 

 dyeing properties and the fastness of colors. 

 When he has finished this school, the chemist 

 is introduced in the scientific laboratory. It is 

 its duty to keep us and our chemists informed 

 of every thing new that appears in the field of 

 our manufactures in literature, patents, etc., 

 and it is at the same time principally the labo- 

 ratory of inventions. In this our scientific 

 laboratory alone at the present time more than 

 20 chemists are occupied. Here the young 

 technical chemist must produce a few of the 

 well-known dyestufFs of the greatest variety of 

 groups. He must experiment with those col- 

 ors of our competitors that we find in the mark- 

 et, and only then he will slowly and gradually 

 be directed into one special branch of color 

 chemistry. This scientific laboratory similar to 

 the general stafif of the army, serves at the same 

 time to supply us with substitutes for the lead- 

 ing chemists for special departments in our 

 works, where only such chemists who have 

 shown their value in the scientific laboratory 

 are admitted. 



In the same manner as we form our chemists 

 for the color department, we do it for other 

 departments in our works, for the inorganic, 

 pharmaceutical, analytical, etc., departments. 



We do not expect striking results from any 

 of the chemists, during the first year of their 

 appointment. We only wish that he per- 

 fects himself as much as possible in the branch, 

 that has been allotted to him and tries to master 

 it. Capable, generally educated, active and 

 especially energetic men become almost always 

 in the course of their first contract, productive 

 and give the service, that is expected from 

 them. 



I hear it said however, that chemical industry 

 works with numerous machines and apparatus; 

 innovations and improvements especially in the 

 field of inorganic industry, have been produced 

 only by alterations and new constructions of 

 furnaces and machinery. It is not right there- 



fore, that the chemist, especially the leader of 

 a department, should be educated in construct- 

 ion, in the knowledge of machinery? Should 

 he not be able to make drawings, and be capa- 

 ble, the same as an engineer, to construct the 

 apparatus for his purpose? In many branches 

 of chemical industry the knowledge of machin- 

 ery may be necessary for the practical chemist, 

 especially when the works are small and there 

 are no engineers. In opposition to many of my 

 friends, I place myself however on the stand- 

 point, although I myself have acquired the 

 technical knowledge that the chemist does not 

 require this purely technical knowledge. Noth- 

 ing according to my opinion is worse than to 

 make of a chemist an Ingenieur-chemiste, as is 

 done in France, or Chemical-Engineer, as is 

 very often done in England. The field of chem- 

 istry, which the chemist has to master, is at the 

 present so enormous, that it is practically im- 

 possible for him to sudy at the same time me- 

 chanics, which is the special field of the engin- 

 eer. Division of labor is here absolutely neces- 

 sary. I leave to the engineer his science, to the 

 chemist, chemistry; but I desire that both work 

 together, I deny decidedly that any one person 

 can master at present both sciences and com- 

 bine them in himself. The chemical-engineer 

 is both half and nothing quite. That at least is 

 my opinion and my impression. I could also 

 state that a thoroughly well trained chemist, 

 who had never heard not even the elements of 

 mechanics, can find his way nevertheless very 

 easily among the apparatus of chemical indus- 

 try, most of which are simple, if he should be 

 compelled to look after that part of his depart- 

 ment. I personally prefer in questions of tech- 

 nical mechanics one capable engineer to a dozen 

 chemists with a knowledge of mechanics. He 

 however who places extra value on the knowl- 

 edge of mechanics and desires that his chemist 

 should be instructed in this part, should not be 

 too exacting in that direction, but be satisfied 

 with a knowledge of the elements of this science 

 and take chemists, that, as is the case with us 

 in Germany, have been educated not at the 

 university, where those branches are not taught 

 but at technical high schools where they must 

 be learned during the first years. 



In order to see now whether the chemical in- 

 dustry agrees in general with the principles 

 here laid down, regarding the education of 

 chemists, in order to test, if it participates in 

 the standpoint thus marked out, that the knowl- 

 edge of mechanics and construction is not re- 

 quired, I have issued statistical inquiries to 83 



