June 14, 19 17] 



NATURE 



307 



TH£ SOCIETY OF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY 

 AND THE PROGRESS OF THE CHEMICAL 

 ARTS. 



THE Society of Chemical Industry has done 

 wisely in following the example of the 

 Chemical Society in initiating the compilation and 

 issue of annual reports on the progress of the 

 various sections of applied chemistry dealt with in 

 its journal. Its action is most opportune, for 

 there can be no question that such a publication, 

 if well and judiciously carried out, will have a 

 profound effect on the development of that branch 

 of technology which it is the special function of 

 the society to foster. Valuable as . the present 

 volume undoubtedly is, we venture to think it fur- 

 nishes only a partial indication of what such a 

 work, if loyally supported, is destined to become. 

 It would not be fair to its projectors to infer its 

 ultimate character from the issue before us. It is 

 confessedly incomplete, and covers only a portion 

 of the sections of the classification followed in the 

 society's journal. This has, no doubt, arisen 

 from the circumstance that many of those best 

 qualified to report on the missing sections have, 

 owing to the special conditions of the time, been 

 wholly engaged upon more pressing occupations. 

 Indeed, this circumstance has prdbably reacted 

 upon the production of the work generally, and is 

 a sufficient explanation of its somewhat belated 

 appearance. It was a bold venture to carry out 

 such an undertaking in circumstances so unpro- 

 pitious, and the editor and the Publication Com- 

 mittee are to be congratulated on the measure of 

 success that has attended their efforts under such 

 untoward conditions. 



In addition to the missing reports on fibres, 

 dyeing, metallurgy, electro-chemistry, and sugar, 

 to which the preface refers, and to that on explo- 

 sives, which for obvious reasons it is undesirable 

 to include at the present time, no action has been 

 taken in respect to agricultural chemistry, the 

 chemistry of foods, and analysis, ostensibly 

 on the ground that these subjects are dealt 

 with in the annual reports issued by the 

 Chemical Society. This appears to us no 

 valid reason for- their future exclusion. As 

 these sections are part of the fortnightly 

 issue of the society's journal, they presumably 

 meet a want, and are acceptable to a more or less 

 considerable fraction of its readers. If so, these 

 readers are equally entitled, and may fairly look 

 forward, to the annual summaries of progress and 

 development in these sections as well as in the 

 others. Moreover, it must not be forgotten 

 that the compilers and readers of each of the two 

 annual reports look at the subjects from somewhat 

 different points of view. One set is primarily 

 concerned with abstract and theoretical principles, 

 the other with practical application. Of course, 

 It is not possible to draw any hard-and-fast line 

 between them, as each is irttimately related to the 

 other. But as the angle of view is certainly dif- 

 ferent, there is surely room for both, and it would 

 unquestionably tend to efficiency and comprehen- 

 siveness if the council of the socletv decides that 

 NO. 2485, VOL. 99] 



j in future its annual reports of progress should 

 include every department of applied chemistry 

 i with which its journal is concerned. 



The present volume is made up of reports on 

 fifteen out of the twenty-three sections of the 

 I classification adopted in the society's journal, and 

 . thirteen contributors, together with the editor, 

 ; Mr. Burton, have been engaged in its production. 

 Each author is well qualified to treat of the sec- 

 tion which has been entrusted to him. Thus 

 Prof. Cobb, the Livesey professor of fuel and gas 

 i industries of Leeds University, deals with 

 ' "Fuel and Heating " and with "Mineral Oils "; 

 Mr. E. V. Evans, the chief chemist of the South 

 Metropolitan Gas Company, reports on " Gas : 

 Destructive Distillation: Tar Products"; Prof. 

 Gilbert Morgan writes on " Colouring Matters and 

 Dyes"; Dr. Auden, of the United AlkaU Com- 

 pany, on "Acids, Alkalis, Salt, etc."; Mr. Audley 

 on "Glass and Ceramics" and "Building 

 Materials "; Mr. Warburton, who was associated 

 with the late Dr. Lewkowitsch, on "Oils, Fats, 

 and Waxes"; Dr. Morrell, of Messrs. Mander 

 Bros., on "Paints, Pigments, Varnishes, and 

 Resins"; Dr. Stevens on "India-rubber"; Mr. 

 Joseph T. Wood, of Messrs. Turner Bros., Ltd., 

 on "Leather and Glue"; Mr. Arthur Ling, the 

 chairman of the London section of the society and 

 the editor of the Journal of the Institute of Brew- 

 ing, reports on the " Fermentation Industries " ; 

 Mr. O'Shaughnessy on "Water Purification and 

 Sanitation " ; Dr. Pyman, director of the Well- 

 come Research Laboratories, on " Fine Chemicals, 

 Medicinal Substances, and Essential Oils ' * ; and 

 ; Mr. B. V. Storr, of the Ilford Company, on 

 "Photographic Materials and Processes." Such 

 names, with such connections, are well calculated 

 to inspire confidence in the judgment, knowledge, 

 and critical ability with which the reports have 

 been compiled. 



Of course, it would be impossible in the space 

 at our disposal to enter into any detailed analysis 

 of these several communications, or to show at 

 any length in what respects they fulfil, or fail in, 

 their purpose of being "the abstracts and brief 

 chronicles of the time." As is to be exf)ected, 

 much of the subject-matter is too technical to be 

 of general interest. But in certain of their 

 aspects these reports are highly sigriificant, and 

 the story they tell is of national importance. As 

 ; might have been anticipated, the authors have 

 I not been able, however much they might have 

 I wished, to get away from the war.. That 

 stupendous event is profoundly influencing the 

 position of chemical industry in this country, and 

 anyone who deals with its present condition and 

 prospective development cannot possibly ignore 

 that fact if he rightly interprets his duty as a 

 chronicler. 



It is therefore of interest to ascertain what, in 

 the judgment of experts, has been the. effect of 

 the war on the several branches of applied 

 chemistry in this country, and how far that effect 

 is likely to result in a general and permanent 

 improvement in their character. It may be 

 thought too soon to pronounce any definite 



