DISCOVERY 



281 



new dye, under the names of " Aniline Purple " and 

 " Tyrian Purple," was supplied to one of the London 

 silk dyers. The difficulties overcome in the production 

 of the dye were as nothing to those still to be encountered 

 in inducing the diffident manufacturer to use it. 



The silk dyer, the cotton dyer, and the printer of 

 calico had each to be tackled in turn, and it must be 

 confessed that the French were quicker than the British 

 in grasping the meaning of the new discovery. In a 

 lecture before the Society of Arts in iS68 Perkin tells us 

 of his difficulties : " I distinctly remember, the first time 

 I induced a calico printer to make trials of this colour, 

 that the only report I obtained was that it was too 

 dear, and it was not until nearly two years after- 

 wards, when French printers put aniline purple into 

 their patterns, that it began to interest EngHsh 

 printers." Through some technical error in the 

 British patent, they were able to manufacture the dye 

 independently. The name Mauve itself originated in 

 France, and it was the importation from France of 

 calicoes printed with the new colour that made the 

 British manufacturer wake up. The new industry thus 

 created immediately influenced pure science, and even 

 Hofmann himself entered the field of tinctorial 

 chemistry. 



Perkin did not allow his interest in the technical side 

 to interfere with his passion for research, and though 

 the far-reaching importance of the discoverv' of Mauve 

 is apt to eclipse his other discoveries, these nevertheless 

 were great enough to hand his name down to posterity. 

 One of them, in fact, has done so, for the " Perkin 

 Synthesis " by which he was able to prepare coumarin, 

 the odorous substance contained in the tonka bean. 

 Still bears his name. It is worth noticing that this was 

 the first artificial perfume to be prepared from coal 

 tar. 



With Duppa he carried out researches of the greatest 

 importance synthesising glycocoU, a substance hitherto 

 only known naturally. His sjTithesis of cinnamic acid 

 from benzaldehyde enabled Baeyer and Caro subse- 

 quently to prepare artificial indigo. The discovery of 

 artificial alizarin by Graebe and Liebermann set 

 Perkin to work to find a practical method of manufac- 

 turing the dye on a large scale, an effort which was 

 crowned with success simultaneously with his German 

 competitors, Perkin being granted a patent for his 

 process on June 26, 1869, one day after the German 

 patent of Caro, Graebe, and Liebermann had been 

 secured. Artificial alizarin has now completely dis- 

 placed the natural product and put an end to the 

 madder-growing industry. The Greenford Green 

 Works at once started producing artificial alizarin, 

 first in a small way, and then in ever-increasing 

 quantities, long before the Germans made use of the 



Continued on p. 282 



■iiimiiiiiMii 



THE 



University o/Liverpool 



has been compelled this year to refuse admission 

 to numbers of promising men and women, and 

 the demand for admission is so great that next 

 Session, hundreds, probably, will have to be 

 turned away. 



This condition of affairs is a reproach to a 

 wealthy country, and a danger to the future 

 prosperity of our nation. 



The University of Liverpool provides the best 

 teaching that can be given in Arts and Com- 

 merce, Science, Medicine, Law and Engineering. 



The departments of Tropical Medi= 

 cine and Oceanography are the most 

 advanced in the World, while its School 

 of Fisheries is another department of great 

 importance. In Architecture and Veterinary 

 Science it is also in advance of all other 

 British Universities. 



The urgent problem is to provide accommoda- 

 tion for the ever-increasing influx of students, 

 and its immediate solution imposes a grave 

 responsibility upon all to assist to the fullest 

 extent in their power. 



FUNDS are URGENTLY NEEDED for 



Complete Buildings: Laboratories for Chemistry 

 and F.lectrical Engineering, Educalton Depart- 

 ment School of Archilecliire, Hostels jor Students, 

 University Hall, Veterinary College. Exten- 

 sions to: The Library, Engineering Laboratories, 

 Students' Union and Club Rooms. 



Contributions to the Appeal now being made on behalj of the 

 University of Liverpool should be addressed to A. t Shepherd. 

 University Appeal Director. 4 Moorfielis Liverpool Printed 

 particulars and a copy of "Many Ways of Helping the Appeal 

 will gladly he sent to all applicants. 



llUlllllllUlllllllllllllllllUllHIUimilHIIiMIIIMlUlill 



