January 17, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



83 



There are, of course, many types of 

 chemical engineer: the inventive type, in 

 some ways the highest; the type which 

 adapts and makes practicable the discov- 

 eries of the inventor; the administrative 

 and economic type, which is that of a large 

 number of the profession; the constructive 

 type, dealing principally with the design 

 and construction of apparatus and plants, 

 and approaching more nearly the civil and 

 mechanical engineer, and, finally, the ad- 

 visory type, which is engaged almost en- 

 tirely in a consulting and inspecting ca- 

 pacity, and who more nearly resembles the 

 counselor at law and is closely allied with' 

 him in litigation involving facts or opinions 

 which must be interpreted in the light of 

 chemical principles or experience. The 

 type into which any individual may de- 

 velop will depend upon his temperament 

 and aptitude and upon the opportunities 

 which he may have opened to him. 



The mere technologist or industrial 

 chemist is often confused with the chem- 

 ical engineer, but should be sharply dis- 

 tinguished from him. The former is mere- 

 ly acquainted with the details of the various 

 arts and industries, as they are carried on 

 at present, and he sees that they are prop- 

 erly conducted according to rule and cus- 

 tom. He does not originate, nor does he 

 study them from the point of view of the 

 chemical investigator. He is more nearly 

 an empyrie. He is unable to meet the 

 demands which are made upon the chemical 

 engineer, or to take a leading part in the 

 affairs of the world. 



The chemical engineer must not be con- 

 tent to remain a mere technical man. He 

 must be practical. As President Hum- 

 phrey has remarked of the civil engineer: 

 ' ' His work must be based upon correct and 

 complete theory, but it must be, first and 

 last, practical," while Professor John 

 Perry calls attention to the fact that: 



He must have all the knowledge of the scientific 

 man, and ever so much more. He uses the meth- 

 ods of the scientific man and adds to them meth- 

 ods of his own. . . . They come to him through 

 a very wide experience of engineering processes, 

 of acquaintance with things and men. 



We should have in the chemical engineer, 

 at once, the thorough chemist, the man of 

 imagination, the leader of men who inspires 

 confidence in those about him. He should 

 be an executive of the first order, who, hav- 

 ing an eye for the selection of others of a 

 capacity for special duties, is able to direct 

 them so as to obtain the greatest return 

 from their services. He should not waste 

 a moment's time in doing anything which 

 another can do equally well, and should 

 reserve all his energies for the higher prob- 

 lems which may be met. He should have 

 tact in dealing with others, and, in partic- 

 ular, shoidd be able to express himself by 

 word of mouth and in writing in a forceful 

 manner, that is to say, he should have com- 

 mand of the English language and some 

 literary capacity. He should also have a 

 knowledge of German and French so that 

 the scientific literature of these countries 

 may be available to him and enable him to 

 keep in touch with the specialists who are 

 at work there in his own and allied pro- 

 fessions. He must be at all times a student 

 and a wide reader. He should not neglect 

 research and should inspire his subordinates 

 with the necessity of it for the prevention 

 of that tendency to fall into a rut which is 

 so common. He should be a man of per- 

 sonality to enable him to make a favorable 

 impression upon those with whom he is 

 brought in contact. He should avoid all 

 antagonisms and should only permit him- 

 self to indulge in destructive criticism on 

 rare occasions. Above all, he should pos- 

 sess initiative, imagination and perspective. 

 He should be a person of original ideas and 

 not a mere follower of those of others. He 

 should not be afraid of the improbable and 

 the unlikely, and, in this respect, may well 



