THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY. 



BY PROFESSOR JAMES C. BOOTH. 



The arts are those processes by which the products of the mineral, 

 vegetable, and animal kingdoms are modified, in a greater or less degree, 

 in order to adapt them to the wants of man. These processes are based 

 on either mechanical or chemical principles ; and while in a large pro- 

 portion of them mechanics are almost exclusively employed, in an 

 equally huge number mechanical operations are merely subservient to 

 chemical action. Hence, a twofold division of the arts is both practi- 

 cable and convenient. The former is designated as Mechanical 

 Technology, or Practical Mechanics ; the latter, Chemical Technology. 



Among the chemical arts, many are conducted on a large scale, and 

 are properly termed chemical manufactures ; but chemical technology 

 is more comprehensive, embracing less extended processes, and even a 

 few in which chemistry finds a limited application. Thus, the making 

 of alum and glass, the reduction of iron ores, the extraction and refining 

 of sugar, are all manufactures conducted on a vast scale. On the other 

 hand, phosphate of soda and chrome yellow are made on a limited 

 scale; small quantities of nickel, of tannin, and perfuming oils, are 

 extracted and refined ; and yet, as their preparation is wholly governed 

 by chemical principles, these processes belong to chemical technology. 

 "While some writers incorrectly limit the subject to chemical manufac- 

 tures, others confine it to the first valuable products obtained. Thus, 

 while the prepai-ation of alum and copperas are acknowledged chemical 

 arts and manufactures, their extensive application to organic fibre to . 

 give permanency to dyes, and the whole art of dyeing and calico print- 

 ing, would be excluded. This is manifestly wrong, if the definition of 

 the arts which we have given be correct ; and we cannot exclude 



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