Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-03-05
Chemical Invention.

In looking over the large number of patent
cases which pass through our office, We are
impressed with the mcager number Of those
relatndto Improvements in chemi cal process
es. There is a wide field here, - white and
ready for harvest, but the laborers are few.
The earnest workers in the chemical field Of
discovery are, for the most part, professional
men, who, having fixed income from the po-
sitions which they occupy. and apparatus
and leisure for extended research, mostly de-
vote their time to searching for new facts rath
cr than industrial applications Of those al
ready found. Notwithstanding this, many
valuable chemical patents are taken out, and
in some cases men have suddenly found wealth
flowing into their Golfers as the result Of
chemical discoveries which at first seemed of
little value.
In other cases discoveries. have been made
which. patented would have largely benefited
the discoverer, rs they have the world at
large: vet have been suffered TO pass into
general and profitable use. while he, TO whose
lab0rs such results are due. remains pecuniar-
lily unrcwarded.
Not only is the field a rich one, but its re-
sources arc constantly being augmented.
The discovery Of the method Of manuiactur-
ing cheap oxygen, opens the door to improve
ment in many departments Of chemical man
ulacture OF course experiment can only
show how such improvements can be made,
but possible improvements, seem numerous
1t appears to us that in the manufacture Of
acids, the proportion Of oils for painting.
the publication Of oils, the manufacture of
vinegar. c-t., the use OF uncombined and un-
diluted oxygen, may, in the future, be
found to be preferable to its use as mixed
with nitrogen in the atmosphere, or combined
in the salts OF which it is component.
Nothing illustrates the possibilities ofchem
zeal discovery letter than the department of
alloys Here combinations are absolute
ly infinite. Take up any work you can find
upon the subject. and see how many Of these
combinations have been examined. and see
further how many Of those already examined
are extensively used in the arts, and then
calculate the chances Of the successful discoye-
ry Of other useful combinations Let man
to-day invent an alloy that could be manufac-
tured at 4 good profit, and substituted for
brass, at three cents less per pound, and his
patent for such an invention would be worth
more than the product of any paying gold
mine IN Ile Known NOilu uuElll1 lls term.
We believe that a man who, first posting
himself thoroughly upon the nature and
chemistry of alloys, would set himself to a
life-work of systematic experiments, record
ing the results of his experiments in tables,
and preserving specimens ofall alloys possess
ing any useful quality, and parenting such
as prove applicable to special purposes, could
not fail Of success and fame.
What Is true of alloys is also true OF
other chemical compounds and their appli-
cations The PATENT 81 ssued for process in
the manufacture of substances having india
rubber as their chief constituent, form a
class, the value of which has never been ex-
ceeded by any other, in proportion to the
number of patents granted.
No greater amount Of preparation is needed
to enter upon chemical investigations thar
any other department of invention embrace
ing the fundamental principles of mechanics
I 1t is true that men can invent mOuse-trap
who are ignorant Of the laws of falling bod
les. the nature Of, and mode in which tn,
radient and undulatory forces act, and othe