Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-05-19

cOvery turned the manufacturing III
dustry of the world into new channels
and chemistry leaped to the front
rank of the professions. That Is why
the chemists of England, Germany and
the United States are now planning q
fitting memorial TO celebrate the
fiftieth memorial of this remarkable
discovery.
Perkin is not to be memorialized
alone for his color discovery. The
knowledge of his use of coal tar
opened the way for other chemists to
bring their learning to bear, and In
rapid succession the world was given
artificial perfumes, flavors, carbolic
acid, medicines and compounds EN-
ployed in developing Photographic
plates. Chemists are now so well ac-
quainted with the properties Of coal
tar that they can almost make a color
to order. In perfumes their best
known product is ionOne, which is the
basis of imitation violet; in medicinal
products acetanilid, sulphonal, phen-
acetine, analgene and antipryine; and
the oil of bitter almonds and saccha-
rine are perhaps the best known OF the
artificial flavors.
Before Perkin created his sensation,
chemists from the beginning Of the
nineteenth century, and even before,
had been working for these results.
Synthetic or constructive chemistry
was their subject, and the years they
put in on tedious research made them
a secluded, reserved class of men, who
to-day would be known as "grinds."
Their labors brought them little re-
turns, financially. The gay outside
world regarded them as hermits,
looked patronizingly on, and wondered,
maybe, at the sacrifice.
But all this weary toll was not q
waste of time. Years later, profiting
by the studies Of the pioneers, man
appeared who hit upon solution of
the problem. Artificial color was the
result The article he made had been
known to exist in indigo, and its con-
stituents We're known, but no one be-
fore had ever put them together in a
laboratory. The beauty and the cheap
ness of the color Perkin made excited
great admiration, especially among
those engaged in supplying the market
with fabrics, and development was
rapid.
Other products followed in quick sue
cession, and the manufacturing world
received an impetus such as it had
never known. Results of the chemists
research work still continue, and each
year sees brilliant discoveries added
to the records of science. There is nc
reason now why any organic body
should not he svnthpticallv made il
chemists can find what Its composition
and structure are. The only reason
they cannot make an egg is that they
do not know how TO build the fabric
They have each composite part, bu'
they cannot put them together, and
as one chemist remarked TO the
writer, Building the structure dOesn
properly belong to chemistry, any
way"
Synthetic Quinine is the aim OF the
large body Of chemists engaged in re
search work just at present. Others
are working to produce sugar, ana the
men who find these formulate VII
make their fortunes. A way to pro
duce synthetic quinine has been found
but it is yet too expensive for CONNER
cial purposes. Chemists have just be
gun to be appreciated in this country
Forty-fve years ago, when the sugar
industry was begun here in the Unltet
States. Professor Chandler, of Colum
bia University, then a boy still at hi
studies. was given a job by a frienC
in the storehouses over in Brooklyn
The position was more to help the DO!
through his scientific course than any
thing else.
But what shall / do?" asked tn,
student.
"DoT" his benefactor replied. "Oh
do anything, but keep out of the wa!
and don't ask questions"
He who was some day to add hi
contributions TO science took the pal
ronizing friend at his word and dl
what he wanted to do without goin
to superior every day for permission
The experiments and formulate learne
in class room and laboratory We're pu
into practical use and soon 1.-THE DO
out in the back room" began sendin
in recommendations to headquarters
as to savings here expenditures there
a mass of economic detail that sui
purised the older heads.
That was years ago. To-day eac
sugar plant in the country has a lal
oratory and hundreds of chemists ar
employed. They are being taken int
factories generally and put at researe
work and analysis. In competition tn
house that can produce the cheape'
and the best is the successful one an
here economy counts-therefore the +,
search chemist.
In Germany, where the profession
farthest advanced, manufacturing e
adjustments usually have a group
| chemists. Maybe tney VIII WOlh ~
years without accomplishing any r
suits, still their pay continues, The
some day, the long-sought process
solution is obtained, and thousands
dollars saved. That is one reason wi
the Germans and the English excel
in chemical industry. They recognii
the chemists worth, and have forge
ahead through his ingenuity.
William Henry Perkin, f. r. S., l.
D., Phi. D., D. Sc, V. P. G. s., is st
alive, although this string of ABR
yiations after his name might les
some to think differently. He is wor
ing patiently in his laboratory in +
search study and experiments wi
Just as much zeal as before. the di
when lie made his "strike" in coal Ia
DR.. Perkin was born in London (
March 10, 1888, and studied chemist
under DR.. A. w. Hoffman, at the Roy
College of Chemistry, where he w
afterwards assistant in his resear,
laboratory 1t was here DR.. Perk
made his coal tar sensation by Il