Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-28
WASHINGTON CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Charles E. Munroe, DR.. w. F. Hillebrand
and DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, the latter hav-
Ing served two consecutive terms.
81
Taking the Washington section of the
american Chemical Society as a separate
and distinct unit, 1t can be
Government said to be practically a
AA;rro+ clearing house for chemical
research for the govern
ment. OF all its members, the large ma
Jority are those men who stand high in
the government service in chemical af-
iairs. At the regular meetings it is the
custom to have various members give
short talks on their latest research work
or upon some subject they are working
on. Following the addresses, the sub
3ects are open for general discussion.
through the medium of this society they
are able to keep abreast of the work
being done by the United States govern
ment in a more thorough manner than
couio De possible in any other way, at
the same time being in touch with what
the world at large is doing as we'll
in1s year the local section has departed
from Its regular course and is giving a
series OF extra meetings. These are held
once month. and at each meeting some
prominent scientist gives an address The
speaker, as a rule, is an out of town man.
IN winch case the entire evening is given
TO his address. Another special meeting
which the local section will hold will oc-
cur the first Of May at the Institute of
industrial Research, when the Tooth an
nlversary of the discovery of gas as an
Illuminating medium will be observed.
Prof. Charles E. Munroe has the program
or arrangements in charge.
The magazines published nv the
American Chemical Society are one of the
most important features
important of the organization. No
n.,,..ot other chemical society is
sues as large a number
OF magazines, or as great an amount of
matter. The monthly Journal of the
American Chemical Society contains the
proceedings Of the organization. This mag
azine last year contained almost twenty
one hundred pages. The Journal of In
dustrial and Engineering Chemistry.
which appears twice a month, amounted
to more than thousand pages during the
same period. But by far the largest
publication in point of size published by
the organization Is the Journal Of Chem
teal Abstracts. This magazine gives in q
condensed form the very latest in chem
icai science which can be gathered from
all over the world. This also : n hi
monthly magazine. last year consisted of
nearly five thousand pages. Taken in
.neIr entirety, these three magazines con-
tain about eight thousand pages a wear.
an amount which is about twice that
published by any other nation. The organ
OF the English Chemical Society con-
tanned. last year about one-half, as did
Chemical Society. The French societv's
publication as compared with that of the
United States is very small
Inese three magazines are of a techni-
g ca IL. nature t with no attempt to popu-
magazines have a circulation of about
$500. which constitutes the memberships
OF the society. Four hundred of the
members are foreigners. The magazines
have, In addition, considerable outside
circulation.
The charter of the American Chemical
Society was granted In New York, and
therefore, while there is
American no specific headquarters for
Soc;a%v the organization. that city
SJ is practically such. The
that body having charge of the financial
affairs of the society. which is composed
of men from all over the country, usually
meets in New York. And the library of
the society Is deposited in the Chemists
Club of New York. On the other hand,
when the president of the American
Chemical Society lives outside of New
York the headquarters is, in a sense
where he resides, and also in
like manner where the secretary lives
Not only is the Washington section one
OF the largest In the American Chemical
Society, but its personnel Is one of the
most prominent Nowhere in the United
States are there gathered SO closely to-
gether as many men who rank high in the
science Of chemistry. not only in this
country, but in the world as well. For
example, DR.. Frank w. Clarke, who is at
present in the geological survey, has at
tanned an international reputation on ac-
count of his work in connection with
atomic weights. He is also a member of
the International committeeofor the revi-
sion of atomic weights, which office he
has held for several years. Then, also,
DR.. r. B. Moore of the bureau of soils
has attained a national reputation for his
work in connection with radium and ra-
while Prof. Charles E. Num-
roe, professor at George Washington Uni
versity, is recognized as an authority on
explosives. Chase Palmer of the geolog-
ical survey, too, has taken rank among
American chemists on account of his re-
search work in connection with water
analyses.
Among the other members of the local
section who have achieved fame for their
work can be mentioned
Distinguished DIR. Marcus BENJAMIN.
one of the curators of
MeMpeIs. the National Museum.
history of chemistry. DR.. w. D. Bigelow
of the bureau of chemistry, next to Dr.
Harvey w. Wiley, has perhaps had more
to do with the enforcement Of the pure
food and drug laws than any other one
man. and is the chief of the
Cameron, chief of the bureau of
soils, is prominent as a physical chem
ist DR.. A. l.. Day of the geophysic lab
oratory is the secretary of the Washing
ton Academy of Science. DIR. David r.
Day Is we'll known as mineral chemist
Dr. Marion Dorset of the bureau of ami
NAL industry is the chairman of the In
secticide board. DR.. F.. L. Dunlap, for
merly assistant professor at the Univer-
sity of Michigan, is a member of the
board of food and drug inspection. Dr.
w. F. Hillebrand is the .chief of the bu-
reau of standards, following his service
as head of the geological survey. DIR.
Johns Hopkins University, is now the
NJ tho referee hoard 0r nc II 10