Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-10
HOW UNIVERSITIES MAY
HELP SOUTHERN INDUSTRY
Continued from Second pae,

,,ohtiHueu from Second Pase.)
aiding In the chemical control of many
or our Southern industries. This Is
notably the case III the Iron and steel
districts lying around birmingham
Ala. The chief chemist ut Ensiey and
many OF the chemists in his laboratory
the superintendent Of the Semct -SOlvay
by-products plant at Ensley the super.
ihtendcnts Of the AlyS furnace at Bir-
niinShan and the Republic furnace at
THOMAS, Ala, and many Of the chem
ISIS In their laboratories are all grad
yates OF the chemical department OF
this university.
"A few OF our graduates have been
able TO remain here and carry on re-
search work. one OF these is now the
mead research chemist for the Amer
ican Tobacco Company: another liz en-
gagged in research on wood turpentine
at the North Carolina AGRICULTURAL and
Mechanical College. Such Illustrations
could lie multiplied: but the point
which concerns you IL the character
of the research they were engaged In
while they were being trained here.
This has been two-fold In Its charactr.
In part II has been in pure science.
though II is difficult to make any real
distinction between pure and applied
science. for VIVA; seems to be of only
theoretical interest at ono time often
becomes the most vital. practical mat
tcl SuCU ana It's pup
lication in pure science are duties every
university owes TO the increase and
diffusion of knowledge
side by side with these researches
in pure science. there have been com.
pleted. and still are being carried on here
numerous lines of investigation hav.
Ing direct bearing on the industries
the material for many of these re-
searches being furnished by interested
corporations.
"Drs. Nenable and Boil are engages
in rare earth work. on material fur.
nished BY the Welsbach Company
North Carolina Is richer in such rare
earths than any other Southern State.
ARTIFICIAL INDIGO AND SOME
OTHER GOOD RESULTS OBTAINED
"Dr. Wheeler has been working on
anthranulic acid one OF the interme-
diate products in the artificial prepara-
tion Of indigo.
"In my own work in cooperation
with two Of our students, n simple and
rapid but accurate method has been
worked out for use by our cottonseed
oil mills. enabling any of these, at
a very slight cost. TO maintain COM
pletc chemical control OF their opera
lions. Many of tho mills sent repre-.
sentatives to this laboratory Il few
summers ago for full instruction in the
method. which the university offered to
every mill In the South.
we are now trying to determine the
character OF the changes involved in
the cooking OF FOSSIL resins In yarnish
making. This great industry is based
Upon the procedure At present II is
carried out on purely empirical basis.
Real progress In this industry must be
based upon a more scientific basis than
now cxists. This work Is being car
ried on in cooperation with large
rarnish 6rm Of New York City, which
supplies US with the ray material and
the product cooked by It's experienced
men in the factory
"A number Of researches have been
completed or are In progress In the
field of oleoresins. IN this work ws
have been aided in two days
First. In having authentic, fresh
specimens furnished us direct from the
woods BY the turpentine operators.
Second. BY a scholarship supported
during the past five years by large
soap company. This scholarship has
paid practically all tho living expenses
Of one Of our senior students each year
he in turn devotins his research to
this field SO important to soap makers
Such types Of research as above
mentioned constitute only a beginning
Of the cooperation which 1 hope will