Arizona republican., 1920-10-29
Chemical Aid
 For Business
Rv Frederiok J. Haskin

By Frederick J. Haskin
 CAMBRIDGE. Mass. oct 2S--There | is firm here which belives in chem istry as power to revolutionize in dustry just as strongly as Fulton ever believed in his steamboat or Bell in the telephone. Chemistry is already ac- knowledged as an important factor in industry, but this firm says that the possibilities of applying science to bus mess have scarcely been tapepd. It points out that by the present methods of handling materials reclxlessly and burning up waste rich in possibilities the country's resources are dwindling so rapidly that efficiency and scientific management will have to be carried soon to much higher degree
 In a few years we may expect to find 1t a common thing for factory to retain a chemist aust as 1t now em- ploys a lawyer. Many large plants all ready maintain chemical laboratories One of Bostons largest and most ef- ficient department stores has such | laboratory And here in Cambridge by the Charles river. there is the big yellow brick building of this company which conducts thriving business as | chemical adviser and assistant to all sorts of manufacturers. inventors tradesmen and professional men. There Is no line of industry which cannot be l benefited by applied chemistry. the firm mantains, and the variety of its activities strengthens this broad claim. One client, a manufactures. recently discovered that a kind of shoe polish which he had long been purchasing. was not being made any more. The matter was taken up with the indus trial chemists and an old bottle of the !, polish supplied. Then the manufac- . turer went home and in a short time
 he received the formula he wanted and help in establishing the necessary ap- . paratus to make his own polish.
 Another plant was having trouble
 with its product-minute tapioca--be- , coming mildewed. The chemists made survey of the machinery in use and
 found that the trouble was due to the
 flour being boiled in tin. When the tin F was replaced with wood and the proc ess changed slightly there was no more mildew.
 Tests for Merchanse
 . Tn still another instance the firm
 was requested to make series of test: il of a merchant to ascertain the wearing . quality of several kinds of stockings if Artificial lights were used to hasteI a the discoloration ordinarily caused b,
 sunlight Special apparatus produced f the effects of rubbing. soap. mud ans
 wear, and careful records were ob - tained. so that from the final repor ' the dealer knew all the strong an' f weak points of the different brands 0 n stockings he had been carrying n This last job is interesting becaus n it shows how chemistry is slowly en l.. tering the buying game, and renderin
 innocuous the blarney of the dappe l. travelling salesman. Of course it wi g be some time before the small tow
 general store with its modest capita ,- can afford to have it's stock analyze T to find out whether the six or leathe at it is buying is as good as the salesma pf said. But big stores are doing thi of They say that it Is better to have tes es show up a poor grade of silk befor re they invest than to wait and have GUS re toners find flaws and possibly leay
 the store forever. On the other ham Vi. if the material in a lot of dresses Ina 1g been scientifically tested for wear, dyt e and quality and has proved durabl nd the customer can safely be assured -s. satisfaction.
 To cope with the varying problem of put to it, the firm here has to emplc
 chemists who are unusually versatil an The company has the reputation of b' m ing the greatest paper authority in Il es country It has a small paper mill ss one of its laboratories and chemists al
 almost always working here on son
 new paper project. Ihere are al! to many demands for work on glass ar e. fuels. But for the most part. each ne ! contract calls for a new angle of il C. vestigation.
 a. Helping the Planters
 lee An unusual problem to which Il it. chemists worked out an ingenious sol tle ton was. Gan weeds in a sugar cal K plantation be controlled more cheap ct. and efficiently than by constant haI lv weeding?"
 ,se The concern which wanted this que ge tion answered was in Hawaii. The r n- search chemists spent sonae. time in e
 periments and deep thought and final
 emerged with a kind or Soft but hea'
 brown paper which they have ma a from a waste materiaItof the.sugar m
 called bagasse Thiss paper was ir re- pregnated with asphalt and was Ia
 out in long strips ina field where ca
 had been planted When the you
 cane sprouted it's sharp pointed shoo
 pierced tho felt paper aud shot up. b re- weeds could not get though and die ts This simple arrangcT1ent. neuC { m material which the nrtA had Been bur
 ing as worthless, incrrssEstfiJe yield