The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-28

Chelnie@l Aid 10 Business.

fy
Cambridss, Mass oet sS.-rhsrs
u . arm here which believes in
- . power 70 fsvolutton-
Ire industry Just - strongly %
Fulton ever believed In his steam
boat or Bell IN the telephooA
Chemistry 10 already acknowledged
as IN important factor In industry,
but this firm says that the possibil-
itieE Of applying science to business
have scarcely ,besn tapped, It
points ont that bt the present meth
DDS Of handling materials recklessly
and burning up waste rich IN posi-
bilities, the countfy's resources are
dwlindling 20 rapidly that efficiency
and scientific management will have
to be carried soon to . much
higher degree.
In . few ysars W may expect TO
ind Il . common thing for . factory
to retain . chemist Just - II now
employs . lawyer. Many large
plants already maintain chemical
laboratories. One Of Boston's, big
gest and most emclent department
stores has such . laboratory. And
here In Cambridge BY the Charles
river, there il the big yellow brick
building Of this company which
conducts . thriving business a
chemical adviser and assistant to
all sorts Of manufacturers. inven-
tors, tradesmen and professional
men. There is no line Of industry
which cannot be benefited by Ap-
piled chemistry, the firm maintains,
and the variety Of its activities
strengthens 1his broad claim.
OEe client, . manufacturer, re-
Gently discovered that . kind Of
shoe polish which he had long been
purchasing. was not being, made
any more. Tho matter WAS taken
up with the Industrial chemists and
an old bottle - the polish supplied.
Then the manufacturer went home
and in = short time he received the
formula hs wanted and help in e.
tsblishing the necessary apparatus
II make his own polish.
Another plant was having trouble
with its product-minute tApioca-
became widowed. The chemists
made . survey Of the machinery In
use and found that the trouble wa
due to the flour being boiled In tin
When the tin was replaced with
wood and the process changed
slightly there was no more mildew
Tests for Merchandise.
In still another instance the firm
WAS requested to make q series oil
tests for . merchant to ascertain
the wearing quality Of several kinds
Of stockings. Artificial lights were
used to hasten discoloration ordi.
narily caused by sunlight Spec.
ial apparatus produced the effects
OF rubbing, soap, mud and wear, and
careful records we're obtained, q
that from the final report the dealer
knew all the strong and weak points
Of the different brands of stockings
he had been carrying.
This last job is interesting be.
cause it shows how chemistry il
slowly entering the buying game
and rendering innocuous the blar.
ney Of the dapper travelling sales.
man. OF course 1t will be some
time before the small town general
store with its modest capital car
afford to have its stock analysed to
find out whether the silk or leather
it is buying 10 rs good - the sales.
man said. But big stores are doing
this. They say that it is better t.
havesa test show up q poor grade o.
silk before they invest than to wal
and have customers find flaws ant
| possibly leave the store forever. o.
the other hand, il the material in /
lot OF dresses has been scientificall,
tested for wear. dyes: and quality
and has proved durable, the Gus
toner can safely be assured of sat
isfaction.
To cope with the varying prob
lens put to 1t, the firm here has I,
employ chemists who are unusuall!
versatile. The company has tn,
reputation OF being the creates
paper authority in the country.
has q small paper mill in one Of it,
! laboratories and chemists are al
most always working here on SOM