Evening journal., 1921-05-10
ORGANIC CHEMICALS AND DAILY LIFE.


V,HE Chamber OF is to be congratulated for
Il bringing to this city the exhibit which has been
prepared by the Chemical Warfare Service under the aus
pices OF the National Research Council
The announced purpose OF this exhibit now in the lobby
Of the Hotel dupont and free to the public is to show he
American people what the chemist has done and may 90
for them and peace Its great Importance lies IN
the fact that shows in the paines manner and IN terms
which the man in the street understand, just what
la vital relation the business OF the manufacture OF or
ganic chemicals bears to our daily life.
It shows how from It manufactured poison gases
and high explosives which defend us in time OF war
drugs without which 1t would be impossible to maintain
The health OF our people, dyes, without which thousands
OF factories in our country would be dependent on the
product Of foreign trust synthetic perfumes photo
graphic material, and many other related materials.
How many Of us know that the Government OF the
United States after the outbreak OF the European war
had to gobeggng Germany for dye as 10 be able to
continue the printing OF its postage stampsf
How many OF US know that such common, everyday
drugs as aspirin are closely associated in their chemical
relations with dyestuns and Intermediates In fact the
nerdependence between dyes and drugs is very real
one Chemists know that the same kind OF equipment
the same raw Materials the intermediates are called
for in their manufacture In fact substances are in
common use both dyes and drugs
During the war all became familiar with the names
OF chlorine phosgene and mustard gases which were used
with such terrifying results on the battleneds. In fact
was necessary for country to build plants to de-
yelop these for the purpose OF stopping the enemy
had had properly developed organic chemical bus
mess we would not have had to build thirtynne million
dollar plant and wait months for it to start in order
TO get necessary chemical munitions,
How important was gas warfare may be realized when
Il is remembered that toward the close Of hostilties
ninety per cent OF an artillery shells on both sides were
gas Shells and that thirty per cent Of casualties amons
the allied soldiers caused by Does any American
ever again want his country to be unarmed in the face
Of who abundantly supplied with these latest and
most deadly weapons?
Germany has an enormously developed dyestuns and
organic chemical business
England has put ten-year embargo on all dyes so that
she can develop great sefconained English dye bus
mess
France is developing her own business o. organic chem
ica manufacture
The great allied nations Of Europe benentng by the
experience OF the great and again will be found
unprepared when menaced by n urscrip foe having
at his command all the resources OF chemical warfare.
All Americans remember the great emphasis placed OF
pcrc acid T. n T. and other high explosives Of this type
during the war.
The exhibit in the lobby OF the Hotel dupont shows tn,
intimate relation in the manufacture OF these high ex
posves such needed products synthetic dyes Their
is a topographic model showing ldealized group o
chemical industries. This includes the plants and equip
men required for the production Of some Of the NOR
important crude materials; it shows models Of sulphu
wells a suphuric acid plant coal mine, by-produC
oven and other necessary features Of the business
Side by side with the topographic model are groups
glass containers showing the finished product in poso
cases. high explosives, dyes drugs perfumes and ohc
chemicals.
It is, however by the simple and clear way in whic
the exhibition is planned that makes 1t Of value to tn
average American II is no dryas-dust scientific thesis
but clear exposition OF the matter in which yariou
details OF the business are ntertwned.
Every man and woman in Wilmington should visit thi
exhibit and hear the explanations given by The repre-
sentatives OF the Chemical Warfare Service.