Arizona republican., 1922-03-01
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WASHINGTON, d. C.-The Con-
ference for the Limitation OF Arma-
ments, recently concluded here
agreed upon q treaty ending the use
OF the gas in warfare and upon chem
ical warfare generally. Until the
Senate ratifies this treaty it will not
be binding upon the United States,
Of course, and there IL strong op-
position to ratification from those
who contend that troops and ships
could be rendered ineffective easily
and with far fewer deaths and per-
manent injuries through the use OF
chemicals than with older weapons OF
war.
At this time, though, the Chemical
Warfare Service is turning its atten-
ton 10 peace time uses OF the COM
binations Of chemicals worked out
during the war.
Before the war Germany had prac-
tically a world monopoly In many
chemical lines. So far as the United
States Is concerned, its new chemical
industry. while growing tremendously,
Is classed as an infant industry. An
industrial war between the German
chemical houses and American manu-
facturers is in progress now. This
my to finding peace uses for war
gases.
Phosgene gas. described as the
most effective weapon OF this sort
devised during the war. Is now being
used IN the manufacture Of perfume.
II Is being converted into q delicate.
penetrating and lasting violet per-
fume which is expected to gain con-
siderable popularity.
In the work of converting chem
icals to the usees of peace and in
dustry. the Chemical Warfare Service
Il cooperating with the Treasury De-
partment, the Department OF the In
terror, the Department OF Agricui-
ture, and the Department OF Com
merce, as well as the Bureau Of
Standards One or more cooperative
projects with each of these govern
mental agencies has been undertaken.
Ship Fumiaation Experiments
With the Treasury Department
there has been taken up the question
OF fumigating ships. with the idea Of
making this fumigation more effi-
cient and at the same time safer.
At present, hydrocyanic acid gas is
used for this purpose. The great
trouble with 1t Is that after fumiga-
tion IT is difficult TO determine that
this highly poisonous gas has been
removed from all parts OF the ship.
II Is not readily detected by odor or
otherwise. Deaths now and then oc-
cur from some one entering COM
partment from which all Of the funt-
eating gas has not been removed.
Then occurred the idea OF combin-
ing tear gas with the poisonous
hydrocyanic acid gas. Cooperative
experiments are being conducted with
this end in view. Difficulties have
arisen, as is usually the case in this
experimental work. but these diff
ficulties are being ironed out rapidly,
and there Is promise that the Public
Health Service of the Treasury De-
partment soon will have at its COM
mand ship fumigation method much
safer to human life than that which
has been used.
Phosgene gas TO kill rats is being
experimental with, too. In one ex-
pertinent undertaken with the Public
Health Service this gas was used
against the rats in the seawall at
San Juan, Porto Rico. The expert
ment was pronounced officially as
"of value" as the determination of
rats in seaports Is one OF the prin-
cipal means of que riding the country
against the entry OF plague.
In the experiments undertaken with
the Department Of the Interior. the
use OF the gas mask for industrial
purposes Is being developed. Close
cooperation exists between the Bu-
reau Of Mines and the Chemical War
fare Service. Many ideas of great
value in the use OF the gas mask in
industry have been developed, nota-
bly, the discovery OF "hopcalite."
which when put in the canister of
gas mask. changes the deadly carbon
monoxide gas encountered in mines
and about blast furnaces into harm
less carbon dioxide
Making Ice Plants Safe
The use OF ammonia in hotels,
restaurants, ice plants. and the like
for refrigerating purposes has be.
come extensive, Ammonia gas Is
used in industry under high pressure,
and when a leak occurred 1t was for
merly impossible for anyone to enter
the room and shut off the valves.
The chemical warfare service discoy-
cred that silica gel, used in the can
lister of a gas mask, was adequate
protection against ammonia gas.
This has proven great boon to In
dustry, and made an ammonia leak
an easily controlled and minor event.
The research work of this service
has developed tremendously the
knowledge about the production and
uses Of high grade charcoal. Rela-
lively little had been known about 1t.
One Of the uses of this high grade
charcoal is in obtaining gasoline
from natural gas. Experiments are
now under way with the idea of pro-