Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-02
Deadly Chemicals Made Useful and Harmless
by Frederic J. Haskin

enco for the Limitation Of Armnmenfs,
recently concluded here. agreed upon
n treaty ending the use Of the gas In
warfare and upon chemical warfare
generally. Until the Senate ratliies
this treaty II will not be binding upon
the United States. Of course. and there
In strong opposition to ratification
from those who contend that troops
and ships could be rendered lneffec-
tive easily and with far fewer deaths
and permanent injuries through the
use Of chemicals than with older
weapons of war.
At this time, though, the Chemical
Warfare Service is turning it's atten-
ton 10 peace time uses OF the combi-
nations of chemicals worked out dur
ing the war.
Before the war Germany had prac-
tically a world monopoly In many
chemical lines. So far as tho United
states is concerned. its new chemical
industry, while growing tremendously
IL classed as an infant industry. an
Industrial war between the German
chemical houses and American mariu-
facturers Ia in progress now. This fact
has hepied 10 stimulate the Army q
finding peace uses for war gases.
PhOsgene gas, described az the most
effective weapon Of this sort devised
during the war, is now being used In
/ the manufacture Of perfume. II Is be
ling converted into a delicate, pene
trating and lasting violet perfume
which is expected to gain cousidera
ble popularity.
! In the work OF converting chemicals
to the uses Of peace and industry, th'
| Chemical Warfare Service IS cooper
ating with the Treasury Department
the Department Of the Interior. tn
Department OF Agriculture. and tn
Department OF Commerce, ms we'll M
the Bureau Of Standards. One or NOR
cooperative projects with each o
these governmental agencies has beel
undertaken.
Ship FumigatIon Experiments.
with the Treasury Department
there has been taken up the questio
OF fumigating ships. with the idea 6
making this fumigation more efiicien
and at the same time safer. At pres
ont, hydrocyanic acid gas is used IA
this purpose. The great trouble wit
Il IL that after fumigation II Is difitcu
TO determine that this highly poisor
GUS gas has been removed from a
parts Of tho ship. It is not readily d.
, tected by odor or otherwise. Deatf
now and then occur from somc~x
entering compartment from whic
, all Of the fumigating gas has not bee
| removed.
Q Then occurred the idea of combil
g ing tear gss with the poisonous h.
Q drocyanic acid gas. Cooperative q
@ periments are being conducted wi
Q this end in view. Difficulties ha'
To- arisen. as is usually the case in III
n experimental work. but these difflcu
o ties are being ironed out rapidly. al
- there IS promise that the Public Heal
- Service Of the Treasury Depf-tme
=, soon VIII have at it's command sh
funigation method much safer to h
Q man life than that which has be-
Q used.
Il Phosgens gas 10 kill rats is beir
Q experimental with, too. In one o;
r pertinent undertaken with the Publ
& Health Service this gas was use
y against the>rats in the seawall at So
o Juan. Porto Rico. The experime
e was pronounced officially az "of valu
e as the determination OF rats in Sc
{ ports is one OF the principal means
= guarding the country against {
entry OF plague.
. In the experiments undertaken wi
the Depa a~tment OF the Interior, {
use of the gas mask for industr
purposes is being developed. &C
cooperation exists between the Bure
Of Mines and the Chemical Warfa
G Service. Many ideas Of great val
% in the use OF the gas mask in indust
=. have been developed, notably the d
" covery OF 'honcallte.' which VIII
- put in the canister of a gas ma!
=, changes the deadly carbon monoxi
of gas encountered IN mines and abe
or blast furnaces into harmless carb
~ dioxide.
- The use of ammonia IN hote
a. restaurants, ice plants. and the i
er for refrigerating purposes has
come extensive. Ammonia gas is us
s. In industry under high pressure, a
~ when a leak occurred It was forme
a impossible for anyone TO enter {
IL room and shut off the valves. 7
Sc Chemical Warfare Service discover
IL that silica gel. used in the canister
he a gas mask, was adequate protect
against ammonia gas. This has prov
lis a great boon To industry. and ms
a an ammonia leak an easily control
", and miner event.
lp' The research work cf this serv
s. has developed tremendously
he