Evening star., 1926-12-26
GREAT
AID TO MOTORISTS
President of American Chem
icaI Society Shows How
=. N,
II Meets Needs.

beneHIS COnIeTTeu ny pSlfoicuiH VII
motordom in particular and the HUI
man race in general are pointed out
by DR.. James F. Norris, president of
the American Chemical Society, whose
prediction Is that it will make life still
smoother In hundreds of other ways:
Because this Substance Of many uses
is already affecting human existence
in ways that are unthought Of by the
average man, DIR. Norris enumerates
some practical instances of petrole-
um's utility to indicate the comforts
| made possible to mankind through
chemical science.
"It is a beautiful afternoon. and you
decide to take ride in the country."
suggests DIR. Norris. "The gas tank
on your car Is examined. 1t is only
partially filled, and you will travel a
long distance.
But YOU know it is adequate, for
YOUR engine runs at high compression
and your synthesized no.knock fuel
makes possible many miles per gallon.
The fabrication oil is all right, al
though it has not been replaced for
months.
Ou6 W UlCuIhs
"You admire the new finish on your
car. The lacquer Is brilliant. does
not scratch and possesses the correct
adhesive and elastic qualities-pe-
troleum.
You look over the tires; they
scarcely show wear after the many
miles they have traveled-petroleum
You examine the artificial leather with
which your car is upholstered. 1t Is
remarkable how 1t has withstood wear
and the sun and heat 1t is pliable
and soft-petroleum.
'.The windshield and the windows
are as clear as crystalline cracks. no
danger OF neutrality-suspicious.. The
panel containing the recording instru'
ments looks like polished ebony-pe-
troleum.
You wine off a little grease from
the engine and wash your hands with
a marvellous new soap-petroleum.
Finally you start; soon there is a
detour. The road is being broadened
and there Is much blasting-petroieum
You pass a plant for the manu-
facture Of ammonia for fertilizer
where large amounts Of hydrogen are
used-petroleum. You stop at a drug
store for little refreshment. You
order an exhilarating drink with the
taste and odor of fresh fruit-pe-
| troleum.
You look about and examine some
of the newer drugs. If you ever need
| something to give you additional vim
| to meet a physical or intellectual
emergency, IL you prove restless at
night and want a mild soporific, II
| diabetes ever takes hold of you, If you
| want a mild antiseptic for household
| use, IL you want to remove grease
from a delicate fabric. if you need an
| internal lubricant-in short, II you
want the help so abundant in mod
| ern drug store, you will find 1t here,
and in many cases 1t will go back to
| petroleum.
Still More Petroleum.
| You jump aboard the car again
| and admire the durability of the floor
| covering-petroleum. 1t is time for a
| cigarette. The tobacco contains just
| the right amount of moisture, held by
| q trace of a liquid of the proper hy.
groscopic neutrality-suspicious.
You pass hospital and think OF
, the wonderful new anesthetics that
| have none Of the bad after.effects OF
| chloroform or ether-petroleum. You
finally return home and spend the
| evening working on your income tau
return-you are surprised to find wha'
a large sum you must pay-you are
rapidly getting rich-petroleum."
But chemists, DR.. Norris warns
| must not be content to utilize only
their present knowledge. adding:
I'VE must develop aliphatic chem
istry in all it's branches. We must
study more closely organic molecules
learn about the forces that hold the
atoms together and how to contro
these forces at will.
THE problems are fascinating ones
and l forsee with clearness great ac
tivity in this rich field. 1t is i'm
possible to picture this or that par
ticular advance, except where logic
leads us from what we know now
But brilliant achievements not ever
dreamed of are ahead"