Evening star., 1927-02-17
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

other Dorset Henley improvement
again saved the manufacturers of the
serum an average of SIS a day-the
larger laboratories $50 a day. And
the salary of the discoverers con-
tinued "as was" The farmers and
ultimate consumers got the benefit.
with not a cent of royalty TO the
scientists.
For years Government inspectors
of meats affixed their certificates Of
inspection with a paper stamp. glued
onto each piece of meat. To print
those stamps cost $175.000 a year.
DR.. Dorset, chemist, discovered an
indelible purple ink which is HARM
less when eaten. Now the certificate
is imprinted directly on the meat and
the annual cost for the ink is S25.-
000-a saving of $150.000 a year.
Salary. "as was" 1t is reported that
the government of Great Britain Of
fered $4,000 for the secret of that
ink, but that was in the midst of the
World War and so Uncle Shylock
just gave it to Johnny Bull. with
his compliments. What is $4,000 be-
tween allies?
Before the war, organized labor
complained that the manufacture of
poison phosphorus matches caused
serious disease among the workers.
Legislation was demanded to prohibit
such matches, but it was pointed out
that only one company. the Diamond
Match Co, held the secret of non-
poisonous matches. Should Congress
legislate to create a match monopoly?
President Taft put the suggestion up
directly to President Suetenius of the
Diamond Match Co., with the result
that the great match company do
mated it's most vital secret to the
public, so all matches thereafter be-
came non-poisonous.
In the midst of the war. Maj. Gen.
George Owen Squier. L. S. A, in
vented what he called wired wire
less" radio. by which five radio
messages at once could be sent over
an ordinary telephone wire. He an
nounced that the public of the United
States might use his discovery.
Canada alone paid him 100000 for
the right. 1t was worth millions in
the United States and Europe.
DR.. Howard S. Payne of the Bureau
of Chemistry. Department of Agri-
culture. obtained patent in 1922 on
the secret of making "fondant.' the
confections. He dedicated ii to the
public, for he draws a salary from the
Government. His fondant never
hardens. One manufacturer comedies
that that fact saves him 100000 a
year by eliminating losses on stale"
chocolates. DR.. Payne neglected even
foreign patents. so his secret now
cheers the candy-loving world.
When in 1914 the World War broke.
all the world was dependent on Ger
many for its dyes. There was a
German submarine which dared to
cross the Atlantic, laden with phthalic
which is the base of all
dyes. Our manufacturers of textiles
were desperately in need of dyes, and
they bid against one another for that
German cargo--up to $40 a pound.
BY 1915 Harry ID. Gibbs and Court.
ney Conoyer. chemists of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. discovered how
TO make phthalic anhydride. Today
We make all colorS and our base is
clearer and purer than any made I'm
Germany. In the midst of the war
manufacturers went to
Switzerland and competed against
German dye makers and drove them.
out of the market.
Before the war the average market
price of phthalic anhydride was $3.50.
for 20 cents a pound.
The discoverers? They dedicated
their invention to the public. Later
Conover got a job in a private fac
tory using his invention, and Gibbs
made three-year contract with tho
du Points at $4,000 a year. The three
years passing, he accepted a position
with the Public Health Service. And
could add another tint
unto the rainbow"
In the Bureau OF Soils thew knew
that fertilizer was essential to crops
and potash was essential to fertilizers.
Potash came from Germany, but some
lay Muscle Shoals might start to ex.
-racting 1t out of the fathomless air.
Americans are optimists.
William II. Ross and Arnon L.
Mehring, chemists. got a patent last
October 26 on a process by which
they make simultaneously a potash
fertilizer and hydrochloric acid by
product. Their process is so simple
hat every farmer can make the
fertilizer and acid without any special
equipment and the officials Of the
Department of Agriculture pronounce
the achievement "the greatest serv-
ice to Agriculture for the last so
years."
Potash may now he made on every
farm so cheaply that 1t might even
De exported to Germany. The patent?
That Is dedicated to the public, and
1ow the Government has given "re-l
ief to the farmers
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