The Mining Congress - Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (ACS

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88 2

T H E J O U R N A L OF I.ITDCSTRIAL A S D E-VGISEERI-VG C H E V I S T R Y

T‘ol.

j,

No.

11

EDITORIALS THE MINING CONGRESS TTTOnotable addresses presented a t t h e recent meeting of t h e American Mining Congress a t Philadelphia are published i n this issue of THISJ O U R X A L . An address on “Our R a d i u m Resources,” by Charles L. Parsons, of t h e Bureau of Mines, brings out m a n y valuable facts i n connection with this most interesting development. H e again calls a t t e n t i o n t o t h e American carnotite deposits as a new source of radium a n d t h e possibility of t h e production of this material in America. His address includes a discussion of t h e methods for t h e extraction of r a d i u m , its present m a r k e t value, a n d a warning t o t h e medical profession a n d t h e public against t h e activity of impostors. H e calls a t t e n t i o n t o t h e fact t h a t ‘the United S t a t e s Bureau of Standards is preparing r a d i u m s t a n d a r d s by m e a n s of which i t will be possible for physicians t o protect themselves against frauds. Dr. Parsons announces a new policy i n t h e administ r a t i o n of t h e Bureau of hlines which is of far-reaching importance in industrial developments of great public interest i n t h e following s t a t e m e n t : “ I a m authorized b y t h e Director of t h e Bureau of Mines t o announce t h a t a cooperative agreement has been entered i n t o with t h e newly organized National R a d i u m I n s t i t u t e whereby t h e Bureau obtains t h e opportunity of scientific a n d technological s t u d y of t h e mining a n d concentrating of carnotite ores a n d of t h e most efficient methods of obtaining r a d i u m , uranium a n d v a n a d i u m therefrom with a view t o increased efficiency of production a n d t h e prevention of waste.” T h e cooperation of t h e g o v e r n m e n t in t h e solution of t h e radium problem will meet t h e h e a r t y approval of t h e medical profession a n d t h e general public who are so intimately concerned in t h e eradication of cancer. I t is also proposed t o carry o n investigations regarding t h e physical characteristics of t h e radium r a y s i n t h e hope t h a t some or all of t h e results m a y be duplicated b y physical means. Reference is m a d e t o t h e forthcoming announcem e n t of remarkable cures effected by t h e use of r a d i u m a n d meso-thorium, a n d in view of t h e sensational announcements in t h e public press. authoritative s t a t e m e n t s i n this field will be awaited with breathless interest. T h e address b y President T’an Hise, a full a b s t r a c t of which is published i n this issue. will be read with keen interest by those concerned in t h e problem of scientific conservation. A careful analysis of these problems has led President T a n Hise t o point o u t in t h e most forcible language t h e obligations of t h e government a n d t h e public in furthering t h e interests of legitimate conservation, a n d t h e address \Till be exceedingly suggestive reading n o t only t o t h e people immediately connected with industrial development, b u t also t o those responsible for our legislative a n d administrative policies. I t is our belief t h a t this address will serve t o e m p h a -

size t h e need of a cooperative policy a n d legislation calculated t o develop conservation instead of t h e obstructive policy now in general favor. OZONE

A striking example of t h e danger of commercializing a popular notion without first subjecting i t t o proper tests is brought o u t in t w o articles in t h e Journal o j the American M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n for Sept. 2 7 , on t h e Purification of Air with Ozone. We were t a u g h t in our “ P r e p ” school chemistry t h a t it was t h e “ozone of t h e country air” which was responsible for t h e health a n d longevity of t h e rural ‘population: a n d of course t h e healthful effect of ozone we inferred was due t o i t s value as a disinfectant. Furthermore, ozone is a n energetic oxidizing agent; so is hydrogen peroxide; hydrogen peroxide is a valuable germicide; so, we t h o u g h t , was ozone. Ohlmuller’s experiments, t w e n t y years ago, together with those of several investigators since, discrediting i t s germicidal action, did not shake t h e popular faith i n ozone. Public officials have readily accepted claims such as t h e following: ( I ) Ozone is a necessity for t h e destruction of infectious germs, for t h e sterilization of air in operating rooms, for t h e purification of air in homes of persons suffering from contagious diseases, a n d for giving t o offices a n d homes t h e invigorating air of c o u n t r y , seashore a n d mountain. ( 2 ) Ozone cannot exist except momentarily in air containing organic m a t t e r , a n d therefore t h e presence of ozone is a n indication t h a t t h e air is sterile and devoid of organic m a t t e r . (3) Ozone is unique as a germicide b y reason of t h e f a c t t h a t i t has no deleterious effect on t h e higher forms of animal life, owing t o t h e low percentage of carbon i n their structure. I n t h e first of t h e t w o articles mentioned, “Ozone: I t s Bactericidal, Physiologic a n d Deodorizing Action,” b y E. 0. Jordan, N . D . , a n d 4. J. Carlson, N . D . , of Chicago, t h e a u t h o r s describe a n extensive series of experiments undertaken b y t h e m a t t h e suggestion of, a n d under a g r a n t from T h e Journal of the -4 i~tericaia M e d i c a l d s s o c i a t i o i i . Their investigation was complete a n d exhaustive a n d their d a t a fully justify their conclusions a n d s u m m a r y which we quote: “So far as the destruction of bacteria is concerned, ozone has little or no value. Some bacteria are undoubtedly killed by ozone, especially if they are in a moist condition and are in contact for several hours with a current of ozone coming direct from the generator. I n practice, however, the fact is of slight importance. Human beings are injuriously affected by amounts of ozone far less than are necessary to produce even this slight bactericidal effect, and there is no elyidence for supposing that a quantity of ozone that can be tolerated by man has the least germicidal action. If disinfection of a closed room without inmates is desired, this can be much more effectively carried out by the use of formaldehyde or some other familiar gaseous disinfectant than by ozone. Ozone has no place in practical room disinfection. “Ozone is not an actual ‘deodorizer’ in concentrations that can obtain .in practical ventilation. In very great concentra-