THE CHEMIST'S AGE
By PROFESSOR I. M. HE1LBRON, D.S.O.,-F.R.S.
MONG the various divisions of Science, chemistry is unique in that it obtrudes itself into every phase of present-day civilisation. Many of the outstanding advances in medical science have resulted directly from the creative genius of the chemist. One has only to think of, the profound influence of anaesthetics and antiseptics on modern surgery and the astounding advances in chemotherapy, originating with Ehrlich's discovery of salvarsan, which has brought syphilis under control and has .led to the discovery of specifics for other protozoal diseases. A more recent triumph the introduction of the sulphanilamide group of drugs—such as M. and B. 693, sulphathiazole and. sulphaguanidinc—into ordinary clinical usage, whereby man's mastery over pneumonia, meningitis, puerperal fever, bacillary dysentery and many other diseases of streptococcal origin has been established. The loss of our quinine supplies through the Japanese occupation of Java might well have had a calamitous effect on te course of military operations in malarial regions, but today quinine is satisfactorily replaced by the synthetic drugs, atebrin and plannoquine, now being manufactured both in this country and the U.S.A. on an ample scale. In the field of nutrition the discovery of vitamins, one of the most fascinating romances of contemporary science, has been followed by their synthesis in the laboratory, thus heralding a new era in man's conflict_ with disease.
The impact of chemistry upon agriculture is also highly significant. The widespread use of synthetic fertilisers has enhanced the fertility of the soil, and, together with the systematic application of pestcontrol agents to growing crops, is transforming farming in all its aspects from an empirical art into an applied science. The chemist is also co-operating in cheating the ravages of disease in animals ; in this connexion mention may be made of the employment of phenothiazine in combating intestinal worms in animals and of sulphanilamides in the treatment of bovine mastitis.
Another development of enormous importance is the application of plastic materials for various purposes. These plastics or synthetic resins, which represent an entirely novel contribution to the con .•stmctional materials at man's disposal, have hitherto been employed mainly for the mass-production of numerous domestic articles. The onset of the war has given an inunense impetus to this young and virile industry, and the qualities of 'plaStics, such as durabilitY, corrosion resistance, insulating properties, both thermal and electrical, and. other':outstanding. characteristics have become in • creasingly appreciated. Apart from moulded materials, these new synthetic resins are employed as varnishes, lacquers and adhesives,' for the production of .artificial leather and as a 'substitute , for glass.; at_ the same time, the introduction of new plastics continually widens the scope of their application.' Although it is doubtful whether moulded plastics will compete generally with the more common constructional materials, they will undoubtedly replace them for many specialist purposes. One can readily envisage the complete internal fittings of the post-war house fabricated with these materials in their highly decorative and hygienic forms.
Whereas rayon (artificial silk), which is actually a modification of cotton fibre, has within the last few decades revolutionised the textile world, it does not actually compete with natural silk. The latter is now rivalled, however, by a new material known as nylon. This plastic, the first entirely synthetic organic textile fibre, besides possessing the beautiful lustre of natural silk, has many superior properties, such as increased tensile strength and resistance to water. The future popularity of nylon, of which many different chemical varieties are already known, can be gauged from the fact that in its first year of production some 4,000 tons were produced in the United States, largely for the manufacture of women's stockings. At the present time nylon is finding many important uses, not the least being the provision of tooth-brush bristles and surgical gut for the Services.
Another extremely serious consequence of the war in the East has been the loss' of the greater proportion of our rubber.
Although it is questionable whetherthe exact equivalent ot rubber has been prepared artificially, "materials closely. resembling it have been synthesised. In both Russia and Germany, countries which had no illusions about their Chances of obtaining the natural product in ,the event of war, the industrial production of synthetic -rubberswas -placed on a scale sufficient to meet both domestic and military requirements, The Allied Nations have now suddenly to make good a deficit of over three-quarters of a million -tons per annum and to reach more than half this output before the end of this year. This stupendous undertaking, equal to about half the entire pre-war World production of natural rubber, will undoubtedly. be fulfilled. Although this immense', programme has arisen from a war-time requirement, it is certain that the synthetic rubbers, because of their many improved properties in particular directions, such as oil resistance and wearing twalities in tyres,will definitely find, a permanent place in post-warworld Markets, but not necessarily as a direct competitor of the natural product.
In the foregoing, impartfal consideration has been' given to the contribution which ckemists,ethroughout the world arc making towards the increased `social and material betterment of mankind. What part, it is pertinent to ask, is this country to play in the great post-war developments of chemical industry? Fundamental to this is the supply of raw materials, and here it must be stressed that where organic (carbon). compounds are concerned, coal, petroleum and starch provide the Only available sources, and of these coal is especially adaptable. 135, high temperature carbonisation, such as is employed in the gas and coke oven industries, which between them utilise some 40 million tons of coal a year, large quantities of benzoic, suitable for employment as motor fuel, are produced. This benzoic and other liquid products supply us with benzene, toluene, anthraCene, phenols and many other primary materials which find wide application in the manufacture of synthetic dyes, explosives, pharmaceutical chemicals, plastics, &c. Other important modern methods of treatment of coal consist either in its direct hydrogenation under pressure (Bergius process) to produce a high-grade motor spirit, or in its complete conversion into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from which complex liquid hydrocarbons are subsequently synthesised (Fischer-Tropsch process). These latter can be used either directly as fuel or as the starting-point in the formation of a vast semies of chemical substances. In the Case of starch, its break-down inui primary materials for the chemical industry, is effected by fermentsnon processes whereby, depending upon the organism employed, either ethyl alcohol or a mixture of acetone and butyl alcohol is format.Whereas in this country we possess only coal, the cheap and plentiful production Of which was responsible for our conunercial supiemacy during the past centurY, all three raw materials are available in quantity within the British Conunonwealth. The 'decision as to which, should be selected for a specific purpose, when all are _equally suitable on 'chemical grounds. is governed solely 'by economic considerations.
In order that the great potentialities of our themical industry may materialise, close consideration must be given to vigorous and imaginative planning on a national scale, and to the provision of an adequate supply of highly trained scientists and technicians. Although the war has clearly shown that, given the opportunity, we can more than hold our own in the internation'al world of science, "we shall undoubtedly lag behind the United States, Rassia and Germany unless increased financial support is given to the Universities to enable them to provide adequate facilities for modern research work. Industry as a whole"-must, also cultivate a more constructive scientific outlook and must be prepared to co-operate unreservedly both with the Universities and the Government Research Associations.
After the lest war certain progress was made in the national utilisation of science by the creation of the Department of Scientific and IndustrialResearch, the Medical Research Council and the Agricultural Research Cduncil. These organisations have amply proved their worth, bnt are in themselves insufficient to ensure the effective harnessing of scientific effort to affairs of State. In the Postwar era, when world economics will be a primary consideration, the
Government must inevitably exercise a close and technically enlightened control over industry, directing the development of new manufactures and orienting production to preserve a suitable balance between supply and demand. Some of the required machinery is already in existence in the form of the Industrial Research Associations of the Department of Scientific and Industrial. Research, but the whole structure needs ,consolidating more closely within a comprehensive policy. Another necessity will be to ensure to this country adequate supplies of raw materials for chemical manufacture and to see that the cost of these is stabilised, so as to eradicate unfair competition and to prevent the survival of uneconomic ptocesses. Further, to make the fullest use of our resources, the State may well have to operate either on a national basis or in association with industry certain primary chemical industries such as carbide, cracking of imported oil, or oil from coal, the latter not for purposes of fuel-supply, but as a raw material for the chemical industry.
One other field where Government intervention in technical matters is urgently required is the exploitation of the untold wealth of our colonial raw materials for the benefit both of the Commonwealth as a whole and for the peoples of the Colonial territories. A timely approach to this problem has been made by the.establishment of the Colonial Products Research Council. A similar effort is now required so as to incorporate the Dominions in a unified scheme, thus embracing the whole of the British Commonwealth, with all its potentialities for human prosperity and betterment.
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