CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 170, 8 April 1918, Page 9

CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR EASTERFIELD. A. lecture on "Chemistry in Relation to Industry" was delivered in the Alexandra Hall last ovoning by Professor Easteriield, under the auspices of tho Sooinl Democratic Party. Mr. F. Stott, president of the party, was in the oliair. Professor Easterfield spoko generally and particularly of tho important part that ohomical research has played in the development of industries by which many goods in common use are produced. Among tho industries belonging to this country he referred to agriculture and cemont-making, and of those of other countries, the making of anilino dyes. Ho devoted somo littlo time to tho onunciation of the proposition that research was' important even if it were not'directly aimed'at tho discovery' of something which would he at once commercially valuable. These researches were often long and difficult, and the student who would, undertake thoni with some prospect of success must have been trained in methodß of research. It-had happened, also, that some of.the most important of the discoveries of ■ ohemists had been made more or less by .accident. For instance, tho discovery that colours could he made from aniline, a coal-tar product, had been mado iu the firsi, instance by a chemist who was endeavouring to make quinine from aniline. Nowadays thero wore practically no people who did not wear somo garments which wore not dyed with some coaltar colours. So much importance did Professor Easterfield attach trt the study of chemistry that he offered the opinion that every boy who passed through, a .secondary school should he compelled to ucquire n clear—not necessarily a wide —knowledge of the principles of chemistry. Such a knowledge, he claimed, would give a much clearer and wider appreciation to the man' of facts in his own experience, of the "meaning.'of things that ho saw. This would tend in no uiiiwportant measuro to make' the man a botl-er citizen.