Anecdotes
Chemical Happenings
Elmer Bolton, an outstanding American chemist, was a pioneer in
industrial research. At Du Pont in America under his direction a
number of products including dyes, rubber chemicals, nylon, Teflon
etc were commercialized. He was earlier a postdoctoral student of
Richard Willstatter, a Nobel laureate. Willstatter with all the
admiration on Bolton’s research wrote an interesting anecdote on
his another trait. One day out of exasperation he said to Bolton:
“You are one of my capable American colleagues who has the
minor weakness of easily making mistakes in calculations. You
must have been a bank teller.”
“That’s right, sir. I earned my way through school by being a bank
teller, in Philadelphia,” Bolton replied calmly!
John Johnson was a distinguished American
chemist who had participated in the Alsos
mission in Italy in 1943 during the Second
World War. He was assigned the task of
interviewing Italian scientists to trace out
something about the nuclear research in
Germany. For this he was accompanied near
the battlefront by Lt. Col. Boris Pash who
holstered a .45 pistol. Seeing it Johnson
remarked: “Colonel, a .45 pistol will be of
little use against an enemy attack.”
To this the Colonel said grimly,
“Dear Professor, this is not for
the enemy, but in case you fall
into the enemy hands I have
orders to shoot you with it.”
Fritz Haber a German Nobel laureate in chemistry is primarily
remembered as the inventor of the process of synthesis of ammonia.
But at the same time he is equally infamous for his involvement in
chemical warfare during the First World War. When his wife Clara
herself a physical chemist discovered her husband’s involvement
in chemical warfare, she was totally disgusted. In fact, the night
that Haber wore his captain’s uniform for the first time Clara
committed suicide by shooting herself with Haber’s pistol in the
garden of their mansion. Haber under the influence of sleeping
pills did not hear the sound of pistol, surely a tragic incident in the
life of Haber.
E.L. Hirst, a British chemist, did notable research in the determination
of structure and synthesis of ascorbic acid, a vitamin. One of his
colleagues, M. Stacy recalls that on one occasion they had to take
the first mixed melting point of synthetic and natural ascorbic acid.
He asked Hirst, “Shall we toss to decide who takes it?” To this
Hirst said, “No, you take it and I will sit behind you to catch it if you
faint!” Hirst later confessed that earlier he had measured the UV
spectrum of the material and knew that they had synthesized a
vitamin for the first time.
RAVINDRA VAZE
Mary Fieser, the wife of Dr. Louis Fieser, was internationally known
for her chemical research and writing. She co-authored many
textbooks with her husband, which have been a perennial source
of reference to chemists all over the world. Mary’s career was
largely shaped by her childhood experiences. In an interview, way
back in 1985, she recalled the memories of her childhood. She
says her grandmother was a strict disciplinarian and demanded
that girls should be busy every minute. If not then the devil finds
work for idle hands! In addition to this, she insisted that, “One
should eat to live, not live to eat”, and provided no second helping
at meals. Further, she taught Mary that a human being needs only
six hours of sleep each night. The influence on Mary was so great
that she imbibed all these qualities, only to turn into a transitional
figure in the history of women.
Claude Hudson, an American chemist, did pioneering research in
carbohydrate chemistry. He was a meticulous writer, and as a
reviewer of books his criticism was often tinged with humour.
Once an editor was too eager to get a mediocre book on
carbohydrates reviewed from Hudson. To this Hudson’s reply was:
“Dear Sir, I have the book you refer to and I have sandwiched it
between the volumes of Emil Fischer’s collected works, in the
hope that by the process of ‘osmosis’ there may result something
worth reviewing!”
In another incidence, an impatient writer, who had no inkling of
sugar chemistry, asked Hudson’s opinion on a manuscript written
by him. Hudson wryly remarked: “I have read your paper very
carefully. My only suggestion is that it would be better if you change
the title. This should read “Alice in Sugarland!! “
Henry Gilman was one of the prolific chemists of the 21st century.
His treatise on organic chemistry served as a standard text in US
for more than 15 years, running into several editions. However,
his relations with his students were somewhat queer but
nevertheless injected enthusiasm into them. One of his students
while working in the laboratory took a break for lunch to interrupt
an important recrystallisation of a
product. Seeing this Gilman said: “ What
man, have you Ice-Water in your veins?”
On another occasion, a student in his
Lab report wrote that a chemical
reaction was allowed to ‘Sit’ overnight.
To this Gilman retorted: “No, it was
allowed to ‘Stand’ overnight; Nothing
sits in my Laboratory!”
SCIENCE REPORTER, November 2010
53
Anecdotes
W.O. Kermack, a brilliant English chemist, met with a serious
mishap at the age of 26 while he was working in the laboratory.
This left him completely blind for the two-thirds of his entire life. In
spite of this he was invariably cheerful and enjoyed meeting and
talking to people. He never referred to his disability nor did he
acknowledge it. During a conversation or in an interaction with
others he would say: “I will see you tomorrow” or “I saw so and
so yesterday.” He always carried a stout brown stick to outline a
chemical structure on the laboratory floor!
the gratifying reflection of having done so. It might undoubtedly,
enable me to put four horses to my carriage. But what would avail
me to have said that Sir Humphry drives his carriage and four!”
Ira Remsen, a notable American organic chemist will be well
remembered as the discoverer of Saccharin. He also did a part of
major work on the chemistry of dihalides. One day a student came
Moses Gomberg, one of the great organic chemists and widely
known for his outstanding work on free radicals in organic
substances, was an extremely interesting personality. One day, as
he was driving a car he came to a traffic stop sign. He just slowed
to him and eagerly told him that a man, whose name he was
unable to recollect, had postulated that chlorine might have a
valency of three or more.
“What do you think of it?” asked Remsen.
“Oh, it’s an absurd idea,” said the student.
To this Remsen said gleefully: “Well, my boy, I am the man who
postulated it.”
The student was simply dumbfounded!
down and then went across the intersection. A policeman stopped
him and warned: “The next time I want you to come to a complete
stop.” Gomberg with a wide-eyed innocence asked: “Is there any
other kind of stop?” It was enough to raise the policeman’s temper,
who said: “Don’t give me none of your lip, young fellow.” Gomberg
was amused!
A.W. Hofmann, a famous German chemist, was one day lecturing
in his new coat at the Royal Institution, London. A demonstration
to illustrate the properties of phosphorous was on, conducted by
his assistant John Spiller. A small accident occurred and the
Humphry Davy was a giant figure in the world of chemistry. He is
renowned for the discovery of alkali metals, as well as for Davy’s
safety lamp, a lifeline to miners all over the world. Davy was
persuaded by his colleagues to patent this invention. But true to
his noble qualities, he said: “My sole object was to serve the
cause of humanity; and if I have succeeded I am amply rewarded in
phosphorous was burnt out. After the lecture Spiller politely took
the responsibility and expressed his regret, and hoped that
Hofmann’s fingers were not badly burnt. Hofmann calmly said:
“Oh, Mr. Spiller, my flesh will grow again but my coat will not! “
Mr Ravindra Vaze works as a Technical Officer in Auchtel Products Ltd. and
is also a Guest Lecturer in Mumbai University. Address: Block No 108,
Ratnadeep Garden, Bunder Road, Ratnagiri {Maharashtra}
54
SCIENCE REPORTER, November 2010