Introduction to Industrial Chemistry

The science of chemistry holds in the development of the resources of a nation. Some of the most picturesque features of this awakening reached the great public through the press. The chemical industy comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central the modern world economy, it converts raw materials (oil, natural gas, air, water, metals and minerals) into more than 70,000 different products. Although chemicals were made and used throughout history, the birth of the heavy chemical industry (production of chemicals in large quantities for a variety of uses) coincided with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in general. These feats of chemistry, performed under the stress of dire necessity, have, no doubt excited the wonder and interest of our public. It is far more important at this time, however, when both for war and for peace needs, the resources of our country are strained to the utmost, that the public should awaken to a clear realization of what this science of chemistry really means for mankind, to the realization that its wizardry permeates the whole life of the nation as a vitalizing, protective and constructive agent very much in the same way as our blood, coursing through our veins and arteries, carries the constructive, defensive and life-bringing materials to every organ in the body.Moreover, the domain of the science of the transformation of matter includes even life itself as its loftiest phase: from our birth to our return to dust the laws of chemistry are the controlling laws of life, health, disease and death, and the ever clearer recognition of this relation is the strongest force that is raising medicine from the uncertain realm of an art to the safer sphere of an exact science.

The science of chemistry holds in the development of the resources of a nation. Some of the most picturesque features of this awakening reached the great public through the press. The chemical industy comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central the modern world economy, it converts raw materials (oil, natural gas, air, water, metals and minerals) into more than 70,000 different products. Although chemicals were made and used throughout history, the birth of the heavy chemical industry (production of chemicals in large quantities for a variety of uses) coincided with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in general. These feats of chemistry, performed under the stress of dire necessity, have, no doubt excited the wonder and interest of our public. It is far more important at this time, however, when both for war and for peace needs, the resources of our country are strained to the utmost, that the public should awaken to a clear realization of what this science of chemistry really means for mankind, to the realization that its wizardry permeates the whole life of the nation as a vitalizing, protective and constructive agent very much in the same way as our blood, coursing through our veins and arteries, carries the constructive, defensive and life-bringing materials to every organ in the body.Moreover, the domain of the science of the transformation of matter includes even life itself as its loftiest phase: from our birth to our return to dust the laws of chemistry are the controlling laws of life, health, disease and death, and the ever clearer recognition of this relation is the strongest force that is raising medicine from the uncertain realm of an art to the safer sphere of an exact science.