BENZINE AND ITS DISCOVERY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1180, 1 December 1924, Page 11

BENZINE AND ITS DISCOVERY.

CENTENARY NEXT YEAR. Next June a hundred years will liavo passed since Alielieal Faraday announced to the Royal Society his discovery of benzine. Faraday made benzine for the first time in the laboratory of the Royal Institution, where to-day Sir William Bragg continues the great search after truth in other directions. Benzine has been one of our greatest benefactors, but the chemistry of the new compounds it introduced has proved the curse of civilisation. Benzine is easily converted into carbolic acid, tlio valuable antiseptic that saves thousands of lives, hut a “turn of the wheel” in the chemist’s laboratory will convert carbolic acid into a dangerous explosive, and tlio study of such explosive compounds, in many of which benzine is tlio starting point, .has led to the methods of destruction which form the great tragedy of science (says the Children’s Newspaper). One year after Faraday liad discovered' benzine came the discovery of aniline, which is to-day made in enormous quantities from benzine, in 183 d a German chemist, named Runga, discovered that aniline treated with chloride of limo produced a beautiful blue colour, but it was not until 1S5(1 that an English chemist. Sir William Henry Parkin, discovered aniline purple, and so founded the immense colour industry of to-dav.