Sidney Milton Edelstein (1912–1994)

Abstract

Memorial SIDNEY MILTON EDELSTEIN (1912-1994) ANTHONY S. TRAVIS With the passing of Sidney Edelstein the Society for the History of Technology has lost an irreplaceable friend. Industrialist, bibliophile, and scholar, Edelstein was never happier than when discussing the intricacies of ancient and modern dyestuffs and pigments or the early years of his own career in the held of textile chemistry. Most histori­ ans of technology know about Sidney Edelstein mainly through SHOT’s annual Dexter Prize, which Dexter Chemicals has sponsored since 1968, and through the generous support that enabled Melvin Kranzberg to bring SHOT through its early years. Sidney Edelstein’s held of vision, however, was vast and often hidden by his gentleness and modesty. His spectrum of activities was as broad as that of the colors he loved and lived for. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Edelstein was an outstanding pu­ pil of chemistry at the Baylor School. He entered MIT at the age of sixteen to study chemistry and later in his course took a special inter­ est in the application of microscopy to the study of cellulosic fibers. Returning home, he applied his experience to the needs of the local textile industry, for which mercerization, the treatment of cotton with alkali to enhance sheen and improve dyeing qualities, was a major, but not always well-understood, activity. His success led to a research appointment with the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), followed by posts in industry. Among other things, Edelstein improved the luster of cotton, enabling it to compete with the new rayon. By the end of the 1930s, he was an acknowledged specialist in the use of mercerization to make cotton goods shrinkresistant . Dr. Travis is deputy director of the Sidney M. Edelstein Center for the History and Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Permission to quote from or reprint this memorial may be obtained only from the author. 216 Sidney Milton Edelstein (1912—1994) 217 Sidney M. Edelstein Shortly before the United States entered the Second World War, Edelstein applied his expertise in mercerization to help the Army Quartermaster Corps bring about improvements in the production of mosquito netting. Subsequently, he tackled problems related to the production of camouflage fabrics by studying past technology, namely, the patents of John Mercer, the English colorist who in the mid-19th century discovered the process later named after him. Mer­ cer’s work led Edelstein to experiment with a zinc-based process. This solved the outstanding difficulties, and billions of yards of fabric treated by the new process were supplied to Allied forces. The out­ come of Edelstein’s reputation in problem solving related to textile processing and finishing was the founding of Dexter Chemical Cor­ poration in New York during 1945. In 1940, Edelstein began to collect books and documents related to the history of alchemy and chemistry. Three years later this interest was extended to the history of dyeing technologies. By the end of the 1940s his publications on research into textile processing werejoined by scholarly and popular articles on historical topics. With the inten­ tion of introducing practitioners in the field of textile chemistry to the history of their profession, many of his historical articles were published in the pages of the American Dyestuff Reporter. Edelstein also chaired the archives committee of the AATCC. Frequently, his interests in modern textile-related problems stimulated an investiga­ tion of the past. This was especially the case with static electricity and bleaching. In 1972, thirty of Edelstein’s historical articles were brought together in Historical Notes on the Wet-Processing Industry, a highly readable introduction for specialist and general reader alike. 218 Anthony S. Travis Edelstein’s interest in the chemical past brought new friendships, mainly amateurs like himself interested in the history of alchemy, chemistry, and chemical technology. He encouraged the development and expansion of this interest as secretary of the history of chemistry division of the American Chemical Society, a post that he held for eighteen years. Appropriately, in 1956, during the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of William Perkin’s mauve (the first aniline dye), Edelstein’s contributions to science and technol...