I enjoyed seeing the younger Hubert Alyea in that video, and , yes, I cringed at some of the things he did. He was still using that same flour deflagration demonstration device 30 years later when as a staff member I saw his presentation on "Lucky Accidents, Great Discoveries, and the Prepared Mind" during the Reunion activities at Princeton around 1983. Although edited choppily, this can also have some useful, and cringeworthy, moments. See it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSw7cHfxbu8
For what it may be worth, I was told that Prof. Alyea was one of only two professors in the history of Princeton, at least up to the time I left in 1984, to be relieved of all research expectations in favor of teaching, because he was such a fine teacher.
Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY
PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Craig Merlic
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:34 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry Demonstrations
All,
There have been great discussions on this list-serve about chemical demonstrations. So here is a video that harks back to a bygone era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMQ05s37nw
This video could be used in a safety class asking students to identify all the things done wrong by modern safety standards. Dozens!
The sexism is also stunning as this was from 1955 and Princeton University did not admit female students until 1969.
Craig
Craig A. Merlic
Professor of Chemistry, UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Executive Director, UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
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