Draft:Dr Herbert Levinstein

Dr Herbert Levinstein: (1878–1956) British industrial chemist born in Prestwich, Manchester, England, was the son of Ivan Levinstein, both members of Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. He was educated at Rugby School before progressing to Owens College of the Victoria University, Manchester. After graduating in Chemistry, he went to Zurich where he obtained a PhD as well as a intimate knowledge of German.

He took control, in 1916, of the family firm in Manchester (having joined about 1910), on his father’s death in total charge of the organisation manufacturing chemicals, dyestuffs and war materials. Equipped with his PhD. he helped develop many patents on processes, precursor chemicals, sulphur and azo dyes

He started life as what we would consider an Organic chemist following his father into the Dyestuff industry. However the nature of Dying chemicals at the time was closely related to explosives and related to poison gases, which in turn are now related to pharmaceutical chemicals, used for example, in cancer treatment. During his career Herbert moved from pure chemistry to the management of the compounds and their use. He contributed widely to chemical literature, in addition to holding a number of patents.

?Timeline?

• 1916 Assumed full control of Levinsteins.
• 1916 Levinsteins took over Claus and Co
• 1918 Levinsteins amalgamated with British Dyes Ltd to form British Dyestuffs Corporation. He became joint Managing Director.
• 1922 Member Of Dyestuffs Development Committee UK government
• 1930 President of the Society of the Chemical Industry
• 1931 Awarded the medal of the Society of Chemical Industry
• 1935-37 President Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
• During ww2 Levinstein on the Chemical Warfare Committee, because he was known as one of the world’s greatest poison gas experts between the world wars.
• 194? Founder of the Elworth Works of Murgatroyds Salt and Soda (which later became BP Chemicals) 1924 on the British dyestuff industry in the 1930’s when he was considered the Empire’s leading expert on war gases.

Other topics include articles on dyestuffs, chemical warfare, disarmament, and Industrial practice applied to the chemical industry A new process for producing fast prints on textile fibres for which he held a patent The progress of the British chemical industry since 1914 23 March 1923

?War and Gas? As a war gas expert Herbert felt gas was More Humane Than High Explosives due in part to the Low Percentage (15%) of Deaths. In a Speech in LONDON, on Dec. 10, 1934 to Institute of Chemists as the leading poison gas expert In World War 1 he claimed that the use of gas cost fewer lives than other armaments and that Chemical warfare could not be described as inhumane. “ While the gas casualties among American troops in the World War numbered 75,000, only 15 per cent. were fatal " He also said " It was not Inhumanity but the strength of the German dye industry which made the Allies at Versailles prohibit gas warfare

Levinstein wanted to avoid future wars and advocated the strengthening of the efforts of the League of Nations in making wars on a large scale less probable. He had what would now be considered rather strange ideas about who should fight. He said in Bristol, in a talk to the Royal Institute of Chemistry. --- “A middle-aged man can drive a tank as well as anybody. In the next war the oldest people should drive the fastest mechanized units. Greybeards should constitute the storm troops.

“The loss of our finest young men in battle is biologically more serious than would be the loss of an equal number of middle-aged people.”

“In war youth should take control of the home front and their elders should take the danger posts.”

“the popular fallacy that to blow combatants to bits with high explosives is less bestial, wicked and cruel than to attack them by gas.” possibly implying that he would rather be gassed than blown to bits.