At the American Chemical Society's convention last week in Cincinnati scientists told one another news of what has gone on during the last twelve months in the world's laboratories:*
"P.E.T.N." is the short name for pentaerythritoltetranitrate, an explosive made from formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, nitric acid. It appeared as a laboratory curiosity during World War I, is no more destructive than standard military explosives, but has the great advantage that no glycerin is needed to make it. In Cincinnati it was reported that Germany, which is short of glycerin, is using P.E.T.N., if not for military purposes, at least for industrial uses, and so...
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