Background on Morris B. Jacobs:

Morris Jacobs was a chemical engineer whose work contributed to the field of pollution research, public health, and toxicology (Anderberg, 2023). He was very active in these fields as he had several patents and wrote hundreds of technical manuals and manuscripts (Anderberg, 2023). He was an adjunct professor at PIB from 1946-1952 where he conducted research on these fields (Anderberg, 2023). Prior to his time at PIB, Jacobs was a chemist at the United States Food, Drug and Insecticide Administration and the New York City Department of Health (Anderberg, 2023). The following account outlines Morris Jacobs work on toxicology and public health during his time at Poly. His work spanned several areas including the assessment of food additives, discussions on cosmetics, and the physiological effects of chemical warfare agents.

Research on Food Additives and Cosmetics – A Connection to Public Health

Evidence of Dr. Jacobs’ involvement in the sector of public health research was apparent during 1947. Jacobs received correspondence from Hubert H. Alyea who was an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University. On February 18th of 1947, Hubert sent an invitation to Jacobs to become a contributor in an encyclopedia. The encyclopedia was going to be published by P.F. Collier and Son. This encyclopedia was set to reach millions of readers in college. Other portions of the encyclopedia were coordinated to cover topics relating to analytical chemistry, petroleum, and abrasives. The sections of interest for Jacobs to contribute to were for Food Additives and Cosmetics, Perfumes, Essential oils, and Food Flavors. The goal was to get this encylopedia into

the homes of others and would contribute to their profession.  

Image 1: Invitation to Collaborate on Food Additives and Cosmetic Research From Department of Chemistry at Princeton University 1947 (Source: Poly Archives; Morris Jacobs Papers)

This letter speaks to how  respected and involved and well known Jacobs’ work was, as researchers in similar fields wanted to collaborate with Jacobs.

What followed was a manuscript on food additives by Morris Jacobs in April 1947.

Image 2: Excerpt from Morris B. Jacobs’ Food Additives Manuscript April 1947 (Source: Poly Archives; Morris Jacobs Papers) [highlights added for emphasis]

In Food Additives, Jacobs discusses coloring materials, flavoring materials, sweetening agents, preservatives, stabilizers, coating, and vitamins in the context of food additives. He gives insight into different ingredients and food colors used in the industry. He outlines the guidelines and restrictions of certain food additives. For instance, in the context of bacteriostatic, fungistatic, and germicidal agents, he outlines how sulfites are used in some foods, though they are banned in other states. He assesses the safety of some of these compounds, noting that during World War II, monochloroacetate, a preservative, was not allowed as it was deemed poisonous. In the case of his discussion on antioxidants, he mentions that the compound thiourea has been shown to have effects on thyroid activity and warns against it. Some elements of his toxicology research are put forth in this manuscript, emphasizing Jacobs’ involvement in the space.

Industrial Hazards Research

Moreover, his research into the public gained traction in 1944 when a Nature book review was published by E.F. Armstrong on Morris Jacobs’ book, The Analytical Chemistry of Industrial Poisons, Hazards and Solvents (Armstrong, 1944). The book was important in informing the public to be cautious about industrial hazard exposures, as these pollutants readily exist in the environment. Jacobs’ work provides methods for understanding and testing hazardous compounds to understand their structure and interactions. The review highlights how slow and chronic poisoning needs to be better understood as it is dangerous and can be a result of environmental exposures, which Jacobs covers in his work. His work was also important as it brought into light the caution that should be taken with the actual transportation of hazardous materials through large cities and the handling of them. Jacobs’ work was brought into a public realm and informed the handling of chemicals and the precautionary measures for them.

Morris B. Jacobs Toxicology Research on Chemical Warfare Agents – Implications for Human Health

Image 3: Photographs from Technical Manual for Chemical Detection and Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents 1951 (Source: Poly Archives; Morris Jacobs Papers) [highlights added for emphasis]

Jacobs’ work proved to be very timely. His research on chemical warfare agents was especially relevant as his time at PIB was right after WWII (Anderberg, 2023). Jacob’s work into chemical warfare research was carried into 1951 with the release of  his book Technical Manual for Chemical Detection and Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents. Within this manual, Jacobs covered the physiological effects of warfare agents being used, which was especially relevant to WWII. He discusses how injury is influenced by the time of exposure to an agent and the concentration of the chemical agent in the air. He then goes on to describe the routes of entry of chemical agents which include through respiration, skin, and ingestion. He goes on to characterize and discuss chemical agents grouping them as: lung irritants, vesicants and blister gases, nerve poisons, irritant smokes, sternutators, lachrymators, systemic poisons, toxins, screening smokes, and incondiaries. The manual provides detailed information not only in regards to the compounds, but also their structure and the symptoms caused by different types of exposures. Mustard gas was one of the vesicants described in his technical report, and he details how this exposure can lead to both skin irritation and respiratory difficulties.  Jacobs’ work was especially pertinent to World War II. Mustard gas was used in combat during WWI and WWII (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2020). Jacobs’ reports may have been of need to those returning from combat and were especially relevant during this time period.

References

Anderberg, L. (2023). Morris Jacobs Papers: NYU Special Collections Finding Aids. NYU Libraries. https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/poly/poly_rg_035/

Armstrong, E. F. (1944). The Analytical Chemistry of Industrial Poisons, Hazards and Solvents. Nature, 154(3915), 591–592. https://doi.org/10.1038/154591a0

Encyclopedia Articles for P.F. Collier & Son Corporation, 18 February 1947; Morris Jacobs

Papers; RG 035; Box: 2; Folder: 1; Poly Archives at Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology, New York University.

Food Additives, April 1947; Morris Jacobs Papers; RG 035; Box: 2; Folder: 1; Poly Archives at

Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology, New York University.

Technical Manual for Chemical Detection and Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents,

1951; Morris Jacobs Papers; RG 035; Box: 2; Item: 1; Poly Archives at Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology, New York University.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2020, April 21). Mustard Gas—Public Health. https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/mustardgas/