Edward Bartow

Edward Bartow (January 12, 1870 – April 12, 1958) was an American chemist and an expert in the field of sanitary chemistry. His career extended from 1897 to 1958 and he is best known for his work in drinking water purification and wastewater treatment. He was well known as an educator, and his many students went on to leadership positions in the fields of sanitary chemistry and engineering.

Early life and education

Bartow was born in Glenham, New York, on January 12, 1870. His early education took place at the Glenham School and at the Mount Beacon Academy at Fishkill, New York. He graduated from Williams College in 1892 with a degree in mathematics and science and he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa that same year. He attended the University of Göttingen and studied under Otto Wallach who would later receive the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work on terpenes. Bartow was awarded a PhD in organic chemistry in 1895 for his thesis, which dealt with derivatives of meta-isocymene.

World War I service

Bartow saw service in World War I with the Sanitary Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces from 1917 to 1918. He was originally commissioned as a major and was promoted to lieutenant colonel before the end of his service. He directed the work of 80 officers and enlisted men who were responsible for providing safe drinking water and proper sanitation for U.S. forces. He devised a system of superchlorination of Seine River water followed by dechlorination with sulfur dioxide. In addition, he established a system of eleven analytical laboratories and several mobile units to keep the quality of drinking water for service men under control. He received the in silver from the French government for his work preventing serious disease outbreaks.

Limited list of publications

Bartow, Edward. (1903–04). “Water-Supplies of Southeastern Kansas.” Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 19: (1903-1904): 39–48. Bartow, Edward and H.C. Allen. (1903–04). “A New Derivative of Diazo-Amido-Benzene.” Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 19: (1903-1904): 69–70. Bartow, Edward. (1914). “Laboratory Control of Water Supplies.” Journal AWWA. 1:4(December 1914): 720–6. Bartow, Edward. (1916). “The Latest Method of Sewage Treatment.” Journal AWWA. 3:2(June 1916): 327–45. Jackson, Daniel D., Edward Wegmann and Edward Bartow. (1916). “Water Softening by Filtration Through Artificial Zeolite.” Journal AWWA. 3:2(June 1916): 423–33. Warren, R.M. and Edward Bartow. (1924). “Taste and Odor in Chlorinated Water.” Journal AWWA. 11:4(July 1924): 881–6. Bartow, Edward. (1930). “Electro-Osmose Treatment of Boiler Waters.” Journal AWWA. 22:8(August 1930): 1112–21. Bartow, Edward. (1936). “Progress in Sanitation.” Science. 84:2180(October 9, 1936): 317–22.