A great shortage of scientists in the United States is creating an increasing demand for chemists. Dr. Corwin discusses his activities as a professor at Johns Hopkins University including teaching with demonstration aids to convey scientific principles with greater understanding and lead to critical thinking. Chemical research in many industries lead to positive advances that make our lives better in social, economic, medical, and industrial aspects of life. New research in the synthetic manufacture of hemoglobin may lead to a substitute for blood.

Wilbert Locklin was born in 1921 in Washington, DC. He received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins and, in the late 1940s, went on to work for the university as the Vice President of the Johns Hopkins University Fund. During his tenure, he raised money for the school's library and athletic center, while playing an integral role in the expansion and development of Hopkins' School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In addition to his work at Hopkins, Locklin served as an aviator for the Armed Air Forces during WWII and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. He also served as the President of Springfield College for 20 years beginning in 1963. In this interview, Locklin discusses his time at Hopkins as a full scholarship recipient as well as his time working as the Vice President of the Johns Hopkins University Fund. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Lynn Poole distinguishes between weighing and other forms of measurement and comments that the Latin word for balance is "bi-lancis," meaning two dishes, as in the two pan level beam instrument. He shows sketches of other early balances, including the Egyptian first class lever and the Roman steelyard, both still in use today. Other types of scales and the kilogram weight kept by the Bureau of National Standards are shown. Johns Hopkins University chemistry professor Alsoph H. Corwin exhibits the highly precise balance he developed to measure very small samples of rare substances for microchemical manipulations. His assistant, Joseph Walter, demonstrates how magnetism, heat, vibration, and static can interfere with accurate measurements, and Dr. Corwin explains how his balance avoids all of these interferences. Dr. Corwin describes the parts of the balance, including the boron carbide knife edge bearings, and explains its operation. The studio camera also shows what operators of Corwin's balance see to discover the equilibrium point.

Archeologists use available clues to reconstruct ancient civilizations in Marajó Island in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil. Potsherds found in 91 sites led to a reconstruction of the civilization through stratigraphy and seriation.

Chemical analysis of the key elements of plant and animal life, chlorophyll and hemoglobin is presented.