Perkin by heating crude aniline with potassium bichromate and sulphuric acid.
Prof. Perkin was president of the Chemical Society from 1913 to 1916.
In addition to purely scientific work Prof. Perkin always kept in close touch with chemical industry.
Devoting his evenings to private investigations in a rough laboratory fitted up at his home, Perkin was fired by some remarks of Hofmann's to undertake the artificial production of quinine.
Perkin also had a large share in the introduction of artificial alizarin, the red dye of the madder root.
