After reading the post "measurements of the past" I started reading a copy of Practical Mechanics July 1949, one of a few I picked up last October, and found two interesting pieces written by the editor under FAIR COMMENT.
The first piece is regarding "the new screw thread" this is the adoption of the new "Unified" thread form which had been ratified by the signing of the Declaration of Accord. The British Standards Institution issued a provisional specification of the thread series for use by industry.
The new thread came about because of interchangability between English and American threads during the last war.
Investigations of the new thread were carried out by the N.P.L engineering division mainly concernining its strength and it was found to be stronger than the Whitworth series. Tests were also made between the interchangeability of the two threads which showed no loss of strength between crossing parts between the two threads.
The other piece was the discovery,1934, of ION exchange resins by Holmes and Adams one class of these is synthetic resins which when ordinary tap water was passed through them the water quality changed in purity similar to distilled water and sea water when passed through them became drinkable.
This lead to the use of water softening use in the home and industry.
Martin P