282 Newcastle-upon-Tyne Chemical Society.-President's Address. {CHEMICAL NEWS, The SECRETARY then gave an outline of a paper "On the Estimation of Urea," by Mr. G. TURNER, containing the results of his experiments in determining urea by Russell and West's method, the apparatus employed being a modification of that known as Schiebler's calcimeter." Dr. G. BISCHOF read a short notice "On the Corrosion of Lead by the New River Company's Water," saying that he had observed the formation of a crust of lead carbonate on the exterior of a piece of gas tube which had been employed as a syphon in a cistern supplied by the New River Company, and which was constantly alternately exposed to the action of air and water as the level of the water in the cistern altered. This tube was the so-called "composition" tube usually employed by gas fitters, consisting of lead alloyed with a little antimony. An adjoining cistern of sheet lead with a lead overflow pipe shows nowhere any signs of similar corrosion. In reference to a remark which the author made as to the protective influence which tin exerted when alloyed with lead, Mr. DAVID HOWARD said that even when the amount of lead in the tin used for tinning vessels employed for culinary purposes did not exceed 5 or 10 per cent it was found to be readily attacked by dilute acids, &c., so as to be likely to produce very injurious effects. The PRESIDENT said that in the lead tube lined with tin which was made by drawing the two metals at the same time, and when faults occurred in this interior coating the lead was rapidly corroded, although no doubt the faulty parts must be more or less alloyed with tin. Dec. 29, 1876. Very few and iron blocks is shown in an engraving, and the methods | frayed from that fund, but such allowance may be afforded of working given in detail. The results of a large number to experimenters themselves as the Royal Society may of experiments instituted to prove that the law just consider the researches are worth. I do not say that this enunciated holds good under varying circumstances is is a large step in the endowment of research. I do not given in a series of tables. The author proposes in a say that a nation like ours might not well afford to do future communication to show how this principle may be more, and might not, perhaps, find that the operation employed in the actual determination of high melting- was a far more profitable investment than the purchase of points. one-hundred-ton guns. But such as this £4000 a year is, we shall judge, I think, that this is a step in the right direction. I cannot, however, help feeling that there are other sources more appropriate perhaps certainly more adequate to the occasion to which we might have looked, and to which indeed we have looked, and looked I regret to say to a great extent in vain, for some years. Prominent amongst these, the older universities at once suggest themselves. I have extracted from blue books some figures which, I think, you will agree with me, are not altogether without bearing upon this question. Most people labour under a rather general and rather vague idea, that our older universities-under which term we include Oxford and Cambridge-are enormously wealthy. Wealthy in a sense no doubt they are; but when we come to consider their sources of wealth in detail, we find that really a comparatively small proportion of them is the property of the University. I find that the University of Oxford holds in trust for specific purposes, £15,000; applicable to general purposes, £30,000. Cambridge holds in trust £10,000 for specific purposes; and for general purposes, £23,000. We have, therefore, in round numbers, a sum of about £80,000 a-year, which is the whole income of the Universities proper. people, I fancy, have any distinct idea what a very large share of the management and influence of a University really belongs to the various colleges of which they are constituted. Looking at the sums which are held by the colleges, as contradistinguished from the University, I find that the nineteen colleges of Oxford hold in trust about £35,000, and for general purposes about £330,000 a year from all sources of income. Of Cambridge, the sixteen colleges hold funds amounting to £27,000 in trust, and over £228,000 for general purposes. The grand total, then, at the disposal of the university and colleges is a little over three quarters of a million a year. Now, there is one application of part of that money which I think bears directly (although several of the others bear indirectly) upon the question of what can the universities do for research? And that application is the one known a Fellowships. I find that in all there is something like 191,000 a year expended by the two universities on the ayment of Fellows, whose number is nearly the same in the two universities, and amounts in all to rather over 670. Without going into details, I do not think any one will dispute the proposition that, were the older universities really animated with the desire to encourage original scientific research, the colleges would probably apply some fraction of that sum to the endowment of research, instead of the endowment of persons. I cannot, I confess, realise the condition of mind which can conceive it is desirable that a man, simply because at the age of twenty-two or three he has passed a better examination than his fellows; simply because he has happened to show he has some capability of being henceforth useful, should be endowed with a sum of money, coupled in the majority of cases with no conditions as to future work. And I would here refer you to Mr. Vernon Harcourt's address at the Bristol meeting of the British Association for an able statement of the case from the College and University point of view. We are told in this that the universities are exceedingly anxious to endow natural science. We are told, to use Mr. Vernon Harcourt's words-" Nor have the several colleges been backward in allotting scholarships and fellowships whenever they had reason to believe that those elected for proficiency in natural science would be equal in mental calibre to those elected for proficiency in mathematics. But the universities have little power to determine what The meeting was then adjourned until Thursday, January 18, when Messrs. C. T. Kingzett and H. W. Hake will give a "Preliminary Account of some New Reactions in Organic Chemistry and their Ultimate Bearing;" there will also be papers "On Kekulé's and Ladenburg's Benzene Symbols," by Dr. H. E. Armstrong, and "On Nitroso-orcin," by Dr. J. Stenhouse and Mr. C. E. Groves. Lectures are announced "On the Theory of the Bunsen Flame," by Prof. Thorpe, and "On the Discrimination of Crystals by their Optical Properties," by Prof. N. Story Maskelyne, both experimentally illustrated; they will probably take place on March 1st and April 5th respectively. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. The PRESIDENT in the Chair. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. (Continued from page 259). I MUST pass on, as time reminds me, to one or two other subjects, which, although not perhaps so strictly chemical in their nature, are nevertheless not unimportant, whether we regard them as affecting our own science or those of others. And, first, we shall all express unmistakeable satisfaction at the decision come to by our Goverment last month to take a first step-let us hope not a last-in the direction of the endowment of scientific research. You know that for some years past the sum of £1000 a year has been granted to the Royal Society, chiefly for defraying the expenses of more or less costly apparatus used in carrying out such researches as to the Royal Society should appear worthy of experiment. Within the last twelve months that sum has been supplemented by a further grant of £4000, but on a slightly different footing. Not only may the absolute expenses of research be de CHEMICAL NEWS, Dec. 29, 1876. Estimation of Chicory in Coffee. number of students shall follow any particular line of study. With certain reserves in favour of classics and mathematics, their system is that of free trade." But further on in his address Mr. Vernon Harcourt strikes upon a very strong, and, I think, the real, reason why the ablest men do not come up to the universities "in science;" he points out that by the time a man is eighteen or nineteen he has to a certain extent fixed his tastes, and if he has a prejudice in favour of any particular department of study, it will probably be that department to which he has been accustomed from his youth upwards, which he has always been accustomed to hear spoken of as the thing to be kept in view and to be worked at, and to which the kudos of his school and the prizes of his university career attach themselves from the very beginning. How is it to be expected that men, however good their brains may be, and however strong their tendency | to natural science, should not be deterred from taking up, to any very large extent, or in very considerable numbers, an additional burden? They find they cannot do two things at once; and, therefore, naturally stick to the thing which has been impressed upon them from their youth, and, therefore, sink natural science, and then, I suppose, in time, we shall be told that experience shows the ablest men do not come up in natural science. I have here one or two passages from a leader, interesting, not because the paper in which it appears is one which may be supposed to know much about natural science; but because it is a paper which appeals largely to the class from which university men are drawn. It is not more than six months old, and, as a whole, will repay perusal; but here are one or two bits which especially show what he thinks of the tone of the class he is addressing:-"A first class, rank, or grade, would thus tell its own tale of merit, there would be no spurious new coinage trading upon the repute of attainments in more difficult branches of study. A classical or mathematical first is as much superior to, and as much more arduous than, a first in law, history, or natural science, as in the athletic world a university oar or cricketer puts into the shade one who only plays billiards, rackets, or puts the shot. Not to let a 'first-class man mean anything from a student in stinks and bones' (as the school of natural science is irreverently called at Oxford) to a really talented classic or mathematician, and not to allow silver and alloy to claim equal prestige and value with a pure gold coinage." I think if this is the atmosphere which pervades our older universities (though I should hope we should hardly find such utter ignorance in anything higher than freshmen) we can hardly wonder that natural science is not much in favour there, and hardly expect that many of the real prizes should be reserved, at any rate for some time to come, for natural science. Looking at the fact that we have had an addition to the national taxation, in order to endow research, you will agree with me that the time is coming when it may be well for the bodies which devote these sums mainly to the encouragement of classics and mathematics to set their houses in order in this respect. There are already some slight signs, we are glad to see, of this setting in order being set about. There is one college at least-I dare say some of you will identify it at once-in Cambridge, where the endowment of research has already become a thing of the present instead of the future-a college where at least one fellowship has been given, not simply on the strength of a man having passed a magnificent examination, which may be worth little or nothing, but on the strength of his having shown promise of original research in a special direction-a promise which one is glad to know has been already fulfilled by his subsequent career. You are probably aware of the remarkable letter which appeared in the CHEMICAL NEWS in January, in which our ex-secretary, Dr. Wright, revived a question which had before agitated the minds of chemists-the question of organisation amongst professional chemists. I should 283 waste time were I to recapitulate all the discussion which has taken place in the columns of the CHEMICAL NEWS and elsewhere-a discussion which unfortunately has served chiefly to mix up two subjects which were not necessarily related to it. That organisation amongst chemists is desirable we shall all, I think, unanimously agree; that something should be done to prevent dabblers in chemistry, who have picked up a little, and generally a very little, of the practical chemistry connected with what they are pleased to consider their own particular work, styling themselves professional chemists, or applying for official positions of trust-in that we shall all be agreed. But to mix up with this question, the other question, equally important as it is, of the status of the fellowship of the London Chemical Society, is, I think, unnecessary. The case as to this latter question admits of being put exceedingly briefly from two sides of view. One party say the outside world believes that the addition to a man's name of the initials "F.C.S." means something; that that addition really means nothing except that the bearer has been guaranteed by five proposers as likely to pay his subscription with tolerable regularity; and, that these things being so, many people believe that the title will persuade outsiders that they are, what they are not in reality, competent professional chemists. This is one side of the question. On the other side it is contended, and contended with all the weight of official authority, that nobody ever did believe that "F.C.S." meant anything; that at any rate it was never intended to mean anything beyond the fact that its bearer took more or less interest in chemistry; and that if all who claim the title, who have no title to it, were excluded, that would be found to prejudice, financially, the interests of the Society's Journal. That is, I think, a fair statement of the two points of view which have been put forward in the CHEMICAL NEWS and elsewhere. Now, with each of these, contradictory as they may seem at first sight, one is very much inclined to agree; and looking to the fact that it would be impossible, at any rate, to make any action which the Chemical Society might take retrospective, one is inclined to think that the abusers of the title might be better dealt with by the powers which the Council at present possess for dealing with such offenders through the bye-laws. I am glad to be able to say that there is every probability that within the next few weeks a scheme will be brought forward, publicly, by the gentlemen who instituted the discussion for forming an organisation which shall, more or less effectually, deal with this question. I believe my own views are somewhat in advance of what the proposers of the organisation endorse. They may possibly be in advance of the views of a good many; but nevertheless they are my views, and I venture to put again before you the suggestions which I advanced two years ago, that this organisation, guild, institution, whatever you please to call it, will be powerless for good, except within very narrow limits, as long as it remains a semi-private body; and that what is really required is legal endorsement and legal power to deal with the questions of professional education and examination. I should spend not one hour but two if I went into the consideration of all the details and all the difficulties of the question; and, therefore, I will not further allude to it. CORRESPONDENCE. A NEW PROCESS FOR THE ESTIMATION OF CHICORY IN COFFEE. To the Editor of the Chemical News. SIR, I send you the following process for the estimation of chicory in coffee which I have tried with success :-Take 5 grms. of the coffee and pour upon it about 25 c.c. of boiling water and filter; then pour it into a Nessler 284 Chemical Notices from Foreign Sources. tube, and add acetate of lead, which will throw down the colouring matter of the coffee but leave that of the chicory, which can then be estimated by comparing it with a standard of a known quantity of chicory.-I am, &c., ALBERT SMITH. 198, Essex Road, Islington. CHEMICAL NEWS, Dec. 29, 1876. I centim. in diameter, and appears decidedly coloured if seen against a white ground. If a drop from the burette, of which 35 go to a c.c., is poured into a small test-tube of o8 centim. in diameter the colour is still visible if regarded against a sheet of white paper, along with a drop of pure alcohol in another similar tube. Hence the eye can detect o'000000002 grm. of magenta. If we suppose that this drop contains only a single molecule of magenta it follows, according to the formula of this colour, that CHEMICAL NOTICES FROM FOREIGN the absolute weight of an atom of hydrogen cannot exceed Journal of the Russian Chemical Society, Ethyl-isopropyl-ketone.-D. Pawloff. Preparation and properties of this compound, C6H12O. Trichloral-cyanide.-C. Cech.-A concentrated solution of potassium cyanide added to a saturated aqueous solution of chloral hydrate causes the gradual appearance of a crystalline body, possessing the formula C-H4NC1903, and formed by the union of three molecules of chloral with one of hydrocyanic acid. Dry distillation yields chloral and chloralide. Preparation of Dichloracetic Acid from Chloral.C. Cech and P. Schwebel.-The experiments described are entirely of a negative character. The Mutual Solution of Liquids.-W. Alexejeff. Among various experiments upon solubilities, the author has found that the solubility of water in phenol and of phenol in water increases rapidly at 80°, and that at 84° both liquids can be mingled in all proportions. Pyro-tartaric Acids, Normal Oxy-pyro-tartaric Acid, and the Isomery of the Pyro-citric Acids. -W. Markownikoff.-The author finds that by the distillation of the four pyro-tartaric acids the normal acid is undecomposed, the methyl-succinic acid changes into the anhydride, while ethyl-malonic acid and dimethyl-malonic acid lose carbonic acid, and are changed into butyric acid and isobutyric acid. A comparison of the melting-point of isomeric compounds shows that it is raised by an in crease in the number of side links in the molecule. Investigation of the "Adonis Vernalis."-T. Lindros. -The author has detected the presence of aconitic acid in the leaves of the Adonis vernalis. 0'000000000059 grm., but may fall below this number. No. 11, November 16, 1876. Saccharimeter or Polarimeter.-By M. Laurent.The peculiarities of this instrument cannot be made intelligible without the accompanying diagrams. Treatment of Sewage.-M. Gerardin.-This paper is devoted to the praises of a secret remedy accidentally disits nature and composition, but it is pronounced a better covered by a certain M. Knab. No light is thrown upon precipitate than sulphate of alumina, with the strikingly contradictory addition that it merely acts upon suspended and not upon dissolved matter. Reimann's Farber Zeitung. No. 38, 1876. Aurantia. This beautiful orange dye, according to Gnehm, of Zurich, is the ammonia-salt of an acid, which he has described under the name of dipicrylamin. The colour was first manufactured by Bindschedler and Busch, of Bâle, about the end of 1874. This firm, however, has ceased manufacturing the colour, because the salts of the acid in question exert a powerfully irritating action upon the human skin, and occasion eruptions resembling those produced by the application of croton oil. This action, however, depends on idiosyncrasy; i.e., whilst some persons are strongly affected by very dilute solutions, others experience nothing unpleasant from contact with the concentrated liquid. On the other hand, C. A. Martius remarks that the aurantia prepared by him does not give taken by Salkowsky in the Physiological Institute of the rise to this phenomenon, and that the experiments underUniversity of Berlin prove the colour to be innocuous. The injurious effects of the Swiss samples must therefore be traced to an impurity. Aurantia, as appears from its composition, is violently explosive, and should be kept slightly moist with glycerin. A similar variation is observed in dye works as regards the action of the chromates upon the skin. Certain men are physically unable o Application of the Electric Current to the Study of dye chrome-blacks on account of the injury to their hands.-Ed. C. N the Spheroidal State.-M. N. Hesehus. A school of anthropology has been opened in connection with the Faculty of Medicine at Paris. A renal calculus taken from a patient of M. Laborde has been found to contain 75 per cent of ferric oxide. On the Various Theories to which the Radiometer has given rise.-M. G. Lippmann. Weight of an Atom of Hydrogen.-M. Annaheim.The author dissolved o'0007 grm. of magenta in alcohol and diluted the solution to 1000 c.c. In each c.c. of the liquid there was then o'oooo007 grm. of colouring matter. The liquid thus obtained is poured into a burette of MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. MONDAY, Jan 1st.-London Institution, 5. MORRIS TANNENBAUM, 37, FITZROY STREET, offers Jewellers, Mineralogists, Lapidaries, and specially Collectors of Rare Cut Gems (which he possesses in all existing kinds), large Collections of Fine Hyacinths in all Colours, Clear Spanish Topazes, Blue and Yellow Amethysts, Jargon, Olivine, Fossils, Fine Collections of Shells, Thousands of Indian Pebbles. Polished Agates, &c., Starstores and Catseyes, Garnets, Cape Rubies, Fine Slabs of Lapis Lazuli, Fine Emeralds in the Matrix, Fine Crystallised Rubies and Brazilian Topazes, and Thousands of Rare Opals. Specimens and for Cuttings. Orders effected to all parts of the world. Ryall's Chemical Black Lead (Registered) creates no waste or dust by its magnetic adherence to the stove, and the cleanliness of application makes this one of the marvels of household economy.-Sold by all respectable grocers and oilmen in blocks id., 2d., 4d., and is. boxes. Works, 91, Little Compton Street, Soho, London. |