Of

This, the last of my headings, has reference to two recent Acts of Parliament, which you will all know something about, namely, the Dye-Sstuffs Import Regulations Act of 1920, and the Safeguarding of Industries Act of 1921. The former prohibits the importation into this country of synthetic organic dyestuffs, etc., except under licence from the Board of Trade. course, all that is to the good so far as the protection of the home chemist is concerned. I think the Safeguarding of Industries Act also will be found, in the long run, to be for the benefit of the chemist rather than otherwise. That Act imposes a duty of one-third the value of the goods upon certain enumerated articles, among which are found nearly all the mechanical apparatus of the chemist, and, in addition, practically all the raw material which the chemist uses in his researches. At first sight it might be thought a little against the interest of the chemist that he should have to pay more for his raw materials and for his apparatus, by reason of these high import duties, because, I suppose, there are many of these things which, even now, can only be obtained from abroad; but in the long run it must be to the benefit of the chemist and the Empire that the production of all these things at home should be promoted. When the crisis came in 1914 we had not got, and had not the facilities for producing, many essential substances and apparatus. If we can make these things at home, then not only will there be increased employment of chemists, but when we come to another crisis we shall be better provided in that respect than we were then. I think the provisions of this Act will help to bring that about.-(From the Lecture recently delivered before the Institute of Chemistry, by Evan James MacGillwray.)

A SENSITIVE ELECTROSCOPE.
BY TAKEO SHIMIZU.

(Jap. J. Phys., I. (1922), 107-111, with 2 fig.)

The electroscope described in this paper

is a modification of that of Mr. C. T. R. Wilson. It consists of a fine silvered glass fibre suspended freely at the centre and four metallic plates, two large and two small, placed symmetrically on both sides of it. The larger ones are about as long as the fibre and stand vertically facing each other on each side. The smaller ones stand also vertically but below the locus of the lower end of the fibre at some distance from each other and situated between the fibre and the respective larger plates. The two plates on either side form a single electric system and the two systems are kept at the same potential, while the fibre is charged to a high auxiliary voltage. When the electroscope is to be used, one of the systems is isolated and connected to the object. The two inner smaller plates play the part of a stabilizer and a comparatively high sensibility can be obtained in virtue of their presence. In favourable cases a sensibility of about 5,000 scale divisions per volt was obtained, although such a sensibility may not be suited to the deflection method, ing to various difficulties. But as the instrument keeps a very constant zero position by its design, it may be employed as a sensitive zero indicator.

ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE SECOND CYANOGEN BAND. BY JUNZO OKUBO.

OW

(Sci. Dep. Tohoku Imp. Univ., Ser. I., XI. (1922), 55-86, with 1 pl.)

The second cyanogen band having the first head at A 4216 A emitted by the ordi dinary carbon arc in air was examined. The instrument used in this experiment was a concave grating of a radius of curvature 6.55 m. with 5,910 lines per cm. and 77,273 lines in all. Acheson regraphited carbon rods were used. The wave lengths of 1,555 lines lying between AA 4216 and 3900 A were accurately determined in the international unit. The second band contains many doublets, some of which have been de scribed as singlets by many previous inves tigators. Three remarkable series were traced, and their insensity distributions de scribed. The wave lengths of the heads of four bands produced by cyanogen were measured, and it is shown that there exist some simple relations among the wave numbers of consecutive heads.

ON THE BAND SPECTRUM ASSO-
CIATED WITH HELIUM.

BY YUTAKA TAKAHASHI.

(Proc. Phys.-Math. Soc. Japan, Ser. III., IV. (1922), 187-194).

In order to explain the origin of Fowler's series of double headed bands of helium, the author assumes that when a discharge is passing through a helium tube there are produced some short living, unstable molecules, each consisting of two positive nuclei, which are liable to vibrate along the line joining them and to rotate as a whole about the middle point of the line, and electrons, one of which is removed from its stable orbit to another of a higher quantum number. By applying the quantum theory to this model, it is shown that the frequency v of the radiation is of the form:

v=A(m1, n1, m'1, n',) - A(m2, n2, m'2, n' 2), where m and n are the radial and azimuthal quantum numbers respectively due to the electron, and m' and n' are respectively those due to the nuclei. Different values of n' correspond to the individual lines .of each band, and different values of m' give rise to the series of the bands, which actually appear as double headed bands as m' is limited to zero and 1 owing to the instability of the molecule. Two different combinations of m and n such as m1=1+8, n1 =2, m2 =1, n2 =1,

and

1

2

2

Ꭶ

S 0, 1,2,...

=

m1 = 8, n1 =3, m2=0, n=2, 8 0, 1, 2,...

2

=

are responsible for the two series of the double headed bands detected by Fowler.

BRITISH STANDARDISED STEEL SAMPLES ISSUED JOINTLY BY THE IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE AND THE NATONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.

The Standards at present available are: No. 1.-Sulphur (S.=0.027 p.c.). No. 2.-Sulphur (S.=0.071 p.c.). No. 3.-Phosphorus (P. =0.029 p.c.). No. 5.-Carbon (C.=0.65 p.c.) Acid O-H Steel.

No. 6.-Carbon (C.=0.10 p.c.) Basic O--H Steel.

These Samples are supplied, post free, at 21s. per bottle containing 50 grammes, together with certificate of Standardisation. They can be obtained, by sending order with remittance, direct from:-

The National Physical Laboratory,
(Metallurgy Dept.), Teddington,
Middlesex;

or by post or personal application from:Dr. C. H. Desch, Dept. of Applied Science, The University, Sheffield.

Dr. C. A. Edwards, The University College, Swansea.

Col. E. L. Johnson. Cleveland Technical Institute, Middlesbrough.

Mr. D. A. MacCallum, West of Scotland Iron & Steel Institute, 93, Hope Street, Glasgow.

Other Samples are in preparation and will be issued when ready.

These samples can also be obtained from all Chemists dealing regularly in laboratory

ware.

ON THE LANTHANUM VIOLET BANDS AND THE ASSOCIATED LINES.

BY JUNZO OKUBO.

(Sci. Rep. Tohoku Imp. Univ., Ser. I., XI. (1922), 95-104, with 1 fig.)

The structures of the band spectrum emitted from lanthanum nitrate put into a carbon arc were studied with a large concave grating. The wave lengths of the edges of the bands, some of which had been missed by previous investigators, were determined in the new international unit, and the opinion was confirmed that each band is of double structure. In the light of the quantum theory, the bands may be explained as due to molecular rotations caused by line emissions.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The July number of the Bulletin of the Bureau of Bio-technology contains the following papers :

The Occurrence and Effects of Wooddestroying Fungi in Coal Mines.

The Examination of Bacteria in Beer Deposits.

Water Softening for Spraying Purposes. The Suppression of Insect Pests and Fungoid Diseases.

The number also contains an Index for Vol. 1. A copy of this Index may be had on application to Messrs. Murphy & Son, Ltd., Cedars Laboratories, Sheen Lane, Mortlake, London, S.W.14.

The Paper-makers' Directory of all Nations, published by Dean & Sons, Ltd.,

27, King Street, Covent Garden, price 21s., will be found of value to those interested in paper and the allied trades. The subject matter is arranged in alphabetical order for easy reference, and contains a large number of trade headings and a classified index to commercial prospectuses.

The work has been produced with the usual thoroughness and care, and cannot fail to be of interest and value in the paper trade.

Practical Bacteriology for Chemical Students, by DAVID ELLIS. Longmans, Green & Co., 39, Paternoster Row. Price 4s. 6d. net.

This valuable little book consists hi-fly of exercises which are followed in the author's classes in the University of Gla:gow, and in the preface it is pointed out that there are many avenues in chemical research that are closed to the investigator owing to lack of knowledge of the elementary principles of bacteriology. The object

of the book is to give to the trained chemist sufficient guidance to enable him to master the general principles of the subject. The exercises are so arranged that they can easily be followed by any who desire a grounding in the general principles of bacteriology.

The book opens with a chapter devoted to descriptions of the apparatus used in bacteriological research, and it is thoroughly illustrated with both drawings and diagrams. In chapter 2 the exercises commence with the preparation of nutrient gelatine and agar-agar. Chapters are given on the staining of bacteria, identification and staining of spores, isolation of bacteria from soils, examination of drinking water and sewage, and many details connected with practical bacteriology.

The work is written in simple language, and is easy to follow. It is quite evident that the author is not only a thorough master of the subject, but also possesses the great qualification of lucid explanation. The book is well indexed, and contains a table of contents. It will be found of very great value to all interested in the subject which it treats.

of.

BOOKS RECEIVED. Physikalalische Chemie: I., Chemisch Reine Stoffe; II., Losungen; von DR. ALFRED BENRAFTH, A. O. Professor der Chemie

Latest Patent Applications. 19834-Buss Akt-Ges.-Apparatus for production of anhydrous tin chloride. Aug. 2. 19592-Constant, G.-Reduction of metal oxides. July 31. 19600-Naugatuck Chemical Co.-Preparation of reaction product of acetaldehyde and aniline. July 31. 19977-Weizmann, C.-Filtration of solutions, etc. Aug. 3.

Specifications Published this Week. 200851-Thomas, J., and Scottish Dyes, Ltd.Method of producing anthraquinone sulphonic acids. 200902-Du Pont de Nemours and Co., E. I.-Process of manufacturing cyanides. 179951-Heinemann, A.-Process of manufacturing formic aldehyde.

189107-Barrett Co.-Manufacture of aromatic aldehydes.

190123-Soc. Chimique des Usines du Rhone.-Process of manufacture of the calcium salt of acetyl salicylic acid.

Abstract Published this Week.

H.

in

199073 Chlorinated montan wax.-Stinnes, (Firm of), Mulheim, Germany. The chlorination of montan wax, obtained by extraction of lignite with solvents, is effected in the presence of water, organic solvents being absent. The montan wax is first suspended water or an alkaline solution, such as caustic soda solution or milk of lime, and gaseous chlorine passed in; or a suspension of montan wax in hydrochloric acid is treated with chlorate, for example, by the addition of potassium chlorate in the solid form or in aqueous solution. The action may be accelerated by the presence of catalysts, such as ferric chloride. The products are useful for insulation purposes, as a substitute for beeswax, and in the preparation of floor polishes, boot creams, &c.

re

Messrs. Rayner & Co. will obtain printed copies of the published specifications and abstract only, and forward on post free for the price of 1s. 6d. each.