CHEMICAL NEWS, June 10, 1910 Specific Gravity of Absolute Alcohol. the phase rule can be used to exhibit the nature of the incomplete equilibrium of the Weston cell is also given. Mr. RAYNER referred to hysteresis effects which, he said, were a source of serious trouble when working with Weston cells. He gave details of the behaviour of a particular cell during a period in which the temperature of the cell was raised from 14° C. to 25° C. for three days, and asked the author if he could explain the observed variations of the E.M.F. on the theory he had advanced. The AUTHOR, in reply to Mr. Rayner, said that, while he was not prepared (without further information) to give a fixed opinion concerning the behaviour of particular cells, he thought he had shown how to find the exact causes of any peculiarities for which pure amalgams might be responsible. The utility of the theory he had described lay in the fact that it should be possible, by means of it, to discover what the effect on the amalgam of any particular His object had been to thermal treatment would be. discuss one cause of some of the variations of the Weston cell, and to indicate a theoretical limit to the accuracy obtainable. NOTICES OF BOOKS. By H. T. THIS SInall book contains very simple accounts of the London : Reduction of Working Costs on the Rand. Royal Institution.-A General Monthly Meeting of the Members of the Royal Institution was held on the 6th instant, the Duke of Northumberland, K.G., President, in the Chair. Dr. Martin O. Forster, F.R.S., Mr. H. Grindell-Matthews, Prof. Percival Lowell, Mr. M. Rüffer, The Chairman and Lady Truscott were elected Members. reported the decease of Sir William Huggins, a Manager and Vice-President of the Institution, and of Prof. S. Cannizzaro and Prof. G. F. Barker, Honorary Members, and Resolutions of Condolence with the relatives were read and adopted. OBITUARY. GEORGE FREDERICK BARKER. 275 WE regret to record the death of Prof. George Frederick of Pennsylvania, which took place at his home, 3909 Locust Barker, Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University Street, Philadelphia, on Thursday, May 26th. He was States. one of the best known men of science in the United Prof. Barker was born in Charlestown, Mass., July 14th, 1835. He received his education in the Boston public Scientific School of Yale, where he was graduated in 1858. schools, at the Groton Preparatory School, and Sheffield After studying at the Albany Medical College and receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1863 he was called to the Wheaton College at Wheaton, Ill., as proUniversity of Pennsylvania to occupy the same post. fessor of chemistry, and from there went to the Western Later he went to Yale as assistant professor, and became professor of physiological chemistry and toxicology. 1872 he was called to the chair of physics at the University of Pennsylvania, serving until 1900, when ill health compelled him to resign. In Prof. Barker was the first citizen of the United States to achieve the rank of commander in the French Legion of Honour, receiving this decoration while acting as United States Commissioner to the Paris Electrical Exhibition of the 1888 Exhibition held in Philadelphia, and served on 1881. He again acted as United States Commissioner at He was a member of the the Jury of Awards for the electrical department at the World's Columbian Exposition. Century Club of New York and the University Club of Washington. He was at one time President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was a Past-President of the American Chemical Society. He also was an Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and belonged to the National Academy of Science and to the American Philosophical Society. He had served as Vice-President of the latter body since 1899. He leaves a widow and three daughters, Mrs. Charles E. Munroe, whose husband is a professor at George Washington University; Mrs. William S. McIntyre, of Philadelphia; and Mrs. Percival Dove, of Andover, Mass. To the Editor of the Chemical News. SIR,-According to Squibb, when alcohol is rendered absolute on the large scale by percolation through a This puzzled me much some decades ago when you column of quicklime the alcoholometers often sink below reprinted Squibb's valuable memoir in the CHEMICAL zero. NEWS. Later on, in writing my treatise on Industrial Alcohol, my wonder was again excited, and this week whilst finishing the chapter on solvents in a book on Spirit Varnishes, now about to go to press, I was again puzzled how to account for it, and I came to the conclusion that it was somehow due to the formation of ether, and fresh from that mental solution of the difficulty I take up Mailhe's paper on abstract of Paul Sabatier's and the CHEMICAL NEWS for May 20, and find on p. 240, in the "Mechanism of Catalytic Dehydration of Alcohols by Metallic Oxides," some confirmation of my surmise that Squibb was wrong in coming to the belief that the specific gravity of absolute alcohol was lower than that given in | are not reduced. Most metallic compounds yield the the usual tables, and that his absolute alcohol obtained by pure metal; thus alkaline tungstates, molybdates, vanapercolation through quicklime was lowered in specific dates, and uranates and their chlorides are readily reduced. gravity by the presence of ether formed by the reactions Metallic nitrates sometimes give rise to violent explosions. given by Sabatier and Mailhe. The mere fact that an Phenomena of Electric Transport in Solutions of alcohol supposed to be rendered absolute in this way Dyes.-Leo Vignon.-The phenomena of electric transregistered a lower specific gravity than that given in the tables would in itself be no proof that such alcohol was in colloidal solution, i.e., in granules which are not in soluport can be seen very clearly with all colouring matters in reality absolute, as a very little ether would easily lower tions. Thus these granules possess appreciable electric the specific gravity of an almost, but not quite, anhydrous charges. When the dyes are in true solution no change is alcohol below that given in the usual tables-that is to say, observed, or changes of colour occur without any alteration if my surmise be correct.—I am, &c., in the limpidity of the solution. 9, Parsonage Street, London, E. JOHN GEDDES M'INTOSH. Artificial Camphor.-E. Darmois.-When borneol is prepared from French essence of camphor it is not obtained as a homogeneous substance, the rotatory power of different fractions being variable. It is a mixture of l-borneol and d-isoborneol, with a small quantity of their inverses. CHEMICAL NOTICES FROM FOREIGN Its oxidation gives strongly active d- and l-synthetic cam SOURCES. NOTE. All degrees of temperature are Centigrade unless otherwise expressed. phor, also containing a small quantity of their inverses. By varying the experimental conditions, e.g., by working at a lower temperature, a camphor identical with natural camphor is obtained. Condensation of Pinacoline with Ether Salts.—F. Couturier.-Pinacoline reacts with acetic and oxalic ethers in presence of sodium, giving condensation products which have the characteristic properties of the B-diketones and the pyruvic ethers. This confirms the supposition that Pinacoline has an asymmetric formula, and that it contains the group -CO-CH3. MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences. Vol. cl., No. 15, April 11, 1910. Magneto-chemical Analysis of the Rare Earths. G. Urbain. In order to control the progress of the separation of the rare earths it is necessary to employ a property which varies in different terms more than the atomic weight. The coefficient of magnetisation is such a property, and may conveniently be used for the purpose. Curie and Cheneveau's magnetic balance is a suitable instrument for taking the measurements, and either solutions or solid salts may be used. With an earth containing dysprosium and yttrium, for instance, it is easy to calculate the magnetisation corresponding to each value of the atomic weight, and then to compare the theoretical curve with the experimental curve. The author has thus detected holmium and erbium in an earth containing yttrium and THURSDAY, 16th.-Royal Society. "Experimental Researches on dysprosium. Thus, this method applied to the intermediate fractions obtained in the separation of two substances reveals the presence of another element which could not be detected by examining the spectrum. Determination of the Quantities of Heat evolved on the addition of Bromine to Unsaturated Compounds.-W. Louguinine.-When the heat disengaged on the addition of bromine to caprylene and its homologues is determined, it is found that the value obtained is intermediate for that found for trimethylethylene (double bond between a tertiary carbon and a secondary carbon) and hexylene (double bond between a primary and secondary carbon). The cyclic ethylenic hydrocarbons give considerably higher values than the corresponding fatty hydrocarbons. The presence of a ketone group lowers the heat set free by the fixation of bromine at a double bond. acetylenic ether salt gives for the fixation of one atom of bromine a number which is comparable with that given by the ethylenic hydrocarbons. An Nitrates and Oxides obtained by Heating Aluminium in Air.-E. Kohn-Abrest.-(Already noticed). Cementation of Silicon Steels.-L. Grenet.-The author has proved that steels which do not undergo cementation in presence of wood charcoal are, on the other hand, very easily cemented in presence of cyanides. From this fact it appears that the gaseous elements play some part in the equilibrium of carburetted solid solutions. Reducing Action of Alkaline Formates on some Mineral Compounds.-M. Vournasos.-Alkaline formates with boron nitrate give amorphous boron, hydrogen, ammonia, and hydrogen boride. Borates and meta-borates WEDNESDAY, 15th.-Microscopical, 8. "Alcyonarians collected by Sir Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition," by the President. "Resolution of New Detail in a Coscinodiscus asteromphalus," by E. M. Nelson. "Use of Mercury-vapour Lamp in observing the Rings and Brushes in Crystals," by E. B. Stringer. "New Fine-adjustment for Body and Substage of Microscopes," by E. B. Miller-Williams. Vegetable Assimilation and Respiration-VI., Experiments on Assimilation in the Open Air," by D. Thoday. "Case of Sleeping Sickness studied by precise Enumerative Methods - Regular Periodical Increase of the Parasites Disclosed," by Major R. Ross and D. Thomson. "Recognition of the Individual by Hæmolytic Methods," by Dr. C. Todd and R. G. White. "Receptors and Afferents of the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Cranial Nerves," by Miss F. M. Tozer and Prof. C. S. Sherrington. "Trypanosome Diseases of Domestic Animals in Uganda -1., Trypanosome pecorum," by Sir D. Bruce and others. "The Lignite of Bovey Tracey," by C. and Eleanor M. Reid. Chemical, 8.30. "Studies of Dynamic Isomerism -Part XII, The Equations for Two Consecutive Unimolecular Changes," by T. M. Lowry and W. T. John. "Studies of Dynamic IsomerismPart XIII., Camphocarboxamide and Camphocarboxypiperidide," by W. H. Glover and T. M. Lowry. "Constitution of Orthodiazoimines Part I., The Naphthylenediazoimines and their Benzylsulphonyl Derivatives," by G. T. Morgan and W. Godden. "Colour and Constitution of Diazonium Salts Part II., Diazo-derivatives of as-Benzol Ethyl-1: 4-naphthylenediamine," by G. T. Morgan and E. G. Couzens. "Action of Alkalis on certain Derivatives of Coumarin" and "Colour and Constitution of the Aminocoumarins," by A. Clayton. "Relation between Absorption Spectra and Chemical Constitution Part XV., The Nitrated Azo-compounds," by E. C. C. Baly, W. B. Tuck, and Miss E. G. Marsden. "Indirubin," by W. P. Bloxam and A. G. Perkin. "Estimation of Sodium and Casium as Bismuth Nitrites - Part I., Estimation of Sodium," by W. C. Ball. "By-products of Alcoholic Fermentation," by Miss C. E. Ashdown and J. T. Hewitt. "Simple Method of Preparing Tetra-nitro-methane," by F. D. Chattaway. "Dimethoxy-p-tolylphenylmethane," by J. E. Mackenzie. MUCH CHEAPER. At least 25 per cent cheaper than any other make. make. MORE ABSORBENT. Effectively absorbs one-third more litharge than any other It is impossible for litharge to run through on to floor fo muffle, thus the muffle can be used over and over again IMPERVIOUS BOTTOMS. More economical in every way. DO NOT CRACK OR SPLIT. REQUIRE NO SPECIAL PACKING. DO NOT GET DAMAGED IN TRANSIT. June 10, 1910 FREDK. JACKSON & CO., Ltd., 14, CROSS STREET, MANCHESTER. GENERAL CHEMICAL APPARATUS, HEMPEL and ORSAT GAS ANALYSIS THE LONDON GAS REFEREES' CAS BURETTES OF VARIOUS KINDS. ORSAT GAS ANALYSIS APPARATUS. ILLUSTRATED PRICE LISTS FREE ON APPLICATION. NOW READY. Cloth, 216. Paper covers, 316; (Postage, 4d. extra). THE WHEAT PROBLEM: Based on Remarks made in the Presidential Address to the British Association at Bristol in 1898. REVISED WITH AN ANSWER TO VARIOUS CRITICS By SIR WILLIAM CROOKES, F.R.S. WITH PREFACE AND ADDITIONAL CHAPTER, BRINGING THE With Two Chapters on the Future Wheat Supply of the PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT. A combined INDEX to the first 100 volumes of the SECOND EDITION. With Illustrations. Price 28. net (post free 2s. 1¿d.) ON "In the present volume Sir William Crookes replies RADIO-ACTIVE SUBSTANCES. vigorously to his critics."-Liverpool Daily Post. "The fuller examination of the problem as here conducted shows that Sir William Crookes did not speak unadvisedly with his lips."-Yorkshire Post. 16 NEWCASTLE ST., FARRINGDON ST., E.C. REPRINTED from the CHEMICAL NEWS. CHEMICAL NEWS OFFICE, 16, NEWCASTLE ST., FARRINGDON ST., E C. PORCELAIN- HALDENWANGER Can be obtained from all businesses which deal in Chemical Apparatus. London: Printed and Published for the Proprietor by EDWIN JOHN DAVEY, at the Office, 16, Newcastle Street, Farringdon Street, E.C. CAMERE, 13. CHEMICAL NEWS Edited by AND JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE 17 Wm. Crookes, F.R.S.] (WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE "CHEMICAL GAZETTE") Bstablished [Sixty-seven Yeas Published Weekly. Annual Subscription, free by post, £1. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Mail matter. Friday, June 17, 1910. PAGE Registered as [PRICE 44. A Manufacturing and Analytical Chemist desires post of trust as Chemist or Works Manager. 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