TEfE INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. FOUNDED 1a71. INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER,1885. JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 1934. PART VI. Issued under the supervision of the Publications Committee. RICHARD 13. PILCHER, Registrar and Secretary. 30, RUSSELLSQUARE,LONDON,W.C.I. December, 1934. Publications Committee, 1934-35. W. J. A. BUTTERFIELD, Vice-President,Chairman, JOCELYN F. THORPE (Presided), C. 0. BANNISTER, J. C. A. BRIERLEY, R. BRUCE, c. DOR~E, A. E. EVEREST- LEWIS EYNON, P. F. GORDON, H. H. HODGSON, J. R. JOHNSON, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY, IIon. Treasurer, . A. G. G. LEONARD, J. H. LESTER, C. AINSWORTH MITCHELL, T. F. E. RHEAD, F. SOUTHERDEN, ERNEST VANSTONE, W. WARDLAW, H.B. WATSON, A. W. M. WINTLE. 391 Editorial. Advertising and Trade Certificates.-During more than half a century, the profession of chemistry has established a code of ethics-for the most part unwritten, but generally understood-framed mainly on that accepted in the professions of law and medicine. Lately, however, expression has been given by a few practitioners to a desire for a measure of greater freedom both in respect of advertising for practice and of the issue of certificates to be used in connection with advertisements concerning commercial products. It has been pleaded that professional chemists in private practice have to contend with greater competition than formerly, and this mainly from state-aided institutions of various kinds and from public companies who employ chemists.It has also been contended that it is not in the public interest that reputable consultants should be forbidden to give certi- ficates for publication because this impels the industrialist to resort to practitioners who ignore the professional code or to organisations whose qualifications for practice are unknown. The names of architects and engineers are affixed to their buildings and structures, those of accountants are to be found in the prospectuses and balance sheets of public companies, those of barristers and solicitors in the law reports, and those of medical men appear in connection with inquests and as medical referees for life assurance ; but professional chemists get little or no such publicity.On the other hand, their services are not in the same demand by the man in the street, who will find, however, so far as London is concerned, listsof consulting chemists scheduled in Kelly’s Post Ofice Directory, and in the Buy$ Book, with special entries referring to the Institute to which he may put any enquiry that he may wish to make. This is arranged by the Institute. Section 16 of the Royal Charter of the Institute provides that if any person while he is a member of the Institute is held by the Council, on the complaint of any member of the Institute or of any person aggrieved, to be guilty of any act or default discreditable to the profession, he shall be liable to be excluded or suspended from membership; and By-law 57 prescribes that 392 unprofessional soliciting for practice and issuing or allowing to be issued reports or certificates intended for publication con- taining unjustifiable statements, shall be deemed to be dis- creditable within the meaning of the said Section 16.The By-laws further require the Council to nominate not less than five persons from whom four Censors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, the President being ex-u$ciu a fifth Censor; and under By-law 56, the Censors are required to investigate all complaints arising under Section 16. The Censors, by their manner of dealing with such complaints as have arisen over a long period of years, have contributed largely to the establishment of a very high standard of professional conduct on the part of all who have subscribed to the Charter and By-laws.The reports submitted annually to the Council by the President, show that the complaints received in recent times have been very few, and have referred to acts which are undesirable rather than discreditable, but which lead to questions as to what is allowable. The Censors, however, are not called upon to consider hypothetical cases, and it is left to other officers to answer enquiries on the subject as best they can. A Past President of the Institute, Sir Thomas Stevenson, stigmatised advertisement by a professional man as a confession that he could not acquire practice without resorting to such methods; but it might signify that he merely wished to intimate that, although well established and busy, he was anxious to be busier : indeed, if advertising for practice became general, such an individual could afford to advertise more extensively than the beginner and thus be a serious menace to all new-comers.Incidentally, the question is asked-How is the beginner to establish a practice? He rarely attempts it unless he has already gained the necessary experience to warrant his doing so, by working for some years with an established consultant, or by having been engaged in industry and thereby having established a reputation in a specialised branch of work. However, to return to the subject of advertisement-it is obvious that if the practice of advertising were generally estab- lished, competition in the size and character of the advertisements, undercutting of fees, and less and less satisfactory service, would be the inevitable consequences, and the ultimate effect would be disastrous to all efforts to maintain professional status.Presuming, however, that the size of the advertisement were restricted by agreement to a small announcement of the 393 “business card” type, that the size of the print were specified and the extent of the particulars limited to the name, qualifica- tion, special experience and place of business of the practitioner- what benefit would result to anyone if advertisements were resorted to generally and all practitioners employed such means of notifying their existence? Limited liability companies occasionally appear to be seeking to add professional chemical work to their ordinary industrial and commercial undertakings, and, in some cases, it is supposed that they attempt to secure analytical work, in order to recover, in part at least, the cost of maintaining a laboratory for their normal business. Works analysts are, thus, sometimes required to deal with samples which itre brought to the laboratories of such concerns.It is surprising, however, that some firms of laboratory furnishers, which supply apparatus and chemicals to private consultants, advertise for professional work and are prepared to compete with their own customers, who presumably could retaliate by obtaining their supplies from other sources.Possibly, in some of these instances, as in the case of some shops whose proprietors profess to control analytical laboratories, the work is actually sent to a practitioner, although that type of practice which is known as “cover work” is regarded as distinctly discreditable, when the practitioner gives a certificate of analysis to an unqualijed person knowing that the latter will pass it off as his own. There has also been criticism of concerns which employ, on their staffs, chemists as technical advisers and advertise that their services are available to customers, but this can hardly be open to the same objection, for the success of industry very largely de- pends on the proper use of chemical products which can only be ex- plained by those who are specially acquainted with such products.It is another matter, however, to publish lists of fees for analyses, and to solicit the work which should be entrusted to professional men who are forbidden to advertise; while it is very reasonable to contend that it would be contrary to public interest that the posi- tion of such independent practitioners should be jeopardized, for their existence is very necessary and often advantageous to in-dustrial concerns themselves, for consultative work, and in matters of arbitration, litigation and the like. Advertisements by state-aided institutions and research associations have occasionally been brought to the notice of the 394 Institute, and teaching institutions, as such, have been known to offer professional chemical services both in the technical press and by circular letters, thus entering into competition with independent practitioners including their own past students, by requiring their staffs and present students to undertake analyses at low fees.There can be no question that such offers are not in the interests of the chemical profession. With regard to research associations, it must be borne in mind that while they are anxious to do what they can to retain the support of their members, much of the consulting work and analyses which goes to them would not, without their existence, be required at all, and, in some circumstances, could not be undertaken by private practitioners, for lack of special apparatus and facilities.On the other hand, practitioners in various branches feel convinced that many firms who previously consulted them now contribute a few guineas a year to research associations in return for services afforded by these State-aided institu- tions. In this connection, it may be mentioned that the National Physical Laboratory and the Chemical Research Laboratory decline to compete with private practitioners, and refer enquiries to the Institute. Many practitioners include, on their forms for certificates and reports, a statement to the effect that they must not be published without specific sanction. This is a wise precaution, for many cases have been known where certificates have been published without the consent of the practitioners and much to their detriment.In some cases they have been abridged and garbled most unscrupulously. For example, from a certificate of analysis of a sample of milk, the words omitted were-"The milk was very dirty." The issue of certificates for advertisement purposes can rarely be justified, although a formal certificate of scientific fact and honest opinion may be permissible in the single publication of a company prospectus, when the investing public regard it as ancillary to that of an accountant or of a surveyor or engineer. It may also be necessary in rare cases, for a limited period, where the public needs to be reassured-for example, after an arsenic scare, such as arose some years ago in connection with the brewing industry.It has been customary, however, to regard as in a different category, the use of professional certificates attached to bottles and containers. They may comprise the 395 results of the analysis of a single sample or perhaps of a series of samples taken at intervals, but can seldom guarantee the products for all time; whereas firms have been known to use such certificates for twenty years or more after the death of the chemist named on such labels. Even when systematic inspection of samples drawn or bought by the analyst himself is undertaken, discrepancy or deviation from uniformity may occasionally be detected. In any case, such certificates cons tit Ute advertisement of the chemist, of ten described with ad j ectives-" eminent,'' "well-known," e tc.Fortunately the type of rogue who offered to give a favourable report for publication before he even received a sample has disappeared, having been exposed in the public press many years ago. It is contended that firms which are now paying some organisation for a periodical inspection of their works or their products, feel that they must have some such arrangement, al- though they regard it as a necessary evil, if not blackmail. They refer to professional consultants, however, when they wish for any advice, or for a scientific investigation to be undertaken. In this connection, a suggestion has been received that the Institute should countenance some form of protective advertise- ment, and establish a censorship of certificates before they can be used for advertisement, in order to ensure that they are not merely "trade puffs," but straightforward statements of fact based on scientific examination.Further, the view has been expressed that if the Institute declined such a function it would be failing in its duty, presumably because a certain amount of practice of a kind is being placed elsewhere in the meantime. If any such system may be regarded as a species of blackmail, it would more certainly be so regarded if the system were ex- tended, for under it who could refrain from supporting the scheme? What, moreover, could be said of the prospect of a Committee sitting in judgment on certificates, good or bad, and varying as the product or the method of production varied? Who could find a compromise when a firm was determined to have a higher-sounding certificate than its competitors as manufacturers of a certain commodity ? Without some laudatory recommendation such things are of small value for the purpose.Again, having given a certificate to one firm in praise of its products, would not the practitioner be debarred from giving a certificate to another firmin the same industry, in respect of 396 the same products? Or would both firms contend with the practitioner for a more favourable report? Surely, in most cases, the manufacturer should know whether he is producing a good thing, and should be able to assert that it is a good thing on his own behalf.An individual may do many things which are breaking neither the law nor the decalogue, but which are not usually done by decent people. Emerson wrote: “The infallible index of true progress is found in the tone a man takes.” The same may be said of professions. An understanding has been estab- lished in the Institute with regard to such matters. Professional ethics generally obtain more serious observance in this than in any other country; but it is probable that if there had been no Institute, and no notice had been taken of advertisements and certificates given by chemists for advertisement purposes, both practices would have been considerably more in vogue, would have been imitated by succeeding generations of prac-titioners, and would thus have become customary, and still further abused and more obnoxious.It has been advanced as an argument that the Institute has no legal right to insist on the observance of such strict pro- fessional procedure, but the code has not been dictated by caprice or tyranny. Moreover, it embraces the consensus of opinion of all those who constitute the professional body, i.e. the Institute, and experience has shown that a court of law will have due regard to the tenets adopted by a professional institution in the public interest for the protection of honourable practice. COMMENTS ON THE EDITORIAL FEES‘I ” ON PROFESSIONAL vide JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,Part v, page 319. Editorial observations are printed in italics. A correspondent refers to the discrepancies between different practitioners in their fees for analyses.This is a matter of very great dij’iculty in the chemical profession, since so much depends on the circumstances in which a sample of any kind may be submitted, the extent to which the investigation is to be carried, the purpose for which it is required, and whether it is an isolated sample from a new client or one from a regular client who is in the habit of submitting samples at regzclar intervals 397 or in large numbers. Two practitioners may be doing equally good work, yet one may have established his practice in a poor neighbour-hood where rent is low and clients can aflord to pay little, and the other may be in a great city where his expenses are much higher and clients better able to pay for such services.The same thing obtains in medicine, and such diferences can hardly be adjusted. No professional man should take any step to injure the interests or the practice of another, by deliberately undercutting fees for example ;otherwise, if undercutting is adopted, the extent and character of the work are liable to be modijed to accord with the fee. Good work cannot be done for inadequate fees. Caveat Emptor,- the buyer must beware. He ought to know that he will only get value to the extent of his payment. The law does not allow anybody to interfere with a man for charging low fees, or no fees at all, so long as he is not committing fraud; but business men will say cheap analyses are no good.” The same member suggested a method for the recovery of fees, namely, by means of a Demand Note which he sends to his bank, endorsed’as in the case of an ordinary cheque.The bank obtains the endorsement of the debtor, which is rarely refused, and the money is subsequently recovered from the debtor’s bank. This method is seldom resorted to, but rarely fails, because presentation of the Demand Note is at least an indication that the creditor is prepared to proceed further if necessary. A member refers to the type of client who openly asks for a simple analysis while trying to conduct a consultation at the same time, and also to the prospective client who, without disclosing his name, telephones to a consultant and endeavours to get information for nothing.The same member, referring to the question of suing for fees, remarks that the amount is often so small that it is not worth the trouble, but he feels that it is a bad practice to allow rascals to have services and advice and to go scot-free. This correspondent introduces another question, that of commissions on introducing plant and other goods to clients. Such commissions are taboo amongst the highest type of $70-fessional men, who rely on earning their living solely by their clients’ fees, in order that they may be above suspicion of being biassed in giving advice as to the plant recommended in particular processes. It is likely also that such commissions cannot be 398 accepted with impunity, unless they are disclosed to the clients to whom the plant or goods are recommended.They would appear to constitute one variant of commissions which the law defines as illicit unless disclosed. Another member relates that he had actually been approached by persons in high authority who said they would like to “know his professional fees,” without indicating in any way what they wanted him to do. Presumably they expected him to have a schedule of fees, which is hardly more usual among chemical than medical consultants. The main complaint of this member, however, was against the staffs of state-aided institutions, and in one instance (specified) of a Government Department. He asserts that professors still undertake analyses which may be entrusted to students who may or may not be rewarded for their work.The Institute should take more serious cognisance of such matters. The Institute has had less evidence of this practice in recent years, but cases have been brought to its notice from time to time and have received attention with satisfactory results. The chief objection lies in the college, as such, practising,-i.e. requiring its sta$ or students to undertake professional work, instead of restricting itself to its proper function of education. In matters of greater importance, however, it is common knowledge that professors often stand in much the same relation to industrial concerns as do consulting physicians and surgeons of the hospitals and medical schools to the public.Consulting chemists, indeed, on matters beyond their special knowledge, not infrequently refer to them, and there is every justiJication for professors keeping in touch with the industrial applications of their science, both in the interests of their students, and for their infEuence in upholding the professional status attached to the high positions which they occupy. The same correspondent tells of a well-known physician who had a notice in his waiting room reading “Patients will kindly hand the fee of three guineas to the Secretary before visiting the Doctor.” This correspondent says that he himself invariably asks for fees in advance from firms and persons pre- viously unknown to him, and feels that he has lost nothing by that practice.He suggests that the Institute should hold a conference on the whole subject. 399 Proceedings of the Council. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1934. Council Meeting, 16th November.-At the meeting held on 16th November, the Council considered some correspondence from Fellows regarding advertising for practice and the issue of professional certificates for advertisement purposes. The Council was definitely opposed to advertising and to granting certificates, feeling that it would be a retrograde step to depart from the principles which, largely due to the action of the Censors, had been so long established. After discussion, the correspondence was referred to the Publications Committee, with a request that the matter be dealt with in the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,and that special refer- ence be made to the practice of public companies having chemists in their employ advertising for analytical and consulting work.Having dealt with correspondence with various government departments and with the Local Sections, a suggestion was submitted that the Council should reconsider the question whether the Institute should adopt some form of academic dress, but the Council decided not to pursue the matter. Reports were received from the Standing Committees and from a Special Committee appointed to consider the advisability of making provision for the election of a second District Member of Council for the North-East Coast and Yorkshire, on which the Council decided to recommend such provision, by creating a separate District for Newcastle-on-Tyne area.At the same time, the Council was reminded that the rules for the nomination of District Members of Council provided that the Committees of the Local Sections within any district were required to confer to- gether for the purpose of nominating a District Member of Council. The President reported that the Administrators for the Beilby Memorial Fund had awarded IOO guineas each to Dr. W. Hume-Rothery and Dr. E. A. Rudge (see page 450). The President also reported on the conference of representa-tives of the Institute and of the Association of British Chemical 400 Manufacturers on the Provisional Poisons List and Poisons Rules, which had been transmitted to the Institute by the Poisons Board. He stated that an agreement had been reached on the action to be taken in respect of the matters referred to therein, and the Council agreed that the same be incorporated in a letter to the Poisons Board.A Special Committee consisting of the President, Vice-Presidents, Honorary Treasurer, Dr. Lampit t, Dr. Levinstein and Dr. Wardlaw was appointed to consider the desirability of making arrangements for the celebration of the Jubilee of the Institute under Royal Charter, in 1935, and to report to the Council thereon. Council Meeting, 7th December.-The Council received reports from the Standing Committees, and considered pre- liminary arrangements for the nomination of the new Council to be elected at the Annual General Meeting on 1st March, 1935.The new District Members of Council will be as follows:- (i) Birmingham and Midlands : Mr. William Alexander Skeen Calder. (vi) Edinburgh and East of Scotland: Mr. Adam Tait. (viii) Glasgow and West of Scotland: Professor Forsyth James Wilson. (x) Northern Ireland: Dr. William Honneyman. The names of the Ordinary Members of Council who will retire at the Annual General Meeting on 1st March, in accordance with the By-laws, are as follows:- Dr. Charles Dorke. Dr. Richard Henry Greaves. Mr. William Rintoul, O.B.E. Professor Samuel Smiles, O.B.E., F.R.S. Mr. Albert Watkins Maggs Wintle. Correspondence was submitted from a Fellow asking whether the Council could not make some kind of protest against adver- tising for practice, publication of schedules of fees, and under- cutting, by persons and public companies not associated with the Institute.The letters were referred to the Publications Committee and will receive further consideration. A presentation was made to Miss Cawston, Chief Clerk, in appreciation of her valuable and devoted services during the 401 past 25 years. In making the presentation, the President expressed the hope that the Institute might long have the advantage of her assistance in its work. The Council regrets to record that Sergeant Thomas Matthews, the Commissionaire who has been in the employ of the Institute for the past 10 years, has been obliged to retire owing to ill-health.A fund has been raised among past and present Officers and Members of Council on behalf of Sergeant Matthews and his family. The Sixth S. M. Gluckstein Memorial Lecture.-The President (Professor Jocelyn F. Thorpe, C.B.E., F.R.S.) presided at a meeting in the hall of the Institute on 15th November when Lord Melchett delivered the Sixth S. M. Gluckstein Memorial Lecture. In opening the proceedings, the President said that it should be unnecessary for him to remind the meeting that the Gluckstein Memorial Lecture was instituted to preserve the memory of a man, who, although not a chemist himself, had shown very great interest in the work of the profession of chemistry and had taken no small part in developing the methods by which science could be utilised in furthering the interests of an industrial enterprise. On the present occasion they had the honour to welcome Lord Melchett, himself a believer in the practical applications of chemistry, the son of a leader in industry, and a grandson of Dr.Ludwig Mond, a Fellow of the Institute almost from its foundation and for over thirty years, until his death twenty-five years ago. The title of the address which Lord Melchett was to give was in the form of a question: Is Nature Wiser than Man?” It would be interesting, the President said, to see how he would develop that theme. Lord Melchett spoke extempore, but a report of his address is being prepared for publication shortly. The Seventeenth Streatfeild Memorial Lecture.-On 7th December, in the hall of the Institute, Mr.George Elliott Shaw, Fellow, delivered the Seventeenth Streatfeild Memorial Lecture. The President reminded the members that the lecture was given in honour of the memory of Frederick William Streatfeild, 402 who was, for many years, demonstrator at Finsbury Technical College, of which Mr. Shaw was a past student. He mentioned that Professor Gilbert T. Morgan, who had so far attended every Streatfeild Memorial Lecture, had expressed his deep regret that he was unable to be present on that occasion. Mr. Shaw dealt with L4 Quinine Manufacture in India.” The lecture will be printed and issued as a separate mono- graph in due course. At the conclusion of the lecture, the President congratulated the members on having heard another lecture from a chemist who illustrated so well the type of training provided by “Fins- bury.” He had listened to Mr.Shaw with great interest. Mr. Shaw had had remarkable experience: it was not often that a research chemist had to build works and make his own bricks, as well as equip his laboratory. He was struck by the fact that the cinchona trees were destroyed in order to obtain the bark. The Japanese, who formerly destroyed the camphor tree, now harvested the trees, which continued to grow and yield the leaves from which the camphor was obtained. With regard to the attack on the mosquito, as the cause of malaria, he had been told that at Rio de Janeiro inspectors visited the houses every week and imposed fines, payable there and then, on any householder where any pool of water was found which might harbour the insects: this undoubtedly tended to check the prevalence of fever.The President presented Mr. Shaw with the Streatfeild Medal, the gift of the City and Guilds of London Institute, and also a photographic portrait of Frederick William Streatfeild. Mr. Bernard Howard said that he would like to pay a very sincere tribute to Mr. Shaw for one of the most interesting evenings which he had ever spent. They had listened to a very modest account of the work of a distinguished pupil of Streat- feild. That Mr. Shaw had been able to overcome so many difficulties and prove himself capable in so many capacities was due to his fine practical training at Finsbury.They had heard something more than a paper of scientific interest: it was a personal history of a man of science. He (Mr. Howard) was especially glad to have been able to hear the lecture because, in a junior capacity, he had worked as a colleague with Mr. Shaw. Referring to the analysis of bark from India, he said that the 403 bark sent to England was not the same as that dealt with in the factory controlled by Mr. Shaw. This was to some extent explained by the fact that the wholesale druggist sent his buyer to a showroom in Mincing Lane, and the buyer relied rather on the notes in his catalogue than on analysis. Dr. David Hooper also said that the lecture was one of the most interesting he had heard.He recalled the history of the quinine industry when he was in Madras, fifty years ago. Mr. Shaw had described the successful evolution of a quinine factory in India in the face of very great difficulties. Dr. J. Newton Friend, Mr. E. M. Hawkins, and Mr. J. H. Coste also having expressed their appreciation of the lecture, the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr. Shaw. La Maison de la Chimie.-The new headquarters for chemists in France, known as La Maison de la Chimie or the Centre Marcelin Berthlot, was opened officially on 1st December in the presence of the President of the Republic and many delegates from foreign countries. The Institute was represented by Dr. L. H. Lampitt, Member of Council, and Mr. A. R. Smith, Fellow.The ceremony was held in the Salle des Congrks, Monsieur Mellarmk, Minister of Education, presiding. Monsieur Bkhal, President of La Maison de la Chimie, spoke of the objects of the foundation, and was followed by other speakers, including Sir Robert Mond. After the ceremony the foreign delegates were entertained at tea by Monsieur Gkrard, the administrateur of the foundation, who showed the visitors over the premises. The State has given the house that once belonged to La Rochefoucauld d’Estissac, built in 1708. The body of the house remains in its original form, while the wings have been rebuilt to suit the purposes of the new organisation, a capital fund of over 25 million francs having been raised with the help of international subscrip- tions.The foreign delegates had been given a reception and enter- tainment on the previous evening. Sir Robert and Lady Mond entertained the English delegates to lunch at the Ritz Hotel. The President of the Institute had been unable to be present at the inaugural ceremony and the reception, but attended the banquet given in honour of the foreign delegates, which brought the celebrations to a close. 404 Local Sections. [The Imtitute is Not responsible for the views expressed in j5apers read, OY in speeches delivered during discussions.] Aberdeen and North of Scotland.-A meeting of the Section was held in the Agricultural Department, Marischal College, Aberdeen, on 4th December,-Professor Alex. Findlay presiding-when Mr.Alfred Hill delivered a lecture on ‘&The Use of Ultra-Violet Light in Analytical Work.” The lecturer, at the outset, described the ultra-violet ray lamp with which he had been experimenting, which was of the type known as the Hanovia Utility Lamp. He then proceeded to outline briefly the history of the use of ultra-violet light in analysis, stating that although of comparatively recent introduc- tion, great progress had been made in its use. He stressed the point that, although the lamp could not in any way replace chemical analysis, it was of considerable help in diagnosing certain problems connected with scientific investigation in many walks of life. The lamp was now a recognised appliance in the laboratories of many up-to-date institutions and was employed by chemists in a large number of industrial undertakings as well as by those interesting themselves in police investigations.Mr. Hill described how the ultra-violet rays caused certain substances to “fluoresce” or glow in varying colours according to their composition, and how some chemicals, for instance, although very closely related chemically, fluoresced in entirely different colours if pure, when subjected to filtered ultra-violet light, so that these compounds could be easily differentiated. It was demonstrated, by the aid of the lamp, how the chemist could make use of these rays in many ways in the course of routine analysis and also demonstrated to the industrial chemist,- whether he be connected with the paper industry, the drug industry, textiles, the manufacture of jams and jellies, or a 405 number of other industries,-that the lamp could at times set him on the right road towards the solution of a problem.Within recent years the ultra-violet lamp had been used successfully in legal work, in the detection of forgery and alterations and erasures on legal documents of importance. The Customs authorities of several countries had made use of the lamp in rapidly identifying contraband goods. The advantage of such methods of diagnosis lay in the fact that, particularly in legal and police work, the article to be examined under the lamp suffered no deterioration such as might happen if it had to be subjected to chemical tests.Mr. Hill showed some interesting examples of uses to which the ultra-volet rays might be put. Butter could easily be distinguished from margarine without any previous preparation, while it was possible to detect the adulteration of butter by the addition of small quantities of margarine or vegetable fats. Another interesting example of the detection of fraud was the case of the obliteration of the mark of origin on imported eggs. This stamp was easily deleted by various means without leaving any mark visible on the shell, but the erasure was always visible under the ultra-violet rays. The lamp had actually been the means of securing a conviction in several cases of this nature. It was somewhat similar in the case of erasure or alteration of words written in ink on a document ;the erasure, whether carried out by the use of chemicals or by scraping, could be definitely detected.In some experiments, although the treatment was carried out very carefully and no visible trace of the words could be noted, it was possible to read the actual words when subjected to the rays of the lamp. So also most secret inks could be made to disclose their secrets. The presence of certain preservatives in foodstuffs could be rapidly detected. Milk fluoresces canary yellow, but a trace of sodium salicylate will alter the colour to bluish-white. Various drugs and dyes fluoresce differently either by them- selves or under treatment by various reagents. The lecturer showed a series of yellow-coloured papers which under the lamp appeared in varying colours ; some yellows in filtered ultra-violet light seemed purple or almost black, others lavender, while the yellow wrapping on the box of a well-known brand of matches fluoresced a brilliant yellow.The fluorescence of several cattle- cakes, poultry foods, artificial fertilisers and samples of seeds and other materials was demonstrated. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the lecturer. 406 Belfast and District.-At a meeting of the Belfast Section held on 24th October, in the Physics Department of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Dr. W. Honneyman delivered a lecture on ‘‘The Treatment of Water for Industrial Purposes.” Dr. Honneyman recounted the troubles which had arisen in the past on account of the use of naturally hard waters in indus- trial processes.This used to be the case on bleach greens, and in dyeing works and laundries, while every user of a boiler for steam-raising purposes knew the difficulties en-countered with the deposit of scale in the boiler. This caused a great waste of heat and much lost time when the boiler had to be descaled. Industrial apparatus had been in use for some considerable time for removing the hardness from water. This had resulted in better products and had effected a large saving in coal, soap, etc. The lecturer described modern improvements in plant for this purpose, which had been introduced within the last few years, resulting in much greater efficiency.The zeolite process which had been in considerable vogue until recently was stated to be of less general application at the present time. It was being replaced by more effective coagulation processes using sodium aluminate. The lecturer also said that he was not in favour of the use of zeolite water softeners in the household, as the water from such plants contained soda in most cases. Soda would act on aluminium cooking vessels, and so all food prepared in such circumstances would contain traces of aluminium. While this was harmless in most cases, it had been alleged to cause digestive trouble in others. There was a good attendance of technical chemists and others interested in the subject, and a general discussion followed the lecture.The Annual Dinner of the Belfast and District Section was held in the Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, on 30th November, Professor K. G. Emeleus being the guest of the evening. After the loyal toast, the Chairman, Dr. W. Honneyman, proposed the health of “The Guests,’’ to which Professor Emeleus replied. Birmingham and Midlands.-The opening meeting of the Session was held at the University, Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 31st October,-Mr. A. W. Knapp, Chairman of the Section, presiding. 407 The first part of the evening was spent in the Department of Oil Engineering and Refining, where Professor A. W. Nash gave an account of the application of physics and chemistry to the production and refining of petroleum. The methods of detecting geological structures favourable for the accumulation of oil at varying depths, and the correlation of the geological formation of one portion of an oilfield with another were described, and the gravimetric method of surveying by means of the torsion balance and the seismic method of determining geological structures and were explained.The various methods of distillation, the type of plant employed, and the principles of cracking heavier oils to produce petrols were also discussed, and specimens of the numerous products of fractionation were exhibited. A number of pieces of apparatus and small scale plants in the Department (among them a distillation unit capable of working at a pressure of I mm. absolute) were then inspected, and several experiments were carried out-one of these, the analysis of natural gas by means of the Podbielniak apparatus, being particularly interesting .The second half of the meeting was held in the Department of Brewing and Industrial Fermentation, where Professor R. H. Hopkins addressed the meeting, giving an outline of the teaching and research activities of the Department. The Chair was endowed by brewers for the training of technical brewers and chemists, the former involving a Diploma Course and the latter a Degree Course. The Degree in Industrial Fermentation covered a very wide field and fitted students for employment in a wide range of industry, including food manufacture, fer- mentation, etc. The research work included, firstly, that performed by students reading for higher degrees (this was concerned with problems of yeast and alcoholic fermentation, diastases in relation to starch constitution, pectins and cell wall constituents) ; and secondly, much of the research work of the Institute of Brewing, which was performed in these laboratories.Many most interesting devices and instruments were exhibited. The second meeting of the Session was held at the University of Birmingham, on zIst November,-Professor R. H. Hopkins presiding. Dr. J. B. Speakman delivered a lecture on “The Chemistry of Wool and Related Keratins.” Attempts to elucidate the structure of fibres, such as wool and hair, by orthodox chemical methods, are complicated by the 408 fact that the keratins are biological structures.For example, the medulla contains no sulphur, the cuticle contains sulphur but no histidine or tyrosine, while the cortex contains sulphur, histidine and tyrosine. In addition, the composition of any one type of cell, e.g., the cortical cell, varies along the length of the fibre, as is revealed by variations in sulphur-content. Analytical methods, by emphasising such variations in com-position, are not well adapted to reveal the essential features of fibre structure, and indirect physico-chemical methods have been more successful. In the first place-because the swelling of wool fibres in water is much greater laterally than longitudinally, and because the change in rigidity with water absorption is far greater than the change in breaking load-it seemed probable that the fibres are built up of long molecules.The simplest way of using amino acids to make macro molecules is by way of a-amino and asso- ciated carboxyl groups to form molecules of the type:- -CO-CH-NH-CO-CH-NH-CO-CH-NH-,I 1 I R, R2 R3 and proof of their existence is due to the X-ray investigations of Astbury. The side chains R,, R2, R,, etc. may be inert (glycine), basic (arginine), acidic (aspartic acid) or contain sulphur (cystine). The latter may form a covalent link between chains in parallel, and salt linkages may also be formed from the acid and basic side chains. If such covalent and electrovalent linkages exist, it is to be expected that the fibre will consist of crystals having characteristic properties.The real existence of these crystals, which are about 200 A.U. thick and are lamellar in shape, has been demonstrated by physico-chemical methods based on the accessibility of the fibre to molecules of varying size. When fibres are treated with acid, the salt linkages are rup- tured, and fibres in acid solution are, therefore, much less difficult to stretch than in water. In the case of strong acids the reduction in the resistance to extension is proportional to the amount of acid combined at any +H, and the form of the titration curve of wool can be determined by simple measurement of the resis- tance to extension in media of varying $H. In this way it was shown that the wool fibre has a stability region extending from pH 4 to 8, a region which is explicable only on the assumption 409 that the acid and basic side chains of wool are present in equiva- lent proportions, and that they combine to form salt linkages.Up to the present, the necessary amount of di-carboxylic acids for combination with amide nitrogen and the basic amino acids known to be present in wool has not been isolated, but the position has been improved recently by the ascertained hydroxyglutamic acid from Cotswold wool. The existence of a cystine bridge between peptide chains is proved by the fact that wool and hair react with agents such as sodium sulphite, sodium bisulphite, silver sulphate and baryta in much the same way as cystine. In the case of fibres, reaction with the sulphur linkage is again recognised from the changed elastic properties.For example, sodium bisulphite, being acid, is able to break the salt linkages; in addition, it breaks the sulphur linkages with formation of an addition compound, and when both types of link are broken, the main peptide chains collapse and the fibre contracts to a length about one-third less than the original length. Besides the reagents mentioned, hot water attacks the sulphur linkage of fibres, so that their elastic properties are dependent on temperature as well as humidity. Baryta-treated fibres, however, are largely unaffected by tem- perature because the sulphur linkage is already broken. Salt and sulphur linkages take part in an interesting reaction when strained fibres are exposed to steam.The sulphur linkages are first hydrolysed and then react with the amino groups of salt linkages to form new linkages of the type R-S-NH-R between the peptide chains. The reaction is the basis of many industrial processes, including permanent waving, and its successful realisation is dependent on the sulphur linkages of the fibre being intact. Actually, the sulphur linkage is rarely intact because it is sensitive to oxidation, which takes place slowly in air and rapidly in alkaline hydrogen peroxide. Bristol and South-Western Counties.-On 20th October, members of the Section were very kindly entertained by Dr. A. C. Fryer at his residence at Clifton. Dr. Fryer gave a very interesting address dealing with the architectural features of Westminster Abbey.The lesser known features of the Abbey were well illustrated by lantern slides which had been recently prepared by Dr. Fryer himself. On the proposition of Prof. W. E. Garner, a vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Fryer for his hospitality and entertainment. 410 A joint meeting of the Local Section of the Institute and the Bristol University Chemical Society was held at the University on 12th November, when an address was given by Mr. Osman Jones, Chief Chemist and Technical Adviser to Messrs. Harris (Calne) Ltd., on bb The Preservation of Meat.” Having referred to the important part played by science in the meat industry of the world, Mr. Jones gave a general survey of the various methods now in use for the preservation of meat, the subject being treated historically from the earliest efforts of primitive man to the highly technical methods now employed, by means of which meats are available in an edible state after long periods of storage and available for human consumption in any part of the world.Mr. Jones then dealt with the far- reaching effects of the research work now in progress at the Low Temperature Research Station at Cambridge, and with the important bearing that this will have upon the Empire meat trade. Special reference was made to the modern methods applied in the canning of meat and an outline given of the tech- , nical work involved, in order to bring about success in what is one of the most important branches of the meat-preserving industry.Other methods of meat preservation considered were curing, smoking, and cooking. The meeting was presided over by Prof. W. E. Garner, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Bristol University. In an interesting discussion which ensued, the following took part, Professor W. E. Garner, Dr. R. C. Menzies, Mr. F. E. Needs, Mr. H. F. Barke, and Mr. E. Lewis. A vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer on the proposition of Mr. Edward Russell, seconded by Mr. Southan. A more complete report was published in “Food” :December, 1934. At a meeting of the Section held jointly with the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry in the Chemical Department of the University of Bristol, on 10th December, Dr.Herbert Levinstein, Member of Council, gave an address entitled b4 Chemical Defence.” Dr. Levinstein said that, to many people, the application of chemical knowledge to war appeared to have added cruelty to an already horrible thing. If, with sufficient goodwill, war was 411 very unlikely to occur, then the subject was of no importance, and they need not care whether chemical warfare was or was not prohibited internationally. In the first part of his address he dealt with the fundamental policy imposed on Great Britain by reason of its insular situation, and expressed his views on the policy of democratic government in relation to war. A democracy was usually badly prepared for war. A people might feel that a democratic government was not less likely to cause war,-only less likely to win war.Could we not, he asked, by agreement among the political parties, tell the people clearly the possibilities against which it must be our policy to protect ourselves ? Surely, everybody who mattered loathed war, and we were not a timid people afraid to face facts. He felt that war was not imminent, but deplored that universal peace was not yet secured. He did not underrate the value of the League of Nations and other movements that made for goodwill between nations, and suggested that the Boy Scout and Girl Guide organisations, with their appeal to young people all over the world, had in them the germ of something that would make war, not war but fratricide.Continuing, Dr. Levinstein said :-I‘ Excepting the above, community in scientific pursuits probably links together different nations as closely as any other form of intellectual or other type of co-operation. “The pursuit of science is just glorious curiosity. To know just a little, to guess just a little more of why or how nature works, is entrancing to all imaginative human beings. “But if war must come, or does come, is it wrong to use the inventions of science, but right to use every other weapon, however murderous or wicked? I am repelled by such reasoning. I do not think that a scientifically trained person should stand aside in these calamities, which from time to time invade the world. “It is generally thought that if another European war were to occur within a few years, our present Western Civilisation would go under.General Smuts gave expression to this thought in his recent eloquent address to the Students of St. Andrews University. It is difficult for a layman to realise that matter is built up of tiny quantities of energy, and that the most solid substances, under certain condition, can be resolved into their 412 constituents. So perhaps it may be difficult for us to realise that our civilisation, apparently so solid, also may be capable of a ruthless resolution into chaos. “But I am convinced that General Smuts is wrong in saying that ‘Every new scientific discovery, every new war invention, is making war more and more improbable’ and that ‘more and more will Statesmen pause before they loose the new terrors on their peoples.’ “The widespread notion that Science has made war so dangerous that it is less likely to happen is, I think, based on a fallacy.In fact, the destructive power of science in war is absurdly overrated. One might imagine that invention had rendered it possible to destroy a city, to wipe out humanity in the mass, as it were, by pressing a button. “The application of chemical science to war has not made war more dangerous either to soldiers or to civilians. It has done something quite different and of more significant military importance. It has introduced fresh possibilities of effecting a strategic surprise, a surprise such as may decide a whole cam- paign and affect the fate of an empire.Invention is nothing without large-scale production. It is in fact the chemical industry, not pure science but applied science; science and production in harmonious marriage, that provides this new weapon to people at war, or threatened by war. “It is not easy to see, therefore, why the introduction of chemical warfare methods should be necessarily a deterrent to a nation that possesses powerful chemical industries. “In former days, surprise and the terror that it caused enabled great commanders to achieve decisive military results with a small loss of life. Masses of men could be assembled in secrecy. They moved slowly, but news, too, travelled slowly. Thus, troops could be moved by a skilful general so as to surprise his enemy, by concentrating unexpected forces at a critical spot.By such manceuvres great victories were won. They occasioned not greater, but less, slaughter. “To-day, we know how difficult it is to concentrate forces in secret, so as to have at a given moment predominant strength at a selected spot. On the other hand if you can use a new gas that penetrates your enemy’s gas defences on a sufficiently wide front, you have a great opportunity, by surprise, of ob- taining decisive results. 413 “The possibilities of surprise by invention are in a way un- limited and it is this power, not greater brutality, that is in truth the distinguishing feature of chemical warfare. “Far more destruction of property, greater mortality and suffering, are caused by dropping high explosive or incendiary bombs from aircraft than by using gas-filled bombs or shells.“On the other hand, gas, though less destructive, may be more effectual, because it causes panic to uninstructed, unprotected civilians, just as it quite naturally terrified uninstructed and unprotected troops. The fear of gas is partly the fear of the unknown, like the fear of children to go into the dark. “A nation exposed to gas attacks might become demoralised if it had no defence and no means of counter-attack. “The wars which devastated Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, were proportionately more wasteful of life than the Great War. In the Great War the casualties were due chiefly to the lack of invention-to the reliance on mere numbers of men and projectiles, and to the wooden methods inherited by the soldiers on both sides from the past.“We heard much in the War from soldiers and politicians alike of a ‘war of attrition.’ What, is a war of attrition less terrible than a war of invention ? The very question startles one! For more than four years men killed each other without either side getting a decision. War of attrition meant that this was to go on, until one side or the other could not longer hold the lines. What a brutal and brainless idea to make of a war a monstrous sum of simple subtraction in corpses! At last came invention to end this war of attrition-and not chemical invention only. The tanks were of the utmost value at the end, for the enemy had no counter to the tanks.When the Hindenburg Line was stormed, we used Mustard Gas for the first time with great effect and great economy of force. “The Military value of gas was fully recognised towards the end of the war. As the American Army came late in the war, they arrived at the front when the use of gas had reached its maximum. “The casualties to the American Troops caused by gas num- bered 75,000, of which only 18per cent. proved fatal. Of the total casualties they suffered, 275,000 in number, 30 per cent. proved fatal. “This is an instance of what has been proved to be generally true, viz. : that toxic substances such as Mustard Gas, Phosgene, 414 D.A., D.M., Blue Cross, Yellow Cross and the rest, caused far less mortality than high explosive shells, but were more effective in military results.“Thus, the evidence is against the statement that the introduc- tion of science has made war more dangerous to life. It is amaz- ing that this fallacy should have become engraved in the public mind. “In the second battle of Ypres, the war would have been lost by us had the German High Command assembled reserves before launching their first surprise gas attack. This attack made a gap eight miles wide in the Allied line. If we had lost the war, as we nearly did on that occasion, the war would have ended early in 1915,with what consequences, who can tell? But this is certain: the slaughter in three and a half further years of war, the loss of millions of lives, would have been avoided.“Now you have here the true horror of gas as it presented itself to the older professional soldier. A new weapon of great terror had appeared of which soldiers then knew nothing. Why, a general might win or lose a war by enemy use of wholly unpro- fessional, if scientific, methods. “The result of a war of attrition can be foreseen. Those with the most men will logically outlast those with fewer men. “Such changes, in the history of man, have always been dis- liked. Later on when disarmament was discussed in Paris, this dislike had its effect on policy.’’ Dr. Levinstein proceeded to consider the Paris Resolutions and the reason for prohibiting chemical warfare in the Treaty of Versailles. He said that if his argument had been sound they might well ask why, in a kind of way, chemical warfare was prohibited? The reason lay in the pre-war predominance of the German dyestuff industry.“The Paris Resolutions of 1916 were a declaration by the Allies that they would, after the War, render themselves inde- pendent industrially and commercially of the Central Powers. “The German-made products which the Allies lacked, were Potash Salts and Synthetic Dyestuffs. These only could be acquired, and subsequently were, by victory in the field. ‘‘The predominance of the German dyestuff industry could not be settled in this way. It was a purely technical question which chemists and technologists, not soldiers, had to solve.415 “Thus the Paris Resolutions gave great political importance at this period to the developments then taking place here in the dyestuff industry, which were to render us substantially inde- pendent of German dyes. “It was equally important to prevent the German Govern- ment from using their dyestuff supremacy as a bargaining point later on, when Peace negotiations took place. These considera- tions induced the Board of Trade to bring about an amalgamation of Levinstein Limited with their own creation, British Dyes Limited, and to form the British Dyestuffs Corporation. Such progress was made that the Germans, who had counted on being able to put a squeeze on the Allies at the Peace Conference owing to an anticipated dyestuff famine, were unable to get the slightest advantage on this account.“The British production of dyestuffs had grown from 4,500 tons in 1913to 25,000 tons in 1918. Naturally, this involved a proportionately greater increase in the production of inter-mediates. “There was a boom in textiles immediately after the War, which boom was really a disguised disaster. Prices were forced too high. Quantities were bought in excess of requirements. There was in consequence in 1921, a slump accompanied by a disastrous price fall, which ruined some of the most important export houses in the country. “Although dyers and printers had not so good a range of dyes as they would have liked to have, they were able-chiefly from British but also from Swiss suppliers-to carry out an unpre- cedented amount of business in the two years following the Armistice.“After the Battle of the Marne, the Germans-to the great surprise of the High Command-found they had fired their great accumulated stocks of ammunition which had seemed ample for them to blast their way to Paris. The week’s delay in Belgium was the cause. Much more ammunition had been used than was expected. It was then that the Military Authorities turned to the German dyestuff plants, who rapidly produced for them in plant already standardised, large quantities of high explosives. “With the introduction of Gas Warfare, the importance of these plants increased. The toxic products used by the Germans during the war were manufactured in one or more of the German dyestuff plants. Much was made in existing plant, or in standard plant, which could be readily altered or enlarged.416 “Now, at the Peace Conference, France twice invaded in less than fifty years, now dazed but victorious, unable to dictate the Terms of Peace, fought hard with her Allies to be allowed to make the Rhine her frontier. Thus she hoped to obtain for ever the security she so ardently desired. “The Allies would not agree to this, but endeavoured by the complete disarmament of Germany to satisfy the French that they would be secure at least for a long time. “The Soldiers advised the Governments concerned that the object was achieved if all the German military war material was destroyed (see Clause 169 of The Treaty of Versailles) and her Troops limited to IOO,OOO.“But, it was pointed out by others, that Germany was not disarmed if these Rhineland Factories where all the gas had been made-dyestuff -making in peace, arsenals in war-were left uncontrolled. The Allies had as yet no effective counter to these potential arsenals. “To destroy these plants was unthinkable. It was suggested that possibly the best solution would be a period of control, until such time as our own plants could be expanded according to the plans which already had been taken in hand. “But control, even temporary, was inconsistent with the desire to interfere as little as possible, with the rebuilding of German trade and industry. Further, it was difficult to avoid a charge of commercial espionage-a most disagreeable charge which was readily brought.“How, then, was this argument to be met that Germany was not in fact disarmed, so long as these chemical factories remained in being, or uncontrolled? “The solution was found in Clause 171of the Treaty of Ver- sailles, which cut the Gordian knot and forbade the use of chemicals in war. “Thus, in fact, the use of chemicals was prohibited in war, because we could not control their manufacture in peace, and because Germany had at that time far the most powerful in- dustry in the world. It was not forbidden on moral grounds. “Is there anybody left who will still argue that to bayonet or bludgeon people, or to blow them to bits, or to dismember them by means of projectiles containing a high explosive charge, is less bestial, wicked or cruel, than to attack them with gas? “It is clear that we are much better prepared for War, whether it be for manufacturing propellants, high explosives, or toxic products, than we were in 1914.This is not because we have taken any steps of a warlike nature, but because our chemical industry is much stronger now, both absolutely and relatively, than it was in 1914. “The most important changes since I914 in the Chemical Industry in this country are due to the formation of the I.C.I. great vertical combine. “Alkali, sulphuric acid (including, of course, fuming sulphuric acid) chlorine and nitrates, are the most important products used in peace and war.“Before the War, our alkali industry was the traditional repository of Britain’s chemical industrial strength. The ammonia soda industry was extremely well managed, very prosperous and strong. It was, of course, a member of the International Solvay Ring. Most of the caustic soda was made by causticising sodium carbonate. Castner-Kellners were the chief, though not the only makers of electrolytic caustic soda, for the Bird-Hargreaves process was also carried out at Middlewich. Though bleaching powder was produced on a very large scale, strangely enough, liquid chlorine was made in very small quanti- ties. “In Germany, on the other hand, most of the chlorine was made electrolytically, partly because practically all the world’s caustic potash obtained by electrolysis, was then made in Ger- many. The problem for finding an outlet for surplus chlorine thus became acute in Germany, long before it did in this country.“Thus, in Great Britain, the pre-war production of liquid chlorine was only about 300 tons per annum. As chlorine is of great importance in war, this figure had grown to 18,500tons per annum in 1917. “The pre-war production in Germany of liquid chlorine on the other hand, amounted to 13,000 tons, which was expanded in the course of the war (1918)to zz,ooo tons. “The production of caustic soda to-day by electrolysis in England, as in Germany and elsewhere, is limited only by the capacity to find a profitable market for chlorine.“The research which, for instance, introduced into commerce the chlorinated naphthalenes, may be said to be stimulated by this requirement. 418 “In war time, chlorine is far and away the most necessary substance for the manufacture of toxic substances of the first importance, such as mustard gas and phosgene. Phosgene itself is used for the manufacture of a number of dyestuffs. On account of its low molecular weight, the quantities used for making dyestuffs are comparatively small, but the technique is under- stood and expansion of the plant is easy. “Of outstanding value, is the use of bleaching powder for destroying mustard gas, for cleansing areas that become con- taminated with this disagreeable substance. There is nothing so effective for the purpose, though unfortunately, a surface skin is sometimes formed beneath which remains a trace of undestroyed mustard gas, sufficient to cause trouble.The recent introduction of high-strength bleaching powder of good stability, is obviously a useful product in war. It is an example of the double purpose inevitably served by our industry without conscious effort. “The pre-war production of sulphuric acid (calculated as mono-hydrate) in this country, was about one million tons. “Of this, only 21,000 tons was made by the contact process, available as oleum. “During the war, the manufacture of sulphuric acid reached 1,500,000 tons annually, but large plants for the manufacture of oleum had to be erected hastily, most of them Grillo plants burning sulphur, of negligible industrial value.‘‘The proportion of chamber acid produced in Germany before the War, was very much smaller, for the dyestuff plants, the principal consumers, required large quantities of oleum for the manufacture of intermediates. “The total German pre-war production of sulphuric acid was I,Z~O,OOO tons, of which 400,000 tons was made by the contact process. In 1918, the German production reached z,ooo,ooo tons. “The production of sulphuric acid in this country to-day is about goo,ooo tons, of which over zoo,ooo tons are made by the contact process. The productive capacity is much more, but the increase in the proportion of contact acid is notable. “Synthetic ammonium sulphate, our chief nitrogenous ferti- liser, is now made without using sulphuric acid.“As ammonium sulphate was also an important substance in war, less sulphuric acid would be required than during the war, even if we made ammonium nitrate by the old process. ‘‘Of interest is the recent development here of the process for making sulphuric acid from anhydride, a raw material already 4 19 used in Germany for this purpose during the war. The potential importance of the method lies in the fact that we could become independent of imported sulphur in time of need. “In 1913 our import of Chile saltpetre was 117,895 tons. “During the war our imports reached a peak of 526,300 tons. “We can now manufacture our nitrates and nitric acid without importing Chile saltpetre.If we could become self-supporting for sulphuric acid we should effect, in war, a most important saving of shipping. Thus, the developments at Billingham, having a purely industrial objective, have remedied almost involuntarily two weak spots in our defences. “I do not wish to burden this address with figures elsewhere available. But I would draw your attention to the difference in scale between the total productions during the war of high explosives (700,ooo tons) and the total production of toxic gases (about 10,000tons). Of this only a little more than half, viz., 5,700 tons, was actually liberated by the British troops in France. “If you consider the total casualties caused by gas and the small percentage of fatalities, the great military results and the small tonnage of production, you get a striking picture of the economy of applying inventiveness, and consequently surprise, in war-an economy of force of material and of lives.“The Hartley Report stresses sharply the distinction between the measures taken here when gas warfare arrived and those available in Germany with their large dyestuff plants. “Although our production of dyestuffs is only about 25,000 tons against the German pre-war production of about 135,000 tons, it is sufficient to give us protection. “The I.C.I. was formed entirely for economic reasons. Clearly, it also gives a versatility and flexibility and central direction, formerly lacking, of advantage in war. “The same products are used in great quantities for both civil and military purposes, and everything done to strengthen this industry economically without design strengthens the defensive capacity of the nation.“It has been urged for some years past that the chemists of the world should agree not to work on discovering or producing any substance which could be used for warlike purposes. The Technical Commit tee of the Disarmament Conference at Geneva, as Mr. J. Davidson Pratt recently told us, carefully considered this point. It was thought that if all chemists agreed as a matter of professional ethics to expose anybody detected in such work, 420 the use of toxic products in war might be effectively prohibited. The idea is unworkable. “In Russia, for some time past, they have been spraying the earth from low-flying aeroplanes with insecticides.“At the Third International Locust Conference (see The Times, September 13th, 1934) Prof. J. C. Faure, of Pretoria, refers to the successful use of aeroplanes in dealing with the plague of red locusts in the Union this year; from these aeroplanes, 8 to 10lbs. of sodium arsenite were sprayed per acre. (The use of sodium arsenite has many drawbacks.) Would it be wrong for a chemist to work on the production of better insecticides to be sprayed from aeroplanes? Yet such work might obviously lead to results important in war. “I do not know whether the manufacture of explosives comes within the ambit of this prohibition. If it does not, then chemists would be free to devise explosives which might be toxic, but not toxic substances, unless they were also explosive.The distinction is too subtle to be effective. Research in the manufacture of explosives must continue in peace. Explosives could be made in war, if need be, without employing academically-trained chemists. Efficiencies would go down, but processes are well worked out, and manufacture could be carried on. If invention were stifled, carnage could still proceed.” Professor W. E. Garner, who presided, and Messrs. S. Robson, R. D. Littlefield and J. Wilson contributed to the discussion. A vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Levinstein, on the motion of Professor W. M. Travers, F.R.S. Edinburgh and East of Scotland.-A Joint meeting of the Section of the Institute, with the Local Sections of the Society of Chemical Industry and Fellows of the Chemical Society was held on zznd October, in the North British Station Hotel,-- Dr.Alexander Lauder, presiding-when Prof. W. N. Haworth read a paper on “The Molecular Constitution of the Carbohydrates.” Dr. Lauder complimented Prof. Haworth on his recently completed work in connection with the identification and synthesis of the active principle of Vitamin C, called ascorbic acid. Dr. Haworth referred to the fact that recent industrial activities and the newer discoveries in preventive medicine had 421 emphasised the need for an intensive study of the chemical structure of the carbohydrates, more especially of the complex members of this group known as polysaccharides, of which starch and cellulose are examples.He outlined a series of researches which had extended the knowledge of the inner structure of these more complex members. He pointed out that the polysaccharides were composed of simple sugar units linked in various ways to form a large complex molecule, and that this was normally fashioned in the form of a long chain of limited length, this length being measurable by several chemical and physical methods. This assay of molecular size represented the most recent advance in the study of the carbohydrates. Prof. Haworth showed diagrammatically how he and his co- workers had broken down the chain of simple and complex carbohydrates, making use of protective methylation to give comparatively simple products, a study of whose constitutions threw a very clear light on the constitutions of the original complex bodies, and on the relationship of one polysaccharide to another.He stated that plants were the most useful source of the members of this large group of compounds, but that some were found in animal tissue and that others could be produced by biochemical synthesis. He had carried out investigations with representatives from all three sources, and showed his attempt at the structural representation of the molecular formulae of a number of more important polysaccharides. He mentioned the relationship of gums and pectins to cellulose and starch and his more recent work in which he had shown that the carbohydrates of animal origin, such as glycogen, had a definite and close molecular relationship to starch.He concluded by remarking that the study of the carbohy- drates was as interesting and important to biologists and physio- logists as to chemists, since the results of his investigations had a close connection with the chemical changes proceeding in the plant and animal cell. A vote of thanks to Dr. Haworth was proposed by Dr. B. Wylam. Mr. Adam Tait presided at a meeting of the Section held on 30th October, in the North British Station Hotel, Edinburgh, 422 when Mr. R. Leslie Collett, Assistant Secretary of the Institute, opened a discussion on ‘‘ Headquarters ” Mr. Collett said that when he was first appointed to his position, nearly ten years ago, Professor Henderson, then President, impressed it upon him that one of his most important duties was to keep as much in touch as possible with the work of the Sections.Notwithstanding the title selected for the discussion, the meeting might very well consider the work of the Institute as a whole. The Institute was a body of over 6,200 Fellows and Associates engaged in various branches of chemical work, and it was the sum of the efforts of these chemists and the collective effect of their work and influence which constituted its strength as the professional body. From time to time he received visits or letters from newly graduated chemists who began by saying that they were thinking of “joining ” the Institute, and asked him to give them some idea of the advantages and privileges of membership.He invariably replied that that was not of such importance as the question as to what they could do for the Institute. He felt that the members would agree with him that a prospective member should approach the Institute in that spirit. He proposed to give as much information as he could in the time at his disposal, as to the way in which “Headquarters” actually functioned, and would refer first to the Council. The Council.-The Council consisted altogether of forty-seven individuals-the President, six Vice-presidents, the Honorary Treasurer, twelve District Members and twenty-seven ‘‘Ordin-ary ” Members. All except District Members were elected at the Annual General Meeting.The President was nominated by the outgoing Council. The Vice-presidents were nominated by the Council by ballot. Of the election of a Treasurer, he could not speak with experience. Mr. Patrick H. Kirkaldy had been Treasurer since he (Mr. Collett) had had any inside information as to the work of the Institute, and he was sure that those who know the Hon. Treasurer hoped that there would not be any necessity, for a long time to come, to consider the nomination of a new Treasurer. 423 The election of the Ordinary Members of Council, was by postal ballot. The outgoing Council had the right to nominate twenty-four candidates, but any twenty Fellows and Associates might nominate one candidate.Conceivably, therefore, there might be over 300 candidates for the twenty-seven places. The Institute was primarily an examining and qualifying body, and it was, therefore, essential that its Council should contain representatives, not only of Districts and of particular interests, but also persons who were experts in all kinds of work which devolves upon chemists. It had been suggested on more than one occasion that the Council should be entirely nominated by Districts, but he would ask them to consider whether the baZance of a Council elected in that way would be as good, from the point of view of technical knowledge and experience, as that elected under the present arrangement. During the last ten years, 145 individual Fellows had served on the Council which was, therefore, a very repre- sentative body.It is of course essential that the Council should meet at the headquarters of the Institute in London, where access might be had to all necessary papers, documents and records. As evidence of the work to be done at meetings of the Council he might tell them that the schedules before its last meeting ran to over 60 pages of typewritten foolscap. In spite of the fact that a large proportion of the Members of Council lived at long distances from London and, therefore, could not be expected to attend every meeting, the average attendance throughout 1933 was over 24, and for the present year so far was 26. Members who were unable to attend fre- quently sent their views on the agenda by letter.The Committees.-The Council itself constituted the Nomina- tions, Examinations and Institutions Committee, which had an average attendance during 1933 of over 16, and in the present year of 23. This committee not only dealt with applications for election to the Fellowship, Associateship and Studentship, and all matters relating to training, but also gave consideration to the very large number of requests received from students requiring advice with regard to their training. A not unimportant part of this committee’s work came under the heading of “Institu- tions.” Attendance at a ‘‘recognised college ” was an essential part of the curriculum for admission to the Associateship, and 424 in recent years the Council had received an increasing number of applications from colleges for such recognition.In some cases this could be accorded immediately, but in many instances within his experience it had taken several years before the authorities had been able to bring their staffs, equipments, courses, library, etc., up to the standard required. In these matters the Institute’s influence had been of great benefit to chemical training through- out the country, and the views expressed by the Council had enabled the staffs of colleges to obtain equipment from their local education authorities, boards of governors, etc., which they had been trying in vain to obtain on their own initiative. In one case, a large town in England had obtained an entirely new technical college largely as a result of the Institute’s representa- tions in connection with an application for recognition.ExamiPzatiom-The Examinations conducted by the Insti- tute (Mr. Collett continued) had a character all their own, and, especially as regards the practical work, had influenced those conducted by other examining bodies. Candidates, so far as he was aware, had always been allowed the use of textbooks, notes, etc., during their practical work, and gradually this system was being adopted by other bodies. The number of candidates now examined by the Institute was very similar to that in the years before the War, when everyone (almost without any exception) was obliged to take the Institute’s own examination before admission; and the examinations for the Fellowship had in recent years become extremely complicated and varied, as the papers reprinted in the JOURNAL would show.During the last ten years, examinations had been held in the following subjects :-Inorganic Chemistry either alone or with special reference to mineral products or metallurgy; Organic Chemistry with special reference to fine chemicals; dyestuffs; oils and fats; paints and varnishes ; Physical Chemistry with special reference to electro-chemistry, and, oddly enough, cereals ; Biochemistry with special reference to chemical pathology ; industrial microbiology ; bacteriology and physiological chem-istry; vitamins, proteins and hormones; 425 Chemistry of Food and Drugs, etc.Agricultural Chemistry ; Industrial Chemistry with special reference to gas; coal tar and ammonia ; coke and by-products ; low temperature carbonisation; fuel technology; petroleum ; textiles; soap; water supplies; artificial silk; paper. In addition to the above there had been examinations in General Analytical Chemistry, and special examinations in the chemistry of foods, such as milk and milk products; jams and jellies; chocolate and confectionery ; dairy products. He would remind them that the examination in Branch E, the Chemistry of Food and Drugs, etc., was not only the quali- fication accepted by the Ministry of Health for persons who wished to obtain appointments as Public Analysts, but was also considered extremely important in industries in which natural products were used, as well as in the food industries proper.In his presidential address this year, Professor Thorpe had said-“ It is well known to me that many chemists of experience regard the certificate of having passed the examination for the Associateship in General Chemistry as of the greatest value, especially where a high standard of laboratory proficiency is required. I would also like to remind you that this examination provides the means whereby candidates who have received adequate training but who, for reasons mainly connected with their employment, have found it necessary to move from one part of the country to another, and are unable to take the examinations of universities, may yet attain the status of professional qualified chemists.” With regard to the examinations for the Fellowship, the President said: “I would like to call the special attention of Associates to these examinations, for I feel sure that those who set themselves seriously to prepare for them, besides achieving the higher grade of membership of the Institute, which very rightly carries with it enhanced prestige, will find the necessary reading and preparation involved to be of great value to them in their professional work.” Finance Committee.-The Finance Committee dealt with all matters relating to money.A critical examination of the annual accounts should tend to dispel any idea that the Institute was engaged in “building up a large reserve fund,” “hoarding money,’’ 426 etc.The Institute in common prudence invested life com-positions, entrance fees and any legacies which might be bequeathed to it, and usually had a small excess of revenue over income, rarely more than about ,6250. Occasionally, however, a larger margin was purposely left uninvested in anticipation of some unusual or heavy expenditure becoming due in the following year. Altogether, the reserves at the present date amounted in value to about ,628,000, which, he thought, they would agree was not an unduly large sum for a body of the standing of the Institute. The financial policy of the Council had always been to adhere strictly to the principle of “cutting one’s coat according to one’s cloth,” and to give as much service as possible with the funds available.The Legal and Parliamentary and Public A$$ointments Committees were concerned mainly with questions of broad principle where the public interest was involved. While on this subject he would remind them that the Institute was definitely constituted by Charter to carry out particular duties in the public interest. It was not primarily formed for the special interest of individual members. Nevertheless, when the Institute made an appeal to the Special Commissioners of Income Tax for relief from taxation, on the ground that the Institute was a body functioning in the public interest and therefore claiming to be considered as a “charity,” relief was refused on the grounds that the PROCEED-INGS of the Institute showed that so much had been done for our members that it could not claim to be considered primarily as a charity.The Institute must be content to leave to other bodies, who have succeeded in obtaining such relief from taxation, the enjoyment thereof. Where representations had been made to Government Departments, to public authorities or other bodies, the Institute had always acted in accordance with the above principle,- namely-only to act if and where public interest might be prejudiced. The work of the Benevolent Fund Committee was sufficiently well-known, but he did not think that he ought to let the oppor- tunity go without asking all members who could afford to do so to help in the work of this Committee to the utmost of their ability. 427 The Appointments Register Committee had recently issued a report which was published in the JOURNAL.There had been a distinct increase in the number of vacancies notified (896, as against 687 for 1g33), and the number of members unemployed had dropped from 190 in October, 1933, to about 140 at the present moment,-including 7 in the Edinburgh district. Com-paring these figures with the general information received as to the position in other professions, he thought the members were not doing too badly. In addition to the above, there were the special committees dealing with National Certificates. He felt that it was the general opinion that by entering into the schemes for the award of these Certificates, initiated by the Board of Education (in England and Wales), the Scottish Education Department, and the Ministry of Education, Northern Ireland, the Institute had been able to bring very beneficial influences to bear on the standard of evening-class training throughout the country.He had purposely left the Publications Committee to the last because he knew that diverse opinions were held with regard to some of the Institute’s publications. The JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,which might perhaps more appropriately be called the PROCEEDINGSonly, really consisted of a record of work done. The only purely chemical matters published therein were the condensed accounts of papers read before the Sections. The Institute’s Journal was neither a newspaper nor a scientific journal in the true sense of that term.It did, however, contain a large amount of useful information, and he personally wished that more members would pay it the compli- ment of looking it through more carefully, because the subject of many enquiries received in the office had already been dealt with in the Institute’s official organ. The publication of the Register was a duty definitely imposed upon the Institute by its Charter, and this book was becoming more and more regarded by the public as an authoritative list of qualified chemists. He was fully aware of the fact that it did not contain the names of aZZ qualified chemists, but it was none the less the only list of qualified chemists in existence.O@cial Chemical Appointments was a publication which entailed a very large amount of work to produce, and its value was sometimes doubted, However, it was in great demand, 428 not only with Government departments and those whose appoint- ments figure in its list, but also with industrial firms. It afforded a most useful “advertisement” for the chemical profession. In the course of its preparation the attention of a very large number of authorities was called to the existence of the Institute and of the profession generally, and when completed it also came into the hands of important administrators in Government and industrial circles. With regard to the published lectures, the policy of the Council had been to publish only such as were considered to be of general utility or interest to professional chemists, and to represent matter which was not dealt with by any other Society.Some three years ago, the Institute had received many enquiries from chemists as to where they could obtain “refresher” courses. Those who had left the university for some years were probably all too well aware how easy it was to get out of touch with recent work, and how difficult it was to spare the time to read the journals, such as that of the Chemical Society, where such new work was constantly being published. By direction of the Council a circular was first addressed to all the universities and colleges asking what facilities were available for such refresher courses, and as a stimulant the Council decided to ask three eminent chemists to give in condensed form lectures covering recent developments in the three main branches of pure chemistry.It was the general opinion that the lectures delivered by Professors Robinson, Allmand and Morgan were of the greatest value in this connection. Largely as a result of this campaign, the interest in “refresher ” courses had greatly widened, and courses of this kind had been given under the auspices of some of the Sections and were now provided in several universities and colleges. The Board of Education had also been active in stimulating post-graduate courses in branches of applied chemistry, and sought the advice of committees on which the Institute was represented, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire.The more recent lectures had dealt mainly with “New Methods,” and were very widely appreciated. Another very useful publication was the handbook, The Profession of Chemistry. This had been found of the greatest interest and value to parents and to students who intended to adopt chemistry as a career, and hardly a day passed without two or three copies of this book being sent gratis to such persons. 429 Mr. Collett then referred to the work which did not come directly before the Council or any of its committees. The officers were frequently called upon to give information and advice. There might be present at the meeting only a few who had found it necessary to ask the Institute for such help, but he could assure them that the sum total of letters and inter- views in which advice on all kinds of subjects, both directly connected with chemistry and with other subjects, was very large, and, furthermore, the Institute seemed to be more and more looked to by members of the general public as a source of information on every conceivable subject in any way connected with chemistry.The archives contained over 28,780 separate files, mainly representing correspondence with individuals or firms during recent times. Printing.-The Institute maintained a small printing press where all its own examination papers, appointment register notices, local section notices, tickets, and in fact all printed matter, other than Journal, lectures and bound publications, were printed on the premises.He had been asked by the Honorary Secretary to deal particularly with another side of the Institute’s work, namely the function of the Censors, and he quoted Section 16 of the Charter and certain By-Laws on the subject. He believed that the number of cases in which a member had been called upon to resign was not large, but he knew that there had been cases. The work of the Censors, however, often militated for the protection of the members concerned. For instance, in a case of complaints regarding the publication of professional certificates, the Censors most often found that cer- tificates had been published without the member’s consent, and the first he heard of it was when he was notified by the Institute. In such cases, the advertisers, as a result of this mechanism, had withdrawn publication.They would probably agree, however, that the Institute (as a censor) had greater influence than actual power. The fact that a man was a member of the Institute meant that he had expressed himself as willing to conform to a certain code of professional behaviour, and this fact alone had the greatest beneficial influence upon the profession as a whole. 430 The detailed work of the Institute was a subject on which he could talk for hours; perhaps, however, they would pardon his enthusiasm. In conclusion, Mr. Collett said that he would attain his majority as a member of the Institute in 1935.Before he was appointed as Assistant Secretary, he had served the Institute in an honorary capacity for three years, as Secretary of the London Section. The Institute also did him the honour of electing him to serve for three years as an Ordinary Member of Council. He liked, therefore, to feel that he came amongst them, not only as a paid official, but as one of their body. “We are citizens of no mean city.” Mr. J. Sandilands asked questions regarding the position of students who took Senior National Certificates in Chemistry and wished to go forward to the Associateship of the Institute. Mr. Tait and Mr. Sandilands mentioned the difficulty in connection with subsidiary subj ects,-particularly mathematics and physics, -and Mr. Dodds suggested that an enlargement of the Associate- ship Examination, to include mathematics and physics, might overcome the difficulty of dealing with these students.Mr. Dodds also raised the question of the wisdom of creating a body of semi-trained chemists, holders of Senior National Certificates; he hoped that the Council would watch the matter carefully. Mr. Peutherer mentioned the problem of the Associate who was not working in a public analyst’s laboratory, but wished to study for the Fellowship in the Chemistry (including Microscopy) of Food and Drugs. Mr. Ames compared the Institute with the British Medical Association and suggested that the Council should gradually take up a firmer attitude in the matter of salaries. Mr. Hastie, however, spoke against Mr.Ames’ suggestion. Mr. Kelly asked if there were any scheme for the enrolment and placing of chemists in the event of an outbreak of war. Mr. Collett having replied, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks for his attendance. A joint meeting of the Local Section of the Institute and the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry was held on 20th November, in the North British Station Hotel, Edinburgh, 431 -Mr. W. M. Ames, the Chairman of the Local Section of the Society, presiding. The Chairman introduced Mr. Hugh Campbell, lecturer in Chemistry to Pharmaceutical Students in the Heriot Watt College, who gave a lecture, illustrated by specimens, entitled ‘6 Some Notes on Poisons.” As the object of the lecturer was rather to introduce a discus-sion than to give a comprehensive address on poisons, he dealt particularly with the extraordinary difficulty of defining ‘‘a poison” and the changes in the rules relating to the sale and storage of poisons that would take place under the new Poisons Act.After commenting on the change in outlook of chemists, pharmacists and laymen when the word “poison” was used, Mr. Campbell gave numerous examples of substances which, though certainly not normally poisons, could, by reason of pecu- liar circumstances, such as personal idiosyncracy, become poison- ous. He cited the danger of dual injections of white of egg, over-doses of aspirin, potassium iodide solution taken internally and, what had proved fatal to a woman in Scotland-anexcessive amount of Epsom salts. In connection with the regulations under the new Poisons Act, Mr.Campbell mentioned the possibility of chemical labora- tories having, in the future, to be fitted up on the model of a pharmacist’s laboratory, with poisonous substances kept under €ock and key, well apart from harmless reagents. The last part of the lecture was devoted to a series of notes on a number of the less well-known ‘‘dangerous,” (( habit-forming” drugs, most of which were illustrated by specimens prepared in Edinburgh. The lecture was followed by an interesting discussion in which Messrs. W. M. Ames, J. Sandilands, Rutherford Hill, Adam Tait, Alfred Caws and G. Elliot Dodds took part, and the meeting concluded with a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr.Hugh Camp- bell, on the motion of Mr. Walter Smith. Glasgow and West of Scotland.-The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held in the Engineers and Ship- builders Institute, Glasgow, on 19th October, when the following members were elected to the Committee: Chairman, Mr. T. Cockburn ; Vice-Chairman, Mr. H. Findlay ; Hon. Secretary, Mr. A. R. Jamieson; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. R. G. W. Eadie; Hon. Assistant Secretary, Mr. J. R. Ferguson; Committee, Dr. P. F. Gordon, Mr. J. S. Grant. Mr. G. D. Muir was appointed Auditor. The reports of the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer were read and adopted. The former showed that the Register of the Section contained the names of 325 Fellows and Associates and 41Students; that the Section had met on 12 occasions, and 9 meetings had been held jointly with other Societies.The average attendance had been over 32 per cent. of the membership of the Section. “Refresher” lectures-one on organic chemistry by Dr. S. H. Tucker and one on physical chemistry by Dr. J. A. Cranston had been very well attended. Two lectures of a similar nature had been arranged during the present session. Mention was also made of the fact that a local examination for the Associateship had been held in Glasgow, at which 13 candidates presented themselves. At the conclusion of the business, the members inspected a display of balances by Messrs. Oertling, Ltd., including the latest type of assay balances and micro-chemical balances.Under the scheme of Refresher Lectures arranged by the Local Section, a symposium on Micro-chemical Methods was held in the University of Glasgow, on 23rd November. Invitations were extended to the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry and to other chemical societies. In the unavoidable absence of Mr. T. Cockburn, the Chair was occupied by Dr. P. F. Gordon. Dr. Gordon explained that each lecturer would describe his own particular methods; that visits would be paid to the various laboratories to inspect exhibits, and that practical demonstrations would be given by Dr. D. T. Gibson and his colleagues, and by Mr. M. M. Love, of the Royal Technical College. The lecturers were Dr.R. Roger and Dr. D. T. Gibson. Dr. Roger explained that in Dundee they were working on methods that lay between true micro- and the ordinary macro-methods for the combustion and estimation of organic compounds. He described it as a semi- or hemi-micro method. In his early experiments a Pregl tube had been employed, filled in the usual way with lead peroxide and about 30 to 40 milligrams of substance were required for each estimation. 433 Difficulty, however, had been experienced with the lead peroxide filling, and he had endeavoured to adapt the usual macro-method in order that quantities of substance weighing about 20 milligrams, could be used. He then described a simple apparatus which he had devised for semi micro-chemical work which gave accurate results, was convenient to use and could be operated with safety by the average student.A Pregl tube was employed. This tube had a snout drawn out at one end and, in the narrow end there was a wad of Gooch asbestos, so arranged that it allowed 10to 12C.C. of air to pass when hot. The speed of the air-stream could be insreased, but, if that were done, there was a danger of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide being swept through the apparatus. The asbestos plug was followed by a length of copper oxide wire (24 cm.); this in turn was followed by the boat, and finally by a short copper oxide spiral. The absorption train was attached to the narrow end of the combustion tube and was of a special type. These absorption vessels were straight vertical tubes with a ground-in stopper at one end, near which there was a side tube.The other end of the tube was drawn out and bent at right angles, and a small plate of glass with a hole in it was placed in this constricted end. Three such tubes were employed, two being packed with soda- lime and one with calcium chloride. The air passed into the calcium chloride tube by the constricted end, where the glass plate prevented any sudden inrush of water which would choke up the tube. These tubes were easily weighed by counterpoise. The boat employed was of quartz and did not lose more than 0-0002 gms. in a year. A small protection tube was attached at the end of the absorption train. The air was passed through a Pregl pressure regulator, then through soda-lime and calcium chloride.The combustion can be completed in 45 minutes, and the tubes wiped with silk or chamois and weighed after standing in the balance case for 15 minutes. One of the advantages of these semi-micro-methods was that weighings could be performed with sufficient accuracy on an ordinary balance. Dr. Roger had found a chainomatic balance ideal for his purpose. A table of results was shown, and the figures agreed very closely with the theoretical values, 434 particularly iii the case of hydrogen. With the carbons, however, the results were slightly low, and it was suggested that this might be due to loss as unburnt carbon monoxide. Liquids were handled in a large melting-point tube which was pulled out at one end, filled, and then sealed at the con- stricted end.In the estimation of substances containing elements other than carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, suitable modifications in the packing of the tubes had to be made. Substances containing nitrogen had a reduced copper spiral placed after the asbestos plug. This was followed by a packing of copper oxide and lead chromate, and finally a silver spiral. This arrangement gave good results. By way of comparison, Dr. Gibson described the quantities used in the various methods of combustion. In an ordinary combustion, one used 0.1to 0.15 gm.; Dr. Roger used 0.025 gm. for his semi-micro method, while the Pregl method required only 0'002 gm. As far as the saving of time and material was concerned, no method gave better results than the Pregl.Dr. Gibson then gave a description of the micro-balance, and explained-its use by the aid of diagrams. One disadvantage of this type of balance was that the zero was liable to alter, and for this reason methods have been devised in which there was only one set of weighings, the rest being done by titration. In this way chlorine and sulphur could be oxidised and titrated with silver nitrate and alkali, respectively. Like Dr. Roger, he had found lead peroxide to be a variable packing for a substance free from nitrogen. He was now conducting combustions in his laboratory using only platinum gauze as packing. The platinum contained a little rhodium and cost about 15s.In his early experiments he had controlled the gas stream by means of an asbestos plug, but this had certain disadvantages. When a combustion went wrong, the half-burnt material collected in the asbestos and possibly would not be detected until the results from the next combustion were calculated. The flow of air was now controlled by a constriction in the tube which not only regulated the flow, but also showed the presence of any unburnt material. On the advice of Dr. Bell, of Aberdeen, this constriction was expanded into a wider tube to prevent the water evolved from forming a seal in the constricted part of the tube during a combustion. Dr. Gibson then explained another modification which he had introduced. In 435 the Pregl method a cymene bath was placed at the exit end of the tube to provide a zone having a temperature about ZOO’ C., to ensure complete combustion of carbon monoxide which may have been produced by decomposition of carbon dioxide at the high temperature prevailing in the tube.The cymene bath had proved unsuitable in many ways, the corks were attacked, and there was always the risk of fire. To overcome these difficulties a small electric furnace was substituted and this had given excellent results. These furnaces were made in the University. Dr. Gibson also mentioned an ingenious substitute for the Pregl pressure regulator. In this regulator water is used and the stream of air has to be subsequently dried. To obviate this, a form of manometer using a high-boiling paraffin was suggested, but this was ruled out as undesirable owing to the possibility of evaporation.The ideal liquid was mercury, but in the ordinary type of manometer the variations of the mercury would be so slight that they would be scarcely perceptible. To overcome this difficulty, Dr. Gibson inclined his mercury manometer at an angle such that the effective density of the mercury was only 1113th of its normal value. In this way the variations were quite easily observed, and he had actually made his mercury manometer as sensitive as a water manometer, with none of the latter’s disadvantages. Dr. Gibson then dealt with some aspects of the quantitative and qualitative uses of micro-chemistry. In the quantitative, he described the uses of filter Stabchen for gravimetric work.In the qualitative, he mentioned the separation of silver, mercury, and lead ions from one drop of solution. Demonstrations of various applications of microchemistry were arranged in the rooms of the Chemistry Department, and these were visited at the conclusion of the lecture. These included micro methods for the estimation of carbon, hydrogen, halides, nitrogen, and sulphur, B.D.H. “Spot tests,’’ and the separation of inorganic radicles. At the conclusion, Prof. W. M. Cumming thanked the lecturers and their assistants for a very interesting lecture with very instructive demonst rations. The Ramsay Chemical Dinner was held at the Central Hotel, Glasgow, on 7th December, under the joint auspices of the Chemical Society, the Institute of Chemistry, the Society of 436 Chemical Industry, the Society of Dyers and Colourists, the British Association of Chemists, the Glasgow University Alchemists’ Club, the Andersonian Chemical Society and the Ardeer Chemical Club.Sir James Irvine, Principal of St. Andrews University, presided. The memory of Sir William Ramsay having been pledged in silence, Sir James Lithgow, Bt., proposed the toast of “The Profession of Chemistry.” Sir James Irvine, in reply, invited examination of the position of the chemical industries in Scotland. Bleaching powder had brought to Scotland the alkali trade and all the industries which depended thereon. In certain cases, such as the manufacture of chromium compounds, Scotland enjoyed a virtual monopoly.New conditions now confronted them to which they must adapt themselves as rapidly as possible. There was undoubtedly a southward drift of industry, but this was inevitable, and in no way connected with Scotland’s political position. It had sometimes been suggested that Scotland was to some extent decadent, but he felt that a country which had produced a Tennant, a Townsend, a Neilson, a Young and a Beilby in due season had little to fear. Genius and inventiveness had triumphed over material limitations in the past, and there was no reason to suppose that they would not do so again in the future. The slogan “Trade follows the brains’’ was at least as true as the older one “Trade follows the flag.” With regard to scientific training, Sir James Irvine said that he felt himself somewhat at variance with the spirit of the times.Courses leading to degrees were too rigid, and left little scope for the play of individuality. Many students at present engaged in research would be better employed in supplementing their academic knowledge by training in the methods whereby science was operated in industry and in the conduct of the practical affairs of life. Research in the academic sense had become a fashion and would soon become a trade. History had proved, however, that Scotland was capable of providing that combination of qualities which could advance chemistry as a science, and he thought that this should lead them to take fresh courage. Mr.H. Moir, Convener of the Dinner, proposed the health of the Chairman. 437 Professor G. Barger, of Edinburgh, replied to the toast of “The Guests,” proposed by Mr. A. R. Jamieson. The Institute was represented by Dr. A. E. Dunstan, Vice- President, and Dr. J. G. King, Member of Council. Dancing was enjoyed by a company of over two hundred until z a.m. Huddersfie1d.-Mr. H. W. Moss, Vice-chairman of the Section, presided at a meeting held in Field’s Cafk, Huddersfield, on 9th November, when Dr. A. E. Dunstan showed and discoursed upon “Some Films of the Oil Industry.” In his introductory remarks he dealt with the modern refinements in locating, drilling for, and refining of, oil.The flexibility of the oil industry was stressed, in relation to the change-over from the “petrol age’.’ to the “diesel age,” and the lecturer also referred to the anti-knock requirements of modern pet r 01. The films were shown, the first illustrating the processes of refinement as carried out at the Llandovery Refinery, Swansea, and the second describing the laying of the new pipe line in ’Iraq. The discussion was extremely interesting dealing, among other subjects, with the technical difficulties encountered in laying the new pipe line in ’Iraq. A vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, on the motion of Mr. G. B. Jones, seconded by ‘Mr. Rinkel. Irish Free State.-The Annual General Meeting of the Sectionwas held on zIst November, in University College, Dublin, -Mr.B. G. Fagan presiding. The following members of Committee were re-elected-Messrs. J. Bell, B. G. Fagan, A. G. G. Leonard, J. H. Millar, A. O’Farrelly and J. W. Parkes. A letter from Mrs. Adeney, conveying Prof. Adeney’s wish to have his name removed from the list of committee-members having been read, the following resolution was passed unani- mously-“That this meeting of the Irish Free State Section of the Institute of Chemistry learns with sincere regret of Prof. 438 Adeney’s inability to participate further in an active capacity in the work of the Section, and that the Hon. Secretary be asked to convey to Prof. Adeney the warm appreciation of the members for his kindly interest and wise guidance in the past, and their earnest wish that he may long enjoy a well- earned and peaceful retirement.” Dr.Gilmour proposed that the Committee should be asked to consider the advisability of restricting the period of chairmanship to three years; Dr. Leonard seconded, and the proposal was adopted unanimously. Dr. Gilmour also suggested that when the Committee were filling the vacancy caused by Prof. Adeney’s retirement, they should consider the advisability of electing a chemist in the service of the Government of the Irish Free State. Leeds Area.-A joint meeting of the Section, with the Leeds University Chemical Society, was held on 30th October, in the Chemistry Department of the University,-Professor F. Challenger in the Chair.After the exhibition of two films entitled--“ Production of Monel Metal” and ‘‘Fabrication of Acid-resisting Steel Plant,” which were much appreciated, Dr. A. E. Dunstan gave a lecture on 66 Recent Developments in the Application of Petroleum Gases.” The lecturer began by indicating the magnitude of the problem of the utilisation of gases, which was confronting the petroleum industry. The annual production of zoo x 106 tons of crude oil gave 36x10~~cubic feet of natural gas, while cracking processes produced a further 6 x 106 cubic feet. In America, the gas was widely used for lighting and heating. Thus, Chicago was supplied by pipe line from the Texas oil-field. Dr. Dunstan then gave a short account of the Persian oil- fields, and of the processes used in the separation of the dissolved gases in crude oil and the further purification of the oil.He said that, owing to the increased demand for petrol, the cracking of the higher portions had become important. In this particular process, IOO tons of heavy oil heated at 450° and 1,000lbs. pressure gave 60 tons of petrol. The cracking unit comprised a pipe still and reactor in which the time factor is obtained, followed by a separator and a fractionating tower with accessory 439 gas plant. The various processes were illustrated by slides showing the actual plant used and diagrammatical representations of it. Owing to the present-day demand for anti-knock petrols, stress was now laid on the quality and not the quantity of petrol produced.The “quality ” was measured in iso-octane units, i.e. by comparing the petrol with a synthetic mixture of n-heptane (= o) and iso-octane (= 100). A good commercial petrol has an iso-octane value of over 60 while “ethylised” spirit is considerably higher. Dr. Dunstan then dealt with the possibility of utilising methane, the predominant constituent of petroleum gases, for the production of benzene hydrocarbons by suitable heat treat- ment and showed how low yields and experimental difficulties made such utilisation impracticable. A better yield of “benzol” was obtained at lower temperatures by heat treatment of butane; 5 X 1oS tons may thus be produced annually. Styrene was a valuable by-product in the process; this could be reduced to ethylbenzene (a valuable anti-knock) or polymerised to meta- styrene, which was now being used in the preparation of safety glasses. Butane could also be converted into butene and thence, by heat treatment under pressure, into a mixture of polymeric olefinic hydrocarbons.These processes served to dispose of the butane, which must be largely eliminated from petrol, owing to stringent vapour-pressure requirements. In the discussion which followed, the lecturer mentioned that some of the gas oil produced was now being used in Diesel- engined vehicles. The Diesel cycle and the related cetene stan- dard were discussed. The presence of sulphur and the absence of iodine in crude oil were also commented on. The Chairman of the Section-Mr.G. J. Denbigh-proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was carried with acclamation. The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held at the University of Leeds, on 26th November,-Mr. G. J. Denbigh in the Chair. Professor R. D. Abell, Dr. F. A. Mason, Dr. A. L. Roberts, and Mr. H. A. Steinmann were elected to serve on the Committee. Messrs. J. T. Thompson and J. M. Wishart were re-elected Honorary Auditors, and Dr. H. Burton, Honorary Secretary. 440 Professor Heilbron being unable to attend owing to temporary ill-health, his lecture on 44 Modern Alchemy : Post-War Advances in the Synthesis of Natural Products” was read by Dr. F. S. Spring, of the University, Manchester. (A prkcis of the lecture is given on p.443.) A vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. H. J. Hodsman. Liverpool and North-Western.-The Second Meeting of the Session was held at the Constitutional Club, Liverpool, on 8th November, Mr. A. E. Findley, Chairman of the Section, presiding. Dr. R. F. Corran, of the Evans Biological Institute, Runcorn, read a paper entitled: bb Some Chemical Aspects of Modern Biological Products.” Dr. Corran gave the general requirements for biological products ; clinical activity with freedom from toxic substances, micro-organisms and materials affecting blood-pressure. His paper, which was illustrated with lantern slides, dealt mainly with four classes of material:-(I) Liver and Liver extracts-the lecturer giving an interesting account of pernicious anaemia and of other anaemias and their treatment; (2) Mer-curochrome, an antiseptic-the manufacture and properties of which were described; (3) Thyroid-the active constituents of which were dealt with, a slide being exhibited to show the stages of the synthesis of thyroxine ; (4) Hypodermic solutions-the many important points which have to be observed in making these solutions, being described and emphasis laid on the impor- tance of purity, sterility, chemical stability and clinical suitability of such solutions, of which specimens were exhibited. A discussion followed, in which the Chairman, Mr.N. Marsh, Mr. E. G. Jones, Mr. G. E. W. Sexton, Mr. L. V.Cocks, Mr. E. H. Shepherd and Prof. T. P. Hilditch participated. Mr. E. G. Jones and Mr. L. V. Cocks proposed and seconded the vote of thanks and the Chairman asked the members also to accord a vote of thanks to the Vice-chairman, Mr. G. E. Knowles, who supplied and operated the lantern. In the afternoon preceding the meeting a party of about thirty members and students visited the Evans Biological 441 Laboratories at Runcorn, and were shown many interesting processes in addition to seeing the work done in the control laboratories, The Chairman, in calling upon Dr. Corran to give his paper at the meeting, expressed the thanks of the Section to Messrs. Evans, Sons, Lescher & Webb, Ltd., and their Medical Director, Dr. H.A. Mitchell, for their courtesy in rendering this visit possible. A joint meeting with the Liverpool Section of the Society of Chemical Industry was held at Liverpool University on a3rd November, when Professor C. 0. Bannister, as Chairman for the hosts, welcomed the visiting members of the Institute. Mr. J. A. Walters, of the General Electric Company, Wembley, read a paper entitled : LL Photo-Electricity and the Chemical Industry.” This was illustrated by means of lantern slides and interesting experiments. Mr. A. E. Findley having proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Walters, the Chairman invited a discussion, in which Dr. C. F. A. Roberts, Mr. C. E. Mold, Mr. E. Gabriel Jones, and Cr. R. A. Morton participated. London and South-Eastern Counties.-The Section held a dance at the Hotel Russell, Russell Square, on 26th October, which was attended by the President of the Institute and Mrs.Thorpe, Mr. F. G. Edmed, Chairman of the Section, Mrs. Edmed and the Misses Edmed, and many members and their friends. The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held on 2Ist November, when the Committee of the Section for the ensuing year was elected. On the same evening, an exhibition of apparatus devised by members of the Section was held in the main laboratory of the Institute. London and South Eastern Counties.-The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held at the Institute on zrst November, when the following officers were elected : Chairman, Mr. F. G. Edmed; Vice-Chairmen, Dr.L. H. Lampitt and Mr. J. R. Nicholls; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. C. A. Adams; Hon. Secretary, 442 Mr. M. Bogod; Committee, Fellows; Dr. E. A. Dancaster, Dr. B. S. Evans, Mr. L. Eynon, Dr. F. H. Garner, Dr. J. Grant, Mr. R. F. Innes, Mr. H. J. Page, Prof. H. Raistrick, Mr. H. Shank, ster, Mr. F. G. H. Tate, Mr. K. A. Williams, Mr. W. 0. R. Wynn, Associates: Mr. W. H. Bennett, Mr. E. B. Bennion, Mr. T. Howard, Mr. W. C. Peck, Mr. E. J. Vaughan, Mr. D. M. Wilson. Hon. Azditors: Mr. R. A. 0. Claudet, Dr. H. B. Cronshaw. Following the official business, an exhibition (with demon- strations) of members’ apparatus was given. The following is a description of the exhibits: -Exhibitor. Exhibit. Mr. s. A. Ashmore Determination of crystallisation tempera- ture of cocoa butter.Mr. A. L. Bacharach Apparatus used in industrial vitamin (Glaxo Laboratories). research. Dr. H. Barnes,Mr. Olaf Bloch New emulsions for scientific purposes.and Dr. S. 0. Rawling Illustrations of the cause and cure of (Ilford Research Labora- halation in photographic films and plates. tories). Colour filter, arranged for spectroscopic examination. Absorption curves of colour filters. Neutral wedges and filters. Absorption curve of a neutral filter. Filters for selectingspecial regions of the mercury spectrum. Mr. E. It. Bolton. Laboratory hydrogenation plants. Mr. F. G. Edmed Oil recovery process. Oil fuel ther-(Admiralty Laboratory). mome ter. Dr. B. S. Evans. A moving mercury cathode. A simplesyphoning device.Adaptor collars for use in filtration through pulp. A device for preventing loss of measuring flask stoppers. Dr. J. J. Fox and Mr. Groves Photronic cell as a colorimeter. Deter-(Government Laboratory). mination of moisture in powders by means of dielectric constant. Mr. T. McLachlan. Cribb specifk gravity bottle. Cribb CO, apparatus. Device for collecting gas from blown cans. Mr. S. A. de Lacy. ‘ ‘ Plastome ters. ” Dr. L. H. Lampitt Rapid determination of CO, in flours and (J. Lyons & CO., Ltd. baking powders. Vacuum distillation Laboratories). apparatus. Jell-strength tester. Con-tinuous Dialysis apparatus. Mr. H. B. Oakley. A new type of Osmometer. Mr. F. L. Okell. Portable self-filling burette. Banks H,S generator.Mr. H. W. Thorp. Prof. W. E. Gibbs’ apparatus for measur- (University College, Ram-ing dust content, say Laboratory). 443 Manchester and District.-The opening meeting of the session was held at the College of Technology, Manchester, on 11th October, Mr. F. Scholefield in the chair. Professor I. M. Heilbron, F.R.S., gave an address entitled: LL Modern Alchemy: Post-war Advances in the Synthesis of Natural Products.” Professor Heilbron gave a general review of some of the more important post-war advances in the chemistry of natural compounds. After referring to the outstanding work carried out by Professor W. N. Haworth, Dr. E. L. Hirst, and their collaborators at Birmingham University on carbohydrates, leading finally to a definite representation of the cellulose molecule, Professor Heilbron reviewed the development of the story of vitamin C from Szent-Gyorgyi’s original observations in 1928 up to the isolation and synthesis of pure 1-ascorbic acid.He also referred to the brilliant syntheses elaborated by Professor R. Robinson in the anthocyanin field. He pointed out that during the past year the structures of a further group of naturally occurring water-soluble pigments had been elucidated, viz. : the lyochrome pigments, and indicated the probable connection between lactoflavine and vitamin B,. Professor Heilbron next proceeded to discuss the carotenoids, and showed how this whole group could be derived from the simple isoprene molecule.He concluded his address with a brief resum6 of the sterols and the sex hormones related thereto, and explained how the latter were obviously derived from the former, A vote of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by Mr. Cardwell, who referred to the fundamental and vital nature of the work described, and also to the lucid manner in which Professor Heilbron had dealt with so complex a subject. The vote of thanks was seconded by Mr. Chorley, who in- dicated the swift nature of the progress in this field of organic chemistry and the profound effects which the new discoveries were having on biology and medicine. He stated that in con- trast with discoveries in physics and astronomy, it was difficult to make the man in the street realise the significance of such developments in organic chemistry.He suggested that further lectures from Professor Heilbron in the near future would be 444 much appreciated,-for example, one on experimental tech- nique, and a second on the part played by the natural products described (vitamins, hormones, carbohydrates and sterols) in the human organism. On 2nd November, a joint meeting of the Local Sections of the Institute, the Society of Chemical Industry, the Society of Dyers and Colourists and the Manchester Literary and Philo- sophical Society was held to hear an address by Professor M. Polanyi on the subject of ‘(Heavy Water in Chemistry.” Heavy water has a density 10per cent. greater than ordinary water. Its chemical composition is the same as that of ordinary water, two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom.Nor is there anything unusual about the oxygen atom. All the heaviness is due to the new kind of hydrogen discovered by Professor Urey, which is contained in the heavy water. Its atomic weight is two instead of one. Heavy hydrogen atoms have the same structure as ordinary hydrogen atoms, but with a heavier nucleus. Such a pair of atoms would have the same chemical properties if the atoms were merely material particles. Atoms, however, are not only particles, but they are also waves; as waves, the two hydrogen atoms are different. The heavy one has a shorter wave-length. The chemical dissimilarity between the two hydrogens shows to what extent atoms behave as waves and not as particles.The chemical differences between ordinary and heavy water make it possible to extract heavy water from its natural dilution of one part in four thousand and prepare it in pure form. The preparation is, as yet, very expensive, but methods can be out-lined by which it might be considerably cheapened. Heavy hydrogen might then be used in the manufacture of drugs and dyestuffs, if its properties should turn out to be useful, e.g., if products containing it show greater stability than the products containing ordinary hydrogen. With heavy hydrogen, reactions can be discovered in which nothing is changed chemically, because all that happens is an interchange of hydrogen atoms. When some of the hydrogen atoms are “labelled” as being of the heavier sort, this inter- change becomes apparent.Some well-known chemical reactions 445 of hydrogen appear now as subordinate effects of this hitherto undiscovered interchange process. When, e.g., hydrogen is added to benzene forming hydrobenzene, for every molecule adding on hydrogen, there are a hundred molecules which react with hydrogen in the way of an interchange. Obviously hydrogenation is just an occasional by-reaction of this main interchange process. Following this line, the atomic mechanism of hydrogenation can be worked out completely. Mr. J. Adam, President of the Literary and Philosophical Society presided over a very large audience. A vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer, on the motion of Dr.A. Schedler, Chairman of the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, seconded by Mr. Laurie, Chairman of the Local Section of the Society of Dyers and Colourists. The Annual Dinner and Dance of the Manchester and District Section, which was attended by nearly 300 members and their friends, was held at “The Manchester, Ltd.,” on 6th December, and was a most successful and enjoyable event. After the loyal toasts, Mr. Fred Scholefield, who presided, proposed “The Guests,’’ to which the Registrar of the Institute replied. Manchester and District Students ’ Section.-At a meeting held in the Reynolds’ Hall of the College of Technology, Manchester, on 9th November, Mr. J. R. Maddocks gave a lecture entitled : “The Transition from Laboratory to Large- Scale Manufacture.’ ’ Newcastle and North-East Coast.-The Annual Meeting of the Section was held on 12th November, when the report of the Committee and the Honorary Treasurer’s statement for 1933-34 were received and adopted, and the Officers and Committee for the ensuing session were elected.The Annual Report showed that the Section had held two joint meetings with the Society of Chemical Industry and four with the Bedson Club, and that the members of the Section had also attended the (sixteenth) Earl Grey Memorial Lecture. The Committee also recalled that Professor Clemo, Chairman of the Section, had initiated the discussion already reported in the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,on the place of chemistry in general education, 446 Dr.W. E. Scott was elected Honorary Secretary in succession to Mr. M. A. W. Brown, to whom the thanks of the Section were accorded for his services. The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held at the Annual General Meeting of the Section was held at the Newcastle Chemical Industry Club, on 12th November. The Chairman, Professor G. R. Clemo, welcomed Dr. A. E. Everest, District Member of Council, who informed the Members regarding the proposal to make provision for an additional representative of the North East Coast and Yorkshire on the Council. Council had re-opened the subject and had appointed a Special Committee to consider further the claims put forward by the Sections in this area. Dr. Everest also commented on the widespread interest evoked by the discussion on “The Place of Chemistry in General Education,” initiated by this Section a year ago.Dr. Everest was asked by Dr. P. L. Robinson whether he could give any information as to the progress of the discussions taking place among the various chemical societies regarding amal- gamation. Dr. Everest replied that it was an extremely com- plicated question, and that he was unable to give any information at that stage. Dr. A. A. Hall, strongly supported by other members, said that this matter was of great interest to this Section, having been first raised in 1929, He thought that members should have the opportunity of expressing their views before any decision was reached. Dr.Everest expressed himself in sympathy with this opinion. Dr. Everest was thanked for his attendance and for the information which he had given the Section. The Committee’s Report and Hon. Treasurer’s Statement for the year ended 31st October were received and approved. Nine meetings, including the Joint Annual Dinner, had been held during the Session. In pursuance of the general desire for co- operation with regard to the meetings of the various local chemical bodies, two joint meetings were held with the Society of Chemical Industry and four with the Bedson Club. There were 47 Fellows and 123 Associates resident in this Section-an increase of 4 Fellows and 14 Associates during the past year. 447 The Officers and Committee for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Chairmaut, Dr.P. L. Robinson; Committee, Dr. J. T. Dunn, Dr. R. D. Haworth, Dr. J. H. Jones, Mr. E. W. Mud- diman, Dr. L. A. Sayce, Mr. D. H. B. Wride, Mr. F. H. Walker (Hon. Treaswer) and Dr. W. E. Scott (Hon. Secretary), and Hon. Auditors, Mr. H. C. L. Bloxam and Mr. A. F. McCarley. Mr. M. A. W. Brown received the thanks of the Section for his services as Hon. Secretary during the past two years. South Wales.-The opening meeting of the Section was held jointly with the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry at the Central Hotel, Swansea, on 18th October, when a lecture on the bb Functions of a Colliery Chemist” was given by Mr. T. G. Watts. The lecturer detailed the duties of a colliery chemist in regard to ventilation, analysis of gases, coal, by-products, and stores, and stressed the necessity of close co-operation between the chemist and the salesman.On 9th November, at Swansea, a lecture entitled bb Food Control from the Chemical Aspect” was delivered by Dr. L. H. Lampitt. The Annual General Meeting was held at Swansea on 30th November. The following Officers and Committee were elected: Chairman: Mr. E. E. Ayling; Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. Jones; Asst. Secretary: Dr. E. A. Rudge; Committee: (Swansea) Mr. J. W. Adye, Prof. J, E. Coates, Mr. P. F. Ellis, Mr. C. M. W. Grieb, Dr. P. M. Macnair, Mr. E. Thornton. (Cardiff) Dr. J. J. Dippy, Mr. S. Dixon, Mr. D. Hicks. Dr. H. B. Watson was re-nominated as District Member of Council. The following resolution was passed :--“That this Section is of the opinion that there is an undue proportion of Council nominees in the list of candidates for election to the General Council.It urges all members to exercise their full nominating power under By-Law 26 in order to reduce the proportion of Council nominees. Members in the South Wales Area (160 members) propose to nominate two members for the coming elect ion. 448 “The Section also feels that the Council would be strengthened by the inclusion of a greater proportion of industrial chemists.” The meeting adjourned to an informal Dinner at the Central Hotel. On 7th December, at Swansea, a lecture on the ‘‘ Decay of Wood and the Formation of Coal ” was given by Dr.E. A. Rudge, who has kindly supplied the following abstract : The formation of coal is the result of two distinct processes,- humification, and coalification. Humification, or the production of humus, begins with the decay of vegetable matter under the peat-bed, and coalification is a subsequent change producing a hard, compact, and relatively inert coal. This contribution to the subject has for its object the examination of some of the accepted characteristics of peat and coal from the view-point of the infiltration theory of decay. The many attempts to determine the structure of coal may be arranged as suggested by Bakes (Action of Solvents on Coal, 1933),in three groups: (I) thermal decomposition, (2) action of chemical reagents, and (3) extraction by solvents.Little evidence concerning the structure or mode of formation of coal is forthcoming from the mass of data available, although one conclusion appears definite, as Tideswell has stated, that coal consists of a highly polymerised mass, which may be loosened by solvent action. Of the many methods of classification, those of Stopes and Wheeler, and of Thiessen, into morphological types, are of very great importance to the discussion, for many of the features of these types have a bearing on the observed phenomena of wood decay. Biological theories of coal formation are of interest in that they were developed, like those of timber decay, subse- quent to the fundamental work of Pasteur in the middle of the nineteenth century, yet in recent years developments have suggested that modifications must be made to a purely biological conception.Many workers have concluded that agencies other than micro-organisms must have operated in the formation of the peat-bed, although hitherto no information concerning the nature of these agencies has been forthcoming. A purely chemical investigation of the related phenomenon of wood decay has resulted in the establishment of the funda- mental behaviour of specific ions in setting up the early symptoms 449 of decay, summarised in the author’s infiltration theory, and supported by analytical and synthetic data. “Artificial peat ” may be produced under sterile conditions, and it is evident that both the lignin and the cellulose are involved in a series of changes producing two fractions.The first is water-soluble and contains reducing sugars, and the other is an insoluble complex containing the inorganic salts of cellulose degradation products. It is suggested that subsequent polymerisation and dehydration by a mechanism, similar to that put forward by Browne (1g33),produces at first humus, and later coal. The problem of “fusain” may be reviewed from the stand- point of this proposed mechanism. Fusain has generally an abnormally high ash content consisting mainly of calcium oxide, and is composed largely of resistant plant entities. It is sug-gested that this type of coal is produced from the insoluble calcium complexes formed during inorganic infiltration of the peat-bed, the soluble ash-free humic fraction having been removed either by the action of micro-organisms, or by leaching out under the influence of some special climatic or meteorological conditions.450 Notes. Beilby Memorial Awards.-The Administrators of the Beilby Memorial Fund, consisting of the Presidents, Treasurers and Secretaries of the Institute of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Institute of Metals respectively, have announced the award of one hundred guineas each to Dr. William Hume-Rothery, M.A. (Oxon.), Royal Society Warren Research Fellow, and Dr. Ernest Albert Rudge, Fellow. Dr. Hume-Rothery, who is 35 years of age, was educated at Cheltenham College from 1912-16 and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from which he was invalided on account of ill-health.He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, as a Com-moner in 1918, and was elected to a Demyship in 1920, and to a Senior Demyship in 1925. He took first-class honours in chemistry at Oxford, and then worked at metallography for three years at the Royal School of Mines, under the direction of Sir Harold Carpenter, F.R.S., after which he returned to Oxford for independent research work at the Old Chemistry Department, University Museum, where accommodation was found for him by Professor F. Soddy, F.R.S. He was elected to the Armourers’ and Brasiers’ Company’s Research Fellowship in Metallurgy in 1929, and to his present Fellowship in 1932.His published work includes a book on the electrical properties and theories of metals and alloys, papers on valency relations in alloy structures, and determinations of equilibrium diagrams of metallic systems. Dr. Hume-Rothery has introduced new conceptions and generalisations into the study of alloys, and has provided much new information as to the general laws and relations which determine the nature and properties of alloys. Dr. Ernest Albert Rudge is 40 years of age and was educated at the Battersea Polytechnic and, from 1913 to 1915, at Uni- versity College, London. He graduated B.Sc. (Lond.) with first-class honours in chemistry in 1915. During the war he served as a corporal in the Special Brigade, R.E., and was attached to the General Headquarters Laboratories in France.After demobilisation, he obtained an appointment with the Morgan Crucible Company until July, 1919,when he was 451 appointed a lecturer in chemistry at Cardiff Technical College. In 1917 he was elected an Associate of the Institute; early in 1929 he obtained the degree of M.Sc. (London) for research on “Titanium Cyanonitride : a Blast-Furnace Product,” and was elected a Fellow of the Institute in the same year. Since 1930, Dr. Rudge has made a special study of the uses and behaviour of timbers in South Wales industries, and of the causes and circumstances of decay in industrial timbers. His papers on these subjects have been published in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry.This year, he has been awarded the degree of Ph.D. for a thesis entitled “The Decomposition of Timber under Industrial Conditions,” and he has now in the press “The Decay of Wood in Relation to Humification,” and “Wood Decay and Coal Formation.” Gas Warfare.-The Great War of 1914-1918 gave occasion to the introduction of several new weapons, both of offence and defence, and of these none was more novel than the weapon of poison gas, and none was developed to a more remarkable degree. Prior to the war the use of poison gas had been banned by general international consent, but its use by the Germans, in April, 1915, left the allied powers no alternative to a reply in kind. The British responded by the formation of special companies for gas attacks.Major-General Foulkes bore the principal part in the organisation and development of these companies, which were subsequently expanded into a brigade, and his book-“ Gas ! The Story of the Special Brigade”-gives a very complete, graphic and accurate account of the work of this force. Gas (chlorine), in the form of a cloud discharge from cylinders, was first used by the British at the Battle of Loos on 25th September, 1915,and, taking into consideration the short time available for preparation, and of the doubtful weather conditions, a considerable degree of success was obtained. During the night of zqth-z~th September, the wind was “paltry” and the advisability of the gas attack was a matter of anxious doubt. Actually the zero time for gas discharge, originally fixed at 4.30 a.m., was postponed for an hour.In some places the gas drifted back into our own trenches, and in some parts of the line, at least, the order was given to stop the discharge before all the cylinders had been emptied. In this battle Corporal F. G. Cousins (Associate), “following the infantry after they had 452 captured the German trench, entered a dug-out unarmed and found a German colonel, a captain and five men, all of whom he brought back prisoners.” It is a pity that General Foulkes calls him “Cousens.” Cousins received the D.C.M. Several gas attacks were made during the next three or four months, and in one of these (October 13th) Corporal Dawson won the Victoria Cross.In January, 1916, the Gas force was withdrawn from the line and expanded into a brigade in which form it continued until the end of the War. The Brigade played a very important part in the Battle of the Somme, a large number of cloud gas (Phosgene) attacks being made, and it was used on many occasions subsequently for the discharge of gas clouds, gas shells, and other forms of “frightfulness.” General Foulkes shows very clearly that poison gas in one form or another became of increasing importance as the war continued. In his brief description of his experiences at the Front, prior to the organisation of the Gas force, General Foulkes observes that “In the early months of the war, Engineer units were not used to the best advantage and their mechanical skill was to a large extent wasted.’’ In the first formation of the special companies in 1915 a similar and very serious error was made in calling for skilled chemists to serve in the rank and file.The Gas units were to be organised as Engineer companies, “the War Office stating that instead of sappers the men would be enlisted as Engineer corporals, with special rates of pay, as they would be University graduates or students.” The War Office appears to have assumed, and quite correctly, that patriotism would induce University graduates to accept this very modest military rank. In addition to the specially enlisted men, others with chemical qualifications who were already serving in other branches of the Army were transferred to the special companies. General Foulkes makes no reference to the work of the Institute of Chemistry in connection with the enlistment of chemists: he was probably unaware that the War Office looked to the Institute for assistance in this recruitment. In the outline of a scheme for a gas attack described by General Foulkes, the following occurs: “Two men would be required at each battery to open the valves, and while one of them might be a specially enlisted chemist, to supply whatever technical knowledge was needed, the other should have experience of trench warfare conditions, and ought to be an infantryman transferred from one of the battalions in the line.” The work certainly required 453 courage and coolness, but it required no technical knowledge whatever, and it appears to have taken the War Office two years to realise that the turning of a tap does not require a knowledge of chemistry.General Foulkes’ book should be of great value to the historian and to the military student, and is, of course, of especial interest to those who were members of the Special Brigade. A smaller book, by Professor J. B. S. Haldane, F.R.S., ‘‘Callinicus : A Defence of Chemical Warfare ”, though written some years earlier, serves as an interesting commentary on the account of gas warfare by General Foulkes. Both authors agree in condemning the sensational statements sometimes made to the effect that a few gas bombs, dropped from aeroplanes, would suffice to destroy the inhabitants of a great city.Professor Haldane bases his defence of chemical warfare chiefly on the grounds that its adoption would shorten the duration of a war and lessen the number of deaths and serious casualties. He supports the latter claim by statistics and examples from the Great War, and one example may be quoted. “Lachrymatory gas was only once used under ideal conditions-by the Germans in the Argonne in 1915. They captured a fairly extensive French trench system, and about 2400 prisoners, almost all unwounded, but temporarily blind.” Professor Haldane considers that “our greatest weapon in chemical warfare is not gas, but education, and education of all classes.” No doubt Professor Haldane would agree that an ideal education would teach the futility of war.Expert Witnesses.-Regarding the Note on Expert Wit- nesses in JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,Part V (p. 358), Mr. G. S. W. Marlow, FeZZow, formerly Assistant Secretary of the Institute, has kindly supplied the following additional informa- tion :-Up to the present it has been the custom, where scientific or technical “terms of art” have to be explained to the Court, or where scientific or technical facts have to be decided by the Court, for both sides to call evidence from expert witnesses on these points. Each of these witnesses provides a “proof of evidence” on which he is examined, and is then liable to cross- examination; the “proof,” of course, is not disclosed to the other side or to the Court, and only so much becomes public as is elicited by viv8-voce evidence. 454 Occasionally the number of “experts ” called was excessive and, by protracting the trial, not only caused unnecessary ex- pense to the parties, but seriously delayed the hearing of other actions.The Courts have lately sought to redress this evil. In 1927, Tomlin J. (as he then was) laid down the rule that neither side should call more than two experts; this ruling (which, by the way, was not made in a patent action) has been generally adopted by the Courts. In 1931, Order LIII A, rule 21A of the Rules of the Supreme Court (R.S.C.) was made, by which the parties were required, before setting down a patent action for trial, to go to the Court for directions as to, inter alia, restricting the number of witnesses to be called at the trial on any particular issue.Finally, in June 1934, Order XXXVII A (R.S.C.), which is the subject of the Note, was adopted, dealing with expert witnesses, who must not be confused with “assessors.” Assessors sit with the Court to assist the Court and give no evidence. Order XXXVII A is obtainable from H.M. Stationery Office. It provides that the Court (I) may, (2) on the ap9Zication of any party, appoint an independent expert (to be called the “Court expert”) to enquire into and report upon any question of fact or of opinion not involving any question of law or construction, (rule I). The person to be appointed is, if possible, to be agreed between the parties (rule 4).The initiative lies with the litigants, but even if one of the litigants wishes a Court expert to be appointed the Court may prefer not to appoint one. If, however, at the wish of one or both of the parties, a Court expert is appointed and, nevertheless, either party insists on calling his own expert, the Court would certainly not disregard that expert’s evidence, even if it were directly contrary to that of the Court expert. The Court will seek to ascertain the truth, as elicited in examination, cross-examination and re-examination of both witnesses. If a Court expert is appointed by the Court in the exercise of its discretion, it may be taken for granted that that discretion will not have been exercised without hearing all parties. This is implied from rule 7, which provides for opposition to the appoint- ment. It is only proper, therefore, that if one of the parties insists on calling his own expert the costs of that expert should not be allowed unless the Judge is of opinion that it was reasonable to call him, and that his evidence materially assisted the Court.This does not mean that, even if the Judge prefers the evidence 455 of the Court expert, he will disallow the costs of the other; evidence may assist the Court even though it is not accepted. The function of the Court expert is to report on questions of fact or of opinion, and those questions are, failing agreement between the parties, to be settled by the Court (rule 4). If any supplemental report is required the Court will direct him (rule 5).The “report” takes the place of a “proof of evidence”; of course it is available for all parties. The Court expert will certainly not examine any witnesses. On the contrary, if he even wants to do an experiment he will have to give the parties an opportunity to attend and see what he is doing (rule 5). Moreover, he may be (and probably would be) cross-examined on his “report” (rule 3). It follows, therefore, that, in spite of the fears expressed, the Court expert has none of the authority which is vested in the Court. It is convenient here to say that on more than one occasion in the past, Court experts have been. appointed by agreement between the parties for like purposes. It is true that in some cases it may be difficult to find a Court expert.Indeed, it is sometimes difficult even for one of the litigants to secure the services of experts, as $he most suitable experts may all be retained by the other side. In any event, there will be no “contending” between the Court and the parties. Dyestuffs.-The Board of Trade has appointed the following, for a period of three years, together with the members of the Dyestuffs Advisory Licensing Committee, to be a Committee to advise with respect to the efficient and economical development of the dye-making industry:- Major J. A. Barber-Lomax, Mr. G. Garnett, Professor A. G. Green, F.R.S., Fellow, Mr. A. Hittinger, Mr. J. R. Lane, Professor G. T. Morgan, O.B.E., F.R.S., Fellow, Mr. W.Palmer, Mr. John Rogers, O.B.E., Fellow, Mr. G. S. Whitham, M.1.Chem.E. The members of the Dyestuffs Advisory Licensing Committee are :-Mr. R. Waddington (Chairman), Mr. P. Caldwell, Major L. B. Holliday, 0.B.E., Mr. S. T. Kinsman, Professor A. Lap-worth, DSc., F.R.S., Fellow, Mr. D. R. Mackay, Mr. N. G. McCulloch, Mr. G. H. Nisbett, Sir Henry Sutcliffe Smith, Mr. C. M. Whittaker, Mr. W. J. U. Woolcock, C.M.G., C.B.E. Mr. F. W. Hammond has been appointed secretary to the Commit tee. 456 Professor Jocelyn F. Thorpe, C.B.E., F.R.S., President of the Institute, has been appointed an Officer of the Legion of Honour. Dr. Herbert William‘ Bolam, Fellow, has resigned his appoint- ment as lecturer in chemistry at Queen Margaret College, Uni- versity of Glasgow, which he has held since 1903.The University Court has expressed its high appreciation of his services. Professor Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, F.R.S., Fellow, received the degree of Doctor in the Faculty of Medicine (Honoris causa), and Professor Thomas Martin Lowry, C.B.E., F.R.S., Fellow, received the degree of Doctor in the Faculty of Science (Honoris causa) at the centenary celebration of the Universitk Libre at Brussels. Dr. L. H. Lampitt and Professor H. Raistrick, F.R.S., Fellows, have been appointed members of the Food Investigation Board, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Professor Gilbert T. Morgan, O.B.E., F.R.S., Fellow, has been elected a Member of the Council of the Royal Society.* Professor J. C. Philip, O.B.E., F.R.S., Fellow, has been elected Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of London, for 1934-1 936. Dr. D. F. Twiss, Fellow, has been awarded the Colwyn Gold Medal of the Institution of the Rubber Industry. The degree of M.A. (Honoris causa) has been conferred upon Professor William Palmer Wynne, F.R.S., Fellow, by the Senate of the University of Cambridge. The Registrar delivered a lecture on “The Profession of Chemistry ” at University College, Southampton, on 9th Novem- ber, and again, on the same subject, at King’s College, London, on 4th December. East London College.-On 12th December, the Council of East London College attended Buckingham Palace to receive a Royal Charter from the hands of H.M.the Queen. The College has become incorporated with the University of London, under the title of Queen Mary’s College. 457 Obituary. NORRIS died, as the result of an accident, on CEARLES BEETLESTONE 1st November, in his 49th year. Educated at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich, and University College, London, he graduated B.Sc. with honours in chemistry, and in 1906 was appointed chief assistant chemist to Messrs. Barclay Perkins & Co., Southwark. From 1916 to 1919 he held an appointment as an Inspecting Chemist, Explosives Department, Ministry of Munitions, and after the war was appointed chief chemist to Messrs. Ind Coope (1912 Ltd.), Burton-on-Trent, with whom he remained until his death. He was elected an Associate of the Institute in 1920.JOHNARTFITJRCLEMENTSdied at Spital, Chesterfield, on 13th October, in his 46th year. He was educated at Chesterfield Central and Municipal Technical Schools, and at Sheffield University, where he obtained the Associateship in Metallurgy. Before the war he was engaged as a metal- lurgical chemist at the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co., Ltd., and at the Devonshire Works of the Staveley Coal and Iron Co., Ltd. In 1916 he was appointed a Technical Chemist on the Acids Section of H.M. Factory, Oldbury; during the same year, he assisted in starting up H.M. Factory, Queensferry, and in the following year was transferred to H.M. Factory. Pembrey. In 1919 he was appointed Chief Chemist at the Brown-Firth Research Laboratories at Sheffield, where he devoted special attention to problems connected with corrosion, the production of pig iron and the manufacture of alloy steel.In association with his brother, he was the author of papers contributed to the Iron and Steel Institute on “British Blast Furnace Practice” (1920) and on “British Siemens Furance Practice ” (1922). He was elected an Associate of the Institute in 1918 and a Fellow in 1922. WILLIAMALEXANDERGUTECRIEdied suddenly at Knaresborough, York, on 7th November, in his 56th year. Educated at Allen Glen’s School, the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, and at the Royal College of Science, London, he joined the staff of Young’s Oil Co., Ltd., Linlithgow, as a junior assistant chemist in 1900. He remained with that company until 1910, when he was appointed chief chemist and assistant manager with the Roumanian Oilfields, Ltd., subsequently becoming refining manager to the Roumanian Consolidated Oilfields, Ltd., and manager of two oil refineries.In 1917 he was appointed adviser to the Trinidad Oil and Transport Company, and Trinidad Leaseholds, and in 1918 research chemist to the Geological Oil Survey of Egypt, and later petroleum research chemist to the Egyptian Government. He was a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1919. JOHNWALTER LEATHER died at Malvern on 14th November, in his 74th year. He received his scientific education mainly in Germany under Kekul6 at Bonn, and obtained the degree of Ph.D.(Freiburg). In 1886 he was appointed senior assistant to Dr: Augustus Voelcker, Consulting Chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society, and six years later, having 458 passed the examination of the Institute, was appointed Imperial Agri- cultural Chemist in the India Agricultural Service, which position he held until his retirement in 1916. A keen volunteer officer, he served in the Indian auxiliary force while in India, and, during the war, with the Cheshire Regiment, with the rank of Major. His published papers relate to investigations into the chemistry of Indian Agriculture. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1890. WILLIAM MCHUTCHISON died at Glasgow on 8th November, in his 45th year, He was educated at Pollokshields Schools, Albert Road Academy, and the University, Glasgow, and graduated l3.S~.in 1915. During the war he was engaged at H.M. Factory, Site By Oldbury, Birmingham, where he became chemist-in-charge of the T.N.T. Depart-ment, and was engaged on practical research on a patent nitration process. He subsequently held appointments with Messrs. Synthite, Ltd., at West Bromwich, until 1921, and was then for a year partner and manager in the firm of Messrs. Cumming and McHutchison, Glasgow, as manufacturers of essences, food colours and fine chemicals, and later held appointments with Messrs. Bratley and Hinchliffe, Ltd., of Manchester, and of Messrs. Perry and Hope, Ltd., Glasgow. He was elected an Associate of the Institute in 1917. JOHN WILTSHIRELAURENCE was killed in a motor accident in Kuala Lumpur on the 13th November, in his 29th year.He passed the Higher School and Intermediate Science Examinations of London University while at Colfe Grammar School, Lewisham, and, in 1922, became an assistant in the laboratory of Messrs. Riley, Harbord and Law, with whom he remained for 24 years. He continued his studies at the Sir John Cass Technical Institute, and graduated B.Sc. (Lond.) with honours in chemistry in 1925, proceeded to M.Sc. in 1927, and Ph.D. in 1931. In 1925 he became assistant chemist to Messrs. Burt, Boulton and Haywood, Ltd. In 1928 he joined the staff of the Fuel Research Station, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, as a research chemist.Jointly with Dr. E. de Barry Barnett he carried out a considerable amount of research on anthracene chemistry, and subsequently continued working on the constitution of tar in relation to carbonisation conditions, conversion of tar into motor spirit by hydrogenation at high pressures, and the prepara- tion and refining of motor spirit from gas and tar. In 1931 he proceeded to a position in the Chemical Division of the Rubber Research Institute, KuaIa Lumpur, which ho hold at the time of his death. The majority of his papers were published in the Journal of the Chemical Society, The Berichte, and the Journal of the Rubber Research Institute of Malaya. He was elected an Associate of the Institmte in 1927, and a Fellow in 1931, and had served as Honorary Secretary of the Malaya Section.At his funeral, the Institute was represented by six members resident in Selangor. Lantern Slides.-Mrs. R. M. Caven has very kindly presented the Institute with 40 lantern slides dealing with various chemical subjects previously the property of her husband, the late Professor R. M. Caven, of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, Member of Council, which have been added to the collection at the Institute. 459 Books and their Contents. The following books have been kindly presented to the Institute by the authors or publishers, and may be seen in the Library :-“Breadmaking, The Practice and Science of.” D. W. Kent- Jones. Pp. viii + 184. (Liverpool: The Northern Publishing Co., Ltd.) 7s.6d. net. An elementary book dealing with the practice, but emphasising the scientific aspect, of breadmaking.History and general considerations of breadmaking ; constituents of flour; types of wheat and milling; dough ingredients other than flour; the principles of panary fermentation ; breadmaking processes ; bread faults ; brown and fancy bread ; the nutritive value of bread ; bakerymachinery and ovens; bakehouse management and laws relating to the baking industry; analytical work; subject index ; art plates. “Food and Drugs, Aids to the Analysis of.” C. G. Moor and William Partridge. 5th Edition, revised and partly re-written by J. R. Nicholls. Pp. viii + 322. (London: Bailli&re, Tindall and Cox.) 5s. net. Analysis of food and drugs ;preservatives ;colouring matters ;poisonousmetals; examination of oils and fats; notes on the British Pharmacopceia; disinfectants and soap.Appendix : legal information; atomic weights ; useful data; calibration of volumetric apparatus; volumetric analysis. Index. “This Modern World and the Engineer.’’ Illustrations. (Edin-burgh: Royal Scottish Society of Arts.) 5s. net. The fist six Keith Lectures, with a foreword by the President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts. Physics and the Engineer, C. G. Darwin, F.R.S.; The Trend of Mechanical Engineering, A. R. Horne; Civil Engineering in the Fields of Transport and Sanitation, Sir Thomas Hudson Beare ; Electrical Engineering, F. G. Baily ; Chemical Engineering, R. Lessing;Mining in the Melting Pot, H.Briggs; Extrapolation, H. Briggs. “The Spirit of Chemistry.” An Introduction to Chemistry for Students of the Liberal Arts. Alexander Findlay. 2nd edition, with portraits and illustrations. Pp. xvi+gro. (London: Longmans Green & Co.) 10s. 6d. net. The aim and method of science; the twilight age of chemistry; the dawn of chemistry ; the fundamental laws of chemistry; atomic weights and the periodic law; radioactivity and atomic constitution; the three states of matter; the determination of atomic weights; the gases of the atmosphere and the phenomenon of combustion ; the production of fir% matter and energy; fuels and illuminants; hydrogen, water and hydrogen peroxide ;solutions ;acids, alkalis and salts, theory of ionisation ; electricity and chemistry; metals and their properties; metals and 460 alloys; velocity of reactions and catalysis ;sulphur and sulphuric acid; salts of potassium and sodium; nitrogen, the production of fertilisers and explosives ;silica, clay, lime and glass ;the colloidal state ;the rise of organic chemistry ; the aliphatic compounds ; stereochemistry; the aromatic compounds.Appendices I, 11, and 111, and Index. A Bibliography of the More Important Heavy Metals Occurring in Food and Biological Material (for the years 1921 to 1933, inclusive) has been published by Messrs. Heffer & Sons, Ltd., Cambridge. Price to Members of the Society of Public Analysts, 2s. ; to Non-Members, 3s. The British Standards Institution has recently published, inter alia, the following Specifications :-No.568-1934 for the Determination of Phosphorus in Coal. No. 571-1934 for Distillation Flasks. No. 572-1934 for Interchangeable Conical Ground Glass Joints. No. 573-1934 for Dibutyl Phthalate. No. 574--1934 for Diethyl Phthalate. No. 575-1934 for Carbon Tetrachloride. No. 576-1934 for Glacial Acetic Acid and Dilute Acetic Acids. No. 577-1934 for Hexachlorethane (Hexachloroethane) . No. 578-1934 for Technical Acetic Acids. No. 579-1934 for Technical Ether. No, 580-1934 for Trichlorethylene (Trichloroethylene), Tech- nical and Stabilised. The Institution expresses the hope that Fellows and Associates of the Institute will adopt these Standards wherever possible.2s. each net, by post 2s. zd., obtainable from the British Standards Institution, Publications Department, 28, Victoria Street, London, S.W.I. The Science Museum: Rubber Exhibition.-In connec-tion with the Rubber Exhibition at the Science Museum, South Kensington, which will be continued until 30th April, 1935, the Rubber Growers’ Association, with the assistance of the Research Association of British Rubber Manufacturers and in collaboration with the Science Museum, has produced a handbook giving an historical survey of the rubber industry and an account of the story of rubber from its source to the finished manufactured article. (H.M. Stationery Office, 6d. net, 7d. post free.) 461 The Register. At the meetings of Council held on 16th November and 7th December, 1934,z new Fellows were elected, 7 Associates were elected to the Fellowship, 27 new Associates were elected, I Associate was re-elected, and 50 Students were admitted. The Council regrets to record the deaths of four Fellows and two Associates. New Fellows.Merry, Ernest Wyndham, M.Sc. (Sheffield), Ph.D. (Wiirzburg), 25, St. Georges Avenue, Southall. Prasad, Mata, M.Sc. (Allahabad), D.Sc. (Benares), Royal Institute of Science, Bombay. Associates elected to the Fellowship. Atkinson, Harold, B.A. (Oxon.), 22, High Street, Slough. Botham, George Henry, B.Sc. (Lond.), Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Salop. Hall, Edward Herman, B.Sc. (Lond.), 8, Beech Grove, Beverley Road, Hull. Matthews, Mrs.Janet Warden, Ph.D. (Lond.), D.I.C., Ester, Cobham Road, Fetcham, Surrey. Smith, Wilfred, B.Sc. (Lond.), Analytical Dept., Messrs. Allen & Hanbury,Ltd., Bethnal Green, London, E.2. Spencer, Wilfrid Devonshire, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Lond.), Imperial Chemical Industries (General Chemicals), Ltd., Central Laboratory, Widnes. Young, Roland Francis, 176, High Street South, London, E.6. New Associates. Abbott, Arthur Lewis, B.Sc. (Cape Town), c/o Municipal Disposal Works, Athlone, Cape, S. Africa. Barat, Chittaranjan, M.Sc. (Calcutta), Dr.Ing. (Munich), University College of Science and Technology, 92, Upper Circular Road, Calcutta, India. Bartram, John Henry, B.Sc. (Birm.), 10, Market Square, Sandy, Beds. Black, Hugh Kenneth, B.Sc. (Lond.), 63, Middle Street, Brighton.Bruce, James, B.Sc. (Gla.s.), 6, Hampden Terrace, Mount Florida, Glasgow, s.2. Elsbury, Edward Alfred, 134, Woodland Gardens, Isleworth. Etheridge, William, B.Sc. (Leeds), 90, Dunbar Avenue, Foleshill, Coventry. Farrand, Eric Austin, B.Sc. (Lond.), 201, Goldhawk Road, London, W.12. Fish, Hubert James, B.Sc. (Lond.), 37, Eastcote Road, Harrow. 462 Flohren, John Albert Charles, M.Sc. (Lond.), 86, Blackboy Lane, London, N. 15. Gage, John Charles, B.Sc. (Lond.), 42, Bramerton Street, London, S.W.3. Gaul, Matthew, A.H.-W.C., 54, Willowbrae Road, Piershill, Edinburgh. Green, Arthur Frederick, B.Sc. (Lond.), 40, Glenhouse Road, London, S.E.9. Green, Herbert, B.Sc. (Lond.), Ph.C., 55, Biggin Hall Crescent, Stoke, Coventry.Henshall, Joseph Henry, B.Sc. (Reading), Bucklebury Place Gardens, Woolhampton, Berks. Holder, Stanley Frank, B.Sc. (Lond.), 33, Gourock Road, London, S.E.9. Hughes, Leslie Alfred, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Lond.), A.R.C.S., 393, Bromley Road, London, S.E.6. Meyer, Charles Gustave, B.Sc. (Lond.), 49, Linden Avenue, London, N.W.lO. Mills, Maurice Robert, B.Sc. (Lond.), The Laboratory, Messrs. Michael Nairn & Co., Ltd., Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Mundy, Mrs. Lilian Marjorie, Raydents, Barrow Point Avenue, Pinner. Newell, William Edwin, 5, Ewell Park Gardens, Ewell Park, Ewell, Surrey. Pickering, Noel Henry, B.Sc. (Lond.), Ph.C., 30, Avenell Road, London, N.5. Rhodes, Oswald Stanley, M.Sc. (Leeds), 16, Woodlands Avenue, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire.Rudd, Herbert William, M.Sc. (Lond.), Allways, Ormonde Rise, Buck hurst Hill, Essex. Varma, Har Kumar Prasad, M.Sc. (Allhabad), 60, Burnbank Terrace, Glasgow, N.W. West, Trustham Frederick, B.Sc. (Lond.), Heathcroft, Hertford Heath, Herts. Williams, Harold George, M.Sc. (Wales), Ph.D., 80, Wyndham Crescent, Canton, Cardiff. Associate re-elected. Fleming, Robert, M.A. (T.C.D.), A.R.C.Sc.I., 27, Steeles Road, London, N.W.2. New Students. Archer, Henry Robertson, 15, Sheepburn Road, Uddingston, Glasgow. Arcus, Charles Laurence, 152, Browning Road, London, E.12. Bailey, Arthur Edward, Three Counties Hospital, Arlesey, Beds. Campbell, Robert Edward, Setterdene, Tadcaster Road, Copmanthorpe, York. Collier, Anthony, 119, Central Avenue, Billingham-on-Tees, Co.Durham. Collins, Frank Caldwell, 30, Hereford Road, Seaforth, Liverpool 2 1. Cookson, John Francis, Garth, Sharmans Cross Road, Solihull, Birmingham. Cowan, Alexander Sefton, 18, Grendon Gardens, Wembley Park. Davenport, Robert, 39, Blackburn Street, Blackburn. Davis, John Kirby, 511, Wardley Lane, Manchester Road, Swinton, Manches ter. De Carle, Herbert Hastings, 8, Leonard Road, London, S.W.16. De Giacomi, Romolo, 71a, Hambalt Road, London, S.W.4. Drysdale, Angus, 45a, Ann Terrace, Bo’ness, Scotland. Elliott, Antony Lester, 68, Rotton Park Road, Birmingham 16. Ellis, Leonard Frederick, 25, Southfield Avenue, Rotton Park, Birmingham 16. Elwell, William Thomas, 58, Arthur Street, Windlestone, Ferryhill, CO.Durham. 463 Fairhead, Edward Cooper, 13 1, Broadway Street, Burton-on-Trent. Fowler, Ronald George Francis, 22, Hoadly Road, London, S.W.16. Hicks, Ronald, Ballyre, Milton Hall Road, Gravesend. Hilton, Herbert, 15, Canterbury Street, Chorley. Holt, Norris, 1, Rising Lane, Garden Suburb, Oldham. Hurran, Walter John, 50, Lower Green Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells. Jackson, Frederick John Parland, 77, Prince of Wales Mansions, Battersea, London, S.W.ll. Jackson, Robert Henry, 35, Queens’ Road, Beeston, Nottingham. Laithwaite, Horace, 11 6, Cowlishaw Road, Sheffield 11. Leckie, Miss Margaret Woodrow, 41 Clouston Street, Glasgow, N.W. Lewis, Cyril Jesse, 48, Hatherley Street, Liverpool 8. Mawer, Frank Clifford, 37, Alexandra Road, Grimsby. Millington, Bert, Lyndholm, Lyndhurst Road, Wolverhampton.Mobbs, Thomas Herbert, 69, Hillfleld Park, London, N.21. Moore, Jeffrey, Lyndhurst, Overseal, Burton-on-Trent. Morrison, Louis Duncan Keeble, 33, Mundon Road, Maldon, Essex. Neill, Leslie Charles, 2, Watling Street, Gillingham. Newell, Wilfrid Hugh, 31, Atherlay Road, London, S.E.15. Newton, Eric James, 25, Bourne Avenue, Shirley, Southampton. Owen, Geoffrey Albert, 40, Homefield Rise, Orpington. Perrins, Lyle Eugene, Lightholme, Fir Grove, Wollaston, Stourbridge. Prescott, Albert, 23, Chestnut Avenue, Widnes. Puttick, Alfred Vernon, 31, North Street, Spennymoor, Co. Durham. Rastall, Bernard Jack, 41, Warwick Road, London, N.ll. Reeson, William Bateman, 18, Mount Avenue, Littleborough, Lancs.Roberts, Thomas, 2, Clovelly Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. Robinson, Ian Francis Stewart, 16, Belgrave Road, Gloucester. Rose, Bernard Arthur, 6, Hillcrest Road, London, E.17. Silvester, Richard Morgan, 61, Addison Road, King’s Heath, Birmingham 14. Tayler, Paul Bernard, New Hall, Swaythling, Southampton. Tighe, Robert Patrick, 22, James Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough. Warry, William Vivian, Westrow House, Holwell, Sherborne, Dorset. Whalley, William Clarence Roy, 52, Annandale Road, London, S.E.10. Whiteheart, Colin, 22, Tipthorpe Road, London, S.W.ll. DEATHS. Fellows. John Arthur Clements. William Alexander Guthrie, M.B.E. John Walter Leather, V.D., Ph.D. (Freiburg).John Laurence Wiltshire, M.Sc , Ph D. Associates. Norris Charles Beetlestone, B.Sc. (Lond.). William McHutchison. CHANGE OF NAME. Douglas Eric Joseph, B.Sc. (Lond.), Fellow, to Douglas Eric Davis,-by Deed Poll. 464 Coming Events. 1935 January 1st-PHYSICALSOCIETY: Exhibition of Scientific Instruments and 3rd Apparatus, at Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, S.W.7. 4th SOCIETYOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY(Manchester Section) : “The Chemical Engineer and his Training for Industry.” Dr. A. J. V. UNDERWOOD,at The Engineers Club, 17, Albert Square, Man- Chester, at 7 p.m. 5th SPECIAL BRIGADE, R.E.: The Thirteenth Annual Re-Union and Dinner of “Q” Special Company, R.E., will be held in Edinburgh, on Saturday, 5th January.Particulars may be obtained from Mr. H. T. Islip, Honorary Secretary, Wayside, Iver, Bucks; or Mr. L. Fletcher, 22, Kirkhill Gardens, Edinburgh 9. OF7th INSTITUTECHEMISTRY(Belfast and District Section): “The Neutron and Positive Electron.” Professor K. G. EMMBLEUS. SOCIETYOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY(Food Group) : Joint Meeting with London Section. Jubilee Memorial Lecture: “The Fats- New Lines in an Old Chapter of Organic Chemistry.” Professor T. P. HILDITCH,at The Chemical Society, Burlington House, London, W.l, at 8 p.m. 10th INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY(Liverpool and North-Western Section) : “Some Applications of Absorption Spectra.” Dr. R. A. MORTON, at the Constitutional Club, India Building, Water Street, at 7.30 p.m. INSTITUTE CHEMISTRY (Manchester and District Section):OF “Laboratory Animals :their Causes and Cure.” A.L. BACHARACH, at 7 p.m. 11th ARDEER CHEMICAL CLUB: Smoking Concert, at the EglintonHotel, Ardrossan, at 7.15 p.m. INSTITUT~EOF CHEMISTRY(South Wales Section) : “Hydrogenation : Present and Future.” Dr. W. I. JONES, at the Central Hotel, High Street, Swansea, at 5.45 p.m. (Joint Meeting with Society of Chemical Industry.) OIL AND COLOUR CHEMISTS’ASSOCIATION(Manchester Section) : “Properties of Pigment Powders.” Mr. G. A. CAMPBELL, at Reynold’s Hall, College of Technology, Manchester. 15th INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY(Huddersfield Section) : Jubilee Year of the Huddersfield Technical College. Joint Meeting. “FiftyYears of Chemistry.” Dr.A. E. EVEREST. INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY(Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North West pt Section): Joint Meeting with Society of Chemical Industry: In Quest of Colour.” Mr. C. J. T. CRONSHAW. 465 Janu-Y 16th OIL AND COLOUR CHEMISTS’AssoCIATIoN: (Joint Meeting with London Section of the Institute of Chemistry) :“The Limitations of Chemical Analysis.” The discussion will be opened byMr. C. A. KLEIN, at the Institute of Chemistry, 30, Russell Square, London, W.C.1, at 7.30 p.m. ALCHEMISTSCLUB (Glasgow University) : Social Evening and Address: “Some Chemical Oddities.” Dr. T. S. STEVENS,at 7.30 p.m. Socmm OF CHEMICALINDUSTRY(Road and Building Materials Group): Joint Meeting with Chemical Engineering group : “Fillers.” Professor E.NEUMANN. 17th CHEMICAL SOCIETY: Ordinary Scientific Meeting, at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W.l, at 8 p.m. 18th ANDERSONIAN : “Fractional Distillation with CHEMICAL SOCIETY special reference to Coal Tar.” Mr. R. G. W. EADIE, at Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 3 p.m. SOCIETYOF DYERS AND COLOURISTS (Manchester Section) : “Dermatitis.” Professor B. A. MCSWINEY, at the Literary and Philosophical Society’s Rooms, 36, Great Street, Manchester, at 7 p.m. 21st INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY (South Wales Section) with The Chemical Society: “Isothermal Sol-Gel Transformations.” Professor H. FREUNDLICH,at the Central Hotel, Swansea, at 5.45 p.m. OF THE RUBBERINDUSTRY22nd INSTITUTION (Scottish Section) : “The Mechanical of the Rubber Factory.” Mr.GUEST, at Chamber of Commerce Rooms, Edinburgh, at 7 p.m. SOCIETY (Edinburgh and East of Scotland OF CHEMICALINDUSTRY Section): “Modern Methods of Factory Deodorisation and the Prevention of Fume Emission.” Dr. B. WYLAM, at North British Station Hotel, at 7.30 p.m. 24th CHEMICALSOCIETY(Manchester Meeting) :For discussion of original papers, at the Chemical Theatre of Manchester University. OF THE RUBBERINDUSTRY25th INSTITUTION (Manchester Section) : Annual Dinner and Dance, at the Manchester Ltd. Restaurant, at 7 p.m. INSTITUTIONSTRUCTURALOF ENGINEERS (Midland Counties Branch) : “The Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete.” Mr. A. ASHWORTH,at James Watt Memorial Institute, York House, Great Charles Street, Birmingham, at 6.30 p.m.OF29th INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Bristol and South-Western Counties Section): “The Activities of Life and the Laws of Thermo-dynamics.” Professor F. G. DONNAN, C.B.E., F.R.S. 30th ALCHEMISTSCLUB (Glasgow University) : “Science and Education.” Mr. R. M. ALLARDYCE,at the University, at 7.30 p.m. INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Birmingham and Midlands Section) :OF “The Future of the Institut,e.” THE REGISTRAR OF THE INSTITUTE. 31st INSTITUTE (Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North-EastOF CHEMISTRY Coast Section): “Types of Chemical Linkage.” Dr. R. D. KAWORTH. 466 February 1st ANDERSON~ANCHEMICAL SOCIETY (Glasgow) : ‘‘AnthraquinoneVat Dyestuffs.” Mr. W. SMITH, at the Royal Technical College, at 3 p.m. INDUSTRYSOCIETYOF CHEMICAL (Joint Meeting of Glasgow and Edinburgh Sections) : Jubilee Memorial Lecture : “The Fats- New Lines in an Old Chapter of Organic Chemistry.” Professor T.P. HILDITCH,at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 7.30 p.m. SOCIETYOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY(Joint Meeting of Manchester and Liverpool Sections) : Jubilee Memorial Lecture : “In Quest of Colour.” Mr. C. J. T. CRONSHAW,at the Engineers’ Club, 17, Albert Square, Manchester, at 6 p.m. Preceded by a Works Visit and followed by a Dinner. 2nd MIDLAND CHEMISTS ANNUAL DINNER-DANCE, at Midland Hotel, Birmingham. 4th SOCIETY INDUSTRYOF CHEMICAL (Joint Meeting of London Section and Plastics Group): “Lac Research.” Mr. A. J. GIBSON and Members of Shellac Research Board, at the Chemical Society, Burlington House, London, W.1, at 8 p.m.OF5th INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Bristol and South-Western Counties Section): Joint Meeting with the Bristol University Chemical Society, “Some Recent Developments in Solid Chemistry.” Mr. N. F. H. BRIGHT. 7th OIL AND COLOURCHEMISTS’ Joint Meeting with the ASSOCIATION: Birmingham Paint andLacquer Club. “Shellac.” Mr. A. J.GIBSON, at Grand Hotel, Birmingham. 8th INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North-East OF Coast Section): J,int Meeting with the Bedson Club. 29th Bedson Lecture. The Biochemistry of the Thyroid Gland.” Professor C. R. HARINGTON. OIL AND COLOURCHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION (Manchester Section) : “Fastness to Light.” Members’ Evening, at Reynolds Hall, College of Technology, Manchester.12th INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY(Huddersfield Section). “Chemistry in the Service of the Railway.” Dr. P. LEWIS-DALE. 13th ALCHEMISTS’ CLUB (Glasgow University) : “some Problems in Molecular Structure.” Dr. N. V. SIDGWICK, O.B.E., F.R.S., at the University, at 7.30 p.m. OF CHEMISTRYINSTITUTE (Belfast and District Section) : Practical Demonstrations in Chemical Technique. INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Birmingham and Midlands Section) :OF “Recent Advances in the Examination of Documents.” Dr. C. A. MITCHELL. SOCIETYOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY(Food Group) : “The Training of the Food Technologist.” Dr. H. B. CRONSHAW,at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, W.C.1, at 8 p.m. SOCIETYOF CHEMICAL (Road and Building Materials INDUSTRY Group): “Road Research.” Dr.R. E. STRADLING. 14th CHEMICAL SOCIETY (Manchester Meeting) : “Recent Work on Chemistry in the Service of Medicine.” Dr. J. F. WILKINSON, at the Chemical Theatre of the University. 467 February 14th INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY (Liverpool and North-Western Counties Section): Paper by Professor J. McM. THOMPSON, at the Con- stitutional Club, India Building, Water Street, Liverpool, at 7.30 p.m. OIL AND COLOUR CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION:At the Institute of Chemistry, 30, Russell Square, London, W.C.l, at 7.30 p.m. 15th ANDERSONIAN (Glasgow): “Immuno-chemistry.”CHEMICALSOCIETY Professor C. H. BROWNING,F.R.S., at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 3 p.m. OF CHEMICALINDUSTRYSOCIETY (Glasgow Section, with Glasgow Section of Institute of Chemistry) : “Recent Advances in Tech- nical Chemistry.” Mr.J. CRAIK,at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 7.30 p.m. OF CHEMICALINDUSTRYSOCIETY : (Joint Meetingwith theInstitute of Chemistry South Wales Sections) : “Drikold.” Mr. F. HAYWOOD, at Central Hotel, High Street, Swansea, at 7 p.m. SOCIETYOF DYERSAND COLOURISTS(Manchester Section) : “Sul-phonated Fatty Alcohols.” Dr. A. F. KERTEES,at the Literary and Philosophical Society’s Rooms, 36, George Street, Manchester, at 7 p.m. 18th SOCIETYOF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY(Manchester Section, with Institution of the Rubber Industry and the Textile Institute) : “The Physico-Chemical Properties of Latex and their Significance in Manufacture.” Mr.A. W. MADGE, at the Engineers’ Club, 17, Albert Square, Manchester, at 7 p.m. INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Bristol and South-Western Counties OF Section): “Modern Trends in the Manufacture of SulphuricAcid.” Mr. W. A. DAMON. INSTITUTION INDUSTRYOF THE RUBBER : “The Coating and Impreg- nation of Fabrics and Textiles by Latex.” Dr. H. P. STEVENS and Mr. W. H. STEVENS,at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Storey’s Gate, London, S.W.l. OF19th INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Edinburgh and East of Scotland Section): Annual General Meeting, at North British Station Hotel, Edinburgh, at 7.15 p.m. SOCIETY (Edinburgh and East of ScotlandOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY Section): “Laundering.” Mr. A. P. MIERAS, at North British Station Hotel, Edinburgh, at 7.30 p.m.OF20th INSTITUTE CHEMISTRY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North-East Coast Section): “Modern Methods of Photography.”Dr. L. A. SAYCE. INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (London and South-Eastern Counties OF Section): Lecture by Professor J. F. THORPE, C.B.E., F.R.S., President, at the Institute of Chemistry, 30, Russell Square, London, W.C.l, at 7.30 p.m. 22nd INSTITUTION : Annual Corporate Meeting OF CHEMICALENGINEERS and Dinner. SOCIETY OF DYERSAND COLOURISTS(Scottish Section) : “Recent Chemical Developments in Wool Research.” Mr. J. CRAIK, at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 7.16 p.m. 468 February 23rd SWANSEATECHNICALCOLLEQE METALLURUICAL SOCIETY: “The Constitution of Basic Open Hearth Slags.” Dr. R. HIGGINS, at the Technical College, Swansea, at 6.45 p.m.27th ALCHEMISTS CLUB (Glasgow University) : “Dye Manufacture in Scotland.” Dr. R. F. THOMPSON,at the University, at 7.30p.m. March CHEMIC~~ANDEWONIAN SOCIETY,GLASGOW:“Some Stereo-chemical Problems.” Professor A. MCKENZIE, F.R.S., at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 3 p.m. INSTITUTEOF CHEMISTRY:Annual General Meeting, at the Institute of Chemistry, 30, Russell Square, London, W.C.l, at 8 p.m.INSTITUTECHEMISTRY (Aberdeen Section): r‘The Use ofOF Polarimetric Methods in Determining Constitutions and Reaction Mechanisms.” Dr. R. ROGER, at the Chemistry Department, Marischal College, Aberdeen, at 5.15 p.m. SOCIETYOF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY(Glasgow Section): Annual General Meeting, at Royal Technical College, Glasgow, at 6.30 p.m.SOCIETY (Manchester Section) : “ChemicalOF CHEMICALINDUSTRY Constitution and Physiological Action.” Dr. F. L. Pyman,F.R.S., at the Engineers’ Club, 17, Albert Square, Manchester, at 7 p.m. THEANNUALCHEMICALDINNERAND DANCEwas held at the Wharncliffe Rooms, Great Central Hotel, London, on 18th December, Brig.-General Sir Harold Hartley, C.B.E., F.R.S., presiding. Sir Bernard Spilsbury, the guest of the evening, proposed the toast of “Chemistry,” to which the Chairman replied. 469 General Notices. The Annual General Meeting of the Institute will be held at the Institute, on Friday, 1st March, 1935, at 8 p.m. Nomination of General Members of the Council.-Attention is directed to the By-laws relating to the nomination of Members of Council:-By-law 26.(1) Any twenty Members, not being Members of the Council, may nominate one eligible Fellow as a candidate for election as a General Member of the Council, but no Member shall nominate more than one such Fellow. (2) Any nomination made under this By-law shall be delivered to the Secretary six weeks at least before the Annual General Meeting, and shall be in the following form: “We, the undersigned, Members of the Institute of Chemistryof Great Britain and Ireland, do hereby certify that A.B., of (registered address) , a Fellow of this Institute, is, in OUT estimation, a fit and proper person to be a General Member of the Council of the Institute, and we do hereby nominate him as a Candidate for election as a General Member of the Council.” (3) Any such nomination may consist of several documents in like form, each signed by one or more Members.(The name of every candidate nominated in accordance with By-law 26 will be included in the Balloting List.) By-law 24 (2). No person who has been elected as a District Member of the Council for any year of Office shall be eligible for election as a General Member of the Council for that year of Office, and if such person is elected as President, Vice-president or Treasurer for that year of Office he shall vacate his Office as a District Member of the Council and the vacancy shall be filled up, as on a casual vacancy. The General Members of Council who retire at the next Annual General Meeting, 1st March, 1935,in accordance with the By-laws and are ineligible for re-election, are as follows:-Members of Council.Charles DorBe, M.A., D.Sc. Richard Henry Greaves, D.Sc. William Rintoul, O.B.E. Samuel Smiles, O.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S. Albert Watkins Maggs Wintle. Nominations for the new Council must be delivered at the Institute before 4.30 p.m. on 18th January, 1935. 470 District Members of Council.-The District Members of Council will be as follows:- Birmingham and Midlands : William Alexander Skeen Calder. Bristol and South-Western Counties : Ernest Vanstom, D.Sc. Liverpool and North-West Coast :William Roscoe Hardwick, B.Sc. London and South-East,ern Counties : Edward Burnhope Hughes, M.Sc.Manchester and District: Joseph Henry Lester, M.Sc. North-East Coast and Yorkshire : Arthur Ernest Everest, Ph.D., D.Sc. Edinburgh and East of Scotland: Adam Tait. Glasgow and West of Scotland: Forsyth James Wilson, Ph.D., D.Sc. Wales and the County of Monmouth: Herbert Ben Watson, D.Sc. Northern Ireland: William Honneyman, B.Sc., Ph.D. Irish Free State: Alfred Godfrey Gordon Leonard, B.Sc., Ph.D., A.R.C.Sc.1. The Overseas Dominions and elsewhere abroad : James Irvine Orme Masson, M.B.E., D.Sc. Examinations, 1935.-The arrangements for examinations after January, 1935, will be as follows:- FORTHE ASSOCIATESHIP. Dates of Examinations. Entries close. 1st to 6th April. 11th February, 1935. 16th to zIst September.8th July, 1935. FORTHE FELLOWSHIP. 8th to 13th April. 11th February, 1935. 23rd to 28th September. 8th July, 1935. For Candidates wishing to be examined in Branch G Industrial Chemistry, or desiring Special Examinations, in September, the list will close on 3rd June, 1935. Notice to Associates.-The Council desires to encourage all Associates to qualify for the Fellowship. Copies of the regulations and forms of application can be obtained from the Registrar. Appointments Register.-A Register of Fellows and Associates who are available for appointments, or are desirous of extending their opportunities, is kept at the offices of the Institute. For full information, inquiries should be addressed to the Registrar. Fellows and Associates are invited to notify the Institute of suitable vacancies for qualified chemists.Students who have been registered as Students of the Institute for not less than six months and are in the last term of their training for the Associateship, may receive the Appointments 471 Register of the Institute, provided that their applications for this privilege be endorsed by their professors. Lists of vacancies are forwarded twice weekly to those whose names are on the Appointments Register. Fellows and Associates who are already in employment, but seeking to improve their positions, are required to pay 10s. for a period of six months. Members and Students who are without employment are required to pay 6s. 6d. for the first period of six months, and, if not successful in obtaining an appointment, will thereafter be supplied with the lists gratis for a further period if necessary.The Institute also maintains a List of Laboratory Assistants who have passed approved Preliminary Examinations and, in some cases, Intermediate Science Examinations. Fellows and Associates who have vacancies for Registered Students or Laboratory Assistants are invited to communicate with the Registrar. The Library.-The Library of the Institute is open for the use of Fellows, Associates, and Registered Students between the hours of 10a.m. and 6 p.m. on week-days (Saturdays, 10a.m. and I p.m.), except when examinations are being held. The Library is primarily intended for the use of candidates during the Institute’s practical examinations.The comprehensive Library of the Chemical Society is available, by the courtesy of the Council of the Society, for the use of Fellows and Associates of the Institute wishing to consult or borrow books, from 10 a.m. to g p.m. on week-days (Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), except during August and the early part of September, when the hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registered Students of the Institute are also permitted, at present, to use the Library of the Chemical Society for reference purposes, but not to borrow books. Members and Students of the Institute using the Library of the Society are required to conform to the rules of the Society regarding the use of its books. The Institute has entered into an arrangement with The Science Library, Science Museum, South Kensington, S.W.7, whereby books may be borrowed on production of requisitions signed by the Registrar or the Assistant Secretary. Regulations for the loan of books will be found in JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, Part V, 1934,page 386, or may be obtained from the Registrar.Boots Booklovers’ Library.-Fellows and Associates who desire to take advantage of the special arrangements made with 472 Boots Booklovers’ Library are reminded that forms can be obtained on application to the Registrar. Covers for Journal.-Members who desire covers (IS. zd. each) for binding the Journal in annual volumes, are requested to notify the Registrar of their requirements, indicating the years for which the covers are required.Arrangements may be made with Messrs. A. W. Bain & Co., Ltd., 17-19,Bishop’s Road, Cambridge Heath, London, E.2, to bind volumes of the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGSon the following terms: buckram cover, IS. zd.; binding, 2s. gd.; postage and packing, gd. ;in all, 4s. 8d. Lantern Slides for Lecturers.-A collection of slides is kept at the Institute for the use of members who wish to give lectures. Enquiries should be addressed to the Registrar. As the slides are frequently in demand, members are requested to notify their requirements at least 14 days before the date on which the slides are to be used. Changes of Address.-In view of the expense involved through frequent alterations of addressograph plates, etc., Fellows, Associates, and Registered Students who wish to notify changes of address are requested to give, so far as possible, their 9errnanent addresses for registration.The Chemical Club.-The Chemical Club provides a pleasant and useful social centre for gentlemen engaged in, or con- nected with, the profession of chemistry or chemical industry. The Club is conveniently situated in Westminster, and in addition to the usual restaurant, billiard and card rooms, bedroom accommodation is available on the premises of Whitehall Court. The attention of members resident in the provinces is par- ticularly directed to the usefulness of the Club to those who visit London on business. The annual subscription is very low for a Club of this kind, being, for town members &4 4s., for country members (those having no residence or place of business within 20 miles of Charing Cross) fI2 112s.6d., and for Overseas members EI IS. Candidates for membership must be proposed by one and seconded by two members of the Club who know them personally. Full particulars and forms of application can be obtained from the Secretary, Chemical Club, 2, Whitehall Court, London, S.W.1, or from the Assistant Secretary of the Institute. 473 ATTENDANCES AT MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMITTEES, 1sT MARCH TO 15~~DECEMBER, 1934. Council Council in Committees Committee n 0)& 3e2 ll7 J. F. Thorpe, Pres. . . .. .. .. 7 0 27 19 W. J. A. Butterfield, V.-P. .. ..9 7 5 5 1 Sir G. C. Clayton, V.-P. .. .. .. 1 0 1 0 A. E. D~tan,V.-P. .. .. .. 4 2 13 4 F. G. Edmed, V.-P. .. .. .. 7 7 3 3 H. H. Hodgson, V.-P. .. .. .. 9 7 18 18 1 W. H. Roberts, V.-P. .. .. *. 7 4 1 0 P. H. Kirkaldy, Hon. Treas. .. .. 7 5 26 22 6 F. S.Aumonier . . .. .. .. 9 7 13 13 2 C. 0. Bannister .. .. .. .. 6 0 5 0 J. C. A. Brierley . . .. .. .. 2 1 4 0 Robert Bruce .. .. .. .. 1 1 5 0 T. Cellan .. 2 2 1 0 The late R. M. Cavin (diedJuly,'i934) . . 1* O* * 2 0 F. D. Chattaway .. .. .. .. 8 4 0 0 H.E. Cox .. .. .. .. .. 5 4 0 0 5 H. W. Cremer .. .. ,. .. 8 6 1 0 1 C. Dor6e .. .. .. .. .. 3 4 5 0 3 H. D. Elkington . . .. .. .. 9 7 0 0 2 G. D. Elsdon .. .. .. .. 2 1 1 0 John Evans .. .. .. .. .. 5 1 0 0 A. E. Everest .. .. .. ..7 7 18 12 L. Eynon .. .. .. .. .. 9 7 20 18 4 P. F. Gordon .. .. .. .. 6 2 6 1 R. H. Greaves .. ,. .. .. 3 6 0 0 2 W. R. Hardwick .. .. .. .. 5 4 13 7 .IG. E. Holden .. .. .. 2 2 0 0 R. H. Hopkins .. ,. ,. .. 3 2 2 0 E. B. Hughes . . .. .. .. 4 3 13 8 J. R. Johnson .. .. .. .. 8 3 4 1 J. G. King .. .. .. .. .. 4 1 0 0 1 L. H. Lampitt .. .. .. .. 4 4 1 0 1 A. G. G. Leonard .. .. ,. .. 1 2 4 0 J. H. Lester .. .. .. .. 0 1 4 0 H. Levinstein ,. .. .. .. 5 6 1 0 1 D. J. Lloyd .. .. .. .. .. 4 6 2 1 1 J. Macleod (from Nov., 1934) .. .. 0 1 0 0 J. I. 0. Masson (from May, 1934) .. 1tt 0 0 C. A. Mitchell .. .. .. .. "st 5 4 2 3 T. F. E. Rhead .. .. .. .. 3 2 4 1 W. Rintoul .. .. .. .. .. 3 0 1 0 R. Robinson.. .. .. .. .. 6 0 7 0 S. Smiles . . .... .. .. 6 4 1 0 F. Southerden .. .. .. .. 7 2 4 0 E. Vanstone .. .. .. .. 9 5 4 0 W. Wardlaw .. .. .. .. 4 2 22 1 H. B. Watson .. .. .. .. 6 2 4 0 A. W. M. Wintle .. .. .. .. 9 7 17 17* Of a possible 4. ** Of a possible 3.t Of a possibls 7, it Of a possible 6. LOCAL SECTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE Sections. Hon. Secretaries. Aberdeen and North of R. Craven, B.Sc., A.R.C.S., A.I.C., 2, Scotland : Richmondhill Gardens, Aberdeen. Birmingham and Midlands : Garfield Thomas, M.Sc., A.I.C., 38, Kelmscott Road, Harborne, Birmingham. Bristol and South-Western E. Lewis, hl.I.Chem.E., F.I.C., 22, UpperCounties : Cranbrook Road, Redland, Bristol, 6. Cape of Good Hope : Dr. William Pugh, B.Sc., F.I.C., The University, Cape Town. Edinburgh and East of G. Elliot Dodds, A.H.W.C., A.I.C., 30, Castle Scotland : Avenue, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, 12.Glasgow and West of A. R. Jamieson, B.Sc., F.I.C., 20, Trongate,Scotland : Glasgow, C. 1. Huddersfield : Dr. R. J. Connor, A.I.C., 120, Long Lane, Dalton, Huddersfiold. India : G. Watson Douglas, B.Sc., A.I.C., The State Laboratory, Bhopal, Central India. Ireland (Belfast) : C. S. McDowell, B.Sc., A.I.C., 19, Harberton Avenue, Belfast. ,, (Dublin): Dr. A. G. G. Leonard, F.I.C., 18, BelgraveRoad, Dublin. Lee& Area : Dr. H. Burton, M.Sc., F.I.C., The University, Leeds. Liverpool ant1 North- Glynne ItT.13oaumont, F.I.C., The Harbour- Western : master’s Old House, Liverpool. London and South-Eastern Mark Bogod,A.R.C.S., F.I.C.,c/o The Institute Counties : of Chemistry, 30, Russell Square, London, W.C.1. Malaya : J. F. Clark, RI.Sc., A.R.C.S., F.I.C., Analyst’s Department, Municipality, Singapore,Straits Settlements. Manchester and District : Dr. Albert Coulthard, F.I.C., 136, Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury, Manchester. Newcastle-on-Tyne and Ur. \V. I<;. Scott, J\l.Sc., A.I.C., Itossie House, North-East Coast: Canning Street, Hobburn-on-Tyne. New Zealand: Philip TVhite, B.Sc., A.R.C.S., F.I.C., Dominion Laboratory, Wellington, C. 1, Kew Zealand. South Wales : R. H. Jones, F.I.C., Glen View, Cae Bryn Avenue, Sketty Green, Swansea. ADVERTISEMENTS. JOURNAL PROCEEDINGS.-The terms for advertisements in the AND Journal and Proceedings of the Institute can be obtained on application to the Registrar. Advertisements are subject to the approval of the Publications Committee.No Commission is allowed to Agents. The circulation is over 7600--chiefly to analytical, consulting and technological chemists, professors and teachers of chemistry, and to University and Institution Libraries. The advertisement pages are offered especially to manufacturers of laboratory glassware, porcelain and silica ware, of filter paper, chemical and physical apparatus, balances, microscopes, and laboratory require- ments generally; also to publishers of scientific books and to booksellerq.