ABSTRACTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. No, 29. Session 1885-86. December 2nd, 1886. W. Perkin, Esq., Ph.D., F.R.S., Vice-president, in the Chair, Mr. Forbes Riokard was formaliv admitted a Fellow of the Society. Certificates were read for the first time in favour of Messrs. Arthur Henry Downes, M.D., Chelmsford, Essex ; George Arthur Goyder, Hawkers Road, Adelaide, Australia ;E. Hori, 88, King Henry’s Road, Chalk Farm, N.W.; Thomas Bnrdon Keay, 85, Herrington Street, Sunderland ; Charles E. Sohn, jun., 25, Beverley Road, Anerley ; James Pim Strangman, Sarno, Proyince of Salerno, Italy ; Jokichi Takamine, Department of Agricultuie and Commerce, Tokio. The following were elected Fellows of the Society :--Messrs. James A, Audley, Chichester A.Bell, B.A., M.B., John Williams Bevan, Cuthbert Robert Blackett, William B. Bottomleg, Ebenezer John Cox, John Fuller, Alexander Galt, Thomas Forest Garwin, Sydney Joseph Harris, George Crompton Holt, H. E. Kirby, Henry A, B. Leissner, James B. L. Mackay, Hugh O’Donoghue Nacan, B.A., James B. Nackintosh, Edward Lloyd Marks, N. A. F. Moos, Herbert Pickington, L. S. M. Pyke, Edwin Qnayle, James Schleselman, Harry Silvester, Arthur Turner, Alfred Hughes Twining, William Walker, jun,, Reginald Williams. The following papers wero read :-107. “Bismuthates.” By M. M. Pattison Muir and Douglas J. Carnegie. The authors have attempted to isolate definite compounds of Bi,O,, or BizOl, with KzO,but without success. They find that very long 254 continued washing with hot water is required to remove all the potash from the solid products of the reaction between BiOsH, or BiOCl, very concentrated potash solution and chlorine.They show that BizO5*xRz0dissolves in about 100times its weight of a boiling solution of KOH in a little water, and that yellowish-white solids are obtained by nearly neutralising this solution ; that these solids may be washed free from potash by boiling water, and that tlhe residual bodies then contain more oxygen than BiZ03,and nearly approach the composition Bi,O,. They conclude that Bi205*.xHz0 exhibits feebly acidic functions in its reaction with a large mass of very concentrated potash solution ; that under these conditions compounds of the form aBi2O5yKZ0(or perhaps mBi20a.yK,0)are probably formed, but thst such compounds (:an only exist, if at all, in presence of large quantities of potash. The authors give reasons for regarding the formula? given by C.Hoffmann (Anna7eu, 223,110) to so-called potassium bismuthatos as of little if any value. 108. " The Action of Inorgsnic Compounds on Living Matter." By James Blake, 1T.D. The reaciions taking place between living matter and inorganic compounds have been investigated by introducing solutions of the substances directly into the veins and arteries of living animals. The action of compounds of more than forty of the elements have been investigated, and the following conclusions have been arrived at :-1st. That the action of these substances on living matter Is deter-mined by the electropositive element.2nd. That their general biolo- gical action is connected with their isomorphous relations, substances in the same isomorphous group causing the same biological reactions. 3rd. That in the same isomorphous group the intensity of biological action is determined by the atomic weight, the greater the atomio weight the smaller the quantity required to cause the same amount! of biological action. The nature of these reactions is at present undetermined. They most probably are due to contact reactions. 11IscuPSION. Mr. LLOYDasked whether Dr. Blake had experimented on vegetable matter, and if so, had he obtained similar results? Potash salts appeared to have an action altogether different from that of other members of the group; and it was known also that they affected plants in a special manner.Dr. STEVENSONsaid that the subject of the communication was one of great interest, but beset with difficulties. Isomorphous substances oft'en acted very differently upon the animal body, as for instance in the cases of sodium chloride and potassium iodide. Nor would the differences in the atomic: weights of potassium and sodium account for the numerous difEerences in the toxic properties of their salts. Zinc sulphate and ferrous sulphete are isomoi*phous, but their physiological actions differ gyeatly. The magnesium group of nietals were asserted by the author to act upon the vomiting nervous centre, but whilst this might be conceded as true of zinc and cadmium salts, magnesium salts were not usually regarded as emetics.We know so little of the molecular constitution of hodies in solution, that it was hazardous to reason from the isomorphism of solids to tlieir analogies when in solution. Dr. LAUDELL regarded L)r. Blake as a, pioneel. in the field ofUuuiu~io~ pharmacology, and thought his paper interesting and instructive. The conclusions were, however, rather too general, and the exceptioi;s deserving of more attention than Dr. Blake had given them. Thxs the action of the chloride, bromide and iodide of sodium is deteriuinccl rather by the electronegative thm by the electropositive element, and this is still more the case with the nitrites, all of which, both organic and inorganic, cause dilatation of the blood-vessels.The first-named salts also differ in action, although isomorphous. Agaiii the toxic power of elements does not rise regularly with their atomic weight, for sodium is less toxic than lithium ;but potassium, though more toxic than sodium, is less so than rubidium. The body as a whole is a too complicated reagent, and instead of tryiiig to arrange substances according to their lethal action on the body, a better result would be obtained, he thought, by investigating the effect of different substances on the constituent parts of the body, such asmuscle, nerve, and nerve-centre. Dr. BLAKE,in reply to a question by Mr. Newlands, stated that hc: lid not experimented on the therapeutic action of boracic acid.He had never before heard of the fact mentioned by Mr. Lloyd, that potash salts exercised an abnormal action on living vegetable matter. The observation was interesting, as of all the substances experimented with the potash salts were the only ones whose biological action was not in agreement with their isomorphous relations. This fact, however, cannot be regarded as an argument against his deduction that analo- gous actions were produced by isomorphous compounds, which was based upon the results of the examination of the biological action of forty-two other elements, potash salts forming in fact the only excep- tion. The statement made by Dr. Stevenson, that the broniides, iodides and chlorides of the same base differed in their physiological action, was a mistake, founded on imperfect methods of experimenting. His own experiments, as well as those of other observers, had shown that such was not tlie caw.'l'lie remark by Dr. Erunton as to nitrous acid modifying the biological action of the base was undoubtedly true ;pyrophosphoric and pyrovanadic acids also exerted a modifying influence, but he had shown that the sulphates, nitrates, phosphates, arseniates, carbonates, acetates, chlorides, iodides and bromides of the same base caused the same biological reactions when introduced directly into the blood. To the remark of Dr. Stevenson that it was extremely improbable that compounds of such different elements as are contained in the scme isomorphous group Rhould cause the same reactions on the various organs, the speaker would only say that, however improbable such a fact might appear, yet experiment had clearly proved that such was the case.As an example that such was the case the action of the salts on the magnesium group was referred to, all of which act on the heart, on the vomiting centre, on the spinal cord and! on the blood, in cxactly the same manner. 109. “Morindin and Moyindon.” By T’. E. Thorpe, F.R.S., aiid T. H. Greenall. Morindin was discovered by Anderson in the Swangi, the roots of Morinda citrifolia, which are extensively used in India as a dye-stuff, more especially for dyeing reds, purples and chocolates. The sub- stance occurs mainly in the root bark, and can be extracted by treat- ment with dilute alcohol, from which it crystalliaes in lustrous sulphur-yellow prisms.According to Anderson it has the formula CzsH30O15. On heating in closed tubes it is decomposed, and yields a sublimate of Morindon, crystallising in long red needle-shaped crystals, to which Anderson assigned t’he formula C,,H~,O,,. According to Iltochleder and Stenhouse morindin is identical with ruberythric acid, C2,H2,01a,and hence morindon is alizarin. Stein (J. y~.Clzem., 97, 234) has, however, pointed out several facts which are inconsistent with this supposition. Morindin, like ruberythric acid, is a glucoside, but the product which it yields 011 hydrolysis, in addition to glucose, is not alizarin.The authors have examined this question, and in the main their results agree with those of Stein. They extracted morindin from the roots of Borinda cifrifolia,for a sample of which they are indebted to the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, and have compared its pro- perties with those of ruberythric acid, obtained through the kindness of Dr. Schunk. The two substances are not identical, and they behave very differently on hydrolysis. Morindin gives with sulphuric acid, ferric chloride, and on treatment with nitric acid perfectly different reactions from those afforded by alizarin. The analytical numbers obtained for morindin agree closely with those of Anderson; 257 those obtained for morindon indicate that it is probably trihydroxy- methylanthraquinone.The quantity of the two products at the disposal of the authors was insufficient to definitely settle the consti- tution of the substances. Through the kindness of Mr. Wardle, of Leek, they have obtained a large supply of M. citrifolia, and also of 31. tinetoria, and a further communication on the subject is promised. DISCUSSION. Mr. GROVESsaid that he had assisted Dr. Stenhohse in the investi- gation referred to ; it was not certain whether the species of Morinda examined was eitrifo Zia or tinctoriu. Also it was important to remem- ber that a particular constituent might occur in a plant on one occft- sion and be absent in another sample, grown perhaps under somewhat different conditions. Thus Dr.Stenhouse had discovered Mzmjistin in the sample of munjeet he originally examined, but had alto- gether failed to find it subsequently in another sample, which, instead, contained another substance. 110. “The Hydration of Salts: Cadmium Chloride.” By S. U. Pickering. Dr. Nicol has laid considerable weight (Chenz. News, 54,191) upon the fact that Thomsen (Thermockem., 3,201) has found the heat of hydration of cadmium chloride to be a negative quantity. This being the only inorganic salt which has a negative heat of hydration, the author has repeated Thornsen’s work. Two samples were prepared of anhydrous salt, one at 200” C., and the other fused ;they both gave numbers practically identical with that obtained by Thomsen, at 18”, -3011 cal.The hydrated salt also gave a number very nearly the same as Thornsen’s, -760 cal., but was found to be a monohydrate instead of a dihydrate. Thomsen, therefore, in describing the salt used by him as containing 2H20,has evidently made some error. The monohydrate is obtained upon evaporating a hot solution, and the dihydrate from a cold solution only. The dihydrate gives -2284cal. on dissolution, and hence the heat of hydration of the salt is CdCI,*H,O (solid) = 1092 cal., and CdC12*2H20 (solid) = 2421 cal. 111. “The Decompositiou of Sodium Carbonate on Fusion.” By S. U. Piokering. The author has investigated sodium carbonate in the manner in which he investigated sodium sulphahe (Chem. Xoc. Trans., 1884, 686), with a view to asertain whether the discrepancies in the numbers given for its heat of dissolutiori could be accounted for by its 258 existeiice in two modifications, as in the case of the sulphate.All specimens dehydrated at temperatures below the fusing point of the salt gave identical numbers, but the fused salt gave a result 200 cal. higher ; this was traced to the decomposition of the carbonate : for on exposure to carbon dioxide that gas was absorbed, and the salt then gave a heat of dissolution 600 cal. less than the normal, owing to the formation of some of the acid carbonate, the necessary hydrogen having been derived from atmospheric moisture absorbed by the decomposed carbonate during its preparation. The amount of car-bonate decomposed on simple fusion was about 3per cent, 112.".Derivatives of Tolylbenzene." By Thomas Carnelley, D.Sc. (Lond.) and Andrew Thomson, D.Sc. (Edin.) . The prepamtion and properties of the following compounds are described :-1. a-Monobromotolylbenzene, C,13:,*C,H3Br*CH,= 1 : (2 or 3): 4, m. p. 127-129". 2. P-Monobromotolylbenzene, C6H,Br*C,H4.CH,= 1 : 4-1 : 4, m. 11. 27-30". 3. P-Monobromophenylbenzoic acid, CsH4Br*C,H,*COOH = 1: 4-1 : 4, m. p. 193-194". 4. a-Dibromotolylbenzene, CfiH4Br*C,H,Br.CH3 = 1 :4-1: (2 or 3) :4, m. p. 113-115". 5. a-Bromophenylbromobenzoicacid, C,H4Br*C,H3Br.COOH =1:4-1 : (2 or 3) : 4,m. p. 202-204'. : 46. 6-Dibromotolylbenzene, CfiH4Br*C6H3Br*CH,=1 -1:(3 or 2) :4, m. p. 148-150". 7. p-Bromophenylbromobenzoicacid, C,H,Br.C,H,Br.COOH = 1 :4 -1 : (3 or 2) : 4, m.p.231-232". Terephthalic acid was obtained as the final oxidation product of a-monobromoditolyl benzene, and parabromobenzoic acid as the final oxidation product of p-monobxmotolylbenzene and of a-and 6-di-bromot olyl benzene. The two bromophenylbromobenzoic acids, melting respectively at 202-204' and 231-232", are isomeric and not identical with the dibromophenylbenzoic acid described by Hohn (Ber., 16, 1082) since his acid was obtained from P-dibromofluorene ketone, and is therefore a derivative of 1 :2 phenylbenzoic acid, whereas both our acids are derived from 1:4 phenylbenzoic acid. 11 3. " The Amount of Chlorine in Rain-water collected at Ciren-cester." By Edward Kinch, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.Determinations of chlorine in the rain-water collected in a small 5-inch rain gauge, at the Royal Agricultural College, 443 feet above 259 the mean sea-level, have been made continuously since 1870. The rain collected during the six months April to September is kept apart from that of the six winter months October to March; the chlorine is determined in tlie mixed wate1.s of each six months. The amount of chlorides in the rain is nearly always greater in the winter months than in the summer months. An abnormal amount of chlorides can generally be traced to storms from the south-west bringing salt spray from the Bristol Channel, about 35 rniles dis- tant. Crystals of common salt have beon found after such storms on the windows of tlie College facing west.On one occasion, in September, 1869, Professor Church found chlorine equivalent to 6.71 grains of common salt per gallon in storni-water. The rain collected during the winter six months, 1872-3, contained an abnormally large amount of chlorine ; excluding this period the yearly averages for 16 years, 1870-1885, for the 12 years 1874-1885-86, also the means of the last 12 summer periods and 12 winter periods are- Rainfall in inches. Chlorine per million. Equivalent to NaCl per acre. -___I-- Mean of 12 summer periods to 1885...................... 17-04 3 *14 19 *91 Mean of 12 winter periods to 1885-86 .................. 17 -65 3 '58 23-56 Average for 16 years (excluding Average for 12 years to March, 1886...................... winter 1872-73). ........... 33 *31 34 %9 3 -25 3.36 40 '33 4.3 '4'7 Lawes, Gilbert and Warington have found in the ~ain collected at Rothamsted, as a mean of six years monthly determinations, 1.99 of chlorine per million, with a mean rainfail of 33.15 inches, equivalent to 24.59 lbs. of common salt per acre. They found the amount of chlorides in the summer months to be less than one-half that of the winter months. 114. " Some Analogous Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates." By John A. Hall, Student in the Laboratory of Owens College. The author describes a number of phosphates and arsenates corresponding to bhe vaiiadates previously described by H, Baker* (Trans., 1885, 353) ; the salts of which an account is given are the following :- Na,AsOg*10H20, Regular.Na3V04*7H2O Na3P04*7H,0 Na3As04*4+H20. 115. “ Agricultural Expel-iments with Iron Sulphate as aRillauure during 1886.” By A. B. GrifEiths, Ph.D. The author and others have grown various crops with iron sul-plzate. Mr. Barlow (Oak Lane Farm, Whitefield, Manchester) after treating a plot of land of 7J acre with 14 lbs. FeS04, obtained 5287 lbs. of potatoes, while a similar plot without sulphate only yielded 4891 lbs. Mr. J. J. Hunter (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) states that he obtained a crop of turnips grown with FeS04 as good as a similar crop grou n with guano and dissolved bones ; he states “ it will be far cheaper to use copperas.” The author has tested the value of FeSOc us a manure for hay.Taking two plots of land of the same size, one manured with FeS04 gave 6962 lbs. of hay (dry) while,the other uot so nianured gave only 3496 lbs. Mr. Barlow has found that iron sulphate is a good manure for onions. The author has grown mangel-wurzel crops with the ordinary artificial manures and top-dressing of nitrate of soda. Two plots were taken of the same size and treated alike as far as artiiicial manures, quantity of seed used, &c. One plot was dressed with cwt. JleS04 to the acre. This plot yielded 32 tons of roots; and the other plot (which was treated precisely in the same way, .IIL~~Sthe FeX04) gave 26 tons of 1*uots. The author liss growii for tlic: tliird time bean crops. The land manured with FeSOg yielded 50 bushels of grain, while the other crop (not manured with PeSOJ gave 30 bushels of grain.He also finds that iron sulphate is a good manure for palms and india-rubber trees. He recommends f cwt. of PeSOI per acre as a top-dressing. The iron sulphate has: proved to be an antiseptic agent of great value for parasitic micro-organisms. The paper shows that FeS04 is apparently a better manure (for certain crops at least) than kainite. With a top-dressing of 6cwt. of FeS04, the author obtained 9 tons potato tubers; and with 2 cwts. of kainite as a top-dressing only 6 tons of tubers, In all crops grows with FeS04, the albuminoids and soluble carbohydrates are increased. Concerning the ashes of the plants, it is found that when the iron mannre has been used, the ferric and phosphoric oxides are increased, arid the potash decreased, in the ashes of all crops.ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. I. Donations. Statistical Society. Catalogue of f;he Library and Index : London, 1884. Descriptive Catalogues of a Collection of Economic Minerals of Canada in the Indian and Colonial Museum : London, 1886: from Geol. Survey of Canada. Annual Report of the Departmeut of 'Mines, N.S.W., for the year 1885: Sydney 1886 : from the Department. Life and Labours of John Mercer: by E. A. Parnell: London, 1886. from the Author, Notice sur 10s Instruments enregistreuw construits par R. Prdres. The Chemistry of the Farm: by R. Warington : 4th ed. : London, 1886: from the Author, Report of the Board of Governors of the Public Library, Museum, a,nd Art Gallery of South Australia, : Adelaide, 1886 : from the Board.Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical Society : Birmingham, 1885-1886 : from the Society. Results of Experiments at R'othamsted on the Growth of Barley: by J. H. Gilbert, F.R.S. : from the Author, Method of Analysis of Commercial Fertilisers : Washington, 1886. from C. Harrison. Commercial Organic Analysis : by A. H. Allen : vol. ii ; 2nd edition : from the Author. 11. By Purchase. Lectures on the Physiology of Plants : by G. H. Vines : Cambridge, 1886. Food Grains of India: By A. H. Church : London, 1886. Tables to Facilitate Chemical Calculations : by W. Ditkmar : Glasgow, 1885. RESEARCH FUND. A meeting of the Research Fund Committee will be held in December. Fellows desiring grants me rcqnested to make a,ppli-cation before December lltjll. 262 At the next meeting, on December 18th, the following Pstpers wil1 be read:-‘(Researches on the Constitution of ‘Azo-and Diazo-derivatives,’ I. Diazoamido-compounds,” By R. Meldola, F.R.S., and P. W, Streatfeild. “ The Influence of Silicon OQ the Prapertieq of Iron and Steel.” By Thomw Turner. IZARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY, ST.MARTIN’S LANE.