THE INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. FOUNDED 1877. INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER, 1885. JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 1932. PART 11. Issued under the supervision of the Publications Commit tee. RTCHARD B. PILCHER, Registrar and Secretary. 30, RUSSELLSQUARE, W.C. I.LONDON, April, Ig32. Publications Committee, 1932-33, LEWIS EYNON (Chairman), G. C. CLAYTON (President), 0. L. BRADY, J. C. A. BRIERLEY, H. V. A. BRISCOE, R. BRUCE, W. F. BUIST, W. J. A. BUTTERFIELD, R. M. CAVEN, F. D. CHATTAWAY, A. COULTHARD, W. R. FEARON, P. F. GORDON, I. M. HEILBRON, H. H. HODGSON, J. R. JOHNSON, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY (Hon. Treasurer), D. JORDAN LLOYD, H. M. MASON, W. D. ROGERS, E. RUSSELL. Offlcers and Members of Council, 1932-33.PRESIDENT : GEORGE CHRISTOPHER CLAYTON, C.B.E., PH.D., M.P. VICE-PRESIDENTS : FREDERICK DANIEL CHATTAWAY, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S. LEWIS EYNON, B.Sc. GEORGE GERALD HENDERSON, D.Sc., F.R.S. EDWARD HINKS, M.B.E., B.Sc. BERNARD FARMBOROUGH HOWARD. ARTHUR SMITHELLS, C.M.G., D.Sc., F.R.S. HONORARY TREASURER : PATRICK HENRY KIRKALDY. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL: OSCAR LISLE BRADY, B.A., D.Sc. :LONDON. JESSE CARL ALBERT BRIERLEY, M.Sc. : NORTHERNIRELAND. HENRY VINCENT AIRD BRISCOE, D.Sc., A.R.C.S. :NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. ROBERT BRUCE, N.C.: EDINBURGHAND EASTOF SCOTLAND. WALTER FERGUSON BUIST, B.Sc. : LIVERPOOLAND NORTH-WEST COAST. WILLIAM JOHN ATKINSON BUTTERFIELD, M.A. : LONDON. ROBERT MARTIN CAVEN, D.Sc.: GLASGOW. NORMAN MEDERSON COMBER, D.Sc., A.R.C.S. :LEEDS. ALBERT COULTHARD, PH.D. : MANCHESTER. CECIL HENRY DESCB, D.Sc., F.R.S. : LONDON. CHARLES DORfiE, &LA., D.Sc.: LONDON. ALBERT EDWARD DUNSTAN, D.Sc. : LONDON. FRANK GEORGE EDMED, O.B.E., B.Sc., A.R.C.S. : PORTSMOUTH. WILLIAM ROBERT FEARON, M.A., Sc.D.: IRISHFREESTATE. ARTHUR GEORGE FRANCIS, B.Sc. : LONDON. PETER FERGUSON GORDON, PH.D. :GLASGOWAND WESTOF SCOTLAND. RICHARD HENRY GREAVES, D.Sc. : LONDON. ISIDOR MORRIS HEILBRON, D.S.O., D.Sc., F.R.S.: LIVERPOOL. HENLEY, THE RT. HON. FRANCIS ROBERT, LORD, &LA.: RUGBY. LEONARD ERIC HINKEL, D.Sc.: WALES AND THX COUNTYOF MONMOWTH. HERBERT HENRY HODGSON, M.A., B.Sc., PH.D. : HUDDERSFIELD. JOSEPH ROBERT JOHNSON : BIRMINGHAMAND MIDLANDS.GEORGE KING, M.Sc. : BIRMINGHAM. PERCY LEWIS-DALE, P1r.D. : CREWE. DOROTHY JORDAN LLOYD, M.A., D.Sc. :LONDON. HARRY MALKIN MASON, M.Sc. :NORTH-EASTCOASTAND YORKSHIRE. WILLIAM JOHNSON SMITH NAUNTON, M.A., PH.D. : MANCHESTER. GEORGE HENRY PERRY, O.B.E., B.Sc., A.R.C.S.: LONDON. ERIC KEIGHTLEY RIDEAL, M.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S. : CAMBRIDGE. BERT PD SEY RIDGE, PH.D.: MANCHESTER. WIILLIAM RINTOUL, O.B.E. :ARDROSSAN. WILLIAM HENRY ROBERTS, M.Sc. : LIVERPOOL. WILLIAM DAVID ROGERS, B.Sc.,A.R.C.S. :MANCHESTERANDDISTRICT. EDWARD RUSSELL, B.Sc. : BRISTOL COUNTIES.AND SOUTH-WESTERN SAMUEL SMILES, O.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S.: LONDON. GEORGE STUBBS, O.B.E. :LONDON COUNTIES.AND SOUTH-EASTERN JOCELYN FIELD THORPE, C.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S.: LONDON. EDWARD JOHN WAY: THE OVERSEASDOMINIONSAND ELSEWHERE: ABROAD.JOHN WEIR, M.A., B.Sc., PH.D.: ARDROSSAN. so DATES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS: 1932: APRIL 22~~ & 29~~. 1932: NOVEMBER 18~~. MAY 27~~. DECEMBER 16~~. JUNE 17~~. 1933: JANUARY 20TH & 27~~. JULY 22ND. FEBRUARY 17~~. OCTOBER 21s~. CENSORS: 1932-1933 THE PRESIDENT, EX-OFFICIO. ALFRED CHASTON CHAPMAN, F.R.S., GEORGE GERALD HEN- DERSON, LL.D., F.R.S., SIR HERBERT JACKSON, K.B.E., F.R.S., ARTHUR SMITHELLS, C.M.G., D.Sc., F.R.S. Committees for 1932-33. Chairman* FINANCE AND HOUSE COMMITTEE : THE PRESIDENT, WITH 0. L. BRADY, A. E. DUNSTAN, L. EYNON, A. G. FRANCIS, H. H. HODGSON, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY,* G. H. PERRY, G. STUBBS, AND J.F. THORPE. LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE : THE PRESIDENT,* WITH CHARLES DORfiE, A. E. DUNSTAN, F. G. EDMED, I. M. HEILBRON, LORD HENLEY, B. F. HOWARD, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY, P. LEWIS-DALE, G. H. PERRY,B. P. RIDGE, W. H. ROBERTS, E. RUSSELL, AND G. STUBBS. NOMINATIONS, EXAMINATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS COMMITTEE : THE PRESIDENT* AND COUNCIL IN COMMITTEE. (VICE-CHAIRMAN:PATRICK H. KIRKALDY.) PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE : THE PRESIDENT, WITH 0. L. BRADY, J. C. A. BRIERLEY, H. V. A. BRISCOE, R. BRUCE, W. F. BUIST, W. J. A. BUTTERFIELD,R.M. CAVEN, F. D. CHATTAWAY,A. COULTHARD, L. EYNON,* W. R. FEARON, P. F. GORDON, I. M. HEILBRON, H. H. HODG-SON, J. R. JOHNSON, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY, D. JORDAN LLOYD, H. M. MASON, W. D. ROGERS, AND E.RUSSELL. 81 SPECIAL COMMITTEES. BENEVOLENT FUND COMMITTEE: THE PRESIDENT, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY (HoN. TREASURER), * THEFINANCE AND HOUSE COMMITTEE, WITH T. COCKBURN (GLASGOW),H. G. COLMAN, A. COULTHARD (MANCELESTER), W. H. GIBSON (N. IRELAND), E. 31. HAWKINS, W. McD. MACKEY (LEEDS),C. PROCTOR, G. RUDD THOMPSON (SOUTH WALES), AND A. W. M. WINTLE (BRISTOL). (In the case of Section rspresentatives, the names of their respective towns or districts are inserted.) PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE: THE PRESIDENT, WITH F. W. F. ARNAUD, F. D. CHATTAWAY, H. E. COX, C. H. CRIBB, CHARLES DORaE, B. DYER, F. G. EDMED, A. V. ELSDEN, G. D. ELSDON, A. G. FRANCIS, R. H. GREAVES, ERNEST M. HAWKINS, E. HINKS,* H. H. HODGSON, L. H. LAMPITT, S.E. MELLING, A. MORE, WM. PARTRIDGE, G. H. PERRY, W. H. ROBERTS, G. STUBBS, J. F. TOCHER, J. A. VOELCKER, AND E. J. WAY. PEDLER FUND CQMMITTEE : TEE PRESIDENT,* PATRICK H. KIRKALDY (VICE-CHAIRMAN), WITH E. R. BOLTON, Ir. v. A. BRISCOE, H. G. COLMAN, CHARLES DORGE, G. D. ELSDON, J. J. FOX, C. S. GIBSON, G. G. HEN-DERSON, E. MINKS, L. H. LAMPITT, MISS D. JORDAN LLOYD, T. MACARA, T. SLATER PRICE, F. L. PYMAN, E. K. RIDEAL, S. SMILES, J. F. THORPE, AND F. J.WILSON. APPOINTMENTS REGISTER COMMITTEE : TEE PRESIDENT, WITH E. It. BOLTON, 0. L. BRADY, F. G. EDMED, L. EYNON, P. F. GORDON, H. H. HODGSON, B. F. HOWARD,* G. KING, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY, AND D. JORDAN LLOYD. JOINT COMMITTEE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INSTITUTE AND OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION: TEEPRESIDENT,*WITH H.V. A. BRISCOE, J. E. COATES, L. EYNON, E. M. HAWKINS, J. HAWTHORNE, G. G. HENDERSON, PATRICK H. KIRKALDY, G. T. MORGAN, R. H. PICKARD, T. SLATER PRICE, AND A. SMITHELLS. JOINT COMMITTEE WITH SCOTTISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT : THEPRESIDENT, WITH R. BRUCE, R. M. CAVEN, P. F. GORDON, F. W. HARRIS, G. G. HENDERSON, N. PICTON, T. SLATER PRICE, AND J. WEIR. JOINT COMMITTEE WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FOR NORTHERN IRELAND : TEE PRESIDENT, WITH J. C. A. BRIERLEY, W. H. GIBSON,H. GRAHAM, J. HAWTHORNE, G. T. MORGAN, AND T. SLATER PRICE. BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR THE ASSOCIATESHIP AND FELLOWSHIP, 1932-33 Chairman :THE PRESIDENT. Three representatives of the Nominations, Examinations and Institutions Committee.Examiners for the Associateship : *JOHN JACOB FOX, O.B.E., D.Sc. (LoND.). ROBERT ROBINSON, D.Sc. (MANc.), F.R.S. Examiners for the Fellowship : Branch A.-INORGANIC CHEMISTRY:JOHN JACOB FOX, O.B.E., D.Sc. (LoND.). Branch B.-PRYSICAL CHEMISTRY: ARTHUR JOHN ALLMAND, D.Sc. (LIv.), F.R.S. Branch C.-ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: FRANK LEE PYMAN, PH.D. (BASLE),D.Sc. (VICT.), F.R.S. Branch D.-BIOCHEMISTRY: JACK CECIL DRUMMOND, D.Sc. (LoND.). Branch E .-CHEMISTRY (including Microscopy) of Food and Drugs, and of Water: JOHN EVANS. THERAPEUTICS, PHARMACOLOGY,AND MICROSCOPY: GERALD ROCHE LYNCH, O.B.E., M.B., B.S. (LoND.),D.P.H. (ENG.). Branch F.-AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY: HENRY ALLEN DUG-DALE NEVILLE, M.A. (CANTAB.),B.Sc. (LoND.). Branch G.-INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY(General Chemical Technology) : *JOHN THOMAS DUNN, D.Sc.(DUN.). Examiners in the special sections of Branch G will be appointed as required.* Retires after the April Examination, 1932. HON. AUDITORS, 1932-33 JOSEPH HENRY LANE AND JOHN CHRISTISON WHITE, O.B.E. AUDITOR, 1932-33 DAVID HENDERSON, Chartered Accountant. SOLICITORS : MESSRS. MARKBY, STEWART & WADESONS, 5, Bishopsgate, London, E.C.2. BANKERS : THE WESTMINSTER BANK, LTD., Bloomsbury Branch, 214, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1. REGISTRAR AND SECRETARY: RICHARD BERTRAM PILCHER, O.B.E., Chartered Secretary. ASSISTANT SECRETARY : RONALD LESLIE COLLETT, M.A. (CANTAB.),F.T.C. 83 Fifty-fourth Annual General Meeting. TUESDAY, 1st MARCH, 1932.THEFifty-fourth Annual General Meeting of the Institute was held in the Hall of the Institute on Tuesday, 1st March, 1932, at 4.30p.m., Dr. G. C. Clayton, C.B.E., M.P., President, in the chair. THE MELDOLA MEDAL. The President said that his first duty was to present the Meldola Medal, the gift of the Society of Maccabaeans. It was with sincere regret that, on that occasion, they had to deplore the absence of Mrs. Meldola, who had passed away on the 2nd January. It had been a source of ccmfort to her to know that the memory of her husband was held in high honour by the Institute, and it was her pleasure invariably, since the institution of the Medal in 1921,to attend the Annual General Meeting to witness the presentation. The President added that on every such occasion Mrs.Meldola left with the Registrar a cheque for the Benevolent Fund. (Applause.) Her husband had be-queathed to the Institute a sum of 16500 for the general funds, and Mrs. Meldola herself had now bequeathed the Author’s copies of her husband’s works, his medals, a miniature portrait, and a bronze bust. It was fitting, then, that he (the President) should rrmind the members that Professor Meldola, who held the Chair of Chemistry in Finsbury Technical College for 30 years, was Presi- dent of the Institute from 1912to 1915,and that he was eminent as a man of science, not only in chemistry, but in biology and entomology, a man of wide learning, who delighted in his work for the Institute, and was sincerely devoted to the public service.(Having invited Dr. Guy Frederic Marrian to come forward, the President presented him with the Medal.) Continuing, he said that Dr. Marrian had been educated at Tollington School and had entered University College, London , as a student of chemistry in 1923. He had graduated with honours in chemistry in 1925 and proceeded to post-graduate studies in the Biochemical Department under Professor Drum- mond. A year later he had been awarded the degree of M.Sc, 84 in Biochemistry and appointed Assistant in the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry. His promise as a research worker had been recognised in 1927 by the award of a Beit Memorial Fellowship for Medical Research, which he held until his appoint- ment to the post of Lecturer in Biochemistry in 1930.During the earlier part of this period his investigations had been con- cerned with a study of the metabolic disturbances associated with vitamin B deficiency. Later he had become associated with Dr. A. S. Parkes in a long and important series of experimental studies on the physiology of reproduction. The development of this work had led Dr. Marrian to become interested in the chemical nature of the ovarian hormones, and he had embarked on an investigation which had as its aim the isolation of these hormones and the determination of their constitution. The magnitude of the task he had set himself and of his achievement might be judged by the fact that from many hundred litres of urine, obtained from cases of pregnancy, he had succeeded in extracting and isolating IOO mgms.of one of the ovarian hormones as a pure crystalline substance. (Applause.) In 1930 he had been awarded the degree of D.Sc. (London) for these researches. He had since made further important con-tributions to knowledge of the chemistry of these interesting substances, and had thus, at a comparatively early age, attained an international reput at ion. (Applause.) Dr. Marrian, in reply, said that he very greatly appreciated the honour which the Institute and the Society of Maccabzans had conferred upon him in awarding him the Meldola Medal. He might say that ever since he began biochemical research it had been one of his main ambitions to win this medal, and it was, therefore, very gratifying-though he might say very surprising- that he had realised that ambition so soon.Chemists would have heard of the difficulties which cropped up in work of the kind on which he had been engaged. The amounts of material that he had to work with were extremely minute, and he was confronted with that disadvantage all the time. He had never regretted having difficulties to overcome, because when one had a quantity of 50 milligrammes of a substance to identify, and to prepare a whole series of derivatives from it, it was necessary to adopt the most “micro” of techniques, and to be evolving new techniques all the time. He had always felt that work of this kind was an education in laboratory technique, and he believed that it was the sort of work of which every chemist should have 85 experience. (Applause.) He thanked the President for his kind remarks in making the presentation.MINUTES. The Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting having been published in the Journal, were taken as read and signed. &ANNUAL ACCOUNTS. The President called upon the Hon. Treasurer to submit the Accounts. The Hon. Treasurer (Mi. Patrick H. Kirkaldy) said that, once more he had to preface his remarks with the statement that the Report of Council and the Financial Statement accompanying it contained such full information that there was little he could add. However, he might be permitted to make a few comments on the business of the past year, on the present position and on the future.Turning to the General Accounts, the Hon. Treasurer said that, as the number of Associates had materially increased, it was clear that the subscriptions should have shown a corre-sponding increase ; but, in common with other institutions, the Institute had experienced a lag owing probably to the fact that some members had suffered reductions in salaries as well as increased taxation. Where this had proved to be the case, time had been allowed, and the Finance and House Committee had not recommended the Council to remove any names for the non-payment of subscriptions. It would, however, be necessary to do this in the case of those who continued to ignore notices which were set to them.He (the Hon. Treasurer) had no other comments to offer with regard to the receipts, except to point out that, having now no tenants, the amount derived from the letting of laboratories had been reduced. The items of ordinary expenditure had been kept within reasonable limits, and, having regard to the increasing membership, compared favourably with the average of previous years; but he would direct attention to one item, namely, the completion of this Hall. This had, so far, involved an expenditure of k1,1663s. 3d., the architect’s fees being the only item outstanding. So far the cost had been met out of current funds. (Applause.) He did not know what was in the minds of the architects-he was too young to know-when he said that, he meant that he had not then (1914)an intimate knowledge of the business of the Institute, although a member of 20 years’ standing-when the building was originally planned, but he would remind the 86 Fellows and Associates that the first floor had never been com- pleted as contemplated, owing to the war.The space was occupied by chemists engaged on Government work during the war, and was subsequently rented by the British Photographic Research Association. On the termination of the agreement with that Association, the Council sanctioned €he making of the Hall, and he would add respectfully that he was sure that the Council had done wisely. The Council Room and Library had always been an awkward and even uncomfortable place for meetings when the number of members present was sufficient to fill both rooms; and, in addition, tbe necessity for stripping and resetting the rooms, often between a Council meeting and a lecture, caused great inconvenience.At the end of the year the Institute had a balance at the bank of i566 14s. IId., compared with E502 7s. 7d. at the end of the previous year, but estimated liabilities L593 2s. 2d., compared with L476 gs. 6d. at the end of 1931, and, mainly owing to expenditure on the Hall, the funds reserved for investment (Life Compositions and Entrance Fees), amounting to k856 16s. od., remained uninvested. These matters would be adjusted during the present year; in fact, an investment had already been made to that end. It would be seen from the statement of Assets and Liabilities that the investments of the Institute had depreciated to the extent of over ;tlz,ooosince the end of 1930, but as the values had since appreciated,-and he hoped that they would continue to do so,-and as, further, they had no need to realise any holdings at the present time, this temporary decline need not be viewed with alarm.As the Benevolent Fund was quite distinct from the General Funds of the Institute, he (the Hon. Treasurer) proposed, with the consent of the meeting, to deal with its accounts separately, but, before submitting the motion for the adoption of the Accounts, he wished again to take the opportunity of expressing his thanks, no less sincere because repeated on so many occasions, to his colleagues on the Finance and House Committee for the help and encouragement which he had received at their hands, and to the Registrar, Mr.Collett, Miss Cawston, and Mr. Aiken, for all they had done for him. He had much pleasure in moving: "That the Annual Accounts and the Report of the Auditors be received and adopted, and that our grateful thanks be 87 accorded to the Auditors, Mr. C. E. Bans, Major J. C. White, and Mr. David Henderson, Chartered Accountant, for their services.” Dr. Bernard Dyer, in seconding the motion for the adoption of the Accounts and the vote of thanks to the Auditors, said that he would also like to express, on behalf of the Fellows of the Institute, their thanks for the splendid detailed work so generously and willingly undertaken by the Hon.Treasurer. (Applause.) He (Dr. Dyer) thought that the small attendance at the meeting might be taken as indicative to some extent of the general satisfaction with the way in which the finances of the Institute were conducted. (Applause.) He had much pleasure in seconding the motion for the adoption of the Accounts, and the vote of thanks to the Auditors, to which he hoped he might add a very sincere vote of thanks to the Hon. Treasurer. (Applause.) The President, having invited questions on the Accounts, but there being no response, the motion was put and carried unanimously. THE BENEVOLENT FUND. The President then asked the Hon. Treasurer if he would kindly submit the Benevolent Fund Accounts.The Hon. Treasurer said that he would first like to thank Dr. Dyer very much for his kind words, and to thank the meeting for the way in which they had received them. A pamphlet on the Benevolent Fund had been issued at the end of 1931,but a more detailed statement was incorporated in the Report of Council. Like most other businesses, begging had suffered, but the Committee has done its best to meet all appeals for help, as generously as possible from the funds available. A letter had been received from Dr. Everest, of Huddersfield, and the Benevolent Fund Committee was grateful to him for the interest which he took in the Fund. There had been previous correspondence with Dr. Everest, and, unfortunately, the Committee had not been able to see eye to eye with him, but he hoped it would be possible to clear up any outstanding differences.Dr. Everest said, in the first place, that although very definite assurances had been given that all Donations would be invested (which was quite correct), they had, in fact, been spent on current grants and loans. Thus, he said, on the so-called Annuities Account, where the Committee could properly 88 have spent only the interest, kg8 3s. gd., the Committee had disbursed L398 10s. od. during 1931. Next, Dr. Everest had directed attention to page 25, where the Statement of Assets and Liabilities had the sub-title "Current Account." This was a definite mistake arising from a re-arrangement suggested at the audit.There should have been no sub-title, the statement being a summary of the total resources of the Fund at the 31st December. He (the Hon. Treasurer) was much obliged to Dr. Everest for calling attention to that error. The assets of the Fund-leaving out loans amounting to i978 5s. 8d.-were investments for Annuities Account, the dividends on which provided part of the annuities which were being paid. The value of the investments on 31st December, 1931, was -&,og7 17s. 6d., and included stocks representing holdings valued at j6750 6s. gd., which were transferred from Current Account when it was decided to devote the original Capital Account to annuities. This decision was announced in the Report for 1924-5, when the Current Account was more than able to meet all the claims upon it and had each year previously shown a surplus.The cost of thestock bought since the foundation of the Fund was -&,347 12s. od., and the total donations up to the end of 1930 were E2,167 7s. od. At the beginning of 1931, therefore, the amount invested exceeded the total amount of Donations by k180 5s. od. The interest received from the investments had never been sufficient to pay the annuities granted. The total interest received since the beginning was only L693 2s. zd., while k1,468 5s. od. had been paid in annuities. So long, however, as the total amount invested and in hand on Annuities Account exceeded the total Donations received, the Committee felt justified in affording all the help it could.(Applause.) At the present moment the Committee had funds in hand for the Annuities Account and would invest what was due for investment at the end of 1931; but unless more funds were provided it was clear that it would be impossible to continue on the present lines. The actual annuities,-i.e. regular allowances continued over a period of years, as distinct from grants,-paid during 1931 were to:-one aged Fellow, one aged and infirm sister of a Fellow, one aged and infirm mother and an invalid sister of a Fellow, two widows of Fellows with children, and three widows of Associates with children. These together received k398 10s. od. 89 All were deserving cases which had been most carefully scrutin- ised. In every case, the Committee had made certain that the relatives, if any, were affording what help they could ; otherwise the call on the Fund would have been still larger.For the present year the commitments on the same account amounted to k390 10s. Od. He had to admit that the position was becoming difficult, but if the necessary funds were forthcoming, as he hoped they would be, the Committee would be able to continue on the lines which had been laid down in better times. For the present, the Committee had the imperative duty of providing for these cases, with a possibility of others coming along, but believed that the wishes of contributors would best be fulfilled by giving the help needed, although to do this the actual purchase of stock might have to be, for the present at least, deferred from year to year.Again he wished to express the gratitude of the Committee to Dr. Everest for directing attention to this matter, for it was the duty of the Committee to clear up any points of doubt or difficulty; but he hoped that Dr. Everest and everybody else concerned would extend their sympathy and help to the Com- mittee so far as lay within their power. Speaking generally, he would suggest that the aim should be to ensure that the Fund was in a position to respond adequately to each appeal, rather than to be obliged to give primary con- sideration to what the Fund could afford in each case. So far the Committee had been able to do this, and he (the Hon. Treasurer) could assure the contributors that, compared with what the Committee had learned about the administration of similar funds, if it had erred, it had erred on the side of generosity, while the work of the Fund was carried on by the Officers of the Institute without any expense.The Committee was grateful to all who had contributed, and very glad to find during the present year a very kindly spirit of co-operation in the promotion of “group” contributions from laboratories where several Fellows and Associates were working. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, he (the Hon. Treasurer) hastened to add that “group” contributions were no new thing; several had been in operation for years, but the Committee was glad to note an increased number and, he hoped, for an increasing number this year.He moved that the Accounts of the Benevo- lent Fund, amended by the deletion of the words “Current 90 Account” at the head of the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, be received and adopted. Mr. Charles Proctor, in seconding the motion, said that he need not add anything to what the Hon. Treasurer had so clearly explained. As a Member of the Committee, he could confirm the statement that every case was carefully considered. The Hon. Treasurer, more than anyone else, had the difficult task of deciding between generosity and the amount that could be spared. One point to which the Treasurer had not referred was the amount of loans repaid. He (Mr. Proctor) had always been a little doubtful as to that item, but the fact that one-third of the loans which had been made had been repaid was, he thought, fairly satisfactory.In the future, perhaps, a larger proportion would be repaid. He added that a good many members present were younger than himself; in fact, he was about the oldest member in the Hall; he asked the younger members to consider very carefully the possibility of paying small subscriptions to the Fund during the earlier period of their membership of the Institute, according as their circumstances allowed. He had much pleasure in seconding the motion for the adoption of the Accounts of the Benevolent Fund. The President then invited discussion, but there being no response, the motion was put and carried unanimously. REPORTOF THE COUNCIL.The Report of the Council, having been taken as read, the President delivered his Address (p. 96), and moved “That the Report of the Council for the year 1931-32 be received and adopted.’’ Dr. 0. L. Brady said that it was really a pleasure to be able to second the motion for the adoption of the Report, because he thought that the past year-which had been difficult for many people-had gone extraordinarily smoothly for the Institute, and the Fellows and Associates could look back on it with very considerable satisfaction, especially on the circumstance that only 3 per cent. of the membership was unemployed. Those who had been connected with University teaching for some years, and had been appalled at the enormous output of graduates in chemistry, had really been amazed at the absorptive power of chemical industry and the chemical profession.Considering that London alone had passed out, annually, about 150 graduates 91 with Honours Degrees in chemistry for the last ten or fifteen years, and that this number was greatly increased by the out- put of the other Universities, it was really amazing how the profession had managed to absorb them. There were two matters in connection with the Report on which he would like to remark. He would like to say how much he welcomed any steps that could be taken to bring about some closer co-operation between the various chemical societies. He was glad to hear the President say that he anticipated that, in the near future, further discussions would take place in that direction.As a member of several chemical societies, he felt anxious about the matter because the next year or two would be very difficult for all chemical societies, and especially as a number of them depended to some extent upon the support of teachers of chemistry, who had been hardly hit by increased taxation and reduced remuneration. The other matter to which he would like to refer was the position of the Benevolent Fund. He was a Member of the Council when the Fund was started, and among those who were active in starting it. The Fund was started for humanity's sake, and he thought that the Fellows and Associates would have no cause to complain of the Benevolent Fund Committee so long as it was humane in the administration of the Fund.In these difficult times, he would be prepared to trust them to administer that Fund humanely, even if this meant some departure from the strict letter of the promises made as to the investment of donat ions. Finally, he (Dr. Brady) would like, on his own behalf, and on behalf of the members present, indeed, on behalf of the whole Institute, to thank the President for the excellent way in which he had summed up the work of the past year. (Applause.) The President, having thanked Dr. Brady for his remarks, invited discussion on the Report. Dr. E. F. Armstrong said that he would like to thank the President for his very illuminating address. It was particularly gratifying to know that a Fellow of the Institute had a longer expectation of life than ordinary folk! It would provide an excellent slogan in getting new members-" Join the Institute and live longer! " Obviously, from an economic point of view, at any rate, Scotsmen in the Institute would become life members in future! All of which would no doubt please the worthy Honorary Treasurer.He would like particularly to support the 92 President’s closing remarks, namely, his testimony to the work done by the officers of the Institute. The Institute was, he supposed, about the only technical society that had weathered the storm of the last year so successfully. That could not be mere coincidence; it must be very largely due to the planning and the forethought and the tact of the officers.He would like to emphasise that achievement. (Applause.) The motion for the adoption of the Report was put and carried unanimously. WORKOF THE CENSORS. The President said that, although the work of the Censors was not actually within the scope of the activities of the Council of the Institute, or mentioned in the Agenda, he hoped that he might be permitted to make a few remarks on their work. The duties of the Censors continued to be light and occasional, and such complaints as were received related to certificates used for advertisement purposes, in the majority of cases without the consent of the practitioners concerned. At times these certifi- cates appeared to contain somewhat irrelevant or merely lauda- tory expressions, harmless in themselves, but conveying the impression that they had been given for advertisement purposes.In some cases they were associated with unsuitable printed matter or were reproduced in an objectionable manner, and, in other cases, they were purely scientific formal reports, the publication of which might, in the circumstances, be justified. In general, the Censors had discouraged such publication, feeling that frequent publicat ion of the certificates of any individual practitioner was tantamount to the advertisement of the practitioner himself, and, on that account, undesirable. In this country the high standard maintained among pro- fessional chemists redounded entirely to their credit, and the Censors had the more reason to deplore that certain institutions, the names of whose chemists were not disclosed or known, disregarded the accepted tenets of the profession, solicited for practice, and gave certificates without scientific data for advertisement and exhibition purposes.The President added that he had taken the opportunity to refer to the matter because he felt that, in view of such competition, the genuine practitioner, who had to earn a livelihood by relying on his own knowledge, skill, hardly-won personal experience and good reputation, deserved entire sympathy and encouragement. 93 REPORTOF THE SCRUTINEERS. The President called upon the Registrar to read the Report of the Scrutineers (Messrs. Charles A. Adams and T.W. Glass) on the election of Officers, General Members of Council, and Censors, for the ensuing year. The number of valid voting papers received for the election of Officers was 955. The following were elected .-President: G. C. Clayton (955). Vice-Presidents: F. D. Chattaway (949), Lewis Eynon (gas), G. G. Henderson (951), E. Hinks (950), B. F. Howard (949), Arthur Smithells (949). Hon. Treasurer: Patrick H. Kirkaldy (955). The number of votes cast for General Members of Council was 955. The following were elected :-C. H. Desch (630), A. E. Dunstan (616), J. F. Thorpe (616), I. M. Heilbron (613), W. Rintoul (599), E. K. Rideal (589),A. G. Francis (574),A. Coulthard (567), H. V. A. Briscoe (556),H. H. Hodgson (553),P. Lewis-Dale (553),R.M. Caven (542),J. Weir (542),G. King (541),S. Smiles (537),N. M. Comber (523), Rt. Hon. Lord Henley (514), W. H. Roberts (504), Miss D. Jordan Lloyd (503), W. J. A. Butterfield (497),0.L. Brady, (495),B. P. Ridge (489), W. J. S. Naunton (485), F. G. Edmed (472), C. Dor6e (461),G. H. Perry (457),R. H. Greaves (456), The number of valid voting papers received for the election of Censors was 886. The following were elected:- A. Smithells (617),A. Chaston Chapman (564), G. G. Henderson (515),Sir Herbert Jackson (502). The President said that the Institute was much indebted to the Scrutineers for their work, and that he would like to propose a vote of thanks to them. Mr. Stephenson seconded the proposal. During the reading of the Report, he had wondered how the Scrutineers did the counting, and whether the Institute provided them with a machine, or whether they had to do it in the ordinary way.The vote of thanks was carried unanimously. ELECTION AUDITORS.OF The Hon. Treasurer moved the re-election of Major J. C. White as Auditor. He very much regretted that he was not able to move the re-election of Mr. Barrs, who had been an auditor for some years and had devoted a good deal of time to the work. He was sorry that Mr. Barrs felt compelled to give it up, but he would like to thank him, on behalf of the Institute, for his services as an auditor. He proposed the re-election of MajorJ. C. White as Auditor. 94 Mr. J. B. Wilton seconded the re-appointment of Major J.C. White, and joined with the Hon. Treasurer in expressing thanks to Mr. Barrs for his past services. The motion being put, Major White was declared appointed, and the thanks of the Institute were accorded to Mr. Barrs. Mr. C. E. Barrs said that he would like to thank the meeting for the vote of thanks, and to say what he had said for several years past, namely, that he had always received the greatest assistance and found everything in perfect order. The President invited some member in the body of the hall to nominate a second honorary auditor. Mr. Barrs said that he would like to propose the name of Mr. J. H. Lane. Professor J. C. Drummond seconded the nomination. The motion was carried unanimously. The Hon. Treasurer proposed that Mr.David Henderson, Chartered Accountant, be re-appointed auditor at a fee of 30 guineas. Mr. Henderson had been an auditor for a good many years and was known to a good many of the members present. Dr. E. F. Armstrong said that he would be pleased to second the motion. The motion was carried unanimously. SPECIALBUSINESS. The President, in submitting the special business, said that it was a suggestion for an amendment in the Rules for the election of District Members of the Council. The reason for the alteration was that attention had been called to the fact that if the 1st January fell on a Friday it was not possible to carry out the existing Rules. Although the rules were adopted several years ago, attention had only lately been called to the oversight.He moved the amendments on the agenda as follows:-“That the following amendments in the Rules for the election of District Members of Council be adopted forthwith : (a) That in Rule IV, clause (I), the word ‘third’ before the word ‘Thursday’ be deleted, and that the words ‘next after the third Monday ’ be inserted immediately after the word ‘Thursday.’ (b) That in Rule IV, clause (2), the word ‘third’ be deleted before the word ‘Thursday,’ and that the words ‘next 95 after the third Monday’ be inserted immediately after the word ‘Thursday ’; and (c) That in Rule IV, clause (3) the word ‘third’ be deleted before the word ‘Friday,’ and that the words ‘fiexi! after the third Monday ’ be inserted immediately after the word ‘Friday.’ ” Mr.Bacharach seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. THANKSTO RETIRINGMEMBERS OF COUNCIL. Dr. Harold G. Colman proposed that the thanks of the Fellows and Associates be accorded to the retiring Members of Council. He said that anyone who had served on the Council knew what a large amount of work the Members of the Council had to per- form. It was far greater in extent than the work of any other Council with which he was acquainted. It meant the sacrifice of a great deal of time for those who were in London, and, with regard to the country members, it meant the sacrifice of time in travelling and frequent correspondence. The motion, having been seconded by Mr. Wilton, was carried unanimously.The President thanked the members for their attendance, and declared the meeting closed. 96 The President’s Address. 1st MARCH, 1932. The Annual Report of Council has been circulated in the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS,and I presume that it is your wish that it be taken as read; so that I will now submit the motion that the Report be received and adopted. The Report bears evidence to the work of the Council and of the Local Sections, and to the continued activity of the Institute as a whole. It shows that, on the 29th January, our roll of membership numbered exactly 6,000. This was, in fact, not quite accurate, as we received information subsequently of the loss by death of three further Fellows. However, the balance of the additions and losses recorded in February enables me to say that the membership to-day exceeds 6,000, and thus the Institute is able to record at this meeting continued progress in its work of organising our profession, for the benefit not only of the profession itself, but of the Country and the Empire.With an increasing membership it is natural that our losses by death should tend to increase, but it is distressing to note that no fewer than eleven Associates and one Student, mainly young men, have been cut short in their careers. Among Fellows, I would like to remind you of George FitzBrown, of Widnes, whom I knew not only as a Director of the Broughton Copper Co., but as a man who gave much thought to public affairs in his own district; Sir Thomas Eustace Hill, a medical man and a chemist, late medical officer of health for Co.Durham, and a leader in matters concerning hygiene and public health ; Professor Hinchley, a chemical engineer and teacher, who will be missed by a very wide circle of Fellows devoted to the practical problems of chemical industry; Dr. Alfred Holt, an investigator of a very high order, whose career was cut short far too soon at the age of 54; Dr. C. A. Keane, formerly of Liverpool University, under whom I myself studied, later Principal of the Sir John Cass Technical Institute; Mr. W. Foulkes Lowe, one of the earliest public analysts ; Mr. Walter Francis Reid, chemical 97 engineer and inventor, a Past President of the Society of Chemical Industry; Mr.Henry Droop Richmond, a Past Member of Council, whose work on dairy chemistry was well known; and Professor Alfred John Turner, who achieved a high place among teachers of our science in India. I would also refer to Mr. Ethelbert William Blair, an able investigator, who was killed, at the early age of 36, in the unfortunate explosion at Holton Heath. Several other members died through unfortunate accidents, in no way connected with their employment. However, because the total number of losses by death was higher than usual, and the suggestion has sometimes been made by insurance companies that the premium rates on the insurance policies of chemists should be higher, I have had a few figures prepared, which I think will not be uninteresting.The average age of the Fellows who died was 64.4 years, and of the Associates 35.3 years; the average of the Fellows and Associates, in the aggregate, was approximately 56.6 years, or about 1.0above the present average expectation of life of males in England and Wales. The figures for the past year would be based on too few records to constitute a satisfactory guide, but on taking the available statistics of the previous ten years, 1921-30,I find that the average age of 206 Fellows was 65.3 years, the average age of 64 Associates was 35.8 years, while the average age of 270 Fellows and Associates who died within that period was 57-9 years. I should like to call the attention of those engaged in chemical manufacture to the Model Safety Rules which have been com- piled by the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers, and can be obtained from that Association.These rules give advice with regard to the manufacture and handling of chemicals and instructions for dealing with accidents. The Board of Trade have expressed their approval of these Rules. (See p. 152.) The Report indicates that it is one of the privileges of the President to participate in the celebrations of allied societies and institutions. At the same time, the President, in common with other members, has the duty of representing the Institute on more serious occasions, and I would like to express the thanks of the Institute to those who have acted as delegates and repre- sentatives during the past year.98 I understand that the Joint Committee of the Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry, and the Institute, which had under consideration the possibility of closer co-opera- tion, has, from various causes, temporarily suspended its meetings, but I believe that further conferences between representatives of the three bodies are likely to take place in the near future. As usual on these occasions, I propose to leave the subject of finances almost entirely to the Honorary Treasurer; but it is no mere matter of form or custom when I briefly acknowledge our great indebtedness to him and to his colleagues on the Finance and House Committee for their careful and judicious manage- ment of this part of the business of the Institute.We have suffered a temporary set-back by way of depreciation of invest-ments, and may not receive subscriptions as promptly as usual, but, as the outlook improves, I have little doubt but that stock values will improve and the subscriptions will come in as well as ever. At times like the present, the cares of the Benevolent Fund Committee are doubled, for the appeals are more insistent, and the difficulty of raising money calls for an unusual effort, both on the part of those who endeavour to collect subscriptions and of those who are doing their best to contribute. I cannot do better than remind you of a passage in the pamphlet issued at the close of 1931:-"The Committee asks for help on behalf of widows and children and for those who are aged and past work, or are unemployed, harassed by debt, and in need of the where- withal to support their dependents. The Committee believes that it is largely due to the efforts of the Institute to secure the full employment of its Fellows and Associates that, even in these times, only about three per cent.are known to be without employment. The Fund provides the means whereby those who are not in that unfortunate position can show their sympathy in a practical manner, at but a small sacrifice." At the same time, I cordially endorse the words of thanks and gratitude expressed by Mr. Kirkaldy to all contributors. The Legal and Parliamentary Committee has continued to watch the interests of the profession in matters in which such interests may be affected by legislation.In one important matter the Committee has been obliged to have regard to circumstances beyond its control which have arisen since the last Annual General Meeting, and has advised 99 the Council to postpone the fulfilment of the wishes of the majority of Fellows and Associates on the proposal to petition for a Supplemental Charter with the object of securing for them the exclusive use of a distinctive title. I do not propose on the present occasion to rehearse the arguments for and against this proposal. We have ascertained your wishes, and that is a distinct and definite step. We must postpone further action pending the progress of legislation for the amendment of the Poisons and Pharmacy Acts.In the meantime, we propose to introduce certain amend- ments in the Petition, and to review generally our constitution in the light of present conditions. The amendments, which will be submitted for your approval in due course, may not remove the objections which have been raised to the petition, but will be directed to the elimination of certain passages which have led to misunderstanding. In any event we will inform the Fellows and Associates of further developments. In addition to the further review of the proposed Supple- mental Charter, the Committee has dealt with several matters which are mentioned in the Report. In the House of Lords, the profession was most ably repre- sented by Lord Henley in watching the Pharmacy and Poisons Bill.Although the measure has not yet passed into law, we are no less grateful to him for his valuable help. We have had the pleasure of sending our congratulations to the Australian Chemical Institute on receiving the grant of a Royal Charter. Although at one time I fear that our friends in the Antipodes appeared to have some doubts, I trust that they are now convinced of our good intentions in offering criticisms of their original draft, and that in future we may look for friendly co-operation in our common interests. In the matter of Patent Law Reform, we acknowledge the services of Mr. H. Douglas Elkington, who has very generously spared his time and brought his experience to the work of the Joint Committee.That his help was highly appreciated by his colleagues was confirmed by the invitation later extended to him to join the Patents Committee of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers. Our co-operation with the Association in the matter of Contracts of Service for Chemists will, I believe, also have good results. The Conference between the representatives of both bodies afforded a unique opportunity for the interchange of 100 opinions, and although the form of Contract has not been pub- lished, it can be supplied in confidence, and will be found to afford useful guidance to those who are particularly concerned in such matters. The meetings and other activities of the Local Sections, both independently and jointly with the Society of Chemical Industry and other bodies, continue to promote valuable co-operation and good fellowship among all concerned with our science and profession, and we are grateful to the local committees and officers who participate in the labours involved.I would like here to express my regret that, owing to my time being so fully occupied in another place, I have not been able recently to accept invitations to visit Local Sections as frequently as I could wish. When I was urged to stand again as a Parlia-mentary candidate, I felt it my duty to accept nomination, and 1trust you will accept my assurance that, so far as I am able, I will watch legislation which may affect the interests of our pro- fession and industry.The Nominations, Examinations and Institutions Com-mittee, which is, in fact, the Council in Committee, has continued its work under the wise guidance of Mr. Kirkaldy-for I must confess that your President is its Chairman only nominally- and has again presented a report bearing evidence of undiminished activity. Although there was a slight decrease in the number of applications and of entries for examinations towards the end of the year, probably due in some measure to prevailing economic conditions, there is good reason to think that a change will be seen in the near future, especially if arrangements can be made, as I hope, for affording facilities for local examinations in Scottish and other distant centres. The Board of Examiners and all who assist this Committee in this important work deserve our best thanks for their services.The Report of the Assessors for National Certificates indicates that the scheme is extending, and proving to be of real value in co-ordinating and raising the standard of instruction provided in technical schools. The Second Pedler Research Scholar has been appointed and has made good progress since he began work, in October last, on the difficult problem entrusted to him. Dr. Levin is working with Professor C. S.Gibson on the accurate determination of 101 very small quantities of calcium and magnesium under varying conditions. The Publications Committee, under the able chairmanship of Mr. Eynon, has well earned our thanks for THEJOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGSand other publications issued by the Institute during the year.Our thanks are also due to Dr. Tocher, Dr. Vargas Eyre and Sir Frank Smith for the three lectures which have been published separately during the past twelve months. Dr. Tocher’s “What is Probable Error ? ”-though possibly beyond the grasp of those who make no claim to be mathematicians-has, I learn, been very greatly appreciated by many whose work calls for the application of statistical methods. Dr. Vargas Eyre’s lecture on “Fermentation ” also received highly favourable notice, and is very representative of the series of Streatfeild Memorial Lectures ; while Sir Frank Smith’s “Chemistry and the Community,” demonstrating the value of research to industry and to the State, finds a very fitting place in the series of S.M. Gluckstein Memorial Lectures. Although in a sense Sir Frank was preaching to the converted, what he had to tell us was pleasant hearing and a high tribute to chemistry, as coming from a distinguished physicist. I am tempted to emphasise the lessons which he would inculcate, and I would strongly advocate, not only the continuance of lectures of this kind, but that they should be given the widest publicity. Sir Frank Smith urged that chemical research was essential for National progress, and even in times such as we are at present passing through, must not be starved on the plea of economy. He called our attention to the wonderful results achieved in recent years,-such as the developments in metallurgy, electric lighting and wireless valves,-all due to fundamental research,- and reminded us of the many processes now in operation, the scientific explanations of which we still remain in ignorance.Now that it seems certain that the Imperial Conference to be held at Ottawa next July will result in increased Empire develop- ment, new fields for scientific research should be opened, and we may then hope to find further work for skilled chemists who should be in demand for Empire requirements. Many parts of the Empire have hardly been explored, and few of them have been considered scientifically; so, I hope, that 102 the Institute will act as the spearhead of Empire development in all matters on which our science has a bearing.I am tempted to recall some of the great changes which have taken place in Chemical Industry since I was first associated with it some 35 years ago. At that time most of the processes were connected with the Leblanc Process for the production of sodium carbonate and caustic soda. Associated with the main processes was the Chance process for the recovery of sulphur from alkali waste, and the chamber process which gave us sulphuric acid from pyrites; this, in turn, by acting on salt, produced saltcake and hydrochloric acid. Then we had the Welldon and Deacon methods for converting the hydrochloric acid into bleaching powder. All these pro- cesses depended on furnace work and required considerable manual labour. Now, thanks to scientific research, nearly all these methods have been superseded.Sodium carbonate is exclusively produced by the ammonia soda process ; caustic soda, either by one or other of the types of electrolytic cell or from ammonia soda. Chlorine is solely produced electrolytically and largely sold as liquid chlorine. Hydrochloric acid, by a complete reversal of the Welldon and Deacon processes, is got by combining the hydrogen and chlorine from the electrolytic cells. Only to the extent that saltcake (sodium sulphate) is required, is hydrochloric acid now produced from salt and sulphuric acid, Nitre cake is largely a thing of the past, nitric acid being obtained by oxidising ammonia with air by means of a platinum gauze. Sulphuric Acid is still made by the lead chamber process, but increasing quantities come from the oleum contact plant, using platinum or other catalytic agents.The SO, for the same, once derived from pyrites, now comes also from sulphur, spent oxide, blende, or, recently, from calcium sulphate. The old chemical plant has been largely scrapped, and in place of hand-worked furnaces we find continuous processes controlled by skilled men giving products purer, cheaper, and more uniform than possible in the past. Then just think of the new processes! the vast range of dyestuffs with all their intermediates, to which are connected the fine chemical and drug industries; the hydrogenation processes, hardening of fats, production of chemicals, oil from coal, etc.- many of them requiring a new technique, high temperatures, high pressures and consequently new material for apparatus ; the 103 synthetic production of ammonia, methanol, acetic acid and many other products ;artificial silk, by several different processes; artificial resin, artificial leather, and non-inflammable films,- all essentially chemical.Coupled with the soap trade, we have margarine, and now the preparation of vitamins. Agricultural chemistry also covers a much wider field and requires a number of skilled chemists. You will appreciate that vastly more is now required from industrial chemists. The work they are called upon to do is intensely interesting and rapidly expanding. They are no longer confined to chemical industry solely, but are required by practi- cally every other industry.I may have told you this story before, but it is rather apt. When I tried to get my first job I applied for a position of chemist at a soap works, and the reply I received was that it had taken them a long time to get rid of their chemist and they had no intention of engaging another! The soap trade now employs an army of skilled chemists. In addition to new problems awaiting solution, there are many that have actually been solved, but the development of which has been unavoidably retarded. The times have not been favourable for making radical changes, involving the scrapping of old plant, or for launching out in new directions. The chemical industry to-day still affords an excellent barometer for industry generally.Chemical products are among the raw materials of practically all industries; so, when there is an increased demand for chemical products, it means that increased production is anticipated. This has been our experience during the last fewmonths, and points to arevival of confidence and a promise of better trade than we have experienced for a long time past. The Public Appointments Committee, under the chairman- ship of Mr. Edward Hinks, has a good record of service in watching the professional interests of official chemists at home and abroad. The Committee deserves special thanks for the preparation of an excellent memorandum, which was submitted to the Government Committee on Food.This, we trust, will receive due consideration when that Committee resumes its deliberat ions. Mr. Bernard Howard, Chairman of the Appointments Register Committee, and his colleagues have viewed with concern the 104 increase in unemployment among chemists. So far as they can ascertain, about 190 (or rather more than three per cent.) of the total membership of the Institute are unemployed at the present time, but every effort is being made to help them. The Committee looks to the Fellows and Associates to make the Register known to employers and to bring suitable vacancies to the notice of the Institute, and we can only hope that, with the return of better times, the present surplus will be speedily absorbed. Incidentally, I would remark that from an article by Dr.Walter Roth, Editor-in-chief of the Chemiker Zeitung, published in the Industrial Chemist for February, I learn that the percentage of qualified chemists on the unemployed list in Germany is at present about 15 per cent. We lose from the Council, at the close of this session, several enthusiastic members who have served the Institute well and whose attendance will be missed; and, in this connection, I would remark, that if from the record of attendance it would seem that some, especially among the country members, have seldom taken an active part in our deliberations, your judgment should be reserved, because you may be assured that all Members of Council are kept fully informed with regard to our proceedings, and, as occasion arises, may communicate their views by correspondence when they feel that they can usefully contribute to our discussions, while they are at all times ready to respond to enquiries regarding matters on which they may be specially informed. Before closing my remarks on the year’s work, I should like to express the thanks we all feel are due to the officers and staff of the Institute.The business of the Institute has been admir- ably conducted and our interests well looked after. This has been a difficult year for many, but members can always count on sympathetic advice from the officers, who are always most anxious to give what assistance they can. 105 Proceedings of the Council. FEBRUARY-MARCH, 1932.Council and Committees, 1931-3932.-The names of the Officers and Members of Council and of the Censors who were elected at the Annual General Meeting, on 1st March, are given on pages 79-80. At the first meeting of the new Council, held on 11th March, the Standing and Special Committees and their Chairmen for the ensuing year were appointed (see pages 80-81). Federal Council for Chemistry.-The Council of the Institute has received the Report (for the year 1931)of the Federal Council for Chemistry, the objects of which have now been defined as follows:- To foster and advance the scientific interests of chemistry in all its branches and to that end (I) to represent the views of British chemists both nationally and internationally; (2) to co-operate with those bodies in Great Britain and the British Empire representing the science of chemistry and to co-ordinate their scientific activity; (3) to enter into scientific relations, and to co-operate with similar bodies in other countries, and, in particular, to act as the representative of the British associations of Chemistry in the International Union of Chemistry.The Report also deals with the work of the Federal Council in connection with the raising of funds for the Faraday Cen- tenary Celebrations and Exhibitions, the Chemical Section of the latter having been organised under a Committee of the Federal Council. The Federal Council has been interested in the question of British Chemical Standards, in the formation of the Chemical Division of the British Standards Institution, and also in the question of abstracting and indexing chemical literature. Professor Arthur Smithells, Vice-president, has kindly consented to continue as the representative of the Institute on the Federal Council for the present year.106 Mrs. Meldola’s Bequest.-The following gifts have been received from the trustees of the late Mrs. Meldola, in accordance with her bequest to the Institute under her Will:- MINIATURE OF RAPHAELMELDOLA,by Lionel Heath. MEDALS. The Royal Society: The Davy Medal. (Gold and Replica, by A. €3. Joyafter N. MacPhail.) 1913. The (Royal) Society of Arts: For his Paper on “The Scientific Development of the Coal Tar Colour Industry.” (Silver by Wyon.) Session 1885-1886.For his Paper on “The Synthesis of Indigo. ” (Silverby Fuchs.) Session 1900-1901. Soci6t6 Chimique de France: Medal of Honorary Membership, Head of Lavoisier. (Silver by Caqu6.) 1911. Turin-Esposizione Internazionale Delle Industrie e del Lavoro : “For Scientific Publications. ” (Bronze by Johnson, Milan.) 191 1. COMMEMORATIONMEDALS. Amedeo Avogadro: Centenary of the Molecular Theory. (Bronze by G.Tua and C. Fait.) 1911. August Bernthsen : Badischen Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik, Ludwigshafen. (Bronze by A. Hartig.) 25th Anniversary. Exposition Universelle Internationale de Paris. (Bronze, silver plated.) 1900. Albin Haller. Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Sorbonne. (Silverby R6n6 Baudichon.) 1910. Guilelmo Koerner : Congratulatory Medal to celebrate the completion of 40 years’ teaching at Milan.(Bronze by Johnson, Milan.) 1910. aeorg Lunge: 70th Birthday Celebration. (Bronze by Hans Frei.) 1909. Henri Moissan: Souvenir Plaque to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of his isolation of Fluorine. (Bronze by J. C. Chaplain.) 1906. Soci6t6 Chimique de France: Jubilee Celebration, Head of Lavoisier by P. Tasset. (Silver by Johnson, Milan.) 1907. Queen Victoria : 60th Anniversary Celebration Medal. (Silver by Wyon.)1897. PROFESSORMELDOLA’SOWN COPIES OF HIS WORKS. Earthquake, Report on the East Anglian, of 22nd April, 1884. RaphaelMeldola and William White. Essex Field Club. Special Memoirs, Vol. I. (London: Macmillan & Co., and Essex Field Club, Buckhurst Hill.) 1885.Photography, The Chemistry of. Raphael Meldola. Nature Series. (London: Macmillan & Co.) Reprinted 1891. Coal and What we get from it. Raphael Meldola. Romance of Science Series. (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.) 1905. Inorganic Chemistry : The Non-Metallic Elements. Raphael Meldola. (London: Thomas Murby.) 1873. Inorganic Chemistry : The Non-Metallic Elements and Metallic EEementa ; with a Section on Inorganic Analysis. Raphael Meldola. (London:Thomas Murby.) 1874. 107 Chemical Synthesk of Vital Products (The), and Inter-Relutiona between Organic Compounds. Raphael Meldola. Vol. I, Hydrocarbons, Alcohols and Phenols, Aldehydes, Ketones, Carbohydrates and Glucosides, Sulphur and Cyanogen Compounds, Camphor and Terpenes, Colouring Matters of the Flavone Group. (London: Edward Arnold.) 1904.(Only one volume was published.) Papers, including presidential addresses delivered before the Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry, and the Institute of Chemistry, the Essex Field Club, the Entomological Society of London, the Chemical Section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Society of Dyers and Colourists, and various papers contributed to scientific and educational bodies. Also, in accordance with Mrs. Meldola’s written request :-A BRONZE BUST OF RAPHAELMELDOLA,by Waters, mounted on polished graniOe plinth, and Sheraton pedestal. The Council accepted the bequest and gift with an expression of its sincere appreciation of Mrs.Meldola’s kind thought for the Institute. Institutions.-The Council has added the Portsmouth Technical College to the list of institutions recognised for the training of candidates for admission to the Associateship of the Institute. 108 Local Sections. Aberdeen and North of Scotland.-A meeting of the Section was held in Marischal College, Aberdeen, on 19th February, when Mr. John Caldwell delivered a paper on the subject of ('Our Weather.'' Dr. Tocher, Chairman of the Section, presided. In introducing the main topic of his address-atmospheric depressions-Mr. Caldwell discussed the general characteristics of the average distribution of atmospheric pressure.Observa-tions showed that as a general rule a belt of low pressure lay along the equator, the region of the doldrums, characterised by cloudy skies, sultry weather, and severe rain-storms, while between 30" North and 40" North and between 30" South and 40° South there were belts of high pressure and, further North and South, belts of low pressure. The North-Easterly and South-Easterly trade winds flowed from these belts of high pressure towards the equator, and the areas were characterised by non-periodic phenomena of cyclones and anti-cyclones. The whole system of belts was subject to a seasonal shift, and it would be seen that the British Isles were situated in a belt of low pressure and our weather was characterised by a more or less continuous succession of atmospheric depressions, separated by intervals of relatively high pressure.In an area of low atmospheric pressure-a depression-the tendency was for air to flow in from the surrounding region of high pressure, and for the depression to be filled up. The direction of inflow of air to a depression was influenced, however, by the earth's rotation, and the result was that in the Northern hemis- phere the premier tendency in the filling up of a depression was for air to circulate round the centre of lowest pressure in a counter-clockwise direction. The circulation of air round a depression was in a clockwise direction in the Southern hemis- phere, and it followed that the direction of circulation of air round a centre of high pressure would be the reverse in both cases.109 Wind force, as well as its direction, might be determined from a knowledge of pressure distribution over an area. On a chart where the isobars-lines of equal barometric pressure- were close together, the wind was strong, while light winds were experienced where the isobars were wide apart. Also, the isobars afforded an indication as to the direction of the wind, and areas of depression appeared on a chart as a series of closed isobars approximately oval or circular in shape. By the aid of charts, the lecturer illustrated the sequence of weather conditions that would prevail when a depression passed over a certain point, but the sequence was dependent on the position of that point relative to the path of the centre of the depression.Generally speaking, depressions moved from the south-west to the north-east, but no path, however tortuous, was impossible as the path of the centre of a cyclonic depression. If the changes in barometric pressure at various points were recorded, it might be generally assumed that the depression would move in the direction of greatest barometric fall, but though this rule was not infallible, it was useful in forecasting. Depressions varied in size from 1000miles across to 10 miles or even less-e.g. tornadoes and typhoons were small diameter depressions-and they advanced at variable speeds, though in the British Isles a speed of 20 to 30 miles an hour was usual. In conclusion, Mr.Caldwell made reference to anticyclones and to the polar front theory of Bjerknes, developed in Norway during the war. On the motion of Professor Hendrick the lecturer was cordially thanked for his interesting and topical address. Belfast and District.-At a meeting of the Section, held on 18th February, at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Mr. D. A. Derrett-Smith read a paper on “The Fading of Dyed Textiles.” Mr. Derrett-Smith described a method of measuring the colour of dyed textiles, by means of a set of colour filters covering the visible spectrum, in conjunction with the Pulfrich Photo- meter. Having referred to the Ostwald conception of the colour of a coloured surface, in terms of black, white and “full” colour, he exhibited samples of dyed dress linens before and after fading, and discussed their colour curves in some detail.He described several interesting cases of abnormal fading behaviour 110 of mixtures of vat dyestuffs, such as is shown by mixtures of Caledon Jade Green with certain vat Yellows, wherein the green, normally fast when dyed alone, fades out comparatively quickly from the mixture. Finally, he dealt with the standards adopted by the German Fastness Commission for assessing the light fastness of vat dyestuffs. It was suggested as a possible improve- ment that a set of standards should be prepared for each of, say, six colours, covering the visible spectrum. By this means samples would be compared with those of approximately the same colour all through, whereas at present it may be necessary, for instance, to compare the difference between the exposed and unexposed portions of a yellow sample with that between the exposed and unexposed portions of a black or blue dyeing.The necessity was emphasised of keeping the practical aspect of the whole problem of fading well to the fore. Birmingham and Midlands .-At the Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham, on 26th January, 1932,a meeting of the Section was held for a discussion on “The Relation of the Works Chemist to other Members of the Staff.” Mr. A. W. Knapp, who opened the discussion, said that he proposed to deal with the subject by considering the actual process of manufacture, starting with the raw materials and following the process through to the finished article.The first point of interest was the relation of the chemist to the buyers. Where chemical substances were purchased, their properties were expressed by chemical, physical and bacteriological analysis, and the chemist was obviously in a position to advise the buyer. Moreover, in questions of suitablilty and purity of the materials, the chemist should have the power of veto where these did not reach the required standard. In many cases the chemist would be well advised to ascertain the exact uses to which the material was to be put, in order that desirable properties might be assured. Discussing the relation of the chemist to the works’ foreman or manager, Mr. Knapp said that the latter should be the chemist’s good colleague, but not his master or servant.At the works, the chemist should be responsible solely to the directors and to no one member of the staff. He alone understood his work, and he was, like a doctor or a lawyer, a responsible 111 person with specialised knowledge. He was often an inspector of the work of others, and so must be quite free; at the same time he must run what was essentially a service department. The chemist should be willing and anxious to help the works’ manager in any of his difficulties: co-operation with all members of the staff was essential. The consent or refusal to carry out work sent to the chemist by any member of the staff might involve the chemist in difficulties; tact on the part of the works chemist was of prime importance.The relations between the chemist and the engineer called next for discussion. If a firm wished to make the most use of its scientific staff, an adequate recognition of their responsibility was necessary. Many businesses started as an art or a craft and slowly developed into a science. Every chemist should meekly learn all he could from the old artists, craftsmen and experienced workers. As hand production passed to mass production, it became imperative that it should be scientific. This meant the strict obeying of rules by people without special knowledge; it implied that what was known of a process was not simply the result of feeling or taste, but that it had been reduced to hard facts-periods of treatment, temperature and exact details.The chemist was the best man in the works to make records of processes. The chemist and the engineer together could arrange for economic mass production, but, to maintain standards, continual oversight of production by the chemist was necessary. Processes needed careful recording, for there was a tendency in the factory for processes to change; and changes, though con- ceived in innocence, might result in deterioration of the product. The workmen seldom completely understood the processes, but they had an ability to find short cuts, not generally better ways, but easier. In Mr. Knapp’s view, the right man to control the men was the foreman; the right man to control the machinery was the engineer; but the man to control the process should be he who understood it best-generally, he hoped and believed, the chemist.Thus one part of the staff was responsible for the men, another for the machines, and the chemist for the processes. The responsibility for processes seemed very important, but there was some doubt whether chemists had succeeded in convincing directors of this. The chemist’s relation to the sales department constituted an important aspect of his work. By co-operation he could help 112 a great deal, as for example, in supplying information to cus- tomers on the correct use of the products. The chemist’s part in connection with advertising was also touched upon. In conclusion, Mr. Knapp said that it was the duty of chemists to make their department as popular as possible with the staff; he had not touched on some aspects of the subject, but he hoped that his remarks would stimulate others to contribute their views.Mr. George King emphasised the importance of the laboratory as a centre of the social life of the works. The chemist was in direct touch with the men, since processes worked out in the laboratory had ultimately to be reconsidered when put out for large scale operation on the works. As the chemist collected the data, he should be in control of processes until they were accepted as profitable undertakings. Referring to another point made by Mr. Knapp, Mr. King said that he thought no hard and fast rule could be laid down with reference to the execution of work submitted to the chemist by any member of the staff.The highest paid chemist frequently did very little chemistry; it was unwise for the chemist to confine his ambition solely to a purely chemical post in the works. A knowledge of cognate sciences such as biochemistry, physics, engineering, economics, etc., was desirable ;a chemist had a very good chance of graduating into other branches of the business, such as management or even accounting. Just as the chemist should have knowledge of departments other than his own, so directors and heads of departments might well acquire some knowledge of chemistry. The lack of such knowledge sometimes constituted a difficulty, and the chemist must learn to record results and present reports, couched in language intelligible to those with little knowledge of chemistry, and should be able to talk to workmen in language which was intelligible to them.In his relations with the engineer, a spirit of reciprocity was necessary; the chemist should design all chemical plant, the power plant being, of course, the engineer’s province. Unless the chemists’ department made itself popular it would not get that service which enabled the works to be run to the best advantage. Mr. D. W. Parkes said that he agreed with much that had been said with regard to the necessity for the chemist to know something of the work of all departments in the works. He deplored the fact that although the work of the chemist was 113 frequently fundamental to the success of the works, the credit often fell elsewhere.The absence of technical training in depart- mental heads did not permit of a proper appreciation of the inestimable value of a close alliance of science and industry. Mr. J. R. Johnson referred to the status of the chemist in the works; this depended very frequently on his own personality. Many instances could be cited where chemists were kept con-tinually in the laboratory without having access to responsible heads of departments, and were called in only when difficulties arose. The salary of the young chemist was often lower than that of other qualified members of the staff. This was, perhaps, partly due to the fact that he found so much interest in his work that he did not trouble much about finance. There was some danger that this enthusiasm might be exploited, and unfortu- nately a man’s status tended to be judged by his income.The young chemist should endeavour to keep in touch with his professional brethren; one of the simplest and best methods being regular attendance at chemists’ meetings. Mr. F. H. Alcock spoke of the improvement in the status of chemists during the last 35 years, and illustrated his remarks with anecdotes of the difficulties of chemists in past times. Dr. W. Wardlaw, the Chairman, discussed the part played by the universities in the early training of the chemist. They could not impart personality or works’ experience. They could, and did, give efficient scientific training, but some manufacturers made the mistake of expecting young graduates, on entering their business, to show at once results obtained only by practical works’ experience.Messrs. Hewis, Nicholls and others made contributions to the discussion, and the meeting then adjourned. The Midland Chemists’ Dinner-Dance,--organised jointly by the Society of Chemical Industry, the Institute, and the British Association of Chemists,-took place on 6th February, at the Midland Hotel, Birmingham, when Mr. W. A. S. Calder presided over a large gathering. Capt. J. Davidson Pratt, who proposed the toast of the “Midland Chemists,” stressed the importance of the work of the chemist, especially in view of the troublous times through which the country was passing.British Industry needed to be put again in the position of forty or fifty years ago, when it was able to supply goods which nobody else could make. The British chemist had a great part to play in 114 such a development. Chemists had the necessary qualities, but they seemed to lack one important thing: they had not, at present, sufficient influence in high industrial councils. He approved the spirit of co-operation amongst Midland Chemists, and would welcome a similar spirit in the parent organisations. In coupling with the toast the name of the Chairman, he referred to the courage with which Mr. Calder had faced illness and bereavement in recent anxious years, adding that, with his unfailing cheerfulness and ready sympathy, he was an example and an inspiration.Mr. Calder having acknowledged the toast proceeded then to make a presentation, on behalf of Midland Chemists] of a canteen of cutlery, to Mr. George King, whom he congratulated on his approaching marriage to Miss M. Jervis. (Mr. King was also the recipient of a silver salver presented on behalf of members of the Chemical Engineering Group.) Mr. King, in reply, warmly thanked the company. He dealt in some detail with the question of co-operation and unification of chemical societies] and expressed the opinion that the lead in this matter should come from the provinces. The remainder of the evening was devoted to dancing. Bristol and South-Western Counties.-The eleventh Annual Meeting of the Section was held on 16th March, in Bristol University,-Mr.Frank Southerden presiding. The Hon. Secretary’s report, showing that five well-attended meetings had been held during the past session, and the financial statement were received and adopted. The Auditors, Dr. H. F. Dean and Mr. A. E. Jones, were re- appointed, and the Committee was elected as follows: Messrs. Edward Russell, R. D. Littlefield, R. H. Ellis, Dr. E. Vanstone, Mr. E. Lewis and Dr. R. C. Menzies, the two last named filling the vacancies caused by the retirement, by rotation, of Professor W. E. Garner and Mr. Southerden. Votes of thanks were passed to the authorities of Bristol University for the use of rooms for the meetings, and to the retiring members of the Committee, together with an expression of sympathy with Professor Garner in his recent accident.The Chairman gave an address entitled ‘‘Through the Public Eye.” Mr. Southerden submitted that, although the public view of chemistry was rather a crude caricature of the real thing, yet 115 it showed a grasp of the essential feature, namely, that chemistry implied an endeavour, by means of experiment, to understand of what things were made, and how new things were produced. The image conjured up in the public mind by the word chemist was, however, confused and distorted. He traced the causes which had led and still tended to this confusion, and enumerated factors which were leading to clearer vision. With regard to professional chemists, more definite public guidance was desirable, and whilst deprecating any attempt to close the ranks of chemists by establishing a statutory register, or, in any way, seeking to appropriate for professional purposes the plain title chemist, Mr.Southerden expressed the opinion that it would be in the public interest to restrict professional chemical practice in certain spheres of work, where highly specialised knowledge and experience were essential. The introduction of the title Chartered Chemist properly applied would, in his opinion, be of great assistance to that end, by conveying a definite and correct idea to the public. A perusal of the Register of the Institute showed that what might be called ‘‘Chemists-in-fact” worked largely behind the scenes, hidden from the public view, and he suggested that it would be well for chemists more generally to take an active part in public work, to come out into the light of day in order that the profes- sion, and what it did, should become still better understood.Messrs. R. D. Littlefield and E. Russell and Drs. E. Vanstone and A. C. Monkhouse, having expressed their appreciation of the address, a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Southerden both for the address and for his admirable chairmanship of the Section during the past two sessions. Edinburgh and East of Scotland.-The fourth meeting of the session was held, jointly with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Sections of the Society of Chemical Industry, in the Pharmaceuti- cal Hall, 36, York Place, Edinburgh, on Friday, 29th January,- Dr.W. 0. Kermack in the Chair. Dr. A. E. Dunstan gave a lecture on (( Liquid Fuels-To-day and To-morrow.’’ Dr. Dunstan dealt, in general, with liquid fuels derived from coal, mineral oil, natural gas and cellulose materials, special emphasis being laid on the past discoveries of petroleum in Texas, California, Oklahoma, Iraq and Persia. He said that 116 there was no likelihood of shortage for many years to come, and referred to the great developments brought about by geophysical prospecting, whereby new possible oil-bearing formations were indicated, by deeper drilling to such depths as IO,OOO feet, by the recovery of natural gasoline from natural gas, by the enormous increase in motor spirit brought about by cracking heavy oil, by more economical methods of refining and by the more scientific utilisation of the various fractions.The production of liquid fuels from petroleum gases was described, including (i) the physical separation of propane, butane, pentane and higher hydrocarbons, and their utilisation as “bottled gas,” and “motor spirit,” (ii) the thermal treatment of natural gas or the cracking of oil at higher temperatures to produce benzol and other aromatic hydrocarbons; and (iii), the milder cracking of light paraffins into olefines and the latter at moderate temperature and high pressure into polymers of very high anti-knock value. He referred to the carbonisation of retortable materials, both at high and low temperatures, and gave special attention to the possibilities of hydrogenation as applied to tars, coal and mineral oil residues.The treatment of water-gas for the production of liquid fuel and the development of fuels for internal combustion engines from cellulosic and fatty materials were shown to be possibilities for the future. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Prof. T. Slater Price. The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held in the Pharmaceutical Hall, 36, York Place, Edinburgh, on 19th February,-Mr. W. R. Guy in the Chair. The Secretary read his report for session 1931-32 and the financial statement for 1930-31, which were approved. The following members were elected to the Committee- Major R.Bruce, Messrs. J. B. Hunter, W. B. Mitchell and J. B, Westwood, while Mr. J. W. Romanes, hon. auditor, and Mr, Walter Smith, hon. secretary, were re-elected to these offices respectively. A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring members of com-mittee, Messrs. L. Fletcher, J. Sandilands, A. Scott Dodd, and J. A. Watson. 117 Following the annual general meeting, Dr. R. Fraser Thomson, of Scottish Dyes, Ltd., gave a lecture on *( Complex Ring Structures in Dyestuffs Chemistry.” Starting with the hydrocarbons pyrene and perylene, the lecturer showed how the Friedel-Craft reaction could be used to derive benzoyl derivatives which, on ring closure with aluminium chloride, gave dyestuffs of importance, such as pyranthrone and the dibenzopyrene-quinones from pyrene and dibenzanthrone and isodibenzanthrones from perylene. The properties of the Bz’ Bzd-dialkoxy-dibenzanthrones were described, and the difference between these and the closed chain ethers was explained.Several of the most remarkable points were mentioned,-the ethylene ether differed by only two hydrogen atoms in a molecular weight of over 500 from the dimethoxy derivative, and yet the properties were entirely different, the one dyeing greenish-blue and the other brilliant green. Pyranthrone and flavanthrone differed profoundly, in that two carbon atoms in pyranthrone were substituted by two nitrogen atoms in flavanthrone, and yet the colour of .the two molecules was fairly similar and the dyeing properties much the same.An interesting discussion followed, in which Drs. Harris, W. 0. Kermack, W. McCartney and Messrs. S. H. Hastie and J. J. Crombie took part. Having dealt with the points raised in the discussion, the lecturer was accorded a vote of thanks for a very interesting paper. Glasgow and West of Scotland.-On 12th February, at the Royal Technical College, Prof. W. L. Bragg, F.R.S., gave an address before a joint meeting of all Glasgow chemical societies, arranged by the Local Section of the Institute. His subject was “The Significance of Valency, as elucidated by a Study of the Solid State.” Following some introductory remarks during which Prof. Bragg explained that he spoke as a physicist whose work had brought him into touch with chemistry, he said:- “The laws of valency govern the associations of atoms into chemical compounds, held together by the inter-atomic forces.Ultimately chemical forces and physical forces are the same, There is no difference between the nature of the force which 118 makes a piece of paper fly to a rubbed amber rod, and the force which holds together sodium and chlorine in rocksalt. “The link which holds carbon to oxygen enables a rope to bear a strain. When the forces are so localised that in the resulting fine-grained atomic association the relative number of atoms involved is expressed by integers, we talk of them as effecting ‘chemical combination.’ “Although more than one type of attractive force can exist in any compound, it is convenient to classify into types.The first is familiar as the force between electrified bodies. The compound consists of atoms, or groups of atoms, which are positively and negatively charged. A salt, composed of metal and acid radicles, is a simple example. In the second type of bond, there is a fusion of the atomic structures which inter- penetrate. A group of atoms is linked by its common electronic system as if it were a large complex atom with many nuclei. Such a linking is universal in organic compounds. The third type occurs in the metals, where electropositive atoms associate into a structure with peculiar properties. Each type of bond has its characteristic valency laws, whose only common feature is that they lead to whole-number ratios between the different kinds of atoms.“In speaking of these problems we must have some mental picture of the atoms. I wish to speak of the wave-pictures throughout. The difficulty of attaching a physical significance to the wave picture is great, but everything is to be gained by thinking in terms of it. The electronic cloud around the nucleus is represented by a wave function, conveniently though approxi- mately split up into separate wave functions equal in number to the electrons in the atom. The spatial distribution of these wave functions, or vibrations, can be calculated and a picture of them drawn. Definite rules tell us the energy of any particular group of wave functions.Any experiment we make to ‘see’ the atom gives a picture of the wave functions. What more can we ask of an atomic model? It is a tool which can be trusted, in the sense that the wave mechanics gives the correct answer to any question set it. “Three pictures* of wave function density, or electronic distri- bution, show the difference in the three classes of interatomic force. The first picture shows the density around sodium and chlorine atoms in a crystal of salt. It will be seen that the * The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides. 119 atomic systems scarcely interpenetrate. Their opposite electric charges cease to pull them closer together as the outer fringes of the atoms come in contact. The next shows the group S, in iron pyrites, where the S atoms are joined by a homopolar or electron-sharing bond.It will be seen how the structures interpenetrate considerably into one another. The last shows the wave functions definitely belonging to each atom in aluminium metal. They are far apart, the space between being occupied by the valency or conductivity electron common to the whole metal. “In the salt each system, whether charged atoms or acid radicle, keeps itself to itself. The whole would fly apart, like atoms of an inert gas, if the systems were not electrically charged. Since they are charged, they tend to pack together so that electro- static energy disappears to the greatest possible extent. “The ordinary rule of valency as applied to a salt, gives the relative numbers of atoms, and in effect states that total positive and negative charges are equal. The actual arrangement of the atoms revealed by X-rays, shows that the laws of valency are more rigid and exacting.It must be possible so to group the atoms that electric charges everywhere cancel out locally in the structure. When geometry forbids such an arrangement, the compound is very unstable or does not exist, although perfectly possible according to the older valency laws. “An interesting feature, unsuspected before the advent of X-ray analysis, is the wealth of forms assumed by acid radicles. They are not necessarily discrete groups of atoms. In calcium metaborate, CaB,04, for example, there is no BO, or B,O, radicle.There are instead endless linear radicles, chains of boron and oxygen ranging right through the solid, linked sideways by calcium. The silicates in which such complex bonds were first found are most striking. Fibrous silicates have endless linear radicles, while platy silicates, like the micas, have sheet or planar acid radicles which are continuous in both directions parallel to the cleavage surface. This necessitates a complete revision of the formulae of such compounds. “The homopolar bond, due to interpenetration of atomic structures, is extremely complicated mathematically, but inter- esting and successful attempts have been made recently to get approximate solutions in the case of complex molecules. A recent paper by Pauling is very fascinating and suggestive.In the approximation the strength of the bond depends upon the 120 overlapping of uncompleted wave functions belonging to each atom. The greater the overlap the larger is the release of potential energy. As in all vibrating systems, the wave functions or characteristic vibrations alter character when distortion of the atom takes place, the new vibrations approximating to linear combinations of the former ones if these are not too widely separated in frequency. Pauling examines which regroupings or linear combinations of the normal wave function lead to new wave functions which have the greatest concentration in certain directions. Such new functions will form with similar ones from other atoms homopolar bonds of great strength since the contri- butions from each atom overlap to the maximum extent.“The great merit of this approach is that it enables us to understand not only the strength but also the relative directions of the valency bonds. The grouping of s and p wave functions to form the tetrahedral bonds of the carbon atom is one of the many examples of its success. “In alloys of metals we have thermal and other evidence of the existence of intermetallic compounds. What is their nature? To what extent are they precise as are other chemical compounds? Perhaps one example which I may describe in a little detail, will illustrate the nature of these compounds. The example is the series of alloys formed when aluminium is added to iron, up to 50 per cent.in atomic ratio. The metals form an unbroken series of alloys, homogeneous at every composition. If we study the system carefully, as has been done recently by Bradley, we find that careful annealing segregates the aluminium atoms into certain preferred positions in the iron lattice. At compositions Fe,A1 and FeAl it is possible to coax the atoms into perfect patterns, where A1 and Fe have definite positions in relation to each other. But quenching destroys the pattern. The intermetallic compound is a most delicate affair, its existence as compared to a random mixture of iron and aluminium is determined by a very small energy difference. This is an extreme case, for other intermetallic compounds are much more hardy.It shows, however, the essentially different nature of the intermetallic compound due to the absence of directed bonds or oppositely charged atoms. All atoms in the alloy are electri- cdly positive, and can to a large extent replace each other. Valency laws in this case are largelygeometrical in their character, and depend on the packing of the atoms together.” 121 A meeting of the Section was held on 26th February in the Ca’doro Restaurant, Glasgow,-Mr. H. Findlay in the chair. Before opening a discussion on *‘The Southern Drift of Industry ” and how it affects the chemist, the Chairman presented the Frankland Medal and Prize for 1931,which had been won by Mr. Geoffrey Dale Muir. To stimulate the discussion the committee had invited the following speakers to give their views on the subject: Mr.MacMillan, of the Scottish Development Board, Mr. T. Ramsay, of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Balderstone, of the National Party of Scotland. Each of the three speakers dealt with the subject from his own particular viewpoint and a general discussion ensued, during which the chemical aspects were freely considered. Dr. Gordon suggested that copies of “Chemists and Divi- dends ” and the “Chemist and Commerce ” should be forwarded to the National Development Board for Scotland. This was agreed to. It was pointed out that the main reason for a meeting of this kind was to draw attention to the advantages that could be derived by a body such as the National Development Board co-operating with professional chemists, and that no industrial development board should be without the services of at least one chemist.Huddersfie1d.-A meeting of the Section was held on 9th February, in Field’s Cafk, when a lecture was given by Dr. A. E. Dunstan on Liquid Fuels.” It is understood that this lecture will be published in due course. (See Edinburgh and East of Scotland, p. 115.) In the discussion which followed, Dr. Dunstan referred to the technical achievement of Imperial Chemical Industries on hydrogenation. Before the lecture a cinematograph film was shown illus-trating the boring for crude oil and the various refining stages. Messrs. W. C. Holmes, Ltd. Engineers, Huddersfield, kindly lent their cinematograph projector for the occasion.122 The twelfth Annual General Meeting of the Section was held in Field’s Caf4 on 15th March, when Mr. H. W. Moss presided over a good attendance. The reports of the Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary were approved. The resignation of the Hon. Secretary, Dr. H. W. Stephen, was accepted with regret, the Chairman and Dr. A. E. Everest referring appreciatively to the work he had done during the past three years. Dr. R. J. Connor was appointed Hon. Secretary, and Dr. H. H. Goldthorpe and Dr. Stephen were elected to the two vacancies on the Committee. On the motion of Mr. C. E. Randolf, a vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring members of Committee, Dr. H. H. Hodgson and Mr. W. D. Scouller. After the business meeting, an address was given by Professor T.P. Hilditch on Some Complicating Factors in Industrial Catalysis.” Professor Hilditch said that catalytic processes afforded particularly good instances of the factors, other than chemical, which were involved in problems connected with modern chemical industry, and emphasised the importance of chemists being prepared to share in the responsibility for these factors, as well as merely being responsible for dealing with the purely chemical problems concerned. It was urgent, in the words of the 1931 Report of the Advisory Council of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, that the scientific outlook should be represented “not only among the subordinate staff, but in the high places,” and that would not become the general rule until chemists interested themselves actively by study and mutual interchange of views in the economics, as well as in the chemistry, of manufactured chemicals.As a result of the development of some recent catalytic methods, certain facts were obvious, and it appeared that chemists had not been unduly conspicuous by their representation on the higher commands of the industries concerned. In the first place, a modern catalytic process almost always demanded heavy capital expenditure, and could therefore only be undertaken by a corporation of some magnitude or by a government or municipal undertaking. Secondly, the possible effect of a successful process of the kind had been shown to be far-reaching, and might have repercussions of an unfortunate character on numerous 123 individuals in so-called lower walks of life.For instance, the synthetic acetic acid and acetone industry, followed by synthetic methyl alcohol, had entirely upset the old wood-distillation industry. In the third place, either the tremendous capacity of modern catalytic plants had been underrated, or competition had run mad, and the installations for such manufactures as ammonia, nitric acid, hardened fats, acetone and other com- modities available throughout the world, were far in excess of likely demands in the near future. Finally, the catalytic processes required far less labour than the older processes, so that less employment was available.The combined effect of these various factors might therefore become very serious and continue to add to the difficulties from which industry was suffering. It seemed, therefore, that it was by no means sufficient to invent a process or introduce improvements; it was someone’s business to see that scientific advances were utilised for the general good. Perhaps it appeared rather far-fetched to suppose that the work of the scientist was in danger of being thus mis- understood, but the lecturer quoted several extracts from the Press touching on some of the new catalytic processes, and these illustrated clearly how applied science was misapplied. Progress must continue, and, so far as discovery and invention were con-cerned, it would fortunately be impossible to stop progress. But, if by unintelligent use of applied science, the progress of human welfare and comfort seemed to be impeded, there was a grave danger that science would acquire a bad name with the world at large, and the progress of discovery and invention would be impeded.Neither squalor and dirt nor unemployment and distress should be the result of scientific progress. It was easier to point to these things than to show the way out; it was easy also to allocate responsibility to some extent. In the lecturer’s opinion, the fault was twofold; first, that those who had con- trolled the application of scientific discoveries had not had the requisite foresight and imagination to comprehend whither they were going and what manner of power they were utilising; and second, that those in control had too often not looked far beyond their own personal interest.Professor Hilditch proceeded to illustrate his argument by a discussion of the volatile organic solvents and related com-pounds, which were formerly derived exclusively from the by- products of the distillation of wood, but which are at the present 124 time produced in very large quantities from acetylene, alcohol, water-gas or starch, by a large variety of catalytic methods, including fermentation. Amazing fluctuations in prosperity and policy of these industries had occurred during the past twenty years, owing to the operation of factors which, for the most part, had no direct connection with the chemical processes themselves, and these emphasised the necessity for chemists occupying themselves with matters beyond the actual chemical and technical problems of a business.In conclusion ,Professor Hilditch reminded his audience that a chemist’s primary function was to be thoroughly efficient as a chemist, and that his chief satisfaction and enjoyment should lie in the capable execution of his work. But he urged that his chief duty, after due attention to his efficiency as a chemist, was to arm himself by studying economic and similar problems, to play his part ably in the larger questions, and to exert his in- fluence as opportunity afforded in the wider spheres connected with the application of chemistry to industry.Leeds Area.-A meeting of the Section was held, on zznd February, in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre of the University, Leeds, when Professor F. Challenger gave an address on ‘‘Recent Applications of Microbiological Processes in Pure and Applied Chemistry.” He referred to Wehmer’s discovery, about 1890, that consider- able amounts of citric acid were produced when moulds of various types were grown on solutions of glucose or sucrose. The produc- tion of a branched-chain compound in this process was of consider- able theoretical interest , and the following hypotheses, which had been suggested to explain such a change, were discussed: (I) conversion of the sugar into acetaldehyde and thence, by condensation and oxidation, into citric acid ; (2) cyclisation of glucose, formation of a hydroxydiketocyclopentylcarbinol,and subsequent oxidation ;(3)successive transformation of sugar into parasaccharinic and citric acids; (4) the production of citric acid by a “benzilic acid transformation ” of Pydiketoadipic acid; (5) condensation of acetic and oxaloacetic acids, the latter arising from malic acid.In connexion with the last-named hypothesis, reference was made to the production of fumaric acid from carbohydrates by the moulds Rkixopus aigricans, Aspergillus fumaricus and 125 javanicus, and its reversible conversion into I-malic acid by A. niger, and also to the formation of citric from gluconic acid by A. fumaricus or niger. The significance of oxalacetic or malic acid and acetic acid in the mycological production of citric acid as indicated by the work of Chrzaszcz, was interesting in view of a suggestion made by Raistrick and Clark, in 1919,that the biological synthesis of citric acid occurred in a similar manner.In this connexion, reference was made to the comprehensive investigations of Raistrick and his collaborators on mould metabolism carried out since 1922. Professor Challenger directed attention to the sensitivity of the moulds to slight changes in experimental conditions, and to the interesting observation that in some cases, for example, after much sub-culturing, the usual product was, for some unknown reason, not produced. Other interesting processes discussed were : the production of citric acid from peptone by Penicillium citreo-nigrum and from fruit pulp, gums, wood dextrins, sugars, etc., by enzymes present in the pith of citrus fruits; the formation of tartaric acid from glucose by the enzymes present in aqueous extracts of dormant rye-embryos in presence of hydrogen peroxide ;the conversion of wood into oxalic acid by Coniophora cerebella; the transformation of calcium acetate into succinic and fumaric acids by Rhizopus nigricans. Many of these processes are patented.The formation of succinic, fumaric, and malic acids from sugars by the above moulds is closely paralleled by enzymic changes occurring in the animal body. In America large quantities of gluconic acid, unaccompanied by any other acid, were now produced by the oxidation of glucose through the agency of an organism of the Penicillium Zuteum Ipurpurogenum group.Reference was made to the soil bacteria possessing the remarkable property of utilising as the sole source of carbon, compounds usually regarded as powerful antiseptics, namely, phenol, cresols, naphthalene, and phenanthrene. Phthalic and salicylic acids were probable intermediate breakdown pro-ducts of naphthalene and phenanthrene, respectively. Other soil bacteria, capable of dehydrogenating saturated paraffin hydro- carbons to unsaturated hydrocarbons, were mentioned. After an interesting discussion, in which members of the Physiology Department of the University took part, the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Dr.H. W. Bywaters, seconded by Mr. C. H. Manley. 126 Members of the Leeds Area Section of the Institute were invited to hear an address given under the auspices of the Yorkshire Section of the Society of Chemical Industry on the zrst March, at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, by Dr. C. J. Smithells, of the Research Staff of the General Electric Company, Wembley, on ‘‘ Photoelectric Cells and their Industrial Applications.” London and South-Eastern Counties .-A further report has been received of the lecture given before the London Section on 20th January by Mr. James Whitehead, K.C. Mr. Whitehead said that he had given as his title “Chemistry and the Law,” but had since discovered that many lectures had been given before the Institute which might be embraced within such a title.He would therefore speak more particularly of the duties of Counsel in relation to the Courts, to expert witnesses, and to lay clients. Thus he hoped to dispel an erroneous idea which was quite generally prevalent and which was stated quite clearly in Westaway’s book on Sciertti$c Method :-“If a barrister has a bad case, does he not set himself deliberately to deceive the jury? does he not use every device known to Rhetoric to appeal to the emotions and to obscure the facts? does he not try to injure the character of his opponent’s witnesses? He is not paid to establish the truth, but to win his case, and, if he does this, no matter how un- scrupulous his methods, few willthink any the worse of him.” This statement was widely divorced from fact.Counsel was, of course, employed as advocate for one party or the other, but it was his duty to assist the Court in arriving at the truth, and any barrister who told a lie in Court or in any way deliberately deceived the Court would very quickly find himself punished by his professional organisation. One of the reasons why Counsel did not see witnesses as to fact before a case was that they did not wish to be acquainted with damaging facts which it would be their duty to bring before the Court. It was the duty of Counsel for the opposing side to apprise the Court of such damaging facts. Another matter, not perhaps generally realised, conduced to the proper conduct of a case.It made no difference whatsoever to Counsel’s remuneration whether he won or lost his case. It 127 was absolutely contrary to the etiquette of the bar for CounseI to accept a different fee if he won a case from that which he would accept if he lost. Westaway’s statement implied, moreover, that the greater part of Counsel’s duty consisted in speech-making, but in fact he spent only a comparatively small part of his life thus. Quite apart from the amount of time spent in chambers in advising his clients, even in Court most of the time was occupied in examining, cross-examining and re-examining witnesses with the object of eliciting the truth. Many of those present were expert witnesses or potential expert witnesses, and he was glad of the opportunity of emphasis- ing to them the importance of stating to their solicitors all the relevant details of the evidence they proposed to give.In particular he would stress the necessity for clarity of definition in terms and phrases used in reports. A particular sentence might be perfectly clear to the writer, but might bear a different interpretation to an outsider, and might result in considerable argument. By attention to such points they would assist in securing that proper co-ordination of the functions of Counsel and witnesses which was essential for the expeditious conduct of litigation. In the conduct of a case Counsel were not infrequently faced with surprises, either pleasant or unpleasant. Some years ago it had been his duty to prove a prior user of a patent for the manufacture of a particular high speed alloy, and he had been instructed that this alloy had been made and sold commercially, but that the workman who would give evidence would not know what were the materials of which the steel was made.He expected, therefore, that he would have the somewhat difficult task of persuading the Judge after this evidence that the method of the patent had been publicly used (although he would not be able to prove that anybody knew what, in fact, were the con- stituents of the steel), because any analyst who was so minded could easily ascertain for himself what those constituents were. Facing up to this situation fairly, and preparing to show the Judge this weak point in his armour, he therefore said to the witness : “I suppose you did not know what was the nature of the ingredients you were putting into this steel.” “Oh, yes, I did, Sir, it was (so and so),” said the witness to the delight of Counsel, and all the efforts of cross-examining Counsel to shake this 128 witness merely confirmed this vital evidence more strongly.In another case it transpired during the evidence that the presence of small quantities of iron as a catalyst was essential for the production of the dyestuff which was the subject of the patent. This evidence was a complete surprise to Counsel seeking to uphold the patent. Mr. Whitehead gave several other examples of cases, the conduct and even the result of which would have been consider- ably altered, if material evidence of which information came to Counsel at a late stage (and in some cases too late) had been available at the proper time.He urged potential witnesses to disclose everything they knew to the instructing solicitors. Things which might not seem at the time relevant to the witness might appear in quite a different light to their legal advisers, and the case they were seeking to support was not infrequently put in hazard by the well-intentioned but misguided withholding of information. In conclusion, Mr. Whitehead dealt with the criticism some- times levelled against the bar and the judiciary that they were not properly equipped scientifically for advocacy or judicial decision of scientific matters.They need only remember the case under the Safeguarding of Industries Act dealing with calcium carbide. One set of highly qualified chemists gave their opinion on oath that calcium carbide was a synthetic organic chemical and other equally qualified chemists said that it was not. Surely, if the referee had been a chemist he would have started with a conviction one way or the other. It was better that he should have no pre-formed views and have his views crystallised by the evidence and by the advocacy of Counsel. Counsel engaged in technical cases, and in particular with patent litigation, were, however, highly quali-fed scientific men as well as good lawyers. Those engaged at the patent bar included chemists, physicists and engineers, graduates of English and continental universities (many with doctorates), who were well equipped to understand the intricacies of scientific matters and explain them to the Court.In the unavoidable absence of Dr. L. H. Lampitt (Chairman), Professor J. C. Drummond presided at a meeting of the Section, held in the Hall of the Institute, on 17th February, when 129 Professor H. E. Armstrong, F.R.S., gave an address-here re-produced verbatim-entitled 6‘ Shifting Sands” Allegory, Analogy, Medley. Silicon and Carbon form the frame work of the world. Our crusted globe is said to have in its sedimentary layer perhaps 60 per cent. of silica, the substance of sand,which youmay remember the Walrussupposed “no seven maids, with seven mops, sweepingit for half a year,” could clear even from the shore along which he and the historic Carpenter were walking on their way to their Colchester feast.I say “historic Carpenter,” because he is the man to whom Huxley alludes, in his lecture On a Piece of Chalk (Collected Essays, Vol. VIII), in saying :-“I weigh my words well when I assert, that the man who should know the true history of the bit of chalk which every carpenter carries about in his breeches-pocket, though ignorant of all other history, is likely, if he will think his knowledge out to its ultimate results, to have a truer and therefore a better conception of this wonderful universe and of man’s relation to it than the most learned student who is deep-read in the records of humanity and ignorant of those of Nature.’’ This passage will surely some day rank as “inspired.” Has any one of you made the least attempt to live up to Chalk? How many have wondered at its beauty-at the history stored up in its perfected whiteness? Huxley’s advice, given in 1868, remains disregarded by the schools up to the present day: probably, there are few in which this essay is read.Chemists once worshipped sand in the bath, It has honour- ably scarred the Sphinx: sand-blasting, in fact, is an age-long natural industry. Strange to say, sand no longer keeps company with lime: mortar seems to be of the past. Watching building operations, you rarely witness the miracle of a heap of lime, within a circle of sand, made to smoke by throwing water over it; instead, you see dirty gray stuff tipped out, maybe from a paper bag, upon a heap of sand, the two with due deliberation mixed together and made into a sludge with water.One of the most useful lessons in chemistry, one that could be given in public almost everywhere, is now all but lost to us. We are told that the police have difficulty to-day in detecting criminals, because they are not allowed to put personal questions to suspected persons, 130 So it is in chemistry; as we walk abroad, suspicions are no longer aroused as they were. When lime is seen, when wetted, to grow hot and smoke, it is pretty clear that it is something else than limestone-a clue is given; if thoughtfully followed up, this easily leads to the discovery of the nature of the crime wrought upon chalk when it is burnt.Unfortunately, Edgar Wallace allowed the motif to escape from his pen-what criminal purpose might he not have put into it. Cement seems to be soulless: all it can do when it is wetted is to subside back into stone without a squeak of any kind. No one thinks of connecting up the slak- ing of lime with the setting of cement, yet maybe in the two operations there is much of a muchness. Roll this poser up in paper, some of you: smoke it as a cigarette. Silica-sand-is begotten of Silicon. The change from one to the other word is small in spelling, yet infinite in meaning. An opportunity, this, to reflect how much more wonderful are words even than chemistry. The art men have developed of expressing themselves is beyond the miraculous. Chemists, I am afraid, are yet far from mindful of the art: they have an astounding way of misusing words and of being misled by them, simply because they are rarely trained to think out their meaning.To be exact in word is to go far towards exactness generally. Philology is the best introduction into chemistry. I say this from personal experience. The reflection leads me to call your attention to a paragraph in Sir A. Quiller Couch’s Fijty Years article in The Times last week:- (( GOODWRITING.’’ “Something solid I do retain of my recollection: that we were all in those early nineties fiercely intent on ‘good writing’ as certain schools of painters from time to time have been intent on ‘good painting.’ I am no praiser of past times: my business, indeed, has come to consist mainly in under- standing my juniors.One thing, however, I shall maintain- that we took trouble with our language. And another thing I shall yet maintain-that to strip the personal out of a poem or a story, to write it down economically and present it objectively, so that it tells itself, is the real gymnastic of any writer’s art.” Silicon is younger brother, next of kin, to carbon in the family of elements-but how different. Biting into oxygen, the one 131 is lifted to the skies, the other becomes the dust at our feet, Our crops feed upon the one product; cereals are held upright by the other: it is doubtful if Silica have any vital function other than that of stiffening stalks, unless it be in some degree con- cerned in the laying dom of starch in the grain.In the crystal state, silica takes rank as a Regal Gem and as a Rotarian in the Polariscope, which seems likely to last longer than Royalty. In the disperse phase, by a series of chain reactions beyond the thermodynamic gyrations even of the Oxford school-in the vulgar tongue, as sand-Sven Hedin has shown us, it has over-whelmed kingdoms and great stretches of land, especially in the East, are made barren by it; yet in these it is piled into forms of beauty as is no other material. As a carpet it is the golfer’s paradise but in banks it is bad for ships.You will realise that in thus speaking of the dispersity of sand, I am doing my best to placate colloid susceptibilities-that I even seek to recognise the lilt in the stilted jargon of the clan. Let me add there is no peroxide snag in silica. Bricks are now made without straw but few without silica. In perfection of feel, sand comes next to living flesh, though it can scarce be grasped. It flows almost as a liquid and so may be used in the hour glass and in hyperbole-we speak of the running-out of the sands of time. It is a substance that has been washed about the world from the beginning of the seas-from the days when water began to fall upon the primitive rocks and erode them. Then the granites fell to pieces and their crystalline contents were sorted out and distributed as two separate sediments-clay and sand, a part going into solution.The clay itself was but silica with certain frills upon it, frills which could be more or less easily torn away-of alumina, of iron, of lime, magnesia, soda, potash and so on. When carbon began its reign and took on the wings of life, certainly not in the sea, the solutions would have been too dilute, selective influences were brought into play. When life came into- the seas, silica and lime were taken out of solution and used as skeletal or protective materials. Two classes of organisms came into existence, typified by the Radiolaria and the Globerigerina. These lived at the surface; at death, they decayed and their remains sank to the ocean floor, eventually forming limestone.Here brute crystalline force and surface attraction came into play: owing to the great area exposed, the minute organisms were dissolved and their substance deposited upon the larger 132 surfaces of spicules from sponges: flints and chert were the consequence and the limestone became purified. Thus it came that the three types of stratified sedimentary rock were laid down that are found the world over-Sandstones, Claystones and Limestones. Everything else seems to have been intrusive. Here and there the triplicate sedimentary succession has been disturbed by the intrusion of heated matter from below the sedi- mentary layer: in this way, heavier elements have been lifted from obscurity, often in isolated localities.As these rocks have undergone subaerial decay, heavy metals have entered into solution, to be deposited here there and everywhere in mineral veins. Nothing has remained steady. Under the influence of pressure and heat, the materials in the deep seated rocks have been rearranged in equilibria determined by the conditions in which they have been placed, Gradually, the metamorphic changes are being deciphered and interpreted by the petro- graphers, and some day we shall have a fascinating picture of silica chemistry-worshipped thus far only in the undefined, money-clad, dull form of silica gel, though admired in opal and agate. Chemists have far too long delayed their attack on this field. Geology is an almost unknown subject in the schools.The petrographic microscope is handled only by the very few, yet it is a most fascinating instrument, of wonderful resolving power. Sermons generally are out of favour to-day; the most neglected are those in stones. Few realise the full force of Wordsworth’s words : “To the solid ground Of Nature trusts the mind that builds for aye.” Chemists need some spur to carry them beyond titrations, to carry them beyond intangible paper abstractions and to see the good in everything, so that they may advisedly turn to the books in the running brooks and in truth listen to the tongues in trees. Our neglect of agriculture and of true mineral chemistry is nothing short of a disgrace to our profession: we have no sense of the service we are most called upon to render to society; we are no longer learning sufficiently how to use our hands and, as to our wits, they are not even wool-gathering. The Institute must mend its examining ways and be practical.Let it ask for real knowledge of the world and its materials, a high degree of preparative skill, some power of using books of reference; above all, the ability to carry out an exact mineral 133 analysis, perhaps also an organic combustion. The rest should be done by us seniors: by the provision of text-books, both safe and sufficient. At an early date, we have to refashion our scheme of instruc- tion, casting out all unessential details, so that the majesty and meaning of the framework of our science may be fully revealed.The holy fire of enthusiasm which formerly burnt fiercely upon our altar now but smoulders under the rubbish piled upon it by academic triflers. We have to cast out the money-changers-to have a clear conception of our duty and of the greatness of our mission. What is the chemist anyway? Having command of the organic element, he is facile princeps the anthropologist. He alone can survey the world's resources with full understanding. He more than anyone can see how dangerously near our social system is to being foundered upon a quicksand. 'Overhanging the future, he sees the alarming spectral light of Phosphorus moving most dangerously towards extinction-the writing upon the clouds: Ohne Phosphor gar kein Leben! Clearly he is the most privileged person upon this earth, if he will only have it so.No one else can so fathom the inner mysteries of the cosmos and of life. These are fast being unfolded before us, as co-ordinated operations of a multitude of simple chemical factors. Let them say what they say-those who are seeking the occult ! We have sufficient occupation in reality and need be in no hurry to regard our account as closed. We know little enough of sand but far less of ourselves-what we are and ought to be. Only the few are worthy to be chemists: the majority probably cannot and never will be able to think chemically, however valuable they may be as artificers. Chemis-try is one of the fine arts-no inelastic, mathematical discipline.It is also probably the most difficult of all the sciences: because it is the most fundamental and comprehensive and because there is so much art in it. To be chemists, we must be every- thing; above all, alive to our essential ignorance of most things and the limitations under which, therefore, we must carry on our work. The neophysicists at the moment axe to the fore, but that is mainly for commercial reasons, because of wireless and the money in electricity. They are dangerous on two grounds-because they are mathematicians and because of their narrow mentality and great electronic conceit. It seems to be impossible for a 134 physicist to be a chemist-mathematics forbids; probably it will be left to the chemist to teach the old necessary physics he once did.The mathematician takes things for granted and the rest follows. The chemist should not take anything for granted: he may opine and seek to prove but never proclaim assent until he knows. This is why so much physical chemistry is outside chemistry. The chemist should seek to reckon himself a whole chemist and nothing short of one; to be able to take generally into account the properties of all the compounds of all the elements and to visualise many things which elude description. From this point of view, chemistry and physics are one science. Specialists are properly spoken of contemptuously as experts-no one can be so dangerous as the specialist. The state of our society gives living proof of this to-day.Experts are everywhere, but there is no connecting tissue of general intelligence: their work lies outside that of the ordinary world and is its great danger. The world is in the unhappy position we now deplore-simply because we have not learnt to think together; because we have allowed certain experts to go too fast ahead: nothing is done methodically. We are making no conscious effort to develop the full understanding of our affairs. Man is necessarily eminently selfish: the art of thinking for others has to be imposed upon him. Looked at from this point of view, our educational system is simply dishonest. The system we have built up is one calculated to promote selfishness and to give employment to a maximum number of people, all bent, through their inability to think, upon interfering with the natural process of learning-all bent on using their ignorance in misleading learners.What has element- ary education (since 1870) meant for the most part? A vast expenditure upon buildings designed by persons called architects, who have no conception what education means; a still larger expenditure upon bureaucratic red-tape administration of the funds; an almost complete failure to consider the nature of the task and of the qualifications required in the teacher. Men of words have ruled the roost and have asked only for words. In no other field has there been so perfect a display of the inability of ignorance to recognise its ignorance. You of the present generation can have no conception of the social change during the past 70 years, the period I can overlook.At the beginning of the period, affairs were in the hands of people of innate ability, who grew up through personal effort under 135 minimum interference from outside, especially from science. To-day, our main effort is to cultivate inability and to work through inability : suddenly, through war, we have discovered this cannot be done. Carlyle had already proclaimed this doctrine when I began my career. You willfind it all in Sartor Resartus and the Lectures on Heroes; in Ruskin also: so-called Science put the Victorian prophets aside. Science is now beginning to see that it must strive to bring them back or itself go under, far more quickly than it has risen into notoriety.We have too long worshipped the American god and American vulgarity: until we get rid of their pictures and have cleansed the world of the baneful influence these exert, there will be no health anywhere. We have equally to redeem our own Press and make it of avail as an instrument of culture. We must get back our moral sense. The rest will follow. As I write this, I receive from Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University, New York, an address on The International Mind,which he recently delivered before the Institute of Arts and Sciences of his University. In the opening paragraph he tells his hearers:- “If there is anything which this world of ours needs more than another just now, it is, first, wider horizons and second, deeper and more accurate thinking.” There is no thinking, no thinking in common, of any kind, let alone accurate thinking; if our thinking were accurate, it could not need to be more so.Our one great difficulty is to recognise our ignorance-that we cannot think with any approach to accuracy, if we think at all. None of us can face the terrible complexity of the problems the wide world presents to-day. Yet, as President Murray Butler contends, the nations are inextricably intermixed and interdependent. How can there be an International Mind? The opportunities of forming one are almost nil: the press is not open to thinkers, mainly to wasters. The members of this Institute know full well that there is not even a chemical mind in this country.If we saw our way to bring one about and did, we might then go further and seek for some wider international agreement. We can and must train ourselves for this wider work within our own body. Whether I go to a meeting of the Council of the Chemical Society or to one of the other Committees I waste time upon, the story is the same: blank inability to look facts in the face and 136 little desire to work together. Only in the City, away from science, do I find the wish on Committees to work together-to honest ends without consideration of self; any willingness to accept guidance from those who presumably know best. Their lights may be low and indeed are-but City men act up to their lights.Do we who pretend to be scientific? Our lights seem to me to be rushlights compared with the City wax candles. If we could mate the two, the product might well be a stupendous search-light of irrestible penetrating power. President Murray Butler can see the need of an International Mind, the need of accurate thinking-but makes no suggestion how this is to be brought about. He is not a teacher, neither is he an industrialist; he is a brilliant talker. If he understood the times, he would abolish credits from his University and seek to encourage the art of learning. No art of thinking is taught anywhere to-day. We need nothing short of an educational Paul, but a Paul without sophistry: one who will lead the nations to learn to think and to recognise how few of us can: therefore, to learn, if possible, to know who may be safe leaders and to trust only these.We have had sufficient evidence of unsafe, unscientific leadership in these past few days; of men coming together to do common work, yet revolting immediately an acquired doctrinal prejudice is threatened : because of their unscientific outlook, in other words, their innate inability to use available knowledge. No statesman to-day can deal with the problems of our time rationally who is not conversant with the history of industrial development and the coincident agricultural decadence of Europe and America. Few realise the extent towhich farming is goingout, as the result of mechanical spoliation of great areas; in Canada, Australia and South America, Empire Free Trade may be very desirable, but we must count the cost to our farmers; we cannot grow wheat against Canada and Australia.Australia has only the advantage of space; she has little soil worth speaking of and must, as a rule, pay in fertilisers for what she gains. Canada, however, is drawing upon a great natural fund of fertility-the question she must soon ask herself is to what extent she is justified in allowing over-production and exhaustion of her soil at the expense of future generations. The argument applies to all raw materials. Our own supplies are nearly exhausted. Everywhere, we have to curb the spirit of industrial competition : if we are not to play Old Harry with the World’s resources.This is all the more necessary now that we know that the African 137 continent is mostly exhausted land. New countries are only new to us: all have been grazed from time immemorial. Only the old and cultivated lands are fertile. Already, through ignorance, man has ruined large stretches of South Africa, probably beyond recovery even through afforestation. We must all force our- selves to think and to think together. Nowhere more than in Agriculture is there need of the Man! There has been no agricultural chemist since Liebig; no scientific leadership in agriculture since Liebig and Lawes ; no properly considered plan of action. What has been done is mere pottering compared with what has to be done. Only physical science seems to be organised-but then, it is so much easier than organic.I hope you are reading the FiftyYears articles in The Times. Nothing illustrates the advance made, particularly in engineering industry, so clearly as does that of our Navy-a Navy that has led the world, how entirely you may learn from Mahan. I have seen it all happen, as I can recall the old wooden sailing ships and the first of our ironclads, The Warrior, built in 1860. I saw The Warrior at Gibraltar in 1865, astern of the Marlborough, a great wooden three-decker. I was glad to see models of the two, in the same conjunction, in our Government Pavilion in the Antwerp Exhibition two years ago. During these 65 years, the social world has been recreated. Breech-loading cannon were only coming into existence; gun-powder was still in use but in big chunks for big guns.I remember Sir Frederick Abel’s demonstrations to the Chemical Society of the force of gun cotton, in its earliest days. I was in the great cordite case, soon after the introduction of smokeless powder. I have seen everything happen in electricity from the laying of the first successful Atlantic cable by the Great Eastern, the premature precursor of the modern Atlantic liner. You boys of the Institute have no idea what all this has meant-most of you take everything for granted. The last thing you do is to think how it has all been brought about and the consequences. These are eloquently painted in The Times article (February IIth), on The Navy under Steam, by Admiral Lord Wemyss.Discussing Naval Training, after sketching the rapid growth in ships and armaments, up to the end of last century, he goes on to say :-“The progress of naval education had not been propor- tionate. It was not until the year 1903 that a radical alteration 138 was brought about by a system of common entry for both the executive and the engineering branches, which, in spite of some modifications found necessary from experience, exists to-day and has had the salutary effect of bringing the control of all the elements of a man-o’-war into the same hands: an amalgama- tion of authority very beneficial to general efficiency. At the same time there was introduced a system of education on broader and more general lines than had hitherto existed, a change rendered feasible by a longer period of time spent in the training colleges.” The change was brought about by Admiral Sir John Fisher.He did a magnificent work, the consequences of which are with us to-day. One of his schools (at Osborne) has been closed; the other (at Dartmouth) remains, but is onlya shadow of its first self. I made a point of studying the schools in their early days. They marked a great advance, but the jealousy of the Public Schools prevented their development and extension. Hence it was that, in a letter to The Times, September 26th, 1919,in answer to one of mine deprecating his excessive advocacy of oil fuel, Lord Fisher began :-‘‘ Professor Armstrong I love, because in two concluding paragraphs he goes for the schoolmasters who have wrecked the original educational revolution effected by the establish- ment on Christmas Day, 1902, of the Naval College at Osborne.” It was a proud moment in my life, to be thus noticed by an Admiral and such an Admiral-one who could use words! I do hate the schoolmasters taken collectively ; individually many of them are delightful.They are alike in all countries-mere bookmen. Admiral Fisher was right. The schools must be made practical, in the sense that they must meet the needs of the world. Oxford is our bane; Cambridge runs but a neck short of her. Though devoted to words, corporately blind worshippers of the classics, neither knows the meaning of the word Scientz$c : neither has yet learnt that the world of to-day is a new world, in virtue of the introduction of the experimental method: neither can translate the word experiment into practice.The schools have not yet learnt to construe the term and to teach its application: being untrained, as they are, by their Universities, teachers can only give demonstrations or call on their pupils at times to verijy the statements made to them. They have no conscious understanding of the way in which the doctrine they preach has been established. As a body, the Science Masters in 139 our schools are sterile-if they had the mentality to experiment and any power of thinking for themselves, they could not fail to do much original work: the urge upon them would be irresistible, as it is in all upon whom a scientific afflatus has once descended.Lord Fisher made the Naval Schools suit the needs of the Navy. He made the Engineers-Gentlemen and the Gentlemen of the Quarterdeck-Engineers : a magnificent double qualifica- tion. We need in like manner to make our schools suit general needs. To this end, we must depose Oxford from all control over education-it can only be reformed out of its present existence. Then let us give all the Headmasters five years notice to quit: meanwhile, raise up a set of men to take their place, able to work on Fisher lines. We need to train them to be the equivalent of the engineer on the great ironclad-practical men, able to work the school ship. Further to quote Admiral Wemyss:- ‘‘ The gradual substitution of mechanical power for manual labour was productive of somewhat unlooked-for results.Formerly work involving the use of power had been carried out by parties of men under the supervision of officers or petty officers, who thus had frequent opportunities of exercising some of those qualities of leadership so necessary to efficiency and to the maintenance of discipline. Now that is all changed. Such work is frequently performed by single individuals, manipulat- ing a lever or a valve. These methods afford but little oppor- tunity for the exercise of initiative or judgment and have largely tended to change the independent-minded ‘ Jack Tar ’ of old into the somewhat automatic artilleryman of to-day.” Here we have a concise picture of the effect of mechanisation.Instead of noting the disability under which we labour and seeking to counteract the influence of machinery-and democracy-the schools but intensify it, by worshipping at the shrine of the examination fiend. The effect is not unlike that Admiral Wemyss attributes to ‘ wireless’ :-“Of all the changes imposed upon the Service by the advance of science that which has certainly produced the greatest effect is the introduction of wireless telegraphy. Highly valuable as it has proved itself to be, its use is not with- out an element of harm. Before its installation a ship on going to sea was, from the moment of her disappearance below the horizon, completely cut off from all communication with the 140 remainder of the world.She was ‘in being’ but, as an integral unit of the Fleet, an unknown and uncertain quantity. Thus segregated she was entirely dependent upon herself, and the responsibilities of her captain were necessarily heavier than ever they can be to-day, when he is in constant touch with those who have the power to control his actions and move- ments. Such a possibility of referring to others for decisions inevitably tends towards a decrease of initiative in those on whose shoulders responsibility would otherwise have f allen-a contingency which, as may be well imagined, may lead to much harm.” At a time when we are most in need of leaders we are doing our utmost to nullify the upgrowth of leadership.This is but what has happened in industry through rationalisation and the forma- tion of big combines. The Head is no longer master in his own school: he is at the command of irresponsible examining boards-Pecksniff s personi-fied-without special educational qualifications, only anxious to make money out of the wretched business. There is no room for originality; no room for experiment; not only is ability subject to over-pressure but often misdirected and covered in. The whole system is dishonest-as the leaders well know. There was open confession of this from Eton and Harrow and elsewhere, at the Christmas Headmasters’ Conference. Good fellows as they all are individually and socially, officially they are insufferable ; hopelessly incompetent, because their innate outlook is purely literary-j ust a survival from monastic times.Let us get back to our unholy selves. When are we chemists to set an example and cease from being a disunited rabble, lolling upon sandbanks of insecurity, carrying various sub-species labels, as if we were horticulturists’ varieties, dibbled out to attract unwary buyers? We should stand as a great forest, giving stability to the land wherever we grow. The call is for the man everywhere-he is not to be found, at least among chemists. The call is heard in all countries. Nowhere is it better voiced than in Lowell’s lines :-“More men! More Man! It’s there we fail: Weak plans grow weaker yet by lengthenin’; What use in addin’ to the tail When it’s the head’s in need oJ strengthenin’? ’I We are over-crowding our Higher Schools and Universities 141 with weaklings and ruining all by forcing them to compete for place. No one is allowed the leisure to grow up to his scientific stature.Scarcely any have developed hands. The little-enders are perpetually examining and holding back those who might perchance be big-enders. If there be potential Faradays, they are killed out in the process. We have to devise a system, as effective as that which has revolutionised the Navy, which will make Gentlemen Chemists and Chemists Gentlemen. The Navy selects its material-so must the University. All will first be obliged to take the general “Arts” course and gradually add to their qualification by attending special courses of instruc- tion at arranged intervals.When chemists are thus trained, they will recognise the need of working harmoniously together, instead of splitting up into inarticulate back-patting coteries. Meanwhile, we have to wave our flag of chemistry for all it is worth. I am persuaded that few have formed any conception of the social value of our science. Medical men have had the wisdom to organise in one body. We must follow this example. I see only one place for our future house-BwZiutgton House! If rebuilt, on modern lines, it could accommodate the Royal, Chemical, Geological and Linnean Societies-which properly belong together. It would in no way harm the Antiquarian and Astronomical Societies to be moved away, after the example of the Royal Geographical Society.would even rehouse the Painters. At present, Natural Science has no sufficient foundation and an entirely inadequate social superstructure. Surely there are men with vision enough to enforce a transfer from the shifting sands upon which we now have scarce a precarious foothold. We have to decide how we are to make our appeal. When we approach the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what shall we say to him? His question to us will surely be that I have already asked:-“ What is a chemist anyway? ” What I have said of him will be thought to be mostly rodomontade. What does he deserve of Society, apart from industry? To be aided by the State, he will have to show what is the service to the State he must neces- sarily render.This Institute was founded largely to promote the efficiency of the public analyst-to prevent a very low grade of medical officer of health taking on the work. It was not wanted for any other purpose. The Chemical Society could have met all needs. Unfortunately, the public analyst has not done much more than 142 administer an Act. Everyone knows that the standard of quality laid down for Milk in the Act is far below what it should be. Had the standard been raised, as it ought to have been years ago, through the agency of the Institute, had the subject been fully in- quired into, our milk supply would not so long have remained below what it should be in quality. A Stenhouse Williams would not have died still fighting for its purity.Chemists have done their duty under the Act but, unfortunately, they have lazily remained within it. We shall shortly recognise that Milk is incomparably the most important of all industrial products, that the chief means of raising the standard of our population is milk. A great field of activity is before chemists in milk alone. The highest and most subtle chemistry will needs be devoted to its study-this means an exhaustive study of all agricultural produce. About a hundred and fifty years ago, we had a great sailor, who discovered Australia-one Captain Cook. Opinions will differ as to the value of the discovery. It is certainly a great Continent, full of charm and interest, as I can testify, having be:n one of its circumnavigators.Australians think it “God’s own country”-but they are not chemists. As a chemist, in a strictly Pickwickian sense, I have my doubts. Walrus and Carpenter, if they were to explore it, would not weep merely “like anything’’ to see the quantities of sand-they would weep waterfalls, the more when the Carpenter, mindful of the piece of chalk in his pocket, would find that he had to go far to meet its equivalent- and that phosphorus was not in the picture. No country is likely, in the not distant future, to have more need of chemists who are chemists than Australia: to shift its sands to useful ends. To go back to Captain Cook. However great the value of his geographical discovery, he made a far greater discovery by, as the history books put it, conquering scurvy-the degrading disease of ill-fed humanity, the world over, affecting the poor especially. About 50 years ago, the present Sir Thomas Barlow pointed out that the disease was coming to be a perquisite of the rich, affecting the infants of the well-to-do whose mothers failed to feed them-being no longer under the eye of Queen Victoria and probably ill-fed themselves, perhaps as a consequence of the incoming of the Savoy habit, as a substitute for the underdone Roast Beef of Old England.Like Captain Cook, Physician Barlow 143 resorted to greens and milk and advocated “rawness” in every- thing. Being fond of children, perhaps he had in mind the verse in the Baker’s Tale :-“He remarked to me then,” said the mildest of men, “If your Snark be a Snark, that is right, Fetch it home by all means-you mayserve it with greens.” The chemist should always have his references in order and give credit where credit is due.Nobody outside medicine took any particular notice of Barlow. The hunt for the Snark, in greens and in milk, only set in when Gowland Hopkins, about 1906-12,insisted that there was a something in milk of vital importance. A poorly fed crowd of “chemists,” far too many women among them, who openly professed themselves to be but bits-0-chemists, took up the cry and fed greens, etc., to guinea pigs and rats galore. “Scents” were located in various quarters and alphabetically distinguished but there was no kill-no real huntsmen were in the field.At last the chemist could no longer resist being dared to do something and took up the challenge-but only recently in earnest. Every-one will know how, in the last few weeks, at least three and probably four advitants have been described as definite sub- stances. We have yet to be sure that the descriptions are all correct. The story of the antiscorbutic agent is in some ways the most significant, though it is not yet complete. Captain Cook’s trump card the lemon, the orange, the tomato, the potato and even cabbage, we are assured, contain the alkaloid narcotine. Apparently, it is only present in the unripe lemon and orange, the amount diminishing as ripening proceeds: the ripe fruit contains instead the antiscorbutic agent.This is thought to be methyl-nornarcotine, as this derivative of the alkaloid is a powerful antiscorbutic. Whether or no this prove to be the case, the hunt is started. Vegetable food of all kinds has to be studied with reference to degree of growth and seasonal and climatic conditions, to determine when it is worth eating. Maybe, Mr. Runciman is only justified in shutting out foreign vegetable produce at certain seasons. At what stage of unripe- ness is it safe or desirable to import oranges? When may apples and plums be picked? Is English grown winter lettuce worth eating? Is that raised, say in the Paris area, any better? Must it not come from some region with more sun? The hunt must not be restricted to merely one advitant. Vegetables carry 144 salts and we know not what other things of importance.An illimitable field of necessary action is here spread out for the chemist to cultivate. He has suddenly been made prime guardian of Public Growth and Health. No Chancellor will be able to put us aside when this is our acknowledged mission. It will be the chemists’ office also to protect the public against the mass of misleading, often false, advertisement in the Press and elsewhere: to make clear the way in which the modern advertising agent is too often the enemy of society. Lastly, we have to guard the gates against an arrogant industrialism that would not serve us with greens but with synthetic substituties.On more than one occasion of late, Sir Harry McGowan has talked in public of Synthetic Food in the future-the dream of a Berthelot, in my early days. Against this we have to set our faces with undying hostility. By nature, through long enjoyment of the fruits of the soil, directly or with the aid of the herbiverous animal, man’s life is bound up with that of the plant-if we desert it, we are doomed to die. Little enough of Nature is left to us: at least, let us remain natural feeders. Sir Harry McGowan may well remain satisfied to rob only nitrogen from the air, in the cause of industry and in support of the plant. Even in this he may well find himself beaten by the plant. “To the solid ground Of Nature trusts the mind that builds for aye! ” Manchester and District.-On 11th February, at the College of Technology,-Mr.J. H. Lester, Chairman of the Section presiding-Dr. Arthur Harden, F.R.S., gave a lecture before the Section on 6b Recent Work on Alcoholic Fermentation.” Dr. Harden said that fermentations produced by preparations made from yeast by grinding the cells, drying them, or treating them with acetone or toluene all differed from that produced by the living cell by being very much lower and by being temporarily accelerated by the addition of phosphate. In the presence of fermentable sugars these preparations converted added phos- phates into phosphoric esters of sugars, and at the same time produced an enhanced fermentation of the sugar which was equivalent to the amount of phosphate esterified.The reaction with phosphate was a very complicated one, and there was evidence that the resulting phosphoric esters might vary 145 very greatly in composition without the equivalence between enhanced fermentation and phosphate esterified being disturbed. The products so far isolated were-a fructosediphosphate, a hexosemonophosphate, which was a mixture of a glucosemono-phosphate with a fructosemonophosphate, and at least one other phosphoric ester, the nature of which was not yet known, and a trehalosephosphate. The hexosemonophosphates were probably derived from the enolic form common to glucose, mannose and fructose. The conditions were such that it seemed unlikely that any of the com- pounds isolated was an intermediate compound in the main scheme of fermentation, and it seemed more probable that a coupled or induced reaction occurred, one molecule of glucose being fermented while two phosphoric acid groups were esterified.The inorganic phosphate was removed by esterification ,and the rate of fermentation then sloweddown again and proceeded at arate limited by the supply of inorganic phosphate, which was afforded partly by the hydrolysis of the phosphoric esters and partly by the direct fermentation of the fructosediphosphate (Meyerhof). The accelerated rate of fermentation in the presence of phosphate was of the same order of magnitude as that produced by living yeast, but the rate of regeneration of inorganic phos- phate was comparatively slow, and it was in this feature that fer- mentation by yeast preparations differed very strikingly from that produced by the living cell.Some mechanism was injured by the processes employed in making the preparations, but what this was we did not yet know. A vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Harden on the motion of Dr. Herbert Levinstein, seconded by Dr. E. Ardern. Dr. Levinstein reminded the members that Dr. Harden had been awarded a Nobel Prize in 1929,and expressed the pleasure of the members on seeing him in Manchester again. Manchester and District Students.-The Annual General Meeting of the Students’ Section was held in the Clarion Caf6 on 5th January, Mr. S. Weir presiding. Mr. J. H. Lester, Chairman of the Manchester and District Section, was elected President for the current year.A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Sowerbutts on his retire- ment from the position of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, after two years in office, during which he had placed the Students’ Section on a sound basis. 146 The Committee for the current year is as follows:-J. H. Lester (President) ;J. R. Maddocks (Honorary Members’ Repre- sentative); F. Sowerbutts (Chairman); R. C. Cheetham, G. Ikin, A. M. Keith, R. F. Ramsay, W. B. Walker, S. Weir, G. W. Wilcock, E. Bleasdale (Honorary Secretary and Treasurer). The meeting was followed by a smoking concert and enter- tainment. Fellows and Associates are invited to become Honorary Members of the Students’ Section. Subscription, 5s.Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North-East Coast.-On 18th February, the Section met at Messrs. Tilley’s restaurant, Newcastle, an informal dinner preceding the business of the evening. Dr. A. A. Hall, Chairman of the Section, presided. The Treasurer’s Report for 1931,consideration of which had been unavoidably postponed from the Annual Meeting, was discussed and adopted. Dr. P. L. Robinson initiated a debate on the subject of the title “Chartered Chemist.” After giving a general review of the question he gave it as his opinion that the action of the Council in seeking to acquire this title for members of the Institute, was quite j ustifiable. The Chairman, in the course of subsequent remarks, stated that he did not believe that any special title was necessary, as the general public had come to recognise the essential difference between the chemist and the pharmacist.Mr. N. J. Ivison suggested that, although it was a general impression that the proposed title would be chiefly of benefit to the consultant, the lot of the chemist employed by private companies would also be bettered in the course of time, since in many cases it would be to the advantage of the employers to produce reports signed by a chemist, whose title would indicate that he was thoroughly competent. Mr. G. B. Howarth thought that just as we were accustomed to the use of the terms “accountant” and “chartered account- ant,” so all those who made their living by the practice of chemistrv were entitled to call themselves chemists, and it was J therefore desirable to distinguish the properly qualified man by some such title as Chartered chemist.Dr. A. C. Michie, Dr. W. L. Patrick, Messrs. M. A. W. Brown, P. D. Scott and J. Gordon also took part in the discussion, and 147 although fears were expressed as to the views of other chemical societies on the matter, it was generally agreed that the proposal was worthy of support. On 26th February, at the Royal Station Hotel, Newcastle, the Section participated with memberc of the Chemical Society, Society of Chemical Industry (Newcastle Section) , North of England Gas Managers’ Association, Institute of Metals (North- East Section), Newcastle Chemical Industry Club, and the Northern Coke Oven Managers’ Association, in a joint dinner.Mr. F. P. Tarratt presided over a large and distinguished gathering. Dr. P. L. Robinson, in proposing the toast of “Kindred Societies,” referred to the fact that every Society was interested in the progress of chemistry, and in recording the results of scientific research. It was his personal view that all such societies should be united, and he hoped that Dr. Seligman, whose name he coupled with the toast, would do his utmost to help in bringing this about. Dr. Seligman, in his reply, stated that he believed that unification of societies would come about gradually, and would be preceded by the prior formation of groups of societies having similar objects. He denied that science was responsible for the present state of world affairs; but he thought that in the constant effort to eliminate the human element from industry, we tended to the belief that such elimination was an end in itself.The object of labour saving was not to make fewer people work harder, but to lighten the efforts of all, and to enable them to devote more time to the things of the mind and body. Mr. E. M. Myers proposed the toast of “Local Industrial Development,” and stressed the value of research as an aid in the development, not only of new industries, but of those which had been long established. Mr. J.E. Cowen, in the course of his reply, stated that although there was depression in many industries, yet signs were not lacking that the district was alive to the necessity of inaugurating new manufactures.To these the speaker referred in some detail, mentioning such items as electrical switch gear, vacuum cleaners, Diesel engines and Diesel-electric traction , pulverised fuel machinery, mechanical stokers, and so on. A musical programme was contributed to by Dr. J. T. Dunn, who played some old English airs on the pianoforte; and by Mr. W. Hendry and Mr. Charlton, with Mr. G. Davis as accompanist. 148 On 11th March the Section held a Joint Meeting with the Local Sections of the Society of Chemical Industry and the Coke Oven Managers’ Association, in the Chemical Lecture Theatre, Armstrong College, Newcastle,-Dr. J.T. Dunn being in the chair. An address entitled ‘(Petrol from Coal,” was delivered by Mr.M. P. Applebey. The lecturer referred to the distribution of mineral oils throughout the world, and described how this had focussed attention on the possibilities of obtaining oils from such sources as coal. The development of a commercial process at Billing-ham, during the last five years, was so successful that they were now able to produce about 616 tons of petrol from 1,000 tons of coal. The lecturer described the principles of hydrogenation, but stated that the current price of mineral oils did not justify the erection of a plant of economic size, costing some eight million pounds, unless some form of assistance could be guaranteed. Prof. G. R. Clemo said that the lecturer’s description of the work conveyed little idea of the immensity of the experiment- surely one of the largest and most expensive carried out in this country on an industrial scale.In the subsequent discussion, reference was made to the possibility of utilising coals such as Canadian lignite, which Mr. Applebey considered could be more easily hydrogenated than bituminous co a1 . South Wales.-At a meeting of the South Wales Section, held jointly with the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry on 12th February, at Thomas’ Cafe, Swansea, a lecture was delivered by Dr. D. G. Hopkins on “Modern Developments in the Paint and Varnish Industry.” The Chair was taken by Professor J. E. Coates. The lecturer said that to-day there was hardly an industry in which decorative and protective finishes were not used.Mass production methods, with consequent speeding up of manufacture, had forced the paint technologist to adapt himself to a new environment. The automobile industry might be taken as an example. Prior to the introduction of nitrocellulose finishes in 1925,the average time taken to “finish” a car was about two weeks. With the advent of nitrocellulose enamels 149 this period was reduced to one week, and more recently the introduction of "One Bake " synthetic resin undercoats had made it possible for the manufacturer to complete the whole finishing system in one day. The development of synthetic resin finishes constituted the greatest advance in paint and varnish technology within modem times.The aim of the chemist had not been the preparation of synthetic resins to match natural products, whose short- comings are only too well recognised, but rather the production of tough flexible materials possessing all the qualities called for in a finishing material. Recent research had shown that the best types of synthetic resin varnishes and paint vehicles were made, not by the standard procedure of dissolving the previously prepared resin in the drying oil, but, by carrying out a direct condensation of the resin components and the oil or oil acids, whereby distinct chemical compounds with unique properties were formed. Dr. Hopkins dealt with three types of synthetic resin vehicle of outstanding interest to the paint and varnish manufacturer, v1z.:-" (I) GLYPTALSor Polybasic Acid-Polyhydric Alcohol pro-ducts, for the manufacture of which a large number of processes are available, eg., Fatty Acid Process, in which the polybasic acid or its anhydride, the polyhydric alcohol and the oil fatty acids are heated together under suitable conditions; Two Stage Process, in the first stage of which the oil and the polyhydric alcohol are heated together in the presence of a catalyst and when the re- action is completed the polybasic acid or its anhydride is added; and Monohydric AZcohoZ Process, in which the oil, the polyhydric alcohol and the acid or its anhydride are condensed together in the presence of a monohydric alcohol such as cyclohexanol. "In each case definite chemical compounds are produced, e.g., CH, -0 -CO I >c6 H4 CH -0-CO I CHZ-0-R where R is the oil radicle.When dissolved in suitable solvents they yield varnishes and paint vehicles with quite exceptional properties. The manufacturing process are 150 subject to strict chemical control, nothing being left to the judgment of the varnish maker, as is the case with the (( running ” of fossil resins, (( (2) PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE.In varnish manufacture dis- tinction is drawn between three types of phenol-formal- dehyde varnishes and paint vehicles, viz. :-(a) those prepared from resins which contain a high proportion of resin to render them oil-soluble (Albertols). These varnishes are very quick drying and for this reason they are used as vehicles for the so-called (‘Four-Hour ” Enamels ; (b) those prepared from oil-soluble resins which contain no rosin or any other foreign or inactive ingredients; and (c) those made by condensing the phenolic compound, formaldehyde, and the oils, in the presence of a solvent and a suitable condensing agent.(‘Whilst all three classes of product are of considerable interest, the last mentioned type possesses quite remarkable properties-exceptional hardness, gloss and build, resistance to heat, acids and weak alkalis, particularly good durability and di-electric properties, and last, but not least, a low baking temperature, viz., I hour at 250OF. (‘(3) UREA-FORMALDEHYDE.The nature of the condensation product depends very largely on the condensing agent used and on the weight ratio of the reactants.‘(It is possible to prepare water-white urea-formaldehyde varnishes which show practically no discoloration on stoving.’ ’ Continuing, the lecturer said that during recent years the range of pigments and solvents available for the paint and varnish manufacturer had been greatly extended. Valuable pigments such as titanium oxide, antimony oxide, synthetic ochres and a large number of new lakes had been added to the list, and there was now a wide choice of petroleum fractions and of other solvents which were regarded as chemical rarities not so many years ago. Without these raw materials it would have been extremely difficult for the chemist to achieve such success as he had with the new process vehicles.The advances which had recently been made in the technology of decorative and protective finishes led US to believe that the age of “Mrs. Beeton” is rapidly passing away and that the Technical Chemist is now coming into his own the paint and varnish industry. 151 An interesting discussion followed, after which a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Hopkins for his interesting and instructive lecture. A meeting of the South Wales Section was held jointly with the Local Section of the Society of Chemical Industry on 19th February, at the Technical College, Cardiff, when a lecture was delivered by Mr. S. Dixon, on “The Relation of Food to Disease” The causes of illness resulting from the ingestion of food might be divided into six groups:- (i) (a) Errors in quantity.(b) Errors in quality but not in quantity. (ii) The presence of chemical poisons of non-bacterial origin, (iii) The idiosyncrasy of the individual. (iv) Infectious diseases spread by foodstuffs. (v) Other infections and intoxications of bacterial origin, known as bacterial food poisoning. (vi) The presence of animal parasites. The lecturer emphasised the importance of the presence of vitamins in diet for maintaining a high standard of health. Cases of poisoning by metallic compounds of arsenic, antimony, tin, lead, and zinc were mentioned. The formation of the putrefactive bases, including the ptomaines, was described, but the lecturer stated that there was no scientific evidence to support the term “ptomaine poisoning.” Infectious diseases spread by foodstuffs were illustrated by reference to tuberculosis and scarlet fever conveyed by cow’s milk. A safe milk should be available for all: effective pas- teurisation, followed by efficient cooling and immediate bottling, afforded a means of rendering the ordinary milk supply safe.Having regard, however, to the immense quantities of food which were consumed without injury, the number of cases of “poisoning,’’ apart from infections, diseases and nutritional disorders, was relatively very small. New scientific knowledge and, when necessary, administrative action based upon it, together with education of the public on these matters, would doubtless do much to reduce still further the amount of illness arising from deficient and unbalanced diets or contaminated and infected foods.The lecture will be published by the Institute as a separate monograph. 152 Notes. Safety Rules €or Chemical Works.-About four years ago the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers had to deal with a number of technical questions arising out of the Factory and Workshops Act and the Chemical Works Regula- tions, the answers to which were not readily available from the usual sources. It was soon found that there were many precau- tions of a technical nature on which there was considerable divergence of opinion, while there were certain risks which were not fully appreciated. The Association, with the co-operation of the Factory Depart- ment of the Home Office, therefore, undertook the issue of a set of Model Safety Rules for use in Chemical Works.The intention was to fill a long-felt want by bringing together, in a clear and concise form, the various principles which require consideration in connection with the manufacture of various types of dangerous materials, in order that there should be some authoritative source to which reference could be made for guidance when considering the safety precautions required in a Chemical Works. This information is not conveniently obtainable from the Chemical Works Regulations, 1922,which constitute the Statutory requirements governing processes in Chemical Works.The Model Safety Rules are published in two parts:- Part I, which consists of the Safety Rules themselves in a concise form. Part II, consisting of a more extended explanation of the objects to be obtained by the Rules, the dangers arising from their non-observance, and the best and/or most convenient methods of obtaining the desired results. Part I was issued in provisional form three years ago with the object of obtaining amendments and suggestions. The following chapter headings will give an indication of the scope of the work ;-1. Foreword. 2. Principles affecting the design of buildings and plant with fire and explosive risks. 153 3. Principles affecting the design of buildings and plant involving risk from dangerous gas, vapour, or poisonous dust.4. Principles affecting the design of buildings and plant involving dangers from contact with corrosive or deleterious substances. 5. Principles affecting the design of buildings and plant involving other risks. 6. Principles involved in the operation of plant with fire and explosive risks. 7. Principles involved in the operation of plant giving rise to risks from gassing or from poisonous dust. 8. Principles involved in the operation of plant with dangers from contact with corrosive or deleterious substances. 9. Fire Protection. 10. First Aid. 11. General. The first portion of Part 11, Section I-General, and Sections 11 and VI, dealing with the design and operation of plant where there are fire and explosive risks, was issued two years ago in provisional form, and the preparation of the remainder is in hand. The object of Part I1 is to amplify Part I and to bring together in the form of a text-book, convenient for everyday use and reference, the large amount of valuable information regarding safety measures in Chemical Works, which is either available in scattered publications and reports, or which, while in the posses- sion of individual manufacturers or of the Government Depart- ments concerned, remains as yet unpublished.The Rules will not, of course, have any Statutory force, but their observance will afford strong support in any inquiry or pro- ceedings arising from an accident, since they have been compiled by an organisation fully representative of the Chemical Industry. At an early stage, the Association came to the conclusion that greater publicity should be given to the causes of certain accidents which occur from time to time, in order that the industry may benefit by this experience. A service of Safety Circulars was, therefore, initiated.These circulars, of which some 54 have already been issued, are generally based on the reports of interesting or unusual accidents from which a useful lesson may be learned, and they contain not only an explanation of the cause of the accident, but also the recommendations of the Works Technical Committee of the Association as to how similar trouble may be avoided in future.In collecting material for these Safety Circulars, a considerable amount of information is reviewed from technical journals and other sources which, while not of sufficient importance or novelty 154 to justify issue in that form is, nevertheless, likely to be of value to those responsible for safety in the industry. A Quarterly Safety Summary was, therefore, started at the beginning of 1930,in order to present this information in a form convenient for filing or indexing, classified under the following headings :-1. Fire and Explosion. 2. Poisonous Gas, Vapour, or Dust. 3. Corrosive Materials. 4. Fire Protection. 5. First Aid and Medical Treatment.6. Safety Organisation. 7. Miscellaneous. The Association of British Chemical Manufacturers has undertaken this work with special reference to the chemical and closely allied industries. The Association confines its attention to technical matters in this field, and the work is under the supervision of a Committee of technical experts, of which Dr. E. F. Armstrong, F.R.S., is the Chairman. Close collabora- tion exists with the Factory Department of the Home Office, the Chemical and Allied Employers’ Federation, the National Safety First Association, the National Safety Council of America, the International Labour Office, and the corresponding French and German Chemical organisations, with a view to securing the pooling of non-secret information pertaining to safety, such as reports of unusual accidents, new safety devices, etc.The Association holds the view that the subject of Safety falls in the same category as that of health, and that the widest circulation of useful information should be secured. In view of the great importance of Safety work and the scarcity of authoritative technical guidance in such matters, the Associa- tion offers members of the Institute who may be interested the opportunity of purchasing copies of these safety publications at the following rates:- Model Safety Rules-Part I .. .. .. 5s., post free Model Safety Rules-Part 11-1st sec-tion on Fire and Explosive Risks .. I guinea, post free Safety Summary-Annual subscription I guinea, post free Safety Circulars-Complete set of Nos.1-54, already issued, 10s. 6d. Annual subscription, 5s., post free. (Average issue, 16 circulars per annum.) Specimen copies can be seen at the offices of the Institute, or, in the case of the Safety Circulars or Safety Summary only, a 155 specimen copy will be sent on application to the offices of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers, 166, Piccadilly, London, W.1, mentioning this notice. XIth International Congress of Pure and Applied Chemistry.-The Federal Council for Chemistry has announced that the Congress which was to have been held in Madrid in April, and the IXth Conference of the Union Internationale which was to have followed the Congress, have been postponed.World Power Conference.-Dr. Harold G. Colman has consented to continue to act as representative of the Institute on the British National Committee of the World Power Con- ference. Arrangements are being made for a Sectional Meeting in Scandinavia in June, 1933,when the papers to be read will deal with power problems of heavy industry, with special reference to the load factor. The British Standards Institution has submitted a Draft Specification for Manholes for Chemical Plant for Pressures up to 250 lbs. per square inch. Copies have been submitted to a number of Fellows, whose opinions have been collated and forwarded to the Institution for consideration. Institute of Fuel.-Fellows and Associates of the Institute are invited to attend a meeting arranged by the Institute of Fuel to take place on Wednesday, the 11th May, at 6 p.m.at the Chemical Society Rooms, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W., when Professor Ernst Berl will present a paper entitled “The artificial formation of bituminous coal and mineral oil hydro- carbons.” Professor Berl claims that experiments conducted at Darm- stadt indicate that cellulose can be a parent substance, not only of bituminous coal but also of mineral oil hydrocarbons, and he proposes to exhibit coal substances which he has praduced from cellulose. 156 Obituary. HAROLD BAUSOR,WILLIAM who died suddenly at Cambridge on 28th January, at the age of 54 years, was born at Maldon, Essex, educated at Nottingham High School, and at Clare College, Cambridge, where he entered with an open scholarship in 1895.He graduated in 1898, took honours in chemistry in Part I1 of the Natural Sciences Tripos in 1899, and proceeded to M.A. in 1903. In 1900 he joined the staff of the Uni- versity Correspondence College as chemistry tutor, in which position he continued from 1900 until his death, except during the period of the war, when he was engaged upon research for the Ministry of Munitions. His work at that time was mainly of a confidential nature, but he published a paper in conjunction with Sir Wifliam Pope and Professor C. S. Gibson on “The Interaction of Ethylene and Selenium Monochloride,” which was published in the Journal of the Chemical Society in November, 1920.In 1919 he was appointed a demonstrator in the Cambridge University Chemical Laboratory, which position also he held until his death. He was the author of several text-books published by the University Tutorial Press. He was elected an Associate of the Institute in 1921, and a Fellow in 1924. THOMASBOLASdied at Wimbledon on 1st March, in his 85th year. In 1862 he entered the laboratory of the Medical School of Charing Cross Hospital and worked under Charles W. Heaton, who, in that year, had been appointed professor of chemistry in succession to R. V. Tuson. He continued at the hospital until 1876, becoming a member of the teaching staff, and also spent much of his time, between 1865 and 1872, in the laboratory of Dr. John Stenhouse, F.R.S., in Rodney Street, Pentonville, where he worked with Groves, Tilden, and Meldola.Subsequently, he was engaged in private practice and in scientific journalism. He devoted special attention to printing, photography, glues, and rubber, and from 1869 onwards cont,ributed many papers, individually or jointly with others, to the Journal of the Chemical Society, the Chemical News, the Journal of the (Royal) Photographic Society, the Journal of the (Royal) Society ,of Arts, the Photographic News, and other technical journals. A paper On the Distillation and Boiling Point of Glycerin,” indicating a method of obtain-ing water-free glycerin, published in the Journal of the Chemical Society (XXIV, 84), received attention during the war; but Mr.Bolas acknowledged that he had discovered that his work had been anticipated by F. A. Sarg, of Vienna, who had made chemically pure anhydrous glycerin as early as 1862, and had been awarded a medal for it at the Exhibition held in that year. Mr. Bolas delivered Cantor Lectures before the (Royal) Society of Arts on Photography (1875), India Rubber (1880), Industrial Uses of Calcium Compounds (1881), Photo-mechanical printing (1884) and Stereotyping ( 1890). He was skilful in laboratory manipulation, especially in glass blowing, on which subject he produced a handbook. He was the author of the article on “Indiarubber” in the ninth edition of the EncycEopmdia Britannica, and of many technical handbooks on the arts and handicrafts. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1887.JORNHUGHJEFFERYdied at Margate on 18th February, inhis 45th year. Handicapped during childhood by a physical infirmity, he W&B educated privately, but was eventually able to attend Streatham Ha College and King’s College, London, where he took regular courses in 157 chemistry and allied sciences from 1905 to 1908. In the following year became assistant to Mr. G. Cecil Jones, with whom he remained until 1911, when he obtained an appointment as works chemist to Stevenson and Howell, Ltd,, Essence Manufacturers. In 1016 he was appointed a chemist with the British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co. Ltd.- now British Celanese,-at Spondon, Derby, and was sent to the works of the Cellonite Co., in Switzerland, to study the manufacture of acetylcellulose.In due course, he assisted in starting the works at Spondon, and was placed in charge of the cellulose laboratories, but later, on his own request, was transferred to the general analytical laboratories. He was joint author with Mr. G. C. Jones of a paper on “The Estimation of Iron by Permanganate in the presence of Hydrochloric Acid,” read before the Society of Public Analysts in 1909. In 1919 he was appointed chemist to New Pegamoid, Ltd, Lower Edmonton, with whom he remained until 1925, when he was compelled to relinquish work through ill-health. He was elected an Associate of the Institute in 1919. HENRYCHAPMAN JONESdied at Shakespeare Road, Hanwell, on the 7th March, in his 78th year.Having previously studied chemistry and allied sciences privately for several years, he was a student at the Royal College of Chemistry and the Royal School of Mines from 1874 to 1876. At the end of 1875 he was appointed an Assistant at the Royal College, and shortly after a lecturer on organic chemistry at the Birkbeck Institu- tion. In 1889 he was appointed senior demonstrator in chemistry at the Royal College of Science and, in due course, became lecturer on chemistry and photography at the Imperial College of Science and Technology. He was a Past President of the Royal Photographic Society, and an Examiner in photography to the City and Guilds of London Institute. He was the author of The Science and Practice of Photography, and of Photography of To-day (1912).He revised Valentine’s Qualitative Chemical Analysis (1888), and Hughes’ Practical Organic Chemistry (1881), and was author of Practical Inorganic Chemistry for Advanced Students, and of Elementaw Experiments in Inorganic Chemistry, and made many contributions to the Journal of the Chemical Society and other scientific and technical journals. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1879 and served as a Member of the Council during the years 1896-1899. JOHNEDMUNDLEGG died at Weymouth on 7th March, in his 77th year. He was educated at Dulwich College (1866-1874), and after some experience in the laboratory of Gladstone and Tribe in the City of London, proceeded, in 1875, on a special exhibition, to Cambridge, where he con- tinued the study of chemistry in his own private laboratory and under Mr.Apjohn, in Gonville and Caius College. He gained science and founda- tion scholarships, was college prizeman in each year of residence, and graduated with honours in physiology and comparative anatomy in 1878, proceeding to M.A. in 1882. In 1879, he was appointed lecturer in chemistry at the Grammar School, Great Berkhemsted, and in 1890 went to Weymouth College, where he continued until his retirement. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1880. ROBERTSIRWILLIAM SMITHdied on 17th March, at 36, Russell Square, in his 82nd year. The son of Captain R. T. Smith, he was educated at University College and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and qualified for practice in medicine as L.R.C.P.and L.R.C.S. (Edin.) in 1871, proceeded to M.D. (Aberd.) in 1879, and subsequently took the 0.P.M. (Cantab.) in 1881, and D.Sc. in Public Health (Edin.) in 1886. He was one of the small 158 body of medical men who founded the British-later, the Royal-Institute of Public Health, in 1886. He was for several years Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in King’s College, London, and medical officer to the School Board for London, but was best known as the Principal of the Royal Institute of Public Health. He held appointments as Public Analyst for Berkshire, the Boroughs of Newbury and New Windsor, the Metropolitan Boroughs of Paddington and TVoolwich, and the City and County Borough of Oxford.He devoted much time to public affairs, and was Mayor of Holborn, 1905-1906; Vice-chairman of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, 1910-13; Member of the Court of Common Council, City of London, and Sheriff of London for 1918-19, when he received the honour of Knighthood. He was also a Deputy-Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for the County of London. He was admitted a Barrister-at-Law of the Middle Temple, was a medical officer in the Volunteer Force, and, in due course attained the rank of Colonel R.A.M.C. (Territorial Force) as a special sanitary officer of the 67th Division. In 1906 he contested Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities as a Conservative Free Trade candidate, and in 1918 stood as an Independent candidate for the Universities of St.Andrews, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. He received honorary degrees from the Universities of Athens, Geneva, Padua, and Ghent, and many foreign decorations. He was the author of A Laboratory Text-book of Public Health, Editor of the Seventh Edition of Guy and Ferrier’s Forensic Medicine, and Editor of the Journal of State Medicine. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1887, and served as a Member of Council from 1888 to 1891. CHARLESSPACKMANdied at Rosehaugh, Clitheroe, on 11th March, in his 84th year. He studied chemistry at Birmingham, and later at Uni-versity College, Nottingham. From 1873 to 1879 he was engaged with General Scott, C.B., F.R.S., on problems connected with sewage treatment and on experimental work on limes and cements; from 1879 to 1883 he was chemist to the Folkestone Cement Co., Ltd., and during 1883 and 1884 he designed and erected Portland cement works near Leicester, where he remained as chemist and works manager until 1893.In that year he erected kilns at a cement works in Dublin and, in 1894, erected plant for the Isis Portland Cement Works, Clitheroe, of which company he continued managing and technical director until 1929. He devoted much time to the investigation of slag cement, limestones, and shales of the lias carboniferous formations with a view to their employment in the manufacture of cements, and upon the recovered carbonate of lime from the Chance sulphur-recovery process, on which he published a paper in the Journal: of the Society of Chemical Industry in 1892.From time to time he assisted the Depart- ment of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland in its endeavours to develop the mineral resources of that country, especially with reference to the manufacture of cements and plaster of Paris, the design of lime kilns, and the reconstruction of derelict kilns, with which subjects he dealt in an article published in the Department’s Journal in 1902. He was the author of Some Writers on Lime and Cement and, with Gilbert R. Redgrave, joint author of Calcareous Cements, their Nature, Manufacture and Uses, of which the third edition was published in 1924. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 19li. LIEUT.-COL. VAN GEYZELdied suddenly at Cannes JOHNLAWRENCE on 20th February, in his 75th year.The son of John Abraham Van Geyzel, of Colombo, Ceylon, he graduated in medicine (M.B., C.bf.), at the University of Aberdeen in 1879, and entered the Indian Medical Service in the following year. In 1887 he was appointed Medical and Sanitary Officerof the Ganjam district, and subsequently was selected for the Posts of chief medico-legv1 expert and chief chemist to the Government of h1uclr:ts. flic was a Fellow of the University of Madras, and Professor of 159 Chemistry at the Madras Medical College, and it was largely owing to his initiative that the Government decided to open an X-ray Laboratory in connection with the Madras General Hospital. He also took an active part in directing the work of the Madras School of Music.He was for some time editor of the Journal of the Madras Photographic Society, and was deputed to act as photographer to the Madras Astronomical Expedi- t’ion on the occasion of the eclipse of 1598. He was the author of a pub- lication on Peeding Value, based on Analysis of South Indian Podders. In 1911 he returned from India, and was engaged as Examiner of Medical Stores under the India Office, in London, until 1920, when he retired. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (C.I.E.)in recognition of his services. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1889. Books and their Contents. SINCE the publication of the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, Part I, 1932,the following books have been presented by the publishers.Copies may be seen in the Library of the Institute. ‘‘The Donnan Equilibria, and their Application to Chemical, Physiological and Technical Processes.” T. R. Bolam, D.Sc. Pp. vii+154. (London: G. Bell & Sons, Ltd.) 9s. Theoretical outline ;chemical applications ;ferrocyanides, dyes, proteins, neutralisation across a membrane, liquid membranes ; biological and technical applications; equilibria in blood and other body fluids, ionic nature of enzymes, swelling of gels, animal tissues and cotton hairs; leather ; dyeing; physico-chemical applications ; determination of cataphoretic velocity and of molecular weight by centrifuge, viscosity of protein solutions, distribution gradient within a gel, electrokinetic potentials.Bibliography. I‘ Sulphur Bacteria: a Monograph.” David Ellis, D.Sc. Pp. ix+261. (London: Longmans, Green 8z Co.) 21s. Introduction; connotation of the term “Sulphur Bacteria” ; sulphurcycle in nature ; pleomorphism ; production of sulphuretted hydrogen and its assimilation by sulphur bacteria; metabolism; culture; principles of classification; leuco-thiobacteria ; rhodo-thiobacteria; intimate structure of the cell; irritability; influence of light; chemiotactic phe- nomena ;mechanics of ciliary movement; thionic acid bacteria; phylogeny and colouring matter of sulphur bacteria. Faraday Celebrations, 1931.-The Royal Institution has published a Report on the Faraday Celebrations, 1931,including the Reception of Delegates by Lord Eustace Percy, President of the Institution; the Commemorative Meeting at the Queen’s Hall, with the speeches of the Prime Minister, and other British and foreign delegates; and the Commemorative Oration by Sir William Bragg; the Conversazione at the Royal Institution, and the Faraday Centenary Exhibition. 160 The Library: 1931-32.SINCE Part 11,1931,the issue of the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, the Council has had much pleasure in acknowledging the following gifts :-MESSRS. BAIRD & TATLOCK LTD.:(LONDON), Analytical Reagents. Standards and Tests. London, 193 1. MESSRS. G. BELL& SONS, LTD.: The Donnan Equilibria and their application to Chemical, Physio- logical and Technical Processes. T. R. Bolam. London, 1932.An Introduction to Organic Chemistry. John Read. London, 1931. MESSRS. ERNEST BE", LTD.: The Use of Fertilisers in tropical and sub-tropical Agriculture. A. Jacob and V. Coyle. First edition. London, 1931. M. A. BREMANT: La Vie et L'Oeuvre Scientifique de F. V. Raspail. Mme. Xavier Raspail. Paris, 1926. D. B. BRIGGS,EsQ., F.I.C. : Chemical Change. D. B. Briggs. London, 1931. CAMBRIDGEUNIVERSITYPRESS: A Text-book of Experimental Cytology. J. Gray. Cambridge, 1931. MESSRS. W. & R. CHA~WBERS,LTD.: Organic Chemistry. Part I. F. S. and F. B. Kipping. London, 1931. MESSRS. CHAPMAN& HALL,LTD.: Chemistry, Life and Civilisation. H. T. S. Britton. London, 1931. Handbook of Chemical Microscopy. Vol. 11. E. M. Chamot and C.W. Mason. London, 1931. Hydrogen Ions. Second edition, revised and enlarged. H. T. S. Britton. London, 1932. Organic Syntheses. C. S. Marvel, Editor. London, 1931. MESSRS. CONSTABLE& Co., LTD.: Lavoisier. J. A. Cochrane. London, 1931. The Laboratory in Surgical Practice. E. C. Dodds and L. E. H. Whitby. London, 1931. MESSRS. CROSBYLOCKWOOD& SON,LTD.: The Modern Soap and Detergent Industry. Vol. I (Theory and Practice of Soap Making.) Vol. 11. (The Manufacture of Special Soaps and Detergent Compositions.) Second edition, revised and enlarged. London, 1931. 161 THE FEDERALCOUNCILFOR CHEMISTRY: Rapports sur Les Hydrates de Carbone (Glucides). Paris. MESSRS.W. HEFFER& SONS, LTD.: Chemistry at the Centenary (1931) meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.Cambridge, 1932. MESSRS.ADAMHILCER, LTD.: Foundations and Methods of Chemical Analysis by the Emission Spectrum. W. Gerlach ,and E. Schweitzer. London. Wavelength Tables for Spectrum Analysis. Twyman and D. M. Smith. London, 1931. Second edition. F. R. F. HUNWICKE,EsQ., B.Sc., A.I.C.: The Essentials of Bacteriological Technique. R. F. Hunwicke. London, 193 1. OF ELECTRICALENGINEERSINSTITUTION : Faraday Centenary Exhibition Souvenir Catalogue. London, 1931. COMMITTEE, WATERSHEDJOINT MERSEY& IRWELL : Proceedings of the Joint Committee for the year ending 31st March, 1931. Preston, 1931. LIBRAIRIEARMANDCOLIN: P6troles Nature1 et Artificiels.J. J. Chartron. Pa&, 1931. Soies Artifkielles et Matihres plastiques. R. Gabillion. Paris, 1931. MESSRS. LONGMANS, GREEN& Co.: Alcoholic Fermentation. Fourth edition, A. Harden. London, 1932. Chemistry in the Service of Man. Fourth edition. A. Findlay.London, 193 1. A Comprehensive Treatise on Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry. Vol. XI. J. W. MelIor. London, 1931. The Glycosides. E. F. and K. F. Armstrong. London, 1931. Organic Chemistry. A. Macbeth. London, 1931. Recent Advances in Organic Chemistry. Sixth edition. Vols. I and 11. A. W. Stewart. London, 1931. Soil Conditions and Plant Growth. Sir E. J. Russell. London, 1932. Sulphur Bacteria. D. Ellis. London, 1932. MESSRS. OLIVER& BOYD: Technical Methods of Chemical Analysis.Second edition. Vol. 111. C. A. Keane and P. C. L. Thorne, Editors. London, 1931. POLISH COMMITTEE CONFERENCENATIONAL OF TEE WORLDPOWER : Power Sources in Poland and their utilization. Warsaw, 1931. RIBBLE JOINT :COMMITTEE Proceedings of the Ribble Joint Committee, 1930-31. Preston, 1931. R. T.ROLFE,EsQ., F.I.C.: Foundrywork and Metallurgy. R. T. Rolfe, Editor. Parts I and IJ. London, 1931. 162 SA~TY BOARD:IN Mms RESEARCH Publications of the Safety in Mines Research Board. Vol. VI,1930. London, 1931. W. H. SIMMONS,EsQ.,B.Sc., F.I.C.: Textile Soaps and Oils. G. H. Hurst. Third revised edition by W. H, Simmons. London, 1921. A. R. WARNES,EsQ.,F.I.C.: Building Stones. Their Properties, Decay and Preservation.A. R. Warnes. London, 1926. J. G. WILLIAMS,EsQ., B.Sc., A.I.C.: Textiles on Test. J. G. Williams. London, 1931. Books Purchased. A Laboratory Course of Organic Chemistry, including Qualitative Organic Analysis. A. W. Titherley. London, 1906. The Chemical Analysis of Foods. H. E. Cox. London, 1926. The Extra Pharmacopceia of Martindale and Westcott. 19th edition. Revised by W. H. Martindale. Vol. I. London, 1928. Vol. 11. London, 1929. The Mineral Industry during 1930. Vol. XXXIX. G. A. Roush, Editor. London, 193 1. 163 The Register. At the Meeting of Council held on 19th February, 1932, I new Fellow was elected, z Associates were elected to the Fellowship, 23 new Associates were elected, and 23 Students were admitted.The Council regrets to report the death of 7 Fellows and I Associate. New Fellow. Smith, James Cruickshank, B.Sc. (Aberd.), Calle Buscarom, 20, 20, la, San Gervasio, Barcelona, Spain. Associates elected to Fellowship. Das, Chinnyyan Kumara, B.A. (Madras), M.Sc. (Liv.), Krishnan Puthoor West, Suchindram, S. Travancore, S. India. Herbert, Ernest Le Quesne, B.Sc. (Edin.), c/o Cia Mexicana de Petroleo, El Aguila S.A., Apartado 161, Tampico, Mexico. New Associates. Boizot, George Edward, B.Sc. (Lond.), 49, Cumberland Street, London, s.w.l. Brown, Robert Armstrong, A. H-W. C., 14, Mitchell Street, Dalkeith, Midlothian. Buchanan, Alistair Phillips, B.Sc. (Lond.), A.R.C.S., 3, Broadlands Road, London, N.6. Cope, Gilbert Frederick, B.Sc.(Birm.), 50, Raddlebarn Road, Bourneville, Birmingham. Dawson, Robert James, A.R.T.C., 28, Glebe Street, Falkirk. Donaldson, Edward, A.H-W.C., 104, Dalry Road, Edinburgh. D’Silva, John Leonard, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Lond.), 6, Dornton Road, London, s.w.12. Ellington, Frederick, B.Sc. (Lond.), A.R.C.S., 19, Crescent Grove, London, s.w.4. Gellman, Alexander, B.Sc. (Lond.), Technical Dept., Electrolux Works, Luton. Harris, Bert, M.A. (Cantab.), B.Sc. (Lond.), Fir Grove, Latchford, Warrington.Heal, Frederick Ernest, B.Sc. (Bris.), 12, Compton Road, Shepton Mallet. Hockin, Leslie Ernest, B.Sc. (Bris.), 12, King’s Drive, Bishopston, Bristol. Hornby, George Edward Stanley, 30, Dorothy Road, Hillsboro, Sheffield. Marsh, Peter, M.Sc. (Liv.), 21, St.Helens Road, Prescot, Lancs. Marshall, Charles William, B.Sc. (Manc. ), Chelma, Old Station Road, Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire. Noltie, Henry Robert, Hillside, Strichen, Aberdeenshire. Pittman, Miss Valerie Phyllis, B.Sc. (Lond.), Flat 2, Cedar Court, 18, Cedars Road, London, S.W.4. Sexton, Thomas Arthur Frederick, 9, Studland Street, London, W.6. 164 Shaw, Miss Florence Ruth, BSc., Ph.D. (Leeds), Bedford College, Regents Park, London, N.W.1. Styles, Harold Edwin, B.Sc. (Lond.), 45, Thornbury Road, London, S.W.2. Veitch, Colin Crawford, B.Sc. (Dun.), 60, Bath Road, London, W.4. Vizofsky, Abraham, 63, Wilkes Street, London, E. 1. Williams, Robert David, M.Sc. (Liv.), 3, Canal Terrace, Vron, Llangollen, N. Wales. New Students. Adamson, Donald Colin Malcolm, 49, Brownhill Road, London, S.E.6.Archer, Frederick William, 67, Victoria Road, London, S.W.4. Brook, Albert, 268, Eaves Lane, Chorley. Caveney, Alan Joseph, 10, Exeter Road, Ellesmere Port. Challis, George Henry, Myrtle Villa, Spring Vale, Dartford. Cowley, Charles Leonard Marshall, 85, Wheelwright Road, Erdington, Birmingham.Cropper, Francis Raymond, 40, Ringmer Road, North Moulscombe, Brighton.Curl, Maurice Albert, 438, Earlham Road, Norwich. Falkner, Cecil William, 5, Stafford Avenue, Melton Mowbray. Galbraith, Frederick, 44, Tannsfield Road, London, S.E.26. Hartley, Richard Smith, 9, Burwood Road, Lindley, Huddersfield. Hewson, Walter Norman, 114, Station Road, London, S.W.13. Jenner, Roy Maurice, 105, Endlesham Road, London, S.W.12.Kiernan, Herbert Stephen, 47, Egerton Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. McCrone, Robert McEwan, 61, Greenhill Road, Paisley. Pymh, Alan Frederick, 42, Abinger Road, London, W.4. Smith, James Herbert Francis, 69, Eltham Hill, London, S.E.9. Soar, Denis Godfrey, 1161, London Road, Derby. Stevens, Sidney George Edward, 24, Meeting House Lane, London, S.E.15. Wells, Norman Henry, 42, Holly Park, Church End, London, N.3. West, Harry Longhurst, 24, Castledine Road, London, S.E.20. Williamson, Walter Chadwick, 309, Dumers Lane, Radcliffe, Manchester. Young, Gerald Henry Danvers, Saxonhurst, Bromham Road, Bedford. DEATHS. Fellows. Harold William Bausor, M.A. (Cantab.). Thomrts Bolas. Henry Chapman Jones.John Edmund Legg, M.A. (Cantab.).Sir William Robert Smith, M.D., D.Sc., D.L., Col. Charles Spackman. John Lawrence Van Geyzel, C.I.E., M.B., C.M. (Aberd.), Lieut.-Col. Associate. John Hugh Jeff ery. 165 General Notices. Lectures.-Two lectures will be given by Professor Robert Robinson, F.R.S., Waynflete Professor of Chemistry in the University of Oxford, on “The Development of Conceptions based on the Electronic Theory of Valency in Organic Chemistry.” The first will be given at the Institute on Friday, the zznd April, at 8 p.m., and the second, on Friday, the 29th April, at 8 p.m.-Dr. G. C. Clayton, C.B.E., M.P., President, in the Chair. Examinations .-Examinations for the Associateship and Fellowship will be held in September, commencing on the 12th of that month.The list of entries for these Examinations will close on Monday, the 11th July. Entries for the Examination for the Fellowship in Branch G: Industrial Chemistry, must, however, be received before 1st June. The Meldola Medal (the gift of the Society of Maccabaans) is awarded annually to the chemist whose published chemical work shows the most promise and is brought to the notice of the-administrators during the year ending 31st December prior to the award. The recipient must be a British subject not more than 30 years of age at the time of the completion of the work. The Medal may not be awarded more than once to the same person. The next award will be made in January, 1933.The Council will be glad to have attention directed, before 31st December, 1932, to work of the character indicated. Beilby Memorial Awards.-From the interest derived from the invested capital of the Sir George Beilby Memorial Fund, at intervals to be determined by the administrators representing the Institute of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Institute of Metals, awards will be made to British investigators in science to mark appreciation of records 186 of distinguished original work, preference being given to in- vestigations relating to the special interests of Sir George Beilby, including problems connected with fuel economy, chemical engineering and metallurgy. Awards will not be made on the result of any competition, but in recognition of continuous work of exceptional merit, being evidence of distinct advancement in knowledge and practice.The administrators of the Fund are the Presidents, the Honorary Treasurers, and the Secretaries of the three partici- pating Institutions. The administrators will meet in June. 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 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 Register of Laboratory Assist- ants who have passed approved Preliminary Examinations and, in some cases, Intermediate Science Examinations. Fellows and Associates who have vacancies for Registered Students and Laboratory Assistants are invited to communicate with the Registrar. 167 The Library.-The Iibrarv 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 avail- able, 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 Science Museum, South Kensington.--The Director and Secretary of the Science Museum, South Kensington, has notified the Council of the Institute that arrangements have been made for the issue of books and periodicals on loan to scientific workers introduced by approved institutions.Books which can be obtained easily from other institutions are not ordinarily lent by the Science Library. The Science Library, however, contains some 360 periodicals specially devoted to chemical science, and arrangements have been made (by means of a form of requisition obtainable from the Registrar of the Institute) for borrowing any of these, and of the remainder of the 8,000 periodicals in the Library which may not be available elsewhere. Boots Booklovers’ Library.-With Part I of the JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, published in February, a circular was issued, by direction of the Council, giving particulars of the special terms to be allowed to Fellows and Associates desiring to use Boots Booklovers’ Library.Up to the present, nearly zoo members have applied to participate in the scheme. 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. 168 Arrangements inay be inade with Messrs. A. nT.Bain & Co., Ltd., 17-19, Bishop’s Road, Cambridge Heath, London, E.z, to bind volumes of the JOIJRNAT, AND PROCEEDINGSon the following terms: buckram cover, IS. zd.; binding, 2s. 9d.; postage and packing, 9d.; in all, 4s.8d. Lantern Slides €or 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 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 permanent addresses for registration. Warning .--Further cases of impersonation of Fellows and Associates of the Institute have been reported. Appeals for charity from persons claiming to be members of the Institute should be referred to the Registrar.