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SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES At a debate on 18 March members of the Classical Association and of the Institute joined forces to consider the relative merits of the sciences and the humanities in the education of our future rulers. The outcome according to some reporters was an unexpected setback to science. It was neither unexpected nor was it in any way a setback to science. Apart from the main speakers two humanist non-scientists and three humanist-scientists rose to oppose the motion which most of those present thought untenable. To representatives of the Press this must have seemed an anticlimax and thus not news. There is no need to ask which of the two classicists Professor Farrington or Professor Beare ‘carried the day.’ Both were first class and were heartily applauded by all but the scientists were probably not swayed by them.There was indeed far more mutual understanding between the two societies than an observer might have realized. The Chairman Sir Cyril Hinshelwood is this year’s President both of the Classical Association and of the Royal Society. Professor Farrington is well-known to scientists for his writings on Greek science. Sir Alexander Fleck is one of the relatively few captains of industry whom the Press can call an ‘academic’; and yet it does so without realizing what this implies about the nature of the scientific professions. For many years Sir Alexander has been preaching the need for scientists to acquire a knowledge of literature, languages history and philosophy and nearly all have agreed with him.He could not be expected to change his outlook overnight. Nor can there be any disagreement with Dr Barber’s remark that the history of science is only a part of the history of man. The corollary that history without science is not worthy the name was accepted by both ‘sides.’ The scientist without the humanities would be impossible but the humanist without any science is not always conscious of his nakedness. When it comes to the question of what is the best education for future leaders of men then both humanists and scientists must agree that there is little to choose as between proficiency in Latin transla-tion and skill in analytical chemistry. On the other hand the study of man is clearly more germane to the business of leadership than is the study of things.But this brings us too close to the subject of the motion and the motion was scarcely the subject of the debate. Scientists and humanists were so busy agreeing that education without the humanities is not education that the motion was all but forgotten. Those who wish to know what it was should turn to page 206. It was nothing of the kind. 19 OUR NEW PRESIDENT ERNEST LE QUESNE HERBERT who will assume office as President on 17 April was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1902 and was educated at the Royal Grammar School there. He afterwards studied chemistry at the Heriot-Watt College of which he has recently been elected an Honorary Fellow and at the University of Edinburgh where he graduated in 1922. He has been a member of the Institute for thirty-two years.Mr Herbert has spent the whole of his working life in the petroleum and petroleum chemicals industries which he has seen grow from small to gigantic proportions. He first joined the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. Ltd at Llandarcy as a chemist and remained there until 1926. He joined the Shell Group in 1927 and spent the next 12 years in Mexico serving at Tampico Mexico City and Minatitlan. We may hazard a guess that England Scotland, Wales and Mexico all contributed to that well known but unidentifi-able intonation that has given rise to so much incorrect speculation as to his origin. For a year before the last war he was at the Shell Haven Refinery and was assigned to the refining company’s Head Office in London early in 1939. Throughout the war period he was in charge of the team responsible for co-ordinating all operations at Shell’s refineries in the United Kingdom including the part played by Shell (with Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd and Trinidad Leaseholds) in the construction and operation of‘ the Government-owned gas-oil hydrogenation plant and aviation fuel refinery (Trimpel) Ltd) at Heysham.Since the war he has directed the Shell Group’s manufacturing expansion (both petroleum and chemicals) in the United Kingdom, which has included the development of the major plants at Stanlow and Shell Haven to their present-day capacity-15 million tons of crude oil a year. During this period he was appointed to be, successively Assistant General Manager General Manager and in 1955 Managing Director of Shell Refining Co.Ltd. He is also a Director of Shell Chemical Co. Ltd Trimpell Ltd and Associated Ethyl Co. Ltd. Throughout this period his love of chemistry and of chemical engineering-in almost equal measure-has ever been manifest, as befits one who has helped to build a new chemical industry that is founded on such an intimate blend of science and technology. He regards education in these and allied subjects particularly among the young as a vital necessity and he has played a leading part as a link between his Company and the schools colleges and universities of the United Kingdom. 20 ERNEST LE QUESNE HERBER (. ) r i ~ NEII I’RMIIII. N I 20 1 Mr Herbert has had wide experience of the organization and working of scientific societies professional institutions and industrial and government committees.He is a Vice-president of the Institute of Petroleum and has been nominated for election this year as a Vice-President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. He is also a Member of the Institute of Fuel. From 1946 to 1950 he was honorary secretary of the Chemical Engineering Group of the Society of Chemical Industry and from 1954 to 1958 he served as a Member of Council of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers; from 1954 also he has served on the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Committee on the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil. Mr Herbert was elected a Member of Counc‘il of the Institute in 1957 when he had been a Fellow for twenty-five years. During these last two years his interest and co-operation in many aspects of the Intitute’s work-for he has the rare gift of viewing things in their entirety-have been invaluable.I t would seem true to say that, having given close attention to a question he forms his own shrewd conclusions and in the absence of evidence to the contrary will base a bold policy upon them. On the other hand when not sure of the ground his native caution makes him call uncompromisingly for facts which he takes little time to assimilate. To him facts are both armour and weapons for action; and bodies that enlist his active support are in no complacent mood but know that there is work to be done. Like most successful men in whom boldness and caution are in dynamic equilibrium Mr Herbert has a strong vein of humility and humanity.Among many charming characteristics is his ability to respond to an unexpected situation with the delighted diffidence that too often departs with youth; for example he alone has shown any surprise at his election to the Presidency. He has been a most effective member of the Finance and House and the Benevolent Fund Committees; apart from this his interests have been chiefly centred in the work of the Fund for the Development of Education in Chemistry and in the projects it has had under consideration, Indeed he has served on the Trust Fund Committee since its incep-tion. We may be sure that near the forefront of Mr Herbert’s interests as President will be the encouragement of young people to take up chemistry as a career and in this the Institute will un-doubtedly have an increasing part to play in the years that lie immediately ahead.Mr Herbert is married and has two sons and one daughter (whom he characteristically mentions first). It also appears that there are enough hours in the day for him to count golf gardening, motoring and woodwork among his hobbies DIPLOMA IN TECHNOLOGY COURSES PLANNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PERIOD By J. €3. SKELLON T.D. M.SC. PH.D. F.R.I.C. Head o f the Chemistry Department Brunel College o f Technology In many parts of the county much thought is now being given to the kind o f industrial training that should be made available to students attending sandwich courses f o r the Diploma in Tech-nology to ensure that it will be an efective complement to their studies in college.Here Dr Skellon tells how the question is being approached in Middlesex. My Department offers three courses for the Diploma in Tech-nology-in Applied Chemistry Applied Biology and Metallurgy ; these are all recognized by the National Council for Higher Techno-logical Awards and all are at different stages. The general policy we are trying to carry through is to secure progressive training for both industry-based and college-based students by close liaison with employing firms on the one hand and, on the other by initiating schemes among small groups of firms that are willing to co-operate in the training of college-based students. Such liaison has resulted in the production by many firms of pro-gressive schemes of training for industry-based students in a number of different fields.The placing of college-based students for industrial training is important for the work done should be closely related to the course as a whole; the finding of suitable employment and training cannot be dealt with in a haphazard manner. The first step we have found is to map out a regional group of firms likely to be interested in schemes of training in a particular applied field ; a well-established college of course will already be well known to many such firms through its part-time day training. The selected firms are then approached with an explanation of the whole scheme and are asked whether they can co-operate. This approach is immediately followed up with personal visits by the Head of Department or his staff and also with invitations to conferences at which the oppor-tunity is taken to discuss the whole problem.Arrangements are made for the firms to interview students and by this means the students are selected and assigned; some of the firms may be unable to offer the training required in which event others will have to be approached. 20 PLANNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PERIOD 203 Though the primary purpose is to place a student where the training will be most beneficial it is also necessary to consider his welfare for example his location in relation to the firm that is, whether he should live at home or transfer to suitable lodgings. Students may be placed with firms in other parts of the country if the right type of training is available and it is then important that tutors should visit them whatever the distance.For example, last year one college-based student spent six months in South Wales in the plastics factory of a large organization in whose laboratories he was able to acquire just the training required at the critical stage in his Diploma Course and during this period he was visited by his specialist Tutor. DIPLOMA IN TECHNOLOGY IN APPLIED CHEMISTRY About half of the students in the Applied Chemistry course are industry-based. The course has reached its third year and is sup-ported by about thirty firms which either send students or accept college-based students. As the training is becoming specialist the project work is necessarily being planned in consultation with industry. Students decide during their second year on the branch of Applied Chemistry they are to specialize in and this applied work is now in progress.The question of training schemes was put to industrial firms last year and as a result a good deal of valuable information has been collected. OUTLINE SCHEME OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING In contrast to the position in the engineering and allied industries, the chemical industry-apart from the Chemical Operatives Training Scheme-has had no traditional scheme for student trainees that in any way corresponds to Engineering Apprenticeship. The different nature of the work done by trainees in the scientific field probably accounts for this but nevertheless most firms have developed their own training methods to suit their needs. The suggestions given below are intended merely to give an indication of the kind of training required by candidates taking the Diploma in Technology in Applied Chemistry.Object of the Training Since the candidates have been selected from the firms’ em-ployees for outstanding merit rendering them capable of profiting by an advanced course of this type their industrial training must be devised so as to give progressive advance in experience and responsibility 204 JOURNAL OF ‘THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY LAPRIL The object is to provide candidates with industrial experience of the type that at the end of the four years will fit them to occupy positions of responsibility consistent with graduate status. At the same time as the Brunel course provides for specialist training in the fields of analytical chemistry radiochemistry high polymer chemistry or lipid chemistry the industrial training in the final years must give opportunity for experience and project work in these fields.Scope of Industrial Training natural groups : Industrial training in Applied Chemistry falls into three or four Experience in analytical and control laboratories and opportunity to gain an overall view of a firm’s laboratory work and its function. Experience in the plant and on the production floor; the initial intermediate and final stages of the processes ; sampling; testing; day work and shift work for the chemical operative and works chemist. Experience of work in laboratories concerned with develop-ment and applied research; the function of team work and project initiation; resultant effects on plant design and on problems of chemical engineering.Specialist experience in the selected field of applied chem-istry e.g. radiochemical practice its application in industrial processes and in research laboratories; or experience in high polymer chemistry and plastics technology ; the plastics section of a chemical firm. Experience of the firm’s organization and administration. Function of section leaders heads of departments chief chemist and works manager; problems connected with production; safety precautions ; labour problems. SUGGESTIONS FOR A FOUR-YEAR SCHEME A tentative scheme such as the following might be used as a basis for discussion with industrial organizations. Year 1 Two Months Laboratory experience-analytical and control-under an experienced chemist.Two Months Production experience; initial and final stages of production; experience of process problems and relation to laboratory work. Two Months Further chemical laboratory experience. A short period reserved for learning something of departmental organization and administration 19591 PLANNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PERIOD 205 Year 2 Three Months Two Months One Month Year 3 Four Months Two Months Year 4 Four Months One Month One Month Experience in development and research laboratories under an experienced chemist or more responsible experience in testing and control laboratories. Chemical plant and its operation; further experience on the manufacturing and production side including stores responsi-bilities.Return for further experience to development or control laboratories. Experience in specialist laboratories or sections concerned with Applied Chemistry e.g. radiochemical practice or plastics laboratories; testing; project work and its significance. Experience in research and development sections involving the special is t field. More responsible experience in specialist laboratories or sections concerned with the chosen field of Applied Chemistry. Project work. Chemical plant and equipment; design ; chemical engineering problems. Some final experience of factory administration and organization. Such a scheme would obviously have to be modified considerably to suit conditions in the individual firms particularly the small firms.For this reason as such courses develop it may well be necessary for each firm to work out its own particular scheme of training in conjunction with the College and within an agreed framework based upon the general principles expounded. I t will further be necessary in association with a small group of firms to develop similar schemes of training for college-based students and this is now engaging our attention. Assessment of Industrial Training From the first the problem of assessing students’ work during industrial training has assumed major importance. The Depart-ment has set up a Panel of Tutors consisting of experienced full-time staff. At meetings of this Panel all aspects of the academic and industrial training are continually discussed and reviewed.The Panel is joined from time to time by representatives of firms, and these joint discussions have resulted in steady improvement of the level of training the ironing-out of difficulties and in increasing efficiency. Students are regularly visited by Tutors during industrial training. The Tutors see not only the students but also their supervisors and they are able to obtain first-hand opinions as to th 206 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL technical progress and personal qualities of the students in their charge. Towards the end of this period the Tutor’s reports are assessed by the Panel and considered along with the firm’s reports. From all of this the Head of Department is able to record a short final assessment as to (a) technical achievements and ( b ) personal qualities aptitude and so on.This continuous method of assessment and discussion involving as it does the closest co-operation with the firms is gradually resulting in a closer integration of college and industrial training. VIEWS ON THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE RULERS On the evening of 18 March in the Beveridge Hall of the Senate ‘That the Education of our Future Rulers should be Primarily in the Sciences rather than in the Humanities.’ I t was sponsored by the London Section of The Royal Institute of Chemistry the London Branch of the Classical Association and the Haldane Society the Chair being taken by Sir Cyril Hinshel-wood P.R.S. In his introductory remarks Sir Cyril said he supposed that as President both of The Royal Society and of The Classical Associa-tion he was considered to be a neutral person with respect to the subject of the debate.Whether this was so or not all he could properly do was to urge that there should be a straight fight on the issue of the relative merits of Arts or Science education for those who were to be in positions of leadership. He therefore appealed to all the speakers not to spend too much time discussing the wording of the motion. When the debate began however it became clear that there were few speakers who were prepared to support the terms of the motion and even the proposer Sir Alexander Fleck said that he proposed the motion with reluctance. Not only did he feel himself ill-equipped to discuss the virtues of a classical education but he had a grave quarrel with the wording of the motion.The phrase ‘the education of our future rulers’ implied some sweeping Platonic presuppositions about the selection of a ruling Clite by some process of intellectual eugenics which he found wholly unacceptable and which he considered was inappropriate to the real subject of the debate Presumably ‘future statesmen’ was intended. Clearly House University of London a Debate was held on the motion 19593 VIEWS ON THE EDUCAT~ON OP OUR FUTURE RULERS 207 these would come from the communal resources of the peoples of the world and therefore education in the widest sense should be under-stood here. The problem was to produce leaders of a high mental quality and of appropriate training and experience from among the population.Could it be seriously urged that someone with a classical education was necessarily better equipped to deal with the problems of a modern technological society ? Surely the scientific discipline, with its positive contribution to human welfare and its severely practical approach was the more appropriate training for our leaders. Kemsl@ Ptciure Sem'ce Left to right Sir Alexander Fleck Professor Sir Cyril Hinshelwood, Chairman Professor B. Farrington Professor W. Beare. Since leaders would emerge from among the population as a whole it followed that the whole educational system should have a higher scientific content than at present. As Lord Cherwell had said it was more important that people should know something of the properties of chlorine than of the improprieties of Clodius.Sir Alexander disclaimed any specialist knowledge of the classics, but he did claim to have some idea of the negative contribution which they could make since on two occasions in his life a failure in Latin had almost wrecked 'an otherwise promising career.' He lightheartedly quoted several authorities to illustrate the narrowness and pedantry of classical scholars and their unsuitabilit 208 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APR~L for dealing with the affairs of the everyday world. He acknow-ledged that there were dangers inherent in specialization on the scientific side but he claimed that these had been recognized and that serious attention was being paid to them.A universalization of scientific knowledge was in progress; and nowadays all university science teachers were aware of the importance of the broader view in science. He concluded by urging that since the continued growth of science was vital to our country and in fact to all peoples it was essential that the rulers and the ruled (however those terms were interpreted) should have a clear understanding of the potentialities of science. Professor Benjamin Farrington who opposed the motion, argued persuasively that however much we should encourage the growth of science humanities should still be the controlling disci-plines. He had no quarrel with science and agreed that more and more money and resources should be devoted to it. During the past 300 years the progress of science had completely transformed man’s life on earth; it had also raised grave problems to which science by itself had no answer.These issues struck at the roots of our social structure and even involved the question of man’s survival. Education should aim not merely at training a man to control his environment but should seek to transform him as a human individual. Only by studying what had been accomplished in the past could we see present problems in their true perspective. Far from being backward-looking a humanistic approach was in fact, the only possible way of looking to the future. Whereas there was a tendency for scientists to interpret the progress of man as the uncontrollable resultant of blind natural forces the humanist saw each human being-although the product of evolution-as a completely new entity.Man was not helplessly driven by bio-logical forces; he could speak think and plan the future through the world of ideas. Modern scientific knowledge was a part of this achievement of mankind but in the relatively brief period of man’s development it was not necessarily the most remarkable part. The greatest force in the universe today was the intellect of man and it was by his cultivation of this inner mental world that man was distinguished from the external world studied by science. To the humanist scientists sometimes seemed excitable unstable and lacking in a sense of direction. They were swayed by new ideas and blinded by the latest discovery. Indeed there was adanger that a new scientific superstition might arise.The concepts of modern physics were confused with reality and the performance of self-regulating mechanisms and machines was confused with human thought processes. No one with a humanistic background woul 19591 VIEWS ON THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE RULERS 209 for a moment be misled into discussing ‘the psychology of man-made machines,’ as had happened in America nor was it true that the discovery of conditioned reflexes invalidated all previous discussions of human conduct. In the moral conscience of man was enshrined the whole history of human endeavour on this planet. Only the study of this background could produce the morally responsible man the humanist who must remain the master. Science must be the servant not the arbiter of mankind.Professor Ubbelohde who seconded the motion was absent through illness and his paper was read by Mr F. C. Hymas Chair-man of the London Section of the Institute. Professor Ubbelohde recalled that John Milton had proposed to teach his pupils something of physical science as well as classical literature; but Dr Johnson had protested that whereas (intercourse with intellectual nature is necessary speculations upon matter are voluntary and at leisure.’ Those who now governed and ruled could no longer afford to take such a view and in the training of such people the study of scientific reasoning applied to external nature had as much to contribute as a study of the past vagaries of human opinion. Historically the content of education had slowly changed in response to the changes in human society and such change must continue; a knowledge of the sciences was now becoming as essential a part of the equipment of the educated man as reading writing and arithmetic.The progress of science was putting great power in the hands of mankind and if the leaders were not to fail in their task they must understand the forces now at their command. If democracy were to survive we could not take the risk that the power of applied science should be handled by ‘humanistic Druids whose language and inspiration lay wholly outside the sciences.’ But there were more positive reasons for a greater emphasis on science in education; even Plato recognized that the physical sciences were educationally valuable disciplines and by now they have grown so that they are one of the major empires of the human intellect.A scientist was trained to defer before objective facts and this was surely a valuable training for dealing with human affairs; intellectual humility was not an undesirable quality for those who were to govern. Furthermore in our much shrunken world, scientific effort was for the most part truly international and scient-ists were accustomed to disregarding national boundaries in their work with men and women of different nations. The progress of applied science inevitably produced problems that were a challenge to mankind-some of them grave and threatening-but it could not be argued that to keep our rulers ignorant of the power of science could help to avert calamity. It was man’s task to overcom 2 10 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL these problems and to equip him he needed an appreciation of the power and methods of science.Professor Ubbelohde contested the view that the study of science was intrinsically dehumanizing-any subject could be reduced to aridity by a pedantic approach but any skilled teacher would know how to avoid this. Just as much skill and imagination were required in scientific education as in any other intellectual activity. Not so long ago simple literacy was confined to a few clerics and lawyers; now such a restriction was unthinkable. It was equally unthinkable that in the future science should not play a primary role in the education of all mankind. In seconding the opposition to the motion Professor W.Beare said that the fact that they were discussing this particular question reflected a general uneasiness about the objects of education. It was clear that there was no simple answer and what must at all costs be avoided was any suggestion of a compulsory change in the content of education. After speculating that the phrase ‘our future rulers,’ if narrowly interpreted might lead us to a discussion of the curricula in the B stream of our comprehensive schools (since the A stream was likely to rise higher than politics) Professor Beare supposed that what was implied was in fact the whole electorate. Surely it could not be advocated that the whole emphasis of our educational system should be compulsorily tilted in a scientific direction. I t was more important that our citizens voters commit-tee members should know something of the history of man’s beha-viour and of human ideas than a mere knowledge of quantitative science and we should defeat our own ends by compelling people into certain branches of study; better a good historian than a second-rate chemist.He would not suggest that a study of Latin necessarily produced a sensible member of society or a good ruler nor did the study of any particular subject in itself do that-‘if you are born a crack-pot you will remain a crack-pot.’ The rough and tumble of everyday life provided the real training. He did not begrudge his scientific colleagues their palatial new buildings and the enormous expansion in their facilities even if the very modest demands of the Arts Faculties were not being met but our citizens of tomorrow should be people who know what the world of men is really like.You might like Professor Ubbelohde know all about thermodynamics, but it would not tell you anything about hell-fire-to study the devil and his works you had to go to the Faculty of Arts. Our rulers would be concerned with the imperfections of mankind and they must also know man’s possibilities. They must therefore study man and know more not less about him if they were to serve us well 19591 VIEWS ON THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE RULERS 21 1 Before throwing the debate open ‘the Chairman suggested that there had been some unsupported assumptions and assertions in the speeches they had heard which he would like to hear tested.Was it true that Arts subjects or any other subjects as actually taught in our schools equipped us for the world? Was it a fact that the understanding of man was the prerogative of those who have studied history ? He hoped they would hear some experiences on this point. Dr R. E. Witt (Classical Association) spoke as the Headmaster of a Grammar School. In his view the typical humanistic study was Greek and he thought that humanist scholars showed more humility and a greater readiness to look on the other side of a question than those who had been trained in the physical sciences; the latter he found inclined to be arrogant and to lack humility. This discussion, surely was concerned with the future rulers of the world as a whole, and from them we would hope for a humane and tolerant attitude such as would be produced by an education in the humanities.Mrs M. Lockwood (Classical Association) said that the efforts of our scientists today reminded her of Stephen Leacock’s Lord Ronald dashing off in all directions but it was more important to know where we were going than to know about the technicalities of getting there. Surely our rulers should not all be specialists of one kind but there should be a pooling of intellectual resources of many kinds; what was important was that they should have a coherent and sincerely held philosophy which would provide them with a framework within which their decisions could be taken. We were out to produce better men not by the superficial study of grammatical peculiarities in the classics nor by the production of more scientists merely because we were afraid of Russia (see p.213). What we wished to defend were spiritual values and it was these values which our education should be concerned with. Dr A. C. C . Newman (Institute) also opposed the motion. Education should be primarily concerned with moral values not with scientific knowledge; our rulers in the future would have to ensure prosperity and security for our people. It was important to realize that these were primarily human problems and only secondarily technical problems. So long as the rulers were well advised on scientific questions it did not matter that they themselves had not had specialist scientific training. If it were to lead to less emphasis being placed upon moral values in our education it would be a disaster if the sciences were to become of primary importance in education.He made a plea for a synthesis in education of science and the humanities, and suggested that a study of the history of science could well provide Dr H. J. Barber (Institute) also opposed the motion 212 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL this. Surely a study of the great men of science was as valuable as a study of the great figures in political history. A visitor from the University of Helsinki pointed out that many great scientists had a good classical education and he instanced Heisenberg Planck and Schrodinger. I t had been suggested that the clarity of their thinking owed something to their study of the classics. The main danger was over-specialization on whatever side it occurred and the dangerous word in the motion wasprimarily.The education of our rulers should be as wide as possible. There should be a balance between the sciences and the humanities but in the last analysis the emphasis should be primarily on the humanities. Mr F. F. Ross (Institute) was the only speaker from the floor to support the motion. He agreed that the study of Latin was important up to the age of 15. It could be argued that the process of recognition of an accusative case ending corresponded to the recognition of the characteristic colour of a sulphide precipitate and that instruction in the former was a good deal cheaper than in the latter but the study of classical languages should not continue too late in general education.I t was impossible to absorb the entire history of man’s progress but the study of science itself could tell us what man has done and is capable of. The present body of scientific knowledge in itself incorporated all the past efforts of man in this field. The study of science was basic to the study of man himself. Therefore science was basic to the humanities. There being no further speakers from the floor and the defence of the motion having therefore gone largely by default in the general debate the Chairman called upon Professor Farrington to reply. Professor Farrington pointed out that at this stage in our develop-ment when the rapid expansion of the science and technology faculties in the universities was being pushed ahead it was vital that the human problems raised by science should be studied and that the character of our universities should not be changed too drastically.He did not cavil at the multiplication of Chairs in scientific subjects, but he did regret the reduction in facilities to study ancient and foreign languages and culture. The Senates of our universities today no longer understood what was done in the universities two generations ago. The provision for science must of course increase, but we should at the same time provide more not less opportunity for the study of other cultures and peoples. The result of this debate might not be without effect upon those who had the decisions to take. In his reply Sir Alexander Fleck agreed that instruction in the humanities and in history could have a beneficial effect in the earlier Mr R.A. Fraser (Institute) opposed the motion 19593 WASTAGE IN NATIONAL CERTIFICATE C;ou~ses IN CHEMISTRY 213 stages of education but they were discussing the main emphasis of future education and this he believed should be primarily scientific. He strenuously opposed Mrs Lockwood’s idea that the motive for the increase in scientific facilities and training was political. This was nonsense; we were proud of our science and were making great contributions before Russia was a Great Power. If our society was to continue to develop our technological resources must expand and we must produce more trained scientists and technologists. It was true that man did not live by bread alone but bread remained a vital necessity and only the continued development of science could ensure a rising standard of life for the peoples of the world.I t was of fundamental importance that those who were to be our leaders should know something of science and its potentialities. In concluding the proceedings Sir Cyril Hinshelwood said that the framing of the motion had been so severely attacked from all sides that he was tempted to declare that it had proved virtually undebatable and that on this account no vote should be taken. There was no doubt however that the motion had provoked dis-cussion and it was thus reasonable to ask for a vote. The motion was then put and on a show of hands was declared defeated by what appeared to be a large majority. The vote of thanks to the Chairman and the Speakers was then proposed by Dr S.A. Miller Honorary Secretary of the London Section of the Institute. He revealed that the much-maligned wording of the motion had been the joint effort of the Section Committee and of the Classical Association. There was considerable amusement when he said that the motion in its final form had in fact been phrased by the Classical Association. WASTAGE IN NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSES IN CHEMISTRY A survey has recently been conducted by H.M. Inspectors of Schools on a sample of eleven technical colleges in England and Wales to determine progress made by students for National Certi-ficates in Chemistry who enrolled for the first time in Sl* in 1953, or who were admitted by exemption to either 52 in 1954 or S3 in 1955.Wastage has been high from the S1 and S2 years of the * The prefixes S or A connote Senior or Advanced courses leading respectively to The figures 1 2 . . . indicate the year of Ordinary or Higher National Certificates. the course ii4 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRV [APRIL Senior courses but preliminary figures indicate that it is very much lower from Advanced courses. The methods of selection of students for the Senior courses and the desirable standards to be reached at the end of each of the three Senior stages require further attention if a more satisfactory position is to be obtained; while the possibility of alternative courses should be considered for those for whom the National Certificate is not a realistic goal. The years of entry selected were the most recent that would yield useful information.The final results for 77 of the students are not yet known but this factor is unlikely to affect the conclusions about the Senior courses although the tentative conclusions about the Advanced courses may have to be modified. Some of this group of students may have left for National Service with the intention of returning later. The colleges chosen had well established c.ourses and were relatively isolated; thus there was probably little move-ment of students from one college to another. The results of the survey are summarized in Table I and are given in more detail in Fig. 1. The numbers in Table I show the Number passing at each TABLE I passing at each Total entry 15 -32 51 S1 entry (1953-54) G - 207 .( I M - 23 .... 67 26 ---4 -63 -S2 direct entry ( 1954-55) G - 135 .. S3 direct entry ( 1955-56) G - 20 .. .. Grand totals-385 stage -/- I-144 1 170 1147 A1 31 -53 10 94 ---A2 1 Sl S2 35 17 70 -s3 26 -57 80 38 -total passes at the various stages whether at the first second or third attempt. The letters G and M indicate the type of school previously attended M representing secondary modern schools and G all other schools-very few entries came from secondary technical schools. On the right of the Table are shown the percentages of the original entry passing at each stage. In all 147 Ordinary National Certificates were obtained the great majority in 1956 and 1957.The national annual total of successes was about The size of the sample is of some importance 1959 J WASTAGE IN NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSES IN CHEMISTRY 2 15 230 2 S I ENTRANTS 195314 I954/5 195516 9 0 5 2 ENTRANTS EXEMPTED SI Pre O.N.C. -- Post 0. N. C. -FIG. 1 1,250 at that time. The sample is thus about 11 per cent of the total. Nearly all the students entered from secondary grammar schools-the sample under consideration corresponding in this respect to general experience. Clearly whether a student is released by his firm to attend a course or if he is an evening student on his own initiative he shoul 216 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL still be suited temperamentally and intellectually for this work for otherwise he is likely to withdraw from the course.There are many other reasons causing students to withdraw prematurely and the full losses shown in the Tables may not therefore represent a per-manent wastage. Certain tentative conclusions may however be drawn from the figures : The failure of all the 23 students from secondary modern schools to obtain Ordinary National Certificates suggests that the courses may be too exacting for the majority of secondary modern school leavers. Although there is no detailed information as to the reasons why students have abandoned the courses the fact that only 23 per cent of the 230 who entered Sl in 1953-54 were successful in obtaining Ordinary National Certificates must cause great concern. Of the total loss of 77 per cent 37 per cent failed to pass S1 at all 12 per cent passed S1 but did not continue and 18 per cent failed to pass S2.It seems reasonable to conclude that even with existing standards in the S1 course and examinations there is a case for re-consideration of selection procedure. Of the 32 students who took the S1 examination for a second time only four were eventually successful in obtaining an Ordinary National Certificate. Failure at S I must there-fore be regarded as a most serious matter. Of the 135 direct entries to S2 only 77 (57 per cent) obtained an Ordinary National Certificate. I t appears, therefore that the four G.C.E. ‘0’ level passes of English, Mathematics Physics and Chemistry required for exemption from S 1 are certainly no guarantee of success.Moreover 41 of the 58 failures occurred at S2 and of these 32 either left before completing S2 or did not return after the initial failure. This also suggests the need for a re-examination of selection procedure; indeed it may well be that some of these students would have been better advised to begin in S1. There is also some evidence to indicate that those who pass S1 at the first attempt are less able than those entering S2 direct. Their subsequent performances are shown below in Table 11. TABLE I1 -~ ~ -~ I Total 1 Passed S2 1 Passed S3 1 Passed A1 1 Passed A2 * From S1 . . .. 1 104 1 69 1 50 1 30 1 15 S2 direct entry .. I I35 1 94 1 77 1 53 1 3 1959) (6) '$& 65 70 -67 WASTAGE IN NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSES IN CHEMISTRY 217 Thus 14 per cent of the original entry from S1 have since obtained H.N.C.whereas 24 per cent of the S2 direct entry have succeeded. The relatively poor overall performance of S 1 entrants at subsequent stages of the National Certificate course com-pared with the performance of S2 direct entrants suggests that the standard of the S1 examination might well be it little higher than it now is. Some improvement in performance at the higher stages of the course is shown in Table 111 which includes students from all sources. The numbers of passes are the same as those given in Table I. -Entd -68 88 20 176 -__. TABLE I11 s 3 Passed yo 54 79 77 87 I6 80 147 A1 I ---Entd. Passed yo Entd 44 31 70 20 69 53 77 37 10 10 100 8 84123 94 76 65 _I-____.-I___--- - I - / --S1 entry S2 entry S3 entry Overall -'-144 1 631252 -Entd 230 --230 -s 2 Passed 76 94 -170 -A2* Passed 15 32 4 51 -% 75 86 50 78 -I_ - * Figures for A2 are not significant because they can as yet include no students who have repeated any stage of the courses.Very few further successes are likely in the Senior courses, but some of those still in A1 and A2 (about 50) are expected to pass and the performance at these levels will thus eventually be better than is indicated above. (7) Of the 147 students who gained their Ordinary National Certificates only 24 (16 per cent) have not yet entered Al. Some of these may have left for National Service intending to continue to Higher National Certificates on their return.(8) The evidence indicates that the National Certificate in Chemistry is not a realistic goal for many of the students at present entering Sl and S2 courses and the establishment of alternative courses for these students should be considered. This report is based on a paper presented by the Ministry of Education to the last meeting of the Joint Committee for National Certificates in Chemistry BOOK REVIEWS Organic Chemistry. Volume I. Third Edition. I. L. Finar. Pp. xv + 822 (London Longmans Green & Go. Ltd 1959.) 45s. net. In the preface to the first (1951) edition of this book the author wrote ‘Af!ter many years’ experience of teaching organic chemistry to degree students I have found that the best method of instruction is by the introduction of electronic theories as early as possible with a constant application of their principles.’ The value of this approach to organic chemistry was speedily recognized and ‘Finar’ became a best seller ; so a second edition was called for in 1954 and there were further impressions in 1955 1956 and 1957.The fourth (1956) impression was entitled Organic Chemistry Volume I The Fundamental Principles and Volume 11, which dealt with stereochemistry and the chemistry of natural products, was added. Favourable reviews of previous editions have appeared in this Journal (1951 164; 1954 420). All that remains in noticing this new (third) edition is to say that it is even better than its predecessors. It confirms my opinion that Volume I is the best first text in English for Honours students.I have used it since it was published and shall continue to do so. The production of the new edition involved revision and rewriting. Expanded subjects include dipole moments resonance S 1 and S2 mechanisms steric effects tautomerism hyperconjugation organo-lithium compounds stereochemistry diene synthesis carbohydrates, aromatic substitution transition state and heterocyclic compounds. Additions include the use of isotopes molecular diagrams molecular crowding E 1 and E2 mechanisms inclusion complexes conformation, ferrocene cycfoalkynes paracyclophanes o,p-ratio in aromatic sub-stitution and cine-substitution. Many mechanisms for various reactions have been added and more recent methods of showing mechanisms have been used.Aromatic systems are now written with double bonds; next time the author will probably use circles in the rings. Hunting unsuccessfully in the index for an omission on which to comment I was chagrined yet pleased that ‘benzyne’ was included. The author has the knack of summarizing clearly the theoretical background necessary for the study of modern organic chemistry. This ability to select essentials is the distinguishing mark of Partington’s textbooks on inorganic chemistry and one can give this volume no higher praise than to call it the ‘Partington’ of organic chemistry. The third will not be the last edition. T. S . WHEELER Chloroplast Pigments and Chromatographic AnaIysis. H. H. Strain. 32nd Annual Priestley Lectures. Pp. 180. (Pennsylvania State University 1958.) $2.50; 20s.In 1958 the well-known authority on adsorption chromatography, H. H. Strain (Senior Chemist Argonne National Laboratory) was honoured by an invitation to deliver the 32nd series of Priestley lectures at Pennsylvania State University. The publication now reviewed presents in book form the subject matter of these lectures. Of the five chapters (I. Significance of Chloroplast Pigments and of Methods for 21 BOOK REVIEWS 219 their Separation; 11. Chromatographic Methods and the Chloroplast Pigments of Higher Plants and Green Algae; 111. Pigments of Algae and Chromatography of Altered Chloroplast Pigments; IV. Chloroplast Pigments and Modifications of Chromatography ; V. Electrochromato-graphy and Analogous Differential Migration Methods of Analysis) , perhaps the most significant are I1 and 111.These outline the chromato-graphic procedures for the separation of the chloroplast pigments and the results obtained from a most extensive range of flowering plants ferns, mosses lichens and algae. Nine appendixes list the botanical names of the species examined. The approach is that of the analyst interested primarily in separation but doubtless there is much valuable factual information here. Thus the organic chemist could find the species from which he might best isolate particular carotenoids with the preferred methods and essential detail concerning the lability and the alteration products of the pigments. For the botanist the correlation between chloroplast pigments and plant classification is of considerable usefulness.The results presented illustrate that ‘certain pigments and certain combinations of pigments occur only in plants that belong to taxonomic-ally related groups.’ Chlorophyll a xanthophylls and carotenes were found together in all plants that produce oxygen by photosynthesis whilst the only principal pigment common to all the organisms examined was chlorophyll a. The first part of Chapter I the last half of Chapter IV and the whole of Chapter V appear to be of considerably less value. Thus regarding Chapters IV and V much more satisfactory accounts of partition ion-exchange gas-liquid and electro-chromatography are extant. More-over these sections produce an unnecessary discontinuity in the main theme which concerns the analytical separation of chloroplast pigments.The lectures may well have been interesting and worth hearing; but the way in which the information is written up in this publication makes really rather hard going for the reader. J. A. ELVIDGE The Chemistry of Drugs. Third Edition. N. Evers and D. Caldwell. This is the third edition of a well-known book the preface to the second edition being dated 1933. In the intervening quarter of a century the first sulpha drug and the first effective antibiotic penicillin, were introduced. I t is not surprising therefore that as the authors state the book has been completely rewritten. I t is divided into two parts. Part I deals with synthetic drugs in 18 chapters ranging in subject from hypnotics and anticonvulsants through tranquillizers to diagnostic agents.Part 11 almost equal in length is divided into 20 chapters which are devoted to naturally occurring drugs. Most of these chapters deal with alkaloids and a chapter each with glycosidal drugs steroid hormones hormones of the adrenal cortex and non-steroid hormones. Antibiotics are covered in 12 pages and vitamins in about twice that length. One wonders if the material would not have been more logically arranged had no such artificial distinction been made between synthetic compounds and those of natural origin. There are two appendixes one for Official or Approved Names with proprietary equivalents and chemical names and the second for Pro-prietary Names with official or chemical equivalents. There are more (London Ernest Benn Limited 1959.) 84s.net 220 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL than 600 entries in the latter and it should prove of great value. There is also a satisfactory index. To attempt to cover this vast and rapidly expanding field in a book of 415 pages is an heroic undertaking. Although mention is restricted to drugs in actual therapeutic use for each drug a brief account of how it originated is given together with methods of synthesis and proper-ties. To have this information available in one place will be of inestimable value to chemists engaged in any field of medical research. The type is clear and the formulae excellently set out and the text appears to be remarkably free from errors. When so much ground has to be covered in a limited space statements are necessarily condensed and the authors run the risk of dealing in half truths.The seven lines which open the section on tuberculostats are well meant but likely to be very misleading. The emergence of drug-resistant variants of M. tuberculosis during therapy has as much .to do with the nature of the disease process as with any specific tendencies exhibited by the bacillus. Although the question of drug resistance is not mentioned again in the book the authors must be aware that this is as great a hazard with other pathogens. Again in their remarks on leprosy the differences between lepromatous and tuberculoid forms of the disease might have been mentioned. The alternative which the reviewer would favour would be to omit altogether these descriptions since space will not permit them to be adequate.Despite this criticism this is an excellent book well supplied with references and well worth the price for those who can afford it. VINCENT C. BARRY Medizin und Chemie. Volume VI. Pp. 591. (Weinheim Verlag Whereas Volume V (1956) of Medizin und Chmie for which the Bayer Werke Leverkusen were responsible was published fourteen years after Volume IV (1942) of this series the present volume consisting of contributions by the Research Departments of the Farbewerke Hoechst, is only two years behind its predecessor. Volume IV as a war-time publication was of course still issued under the auspices of the I.G. Farbenindustrie Empire and in the volume under discussion one finds with regret intrusion of political grousing which so it is believed should not have been combined with the justifiably proud scientific record, also celebrating 75 years of the pharmaceutical section of Woechst.Some of the historical contributions make very interesting reading, either in the form of obituaries of well-known research workers such as Bockmiihl Eisleb Jensch and others or in the form of a review of 75 years of drug synthesis at Hoechst. One is reminded of the important contributions to pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacology by noting the names of famous medicinals such as antipyrin and Pyramidon, Novocain Dolantin synthetic adrenaline tuberculin Salvarsan Trypa-flavin Rivanol and many others. The report on more recent achieve-ments and this forms the main part of the volume is not less impressive.There is the field of orally effective hypoglycaemic drugs to which the research laboratories in Hoechst contributed substantially; there are many papers on chemotherapeutic substances either of a new type or developed from old acquaintances such as arsenical compounds related to Salvarsan. Improvements on newer types of chemotherapeutic Chemie GmbH 1958.) DM.38 19591 BOOK REVIEWS 22 1 agents such as the preparation of derivatives of the tetracyclines and the investigation of new antibiotics from streptomycetes present interesting examples of the work carried out. Comparable progress is recorded in the field of hormones particularly of a steroid character and of enzymes such as hyaluronidase and with various biological studies two of them describing experiments with antitumour agents.The group of pharmaco-dynamic drugs although small has not been neglected. Very interesting improvements have been achieved with local anaesthetic substances that stem from the old Novocain. All in all this is a book worth while having in one’s library if not for its new contributions alone then at least for its reviews of past achievements, many of which have triggered off new successes. It is again a matter of argument whether scientific contributions should be collected in such volumes or should be published in recognized journals but the pleasant appearance of the volume is one of its recommendations. F. BERGEL Chemistry of the Co-ordinate Compounds. VoIume 1. Inter-national Series of Monographs on Inorganic Chemistry.Edited by H. Taube and A. G. Maddock. Pp. 638. (London Pergamon Press Ltd 1958.) 100s. net. This volume the contents of which have already been published (with the same misprints) as volume 8 of the Journal of Inorganic and Nudear Chemistry 1958 consists of a full report of a symposium on the chemistry of co-ordinate (or as I prefer co-ordination) compounds held in Rome in September 1957. After a coloured but untitled frontispiece presumably intended to excite nostalgia in those who attended the conference and envy in those who did not and an introductory address by Professor L. Cambi the lectures original papers and discussions are arranged in five sections. Most of the papers and lectures are in English with others in French, German and Italian; unfortunately the summary of each paper is in the same language as the paper itself.Many British readers will feel very grateful to those authors notably Italian ones who had gone to the trouble of writing their papers in English. The atmosphere of an inter-national conference has been captured to some extent by charming expressions such as ‘axe’ for axis ‘plan’ for planar and ‘ciclic esamer’ for cyclic hexamer which the editors evidently felt should not be altered in the interests of dull uniformity and also by the reports of discussions in which a versatile speaker had replied in the language of the questioner. Section I (The Chemical Bond Ultra-violet Infra-red and Raman Spectroscopy) contains introductory lectures (essentially review articles) on ligand field theory on infra-red and Raman spectra and a very short one on visible and ultra-violet spectra followed by 14 papers.Section I1 (Stereochemistry Reactivity and Stability) is the longest with 25 papers and three reviews on stereochemistry on stability constants (ending with a plea to chemists to ‘refrain from publishing sloppy work on systems for which there are already more accurate data’) and on polarography. Section I11 is devoted to magnetic and structural proper-ties with reviews on magnetochemistry nuclear magnetic resonance and paramagnetic resonance seven papers on investigations by X-ray methods two on studies of monomolecular layers and five on magneti 222 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL measurements. Section IV (Stabilization of Valency and Unusual Compounds) provides reviews on the stabilization of low and of high oxidation states and on co-ordination compounds subject to unusual steric conditions followed by papers describing a number of unusual and fascinating compounds.Finally there is a short fifth section on catalytic-ally active complexes with an introductory lecture on stereospecific polymerization by means of co-ordinated anion complexes and five papers on various catalytic systems. The coherence which might be expected in a monograph is most closely approached by the ‘introductory lectures’ several of which are masterly reviews. The volume as a whole shows that chemists are coming to appreciate more and more the value of studying complex systems by as many as possible of the methods of investigation now available.The individual papers contain much that is of interest and many co-ordination chemists will wish to possess this volume or the equivalent volume of the Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry. The book is well bound and the type face is clear but in the copy sent for review the inking is uneven and sometimes inadequate. There are far too many typographical errors and while many of these will cause little trouble to readers whose own language is that of the paper a foreigner might feel justifiably annoyed after searching the dictionary for words such as thys sferical perhpas dessicator and rigoroulsy (the last three all on one half-page). All this would be excusable in a report appearing within a month or two but it is difficult to excuse it in a book costing E5 and appearing more than a year after the conference.A book of this kind is bound to be uneven in quality. E. G. Cox Fourier Transforms and &Ray Diffraction. H. Lipson and C. A. Taylor. Pp. vii + 76. (London G. Bell & Sons Ltd 1958.) 18s. 6d. net. This extremely useful monograph deals with the Fourier-transform approach to the theory of diffraction of X-rays by crystals. The idea of a scattering function which is continuous in reciprocal space is a most useful one in many applications of X-ray crystallography and as this book shows it can also be employed as a means of presenting the basic theory of X-ray diffraction to students who are commencing a serious study of the subject.This approach will be of particular value to physics students who will find it convenient to regard the subject as an extension of ordinary physical optics. However it is the research worker already experienced and actively using the method of X-ray analysis for the elucidation of real problems, who will have most to gain from a careful study of the ideas presented in this book. Indeed for some aspects of the subject such as the study of diffraction effects arising from various kinds of imperfection in the crystal, the Fourier transform technique is almost essential. For ordinary structural problems it is a helpful approach in many cases. It does not, of course solve the fundamental problem of structural crystallography, which is the impossibility of measuring experimentally the relative phase relationships of the X-ray reflections.In terms of the transform concept, the continuous scattering function is not observable throughout reciprocal space but only at specific points which are the points of the reciproca 19591 BOOK REVIEWS 223 lattice. At these points the transform may be sampled in a very direct manner by simply looking at the X-ray diffraction pattern as recorded on the photographic plate in a properly adjusted precession camera. But we still have to find the relative phases. If a certain arrangement of atoms can be postulated as likely then the transform corresponding to this may be calculated and compared directly with the diffraction pattern. Further certain regular geometrical arrangements of atoms like a benzene ring create characteristic features in the transform which may be recognized in the observed pattern.It is clear that a study of the continuous function is a more powerful and sometimes a more convenient method than a simple comparison of observed and calculated structural factors. It is more powerful because as well as indicating whether the trial structure is near to the correct solution it may also indicate the way in which it should be changed to improve the agreement. With experience the research worker tends to cultivate a feeling for the diffraction pattern as a sample of the transform, and this can be a great help in speeding up the solution of many problems. The familar chemical problem of deciding between the cis- or tram-configuration in geometrical isomers provides a good example of the utility of the transform method.If the chemical structure is known apart from this ambiguity the Fourier transform corresponding to each possi-bility may be calculated. If the crystallography is favourable then a very quick answer may sometimes be obtained by a direct comparison of the diffraction pattern or weighted reciprocal net with the pair of calculated functions. Although the emphasis is stated to be on the physics rather than on the mathematics of the subject it is still not easy reading but it will repay careful study. After a too brief general outline, molecular transforms and their symmetry properties are dealt with. Diffraction by the complete crystal comes next and this is followed by an explanation of the concepts of folding or convolution and the peak function.After this there is a further treatment of the geometry of diffraction and of Patterson and Fourier synthesis in terms of this approach. The tendency for the process of Fourier synthesis to give a structure closely resembling the trial structure euen when this trial structure is incorrect is an important point which should be further emphasized and studied. All this occupies only 38 pages and might we feel have been expanded a little in order to gain better continuity and fuller discussion of the many important points. The last and longest chapter is devoted to applications of Fourier transform theory and contains interest-ing but brief sections on the direct recognition of molecular features, finite and imperfect structures with various kinds of disorder intensity statistics and sign relationships.There are appendixes on the calculation of transforms with many illustrations and a very brief one on optical diffraction procedures. A fuller treatment of this important application is reserved for a further publication. One feels that it might with advan-tage have been included here and certainly without danger of making the book too bulky. This is a book that can be warmly recommended to students research workers and all concerned in any way with the subject of X-ray crystal analysis. This book is very brief. J. hf. ROBERTSO 224 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Proceedings of the International Symposium on Transport Edited by I.Prigogine. (New York Interscience Publishers Inc.; London : The first impression created by a perusal of this collection of papers is one of admiration for the large number of talented mathematicians and mathematical physicists who are now actively interested in the many problems connected with systems not at equilibrium. Some of the contributions are in German a few more in French and the re-mainder in .English. The main theme of the conference is the steady state which naturally calls for some heavy-going mathematics especially in the four papers dealing with Boltzmann’s law. The wide variety of topics to which the general principles are applied include the viscosity and thermal conductivity of gases liquids and solids; the flow of gases in tubes; turbulence; and the Soret effect.Interesting items not so obviously connected with irreversible processes are also dealt with such as the conductivity of strong electrolytes the stability of the various vibrational states of diatomic molecules the asymmetric fission of uranium, and the Monte Carlo computing technique. The Editor can be complimented on having done his work com-petently with but very few minor hitches such as the omission of a preposition on p. 39 and the inclusion of an unnecessary one on p. 400. I t is probably out of kindness that he allowed many of the contributors to write ‘of the order of’ when they meant ‘about’ and I feel reasonably sure that no professor would say ‘experimental data is available’ (p. 137). Two conclusions clearly emerge.The current theories of irreversible processes are now in the melting pot. More conferences of the kind organized here will be needed before the cooks can agree among them-selves on the form and flavour of the final dish. The conference held in Brussels was apparently organized along the lines of the Faraday Society conferences in this country and the valuable discussions following the lectures seem to have been amiably conducted with a cosmopolitan urbanity. Processes in Statistical Mechanics. Pp. x + 436. Interscience Publishers Ltd 1958.) 75s. E. A. MOELWYN-HUGHES Chemical Processing of Nuclear Fuels. F. S. Martin and G. L. Miles. Pp. x + 242. (London Butterworths Scientific Pub-lications 1958.) 40s. Comparatively little information on the processing of nuclear fuels and related topics was available prior to the Geneva Conference of 1955 on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy.Since then much work, hitherto classified has been published and the authors of Chemical Processing of Nuclear Fuels have on account of their experience at Harwell been able to write an original and valuable survey of the problems involved, in a condensed form free from excessive technological details. For all those concerned with the development of a large-scale nuclear power industry the book will be useful as a survey of the complex interrelation-ships of the economics of reactor and separation plant operation as determined by variations in the type of fuel and reactor degree of burn-up and method of processing. The early chapters deal with the characteristics of fast thermal and intermediate reactors the nuclear data relevant to the interconversio 19591 BOOK REVIEWS 225 of fissile and fertile fuels recycling systems and the significance of the fission products as reactor poisons and as they affect chemical processing.Two chapters deal with the nuclear properties of the heavy elements concerned in reactor systems and with the relevant chemical properties of these elements the fission products and moderators and canning materials. The principles and application of several solvent extraction processes for the separation of plutonium from irradiated uranium of 233U from thorium and for plutonium purification are described in considerable detail. Subsequent chapters discuss a variety of alternative separation processes which do not in general compete with the well-established solvent extraction methods usually on account of the partial nature of the separation and the great difficulties of working at very high tempera-tures or with highly reactive materials such as fluorine when remote handling techniques have to be used on account of the radioactivity.The remainder of the book discusses the treatment and disposal of the waste fission products. F. D. S. BUTEMENT Metallurgical Thermochemistry. Third Edition. 0. Kubaschewski (London Pergamon Press Ltd, This book which is intended for both research and plant metallurgists, has been strongly criticized in the earlier editions in that it served neither well. It appears that the authors have attempted to meet most of the detailed criticisms in this new edition.However one is left with the feeling that pages have been removed from the earlier editions and new ones inserted and in some places only paragraphs have been revised, whereas in the first section entitled ‘The theoretical basis’ an overall reorganization should have been made before we were asked to consign our second edition copies to limbo. In a section devoted to thermo-dynamic concepts it is disturbing still to be met on the first page with ‘The Mass Action Law’ and to have this followed some pages later by the introduction of the concept of activity. The cart may be respectable from old age but it should follow the horse. The section on experimental methods contains a much fuller account of modern calorimetry than in the previous edition but the book now appears so authoritative in this field that a beginner expecting equally comprehensive guidance from the sections on cells and gas-condensed phase equilibria measurements will be sadly misfed about the flourishing state of these two experimental methods.This in no way detracts of course from the value of the section on calorimetry which is a very sound and complete review. The section on the estimation of thermochemical values is much as before but the tables of data have been increased in volume somewhat uncritically in some cases in an attempt to reflect the growth of high temperature research. It is a pity that the table concerned with dilute solutions has now been omitted since information pertinent to the solubilities of gases in metals is now missing from this book.The addition of some more worked examples of the application of thermo-chemical data to metallurgical processes such as the refining of steel, is to be welcomed. To sum up it seems that this third edition has been made too hastily after the second edition and since the price has gone up sharply with and E. L. Evans. 1958.) 63s. net. Pp. xiv + 426 226 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL a relatively slight increase in the real value of the book one cannot help feeling that a longer delay to reassess whole sections might have made this new attempt more successful. But this still remains one of the outstanding works in this field and those who want a good general guide to modern thermochemistry and its application to metallurgy would be well advised to buy this book; if the improvement in each successive edition can be maintained without the accompanying price increase the fourth edition should be welcome indeed.C. B. ALCOCK General Chemistry. Third Edition. D. R. Lee. Pp. vi + 254. Experiments in General Chexnistry. Revised Edition. J. B. (Minneapolis Burgess Publishing Company; London The May-These two books are aimed at the same target the first year (American) College student that by Nordmann and Kuljian assumes one year of high school chemistry and gives details of 30 laboratory experiments of which about 20 are to be done in a semester; Lee assumes no previous study of chemistry and provides 40 experiments a section on qualitative analysis and 16 short chapters on the solution of chemical problems with 162 examples to be worked by the student.Both books are of the ring-bound consumable type with bound-in report sheets graph paper and so on, on which the student enters his observations and calculations no problem of writing up experiments here but perhaps one reason why courses in report writing become necessary at a later stage in the student’s career. The experiments are in general clearly and simply described Lee in particular leading his student by the hand with a question-and-answer technique which extracts the utmost significance from each move of the test-tube. The experiments chosen cover a wider range than might be found in an English first-year text which would however presumably be catering for a rather younger age-group.Lee having introduced his students to the metric system in Experiment 2 has them determining the molecular weight of carbon tetrachloride by depression of freezing point in benzene by Experiment 18 and of sulphur dioxide by converting a known volume to BaSO (Experiment 27). Nordmann and Kuljian spend some time on the Gas Laws deal with redox reactions in Experi-ment 24 and present a simplified scheme of qualitative analysis covering 19 cations and 7 anions their problem section starts by revising simple arithmetic and gives brief methods and examples on such topics as molecular weights normality and pH. Quite apart from the question of the high cost and general desirability or otherwise of this kind of combined text-cum-exercise book it is difficult to see either of these books being adopted as a prescribed book for students in this country.A teacher of general chemistry in school or technical college will find in them a number of interesting and well-thought-out experiments and demonstrations which he might usefully add to his repertoire but he would probably use them spread over several years of a course and not concentrated into its first 6 or 12 months. 32s. Nordmann and E. S. Kuljian. Pp. iv + 162. 28s. flower Publishing Co. Ltd 1958.) E. W. MILL 19591 BOOK REVIEWS 227 Handbook of Chemical Microscopy. Third edition. Volume I. E. M. Chamot and C. W. Mason. (New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.; London Chapman & Hall Ltd 1958.) 112s.net. Chemical Microscopy now well recognized as a standard work is in its second revision and has been thoroughly overhauled since its last appear-ance in 1938. An examination of its contents shows that the microscope is still a very valuable tool in both pure and applied chemistry; in fact, there is probably no physical instrument with such a wide range of usefulness. The first part of the text is devoted to a description of the microscope and its accessories the methods of illumination of transparent and opaque objects the preparation of materials for microscopical study and special methods for observation and interpretation of physical properties. Chapters follow on ultramicroscopy photomicrography electron micro-scopy the polarizing microscope determinations of refractive indices, chemical crystallography microscopical measurements particle size determinations and quantitative analyses of heterogeneous mixtures.The text on the properties of crystals and aggregate structure has been considerably expanded a reflection on the increased interest in the solid state whilst in the field of textiles and high polymers considerable material has been added on the methods of elucidating 'molecular' arrangement by polarized light. Although the publisher maintains that the book emphasizes basic principles of instruments and methods with educational experiments rather than manipulative directions perusal of the text of these experi-ments shows that such meticulous care and attention has been given to detail it is obvious they must have come from the pens of authors of con-siderable practical experience.Such a modest claim underrates the value of the manipulative directions which are shown throughout the text in different type and constitute a fair proportion of the subject matter. Chemical Microscopy surveys the techniques required for the various specialized subjects such as biology metallography and petrology but the detailed methods necessary for work in these special fields of applied microscopy must be sought elsewhere. However numerous references to books and journals provide ample sources for information on these individual topics. This book maintains the high standard set by previous editions; it can be recommended to a11 practising analysts and will prove a valuable addition to scientific libraries since in addition to the comprehensive information collected in text and references it has considerable instruc-tional interest.Pp. xii + 502. D. C. GARRATT Physical and Azeotropic Data. G. Claxton. Pp. v + 146. (London : The National Benzole and Allied Products Association 132-5, Sloane Street S.W.1 1958.) 42s. Published as a companion volume to Working Data fbr the Bensole Industry and Motor Bensole its Production and Use this work tabulates the melting point boiling point density and refractive index of hydrocarbons boiling below 200" C. Associated sulphur compounds are similarly treated. Binary and ternary azeotropes have been restricted to those in which at least one constituent is one of fourteen components of benzole 228 derived from coal carbonization.This puts the azeotropic data into a most useful form even for workers with little interest in benzole. It is obvious that the ever-increasing rate of production of scientific data will make books of this type inevitable. Most of the information it contains is already available in up-to-date standard works on hydrocarbon compounds but by careful selection and arrangement the author has confined between the covers of a handy-sized volume accurate data of major interest to workers in the benzole field. A rather lengthy treatment of systematic nomenclature is included which will be found useful to those unfamiliar with the subject. This, together with the limited terms of reference of the work makes the search for data on a particular compound quite a simple one.An index which could usefully have been placed at the end of the book is included to enable a compound to be traced from its non-systematic customary name. The data are clearly printed on good quality paper and the binding of the book is of a type suited to much handling. It should be a valuable reference work for those in the benzole industries and for all with an interest in hydrocarbons of low boiling point. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY W. GIBB R.A.C. GROUP SCHEME Arrangements have been made for the formation of a group scheme for associate membership of the Royal Automobile Club. The scheme will enable corporate and graduate members of the Institute to obtain all the benefits of associate membership of the Club at reduced subscription rates.Further details of the scheme will be found in the leaflet enclosed with this issue of the Journal. NEW INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS The following publications are now ready and can be obtained on Monographs for Teachers : application to the Institute : No. 1. Principles of Electrolysis by C. W. Davies. 3s. 6d. No. 2. Principles of Oxidation and Reduction by A. G. Sharpe. 3s. 6d. Index of Chemistry Films. 5s. Erratum.-It is regretted that in the March issue (J. 174) under Edinburgh and East of Scotland Section Mr G. C. Cochrane was given as a Member of Committee instead of Mr F. J. Bolton INSTITUTE AFFAIRS NEW HONORARY FELLOWS At its meeting on 20 March the Council formally elected three new Sir LAWRENCE BRAGG o.B.E.M.c. M.A. HON. PH.D. HON. D.SC., The Rt Hon. LORD COHEN of Birkenhead M.D. CH.B. F.R.c.P., Professor VINCENT DU VIGNEAUD M.s. PH.D. HON. SC.D. Nobel Laureate. Sir LAWRENCE BRAGG who has been Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution since 1953 and Resident Professor and Director of the Davy-Faraday Laboratory there since 1954 was the son of the late Sir William Bragg o.M. K.B.E. F.R.s. with whom he shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915 at the age of 25. He was born in Adelaide and was educated at St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide before proceeding to Trinity College Cambridge where he became Fellow and Lecturer in Natural Sciences in 1914. He subsequently received the Hughes and Royal Medals of the Royal Society and many other honours.He was Langworthy Professor of Physics at the Victoria University of Manchester from 1919 to 1937 when he became Director of the National Physical Laboratory and was subsequently Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge from 1938 to 1953. His work on crystal structure and the atomic structure of minerals has been of great service to chemistry. Since he has been at the Royal Institution he has been active in extending its work in all directions particularly in catering for the interests of young people. LORD COHEN of Birkenhead formerly Sir Henry Cohen has been Professor of Medicine at the University of Liverpool and Senior Physician, Royal Infirmary Liverpool since 1934. Since 1948 he has served as Chairman of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health and is well known for his work as Chairman of the Flour Panel, Ministry of Food in 1955 which led to the Cohen Report.He has also worked on numerous other Committees and Joint Committees of the Medical Research Council the British Medical Association the Royal College of Physicians and on a number of public bodies in the Liverpool area. He was educated at Birkenhead School and at the Universities of Liverpool and Paris and received numerous medals and fellowships. He has contributed to many books and medical and scientific journals and has made notable contributions to the study of drugs and nutritional problems. In the field of medical research he has been particularly interested in lipoidoses collagen diseases and related subjects.Professor VINCENT DU VIGNEAUD is Professor of Biochemistry at Cornell University Medical College New York. Born in 1901 he trained at the Universities of Illinois and Rochester obtaining his PhD. in biochemistry in 1927. After this he carried out research at Johns Hopkins University the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute Germany and the Department of Medical Chemistry University of Edinburgh. He returned to Illinois in 1929 becoming Assistant Professor in 1930. He was appointed Professor of Biochemistry and head of the Department of 229 Honorary Fellows namely : HON. LL.D. F.R.s. Nobel Laureate. HON. D.SC. HON. LL.D. J.P 230 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL the School of Medicine George Washington University in 1932 and of the Medical College Cornell in 1938.He has lectured extensively, having visited this country and the Continent on several occasions. He was a special University Lecturer in London and Liversidge Lecturer at Cambridge in 1949. His work has brought him numerous awards from many learned societies in North America and Europe. He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Chemical Society. His work has been of the greatest value both to medicine and to chemistry and it is no exaggeration to say that he has left an indelible impression on every subject he has studied. These have included the chemistry of insulin and the posterior pituitary hormones; biotin and choline ; biological transmethylation processes and inter-mediary sulphur metabolism; the chemistry of amino acids peptides and proteins; and structural and synthetic work on penicillin.Perhaps his best known work was the synthesis of the cyclic polypeptide oxytocin, which had the same biological activity as the natural hormone. It was chiefly for this work that he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1955. Meldola Medal No Award for 1958.-The Council of the Institute, with the concurrence of the Society of Maccabaeans has accepted the recommendation of their Meldola Award Committee that no award be made for 1958. From the beginning the Institute and the Society have jealously guarded the standard of this their highest award. Twenty-four years ago a similar situation occurred when it was adjudged that none of the few candidates who came forward had produced evidence of original work of the very exceptional quality required.In the two following years however competition was keen and three awards were made. It is hoped that the withholding of the Medal on this occasion will have a similar effect. Those who received the awards for 1935 and 1936 are now Sir Harry Melville K.c.B. F.R.s. Professor E. D. Hughes F.R.s., and Sir Alexander Todd F.R.s. Nobel Laureate. Of the 15 candidates who received the Meldola Medal up to that time, 12 are now Fellows of the Royal Society five have been knighted two have received Nobel Prizes for Chemistry and one of these Sir Cyril Hinshel-wood is now President of the Royal Society. Recognition of Colleges.-The following Colleges have been granted recognition for the training of students to the level of Part I of the Graduate Membership examination : Cambridgeshire Technical College and School of Art Guildford County Technical College.The Liaison Officers for the Colleges will be Mr P. S. Jewell Head of the Department of Science and Technology Cambridgeshire Technical ColIege and Mr J. C. Bevan Senior Lecturer in Chemistry in the Department of Science Guildford County Technical College respectively. Sheffield College of Commerce and Technology has been granted recognition for the training of students to the level of Part I1 of the Graduate Membership examination. The College was previously recognized for Part I. Chemical Society Library.-The Library will close at 5 p.m.on Saturday 16 May and reopen at 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday 20 May 19591 INSTITUTE AFFAIRS 23 1 Binding of Journals and L. M. & R.-Members and subscribers are reminded of the special arrangements for the binding of journals in green buckram at the price of 11s. 6d. per annual volume including return postage. Those making use of this service are advised to include the Report of the Council for the year ended 30 September 1958 distributed with the March Journal when sending Volume 82 for binding. Arrangements have also been made for the binding in grey cloth of L. M. @ R. for 1957-58 in one volume at 11s. 6d. All enquiries and matter for binding should be addressed to W. Heffer &= Sons Ltd Hills Road Cambridge. PERSONAL NOTES News of Hon. Fellows Lord Adrian o.M.F.R.s. Nobel Laureate Chancellor of the Uni-versity of Leicester is to receive an honorary Doctorate in Law of the University of Edinburgh at a special graduation ceremony on 21 July. Sir John Cockcroft o.M. K.c.B. c.B.E. F.R.s. Nobel Laureate has been appointed a member of the Court of the University of London. Honours and Awards Dr Francis H. Carr c.B.E. Fellow has been awarded the Society Medal of the Society of Chemical Industry for 1959. The medal is awarded not more than once every two years for conspicuous service to applied chemistry or to the Society. Professor D. H. Hey F.R.s. Fellow professor of chemistry King’s College London has been elected a Fellow of the College. Professor E. L. Hirst c.B.E. F.R.s. Fellow professor of organic chem-istry in the University of Edinburgh has received the honorary degree of Sc.D.of the University of Dublin. Professor R. S. Nyholm F.R.s. Fellow has had the title of Fellow of University College conferred upon him by the Senate of the University of London on the recommendation of the University College Committee. Societies and Institutions Dr W. Idris Jones Fellow has been nominated for the Presidency of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. Mr J. T. Marsh J.P. Fellow has been elected an honorary member of the Textile Institute after more than 30 years’ membership. Mr Marsh gave the annual Mather Lecture ‘Idea Invention * Industrial Progress,’ in 1957. Dr A. R. Natarajan Associate chemical examiner to the Government of Madras and professor of chemistry at Madras Medical College has been elected president of the section of medical and veterinary sciences for the 47th session of the Indian Science Congress Association in 1960.Royal Society.-The following Fellows have been admitted to the Fellowship of the Royal Society Professor F. Bergel professor of chem-istry Chester Beatty Research Institute Royal Cancer Hospital; Prof-essor R. J. W. Le Fevre professor of chemistry University of Sydney; Professor G. V. Raynor professor of physical metallurgy University o 232 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Birmingham; Dr R. Spence chief chemist and head of chemistry division, Atomic Energy Research Establishment Harwell. Royal Society of Edinburgh.-The following Fellows of the Institute have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Dr H.Barnes principal scientific officer Marine Biological Station Millport ; Dr D. Traill director of research Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, Nobel Division; Professor A. D. Walsh Baxter professor of chemistry, Queen's College Dundee. Educational Mr R. L. D. Ellis Fellow has left Ewe11 County Technical College to become Principal of Isleworth Polytechnic. Dr K. T. Potts Associate has joined the staff of the organic chemistry department University of Adelaide. Dr Potts has worked with Sir Robert Robinson and Dr J. W. Cornforth F.R.s. and has just spent two years with Professor R. Woodward at Harvard University. Academic Visitors to the United Kingdom.-The following members of staff of oversea Commonwealth Universities are expected to be in the U.K.until the dates stated : Dr K. P. Ang Associate (Malaya) April; Professor G. M. Badger, Fellow (Adelaide) May; Dr R. D. Batt Fellow (Otago) December; Professor T. F. Dixon Fellow (Malaya) May; Mrs W. P. D. Pereira, Associate (Ceylon) July; Professor R. A. Robinson Fellow (Malaya) October. The following are due to arrive shortly at the approximate dates stated Professor G. C. Israel Fellow (Ghana U.C.) June; Mr S. L. Martin Fellow (West Indies U.C.) June; Professor J. Packer Fellow (Canterbury) August. Public and Industrial Mr M. H. M. Arnold Fellow has been appointed managing director of Bowmans Chemicals Ltd Widnes. Mr G. R. Bell Associate has left Powder Metallurgy Ltd to take up an appointment as general manager to the British Division of Wall Colmonoy (Canada) Ltd.Dr R. A. Bottomley Fellow research director of Mauri Brothers & Thomson Limited Sydney will arrive in London in mid-July after a visit of three months to the U.S.A. and Canada on business and scientific matters. He will stay in England for about six weeks and then continue his studies 'on the Continent. Mr A. C. Coates Fellow has been appointed assistant director of research (chemical) of the British Aluminium Go. Ltd in succession to Mr H. W. L. Phillips Fellow. Dr J. W. Evans Fellow has resigned his appointment with the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority to take up the post of research manager with the Chrome-Alloying Co. at Hatfield. Sir Alexander Fleck F.R.s. Fellow has accepted the presidency of the Industrial Go-partnership Association.The objects of the Association are the encouragement and promotion of the practice of co-partnership principles in industry 19591 INSTITUTE AFFAIRS 233 Dr J. G. Fletcher Fellow has resigned his post at the National Institute for Medical Research and joined the staff of the physiology and bio-chemistry wing at the Defence Research Medical Laboratories Toronto. Mr E. W. Fowler Associate has taken up an appointment as senior analyst at the MuHard Southampton Works of the Mullard Radio Valve Co. Ltd. Professor Sir Cyril Hinshelwood P.R.s. Fellow opened the Research Laboratory extensions of the Alkali Division of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd at Winnington Cheshire on 4 March. Mr J. W. Hueton Associate has relinquished his post with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd Chalk River and taken up a position as assistant reactor manager at U.K.A.E.A.Chapelcross Works. Mr W. E. Huggett Fellow general manager of the Carrington Works of Petrochemicals Ltd has resigned to take up a position with Con-structors John Brown Ltd. Mr R. Hughes Associate has left the Admiralty Materials Laboratory, Holton Heath Dorset to take up an appointment with the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston. Dr T. T. Jones Associate has been promoted to the new appointment of Research Scientist Monsanto Chemicals Ltd. He will assist the Company’s research and development programmes in the field of polymers. Dr H. J. V. Krishna Associate has given up his appointment with the National Chemical Laboratory Poona and joined the Glaxo Labor-atories (India) Private Ltd Bombay.Mr V. Malwin Associate has been appointed dyehouse manager, Greentex Industries Ltd Industria Johannesburg. Dr A. C. Monkhouse Fellow formerly acting director of fuel research, D.S.I.R. has been appointed adviser to the Athlone Fellowships scheme. The scheme provides fellowships to enable young Canadian engineers to gain experience in U.K. industrial organizations or universities. Dr Roy G. Neville Associate has left the Boeing Airplane Company and is now research scientist with the Lockheed Missile and Space Division of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation Palo Alto California. Dr A. C. Pepper Fellow has been appointed managing director of Alexander Duckham & Go. with whom he has been since 1936.Dr G. Ponnamperuma Associate general manager of the Ceylon Cement Corporation has been appointed a director. Mr N. Rangaswamy Fellow of Glaxo Laboratories (India) Private Ltd Bombay has been appointed chief analyst. Mr T. Sanderson Associate general works manager Workington Iron and Steel Company has been appointed to the Board. Mr G. E. H. Smock Associate British Resin Products Ltd has been appointed sales manager for Rigidex Polyethylene. Dr A. E. A. Werner Associate has succeeded Dr H. J. Plenderleith as Keeper of the Research Laboratory at the British Museum. Mr F. D. Wood Associate has been appointed chief chemist at the Bentham Works of Geo. Angus & Go. Ltd SECTION ACTIVITIES BELFAST AND DISTRICT At a meeting held jointly with the Chemical Society and the Society of Chemical Industry on 27 February in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre Queen’s University Dr R.J. P. Williams of the University of Oxford delivered a lecture entitled ‘The Stability of Complexes in Solution.’ The stability of a complex ion is measured by the equilibrium constant for its formation. This equilibrium constant can be related to the sum of the heat and entropy of reaction by the standard equation The entropy term is small for the reaction of cations with neutral molecules but considerable for their reaction with anions. The cations of groups IA IIA and IIIA of the periodic table form complexes only with anions; this suggests that all complexes of these metal ions are formed endothermi-cally-a result supported by limited experimental data.The B sub-group cations form complexes with both neutral molecules and anions. The heats of reaction of these cations are more strongly exothermic. The change of the size and usually even of the sign of the heat of reaction, cannot be correlated with the cation’s size but is shown to be dependent upon the ionization potential of the cation-its polarizing power. The effect of the change in polarizing power from say magnesium to zinc is to alter the effective dipoles of ligands so that easily polarizable ligands such as ammonia which have smaller dipoles than water as gas molecules or in the presence of magnesium have larger dipoles in the presence of the zinc ion. There is no unique order of the polarity of ligands in the presence of cations; the order depends on the cation.In the series of transition-metal cations the polarizing power increases across the series so that at one end oxygen ligands (e.g. water) are preferred to nitrogen ligands (e.g. ammonia) whereas at the other end the reverse is true. There is no constant field due to a ligand which can be used in ligand field theory. The stability of transition-metal complexes cannot be under-stood on the basis of this theory alone although it does indicate one source of the polarizing power and polarization of the cation. After a lively discussion the vote of thanks was proposed by Mr I. Milligen. Stability of Complexes in Solution. - RT In K9 = AG = AH - TAX BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLANDS The Fourth Percy Faraday Frankland Memorial Lecture was delivered in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre at the University of Birmingham on 13 March by Professor Alexander Haddow F.R.S.The Acting President Dr D. W. Kent-Jones was in the Chair and introduced the speaker saying that with the addition of Professor Haddow to the list of Frankland Lecturers the tradition was being continued that these lectures were to be given only by men of the highest eminence and distinction. After thanking the Council of the Institute for the invitation to deliver the Frankland Lecture Professor Haddow reviewed the present position of cancer research and indicated that the picture is gradually emerging of a possible elimination of specific proteins following reaction either directly or indirectly through interference with the structure and function 2 34 Fourth P.F. Frankland Memorial Lecture SECTION ACTIVITIES 235 of the nucleic acids. It is hoped that the lecture will be published in the Lectures Monograph and Reports series. The vote of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by Profesor M. Stacey F.R.S. The lecture was followed by dinner in the University Staff Refectory at which the Section Chairman Mr E. G. K. Pritchett presided. The toast to the Royal Institute of Chemistry was proposed by the Chairman of the Birmingham and Midland section of the Society of Chemical Industry Mr F. A. Jones to which the Acting President replied. The toast to the Immortal Memory of Percy Faraday Frankland was proposed by the Vice-chairman of the Section Mr G. King who was one of Frankland’s students.Mr A. Carroll proposed the toast to the Guests, to which Dr F. L. Rose F.R.s. replied. The Annual General Meeting of the Section was held at the College of Technology Birmingham on 18 March. The Committee’s Report for the year 1958 and the Financial State-ment for the year ending 30 September 1958 were adopted. The following Officers and Members of Committee were elected for the ensuing year Chairman Mr E. G. K. Pritchett; Vice-chairman, Mr G. King; Hon. Secretary Dr J. E. Gregory; Hon. Treasurer Mr R. D. Burn; Members of Committee Professor J. C . Robb Drs M. E. FOSS P. A. Ongley E. Tidd and M. Williams and Messrs K. A. Hyde and L. H. Vaughan. Mr E. M. Joiner (Immediate Past President) and Dr W. Wilson (District Member of Council) are also members of the Committee.Messrs A. Argyle and G. Barnett were re-elected Hon. Auditors. The meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the retiring Members of Committee and the Hon. Auditors. Members afterwards spent an interesting hour exchanging views about the recent changes in the educational and examination policy of the Institute. CARDIFF AND DISTRICT At a joint meeting with the South Wales section of the Society of Chemical Industry held on 17 February at the King’s Head Hotel Newport with Mr G. M. Kerman in the Chair the Section was addressed by Professor Fraser Mackenzie of the University of Bir-mingham on ‘Burgundian Wines of France’. The lecturer commenced with personal and intimate memories of the Burgundian villages he knows so well and of the Burgundians them-+selves who produce the wines.Many of these wines have been perfected by 2000 years of vine-cultivation and by the human skill in extracting the very best from the grapes so produced. Professor Mackenzie then passed from the idyllic atmosphere of the C6te d’Or villages to the capital of Burgundy-Dijon-with its famous University that boasts a Depart-ment of Oenology-the science of wine-making. The Department has even a special branch to deal with research into the perfecting of an odourless cork. The lecturer travelled the road from Dijon to Beaune and en route dealt in detail with some of the world’s most famous vineyards each one producing a wine of characteris tic ‘parfum’--Chambertin virile and full-blooded; Vougeot of unique colour and bouquet; the silky and suave Vosne-Romanie ; Aloxe-Corton creamy and unctuous Nuits-St-Georges of high tannin content and characteristic nutty flavour finally to Beaune, seat of the Chevaliers de Taste-Vin the wine-capital of the world.Burgundian Wines 236 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL At this stage the lecturer dealt with simple Burgundian recipes and with the real ‘Connaisseur’s Art’ of tasting wine. From Beaune Pro-fessor Mackenzie led his audience north to the vineyards which produce the dry white Chablis-ideal accompaniment to oysters or fish; then south once more to the region of the aristocratic golden-hued Meursault, on to the cooling and refreshing Beaujolais; to the garnet-red Morgon; to MouEin-ci-Vent-buoyant as its name implies-and lastly to the perfumed Fleurie.Throughout the evening Professor Mackenzie interspersed his very detailed account with sparkling personal anecdotes which delighted an audience graced by an unusually large number of ladies. Questions and replies were numerous and animated and included a query as to the best wine to take with a welsh rarebit. In reply to the votes of thanks proposed by Mr Millar and Mr Briggs, the lecturer said he was delighted by the rapt attention of his audience and was deeply grateful for hospitality which reminded him of his younger days in Royal Naval Wardrooms. DUNDEE AND DISTRICT The Christmas lecture for senior pupils of schools in the Dundee area held on 17 December was given by Professor P. D. Ritchie to an enthusiastic audience of over 250 who filled the lecture theatre at Queen’s College Dundee.His lecture entitled ‘The Chemist versus the Fine Arts Forger,’ was illustrated with some fine lantern slides and described in detail the methods of forging and of detecting forgery in many works of arts. A full summary of the lecture was given in the Journal (1 958 258). The vote of thanks ws proposed by a senior pupil of Morgan Academy and was carried with acclamation. Analytical Chemistry. A meeting was held on 23 January in Queen’s College Dundee when Dr T. S. West lecturer in the University of Birmingham delivered a lecture entitled ‘Some Recent Developments in Analytical Chemistry.’ Before the lecture the Chairman Mr N. B. B. Johnstone paid tribute to the late President. Dr West prefaced his lecture with a brief survey of the present academic status of analytical chemistry and indicated the urgent need that exists for a vigorous policy of more fundamental research.The lecture was based on the Meldola Lecture for 1956 (J. 1958 39) but laid most emphasis on subsequent developments. Dr West then discussed the analytical importance of the group of aminopolycarboxylic acids known as complexones and also reviewed the limitations of the technique of complexometric analysis particularly with regard to selectivity of both pM indicator and reagent. A practical demonstration was made of some new pM indicators which have advan-tages over those in common use. Dr West illustrated the mode of action of the new reagent Alizarin complexone and demonstrated its application as a specific reagent of high sensitivity for fluoride ion.The synthesis and properties of new chelating agents related to 1 ,2-tram-diaminocyclohexane-NNN’N’-tetra-acetic acid and of methyl substituted derivatives of ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid next received attention and the lecturer than presented polarographic evidence to show the chelating efficiency of five such reagents relative to standard analytical reagents. Christmas Lecture 1959 J SECTION ACTIVITIES 237 Dr West went on to discuss organic sabmicro-ana&.si.s and described the scale of working and reasons for developing such small-scale methods of organic analysis and the means by which these minute samples could be weighed with the necessary precision. Successful submicro procedures which generally have a precision of within & 0-3 per cent (absolute) have been devised for elements such as N S Cl Br I F C and for functional groups such as tertiary nitrogen -NCH, -O.CH and -COOH.A non-aqueous submicro technique for the determination of organic compounds as bases has been successfully devised. The discussion centred around the use of EDTA for the determination of zinc and the determination of calcium in biological materials. The lecturer commented that the former was satisfactory except that the Eriochrome Black T indicator response was poorly defined. A much sharper end-point and a more selective titration may be obtained if Alizarin complexone/Xylene Cyanol FF is applied at pH ca 4.3. For calcium no single indicator can be recommended to cover all eventualities, but some indicators currently in use definitely yield erroneous recoveries.He and his co-worker had obtained excellent results for calcium in blood-serum by photometric EDTA titration with Acid Alizarin Black SN. EAST ANGLIA The meeting on 14 March was ajoint meeting with local branches of the Science Masters’ Association and the Association of Women Science Teachers and took place at Culford School near Bury St Edmunds. Mr D. A. Sturdy Chairman of the local branch of the S.M.A. took the Chair and Dr C. Storey headmaster of Culford School welcomed all those present on behalf of the school and told them something of its history. Mr D. G. Chisman the Institute’s Education Officer then opened a discussion on the education of the young chemist.In this introductory talk Mr Chisman outlined briefly the requirements for a grammar school student wishing to take a course in chemistry at a university and then went on to speak in detail of the educational requirements for students proceeding to the various courses available at technical colleges. He outlined the structure of the Graduate Membership examination and the general educational requirements necessary for those wishing to qualify by this route. He then proceeded to deal in a similar way with the Dip. Tech. examination the National Certificate courses and the Higher National Diploma course. The teachers found Mr Chisman’s address interesting as it under-lined the fact that many of the students in grammar and secondary schools did not proceed to the university before taking up a career.It was emphasized that many of them would like to be able to give sixth-form students an opportunity to gain some experience in industry but repre-sentatives of industry present said that the time available for a sixth-form student to undertake work of this kind was scarcely sufficient for either industrial firms or the students themselves to find it worthwhile. It was pointed out that there seemed to be a hiatus between Advanced level G.C.E. and entrance to a university at present lasting about 12 months and various views were expressed as to the value of industrial experience during this period. On the one hand the student gained valuable practical experience which would enable him to take much fuller advantage of practical courses at the university.On the other hand, many people thought that there was a real danger that once havin 238 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL started to earn money the student might wish to continue doing so rather than go to a university. The advantages of the National Certificate courses to part-time students were emphasized as being convenient stepping-stones to the Graduate Membership examination and also valuable in themselves. In response to a plea for more young girls to enter industrial labora-tories it was pointed out that three or four local girls’ schools were finding it impossible to get chemistry teachers of any kind. A discussion of the shortcomings of school-leavers entering industrial laboratories could not be fully developed for lack of time.The meeting closed with the vote of thanks proposed by Mr W. E. Sage of the S.M.A. who thanked the staff of Culford School for their hospitality and Mr Chisman for his stimulating introduction to the dis-cussion. The company was then entertained to tea and given an oppor-tunity of looking round the school and its very fine new laboratories. EAST MIDLANDS On 27 January a meeting was held jointly with the Chemical Society and the University of Nottingham Chemical Society at the University. The Chair was taken by Professor A. w. Johnson. Professor R. N. Haszeldine of the University of Manchester gave a lecture on ‘The Growth of Fluorocarbon Chemistry.’ Moissan isolated fluorine in 1886 and essentially the same method is used today though in equipment so successfully designed that tonnage quantities of fluorine may be produced without difficulty and in the United States transported for long distances as liquid.That simple apparatus can also be used was clearly demonstrated on the lecture bench by the use of a tin can and a piece of carbon; enough fluorine was generated to enable the audience to smell the element and to see demonstrations of its reactivity towards organic compounds. After briefly discussing fluorine resources and the use of fluorine for the preparation of UF and as a rocket propellant he surveyed the preparation and characteristic properties of fluorocarbons and the development of fluorocarbon derivatives. Compounds mentioned in-cluded fluoro-analogues of well-known organic compounds e.g.CF3*C02H CF3-CH20H CF,*NCO CF3CON3 CF3.CF CF,, CF CF*CF CF2 CF,*PO(OH), CF,.SO,H CF3*SH CF,*NO, CF3*NF2 C6F6 C6F,0H and C6F5*NH2 but others bore little or no resemblance to hydrocarbon derivatives e.g. CF,-SF, NF2*CF2.C02H, FZuorocurbon Chemistry. CF2-CF-CF-CF2 (CF3)2SF4, I I I I I I CF,*N*O*CF,*CFz CFg-CF-CF-CF2 SF,*CF2*C02H. Emphasis was laid on (a) reactions common in conventional organic chemistry based on hydrocarbons that do not occur with the corre-sponding fluorocarbon derivatives ; ( b ) reactions that are peculiar to fluorocarbon derivatives and are not shown by hydrocarbon derivatives ; and (c) reactions that were discovered first in the fluorocarbon field and only later extended to the hydrocarbon derivative field.Possible mechanisms were invoked for many of the reactions and syntheses. Industrially important fluorine compounds are (a) the polymers, such as the thermoplastic polytetrafluoroethylene and its copolymer with hexafluoropropylene and the copolymer of vinylidene fluoride wit 19591 SECTION ACTIVITIES 239 hexafluoropropylene which is a rubber with outstanding temperature stability; fluoro-silicones -siloxanes and -silicone rubbers were noted ; ( b ) the chlorofluoromethanes used as refrigerants; (c) the perfluoro-alkane-sulphonic and carboxylic acids used as surface-active agents ; ( d ) chloro-fluoro-compounds used as aerosol propellants. The growth and scope of the aerosol industry was surveyed and a number of demons-trations brought the lecture to a close.Numerous samples of fluorine products were available for inspection. After a number of questions the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr R. F. Phillips. GLASGOW AND WEST OF SCOTLAND At a joint meeting with the Glasgow section of the Society of Chemical Industry in the Royal College of Science and Technology on 13 December 1958 Dr J. R. Nicholls c.B.E. delivered a lecture on ‘The Expert Witness’. Dr J. Craik local Chairman of the Society introduced the speaker. Dr Nicholls explained that in the nineteenth century there was a gibe that witnesses could be classified into three groups-liars damned liars and expert witnesses. During that period experts in the medical field were satisfactory; but in other fields so-called ‘experts’ were some-times produced whose only qualifications were their self-advertised claims.It was said that if the fee was sufficient people could be called to support any view even if they suspected it to be contrary to the facts, and expert evidence was frequently frowned upon. With the advance of knowledge particularly scientific greater care was taken in selecting witnesses; and since reputable experts could be called to give rebutting evidence the pseudo-expert disappeared. Nowadays it is well recognized that the training of a specialist enables him to reveal facts which would escape the notice of a casual observer and to draw inferences from facts which would be meaningless until interpreted with specialized knowledge. In general an expert witness is required to give evidence as to facts, his interpretation of the facts and his opinions based on those facts.Facts may be obtained by observation and by some form of examination. Any one of the senses may be utilized to note facts but factors outside one’s control can render the interpretations fallacious. The evidence of eye-witnesses can be very misleading especially in the identification of persons. It has been stated that mistakes in identification have been a more fruitful cause of miscarriage of justice than all other causes put together. To assist the characterization of individuals, Bertillon invented a system involving about 12 measurements including height and dimensions of head fingers and feet. This was regarded as practically infallible until two people were examined with identical measurements and indistinguishable photographs.Meanwhile finger-prints were being used as means of identification and the voluminous experience from all countries of the world confirmed the individuality of the prints their persistence throughout life and the impossibility of permanently removing them short of complete mutilation. But com-parisons should be made only by specialists in this field. Hairs can be compared but it is not possible to say that a particular hair came from a particular person. Handwriting can also be examined but cannot with certainty be assigned to an individual. The Expert M‘ittzess 240 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Any method of scientific analysis can be used to ascertain facts. If samples have been divided there may be more than one analysis includ-ing sometimes a referee analysis; and if there is a dispute each analyst may be called to justify his results and their interpretation.In most forensic cases there is only one sample or series of samples and the expert must be prepared to explain and justify the methods he has used. Where possible he should produce photographs to support his contentions. An expert may be asked for his opinion on any relevant question in his field. This may include deductions not capable of direct proof. I t is always possible for equally qualified experts honestly to hold different opinions on the same facts. No matter how high the probability of a particular view other possibilities must be admitted. Opinions may be given on the proper standard for a particular ingredient in a compounded article.No suggested standard appreciably at variance with good commercial practice is likely to be upheld by a court. The question may arise whether a substance comes within a certain definition or description. The expert will have to consider how the substance is regarded by the trade or by people who handle such goods. In giving his evidence the expert must remember that he is not an advocate but he is concerned solely with the truth of certain facts. He should not go beyond the scope of the facts he can prove or of an impartial opinion based on them. He should know how far he is prepared to go in those opinions and should anticipate opposing opinions which may be advanced. He should avoid being dogmatic or using technical terms which may not be understood.It is usually inadvisable to answer questions outside the field in which he is expert; to give snap opinions on samples suddenly produced ; to answer hypothetical questions ; to answer simply yes or no even if asked to do so if there is a possibility of mis-construction; not to admit he does not know if that is the case. He will help the court most if he is prepared to justify his facts and their interpretation to state clearly his opinions and to stick to them. The lecture was illustrated by accounts of cases with which the lecturer had been associated and lantern slides of exhibits. After a lively discussion Dr W. A. Caldwell proposed the vote of thanks. Protection of Motor Vehicles from Corrosion.A joint meeting with the Glasgow section and the Corrosion Group of the Society of Chemical Industry took place in the Royal College of Science and Technology on 16 January. Dr S. G. Clarke gave a lecture on ‘The Protection of Motor Vehicles from Corrosion’ and Dr W. A. Caldwell was in the Chair. Dr Clarke said that much knowledge of recent research and present-day developments in different branches of the subject became available at the Symposium on the Protection of Motor Vehicles from Corrosion, arranged by the S.C.I. Corrosion Group. Dealing with different components of the vehicle he said corrosion on working surfaces of the engine due to the action of combustion products has been estimated to cost E25,000,000 in 1955 for the vehicles in the U.K.Exhaust-valve corrosion caused by this action at relatively high temperatures is being controlled by the use of appropriate high-chromium steels and the corrosion of cylinder walls piston rings and bearings by attention to the composition of lubricating oils particularly in respect of additives in the anti-oxidant class. The durability of the exhaust-silencer system in which unprotected steel construction is common and whic 19591 SECTION ACTIVITIES 24 1 is vulnerable to both exterior and interior corrosion offers scope for improvement. Engine anti-freeze coolants based on ethylene glycol-water employ one or another of three different inhibitor systems the D.T.D. 779 type incorporating triethanolamine phosphate and mercaptobenzothiazole, which was originally developed for aluminium aero-engines to meet the difficult problem of corrosion of aluminium in systems of non-ferrous metals particularly copper ; the benzoate-nitrite type developed by N.C.L.; and the borax mixture of American origin.While each has general use a preference for one or the other can arise in special cases. On the structural side aluminium alloys offer a high degree of general corrosion resistance compared with ordinary steel particularly aluminium alloyed with a small proportion of magnesium for bodywork sheeting. A particular example of its use is in the Land Rover and other details of design of this vehicle to render it corrosion-resistant are the extensive use of zinc-coating of steel parts in contact with aluminium and of internal paint protection for the box-section steel chassis.Many examples of the advantageous use of aluminium alloys include the new Routemaster bus of the L.T.E. Stress-bearing members in aluminium alloy require consideration of protective measures. Bright trim in electro-polished super-purity aluminium-base alloy having a transparent protective oxide coating produced by anodizing constitutes a rival to chromium plating in cases where the limited strength of the base material is acceptable. The modern pressed-steel body which constitutes the whole framework of the vehicle demands a very high standard of protection on account of the thin section of the material and overall phosphate treatment is now usual to ensure the best protection by the paint applied. Phosphating production lines at the Pressed Steel Co.and elsewhere have special features designed in particular to ensure scrupulous freedom of the phos-phated work from residues of electrolytes from the processing or washing stages that might subsequently initiate corrosion. Manufacturers of electrical and other components have been much concerned with the choice of appropriate protective measures- two advances being the development of the stainless-steel spring for the contact breaker to overcome corrosion-fatigue failures and the lead-alloy lug for battery connections. The packaging of vehicles and spares for export has necessitated investigations which have contributed to im-proved humidity control in the cargo spaces of ships and also to packing-case designs. Among protective measures in packaging the use of a vapour corrosion-inhibitor incorporated in paper for intimate wrapping of steel parts has been found beneficial.Thus a wide range of matters relating to motor vehicles have offered and are continuing to offer considerable scope for the application of the results of research on corrosion and its prevention. After an interesting discussion the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Craik. Enzyme System in Polysaccharide Degradation. On 1 3 February Professor I. A. Preece delivered a lecture on ‘Enzyme Systems in Polysaccharide Degradation’ in the Royal College of Science and Technology. Dr Caldwell introduced the speaker. Professor Preece began his lecture by saying that the mechanism of the degradation of cereal polysaccharides is not only of academic interest but is important also in the cereal industries generally.It has bee 242 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL shown that in vitru degradation of water-soluble hemi-celluloses of cereal endosperm involves attack by both endo- and exo-systems of enzymes, with ultimate production of free simple sugars by the action of disac-charases. In the case of araboxylan arabinosidase is also involved, liberating free arabinose and thereby facilitating exoxylanase action. The close interlinking of these various systems must be emphasized. The patterns of degradation achieved by enzyme preparations from different cereals depend accordingly on the balance of the different types of activity in each of these preparations; different cereals do in fact differ very substantially in their enzyme potentialities.The auto-lysis of cereal flours in presence of water gives results which confirm and extend the above findings and these results may be of significance in the refining of dough and also in relation to the choice of cereals for starch manufacture. That care must be exercised in using in uitro results to attempt to explain events in intact tissues is shown by recent comparative studies of barley and malt starches; nevertheless these biochemical findings in conjunction with morphological investigations do help to show the causes of the softening of the barley endosperm during malting. The speaker concluded by saying that true cellulose is little if at all concerned in this change but hemicelluloses are considerably degraded though the readiness with which they are attacked is affected by the physical state of the endosperm; this condition is as yet little understood but appears to involve certain types of protein.Professor Preece’s lecture was well illustrated with slides. After a discussion the vote of thanks was proposed by Professor Hugh Nicol. HUDDERSFIELD On 16 December 1958 a joint meeting with the Society of Dyers and Colourists was held at Silvio’s Restaurant, Westgate Huddersfield; the Chairman was Mr H. Boothroyd. Mr I(. Roessler of Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik Ludwigshaven Germany, delivered a lecture on ‘The Development of a Dyestuff from synthesis to marketing’. With the aid of some very attractive colour slides the lecturer indicated the very thorough technological testing carried out on dyestuffs selected for development and dealt briefly with some aspects of semi-technical and large-scale manufacture of the dyestuffs.Finally general procedures for launching a dyestuff on the market expanding production and providing technical sales service were outlined. After an interesting discussion the vote of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by Dr E. Tittensor. Titaniurnfor Chemical Plant. On 19 February a joint meeting with the Chemical Society of the Huddersfield College of Technology was held at the College when Mr R. J. Watkins of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (Metals Division) delivered a lecture on ‘Titanium for Chemical Plant’. An outline was given of the method of extracting titanium from its ores the subsequent melting process and fabrication of the metal and its alloys into various wrought forms.A brief mention was made of the physical and mechanical properties which rendered titanium attractive to the aircraft industry and thus paved the way for the remarkably rapid technological progress witnessed over the last decade. Laboratory and The Development of a Dyestti!! 19591 SECTION ACTMTIES 243 plant corrosion trials were discussed and the general corrosion behaviour of titanium was illustrated. The growth of the use of the metal in chemical plant from small components to large items such as lined vessels was described with an indication of the technical and economic advantages arising from the adoption of titanium.Certain established uses such as anodizing jigs heating or cooling coils valve plates and springs surgical implants and so on were mentioned together with an indication of recent developments including anodic passivation techniques and platinized titanium anodes which promise to widen the field for titanium in the chemical industry. In proposing the vote of thanks Miss Shirley Morris specially com-mended the lecturer for his interesting presentation of such a highly technical subject. HULL AND DISTRICT A joint meeting was held with the local sections of the Oil & Colour Chemists’ Association and the Society of Chemical Industry at the Royal Station Hotel on 8 December. Dr T. Malkin introduced the speaker for the evening Dr F. D, Gunstone of the University of St Andrews who took as his subject ‘The synthesis of natural fatty acids.’ The lecturer outlined the chemical reactions which had been em-ployed in the classical syntheses of naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic erucic ricinoleic and stillingic acids.The reactions were well illustrated with lantern slides. Fat& Acids. Mr A. W. Dixon proposed the vote of thanks to the speaker. Forensic Medicine. On 20 February the first joint meeting of the Section and the Hull Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society was held in the new Police Headquarters building the Assistant Chief Constable and members of the Hull police also being present. Dr A. C. Hunt Department of Forensic Medicine University of Bristol spoke on ‘Poisoning-Accident Suicide or Murder.’ The Chairman for the evening was Mr J.J. Small of the Pharma-ceutical Society. Dr S. N. H. Stothart Chairman in proposing the vote of thanks to the speaker expressed the gratitude of the Society to the Hull Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society for acting as hosts. At a well-attended meeting of the Section held at the University of Hull on 23 January Mr F. Wood, technical manager Brown & Polson Ltd delivered a lecture entitled ‘Recent Advances in the Manufacture and Uses of Starch.’ The speaker who was introduced by Dr S. N. H. Stothart said that the raw material for the manufacture of starch is maize of two main varieties White South African Corn and American Yellow Corn which differed slightly in price and ease of separation.They contain approxi-mately 68-70 per cent of starch the other components being mainly fibre gluten and germ. The first operation in the separation of the starch is steeping a counter-current process of leaching with sulphurous acid. This is effected in 60-70 ton vessels the object being to prepare the maize for effective separation. The salts are concentrated in the germ and their removal facilitates the separation of the latter in a continuous flotation process. The residual mixture is wet-ground by conventional methods Manufacture and Uses of Starch 244 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL to a ‘slop’ and the fibre removed either by reels or in more modern practice by continuous centrifuges of the basket type. Starch having a greater density than gluten was formerly separated on tables by gravity but this is now carried out in centrifuges in two or three stages giving starch with a residual 0.5 per cent of gluten.Mr Wood next discussed the composition of starch and its applications in industry. It has two main constituents amylose (straight-chain molecules) and amylopectin (branched-chain molecules). Typical figures for the amylose content of starch-containing materials are : maize 28 per cent; farina 20 per cent; and tapioca 17 per cent. The amylose from these sources differs in constitution; it is however solely responsible for the ‘set back’ and gel strength of a starch sol whereas the amylopectins form stable solutions. Starch used for cotton ‘warp sizing’ is prepared by oxidizing starch with hypochlorite and caustic soda which has the effect of warping the molecular chain by introducing carboxylic groupings.This treatment leads to a reduction in viscosity but no such reduction occurs on treat-ment with ethylene or propylene oxide. Modification by treatment with sulphuric acid below 50°C weakens the bonds of amylopectin giving a product of reduced viscosity thus permitting the preparation of more concentrated solutions. Such materials termed ‘thin boiling starches,’ are used for stiffening cloth (e.g. by laundries and in cotton finishing). The molecules of dry starch are fragmented by heat and acid (which acts as a catalyst) the products being white or yellow dextrins or British Gums according to the treatment. Pregelatinized starch which resembles rice paper in appearance is prepared by applying a double film to a heated roll.This product is used in paper manufacture to improve burst strength feel and callendar-ing properties. Great progress has been made by coating paper on both sides with a thin oxidized starch-a process known as ‘size press sizing.’ A further development is the preparation of papers thinly coated with starch ethers and a little clay-‘size press coating.’ In conclusion the lecturer said that the separation of the two main constituents of starch was not a simple operation. From Chinese maize a strain of maize had been developed having a starch component consisting of 100 per cent amylopectin. Another strain of maize had also been produced in which the starch portion was essentially amylose.These developments had greatly increased the range of materials that could be manufactured from starch. Numerous exhibits were on show and a lively discussion took place at question time. The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr D. E. Bellamy. LIVERPOOL AND NORTH-WESTERN A joint meeting of the Section with the Stanlow Branch of the Institute of Petroleum was held on 4 March at the Grosvenor Museum Chester. The Section Chairman Mr V. Biske officiated and introduced the speaker Professor W. M. Thring of the University of Sheffield who holds the Chair of Fuel Technology and Chemical Engineering and is a member of the Clean Air Council. The full title of his address was ‘What Con-tribution Can Good Fuel Technology Make to the Atmospheric Pollution Problem ?’ Atmospheric Pollution 19591 SECTION ACTIVITIES 245 The lecturer discussed the smokiness of coals and said that domestic fires accounted for 50 per cent of smoke pollution and that the open fire was only 20 per cent efficient.The Clean Air Act legislated only for dark smoke and there might perhaps eventually be a second act to deal with sulphur dioxide and other gases. The ‘reactivity of coke’ and the methods of measurement were explained and it was suggested that a better test was required. In dealing with the combustion of oil the speaker referred to the deposition of ‘fumerons’ or smuts containing SO, which could in the course of a few days make holes in the roof of a car. The economics of gas cleaning were considered for different types of industrial furnaces.The dispersal of fume from chimney stacks was shown to depend upon the inverse square of stack height plus the buoyancy height plus the gas velocity height. In one instance cited a 400 ft chimney is surrounded by 800 ft hills; in certain conditions of inversion the fumes could not rise from the valley. The interest of the audience in the lecture was shown by the wide variety of questions put to the lecturer in the discussion that followed. This was opened by Messrs C. H. Band and L. G. Thompson. The discussion included such topics as the causes of the Los Angeles smog, safe levels of SO and removal of dusts from the atmosphere. The vote of thanks to Professor Thring was proposed by Mr C. N. Thompson the I.P. Chairman. LONDON SECTION A large audience was at Enfield Technical College on 19 January to hear a lecture on this fascinating if macabre, subject.Dr A. S. Curry of the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory at Harrogate explained at the outset that his lecture would be entirely devoted to the chemical investigations extending over many months that preceded a recent came cd2bre. The scientific evidence presented on behalf of the prosecution at the trial was a notable example of co-opera-tion between the forensic and industrial chemist and the chemical pathologist. Dr Curry in expressing his debt to his collaborators also paid tribute to the police engaged on the case. The post-mortem examination on the victim found dead in her bath, established that death was due to drowning but suggested that before death she was unconscious ; circumstantial evidence supported this suggestion.The comprehensive routine methods of toxicological analy-sis which the lecturer outlined demonstrated the absence of common poisons and pathological organisms in the body. Glucose was absent from the urine but present in high concentration in a sample of un-preserved mixed heart blood. The former finding precluded the possi-bility that the woman was diabetic and in a hyperglycaemic coma at the time of death; nor did the high blood sugar level support the hypothesis, suggested by preliminary post-mortem examination that she might have been in a stage of hypoglycaemic coma. Reference to the literature and subsequent investigation confirmed that the glucose concentration in the right side of the heart particularly after asphyxia1 death may rise as a result of glycogenolysis in the liver and diffusion into the right heart.It was apparent after all that the high glucose content of mixed heart blood did not exclude the possibility of hypoglycaemic coma before death. The Chemistry of Poisoning. Mr F. C. Hymas was in the Chair 246 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Further examination of the body established the presence of injection marks and led to a search for insulin in the underlying tissues. Such information as was available suggested that if insulin were present at the time of death it was unlikely that it would be found in body tissues some days later as a result of destruction by autolytic processes.Nevertheless extraction of the tissues surrounding the injection marks was undertaken and the biological activity determined. This was the only method available for identification and assay of insulin although chromatographic methods of separation were investigated and yielded some confirmatory evidence. The extracts obtained were shown by the insulin assay method of the British Pharmacopoeia to be highly active and their properties were com-pared with those of insulin by several independent and elegant techniques. It was at this stage that chemical pathology was able to make a sub-stantial contribution to the collaborative investigation which confirmed beyond doubt that insulin was present in the tissues examined. This is believed to be the first time that the presence of insulin in human tissue, other than the pancreas has been demonstrated after death.This apparently surprising observation is possibly explained by the stability of insulin in acid media lactic acid being produced in peripheral muscular tissue after death. The accused man a male nurse who was subsequently convicted of murdering his wife by the injection of insulin explained the injection marks by stating that he had injected his wife with ergometrine maleate as an abortifacient. Traces of procaine penicillin were found in a hypodermic needle found in the house. Tests capable of detecting 1 pg of ergometrine or procaine in body tissue were evolved and applied but no trace of either was found. The sensitivity of the test for ergometrine was far greater than necessary to demonstrate the presence of ergometrine in the urine resulting from the injection of a therapeutic dose and these negative findings threw doubt on the statement of the accused.Eight members of the audience contributed to an interesting dis-cussion. A vote of thanks to the speaker for a most instructive evening was proposed by Mr R. Shepherd and cordially endorsed. On 21 January Sir Eric Rideal M.B.E. F.R.s. addressed a joint meeting of the Section and the Society of Chemical Industry at University College London. Mr F. C. Hymas presided. Sir Eric briefly defined colloid science as the science of the behaviour of matter at the interface between two homogeneous surfaces and detailed the various systems associated with surface phenomena.Throughout his lecture he stressed the wide fields of investigation still open particularly in the dynamics of matter at and near the interface. It gives rise to some concern that there is now no School of Colloid Science in this country; indeed the nearest such School is in Moscow. Study of the dynamics at the interface of aerosols would produce information on the building and coalescence of mists and fog. The stability of smog is probably due partly to the presence of a monolayer film at the gas/liquid interface which retards evaporation or condensation of water. Work on the movement of radioiodine across the interface between water and carbon tetrachloride shows iodine to move in both directions simultaneously. If a monolayer is put on the interface the surface barrier The Imp& of Colloid Scieme on Technology 19593 SECTION ACTIVITIES 247 is affected.Study of the dynamics of substances at liquid/liquid inter-faces in the presence of monolayers would yield valuable information to technologists dealing with emulsions. Sir Eric dealt briefly also with the stability of foams surface viscosity, the extrusion of liquids from jets and the wetting angle on solid surfaces. Very little is yet known of the molecular mechanism of the wetting angle, and a quantitative study of this would yield useful data to technologists dealing with enamelling glazing of ceramics and the covering of re-entrant angles of castings or mouldings. Other matters discussed by Sir Eric were studies in dirt removal from fabrics and china metal powder production lubrication enrich-ment of ores by flotation adhesion and heterogeneous catalysis.The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr W. S. Wood. Molecular Sandwiches. On 28 January Professor G. Wilkinson gave a lecture on ‘Molecular Sandwiches’ at Slough College of Further Educa-tion at a joint meeting held with the College Scientific Society. Mr P. A. Raine presided and Mr H. L. Long welcomed the Section to their first meeting at the new College. Professor Wilkinson explained that although organo-metallic com-pounds had been reported as early as 1850 it was only after the dis-covery in 1952 that iron reacted with cyclopentadiene to form di-cyclopentadienyliron i.e. ferrocene that much attention was given to this class of compounds of sandwich structure.The essential feature is the bonding of the central metal atom to all five carbon atoms of each ring. A d-orbital of the metal must be available for the formation of such sandwiches and a large number of compounds of this type have been prepared from the transition metals. The lecturer then discussed the methods of preparation by the Grignard and the carbonyl methods followed by reasons for their struc-ture and an outline of their properties aromatic character and substitu-tion reactions. Professor Wilkinson said that although much effort had been given to preparing numerous compounds over the last few years no industrial use had been found except as possible anti-knock additives to reduce the carbon deposition. The audience was impressed by the lucid way in which Professor Wilkinson presented both the inorganic and the organic aspects of the subject.After a discussion the vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Lough, President of the Students’ Society. Chemotherapy. A joint meeting with the Brighton Technical College Chemical Society was held at the College on 30 January when Dr F. L. Rose o.B.E. gave a lecture on ‘Chemotherapy.’ Many misconceptions exist concerning the manner in which chemo-therapeutic research is conducted. The suggestion that the discovery of new drugs is a result of chance observations is grossly misleading; the number of beneficial therapeutic agents developed along such uncertain lines is exceedingly small. The other extreme view attributing to drug research an entirely fundamental and rational basis is also an unwarranted exaggeration.No chemist using his specialized knowledge could have associated bacteri-cidal activity with the chemical structures of antibiotics such as strepto-mycin and tetracycline. Much can be learnt about the function of 248 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL particular cell and the chemistry of its enzyme processes and attempts can be made to derive substances which will disorganize the chemical function of the cell. Nevertheless there still remains the formidable problem of transporting the drug to the target cell. The compound must be stable and non-irritant. If taken orally it must resist the action of the digestive enzymes be capable of crossing the intestinal walls into the blood stream and survive the metabolic processes of the body.Our knowledge of the chemistry of these aspects of chemotherapy is indeed meagre. The search for new drugs is essentially an exercise in applied chemistry conducted by a team of chemists biochemists and biologists. I t usually develops from a working hypothesis relating chemical structure with biological effect. A prototype molecule once acquired permits the chemist to advance considered deductions. The suggested compounds are synthesized in the laboratory and submitted to therapeutic tests. The results may lead to further exploratory enquiry. The following examples illustrate typical investigations. Johne’s bacillus (responsible for Johne’s disease) bears a family relationship to the tubercle bacillus. The organism will grow in vitru in the presence of dead bodies of the tubercle bacillus or of Mycobacterium phlei.Acetone extracts of these dead organisms contained the growth-promoting factor which was ultimately isolated in crystalline form. A long and detailed investigation revealed the presence of two N-hydroxy-lysine residues in the molecular structure of the compound (Mycobactin). With the knowledge that a small modification of the structure of a growth-promoting factor may produce growth-inhibiting properties the hydroxylysine unit was selected as a working basis in much of the search for a substance capable of antagonizing the effect of the growth factor. Although synthetic derivatives proved ineffective the desired activity was found in a naturally occurring compound of related structure.The anti-tubercular activity of Bunte’s salt (EtS.SO,Na) is due to the release of ethyl mercaptan yet isolated tubercle bacilli are indifferent to this substance. A search for an active metabolite in animals fed on larger doses of mercaptan produced no positive results. I t was then established that the mercaptan functions possibly by increasing the natural resistance of the host to the bacilli. An investigation of a large number of thiol compounds led ultimately to the adoption of di-ethyl thio-iso-phthalate (Etisul) as a potential chemotherapeutic agent. The objectionable odour of the released mer-captan however detracts from its potential value as an anti-tubercular drug but the success achieved experimentally encouraged an investigation into its use in the treatment of the related disease of leprosy.Results recently made available indicate that the response is very effective and rapid. Provided that steps are taken to minimize the development of resistant strains of the organism the drug can be expected to prove beneficial in the future treatment of leprosy. A meeting arranged by the Kent sub-section was held at the N.W. Kent College of Technology Miskin Road Dartford, on 2 February. Mr J. R. Barr introduced the speaker Mr M. W. Alford who spoke on ‘Man-Made Fibres.’ Mr Alford illustrated his lecture with numerous slides and a variety of samples of materials. He began by classifying the various types of fibres according to the scheme suggested by the Textile Institute into natural and man-made, Man-Made Fibres 19.591 SECTION ACTIVITIES 249 and showed the subdivisions of these.After dealing very briefly with the major natural fibres Mr Alford pointed out that although the first reference to synthetic fibres was as early as the seventeenth century it was not until the nineteenth century that satisfactory threads were made and the early twentieth that fibres were produced in quantity. The greatest advances have been made in the last two decades. The essential properties of a fibre were next discussed with a brief indication of the methods of extrusion and the theories relating to strength of the material. The repeat units which make up the polymer chains such as polymerized hydrocarbons (polyethylene etc.) polyvinyl derivatives (PVC PTFE) the copolymers (Dynel Saran etc.) and the polyamides and polyesters (nylon and Terylene) were illustrated.Mr Alford spent some time discussing the chemical make-up and charac-teristics of these classes? pointing out how properties such as safe ironing temperature crease resistance stability in laundering and so on could be achieved by ‘tailoring’ the polymer to give the required properties. Polyamides polyesters and acrylics have a number of useful properties in common though they possess them to varying degrees they exhibit high strength and resistance to abrasion low moisture regain resistance to mildew and insects and once set at a high temperature they retain their shape and size on repeated laundering. The natural polymers are much more complex and in the time available Mr Alford could only give an outline of the main characteristics of the alginates protein fibres and cellulose and its derivatives.Viscose a name which covers several types of fibres of the regenerated cellulose group although now about 60 years old is still an important fibre having many of the most desirable properties. Of the derivatives the di- and tri-acetates are of major importance. These have properties such as soft warm handle good colour and opacity that in some ways approach those of wool. In addition the thermoplasticity of acetate and the thermosetting of triacetate give further useful properties the former in such processes as ‘Trubenising’ and the latter in pleat retention and non-iron fibres. Mr Alford concluded by showing some coloured slides illustrating the ‘drape’ and colour of typical fabrics made from acetate fibres.Members then gathered around the fabrics displayed to see demon-strations of the uses of the various man-made fibres. Mr C . P. Williamson proposed the vote of thanks. Petroleum Chemicals. Mr R. W. Jukes welcomed the Section to the South-West Essex Technical College Walthamstow on 4 February. The Chair was taken by Mr F. C. Hymas who introduced the lecturer, Dr S. F. Birch. Dr Birch began by giving a brief account of the early history of the comparatively young petroleum chemicals industry. A world shortage of petroleum distillates after the 1914-18 War led to the introduction of ‘cracking’ processes for the breakdown of high-boiling distillates. These yielded large amounts of gas which in the absence of any economical use, were burned.However it was soon realized that the gas was a valuable source of reactive hydrocarbons which provided the raw material for the petroleum chemicals industry. This expanded until by 1946 it was the fifth major industry in the U.S.A. The importance of the industry as a producer of both organic and inorganic chemicals could be judged by the fact that in 1955 83 per cent of the ethanol 90 per cent of the ammoni 250 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL and 70 per cent of the urea manufactured in the U.S.A. were derived from petroleum. The composition of the crude oil was discussed and the unsaturated hydrocarbons from the cracking processes enumerated together with a brief preliminary survey of their uses.The saturated hydrocarbons obtained were used in the synthesis of raw materials for the production of nylon and Perlon. The lecturer also described the preparation of Terylene from p-xylene. Dr Birch then reverted to a more detailed discussion of the cracking process describing the differences between the raw materials and methods used in the U.S.A. and those used in Europe. Naphtha is the raw material cracked in Europe; it is subjected to a milder cracking than in the U.S.A. yielding a high-octane motor fuel and low-boiling hydro-carbons the raw material for petroleum chemicals. These are separated by fractionation at low temperature. The variety of uses to which some of the olefins obtained namely ethylene propylene and isobutylene could be put was described with the aid of many slides showing plant diagrams and equations.Conversion of ethylene to ethyl alcohol was accomplished by passing the gas and water over diatomaceous earth containing phosphoric acid. This yielded on condensation a weak aqueous solution of ethanol. Similar processes were operated for propylene and isobutylene. Con-version of ethylene to ethylene glycol and ethylene oxide were also described together with the manufacture of glycerine from propylene both by the conventional method and a novel route which did not involve chlorination of the propylene. The manufacture of phenol and bisphenol A and the use of the latter in epoxy resin production were described. Dr Birch finished his lecture with a brief description of the preparation of alkyl aryl sulphonate detergents.After an interesting discussion the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the lecturer proposed by Mr S. C. Alford. Film Show. At a meeting held at Norwood Technical College on 6 February three scientific films were shown. Mr H. V. Hillman Principal of the College introduced the Chairman for the evening Mr A. J. Mills, who gave a brief introduction to the programme. The following films were shown ‘Glass,’ ‘Crystallisation’ and ‘Terra Incognita.’ Mr M. A. Fill expressed the thanks of the meeting to the Section for arranging the programme and to Mr Mills for presiding. At a joint meeting with the Sir John Cass Chemical Society on 10 February Mr P. A. Raine took the Chair and introduced the speaker Dr E.Lester Smith F.R.S. Dr Lester Smith began by saying that the state of knowledge on Vitamin B, was so advanced in comparison with other longer known vitamins because the substance itself was intrinsically interesting and had proved to be a popular topic for research; and also that the field of work was so vast that he proposed to limit himself to the advances in biogenesis, mechanism of absorption relation between structure and function and anti-B, activity. The lecture was illustrated with a model of the molecule and by a series of slides. The lecturer began by showing the structural formula and gave a breakdown of the molecule into parts which had been identi-fied chemically and by X-ray crystallography. A summary of the chemical reactions was then given together with methods of regeneration Recent Aduames in Vitamin BIZ 19593 SECTION ACTIVITIES 25 1 of the molecule from degradation products.By these means a series of vitamin B, antagonists had been prepared; the examples quoted were the formation of substituted amides in the propionamide side-chain and the introduction of various substituted benzimidazoles and purines in place of the dimethyl benzimidazole moiety present in the natural vitamin. The lecturer than discussed its metabolic function and the mechanism of absorption. For the absorption of the substance whether administered by mouth or taken in the diet an ‘intrinsic factor’ appears to be essential, this factor being probably a mucoprotein that binds the molecule through its cobalt atom and imidazole parts.In the treatment of anaemia, gastric juices are administered as well to overcome the lack of the natural mucoprotein. Vitamin B, is synthesized in the lower intestine by naturally occurring micro-organisms but this reservoir is not available owing to lack of ability to assimilate the vitamin and because it occurs too late in the digestive system. The course of oral and injected doses of vitamin B, was also described. Methods of recognizing antagonism to the vitamin were then sum-marized the principle ones being plate techniques similar to those em-ployed in antibiotic screening animal growth and diminishing egg fertility studies. The lecturer briefly mentioned the use of radioisotopes in the investiga-tion of metabolism of the vitamin its functions in enzyme systems in association with folic acid with which it appears to be inextricably asso-ciated especially in the formation of me thionine from homocystine in sugar metabolism and in protein synthesis.The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Tyce of the College Chemical Society. Chemical Aspects of Fire Protection. On 18 February Dr F. IS. T. Kingman of the D.S.I.R. Fire Research Station addressed a meeting held in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre of King’s College with Mr F. C. Hymas in the Chair. In his introductory remarks Dr Kingman drew attention to the serious financial loss caused by fires which in this country alone may be as high as ~25,000,000 per annum excluding consequential losses. Whilst the necessity of suitably stringent working conditions in processes employing the numerous chemicals which offer exceptional fire hazards is well recognized the potential dangers with materials constituting less obvious fire risks are not always appreciated.Dr Kingman then described the modern developments in the use of vaporizing liquid extinguishing agents for fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol and in particular the use of chlorobromomethane and the recently developed fluorobromomethanes. These agents function by their effect on the flammable limits of vapour/air mixtures and have their greatest effect on the upper flammable limit. It was found in practice that considerable economy in use could be attained by using a flat spray which directed liquid to the base of the flame. He went on to describe the use of water sprays as fixed installations for fires in higher boiling liquids.For such installations there is an optimum size of water drop; thus with a kerosine fire maximum efficiency is obtained with a drop size of 0.3-0.5 mm. With liquids of still higher boiling point the aim must be to reduce the temperature below the flash point and here again water sprays appear to be most effective. Thus fires in large transformers where burning oil is in contact with hot metal can be deal 252 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL with in this manner provided that a forceful spray is used to ensure that the water reaches the hot metal. Among the special risks of industrial plants reference was made to dusts. The ability of many solids in powder form to produce explosive mixtures with air has been known for many years and calls for special care in plant design including the provision of safety devices such as explosion vents; also it is absolutely essential to avoid accumulations of dust in the work room.A less well known hazard is that associated with the spread of fire in quiescent layers of dust. A layer of saw-dust will smoulder slowly at a rate of about 5 cm per hour as long as the layer has a minimum thickness of 1 cm. The minimum thickness varies with the nature of the dust and may be as low as 3 mm (powdered grass) ; in all cases a slight draught re-duces the minimum thickness required for propagation of smouldering. Gas explosions in ducts may be quenched by the incorporation of flame traps.The efficiency of a flame trap is governed by the size of the apertures in the trap and its thickness and the speed of the approaching flame. With gauze flame traps consisting of a number of layers there is little increase in efficiency beyond four layers but with perforated metal plates and other types of trap that permit a smooth gas flow increased trap thickness is accompanied by increased efficiency provided that the size of the aperture is well below the quenching distance for the gas concerned. After the lecture Dr Kingman answered a number of questions and the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr C. C. Hall. Automation in Analysis. A joint meeting with the South-Eastern Section of the Institute of Petroleum was held on 5 March at the Medway College of Technology Chatham when the lecturer was Mr D.A. Patient. In the unavoidable absence of Mr J. pi. Barr (Kent Sub-section Chairman) the Chair was taken by Dr T. Dewing who introduced the lecturer. Mr Patient began with a short film originally produced by the B.B. C. for a television programme which showed how manual operations in a chemical laboratory had been replaced by automatic techniques. He then proceeded with the aid of numerous slides to deal with features of the design of such instruments confining himself to those used for measurements of liquids. He emphasized the need for a reliable valve which would cut off the flow of a liquid immediately and described the construction of a solenoid valve. He also showed the construction of electro-mechanical sequence controllers and volumetric metering devices of the capacitance probe type.Hypodermic syringe-type pipettes were capable of delivering accurately the required amounts of reagents and were reliable over long periods of time as well as being rapid in action. He cited an example of an operation involving the addition of seven separate reagents which could be carried out at a rate of 30 tubes in 70 secs per reagent. Another operation that of liquid/liquid extraction was exemplified by an apparatus for determination of uranium in which the liquid stream is sampled and the sample extracted with suitable reagent in one or more columns. The extract is then back-washed with am-monium thioglycollate which not only washes the uranium out of the solvent but also develops a colour which is measured automatically in an absorptiometer and the results recorded.Colour measurement in th 1959J SECTION Acmvmes 253 absorp tiometer is carried out by comparing the light beam after passage through a standard cell with that passing through a cell containing the sample. A photomultiplier passes an amplified current to a capacitor system which activates the recorder mechanism. An automatic titrirneter which samples titrates and records the answer in desired units was also described. This includes a proportioning device such that reagents of strengths differing by -& 10 per cent from standard may be used. Mr Patient pointed out that these devices provided automatic sampl-ing preparation measurement and recording of results and were also self-washing.Thus many of the operations involving a skilled chemist’s time were carried out by a machine. In addition the necessary calcula-tions could often be eliminated by calibrating the machine in the correct units of the final answer. Operator fatigue which often gave rise to inaccuracies especially on routine determinations was also avoided. After the lecture many questions were put by members of the audience, and Mr Patient was able to extend the scope of the talk to cover other aspects of the problem. He agreed that any electrometric determination could be carried out e.g. redox titrations or conductivity measurements. Drift of pH meters could be checked by interposing a sample of known pH at regular intervals so that any error outside an acceptable tolerance would be noticed and an alarm sounded.Regarding change in function from say pH to redox titration Mr Patient pointed out that if this was foreseen the apparatus could be designed to cope with the change by simple switching but adaption of an existing unit would be a little more difficult. He also gave a very approximate idea of costs which will depend on the complexity of the instrument and whether it is specially designed. He pointed out however that in many cases where expensive products were concerned (e.g. the uranium flow already mentioned) the apparatus could be said to pay for itself by preventing waste. In reply to a comment that the use of automatic instruments was not ‘automation’ in the accepted sense Mr Patient said that the signals obtained could be used as feed back to control a process and therefore full automation was possible and in fact was being applied in various plants.Further questions on chromatographic techniques filtration of samples treatment of fuel oils and continuous analysis were also answered. Mr J. R. Moore Chairman of the I.P. proposed the vote of thanks to the lecturer for his interesting lecture. He also thanked the Kent Sub-section for acting as hosts at the meeting and the College authorities for the facilities provided. Buffet Dance. The Buffet Dance held jointly with the Society of Chemical Industry took place on 7 March at Caxton Hall Westminster. In spite of influenza it was well supported by members of both Societies and their friends and all available tickets were sold.We were glad to have with us Mr W. S. Wood Chairman of the London section of the S.C.I. Mrs Wood and their daughter; our own Chairman Mr I?. C. Hymas and Mrs Hyrnas; and our District Member of Council Dr C. C. Hall and Mrs Hall. Our grateful thanks are due to Mr A. P. Buchanan who again most ably acted as M.C. and under whose genial guidance dancing to Lang Sylvester music was enjoyed by everyone present 254 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL MID-SOUTHERN COUNTIES Drug Research. On 27 February a meeting was held jointly with the Portsmouth Chemical and Pharmaceutical Societies. The speaker was Dr W. H. Hunter of Pfizer Ltd who took as his subject ‘Recent Develop-ments in Drug Research.’ The search for an oral hypoglycaemic agent for the treatment of diabetes is of long standing having begun in the 1920s with the introduc-tion of the guanidine derivatives Synthalin A and B.These exhibited toxic side-effects and were soon withdrawn; a more recent introduction, DBI also a guanidine derivative is still being evaluated. An interesting development followed the investigation of the ‘vomiting sickness’ pre-valent in the West Indies. The emetic effect caused by the eating of unripe ‘ackee’ fruit was accompanied by a profound lowering of blood sugar. The active principle has been isolated and shown to be an unusual amino-acid hypoglycin A. CH = LCH*CH2*CH(NH2)*COOH Its usefulness as a hypoglycaemic agent would seem to depend upon the separation of the hypoglycaemic from the emetic effects.The observation in 1942 that certain sulphathiadiazoles caused a lowering of blood sugar levels on oral administration led eventually to the introduction of tolbutamide in 1955. This compound toluene p-sulphonyl-n-butyl urea was an effective oral hypoglycaemic agent useful in the ‘maturity onset’ type of diabetes and free from the undesirable toxic and anti-bacterial side-effects of the sulpha drugs. A large number of sulphonyl ureas has now been prepared and some of them for example Diabinese and Metahexamide show considerable improvement on tolbutamide in potency and duration of action. This topic was concluded by a dis-cussion on the preparation of sulphonylureas and on their mode of action, which is still not fully understood. The next topic was the administration of drugs in a ‘transport’ form a very recent development.The nitrogen mustards are known to have a marked anti-cancer action but are usually too toxic when adminis-tered in the active form. The object of administering a drug in a relatively non-toxic ‘transport’ form is to use particular enzymes present in abnormally high concentration in certain tumours to convert the ‘transport’ form to the active form of the drug in the tumour tissue. This topic was discussed with reference to the nitrogen mustard derived from mannitol (Degranol) the diphosphate of stilboestrol and the several phosphorus compounds of nitrogen mustard in particular the cyclic phosphoramides. The converse of this process may be demonstrated in cancer of the bladder.It is shown that 2-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-hydroxy-anthranilic acid) causes this form of cancer and is normally present in the urine as a glucuronide. This conjugate remaining in the bladder for some time is hydrolysed by the enzyme /I-glucuronidase present in urine to liberate the carcinogen. The activity of j5-glucuronidase is inhibited by 1 4-saccharolactone which is itself innocuous and may offer a means of treating bladder cancer. On 27 February a meeting was held jointly with the University Chemical Society at the University of Radioactive Isotopes in Medicine 19591 SECTION ACTIVITIES 255 Southampton. The speaker was Dr J. Rotblat and he spoke on ‘The Uses of Radioactive Isotopes in Medicine.’ After reviewing early applications of radioactive isotopes the lecturer proceeded to give a very interesting account of the use of 1311 in the treatment of cancer of the thyroid gland of 137Cs for the external treat-ment of tumour of the brain and several others.It appears that many of the earlier expectations of miraculous treat-ment of cancer have not been fulfilled but much knowledge of cancer has been gained by the use of radioisotopes. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE AND NORTH-EAST COAST At a joint meeting with the Chemical Society on 6 March Professor J. Baddiley of King’s College lectured on ‘The Teichoic Acids’. Investigation of nucleotide mixtures using ion-exchange chromatographic techniques on whole cell extracts of lactobacillus arabinosis had revealed the presence of two new nucleotides derived from cytosine.Owing to the extremely dilute solutions available degradation studies which included acid and enzymic hydrolyses were carried out on the microgram scale with extensive use of paper chromatography as an aid to the identification of the fragments. In this manner the nucleo-tides were identified as cytidine diphospho glycerol (CDP glycerol) and cytidine diphospho ribitol (CDP ribitol). Long acid hydrolysis of the ribitol nucleotide was found to be necessary in order to liberate all the phosphate due to the ready formation of anhydro compounds under these conditions. This observation was extended to a wide range of pentitols and hexitols and it was found that the amounts of anhydro compounds could serve for the identification of the individual sugars.The stereochemistry of the nucleotides was solved through further enzymic reaction and the final structures were confirmed by synthesis. These nucleotides are the building units of polymers present in the bacterial cell walls and trichloracetic acid extracts of cell walls followed by precipitation gave good yields of the water-soluble polymers or teichoic acids. Studies were now being continued on their chemistry and detailed physical structure. In his vote of thanks Dr F. J. McQuillin paid tribute to the elegant work of Professor Baddiley which had culminated in his being asked to give this year’s Tilden lecture. The Teichoic Acids. SOUTH-WESTERN COUNTIES Sequestering Agents. At a meeting in the Technical College Plymouth, on 16 January Dr R. L. Smith of Norman Evans & Rais Ltd gave a lecture entitled ‘Sequestering Agents.’ Dr Smith discussed the nature of sequestration which he defined as the suppression of the particular property of a metallic ion in solution without the actual removal of that ion from the solution.He stated that this was achieved by chelation rather than by simpler co-ordination by unidentate liquids solely by reason of greater bond strength. Dr Smith described typical materials whose use as sequestering agents is well establiskd ; they include the synthetic amino carboxylic acids, e.g. EDTA the polyphosphates and oil-soluble forms such as disalicyl-aldehyde ethylene diamine and acetyl acetone. An explanation of the mode of action and properties of sequestering agents based on EDTA was given the high values found for stabilit 256 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [ h R I L constants with this material being at least partly responsible for its use in theoretical investigations of chelate strength.Competition in chelate systems and the effect of chelation on pH were also discussed. The lecturer continued by considering the influence of different metals and of variations in the structure of materials related to EDTA on the strength of the chelate. Dr Smith then turned his attention to the applications of sequestering agents in research analysis and industry and in biological systems. The lecture was followed by a discussion and the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr L. H. N. Cooper. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Dr J. A. S. Smith of the University of Leeds gave a lecture on this subject on 20 February in the Washington Singer Laboratories University of Exeter the Chair being taken by Dr S.J. Gregg. Dr Smith stated that nuclear magnetic resonance is a form of spectro-scopy in which the transitions observed are those that take place between the magnetic energy levels of nuclei with magnetic moments when the molecules of which they are part are placed in magnetic fields. Such experiments can be conducted either with continuous or pulsed radio-frequency magnetic fields and studied in stationary fields from 14,000 gauss down to the earth’s field. With regard to the hydrogen nucleus the discussion was confined to two rather different sets of experimental conditions. In the first the study of powders or single crystals broad lines are observed frequently 30 or 40 gauss wide the width being due almost entirely to magnetic moment interactions between hydrogen nuclei in the solid.The line width often diminishes as the temperature is raised because of molecular motion. An example is thiourea which has been shown to undergo hindered rotation about the carbon-sulphur bond. The narrow line produced by adsorbed water on materials like starch can be used for its analysis. In the second method the study of liquids very narrow lines of the order of 0.1 milligauss or less for proton resonance are found. It is then observed that chemically independent hydrogen nuclei in the molecule behave as if they had slightly different resonance frequencies; that is, they show a ‘chemical shift’ with respect to a suitable reference (e.g.water). These frequencies in turn are coupled together through a field-independent spin-spin interaction. In some cases a fairly complete solution of the spectrum can be obtained as in 2-chloro-5-bromo-thiophene or 2,3- and 2,6-lutidine. In other applications the dependence of the magnitude of the chemical shift on the chemical nature of the hydrogen atom can be used. Examples discussed included the carbonyl hydrides and molecules in which the chemical shifts and spin-spin split-tings were altered by kinetic effects e.g. n-propyl nitrite and ammonia. The most promising feature of this spectroscopic technique was stated to be its versatility and the range of phenomena that it can be used to study.Professor H. N. Rydon proposed the vote of thanks on behalf of the audience many of whom were students who had turned *aside for a while from the various activities of ‘Rag’ week 19591 SECTION A c m s 257 EAST AFRICA Fourth Annual conference. The Annual Conference took place at Makerere College Kampala on 16 and 17 January. Despite some last-minute cancellations 23 members of the Section were present and were joined in the meetings and visits by numbers of visitors and students. This represented just over a third of the total membership and was very creditable when it is realized that six of them had travelled over 400 miles and one practically 1,000 miles. The Conference was opened on the Friday morning 16 January by the Hon. J. T. Simpson c.B.E. Chairman of the Uganda Development Corporation who stressed the inter-dependence of the business man and the scientist and the great need for their co-operation in the development of East Africa.Mr B. De Bunsen c.M.G. Principal of Makerere College welcomed the delegates and expressed his pleasure that the University was being used as the meeting-place of such conferences. In his address as Chairman Pro-fessor M. Crawford spoke of the growing need for chemists in East Africa and gave some account of how Makerere College was planning to meet the demand. The Conference programme included three lectures by Dr J. F. A. Williams Dr M. Woodhead and Mr H. B. Stent and a discussion on the Training of Chemists introduced by Mr J. W. Gailer all of which are summarized below.In addition members were conducted round the laboratories of the Makerere Department of Chemistry and paid visits to the Owen Falls Dam and Power Station and the Kilembe Mines Copper Smelter at Jinja. The opportunity to see these two major technical achievements in East Africa was much appreciated although some dis-appointment was felt that in a country which imports all its acids the smelter should send all its sulphur dioxide up the chimney. By way of light relief on the Friday evening Dr R. F. Naylor showed slides of his recent visit to Japan and the Far East and on the Saturday afternoon members were able to enjoy a visit to an archeological site at Entebbe under the guidance of one of its members Mr R. M. Brachi and of the Curator of Uganda Museum Dr M.Posnansky. The Conference concluded with a very successful dinner at the Imperial Hotel Kampala. Dr Williams began by saying that although valency made its entrance in the middle of the last century as a pure number the term soon became ambiguous owing to confusion with atomic bonding ‘forces.’ Eventually this led to the intrinsically unsound ‘Valence Demand’ theory of Werner but this was soon overshadowed by the Electronic Theory in which the numerical concept emerged triumphant as a number of electrons. Serious criticisms can be levelled against this theory of valency however owing to the failure to provide a reason for the stability of the octet for example the stabilities of ionic compounds depend only in part on the formation of octets. He went on to discuss current ideas of chemical combination in which atomic stability is assumed to arise from the filling of orbitals laying particular stress on the structures of molecules in which the octet ‘rule’ is not obeyed.Microbalances and their Aj$dicatiom. Dr Woodhead dealt with micro-gram balances sensitive to a small fraction of a microgram even to one thousandth of a microgram if necessary. An account of the development of such balances usually constructed of fused silica was given. In the time available discussion of design and application of all types was not A Structural Theoory of VaZency 258 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL possible and two types of balance were more fully described. In the first place an account was given of the evolution of the buoyancy micro-balance for accurate determination of molecular weights by the limiting pressure method in particular of the work of the late Professor R.Whytlaw-Gray and his school. Secondly the possibilities of gravimetric analysis on the microgram scale were considered and a description was given of the microgram balance designed by Kirk Craig Gullberg and Boyer in 1947 for work with minute quantities of plutonium together with a more easily constructed balance designed in the microchemical laboratories of Professor C. L. Wilson. Mr Stent who is Director of the East African Industrial Research Organization described the development in East Africa of a process for recovering this steroid from the waste material which results from extraction of fibre from Agaue sisalana.A survey of its occurrence in the plant had revealed that the con-centration of hecogenin present in the leaf sap increased with the leaf number and leaves produced in the second half of the plant’s life were worth processing soil conditions or climate did not affect saponin content. A laboratory pilot plant was constructed for recovery of crude hecoge-nin from sisal juice. The process involved autofermentation and hydro-lysis of settled fermented liquor collection with activated charcoal, washing by decantation and drying. This produced a concentrate containing 10 per cent of crude hecogenin-a concentration of one hundred-fold. A pilot plant of larger scale capable of processing 1,500 gallons a day was then erected on a sisal estate.Experience showed that modification of the laboratory process was needed to obtain a product which could be separated in a filter press and which when dried was more readily ex-tracted with organic solvents. Increasing the strength of the acid brought about a more complete hydrolysis and achieved the above desiderata. The difficulties encountered in the development of the commercial process were described in detail and the steps taken to overcome them. Commercial production had followed and a crude hecogenin concentrate containing 15 to 25 per cent of steroid depending on the initial con-centration of the juice was now being exported for refining overseas. Cortisone was now being manufactured in Great Britain from East African hecogenin. The Training of Chemists arrd Chemical Assistants in East Africa.Mr Gailer began by drawing attention to the publicity which had been given in recent years in East Africa to the training of engineers and other technical personnel stressing that nothing like the same emphasis had been laid on the training of scientific personnel. He reminded the Conference that it was up to members both in-dividually and collectively to ensure that progress in East Africa did not suffer from the lack of such personnel and both the Administration and the general public should be made aware of the need. He asked members to note that these were his own personal views and did not necessarily represent those of the Uganda Government. He then turned to the question of chemists and their assistants and reviewed the training requirements under three heads (i) the type of personnel required in East Africa; (ii) the scope of the problem in terms The Hecogenin Story 1959J SECTION ACTIVITIES 259 of quality and quantity; and (iii) the best means of training the personnel, together with consideration of the content of that training.Under (i) Mr Gailer suggested that much the same kinds of personnel were required in East Africa as elsewhere i.e. research chemists analytical chemists teachers works chemists and agricultural chemists. There was possibly a place also he thought for the plant engineer that is a chemist who had been taught the principles of engineering and had undergone a suitable apprenticeship. There would however be little need for some time to come for the chemical engineer.He drew attention to the neces-sary personal characteristics required of chemists. He asked whether for higher posts it would be preferable to specialize in chemistry as such and throughout or whether students should achieve a level in general science followed by specialization. He said that em-phasis should be placed on practical ability in the case of the assistant grades and also that stress should be laid at all levels on the ability to write adequate reports. On the question of quality and quantity he suggested that the conference should agree first of all to survey the various openings in this field in East Africa. We should he thought collect information about industrial activities now operating or about to operate where chemists were required and by discussion with the management and directors of laboratories ascertain the possible numbers required at various levels.Mr Gailer went on to say that in his view the needs in some categories may be very small whereas in others for example laboratory assistants, the need may well be in the hundreds. He pointed out in this connection that although a graduate from Makerere College who failed to obtain a post as a chemist could very well undertake administrative work of quite a . different character a chemical assistant trained specifically as such could scarcely do so. The Conference should he thought give a very clear answer to the question as to how far East Africa should turn out chemists at any particular level without reference to the jobs available.Turning to the last head Mr Gailer said that the obvious place for the higher training was at the University College followed by solid experience in industry or in research. He went on however to doubt whether there was sufficient industry in East Africa at present to ensure that a graduate could obtain an adequate and broad experience and suggested that the alternatives were either postgraduate experience in the United Kingdom or in certain cases for example in research or analytical work postgraduate courses at Makerere College. In the case of chemical assistants he asked whether there was a need for a qualification of the Higher National Certificate type in East Africa. He pointed out that this examination was confined to the United Kingdom and could not be exported overseas owing to its peculiar nature.The City and Guilds of London Institute however had devised similar courses in engineering subjects and if the need were evident could do so for chemical assistants. He went on to say that there were very few big industries in East Africa that could afford to take part either in sandwich schemes of training for chemical assistants or in providing subsequent practical experience of a sufficiently broad character. This was a feature of much technical training in East Africa. He suggested however that some of the bigger firms might consider sponsoring students that is, engaging them with a good School Certificate putting them to work for a year in the firm concerned and then sending them to a suitable institution for a sandwich type of course.Plant engineers might be traine 260 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL in a similar manner with a suitable post-certificate course in the principles of engineering and adequate work in industry. Lastly he referred to the training of laboratory assistants pointing out that more were urgently needed. He asked the Conference to consider whether entry to training of this kind should be based on 8 or 12 years of education whether the intermediate and final City and Guilds Certificates suited our needs and also whether it was preferable to have basic full-time training in an Institution followed by specialist training in the laboratory concerned or to organize the course on a sandwich basis. He told members that the Kampala Technical Institute was already providing evening classes and was about to institute a part-time day course for such training.He expected that the other territorial in-stitutes would make similar provision in time. Training at the final stage however where the numbers would be small might have to be given on an inter-territorial basis. A lively discussion followed this paper and it was agreed that terri-torial sub-committees should be set up to consider the matter further and to produce definite recommendations. MALAYA Annual General Meeting. The A.G.M. was held in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre University of Malaya on 24 January. The following Officers and Members of Committee were elected Chairman Mr D. J. Williams ; Hon. Secretary-Treasurer Mr R.Phillips ; Members of Committee Drs Kiang Air Kim R. L. Huang and F. Vella and Messrs A. F. Caldwell and I. N. Dickson. Mr Williams proposed the vote of thanks to Dr Kiang and the outgoing Committee. In his report the retiring Chairman said that during the year nine lectures and one symposium has been held in Singapore and one lecture in Kuala Lumpur. The lecturers included Professor Sir Alexander Todd, F.R.s. Professor F. G. Marrian F.R.S. and Dr W. Zimmermann. The symposium on ‘Chemistry in the Service of Malaya,’ to which sixth-form students had been invited in order to encourage their interest in chemistry, had been most successful. Dr Kiang then spoke of his confidence in the willingness of all members in Malaya now numbering 87 (including 21 students) to contribute to any programme of industrial development that might be proposed.He then thanked the Committee for their support during his term of office, making particular mention of Professor R. A. Robinson o.B.E. and Dr F. Morsingh. NEWS AND NOTES EDUCATIONAL Glasgow Careers Meetings.-Meetings arranged for senior secondary pupils to take place during April will include talks on ‘Nationalised Industry Gas,’ ‘Chemical Engineering,’ and ‘Metallurgy’ on 27 April and on ‘Pharmacy Food Science and Microbiology,’ ‘Chemistry,’ and ‘Physics’ on 30 April. The meetings will be held in the Berkeley Hall of the St Andrew’s Halls and will begin at 7.30 p.m. Huddersfield College of Technology.-Several Open Scholar-ships valued between E6Q and 6350 per annum are available for suitabl 19591 NEWS AND NOTES 261 qualified students who may wish to undertake research in the College.Further particulars and application forms may be obtained from the Principal of the College Queen Street South Huddersfield. New Science Wing at Newcastle,-It has been announced that Princess Margaret will open the new physics chemistry and geology wing of the new science block at King’s College Newcastle upon Tyne (University of Durham) on 30 April. Odord Summer School in Science,-The Delegacy for Extra-mural Studies has arranged a Summer School to be held in Queen’s. College Oxford and University Science Departments from 28 July to 11 August. There will be laboratory and field courses of study for one or two weeks in natural history vertebrate animals chemistry, biochemistry and physics and special weekend courses in genetics and plant parasites; with a lecture course on evolution.The courses are to be given by lecturers and demonstrators from the departments of zoology, agriculture organic chemistry biochemistry and the Clarendon Labora-tory and attention will be paid to students’ preferences in individual work. The programme should be of special interest to teachers of science scientists and technicians engaged in industry members of adult classes and others who wish to extend their knowledge and under-standing of science. The fee will be El0 per week inclusive (weekend courses extra). Full particulars may be obtained from the Secretary Science Summer School Oxford University Delegacy for Extra-mural Studies Rewley House Wellington Square Oxford.Science Library for Cambridge.-A scheme has been put forward to establish a science library at the University of Cambridge on a central site near the laboratories. The library would incorporate the present library of the Philosophical Society and scientific books and periodicals from the University Library. A possible location is the Marshall Library. Wolverhampton Short Courses.--Two courses have been arranged by the Wolverhampton & Staffordshire College of Technology one on Basic Chemical Spectroscopy from 6 to 17 July and the other on Radiation Health Hazards organized in association with the Radioactive Sub-stances Education Panel of the Ministry of Education from 22 June to 3 July.Full particulars may be obtained from Dr A. G. Catchpole, Department of Applied Science Wolverhampton & Staffordshire College of Technology Wulfruna Street Wolverhamp ton. MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES Chemical Institute of Canada.-The 42nd Annual Conference of the Chemical Institute of Canada will be held in Halifax from 24 to 27 May. Approximately 500 chemists and chemical engineers are expected to attend. A varied programme has been arranged and will include technical sessions social functions visits to plants and a special Ladies’ programme. During the Conference the Merck Lecture will be delivered. At the technical sessions papers will be read on subjects in the fields of agricultural chemistry biochemistry analytical chemistry chemical education physical chemistry and protective coatings.Further par-ticulars may be obtained from the Chemical Institute of Canada 18 Rideau Street Ottawa 2 Ontario 262 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Fluorine Chemistry.-An International Symposium on Fluorine Chemistry sponsored jointly by the Chemical Society and the University of Birmingham will take place at the University from 14 to 17 July. A registration fee of 50s. will be charged to all attending the Symposium and accommodation will be available in University Halls of Residence. A Symposium Dinner will be held on 16 July and an informal reception, by invitation of the University will also take place. I t is hoped that a small exhibition will be organized in connection with the Symposium. The provisional programme and a form of application may be obtained &om the General Secretary The Chemical Society Burlington House, London W.1. International Atomic Energy Agency.-Among the scientific meetings to be held by the Agency this year is a symposium on Radio-activation Analysis which will take place in Vienna from 1 to 3 June and has been organized in association with the Joint Commission on Applied Radioactivity of the International Council of Scientific Unions. In July a seminar will take place at Saclay France on the training of specialists in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. A six-day conference in Warsaw has been arranged for 5 to 11 Sep-tember on the application of large radiation sources in industry especially chemical processes. Another meeting in Vienna in October will take the form of a sym-posium on radioactive metrology when the standardization of radioisotopes will be discussed.In Monaco in November there will be a conference on the disposal of radioactive waste which has been designed to bring together scientists from major atomic energy establishments as well as oceanographers geologists and other experts in the associated sciences. Further information on these meetings may be obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna 1 Kaerntnerring Austria. International Clean Air Conference.-The Conference organized by the National Society for Clean Air to celebrate its Diamond Jubilee will be held in the Seymour Hall London from 20 to 23 October. Already nearly 50 oversea delegates representing 15 countries have been appointed and it is expected that the usual attendance will be well exceeded.Papers are invited and all accepted contributions will be printed and distributed in advance of the Conference and will be discussed rather than read. Proposals for contributions should be made to the Director the National Society for Clean Air Palace Chambers Bridge Street London S.W. 1 from whom further details about the Conference are available. First Jephcott Lecture.-The Trustees of the Jephcott Lectures Trust established for the purpose of providing a series of lectures on scientific and medical topics have arranged that the first of these will take place at 7 p.m. on 27 May at the Royal Society of Medicine. Sir Alexander Todd F.R.s. will speak on Wucleic acids and their role in the future chemotherapy of tumours and virus diseases.' Admission will be by ticket only.Application for tickets should be made to the Secretary, Jephcott Lectures Trust 1 Carlos Place W.I. Plastics Institute.-The Plastics Institute is making arrangements for a party of members to visit the Plastics Exhibition at Dusseldorf fro w59j NEWS AND NOTES 263 16 to 21 October. Those interested should contact the Secretary 6 Mandeville Place W. 1 . A two-day conference intended mainly for architects and construc-tional engineers on ‘The Influence of Plastics in Building’ is to be held at the Royal Institute of British Architects on 19 and 20 November and another on ‘Polymeric Progress,’ has been arranged for March 1960. Further particulars may be obtained from the Secretary of the Plastics Institute at the above address.The Textile Institute.-The 44th Annual Conference of the Textile Institute will be held in Scarborough from 12 to 15 May under the title ‘Machinery for Textiles the Demands of the Industry.’ During the Conference there will be a Civic Reception a Dinner and Dance and a Farewell Party. The Conference fee for members is four guineas and for non-members six guineas. Accommodation can be arranged by the Textile Institute. Further particulars together with a Booking Form, may be obtained by writing to 10 Blackfriars Street Manchester 3 . N.B.S. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS The work of the National Bureau of Standards over the past year is outlined in their recently published report entitled Research Highlights of the National Bureau of Standards (N.B.S.Miscellaneous Publication 226. 45 cents). Expending as it did some 30 million dollars on its programmes in 1958 the N.B.S. was naturally concerned to show that ‘it had examined its programmes and responsibilities critically.’ This report seeks to show the N.B.S. is meeting ‘modern requirements for standards measure-ment techniques and data on the properties of materials.’ It will be of interest to many outside the U.S.A. who are interested in its research programmes under the headings electricity and electronics optics and metrology heat atomic and radiation physics chemistry mechanics, organic and fibrous materials metallurgy mineral products building technology applied mathematics data processing systems cryogenic engineering radio propagation radio standards and basic instrumenta-tion.Chemists because of their widely ranging applied scientific activities will be interested in the ‘index’ which this report provides of current N.B.S. work not merely because of its compilation of resultant publications but also because it concisely reveals something of the nature of work being done some of the results achieved and their relevance to applications. I terns of particular chemical interest referred to include : radioactive sugars oil-soluble metal standards boron compounds as potential fuels separation of free radicals titanium halides semicon-ductors rheology of polymers heats of adsorption perfiuoro-aromatic polymers vapour phase analysis of polymers by chromatography basic corrosion processes ferroelectric materials and pure sulphur.These and many other brief references in the many fields of N.B.S. activities covered are likely to justify perusal of this report by many British chemists. FRANK HARTLEY Approved Names.-The General Medical Council has issued a supplementary list of Approved Names dated March 1959. The list is available from the Secretary British Pharmacopoeia Commission, General Medical Council Office 44 Hallam Street W. 1 264 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Corday-Morgan Medal and Prize.-The Corday-Morgan Medal and Prize for 1957 has been awarded to Professor G. W. Kenner (Heath Harrison Professor of Organic Chemistry University of Liverpool) in consideration of his contributions to synthetic organic chemistry par-ticularly in the field of peptide and nucleotide chemistry.This Award consisting of a Silver Medal and a monetary Prize of 200 Guineas is made annually to the chemist of either sex and of British Nationality who in the judgment of the Council of The Chemical Soc-iety has published during the year in question the most meritorious contribution to experimental chemistry and who has not at the date of publication attained the age of 36 years. Copies of the rules governing the Award may be obtained from the General Secretary of the Society. Applications or recommendations in respect of the Award for the year 1958 must be received not later than 31 December 1959 and applications for the Award for 1959 are due before the end of 1960.Gmelins 1Handbuch.-Two new items in the series have been announced. System No. 5. Fluorine Supplement Volume. (Cloth DM. 140.) System No. 15. Silicon Part C Organosilicon Compounds. (Cloth DM.281.) These as with all future volumes contain German and English indexes and English headings and sub-headings in the margins. They are obtainable from Verlag Chemie GmbH Weinheim/Bergstr. Germany. Warren Spring Laboratory.-Lord Hailsham Lord President of the Council will open the new Laboratory at Stevenage on 29 June. The Laboratory’s initial programme will include work on mineral processing and the synthesis of oils and chemicals from carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Research on atmospheric pollution will continue tempor-arily at Greenwich.CORRESPONDENCE EXAMINATION SYLLABUS ? SIR,-I have some sympathy with Dr Latham’s views (J. 194). If I were a technical college teacher I might perhaps wish that the parameters of my task could be defined in a syllabus. On the other hand I think I should be unhappy in having any such restraint put on my freedom to make my own choice of what to teach and how to present it. Surely this freedom is something that responsible teachers value greatly . Also I feel that the Institute should not limit its responsibility for examining candidates and providing a qualification in chemistry as a whole by providing a syllabus or in any other way. The practical problems posed by the continual growth of the subject by the different emphasis placed by different teachers on various aspects of it and by the difficulties of encompassing the whole content of modern chemistry within the limits of a course of reasonable length should be taken care of by the choice of alternatives provided in the examination papers 19591 CORRESPONDENCE 265 I should have thought that a Guide to Study is as much as (and possibly more than) could be expected from an examining body of the nature of the Institute and I feel sure that any candidate who has been well grounded in chemistry with or without the help of a restrictive syllabus composed externally should have no difficulty in coping with the style of papers presented in the Institute’s examinations.Shirley Institute, Manchester 20. DOUGLAS W. HILL THE LONDON POLYTECHNICS SIR,-There are many points in Dr Tolley’s letter (J.191)-and not least his arguments for academic freedom-which will receive wide support. It is precisely because of these arguments that those of us who know the London Polytechnics believe that they have an important role to play in the training of scientists and technologists. I hope to publish in the not-too-distant future some account of the work of these Polytechnics but perhaps I may be permitted at this stage to outline certain unique features which do not appear to be generally known but deserve stress at the present time. The majority of the ten London Polytechnics (including two institutions which are primarily Colleges of Commerce) came into existence in the 1880-1 900 period and thus have traditions extending over 60 years or more.Each of the Polytechnics has its own legal identity as a corporate self-governing body. The Governing bodies include some (minority) representation of the Local Education Authority (the London County Council) but the Polytechnics are quite distinct from Technical Colleges in London and elsewhere which are owned by a Local Authority and often administered in practice by a sub-committee of the Local Education Committee. The Polytechnics rank as ‘aided institutions’ in that while they have their own (admittedly often limited) endowments and income from fees they receive large grants from the Local Authority. While it is true that the Authority as a result of (4) has indirect control over budgets in almost all other respects the Colleges have freedom of action; the Principals and members of the teaching staff are appointed by and are responsible to the governing body and in practice, the heads of departments have freedom comparable to those holding university chairs.Almost all the Polytechnics have been concerned with university first degree and postgraduate work from the beginning of the century and in six of them members of the staff are ‘recognized teachers’ of the University of London so that students can prepare (on a part-time as well as full-time basis) for internal degrees. All the Polytechnics have not only a continuous tradition in athletics (with their own playing fields etc.) but a tradition dating from their foundation in social activities through students’ unions and societies of almost every conceivable type including those which con-tribute so much to the ‘liberal’ concept of a university.In the majority of the Polytechnics these activities are in no way the result of recent exhor-tations publications or memoranda ; they are inherent in the Polytechnic concept as envisaged by the ‘Founding Fathers’ (of whom Quintin Hogg 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 266 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL -grandfather of a recent Minister of Education who is now Lord President of the Council-was the most prominent). I t is a tribute to the wisdom of successive leaders of the London County Council (which came into being after the establishment of most of the Polytechnics) that the Polytechnic system has survived undisturbed by political theories or currents.One of the ablest and best known social reformers-Sidney Webb-recorded his belief in this system when in 19 10 he wrote of the co-operation between the philanthropist (we might now say industrialist) and the public authority and added-‘how little there is of truth in the statement that the grant of public money necessarily dries up the sources of private benevolence.’ In the same article Webb recorded his conviction ‘of the great advantage that the . . . Polytechnic has derived from its independence in administration and its freedom to start new experiments,’ and expressed the prophetic view that ‘it is one of the special problems in Democracy which make the twentieth century so interesting to discover how we can most successfully fit the voluntary agency in the government framework so as to secure the maximum advantages of both.’ There are many who believe that the Victorian concepts on which the Polytechnics were based are not entirely irrelevant today-however much the Polytechnics may have to change to meet new needs and conditions.I t can indeed be argued that the Polytechnic administrative pattern-based as it is on a typically English compromise-could well be a model to be adopted in other areas where there are major colleges of science and technology. Borough Polytechnic, Borough Road, London S.E. 1. FRANCIS AYLWARD STRUCTURAL SIMILARITIES BETWEEN20 AND C2042-SIR,-In a recent Institute Monograph1 and in other places2 it has been pointed out that there exist structural similarities between N204 and the C20a2- anion and that these entities react in a similar fashion with sulphuric acid.I t was suggested that these reactions proceed via heterolysis of the neutral N204 molecule and the C2042- dianion respec-tively followed by proton intervention to give the observed products : 2H+ Hi-N20d + NO+ + NO3- + NO+ + H,NO,+ -+ NO+ + NO,+ + H30+ 2H+ H+ C20d2- + CO + C03,- --+ CO + H,CO -+ CO + CO + H30+ Apart from the difficulty of visualizing how the 02N.N02 and the -O,C.CO,- split so unevenly (for most evidence shows that each of these has a symmetrical structure) one finds it difficult to believe that in concentrated sulphuric acid the oxalate dianions would have a kinetically significant concentration or that the COS2- could have any sort of existence.Reaction mechanism aims at identifying the precise molecular entities undergoing reaction and it is now widely recognized that H+-catalysed reactions can most rationally be explained by assuming pro-tonation at appropriate sites in a molecule with the reaction proceeding via this ionic conjugate acid. Moreover it has been recognized that although a molecule may possess alternative sites for proton attachment, protonation at certain sites is more likely to lead to reaction than whe 19591 CORRESPONDENCE 267 protonation has occurred at another site in the molecule. The following reaction scheme is accordingly put forward for the above reactions. This scheme involves protonation as a preliminary step : '07 0 NO,@ + n ,O c co " f i B 'OH, The H20 would interact with H2S0 to give H30+ and HS04-.In both cases identical electron shifts occur to give the observed products and the 'uneven' splitting of the reactants is rationally explained. Other similar examples of this type of reaction could be given such as the protolytic reaction of citric acid with sulphuric acid to give acetone dicarboxylic acid : CH,COOH CH,COOH I --+ C=O+CO+H30* I pcHO H-*-T- C H,C 0 &ElH OH CH I CO 0 H Many of the reactions of N20 with nucleophilic compounds (amines, alcohols) show it acting as a nitrosating agent and this has caused the validity of the 02N.N0 structure to be questioned in favour of the nitrosyl nitrate ON.ON0 structure. But it has long been recognized that chemical reactions are unreliable as a guide to structure particularly with a labile molecule.This then raises the question of the usefulness of structures derived by physical methods (X-ray diffraction etc.) for chemists interested in reactions. Structures derived from physical data usually indicate the mean positions of the atomic nuclei in the ground state of the molecule and merely indicate the position from which the atomic cores * move when undergoing chemical reaction. The electron distribution around these cores determines the susceptibility of the molecule to attack. Once this ground state arrangement is disturbed either by heat or by inter- or intra-molecular interaction a variety of atomic positions considerably different may be taken up. Thus the structure indicated by X-rays etc. is often only a limited guide to the nature of a molecule in reaction.The dual mode of reaction of N20 as a nitrosating and nitrating reagent respectively was recently reported3 and interpreted in terms of an equilibrium between the two structures : O,N.NO f ON.0N02 *.Core the atomic nucleus plus those electrons not disturbed in a chemical reaction 268 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL An alternative interpretation however could be postulated to involve nucleophilic attack at one of the N-atoms followed by fission of the N-N bond with (at 0') or without (at - 80") a synchronous 1,2 shift of an 0-atom : Homolysis of N204 + 2N0 may allow recombination to occur in different ways but it is doubtful whether the residence times of the species ON.ONO or combinations other than O,N.NO are of any significance.The failure to observe any catalysis by the NO,- in some recent careful work on N-nitro~ation~ could well be interpreted as kinetic evidence that N,O cannot even momentarily assume the ON.ON0 or ON.NO, structures. Explanations of the dual nature of N20 in terms of an equilibrium between the structures O,N.NO + ON.ON0 have no experimental support. Department of Organic Chemistry, The University, Leeds 2. A. T. AUSTIN REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. Gray 'The Chemistry of Dinitrogen Tetroxide,' Lect. Inst. Chem. 1958 No. 4. Gray and Yoffe Quart. Rev. chem. Soc. Lond. 1955 9 362; Chm. Rev. 1955, White and Feldman J. Amer. chem. Soc. 1957 79 5832. Hughes and Ridd J. chem. Soc. 1958 82. 55 1069.OBITUARY Henry Donald Baldwin. B. 2.1.15. Ed. Acton Technical College, 1943-47. BSc. (Lond.). Appointed assistant chemist at the British Oxygen Co. Ltd in 1933 later becoming works chemist British Oxygen Gases Ltd. (A. 1948.) D. 5.1.59. John M'Gillivray Bownes. B. 18.9.27. Ed. Greenock High School; Royal Technical College Glasgow 1945-49. Became analyst in charge of Area Laboratory National Coal Board Scientific Department Plean, Stirlingshire in 1949. He left this country in 1953 to take up an appoint-ment at the Kuwait Oil Co. Ltd Ahmadi Persian GuUF and remained there until the time of his death as the result of an accident. (A. 1952.) D. October 1958. Andrew Comrie. B. 1 8.9.1 898. Ed. Edinburgh University 19 1 9-24. B.Sc. Ph.D. He served with H.M.Forces during the first world war and was wounded in France. On demobilization he took a degree in chemistry and then undertook research in soil chemistry at the Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture and obtained a Ph.D. degree. He was appointed to the College staff in 1927 and thereafter was engaged mainly on laboratory teaching. He was a most competent analyst an 19593 OBtTUARY 269 in the course of his career applied himself to nilmer'<)trs problems in agri-cultural chemistry such as the hardness of milk curd the composition and nutritive value of hay silage heather and bracken and the assessment of liming materials. He was always reluctant to publish his results but his name appears on numerous joint papers in the scientific journals and he had an invaluable background of experience for the agricultural advisory services.He had a rich sense of humour and was greatly respected by all his colleagues and students. (A. 1924.) D. 19.12.58. Francis George Cousins. B. 24.7.1877. Ed. Finsbury Technical College 1895-99. After some experience in teaching in a private school he became chemistry master at Johnston Secondary and Technical School Durham City in 1904. Joined H.M. Forces in 1915 and awarded D.C.M. the following year. Discharged owing to war disabilities in 1917 and the same year was made a Freeman of the City of London for his war services. He returned to Johnston School as senior chemistry master but owing to ill-health left the North of England in 1920. He took a post at St George's Secondary School Bristol but was forced to give up teaching entirely in 1922 owing to continued ill-health.During his retirement he adopted philately as a hobby and retained his interest in botany and geology. B.Sc. (Lond.). (A. 191 8.) D. 17.12.58. Harry Clifford Dowden. B. 3.5.1899. Ed. Liverpool Central Tech-nical School; University of Liverpool 1919-22. M.Sc. For a few months in 1922 he was engaged on the analysis of food and drugs in the laboratory of H. J. Evans. He joined J. Edmondson & Co. Ltd in 1923 to undertake materials analysis and research. He left in 1930 to spend a year with Professor W. H. Roberts to prepare for the Branch E examination of the Institute. From 1931 to 1934 he was engaged in water analysis and efffuent purification at the Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation Ltd.He joined J. Macintosh & Sons Ltd as a process chem-ist in 1934 and in 1936 became an analyst at the National Institute for Research in Dairying. He joined Trufood Ltd as chief chemist in 1938 and was transferred to the Central Technical Department (later changed to the Research Department) of Lever Bros & Unilever Ltd Port Sun-light in 1945. He was transferred in 1949 to the Food Research Depart-ment of Unilever Ltd Sharnbrook Bedford where he remained until his death. He spent some months during 1955 in Djakarta Indonesia in the service of his employers. He was a keen photographer and tennis player until shortly before his death. (A. 1922 F. 1943.) D. 1.1.59. Harry Dugald Keith Drew. B. 29.6.1886. Ed. Queen Elizabeth's School Barnet; Birkbeck College London 1905- 10.B.Sc. He con-tinued at Birkbeck College as a research student until 1914 when he joined the Air Force. Became a research assistant under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at the Uni-versity of Birmingham in 1919. Ph.D. (Birm.) 1920. Appointed lecturer in organic chemistry at the University of Birmingham in 1922. D.Sc. (Lond.) 1926. Appointed University Reader in Organic Chem-istry at East London College (now Queen Mary College) in 1930 where he remained until his retirement in 1947. (A. 1919 F. 1925.) D. 29.12.58. M.Sc. (Lond.) 191 8 290 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY [APRIL Percy Gaunt. B. 19.1 1.188 1. Ed. Manchester College of Technology, 1898-1901. Became assistant chemist to Mather & Platt Ltd in 1901.He was appointed chief assistant chemist to the Manchester Corporation Rivers Committee in 1904 manager and chemist to the Macclesfield Corporation Sewage Disposal Works in 1909 and research assistant to the Manchester Rivers Committee in 1919. He left this country the follow-ing year to take up an appointment as chief sanitation chemist to the Shanghai Municipal Council where he played an important part in improving the town’s sewerage system. He remained in Shanghai until his retirement in 1936 when he returned to this country. ‘He was generous to a fault possessed a definite social gift and had a very wide circle of friends.’ (A. 1918 F. 1923.) D. 21.10.58. James Eckersley Myers. B. 24.6.1890. Ed. Manchester Grammar School; University of Manchester.BSc. 1910 M.Sc. 191 1 D.Sc., 191 7. He served for a period as senior lecturer in chemistry and secretary and tutor of the Faculty of Science of the University of Manchester and, after being Principal of the Manchester College of Technology from 1938 to 1951 became director of the School of Education of the University of Manchester. After receiving the O.B.E. he was knighted in 1950 for his services to technological education. ‘He was a delightful person to know-full of warm humanity of witty stories told with a strain of philosophy that left its mark of wise advice to his sub-ordinates. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word.’ ( A . 1917.) D. 5.12.58. He retired in 1955. William Norman Stokoe. B. 19.5.1893. Ed. Rutherford Technical College Newcastle upon Tyne 19 10- 14.B.Sc. Ph.D. (Lond.) . He commenced his career as an assistant in the laboratory of J. & H. S. Pattinson and in 1915 became senior assistant analyst in the Admiralty Laboratory at the University of Glasgow under H.M. Inspector of Steel. He was appointed a research chemist with the Craigmillar Creamery Co. Ltd Edinburgh in 1918 becoming works manager two years later and technical director in 1932. When the factory closed in 1948 he joined the Bromborough Works of Van den Berghs 8s. Jurgens Ltd as a member of the management committee and three years later was appointed assistant general works manager. During the second world war he was additionally responsible for production at the Balloch-myle Creamery and was appointed technical officer of margarine produc-tion for the Ministry of Food in the Edinburgh and Glasgow areas.An accomplished musician he was for some years organist and choir-master at Craigmillar Park Church and broadcast on several occasions. ( A . 1918 F. 1923.) He retired in 1957. D. 10.12.58. Sarah Taylor. B. 23.1.1886. Ed. Burnley Secondary School ; Uni-versity of Manchester 1905-10. BSc. Appointed science mistress at Farnham Girls’ Grammar School 1913. She left in 1917 to undertake war work first as an analyst and later as a research chemist at the Wood Distillation Plant Farnham. She returned to teaching in 1921 to take up a post as second mistress at the Epsom County School for Girls. She was appointed head science mistress at Rosebery County School for Girls in 1945 where she remained until her retirement in 1950.( A . 1928.) D. 18.12.58 19591 THE REGISTER 27 1 William James Stirling Walker. B. 8.3.1897. Ed. Heriot-Watt College 1912-13 1919-23. After serving with H.M. Forces 1914-19 he returned to his studies at Heriot-Watt College. He then undertook research work at the University of Edinburgh and was awarded the degree of Ph.D. He was appointed chemist to W. Hunter & Sons, Edinburgh and when this firm went out of business he joined the Fuel Research Station as a research chemist and later became a senior experi-mental officer. He remained there until the time of his death. ( A . 1925 F. 1928.) D. 20.12.58. Frederick Walsh. B. 22.1.1 1. Ed. Warrington Secondary School; Manchester College of Technology 1927-34.He joined Joseph Crosfield & Son Ltd as a research chemist in 1927. Later he became technical representative in the north-west to Albright & Wilson Ltd. He left in 1953 to take up a post with the Liverpool Borax Co. Ltd with whom he remained until the time of his death. (A. 1934.) D. 9.2.59. Henry Edgar Watt. B. 12.7.1877. Ed. Durham College of Science, Newcastle upon Tyne 1897-1901. B.Sc. (Dunelm.) 1900; M.Sc. 1904; D.Sc. 1908. He became an assistant chemist at Burroughs Wellcome & Go. in 1901 and joined the staff of the Scientific and Technical Depart-ment of the Imperial Institute South Kensington in 1906. It was here that his life-long interest in alkaloidal chemistry commenced. He was appointed chemist in charge to T.& H. Smith Ltd in 1909 to initiate the manufacture of the strychnos alkaloids and later to take charge of the manufacture of the opium alkaloids. Dr Watt was of a reserved nature but his skill knowledge and judgment were always at the disposal of any who sought it while his fundamental understanding and integrity of purpose helped and inspired all who were associated with him. He gave willingly of his time and his services to the Edinburgh and East of Scotland sections of the chartered chemical bodies. ( A . 1904, F. 1909.) D. 8.2.59. He retired in 1947. THE REGISTER [Bracketed letters indicate Local Sections. For key see page 1341 NEW FELLOWS (0) GRADDON Douglas Peter M.SC,TECH. PH.D. (MANC.) A.M.C.T. ASSOCIATES ELECTED TO THE FELL0 WSHIP (R) BARGH Jack (PI A.M.1.CHEM.E.(Q) (CEYL.) M.SC. (LOND.) A.T.I. Valentine B.SC. (LOND.) FORBES Donald Hayworth Stacy (P> (0) CLUER Abraham B.SC. (LOND.), (OJ) DISSANAIKE Edmund Benjamin B.SC. (P) (D) FEATHERSTONE Arthur Andrew (P) \#) GREEN Charles Victor B.SC. (LOND.) (M) (C) MORTIMER Colin Trevor MSC. (E) PH,D. (MANC.) PEACOCK Archibald George BSC. (BRIS.) A.INST.P. SHACKLETON Ronald THORNELOE Alfred Hubert M.A. (CANTAB.) B.SC. (LOND.) WARD Ronald Sydney B.SC. (WALES), WATT Peter Ridgway B.SC. (BRIS.) WATTS Gilbert Ernest A.I.R.I. F.T.I. WHITE Trevor Raymond RSC. A.P.R.AE.S. (WAI.ES) PH.D. (MANC. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY NEW ASSOCIATES APSIMON John William B.SC. (LIV.) (WW) RICHMOND Margaret Shirley Kyle, CHAPMAN Frederick Brian B.SC.B.SC. (ST AND.) (LOND.) (V) TWIGG Sylvia B.SC. (WALES) DUTT Manesh Chandra M.SC. (Q) WARBURTON Frank Geoffrey B.SC. (MALAYA) (LOND.) A.M.C.T. JOWETT Peter M.SC.TECII. PH.D. (MANC.) GRADUATE MEMBERS ELECTED TO THE ASSOCIATESHIP BENJAMIN Colin (P> GORDON Frederick B.SC. (LOND.) GRIFPITHS David Roland BS. (P) (WALES) PH.D. (LOND.) GRUNBAUM David Gordon HODGES Terence Victor HILDITCH David Meredith (Y) ( C ) HOUGHTON Derek William B.SC. (LOND.) HOUGHTON Harry William B.SC. (NOTT.) SMITH Edward Hall TAYLOR Royston Frank M.SC. (LOND.) TONGE Robert James B.SC. (BIRM.) NEW GRADUATE MEMBERS AINSWORTH Alan ALLEN Jeffrey William B.SC. (SHEPF.) ANSELL Frank Stanley B.SC. (LOND.) ARKELL Gloria Mary BOWEN Derrick A.M.C.T.BROWNING David Robert BUCK Barry Ivor B.SC. (LOND.) CLARK Thomas DUCKWORTH Fred EDWARD Harold Stanway EDWARDS Frederick Ramsey GRAVENOR Ronald Brynley B.SC. (WALES) HILLER Michael John LE FLEMING Richard Charles LEIGH Hugh Wallis METCALFE Jack MILNES Malcolm Howard MORRIS Ivor Alan B.SC. PH.D. (LOND.) MORRISON Anthony MUNRO .John Duncan A.R.C.S.T. (GLAS.) (P) MURPHY John Michael (0) NESBITT Donald Alexander (C) PARKER Raymond John Louis B.SC. ( LOND.) (0) PATTERSON John Windram Seaton (0) PENTLAND John Richard B.SC. (LOND.) A.R.C.S.T. (GLAS.) (P) PERKINS Norman Albert (D) Pow Raymond (N) ROBINSON Richard John (Q) ROYLE Norman Edward A.R.T.C.S. (Y) SHELDON Robert (H) SLACK Thomas Kenneth (WW) SMITH David Law Kerr A.R.C.S.T.( GLAS.) (0) STEWARD Keith William Frederick, B.SC. (WALES) (0) TAYLOR Colin James (D) TIPPING Anthony Edgar (P) TODD Peter Frank (0) WALSH Michael (P) WILLIAMS David Frederick (Y) WOOD Geoffrey Albert DEATHS Fellows CURRIE Henry Thomas. Died 4 (D) POOLE Evan Skull M.SC. (LOND.). March 1959 aged 58. A. 1932 Died 2 March 1959 aged 74. A . F. 1958. 1908 F. 1911. OLPIN Henry Charles M.SC. (LEEDS). (P) PRATT Walter Ryley B.SC. (LOND.). Died 21 March 1958 aged 58. A. Died 20 January 1959 aged 71. 1923 F. 1951. A. 1911 F. 1915. (OH) SEN Kumud Bihari M.SC. (CAL-CUTTA). Died 22 December 1958, aged 69. A. 1922 F. 1934. Associates BOYD William John B.SC. (GLAS.) (N) MANN William. Died January, PH.D. (LOND.). Died 20 January 1959 aged 58.A. 1933. 1959 aged 64. A. 1918. (J) WHITE Colin McLuckie. Died 21 DUNCAN Herbert Maxwell B.SC. .January 1959 aged 61. A. 1928, PH,D. (LIV.). Died 19 February, 1959 aged 60. 13. 1922 LOCAL SECTIONS DIARY kctions are glad to welcome members of other Societies to their meetings and social functions except when numbers are restricted as for works visits. Those wishing to attend meetings outside their own area are advised to write to the Hon. Secretary of the Section concerned as the Institute cannot accept responsi-bility for any alterations or cancellations. A11 times are p m except where otherwise stated. Cardiff. 8 May. 7. Annual Gencral Meeting. Royal Hotel. Dublin. 29 April. 7.45. A Generation of Chemothcrapcutic Rescarch. Dr I . L. Rosc. London. 27 April.6 30. Ladies’ Evening. Cosmetics. Dr R. H. Marriott Royal iiistitut~ori, Manchester. 1 May. 7 15. Characterizing the Useful Properties of Starch. Dr T. J. 5cliocI1. Joint C.S S.C I Textile Institute and Soc. Dyers and Trinity College. 21 Albemarle Street W. 1. Main Lecture Theatre The University. Colourists. Newcastle. 29 April. 6 30. Annual General Meeting. Chemistry Dcpt King’s College Poole. 24 April (date changed). 7.30. Plastics in Industry. G. N. larrand. Generatirig Salisbury. 9 May. 2.30. Annual General iMeeting. Sheffield. 7 May 7 30. Annual General Meeting. Chemistry Lecture Theatre Brookhill Swansea. 8 May. 6 30 Symposium on Rock and Mineral Analyw and Geochemical Prospect-University College. Joint 5.A.C. and Station. Joint Poole Technical Group. ing. College Chem. SOC. Drs T. A. Chalmers E. A. Vincent and J. s. Webb. - 13 May. Evening Conversazione. University College. - 29 May. Annual General Meetmg. -.-_-THAMES VALLEY SYMPOSIUM A One-Day Symposium on SEPARATION PROCESSES IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY will be held in The Inorganic Chemistry Lecture Thcatrc, South Parks Road Oxford on Friday 24 April 1959 at 10.30 a.m. Morning Sessaon : “Valency Changes in Analytical Separations.” “Separations Using Anion-Exchange Resins.” R. J. P. Williams M.A. D.PHIL. (Wadham College Oxford). H. M. N. H. Irving D.SC. (Vice-Principal St. Edmund Hall Oxford). Afternoon Session : “Measurement of Impurities in Helium by Gas Chromatography.” J. D Wilson B.A. (U.K.A.E.A. Harwell). “An Electrochemical Separation Process for Use in Polarography.” R. L. Faircloth B.SC. (U.K.A.E.A. Harwell). “Some Separations Involving Chelating Resins.” J. Kennedy M.SC. and E. S. Lane PH.D. (U.K.A.E.A. Harwell). There will be no charge for admission which is not restricted to Members of thc Royal Institute of Chemistry. Guests intending to come from outside the Thamcs Valley Section boundaries are asked to communicate in the first instance with the Hon. Secretary so as to avoid the possibility of overcrowding, 27 RECENT INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS LECTURES MONOGRAPHS AND REPORTS. (Annual Subscription E 1 .) 1954 1. The Development of Radiation Chemistry and Radiochemistry. Sir John 2. Hydrogen Peroxide. 3. Some Recent Advances in Physical Chemistry. F.R.I.c. F.R.S. 3s. 6d. net. 4. Analytical Chemistry of the Proteins and Amino-Acids. D.PHIL. F.R.I.C. 3s. 6d. net. 5. Food Chemistry and Nutrition. 6. A Physical Approach to Terpenoid Structures. J. Monteath Robertson M.A., 1955 1. Ionisation in Organic Chemistry, 2. Chemistry Biochemistry and Isotopic Tracer Technique. 3. The Chemical Background of the Aluminium Industry. 4. Chemical Aspects of Oceanography. 5. Chemistry and Crop Nutrition. I956 1. Fluorocarbon Derivatives, 2. Biological Synthesis of Carbohydrates. Maurice Stacey PH.D. D.SC. F.R.I.c. F.R.S. 3s. 6d. net. 3. Coal as a Raw Material W. Idris Jones c.B.E. B.SC. PH.D. M.I.CHEM.E. M.I.MIN.E., F.INST.F. F.R.I.C. 4s. net. 4. Furfural from Agricultural Sources. 5. Symposium on Techniques in Polymer Science. 1957 1. Peroxidase Action and Use in Organic Synthesis. SC.D. D.SC. F.R.I.C. 4s. 6d. net. 2. Cereal Carbohydrates. 3. Zone Refining. N. L. Parr A.M.I.MECH.E. A.I.M. 5s. net. 4. Coal and Coal Chemicals in the National Economy. J. Bronowski M.A. PH.D., 5. Hydrazine and its Derivatives 6s. net. 6. Lithium and its Compounds. 1958 1. Chemistry and Metallurgy of Titanium Production. J. J. Gray A.H.-w.c. A.R.I.c., 2. Purity and Purification of Chemical Substances. Arne Tiselius PH.D. HON. SC.D., 3. Modern Aspects of Thermochemistry. 6s. net. 4. The Chemistry of Dinitrogen Tetroxide. 5. Recent Progress in the Chemistry of Dyes and Pigments. W. Bradley PH.D., Cockcroft K.c.B. c.B.E. F.R.S. 3s. net. W. S. Wood B.SC. A.M.I.CHEM.E. F.R.I.C. 5s. net. A. R. J. P. Ubbelohde M.A. DSC., H. 1). Springall MA., 3s. net. Magnus Pyke B.SC. PH.D. F.R.I.C. PH.D. D.SC. F.INST.P. F.R.I.c. F.R.s.E. F.R.S. 3s. 6d. net. E. D. Hughes PH.D. D.SC. F.R.I.c. F.R.S. 3s. 6d. net. George Popjbk M.D., T. G. Pearson PH.D., (Re-issue.) 3s. net. F.R.I.C. 6s. 6d. net. D.SC. F.I.M. F.R.I.C. (Revised 1957.) 7s. 6d. net. 4s. 6d. net. H. Barnes B.A. PH.D. u.sc. F.R.I.C. Sir William G. Ogg M.A. PH.D. LL.D. R N. Haszeldine M.A. PH.D. D.SC. F.R.I.C. 5s. net. Andrew P. Dunlop B.S. 4s. net. With an introduction by C. H. Barnford M.A. PH.D. SC.D. A.R.I.C. 7s. 6d. net. B. C. Saunders M.A. PH.D., I. A. Preece D.SC. F.R.I.c. M.I.BIOL. F.R.S.E. 4s. net. F.R.S.L. 4s. net. Edited by R. A. Reed B.SC. PH.D. F.R.I.C. D. S. Laidler B.SC. PH.D. A.R.I.C. 5s. net. and A. Carter M.A. A.I.M. HON. LL.D. HON. F.R.I.c. FOR. MEM. R.S. 7s. net. 4s. net. H. A. Skinner B.A. B.SC. D.PHIL. Peter Gray M.A. PH.D. 4s. 6d. net. D.SC. F.R.I.C. 9s. net. 27

ISSN:0368-3958    

DOI:10.1039/JI9598300199

出版商:RSC    

年代:1959

数据来源: RSC