xlii GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



tiplicd to an alarming extent. One excellent investigation in 

 this licld has been that of Wright, on cymene from different 

 sources. Another paper of great value is that of Dale and 

 Schorlemmer upon aurinc, one of the important coloring mat- 

 ters derivable from coal-tar. Quite naturally, the synthesis of 

 alizarine, a year or two ago by Graebe and Liebermann, lias 

 stimulated work among the other compounds of the quinine 

 group; and Dr. Russell, chairman of the chemical section in the 

 British Association, made this group the subject of his address. 

 W. II. Perkin, long famous for his discoveries among the coal- 

 tar colors, has been also workino- in the same line of investioja- 

 tion, and has described a new coloring matter obtained in the 

 manufacture of alizarine. This new substance he terms an- 

 thro-purpurine ; and the frontispiece to his paper (in the Jour- 

 nal of the Chemical Society for May) consists of a leaf to 

 which are glued little scraps of cloth dyed respectively with 

 alizarine and wuth the body in question. Those dyed with an- 

 thro-purj^urine are, if any thing, a little the brighter. 



Several quite important papers upon Physiological Chem- 

 istry have appeared during the year. Among them may be 

 mentioned that of Alexander Schmidt on the coao-ulation of 

 fibrine, that of Carl Voit on the use of gelatine in nutrition, 

 Aubert's on the quantity of carbonic acid excreted by the 

 liuman skin, and Bunge's on the importance of common salt 

 and the behavior of potassium compounds in the human body. 

 Pettenkofer and Voit also publish some results of experiments 

 upon feeding with flesh and fat, showing that fattening is 

 best produced by beginning with a liberal diet rich in nitrog- 

 enous matter, and moderately so in fats ; and, as tlie animal 

 frame enlarges, increasing the proportion of fatty food and 

 diminishing the quantity of albuminoids. 



In Technical Chemistry there are many signs of progress. 

 A large number of chemical patents are annually issued, both 

 in this country and in Europe, and large manulacturing cor- 

 porations are rapidly learning the advantages to be reaped 

 from the employment of able chemists. It is even reported 

 that one of our leading American railway companies has em- 

 ployed a chemist, at a liberal salary, to devote himself entirely 

 to the work of their road. A peculiar substance, called suint, 

 lias been extensively studied of late. This substance, which 

 forms about one third of the weight of raw wool, is rich in 



