Ketween bromin and phenol in aqueous solution, 

 _y which tribromphenol and hydrobromic acid 

 are formed. The reaction takes place instantly 

 and at ordinary temperatures. A precipitate of 

 tribromphenol appears if the brine contains as 

 much as 0.002 per cent, of bromin. It was found 

 impossible to precipitate all the bromin and form 

 hydrochloric acid. Electrolysis is suggested as 

 an advantageous method of setting bromin free. 

 If the phenol is pure, the precipitation is crystal- 

 line and filters easily. If cresol is present, the 

 precipitate is tarry. By drying and heating the 

 precipitate, most of the bromin is recovered as 

 hydrobromic acid. The rest is caught by passing 

 the vapors through an alkali solution or a solu- 

 tion of ferrous bromid. Reduction of the pre- 

 ipitate by iron and mineral acid will regenerate 

 ,he phenol. The process is best carried on by 

 turating one part of the brine with chlorin 

 ,nd the other part with phenol, and then mixing 

 he two portions. Other organic bodies, such as 

 cetylen, are suggested as suitable for recover- 

 ig bromin from brine. 



A new and simple test for albumin described 

 by Flora C. Fuhs is based upon the facts that 

 albumin is coagulated by carbolic acid; equal 

 volumes of non-albuminous urine and a mixture 

 composed of equal parts of carbolic acid and glyc- 

 irin form an emulsion which clears up entirely 

 n agitation, leaving a perfectly transparent and 

 ighly refractive liquid; and equal volumes of 

 "buminous urine and the carbol solution when 

 ixed produce a white turbidity, which remains 

 spite of agitation, and does not precipitate on 

 tanding or redissolve. 



Lilly Grant Kollok and Edgar F. Smith give 

 an account in the Journal of the American 

 hemical Society of quantitative determinations 

 f uranium in solutions of the acetate, sulfate, 

 nd nitrate. A special table is given of results 

 the separation of uranium from barium, cal- 

 lum, magnesium, and zinc. No satisfaction 

 ould be obtained in the attempt to separate it 

 om nickel and cobalt. 



The deposits of salts called alkali in Wyoming 

 upy undrained depressions in geological de- 

 osits extending from the Triassic to the present, 

 nd range from mere efflorescence to a thickness 

 metimes reaching 15 feet. The larger beds are 

 ften covered with water in the spring, whence 

 ey have been called lakes. The deposits are 

 Iways found upon a muddy base. The mire 

 ells of hydrogen sulfid and contains the same 

 alts that form the deposit resting upon it. As 

 escribed by W. C. Knight and E. E. Slosson, 

 hese deposits are rarely very pure, but are niix- 

 ures of several salts, with alternating layers of 

 and, salt, and mud. The classes of deposits that 

 rry carbonates in quantity contain as princi- 

 al salts, sodium carbonate, sulfate, and chlorid. 

 ypsum occurs, but is not prominent. Traces of 

 tassium, lithium, iron, aluminum, manganese, 

 orates, nitrates, sulfates, and phosphates are 

 ften found. Mirabilite constitutes the greater 

 ass of most of the deposits, and epsomite is 

 bundant. Different deposits vary greatly in 

 omposition, and different parts of the same bed 

 how very often different proportions of the con- 

 ained salts. 



Difficulty is met in the classification of min- 

 al waters on account of the way they shade 

 nto one another. A method is suggested by 

 of. E. H. S. Bailey, of the University of Kansas, 

 f designating them according to their predomi- 

 iant ions. Thus he would have: 1. The chlorid 

 group, in which chlorids are predominant. 2. The 

 iulfate group, marked by the predominance of 



CHEMISTRY. (NEW APPARATUS.) 



105 



the sulfates. 3. The chlor-sulfate group, in 

 which the chlorid and sulfate ions are about 

 equal. 4. The carbonate group, in which car- 

 bonate ions are abundant. 5. The chlor-sulfo- 

 carbonate groups, containing a considerable 

 quantity of the ions of each class. 6. The sulf- 

 hydride group, in which hydrogen sulfide is 

 given off the waters commonly called sulfur wa- 

 ters. 7. The chalybeate or iron group, which in- 

 cludes also waters containing manganese ions. 

 8. The special group, or waters which owe their 

 value to some special substance, like lithia or 

 borax. 9. The soft- water group, or waters which 

 contain only a small quantity of mineral sub- 

 stance. More than 90 mineral waters of the State 

 of Kansas are classified under this system. 



New Apparatus. A simple electric thermo- 

 stat is described by William Duane and Charles 

 A. Long, of the University of Colorado, with 

 which the temperature of a bath can be kept con- 

 stant to within one one-thousandth of a degree C. 

 for a considerable time. The heat is supplied 

 by an electric current, which in the case of a 

 conducting liquid flows through the liquid itself; 

 and in the case of a non-conducting fluid, flow* 

 through wires suspended in the bath. A system 

 of tubes containing a liquid with a large tempera- 

 ture coefficient expansion is placed in the bath, 

 and by means of a suitable mechanism the ex- 

 pansion of this liquid interrupts or 'reduces the 

 strength of the heating current when the re- 

 quired temperature has been reached. The makes 

 and breaks of the current follow in so rapid suc- 

 cession that no perceptible variations occur in 

 consequence of the interruptions. 



A new form of electric resistance laboratory 

 furnace designed by Prof. Holbone, of the 

 Reichsanstalt, Berlin, permits the easy attain- 

 ment of temperatures up to 1,500 C. by the use 

 of the ordinary 110-volt electric supply. The 

 furnaces are made in two forms, one being adapt- 

 ed for heating crucibles, and the second for heat- . 

 ing tubes 44 centimeters in length; but both are 

 alike in principle, the electric current being car- 

 ried through a resistance coil of platinum or 

 nickel wire, wound around a thin porcelain tube 

 or cylinder. The crucible qr substance to be 

 heated is placed within the latter, and the space 

 between the outer side of the coil and the con- 

 taining vessel is packed with asbestos or pow- 

 dered quartz. Using nickel, the temperature of 

 the furnace can not be raised above 1,000 C. 

 without damage to the coil, but with platinum 

 it is possible to attain a temperature of 1,500 C. 

 with a current of 14 amperes and 110 volts. It 

 is necessary in the use of these furnaces to in- 

 clude a resistance in the circuit, and to use only 

 half of the maximum current when the heating 

 is first begun. The use of the exterior resistance 

 enables the temperature of the furnace to be reg- 

 istered with ease within somewhat narrow limits. 

 Further advantages claimed for the furnaces are 

 that the separate portions are replaceable when 

 worn out, that the heating spirals can be easily 

 removed and changed to suit special tempera- 

 tures when required, and that with the tubular 

 form of furnace, the heating of the substance 

 can be carried on in the absence of air and in 

 the presence of any desired gas or gaseous mix- 

 ture. 



An electrical furnace described by S. A. Tucker 

 and H. R. Moody is after the Moissan type, and 

 is composed of carbon bricks 12 inches by 4 by 

 2, luted together with Dixon's stove-polish. The 

 sides are of 6-inch bricks, and a working span 

 of 6 by 4 by 2 inches is available, which can be 

 increased or diminished according to the charge 



