CHLORINE. TURNER. 



99 



Consequently the honor belongs to the best chemists of 

 the earlier schools; that is, to Turner, who has done so 

 much really good work in this field. 



We may find this decision objected to, at first sight. But 

 since Turner established the atomic weight of chlorine 

 within the limit of 0.02 while thirty years later Stas was over 

 0.05 in the wrong direction, I suppose the honor of Turner 

 will not be contested. 



Let us see. The mean, 10 low, with change 48 low, is 

 practically one-fifth of one-tenth, or 0.02 and high, or Cl =. 

 35.52. That is, as above stated, establishing the absolute 

 atomic weight at 35.5 exactly, within 0.02 as the limit of 

 precision, preferably upward. 



Good Old Chemists Abused by Clarke. 



In conclusion I have once more to refer to those " Con- 

 stants of Nature " because, as usual, Clarke is shamefully 

 unjust to our excellent pioneer workers. 



The very first sentence under Mercury (edition 1897, p. 

 1 66) reads: 



te In dealing with the atomic weight of mercury we may 

 " reject the early determinations of Sefstrom and a large 

 " part of the work done by Turner." 



Sef Strom's work dates from 1812, and reaches to 7.97 for 

 oxygen per hundred of mercury; that is within 0.03 of [ the 

 truth. It corresponds to 01=15.94; is therefore twice as 

 accurate, as " the latest fad of Clarke, 15.88." 



Turner, in two determinations of pure oxide (from 

 nitrate) obtained the analytical ratio 0.92 605 which is 12 

 high only. His determination of chlorine is much more 

 correct than that of Stas. 



Both of these early chemists did most admirable work, 

 indeed. They deserve our highest respect. Their work is 

 more reliable than much of the work of to-day. 



The chief official chemist of our National Government 

 ought not to defame the great early chemists who did excel- 

 lent work in atomic weight determination a work that he 

 has disgraced. 



