EDGAR F. SMITH. 23! 



The cases above specified constitute a complete confir- 

 mation of the old opinion of Berzelius concerning this 

 reduction. 



Properly made, the reduction would average about two 

 units low in the fifth place. That is the "gnat," in the 

 language of Berzelius. 



As a matter of fact, I notice the calf of a camel in No. 8, 

 a good sized camel in No. 5, and a big camel in No. i, 

 always in the language of Berzelius, borrowed by him from 

 Matthew XXIII. 



The determination made by Berzelius is often questioned 

 by recent chemists who ought to know better. 



Thus J. G. Hibbs, in his Thesis (1896, p. 21) criticises 

 the Old Master Berzelius, and says he found 74.840. As a 

 matter or fact, Berzelius found 74.95 which is much nearer 

 the truth than the value given by Mr. Hibbs, 74.9158 with 

 the most improbable error of 0.0022 (pardon dropping the 

 fifth, since the third even is false). 



We have finally an inexpressibly funny oxidation method 

 by means of potassium chlorate and another by means of 

 potassium bichromate, both titrations, in the wettest of wet 

 ways, by Kessler, 1861. The first gave for twelve determi- 

 nations the mean 74 low, the second, one series, six determi- 

 nations, mean 55 high, another series, five determinations, 

 46 high. 



The range of the means is } therefore^ 129 <( only." 



This is really too much for me. I cannot put that into 

 equation, with high and low in the fifth place. I will have 

 to put it, f rei nach Heine,* melody by Stigelli : 



Du hast die Chloratischen Aetzen, 



Hast Alles fur Saurstoff begehr, 

 Du hast ja Bichromat Buretten, 



Mein Arsen, was willst Du noch mehr? 



* Du hast Diamanten und Perlen 



Hast Alles was Menschenbegehr, 

 Ihi hast ja die schonsten Augen 



Meia Liebchen, was willst Du noch mehr? 



