The Labelling of Bottles 121 



on a different set of substances from others, according to the 

 views of the teaching staff, and one would not willingly see this 

 altered. Consequently no single set of printed labels will ever 

 be economical, convenient, and universal. It would appear, 

 therefore, that some alteration in our labelling system would be 

 advantageous, and a suggestion is appended for what it is 

 worth. 1 



It does not appear advantageous to purchase varnished 

 labels. These rarely adhere well to glass, unless they are 

 specially cemented which one may do with dilute acetic acid 

 cement the reason apparently being the inability of the paper 

 to swell and so absorb the gum when wetted, previously to 

 their application to the bottle. Unless cemented to the bottle, 

 therefore, they are in the habit of peeling off. At the best there 

 are the edges of the label absorbing moisture, and open to 

 attack by acids, etc., consequently this type of label, however 



1 Label printers should issue two books 



(1) A book drawn up for the purpose of fitting out a laboratory newly 

 furnished, and while avoiding excessive duplication, at least three sets of 

 " class " reagent-bottle labels might be included, and two sets of the rarer 

 chemicals usually stocked for reference. Several pages of half labels should 

 follow the bases alone, and the acid radicles alone, one page entirely filled 

 with half labels of one kind, so that one might detach the bottom member of 

 each page in making up a complete label, instead of having to cut from the 

 middle of a page. Formulae would, of course, be deleted, but this would 

 be little loss one occasionally sees hydrochloric acid written H.C.L. and 

 might be supplied, if necessary, in MS. It would thus be as easy to pick 

 out nickel hydrocarbonate, as sodium silicate, and extraordinary combi- 

 nations would be as easy to secure as ordinary ones, and that without cutting 

 up the book unduly. The one essential would be that the type-setting 

 should be exact, so that alignment of type and marginal ruling might be 

 accurately preserved, and that the space between the basic and acidic 

 portions of the name, as well as the total size of the complete label, should 

 be constant. 



(2) A second book should contain labels for bench reagents three 

 copies of the acids, two of alkalies, and one of each other required. These 

 would, as a matter of course, be omitted from the first book, and in fitting 

 up a twenty-bench laboratory, two dozen of the second and two copies of 

 the first would fully equip the bottles with name plates, and deal with all 

 replacements that might ordinarily be expected to occur, while Book I. 

 would deal with lecture work, special work, and research equipment until 

 the whole book was used up completely. 



