430 



NA TURE 



[March 2, 1893 



Chemical Society, February 3.— Dr. W. H. Perkin, Vice- 

 President, in the chair. The following papers were read : — 

 The connection between the atomic weight of the contained 

 metals and the magnitude of the angles of crystals of isomorphous 

 series, by A. E. Tutton. The author has made a detailed 

 goniometrical investigation of twenty-two salts belonging to the 

 R2M(S04)2,6H20 series of double sulphates containing as the 

 alkali metal R potassium, rubidium or caesium, and as the dyad 

 metal M magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt, 

 copper, or cadmium. On classifying the salts into three groups 

 according to the alkali metals which they contain, it is found 

 that the geometrical and other properties of the salts containing 

 rubidium as the monad metal, lie between those of the corre- 

 sponding potassium and cfesium salts. Thus the csesium salts 

 show the greatest power of crystallising, those of potassium the 

 least, whilst the salt containing rubidium occupy an inter- 

 mediate position in this respect. Similar behaviour is observed 

 with regard to the crystalline habits of the various salts ; each of 

 the three groups is characterised by the possession of a dis- 

 tinctive habit. The crystalline habit of the salts containing 

 pota.ssium is widely different from that of the salts containing 

 cKsium ; the specific characteristic habit of the rubidium salts 

 is of an intermediate nature. There is a difference of some two 

 degrees or so between the axial angles (j8) of the potassium and 

 caesium salt crystals containing the same dyad metal ; the 

 magnitude of the angle ;3 in the corresponding rubidium salt is 

 approximately the mean of these two. The differences 

 between the axial angles are hence approximately proportional 

 to the differences between the atomic weights of the contained 

 alkali metals if the dyad metal remain the same. The magni- 

 tudes of all the angles between the faces of the crystals of the 

 salts of this series containing rubidium as the alkali metal lie 

 between, though not ordinarily midway between, the magnitudes 

 of the corresponding angles upon the crystals of the potassium 

 and csesium salts containing the same dyad metal. The alkali 

 metals exert a preponderating influence upon the geometrical 

 form of the crystals, the magnitudes of the angles being altered 

 on displacing one alkali metal R by the next higher or lower to 

 an extent attaining a maximum, in certain angles, of more than 

 a degree, whilst the displacement of the dyad metal M by any 

 other of the same group is unattended by any material change 

 in the angular magnitudes. — The preparation of phosphoric 

 oxide free from the lower oxide, by W. A. Shenstone and C. R. 

 Beck. Phosphoric oxide may be freed from the lower oxides by 

 distilling it over platinum sponge in presence of excess of oxygen. 

 —Contributions to our knowledge of the aconite alkaloids : 

 Part iv., on isaconitine (napelline), by W. R. Dunstan and 

 E. F. Harrison. The authors have examined the alkaloid 

 isaconitine C33H45NO12, which occurs together with its isome- 

 ride aconitine in the roots of Aconitum napellus. It is present 

 to as great an extent as aconitine, and is obtained in the pure 

 state as a colourless, friable, varnish-like mass. Its alcoholic 

 solution is feebly dextrorotatory. The salts somewhat resemble 

 the corresponding aconitine salts in physical properties. On 

 attempting to prepare an aurichloride, aurochlorisaconitine, 

 C33H44(AuCl2)NOi2i results. Isaconitine is gradually hydro- 

 lysed by mineral acids or water yielding the same products as 

 does aconitine, viz. aconine and benzoic acid 



C33H45NO12 + H2O = C2gH4,NOii -f C^HgOo. 



Whilst aconitine is a most violent poison, even in excessively 

 minute doses, relatively large quantities of isaconitine must be 

 administered to small animals in order to produce a toxic effect, 

 which effect is the result of a physiological action in the main 

 distinct from that of aconitine. It seems doubtful whether 

 isaconitine would prove toxic to man, except when given in very 

 large doses. — Contributions to our knowledge of the aconite 

 alkaloids: Part v., the composition of some commercial speci- 

 mens of aconitine, by W. R. Dunstan and F. H. Carr. "The 

 great differences in toxic power exhibited by different samples 

 of aconitine have led the authors to examine sixteen specimens 

 of "aconitine from A. ttapellus" Most of the samples were 

 amorphous ; these contained little or no aconitine, but were 

 chiefly composed of aconine, isaconitine, and homoisaconitine, 

 all of which appear to be very slightly, if at all, toxic. Of the 

 crystalline specimens examined, only two were pure, most of 

 them being contaminated with more or less amorphous alkaloid. 

 Hence it is not surprising that great differences have been 

 observed in the mode of action and toxic power of commercial 

 "aconitine." — Synthesis of oxazoles from benzoin and nitriles, 



NO. I 2 18, VOL. 47] 



by F. R. Japp and T. S. Murray. The authors find that nitriles 

 and benzoin interact with elimination of water when a mixture 

 of the two compounds is dissolved in concentrated sulphuric 

 acid, an oxazole being formed in which the hydrocarbon radicle 

 attached to the cyanogen of the nitrile occupies the w^jo-position. 

 Thus acetonitrile yields in this manner a;3-diphenyl-/x- 

 methyloxazole 



Ph.CH.OH 



I + NC.Me 



Ph.CO 



Ph.C.Ox 

 Ph. C.N' 



C.Me + HoO. 



A number of instances of this reaction are cited. The above 

 oxazole, when treated with ammonia, is converted into the 

 corresponding imidazole identical with Japp and Wynne's 

 methyldiphenylglyoxaline. — The action of nitrosyl chloride and 

 of nitric peroxide on some members of the olefine series, by W. 

 A. Tilden and J. J. Sudborough. Ethylene dichloi ide alone 

 results from the interaction of ethylene and nitrosyl chloride. 

 Propylene and butylene yield with nitrosyl chloride a mixture 

 of dichloride and nitrosochloride, whilst trimethylene (ainylene) 

 is almost entirely converted into nitrosochloride. — Piperazine, 

 by W. Majert and A. Schmidt. The authors correct certain 

 erroneous statements regarding the physical and chemical 

 characters of piperazine. They have prepared the following 

 series of hydrates of piperazine, the hexhydrate, which crystal- 

 lises from dilute aqueous solutions, being the most readily 

 formed : — 



C4HJ0N2, H2O m. p. 75° 



,, , 2H2O „ „ 56° 



„ , 3H2O „ ,, 39-40° 



,, , 4H2O ,, „ 42 43° 



„ , 5H2O „ „ 45° 



„ , 6H2O „ „ 48° 



Linnean Society, February 16. — Prof. Stewart, President, 

 in the chair. — Mr. Clement Reid exhibited and gave an account 

 of some seeds of Paradoxocarfus carinatus, an extinct Pliocene 

 and Pleistocene plant from the Cromer fossil bed. Mr, 

 Reid also exhibited and described some examples of Pota- 

 mogeton headonensis, a new type of pond weed from the 

 Oligocene strata of Hordle Cliff in Hampshire. His remarks, 

 which were listened to with great interest, were elucidated with 

 the aid of diagrams, and were criticised by Mr. W. Carruthers 

 and others. — Mr. J. E. Harting exhibited some dried plants of 

 a so-called Greek tea {Sideritis thcezans, Boissier), which during 

 a recent visit to Thessaly he had found to be extensively used 

 there, as an infusion in lieu of tea. He also exhibited some 

 photographs of Thessalian scenery, showing the geological and 

 botanical character of the country bordering the great plain of 

 Larissa. — Dr. Otto Stapf pointed out on the map the scene of 

 Bornmueller's recent botanical explorations in Persia, and gave 

 some account of the flora of that region as far as has at present 

 been ascertained.— On behalf of Mr. C. B. Plowright, a paper, 

 communicated by the President, was read on the life history of the 

 y^cidium on Paris quadrifolia. — On behalf of Mr. J. C. Willis, 

 who was unfortunately prevented by illness from attending, a 

 paper was read entitled " Contributions to the natural history of 

 the flower." This paper, the first of a series, dealt with the fer- 

 tilisation by insects of plants belonging to the genera Claytonia, 

 Phacelia, zxiA Monarda. — Some observations on British worms, 

 by the Rev. H. Friend, were read on his behalf by the 

 Secretary. 



Royal Meteorological Society, February 15.— Dr. C. 

 Theodore Williams, President, in the chair. — The following 

 papers were read : — Report on the phenological observations 

 for 1892, by Mr. E. Mawley. The Royal Meteorological 

 Society has for a number of years past collected observations on 

 natural periodical phenomena, such as the date of the flowering 

 of plants, the arrival, song, and nesting of birds, the first 

 appearance of insects, &c. These observations were supervised 

 and discussed by the Rev. T. A, Preston until 1888, since 

 which time they have been under the direction of Mr. E. 

 Mawley. The year 1892 was on the whole very cold and back- 

 ward. The frequent frosts and dry weather during the first five 

 months greatly retarded vegetation, and consequently all the 

 early wild flowers were very late in coming into blossom. Bush 

 fruits and strawberries were, as a rule, good and fairly plentiful. 

 Plums and pears were almost everywhere a failure, and apples 

 were considerably under the average. The wheat crop was a 

 very light one, owing in part to the attacks of blight brought 



