June 14, 1894] 



NA TURE 



'59 



ampere. In two hours and a half the hydrogen introduced into 

 the gas would be about 70 c.c, sufficient, if retained, to reduce 

 the weight by about 4 per cent. The fact that there was no 

 sensible reduction proves that the hydrogen was effectively 

 removed by the copper oxide. 



The nitrogen, obtained altogether in four ways from chemical 

 compounds, is materially lighter than the above, the difference 

 amounting to about n mg., or about 1/200 part of the whole. 

 It is also to be observed that the agreement of individual 

 results is less close in the case of chemical nitrogen than of 

 atmospheric nitrogen. 



I have made some e.-iperiments to try whether the densities 

 were influenced by exposing the gas to the silent electric 

 discharge. A Siemens tube, as used for generating ozone, 

 was inserted in the path of the gas after desiccation with 

 phosphoric anhydride. The following were the results : — 



Nitrogen from Air by Hot Iron, Electrified. 



January I, 1S94 2-3Ii63\m^^ 



January 4, 1S94 2'30956) -" -"^ 



Nitrogen from N„0 by Hot Iron, Electrified. 



January 2, 1894 2-30074\ Mean, 2-30064 



Januarys, '894 230054^ ■" ^ 



The somewhat anomalous result of January I is partly 

 explained by the failure to obtain a subsequent weighing of the 

 globe emoty, and there is no indication that any effect was 

 produced by the electrification. 



One more observation I will bring forward in conclusion. 

 Nitrogen prepared from oxygen and ammonia, and about one- 

 half per cent, lighter than ordinary atmospheric nitrogen, was 

 stored in the globe for eight months. The globe was then 

 connected to the apparatus, and the pressure was readjusted in 

 the usual manner to the standard conditions. On reweighing 

 no change was observed, so that the abnormally light nitrogen 

 did not become dense by keeping. 



-pi 



DR. ARMSTRONG ON THE PUBLICATION 

 OF SCIENTIFIC LITER A TURE. 



HE presidential address delivered by Dr. Armstrong at the 

 last annual meeting of the Chemical Society, and 

 published in the May number of the Society's foiirnal, 

 contains numerous suggestive remarks on questions affect- 

 ing all branches of science. A subject that has lately been 

 attracting some attention is the publication of the proceedings 

 of societies. On this Dr. Armstrong has much to say, and as 

 he has had abundant opportunity of proving the value of the 

 system followed by the Chemical Society, and comparing it 

 with those of other societies, his opinions carry weight. Our 

 space will not permit us to reprint the address, but the following 

 extracts will suffice to show its character. 



"Chemical literature is fast becoming unmanageable and 

 I uncontrollable from its very vastness. Not only is the number 

 I of papers increasing from year to year, but new journals are 

 constantly being established. Something must be done in 

 order to assist chemists to remain in touch with their subject 

 and to retain their hold on the literature generally. This 

 object would be best attained if chemists could agree to publish 

 everything in one journal ; but for many reasons, and until the 

 world has recognised one language, such an idea must remain 

 but a dream. This being the case, we must endeavour to have 

 as few journals as possible, which is desirable even from the 

 point of view of our pockets and of the dimensions of our 

 bookshelves and houses, none of which are infinitely elastic. 

 It is clear that in the British Isles but one journal is necessary ; 

 a large majority of the papers by workers in British laboratories, 

 containing matter new to chemical science, are at present com- 

 municated to us, and I see no reason why all should not be. I 

 do not mean that all should be read before the Chemical 

 Society, because the mere reading is frequently but a formal 

 proceeding, or, in some cases, may take place with advantage 

 elsewhere. The Society of Chemical Industry has set us a 

 good example in this respect by publishing in one journal the 

 papers read at various places in the country ; it matters little 

 that the papers are read before affiliated sections of the Society, 

 as these sections are practically independent organisations. . . . 

 "It seems to me, that eventually one of two courses must 



NO. 1285. VOL. 50] 



be adopted in this country — either the societies engaged in 

 doing similar work must become affiliated, or our Society must 

 return to the practice of early days and publish lengthy 

 abstracts of papers communicated to societies such as the 

 Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, in order to bring 

 thesepapers propeilyunderthenotice of chemistsgenerally. The 

 former course would involve an agreement amongst us to print 

 in some uniform manner, less expensive, magnificent and 

 stately than that adopted by the Royal Societies ; a somewhat 

 larger octavo than that of our present journal would probably 

 suffice, such as is adopted for the Annals of Botany. If such 

 an agreement were arrived at, a paper read and discussed before 

 the Royal Society of London or Edinburgh, for example, might 

 be printed off, and the necessary number of copies supplied to 

 the society; while, if the paper interested chemists, we might at 

 the same time take an appropriate number, and issue the paper 

 as part of our Transactions. . . . 



' ' The policy thus advocated with reference to English chemical 

 papers is already being elsewhere adopted. The Monatshefle 

 fUr Chemie, for example, is advisedly a collection of the papers 

 of Austrian chemists, although, unfortunately, this does not 

 yet include the whole of the work done in .\ustria-Hungary. 

 The Gazzelta chiniica italiana appears to contain very nearly all 

 the Italian work. All that is done in Holland is brought 

 together in the Rcciuil des travaiix chimijue des Pays-Bas. 

 France and Germany, however, each have a variety of journals. 

 In France the prestige of the Academy is such that for some 

 time to come it will probably be difficult to consolidate the 

 interests of French chemists. In Germany, however, the Deutsche 

 chemische Gesellschaft is no longer hampered by the words zu 

 Berlin, which it has boldly dropped, while we still remain the 

 Chemical Society of London in name ; it is to be hoped that in the 

 interests of the scientific world it will ere long acquire and quash 

 the private interests by which other journals are supported. I see 

 no good reason even why journals devoted to special branches 

 of our subject should exist, and I regard the appearance, for 

 example, of a special journal of inorganic chemistry as an un- 

 mitigated evil. Political colouring and a tendency to adopt 

 methods akin to those of the newspaper editor, of which we 

 have had evidence in one of these journals, are most undesirable 

 features in science. Moreover, we cannot afford to buy every- 

 thing ; and no effort should be spared to prevent our being split 

 up into factions and becoming narrow-minded specialists : the 

 more the student of chemistry— and every original worker must 

 be and remain a student throughout his life— is brought directly 

 into contact with the work which is being done in the several 

 departments of his science, the better it will be for him ; he can- 

 not and need not read everything, but do not let us deprive him 

 of the opportunity of easily indulging in a mixed diet, and of ex- 

 ercising his mental faculties generally, while devoting himself 

 specially to some one section of the vast subject which it is the 

 privilege of the chemist to command. 



" To complete my scheme — which I trust is not altogether 

 visionary, for so great is the toleration and sympathy between all 

 true-minded scientific workers that if union be possible in any 

 field of human activity it is possible in the field of science--it 

 will be necessary that the Scandinavian and Danish chemists, 

 say, should unite ; and also that the Russian chemists should 

 give us a ' recueil des travaux chimiques ' in French, so that 

 the world may no longer be deprived of the knowledge of their 

 labours, which we know, from experience, are of high value. 

 .As to America, it would be a great achievement if the political 

 separation of our two nations could be disregarded and we were 

 to unite with our cousins in establishing one journal for the pub- 

 lication of the work of chemists speaking English. There would 

 be no real difficulty in doing this in these days of type-written 

 manuscript, the proof of which need but be revised by the 

 printers' reader. But if motives of expediency render such 

 union impracticable, then it is to be hoped that steps may be 

 taken to make the title American Chemical Journal truly and 

 completely significant. I hope that we shall be successful in 

 arranging to co-operate with all chemists in our own colonies 

 and India. . . . 



" There has been much discussion during the past few months, 

 especially in the columns of Nature, on the question of the 

 publication of physical papers, which, strange to say, is in a 

 very inchoate condition. I feel sure that the pioblem will soon 

 be successfully solved by the Physical Society boldly coming 

 forward and undertaking to do for physics what we have proved 

 can be done for chemistry ; there is no other solution possible. 



