620 The Smithsonian Institution 



for Solids and Liquids" (57 pages), both prepared by Pro- 

 fessor Clarke. They are all contained in Volume xiv of the 

 " Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections." 



The chemical laboratory, concerning which mention has 

 already been made, was occupied during 1 873-^6 by Doctor 

 Oscar Loew, the chemist and mineralogist of the Geograph- 

 ical Survey under Lieutenant George M. Wheeler. Besides 

 his work for the Survey, he made analyses of minerals, min- 

 eral waters, and other substances that were referred to the 

 Smithsonian Institution for examination. He was succeeded 

 by Doctor Frederic M. Endlich, the mineralogist of the 

 Institution, who in turn gave way to Frederick W. Taylor. 

 The latter took charge of the laboratory in the autumn of 

 1877, and continued in charge until June, 1884. During his 

 administration many improvements were introduced, espe- 

 cially in 1 88 1, when the entire second floor of the southwest 

 pavilion of the Museum building was assigned to Mr. Taylor 

 for a chemical laboratory, which was then equipped with 

 much new apparatus. The work continued to consist chiefly 

 of the identification of minerals, both for the collections and 

 for persons who sent specimens to the Institution for exam- 

 ination. Still, from time to time questions involving chem- 

 ical research from other departments of the government came 

 to the laboratory for decision. Among those worthy of men- 

 tion was the controversy between the Custom House authori- 

 ties in New York and the importers of Apollinaris water, as 

 to whether the article imported under that name really came 

 uncharged from the springs, or was artificially charged with 

 other substances, especially carbon dioxide. A report on 

 this matter was prepared at the request of the Secretary of 

 the Treasury. During this period the Institution was fre- 

 quently called upon to act as advisor to the departments in 

 securing specialists for investigations too extensive for the 



