962 Transactions of the American Institute. 



caustic baryta. The precipitate, suspended in water, is thus decora- 

 posed by carbonic acid. 



An interesting explanation was given regarding the formation 

 of nitrous gas during the fermentation of beet juice, which is a 

 great annoyance to manufacturers. Various opinions are entertained 

 regarding the cause of this formation; it is prevented by the use 

 of sulphuric acid. An improved method of making pyrogallic 

 from gallic acid was explained. Prof. Vanderweyde remarked that 

 the subject was of considerable importance to photographers, who 

 used large quantities of pyi-ogallic acid in developing pictures. 



An interesting triumph in synthetical chemistry was next referred 

 to. By simple additions, carbonic acid was converted to oxalic acid 

 in combinations. Oxalate of soda had been made by Dr. Dreschsel, 

 by subjecting sodium to a current of carbonic acid gas, and then 

 of common air. The interesting experiments of Eeiset were 

 described, by which he showed that the carburetted hydrogen 

 exhaled by calves and sheep was the result of incomplete combus- 

 tion of vegetable food. 



The subject which elicited the most interesting debate was the 

 vitiation of air by stoves. The Chairman said some unwarrantable 

 conclusions had been drawn from the experiments of Deville and 

 Froost, proving that hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carbonic acid 

 gases can permeate and pass through cast iron. An epidemic in 

 Savoy had actually been ascribed, by some foreign journals, to the 

 passage of gases through cast iron heaters. It was, however, quite 

 probable that such stoves were used in small and badly ventilated 

 rooms. In this country, many stoves for burning petroleum and 

 common gas were now in use, which discharged the gaseous pro- 

 ducts of combustion directly into the room, and unless such room 

 was well ventilated, pernicious effects must follow. Of course, the 

 same ojection could be raised to -an excessive use of gas burners. 

 The latest improvement is to place rows of burners near the ceiling 

 in churches, theatres and public buildings, so that the gaseous pro- 

 ducts, while still hot, will pass rapidly up into the ventilating shaft. 



Dr. Rowell made some interesting comments on heating by means 

 of stoves as compared with the old fiishioned fire-place, and illus- 

 trated on the blackboard some of TyndalFs experiments on the 

 radiation of heat. 



UNIVERSOLOGY. 



A paper was then read by Mr. Stephen Pearl Andrews, upon a 

 jiew science under the name of " Universology," which had received 



