April 3, 1902] 



NATURE 



527 



and the coefficient, a, almost universally is negative. But if a 

 magnet be constructed of pianoforte steel wire, or large enough 

 dimension ratio, then the coefficient is positive and the magnet 

 gains in magnetism as the temperature rises. An attempt to 

 trace the cause of this abnormal behaviour of pianoforte steel 

 has led to a complete experimental investigation of the tempera- 

 ture coefficient of a magnet. Experiments on this wire when in 

 the commercial drawn state, in the annealed condition, and when 

 gla.ss hard showed that it was only in the first state that an 

 incremental coefficient exhibited itself, and it thus appeared 

 that the drawing was responsible for the abnormal behaviour of 

 the pianoforte wire. Samples of such wire were then obtained 

 representing every stage in the manufacture from the rolled rod 

 through annealing and tempering to the utmost stage of 

 drawing, and from experiments on them it was demonstrated 

 that the positive coefficient was developed by moderate drawing, 

 but that extreme drawing tended to reduce it to zero. 



The intensity of residual magnetism is' remarkably increased 

 by drawing, so that at last it is 200 per cent, greater than at 

 first. 



The relation of the curves of magnetisation of a very long thin 

 wire of drawn steel, when cold and when hot, was next traced, 

 and is highly interesting, as the susceptibility hot is always 

 greater than the susceptibility cold even at maximum intensity, 

 and it is not until the demagnetising force has been applied that 

 the curves intersect ; with iron and ordinary steel, the inter- 

 section of the curves is always on the ascending path. The 

 temperature coefficient of induced and residual magnetism was 

 examined at a number of points on the upward and downward 

 curve for both drawn steel and iron, and it appears that the 

 incremental coefficient in the drawn steel is largest, and the 

 decremental coefficient in iron is least, when the susceptibiUty 

 is a maximum, and in general the coefficient varies with the 

 susceptibility. Another interesting observation is that after 

 partial demagnetisation, heating and cooling restore some of the 

 lost magnetism, and even when the whole of the magnetism is 

 removed and an inverse magnetism of small intensity is im- 

 pressed by the reversed force, heating and cooling clear this out 

 and restore some of the original magnetism. The bearing of 

 these experiments on the construction of magnets of constant 

 intensity is pointed out. Observations extending over several 

 years are given on four magnets of drawn steel. 



In part ii. the relation of drawing to resistivity, to Young's 

 modulus, and to density is traced. Resistivity is diminished 

 by moderate drawing, but extreme traction again increases it ; 

 the temperature coefficient of resistivity is affected inversely to 

 the resistivity. Young's modulus increases with moderate 

 drawing and sharply declines with extreme traction ; its 

 temperature coefficient behaves inversely, so that when the 

 modulus is large the coefficient is small, and conversely. 



Density increases throughout with traction to the last stage 

 and is then 8 grams per cubic centimetre. Magnetic intensity 

 and density seem to be closely related, varying proportionally 

 over a considerable range, so that the ratio of magnetic moment 

 to the mass approaches a constant. 



Chemical Society, March 19. — Prof. Emerson Reynolds, 

 V.P.R.S., in the chair.- — Nitrogen chlorides containing the 

 propionyl group, by Dr. Chattaway. A description of chloro- 

 derivatives o( propionanilide obtained by the interaction of hypo- 

 chlorous acid with propionyl derivatives of aniline. — The 

 constitution of the metallic cyanides as deduced from their 

 synthetic interactions. The constitution of hydrogen cyanide, 

 by Mr. J. Wade. The formation of both organic nitriles and iso- 

 nitriles by ihe interaction of alkyl halides with metallic cyanides 

 seems to imply that the latter may in some cases have either of 

 the constitutions R.CN and R.N:C. The author adopts an 

 extended form of Nel's explanation for this reaction, which 

 assumes that the metallic cyanides are really isocyanides, and 

 that the formation of nitriles on interaction with alkyl halides 

 only occurs where the metal is highly positive and its isocyanide 

 capable of forming an intermediate addition compound with 

 the alkyl halide. — The absorption spectra of metallic nitrates, 

 i., by Prof. Hartley, F. R.S. The author has investigated the 

 absorption spectra of various nitrates in dilute aqueous solution. 

 A full discussion of the results will be given in a later paper. — 

 A method of determining the ratio of distribution of a base 

 between two acids, by Messrs Dawson and Grant. An aqueous 

 solution of the base and the acids is shaken with an unmiscible 

 solvent capable of extracting one of the four possible substances 

 present in the mixture. From the amount 'so removed 



NO. 1692, VOL. 65] 



the concentration of that substance in the solution can 

 be determined and indirectly the amount in combination. — 

 The molecular complexity of acetic acid in chloroform solution, 

 by Mr. H. M. Dawson. A study of the way in which acetic 

 acid distributes itself between chloroform and water with in- 

 creasing dilution leads the author to believe that a gradual 

 dissociation of the double molecules occurs with dilution. — The 

 existence of polyiodides in nitrobenzene solution, by Messrs. 

 Dawson and Gawler. In studying the ratio of distribution of 

 iodine between the two solvents nitrobenzene and aqueous 

 solution of potassium iodine, it was found that nitrobenzene 

 containing iodine dissolves considerable amounts of potassium 

 iodide due to the formation of polyiodides of potassium. — Deri- 

 vatives of a-aminocamphoroxime, by Dr. Lapworth and Mr. 

 Harvey. A description of salts and other derivatives of this 

 oxime. — Preparation of sulphamide from ammonium amido- 

 sulphite, by Prof. Divers, F. R.S., and Mr. Ogawa. When 

 ammonium amidosulphite is slowly heated to about 70° C, it 

 yields about 10 per cent, of sulphamide. — Hypoiodous acid, by 

 Mr. R. L. Taylor. The author finds that the amount of hypo- 

 iodous acid formed by the interaction of iodine and mercuric 

 oxide depends to some extent on the fineness of division of the 

 iodine, precipitated iodine furnishing 44 to 52 per cent, of the 

 possible yield, whilst j*(;7W.;^c'</ iodine gives only small amounts. 

 — Synthesis of imino-ethers, by Dr. G. D. Lander. A descrip- 

 tion of N-aryl benzimino-ethers produced by the interaction of 

 aromatic imide chlorides and sodium alcoholates. — Nitration of 

 .>>'/«.trihalogenacetaniUdes, by Dr. Orton. A description of 

 substances obtained by the action of nitric acid on y/w.tribrom- 

 acetanilide and chlordibromacetanilide. — Purpurogallin, by 

 Messrs. A. G. Perkin and A. B. Steven. A description of 

 various derivatives and decomposition products of this sub- 

 stance, obtained in oxidising pyrogallol. — Quercetazetin, by 

 Mr. A. G. Perkin. The flowers of the African marigold 

 Tageteo patiila contain a crystalline yellow colouring-matter 

 of the formula C.,-Ho.,Oi3, to which the above name was given 

 by Latour and Magnier de la Source in 1S77. Its composition 

 is now found to be better represented by the simpler formula 

 CisHjnOg ; it furnishes like pyrone derivatives a sulphate and a 

 potassium compound, and when fused with potash yields ptoto- 

 catechuic acid and an unidentified phenol. 



MaN'CHESTER. 



Literary and Philosophical Society, March 18. — Mr. 

 Charles Bailey, president, in the chair. — Mr. J. E. King read 

 the second and concluding part of his paper on the folk-lore of 

 the North American Indians, from the Jesuit relations (161 1 to 

 1637). This described funeral rites. The bodies of the dead, 

 he said, were first buried in village cemeteries, but after eight 

 or ten years a great "Feast of the Dead" was held, and the 

 bones were reburied in a grave common to many villages. 

 After the second burial, the soul went away to the village of the 

 dead in the west. As with other savages, the burial ceremonies 

 implied two feelings, namely, fear of the ghost and desire to 

 maintain a bond of union with the kindred dead. Burial and 

 cremation were said to imply different ideas as to the future of 

 the soul after death, but this was not illustrated by Indian 

 beliefs, for the Indians buried their dead and also believed in 

 their continued existence in another world. They also held the 

 doctrine of metempsychosis, as was shown in the practice of 

 resuscitating dead chiefs by passing on their names to living 

 representatives. The Canadian Indians had a special form of 

 burial for children who died in infancy ; so had the ancient 

 Romans, and so had the Hindus, West Africans, and other 

 tribes and nations. The Hindus and Maoris, however, re- 

 garded the spirit of an infant with dread. The Canadians and 

 other nations looked upon such spirits as helpless and pitiable, 

 and the mode of burial adopted indicated a belief in rebirth. 

 The paper concluded with a quotation from Lescarbots, written 

 in 1612, which anticipated the doctrine of survival in culture. — 

 Mr. R. F. Gwyther read a paper on the conditions which 

 determine the rate of propagation of an earth tremor. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, March 24.— M. Bouquet de la 

 Grye in the chair. — On a non-suppurative form of osteomyelitis, 

 by M. Lannelongue. Although acute osteomyelitis is ordinarily 

 accompanied by the staphylococcus discovered by Pasteur in 

 certain rare forms of the disease, the symptoms of which are 



