September 22, 1910] 



NATURE 



389 



part of Ihe gases could be easily detected. No action what- 

 ever was observed, although the substances were left in 

 contact for two months. .-\ further experiment showed 

 that, as was to be expected, very dry air undergoes electro- 

 merism when subjected to the action of radium. Two 

 more tubes were then set up, similar to the first, contain- 

 ing mixtures of carbon monoxide and oxygen, one very 

 dry and the other containing traces of moisture, and 

 although the radium bromide was in contact with them 

 for more than three months, not the slightest contraction 

 could be observed. In these cases, therefore, electromerism 

 produces no chemical change. 



There was, however, a possibility that electromerism 

 might bring about a chemical action in a mixture of gases 

 which was under conditions which were nearly, but not 

 quite, suitable for chemical action to take place. The 

 gaseous mixtures mentioned only combine, even when 

 moist, at a red heat. Since the experiments were done at 

 20°, they only show that electromerism does not produce 

 chemical action in gases which are otherwise unable to 

 combine. 



There remained the possibility that if gases were just on 

 the point of combining, increasing the electromerism might 

 accelerate the rate of action. I sought for a case of simple 

 chemical union which would proceed at a manageable 

 temperature, and at a rate which could be measured. Of 

 those tried, the reaction between hydrogen and nitrous oxidi 

 was found to be the most suitable. The gases used were 

 as pure as possible, but dried only by passing througl 

 phosphorus pentoxide tubes. They were found to combine 

 with great uniformity when heated in clean Jena glas 

 tubes to 530°. An electric resistance furnace was used, 

 consisting of a wide silica tube which formed the heated 

 chamber. It is known that many substances when heated 

 produce electromers in a gas ; lime is fairly efficient, thoria 

 more so, and, of course, radium bromide most of all. In 

 the first experiment two tubes of the same Jena glass, con- 

 taining the hydrogen and nitrous oxide mixture, were 

 heated side by side. One contained some lime, and in 

 order to make the conditions as similar as possible an 

 equal quantity of powdered Jena glass was introduced into 

 the other. As soon as the requisite temperature was 

 reached, the action proceeded rapidly in the tube contain- 

 ing lime, the rate in the first five minutes being five times 

 the rate of combination in the tube containing only 

 powdered glass. After fifteen minutes the second tube had 

 caught up the first, and the rates of union were equal up 

 to the completion of the action. With thoria the effect 

 was still more marked, the rate increasing to twenty times 

 the rate in the tube containing the glass. Finally, about 

 2 mg. of radium bromide was heated in the mixture of 

 gases. As soon as the combining temperature was reached, 

 the gases in the radium bromide tube exploded. 



From these three experiments it is seen that, as the 

 amount of electromerism was increased, there was a rapid 

 increase in chemical action. 



I have recently been able to show that if the union of 

 carbon monoxide and oxygen takes place in a strong 

 electric field, which has the effect of removing electromers, 

 the chemical action is diminished. Similar experiments 

 are in progress with the mixture of hydrogen and chlorine, 

 combining under the influence of light. 



The next experiment tried illustrates one way in which 

 the electromerism of a gas may bring about chemical 

 change. Hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide can be 

 mixed at the ordinary temperature in presence of traces of 

 moisture, but in presence of liquid water decomposition 

 takes place into sulphur and water. The gases were dried 

 before mixing by calcium chloride, which leaves about 

 4 mg. of water vapour per litre in the gas. After mixing, 

 a small open silica tube containing about 2 mg. of dried 

 radium bromide was introduced. After six hours no 

 apparent change had taken place in the gas ; there was no 

 deposit of sulphur on the sides of the jar, and it seemed 

 at first as if no action had been produced. On opening 

 the jar, however, an inrush of air was noticed, and the 

 contents were almost odourless. On heating the radium 

 tube a large quantity of water was driven off, and a copious 

 sublimate of sulphur was seen. The whole of the sTaseous 

 contents of the jar had condensed in the small tube con- 

 taining the radium bromide. The explanation of this 



NO. 2134, VOL. 84] 



action of radium bromide is probably simple. Water 

 vapour condenses on the electromers emitted, liquid drops 

 are formed, and in them the chemical action takes place.' 



Prof. Townsend has recently published an account of 

 some experiments in which he has shown that there is a 

 very marked decrease in the mobility of negative electromers 

 in the presence of an amount of water vapour represented 

 by a pressure of i/ioth mm. The air, in his experiments, 

 was subjected to the action of Rontgen rays. 



It is concluded that water in a form approaching to 

 that of a drop is condensed on the electron even when a 

 very small quantity is present. If this deposition of water 

 molecules on electromers goes on when the amount of 

 water present is still smaller, the theory of Sir J. J. 

 Thomson affords a satisfactory explanation of the influence 

 of moisture on chemical change, since some electromers 

 are always present in ordinary gases. 



LNIXERSIT^ AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



The Lancet states that the University of Bristol is to 

 receive the sum of 1000/. from the estate of the late Miss 

 J. L. Woodward for the foundation of a scholarship in 

 music or liotany, to be known as the " Vincent Stuckey 

 Lean Scholarship." 



It is proposed that the Congress of the Universities of 

 the Empire shall be held in London in June, 1912, and a 

 meeting of the Vice-Chancellors of the British universities 

 is to take place in November next with the object of 

 drawing up a provisional scheme of subjects to be dis- 

 cussed at the congress, which scheme will then be sub- 

 mitted to the overseas universities for suggestions. 



.An Institute of Colonial Medicine has been established 

 in connection with the faculty of medicine of the University 

 of Paris. The first session will begin on October 13 and 

 end at the close of the year. The following courses of 

 instruction are announced : — Technical bacteriology and 

 hajmatology, by Prof. Roger ; parasitology, by Prof. 

 Blanchard ; surgery in tropical countries, by Dr. Morestin ; 

 ophthalmic affections, by Dr. Lapersonne ; general 

 epidemiology, by Prof. Chantemesse ; tropical pathology 

 and tropical hygiene, by Dr. Wurtz ; and dermatology, by 

 Prof. Gaucher in collaboration with Dr. Jeanselme. 



.\ttention has been directed here from time to time 

 to the movement in this country to establish universities 

 in China. We learn from the Times of September 13 

 that the success of the proposed Hong Kong University 

 seems assured. Sir Frederick Lugard, the Governor of 

 Hong Kong, has taken a prominent part in demonstrating 

 the advantages likely to accrue from the undertaking, and 

 he has been generously assisted by large contributions 

 from the leading Chinese and others in the colony. Sir 

 Hormusji Mody has offered to erect the buildings, what- 

 ever their cost (estimated at about 30,000;.), in accordance 

 with the approved plans. Dr. Ho Kai, C.M.G., has given 

 18,000;. ; Mr. J. H. Scott, senior partner of Messrs. 

 Butterfield and Swire, has announced a gift of 40,000;. 

 on behalf of his own and allied firms ; and the Central 

 Government at Peking has sent a substantial contribution. 

 The bare minimum sum required has now been practically 

 raised, and Sir Frederick Lugard and his helpers are 

 appealing to the British public for the amount required to 

 make the University worthy of British prestige. It may 

 be pointed out that though there is no antagonism between 

 them, there is no connection between this scheme and 

 that associated with Oxford and Cambridge for the 

 establishment of a university at Hankau, on the Yang- 

 tsze. 



The annual meeting of the Institution of Mining 

 Engineers was held at the University College, Notting- 

 ham, last week. In welcoming the members. Sir Joseph 

 Bright, chairman of the council of the college, said they 

 hoped in the near future to establish a chair of mining 



1 I have invariably noticed that water collects in tubes containing 

 radium preparations exposed to nndried air. The salts are not at all de- 

 liquescent, the crystals aopearing quite sharp-edged under the microscope. 

 I found that 10 mg. of radium bromide exposed to an atmosphere saturated 

 at o' for two days caused a deposition of water on its surface weighing 



