246 



NATURE 



{7 071. 13, 1 88 1 



triaceton-alcamine ; benzal-diacetonamine ; amido-tri- 

 methyl-oxybutyro-nitrile resulting from the action of prus- 

 sic acid on diacetonamine ; and amido-dimethyl-acetic 

 acid, obtained by the oxidation of diacetonamine ; while a 

 paper published a few months since describes a new 

 aceton base containing sulphur. Prof. Heintz's activity 

 was manifested up to within a few months of his death. 

 In addition to the paper just alluded to his contributions 

 to chemical literature during the year juit closed include 

 articles on triaceton-diamine, on the existence of aceto- 

 nine, on two compounds of urea with chloride of gold, 

 and on diethidene lactamic acid. 



Prof. Heintz was the recipient in 1862 of thehoiiorary 

 degree of M.D. from the University of Konigsberg in 

 recognition of his services to physiological chemistry. In 

 1876 he was elected an honorary member of the London 

 Chemical Society. T. H. N. 



SMOKE ABA TEAfENT 



A MEETING was held in the Egyptian Hall at the 

 Mansion House on Friday last, under the presi- 

 dency of the Lord Mayor, to consider the best means of 

 remedying the evils arising from the present smoky 

 condition of the atmosphere of London. Among those 

 present were Mr. G. J. Shaw-Lefevre, M.P. (First Com- 

 missioner of Works), Mr. W. Spo:tiswoode (President of 

 the Royal Society), Dean Stanley, Sir U. Kay-Shuttle- 

 worth, Ur. Farcjuharson, M.P., Mr. Ernest Hart (Chair- 

 man of the joint committee of the Health and Kyrle 

 Societies), Col. Festing, R.E., Dr. Alfred Carpenter, and 

 Prof. Chandler Roberts. 



Mr. Ernest Hart, in explaining the objects of this 

 movement, said that some practical advance had already 

 been made. It was not pretended that fogs could be 

 prevented; but since smoke added opaqueness and cor- 

 rosive and other deleterious qualities to London fogs, 

 much might be done to diminish the discomforts and 

 evils we suffered from this cause. Having described the 

 objects proposed to be attained by an exhibition of 

 apparatus and smokeless fuel, he gave the results of some 

 calculations in order to bring home to the minds of his 

 heaj-ers the enormous waste of money involved in the 

 present arrangements for heating houses. 



Mr. Spottiswoode stated that a committee of the Royal 

 Society had been appointed to investigate the facts con- 

 nected with the formation of fog ; but while we looked to 

 science to tell us what was wanted to improve our atmo- 

 sphere, we looked to the legislature to carry out those 

 effectual preventive measures which all hoped would some 

 day or other be devi>ed. Nevertheless, without the 

 strenuous aid and co-operation of every householder the 

 best legislation could be turned to but little account. In 

 conclusion he moved, " That it is the opinion of this 

 meeting that the smoky condition of the atmosphere of 

 London injuriously affects the health and happiness of 

 the community, besides destro)ing public buildings, 

 deteriorating perishable fabrics, and entailing in various 

 ways unnecessary expenditure." 



Sir Frederick Pollock seconded the resolution, and 

 urged that much might be done if every one who had an 

 old fire-grate to replace would provide one of an approved 

 and really more economical pattern. 



Mr. G.J. Shaw-Lefevre moved, "That this meeting is 

 further of opinion that the injurious effects of fog are 

 largely due to the quantities of smoke given forth from 

 the chimneys of furnaces, manufactories, and steam- 

 vessels, as well as dwelling-houses, and that the smoke in 

 the metropolis might, without any considerable difficulty, 

 be greatly lessened by the better enforcement of the 

 existing law, by the introduction of amended legislation, 

 and by the general use in all descriptions of premises, 

 including duelhng-plai.e*, of proper smoke-preventing 

 apparatus, improved householrl stoves and grates, or ol 



smokeless fuel." As the head of the public department 

 responsible for the public works of this great metropolis, 

 he need hardly assure those present that he was deeply 

 impressed with the importance of the subject under dis- 

 cussion. The importance of pure water was often insisted 

 upon, but surely pure air was even more important. Vet, 

 for years past, it must be admitted that the air of London 

 had been getting worse, and fogs were denser and of 

 longer duration than formerly, even invading the summer 

 months. There could be no doubt that forty or fifty 

 years ago London was famous for its roses ; now it was 

 impossible to get the rose to blossom here, and it was all 

 but impossible to get any of the conifers to grow in the 

 darkness of the London atmosphere. He should, bow- 

 ever, deprecate any hasty attempts to legislate. Much 

 might be done by the extension of the existing Acis 

 relating to the abatement of the nuisance from smoke, 

 and he thought Government might be rightly called upon 

 to give some additional facilities for the purpose of 

 enforcing those Acts. It was monstrous that in these 

 days so many factories should not be consuming their 

 own smoke, and, since there was a great economy in the 

 use of appliances which prevented this waste of fuel, 

 there was no hardship in enforcing the Act. When they 

 came to the question of the domestic consumption, he 

 thought it would not be wise to attempt to interfere 

 by any legislation. They must rather trust to per- 

 suasion and example and inducements. His own hope 

 was in the introduction of some other heat-giving appa- 

 ratus. Doubtless the substitution of anthracite for north- 

 country coal would be an advantage ; but he did not see 

 the means of persuading the enormous mass of house- 

 holders to use the smokeless coal unless it could be dis- 

 tinctly proved to them that there would be economy in 

 the change. He would suggest that it might be worth 

 while for the gas companies to turn their attention to the 

 production of gas for heating purposes. He could not 

 help thinking that the time was not very far distant when 

 not only our streets and public buildings, but also our 

 private houses, would be lighted by electricity. There 

 were non-luminous gases suitable for heating purposes, 

 which might be made at a much less cost than the gas at 

 present supplied for lighting. From a friend he had 

 learnt that water-gas, which could be made at a low rate, 

 was used in many towns in America for heating purposes. 

 Every one could do something to help forward this good 

 work of abating smoke, and for himself he would promise 

 to use his efforts in the department with which he was 

 connected to diminish the nuisance from smoke. When 

 he mentioned that some 20,000 tons of coal were pur- 

 chased annually by the department, the meeting would 

 appreciate the extent to which the public offices added to 

 the smoke in the atmosphere of the metropolis. He 

 hoped the time would not be far distant when they would 

 have restored the atmosphere of London to its early 

 purity, the blossom to our Lon'-Jon roses, and the bloom 

 to the cheeks ot our London children. 



Dr. Alfred Carpenter urged that this was a question 

 particularly affecting the middle class and the poor, the 

 waste of fuel at present being deplorable. He moved 

 " That this meeting approves the proposal of the joint 

 Committee of the National Health and Kyrle Societies 

 to hold an exhibition, by permission of Her Majesty's 

 Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 and the other 

 authorities, in buildings erected for the International Ex- 

 hibition of 1862, of the various smokeless coals and other 

 fuels, and of various appliances applicable to household 

 and manufacturing purposes for the reduction of smoke, 

 and to test the same, in order to demonstrate for public 

 information the means practically available to secure that 

 object. This meeting is of opinion that the investigation 

 and testing should precede any application for amend- 

 ment of the existing Smoke Acts, or for new legislation 

 in regard to smoke Irom dw cllirg. houses." 



