546 REPORT— 1889. 



question — On which side of a given line or plane is a certain atom situated ? A 

 solution of this question, although important, is by no means a final solution of the 

 far more difficult question of the space relationships of the atoms in a molecule. 



5. On the Reaciion of Benzoquinone with Potassium Cyanide. 

 By S. A. Sworn, B.A., Assoc.B.C.Sc.I. 



Hydrocyanic acid does not form a compound with benzoquinone. The latter 

 body, however, readily combines with potassium cyanide to form a dark green 

 body, which is obtainable only in aqueous solution. One molecule of the quinone 

 combines with one of the cyanide. Anthraquinone does not form such a compound. 

 Hydrocyanic acid (but no quinone) is given off when the solution is boiled, and 

 quinone is liberated by the addition of silver niti'ate solution. 



6. A neio White Lead. By J. B. Hannat, F.B.S.E. 



The author gave some details of the various steps which he has taken in the 

 perfecting of his process for making a pure amorphous sulphate of lead from galena, 

 by volatilising and oxidising the sulphide of lead to sulphate in one operation. The 

 problem of condensing the fumes had first to be efficiently solved, because, although 

 some condensors had condensed a large proportion of the fume given off by lead ore, 

 they allowed sufficient to escape to cause a nuisance. A condeusor was constructed 

 by which the mixed fume and air were caused to pass horizontally through water, 

 and during the passage the gases were broken up and scrubbed free from the solid 

 fume. Over mauj' months the escape was only 02 per cent, of the lead fume in 

 the mixed gases. 



The method of making the white consists in volatilising the galena by a blast 

 of air from live coke and fully oxidising the fume in an outer combustion chamber, 

 where the carbonic oxide from the coke is also oxidised to carbonic acid by excess 

 of air. The fumes are then collected, washed, and dried, thus forming a fine 

 powder ready for mixing with oil. 



The work is entirely innocuous to the workmen, and after several inspections 

 the works have been exempted from the ' Lead Acts.' 



7. The half of the Hydrogen atom regarded as a primordial or formative 

 element; and the representation of the Chemical JEllements hy Physical forms 

 on that basis ; with models of the 25 elements from hydrogen to nickel 

 constructed in accordance therewith. By Isaac Ashe, M.D., T.C.D. 



If we assume that an element of any given valency is made up of a correspond- 

 ing number of similar component parts, and if, accordingly, we divide its combining 

 weight by the number representing its valency, we shall find that the fraction -5 

 in relation to H = 1 presents itself with very remarkable frequency. 



Thus among the monads the combining weights of chlorine and iodine are 35'5 

 and 126'5 respectively. And among the dyads, dividing their combining weight 

 by 2, we get the following quotients : Be = 4 5; Zn = 32-5; Se = 39-5; Sr = 43'5; 

 Te = 62-5 ; Ba = 68-5 ; Yb = 86-5. That is to say, in order to obtain integer quo- 

 tients we must double the combining weight in each case. 



With the triads we obtain in many cases a remainder of 2 when we divide the 

 combming weight by 3, as in B = ll; N = 14; ¥ = 89; In = 113; Sb = 122; 

 Ta = 182 ; Tl = 203. This remainder, 2, cannot be correlated with any tripartite 

 system ; but if we double the combining weight of the triads, as of the dyads, we 

 get a remainder 1 on dividing by 3. And 1 can be correlated with a tripartite 

 system by making it the central axis thereof. 



The tetrads are a very regular group, usually presenting integer quotients when 

 divided by 4; but Zirconium = 90, and Sn = 118, present this same fraction "5 in 

 their quotients ; and Co and Ni, each = 58-5, yield, like the triads, an integer re- 

 mainder, 1, on doubling their combining weight and then dividing. 



