TRANSACTIONS OK SECTION B. 577 



the degree of solubility of the glass when vessels composed of diftorent kinds of 

 glass were used. Boiling the water in glass or condensing the steam in glass 

 tube condensers led to the inhibitory effect, but contact of cold distilled water 

 with cold glass did not produce the result. Complications arising from this cause 

 were avoided in later experiments by distilling the water from a copper vessel and 

 condensing the steam in a copper tube condenser. 



The action of distilled water, or of soft waters generally, upon lead may be 

 considerably reduced by dissolving various substances in the water. Sulphuric 

 acid or a sulphate was found to be most efficient for this purpose, carbonic acid 

 and carbonates proved less efficient, lime water was still less effective, and even 

 promoted the action when it was used in larger proportion. 



It has been stated that the action of water upon lead is due to the presence of 

 bacteria or their products. This cause of action was removed in many of the 

 present experiments by using water which had been freely distilled and then boiled 

 for a long time, and by bringing it into contact with lead which had been melted 

 for some time in a sterilised tlask. When air filtered through cotton wool was 

 admitted into the flasks, the action on the lead commenced at once and proceeded 

 to the full extent which is attained when ordinary lead is immersed in ordinary 

 distilled water. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 



The following Papers and Report were read : — 



1. 1 [ydro- Aromatic Comjwunds ivith Single Nucleus. 

 By A. W. Ckosslky, Z>..S'c., Ph.D. — See Reports, p. 120. 



2, The UndesirahUitij of Establishing Standard Analytical Methods. 



By Bertram Blount. 



The author directed attention to the growing tendency at the present time to 

 apply the principle of standardisation in novel directions. lie discussed the 

 utility of standardisation in general, and concluded that while undoubtedly 

 necessary for such things as weights, measures, and money, its desirability for 

 wire and sheet gauges, screw threads, and the like is less incontestable, and the 

 advantage of its application for fixing the dimensions of such structural mate- 

 rials as rails and rolled joists is debateable, Still more doubtful is the value of 

 standardising methods of mechanical testing as used for materials employed in 

 construction. The author holds that in these disputable cases, convenience and 

 expediency should be the sole criterion. The manufacturer is usually in favour 

 of standardisation, but some caution must be exercised in accepting this pre- 

 fers nee as evidence of the merit of the process. The application of the principle 

 of standardisation to chemical analysis was then discussed. An historical resume 

 was given of the attempts which have been made to introduce standard 

 methods of analysis of various materials. The work of the British Association 

 in providing standard samples of steel was dealt with, and a distinction drawn 

 between this undertaking and the establishment of standard methods for the analysis 

 •of steel. Reference was made to the activity of American chemists in promotinn- 

 the use of standard methods of analysis. 



The author considers that the discordant views held by different chemists as to 

 ■the desirability of standardising methods of analysis is due in some degree to 

 want of mutual understanding. There are many arbitrary methods in use, e.g., 

 for the examination of water, oils, milk, butter, asphalte, manures, and feeding- 

 stuffs, whicli should be standardised. True analytical processes, such as the 

 ■determination of all elements, most inorganic compounds, and many well-defined 

 organic bodies, cannot usefully be standardised. The plea for standardisation 

 owes what force it possesses to a confusion of these two bx'anches of work. The 

 -author holds that the selection of a method for the determination of a chemical 



1902. 



p P 



