TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 845 



carbohydrates, and Dr. Morrell is also making important investigations on the same 

 subject. The authors are at present engaged in studying the polyhydric alcohols, 

 and the present communication deals with the results obtained when glycerol is 

 oxidized by hydrogen dioxide iu presence of iron. Practically no result is ob- 

 tained in the absence of ferrous iron, but, in its presence, an energetic reaction 

 sets in, with the production of a liquid which powerfully reduces Fehling's solu- 

 tion in the cold, and which, with phenyl hydrazine, gives an abundant yield of 

 glycerosazone, CjjHji.N^O. The oxidation-product contains therefore either dihy- 

 droxy-acetone, glyceraldehyde, or a mixture of both of these substances [' gly- 

 cerose '], and is now being examined with a view of isolation. 



4. Action of Hydrogen Peroxide on Carbohydrates in the Presence of Iron 

 Salts. By K S. Morrell, M.A.^ Ph.D., and J. M. Crofts, B.A., B.Sc. 



Cross, Bevau, and Smith ' have shown that hydrogen peroxide acts as a mild 

 oxidising agent on glucose in the presence of ferrous sulphate, giving acids, formic, 

 acetic, and probably tartronic, and a substance which reduces Fehling's solution in 

 the cold, and yields with phenyl-hydiaziue in the cold a mixture of osazones. 



The action of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ferrous sulphate on organic 

 acids has furnished important results in the case of tartaric acid, and the method 

 employed by Cross, Bevan, and Smith is on the lines suggested by Fenton.^ 



We have been able to identify the substance, which reduces Fehling's solution 

 in the cold and reacts so readily with phenyl-hydrazine, as glucoson. 



VVe have prepared from the solution methyl-phenyl-glucosazon, and verified the 

 property that this oxyglucose has of reacting easily with organic bases, e.g. (o) 

 tolyldiamine. The glucoson resists the action of ferments, as was found to be the 

 case by Fischer.^ 



The action of the hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron salts is to oxidise 

 the (CHOH) group next to the CHO group in glucose, forming CH0.C0(CH0H)3 

 CH.jOH. With levulose and galactose a similar oxidation probably takes place. 

 The investigation of these substances is in progress. In these two cases we expect 

 to obtain (a) from levulose CH.,OH.CO.CO(CHOH).,CH,OH ; {b) from galactose 

 CH0.C0(CH0H)3CH,0II (galactoson). 



An Experiment illustratinq tlie Effect on the Acetylene Flame of vary- 

 ing Proportions of Carbon Dioxide in the Gas. By Professor J. 

 Emerson Reynolds. 



On a 10- Candle Lamp to be used as a Standard of Light. 

 By A. G. Vernon Harcourt, F.E.S. 



In previous years the author has made several communications to Sections A 

 and B on standard lights. As weight is expressed in grains and length in feet, but 

 a definite piece of brass or platinum is used to represent the grain, and a rule of 

 definite length to represent the foot ; so light is expressed in candles, but some 

 more constant light than a candle-flame is needed to represent the candle. A 

 small air-gas flame, first described to this Section in 1878, has been thus used in 

 inquiries into the standard of light on several occasions since that date. The 

 illuminative value of coal gas has commonly been estimated by comparing the 

 distances at which the light of two candles and that of a standard Argand, con- 

 suming 5 cubic feet of gas per hour and giving a light of about 16 candles, 

 illuminated equally the surface on which they fell. In clear air and with careful 

 measurement of the smaller distance a comparison between a light of 16 candles 



' C. S. J. 1898, 7.^, 463. - C. S. J. 1894, 65, 899 ; C. S. J. 1896, 09, 546. 



' Her. vol. xxii. p. 89. 



