August 20, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



249 



high velocity are imperfectly understood at 

 present. If we assume, however, that the re- 

 actions in the living cell progress rapidly to 

 equilibria, and that in the resting cell, with 

 a plasma membrane offering considerable re- 

 sistance to the passage of CO,, a condition of 

 approximate chemical equilibrium prevails — 

 it is clear that any disturbance of equilibrium, 

 as by a more rapid removal of reaction-prod- 

 ucts (i. e., COj), must be followed by a cor- 

 responding prompt acceleration of the reac- 

 tion concerned. Such a system would respond 

 to variations in the rate of removal of CO^ — 

 i. e., to variations in permeability — in a man- 

 ner which under favorable conditions might 

 well be very sensitive. 



The positive electrical variation during in- 

 hibition (Gaskell) — as well as the negative 

 during stimulation — receives consistent expla- 

 nation on the membraue-theory if the polar- 

 izing electrolyte is assumed to be carbonic 

 (with possibly other) acid. For further dis- 

 cussion the reader is referred to the complete 

 paper in the American Journal of Physiology^ 

 Volume 24, April, 1909, page 14. 



Ralph S. Lillie 



Mabine Bioix)gical Labobatoby, 

 Woods Hole. !Mass., 

 June 15, 1909 



THE FORTIETH GENERAL MEETING OF TEE 

 AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 



The fortieth general meeting of the American 

 Chemical Society was held at the Detroit Central 

 High School from Tuesday, June 29 to July 2, 

 1909. About 300 chemists were present, making 

 this the most largely attended summer meeting 

 in the history of the society. 



On Tuesday evening the visiting chemists en- 

 joyed a complimentary smoker given by the De- 

 troit Society of Chemists. 



On Wednesday afternoon and evening the vis- 

 itors were guests of Parke, Davis & Co. In the 

 afternoon the chemical laboratories were inspected 

 and liuicheon was served in the evening. This was 

 followed by a moonlight ride on the river. 



On Thursday morning a special train carried 

 the visitors to Ann Arbor on the invitation of the 

 regents of the University of Michigan. A sub- 

 scription dinner was given at the Hotel Ponchar- 

 train on Thursday evening. 



On Friday excursions were made to the follow- 



ing manufacturing establishments: Acme Lead 

 and Color Works, paints, white lead by new proc- 

 ess; Morgan & Wright, auto tires and mechanical 

 rubber; Detroit Salt Company, rock salt mine, 

 800 feet deep; Murphy Ice Company, distilled 

 water, artificial ice — ozonizing plant in connec- 

 tion; Peoples' Ice Company, artificial ice plant; 

 Packard Automobile Company; Detroit City Gas 

 Company, manufacturers of illuminating gas; 

 Cadillac Motor Car Company, auto manufac- 

 turers; The Herpicide Company; Goebel Brewing 

 Company; Hiram Walker & Sons, distillery; 

 American Electric Heater Company; Hoskins 

 Manufacturing Company, pyrometers and electric 

 furnaces; Sibley Quarry Company, limestone and 

 sand-lime bricks; Peninsular Engraving Company, 

 engravers and printers; The Clark Wireless Teleg- 

 raphy Company, manufacturers of wireless equip- 

 ment; Berry Brothers, varnish manufacturers; 

 Detroit Iron and Steel Company, blast furnace. 



The following papers were read before the gen- 

 eral meeting: 

 Optical and Quartz Glass; their Chemical and 



Physical Properties: H. E. Howe. 

 The Chemistry of Phosphorescing Solids: Wilder 



D. Bancboft. 



The following papers were read before the Sec- 

 tion of Chemical Education: 

 A Place for Chemistry in the American College: 



Alexandeb Smith. 

 Some Ideals, Some Difficulties and a Compromise 



for a First Course in Chemistry : S. Lawbence 



BiGELOW. 



A First College Course in Chemistry: Abthue 



John Hopkins. 

 College Chemistry heyond the Elementary Course: 



Lauder W. Jones. 

 Laboratory Instruction in Industrial Chemistry: 



Habby JSIcCobmack. 

 Teaching by the Lecture System: Norman A. 



Dubois. 



The following papers were read before the vari- 

 ous sections : 



biological chemistry 



Samuel C. Prescott, chairman 



The Determination of Urea in Urine: F. W. Gill 



and H. S. Gbindley. 



This paper gave the results of a somewhat com- 

 plete comparative study of the Folin, the Benedict- 

 Gephart and the hydrolysis-aeration methods for 

 the determination of urea. The following are the 

 most important conclusions: First, creatinine and 

 hippurie acid are not at all decomposed by heat- 



