28 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LVI, No. 1486 



of Sands calculated from entirely different data. 

 No measurable difference could be found between 

 the conductivities of 0.001 and 0.0001 normal 

 nitric acid and the conductivities of solutions 

 ■which were 0.001 or 0.0001 normal for both nitric 

 and hypochloTous acids. In other words, the 

 ionization of hj^poehlorous acid as a base, to posi- 

 tive chlorine and hydroxyl ions, can not be shown 

 by this method. It was shown by determining 

 the composition of the vapors carried away from 

 solutions of pure hypochlorous acid by a current 

 of air that these contain chlorine monoxide, Cl^O, 

 and not hj-poehlorous acid, HCIO. The chlorine 

 monoxide is evidently formed by the union of posi- 

 tive chlorine ions -with hypochlorite ions, showing 

 very clearly the amphoteric ionization of the acid. 

 Jakowkin has shown by the freezing point lower- 

 ing that solutions of hypochlorous acid contain 

 chiefly the unionized acid. 



The ionization of iutyl mercuric hydroxide: 

 W. V. Evans and Loxjise Otis. It is generally 

 stated in the literature that substances of the type 

 EHgOH are strong bases, but no experimental 

 data exist. Preliminary conductivity measure- 

 ments show that butyl mercuric hydroxide is a 

 weak base. Because of its hygroscopic nature 

 weighing out samples is unsatisfactory. Ordinary 

 titration of the base offered diffieulties which were 

 overcome by adding sodium chloride, thus precipi- 

 tating out butyl mercuric chloride and leaving 

 NaOH to be titrated. Molecular weight deter- 

 minations by the freezing point method showed 

 ionization varying from about 10 per cent, in .IN 

 solution to about 40 per cent, in .02N. This pre- 

 liminary study has shown several interesting 

 properties of the base. A trace of the base in 

 water changes the surface tension of the water in 

 such a way that the solution does not wet glass. 

 A solution of butyl bicarbonate on boiling loses 

 all of its carbon dioxide, leaving a solution of 

 the pure base. 



Ammono nitric acid: Edwakd C. Franklin. 

 Assuming a structure represented by the formula 



H-N-N-N hydrazoie acid may be looked upon as a 

 nitric acid of the ammonia system. In agreement 

 with this view it has been found first, that a mix- 

 ture of hydrazoie acid and hydrochloric acid dis- 

 solves the noble metals; second, that sodium oxide 

 (sodium ammono nitrate) nitridizes sodium 

 cyanide (sodium ammono carbonite) to sodium 

 cyanamide (sodium ammono carbonate) ; third, 

 that potassium nitrate (potassium aquo nitrate) 

 may be ammonolyzed to potassium oxide (potas- 



sium ammono nitrate) ; and fourth, that nitroui 

 oxide (a mixed acid anhydride acid anammonide) 

 reacts with potassium hydroxide to form potassium 

 nitrate. 



The drainage error in viscosity 'measurements 

 of viscous materials by the capillary tube method: 

 Eugene C. Bingham and H. L. Young. Tests 

 with bulbs of 8 to 24 ml capacity show that the 

 amounts of liquid left on the wall of the bulb 

 for a given time of efflux are nearly independent 

 of the size of the bulb, but they are directly in 

 proportion to the viscosity of the liquid. The 

 authors have constructed a tube which shows the 

 drainage correction for any particular viscosity 

 at the different rates of efflux. 



Hydrogen ion concentration and the properties 

 of the emulsoid colloids: Eobeet H. Bogue. It is 

 shown that the various physical properties of the 

 emulsoid colloids, as viscosity, jelly strength, 

 melting point and joining strength (of glues) are 

 at a minimum at a hydrogen ion concentration 

 corresponding to the isoelectric condition. As the 

 acidity or the alkalinity of the solution is 

 increased from this point, these properties rise in 

 value to certain maxima. It is shown that salt 

 precipitations for gelatin content should be made 

 at the isoelectric condition if maximum precipi- 

 tation is desired. The necessity for a careful con- 

 trol of hydrogen ion concentration in investiga- 

 tional work on the emulsoid colloids is empha- 

 sized, and the desirability Of a similar control in 

 the plant during manufacture is pointed out. 

 The limitation of benefit from such control makes 

 questionable, however, the practicability of such 

 methods for the purpose of the improvement of 

 grade. The estimation of hydrogen ion concen- 

 tration as one of the tests in evaluation is urged, 

 but it is not recommended that all tests for vis- 

 cosity, jelly strength, etc., be made at a specified 

 Pjj value. 



The elasticity of ash-free gelatin jellies: S. E. 

 Sheppard and S. S. Sweet. In an earlier paper 

 on ' ' The elastic properties of gelatin jellies ' ' the 

 authors gave results on the measurement of the 

 modulus of rigidity of gelatin jellies from com- 

 mercial gelatins, at various concentrations and 

 p values. Certain anomalous results were ob- 

 tained on variation of Pjj. It was suspected later 

 that these anomalies might depend upon the (inor- 

 ganic) ash constituents, and elastic measurements 

 have been repeated on carefully de-ashed gelatin 

 at various concentrations and p^^ values. The new 

 results show that for this purified gelatin a maxi- 

 mum of rigidity (jelly-strength) is obtained at 



