158 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1337 



silver protein solution failed to relieve the 

 condition. However, when as little as 1 to 2 

 per cent, of an extract containing the so- 

 called fat-soluble A vitamine was added to 

 the ration, the eyes were speedily cured 

 and the rats increased in weight, indicating 

 that this extract was a specific cure for 

 xerophthalmia. 



We therefore agree with McCollum, that 

 xerophthalmia is primarily a dietary deficiency 

 disease, due to a lack of the fat-soluble vita- 

 mine. The certainty of the prevalence of the 

 disease depends on the high purity of the 

 essentials that enter into the ration, and on 

 the length of time of feeding, younger ani- 

 mals showing the symptoms much sooner 

 than older ones. 



Acknowledgement should be made of the 

 assistance rendered by Miss Marguerite 

 Sturtevant in carrying on this project. 



A. D. Emmett 



Biological Research Laboratory, 

 Parke, Davis & Company, 

 Detroit, Mich. 



THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 



The fifty-ninth meeting of the American Chem- 

 ical Soeiety was held at St. Louis, Mo., Monday, 

 April 12, to Friday, April 16, 1920. The council 

 meeting was held on the 12th, a general meeting on 

 the 13th, both in the morning and in the after- 

 noon, divisional meetings all day Wednesday and 

 on Thursday morning, and excursions Thursday 

 afternoon and Friday. Full details of the meet- 

 ing and program will be found in the May issue of 

 the Journal of Ind^istrial and Engineering Chem- 

 istry. The registration was slightly over one 

 thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five enjoying 

 the smoker. 



General public addresses were given by Paul W. 

 Brown, editor and publisher of "America at 

 Work," on "The Physical Basis for the Econom- 

 ical Development of the Mississippi Valley," by 

 Chas. H. Herty on "Victory and its Responsibili- 

 ties." The chief public address was given in the 

 assembly room at the Central High School on 

 "Chemical Warfare" by Colonel Amos A. Fries, 

 director of the Chemical Warfare Service. 



The following divisions and sections met: Agri- 

 cultural and Food, Biological, Industrial Chemists 

 and Chemical Engineers, Organic, Pharmaceutical, 



Physical and Inorganic, Rubber and Water, Sew- 

 age and Sanitation Divisions and the Dye, Leather 

 and Sugar Sections. Further details of their 

 meetings will be found in the May issue of the 

 Journal of Industrial Chemistry. 



The banquet, held on Thursday evening, April 

 15th, filled the large banquet hall of the Hotel 

 Statler. Excursions to Laclede Gas Works, Mon- 

 santo Chemical Works, East St. Louis plant, and 

 Laclede-Christy Clay Products plant, automobile 

 tour for ladies to parks. Art Museum, Washington 

 University, Missouri Botanical Garden and tea at 

 Bevo Mill and excursion to Standard Oil Refinery, 

 Wood River, 111., and Illinois Glass Company, Al- 

 ton, 111., were enjoyed by all. 



A general business meeting was held on Tues- 

 day morning, at which resolutions on the death of 

 Professor Alfred Werner were read by Dr. Chas. 

 H. Herty. Ernest Solvay was unanimously elected 

 an honorary member of the society. 



Charles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



GENERAL PROCJRAM 



Tuesday, April 13 

 10 A.M. 



Address of welcome: Hon. Henry W. Kiel, 

 mayor of St. Louis. 



Sesponse: Dr. W. A. Noyes, president, Ameri- 

 can Chemical Society. 



General Addresses 



The chemical industry and legislation: Hon. E. 

 P. CosTiGAN, tariff commissioner. 



Victory and its responsihilities : Db. Chas. H. 

 Herty, editor, Journal Industrial and Engineer- 

 ing Chemistry, 



General Meeting 



The prediction of solubility: J. H. Hildebrand. 



Selenium oxychloride a neglected inorganic sol- 

 vent: Victor Lenher. Selenium oxychloride is a 

 liquid whose properties have hitherto been almost 

 wholly neglected. The raw material, selenium, is 

 at present a waste by-product from the electro- 

 lytic refining of copper. From the crude material 

 selenium oxychloride can 'be produced at a very 

 low figure and by the most simple chemical pro- 

 cedure, the actual procedure being to bring in con- 

 tact selenium dioxide and selenium tetrachloride 

 in carbon tetrachloride solution. Its chemical 

 properties are such that it will probably prove a 

 valuable reagent to the chemist. It is an excellent 



