Apbil 9, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



583 



losing or gaining electrons remained an atom 

 of sodium, or whether the loss or gain of elec- 

 trons did not cause it to change into some 

 other element or elements. Having stated 

 some theoretical arguments in favor of the 

 possibility of transformation, he went on to 

 describe some experiments bearing on the 

 question. He first mentioned the transforma- 

 tion of radium emanation into helium, which 

 had been amply established. He next referred 

 to his experiments on the action of emanation 

 on solution of copper sulphate and nitrate. 

 Four experiments were made, and with each 

 exactly similar duplicate experiments were 

 tried in which no emanation was employed. 

 A larger residue was obtained in each case 

 from the emanation solutions than from the 

 duplicates, and while the residues from the 

 emanation solutions showed a faint trace of 

 lithium, those from the duplicates failed to 

 give spectroscopic evidence of the presence of 

 that element. The fact of the experiments 

 having been carried out in duplicate rendered 

 inapplicable the criticism of Professor Hartley 

 that accidental contamination with lithium 

 was probable. As regards the alleged repeti- 

 tion of the experiments by Mme. Curie and 

 Mile. Gleditsch, who, using platinum vessels, 

 obtained no greater residue and no trace of 

 lithium, there were two possible replies — either 

 the conditions were varied, or conceivably a 

 trace of lithium from the glass vessel employed 

 (which, however, had been tested for lithium 

 with negative result) was dissolved in pres- 

 ence of emanation and copper but escaped 

 solution in absence of copper or of emanation. 

 A research on the action of emanation on solu- 

 tion of silver nitrate contained in a silica bulb 

 yielded negative results, but he had stumbled 

 across a case of apparent transformation while 

 working in a totally different direction. On 

 December 20, 1905, 270 grams of purified 

 thorium nitrate were dissolved in about 300 c.c. 

 of water, and the flask in which the solution 

 was contained was repeatedly evacuated by a 

 mercury pump until no gas could be pumped 

 off. The stopcock attached to it was then 

 closed, arrangements being made so that if 

 any leakage occurred it would be detected. 

 After the flask had stood for 168 days the gaa 



in it (5.750 c.c.) was pumped out and exam- 

 ined for helium with doubtful results. The 

 flask was again closed, and on August 3, 1907, 

 after 173 days, the gas in it was again exam- 

 ined. Again the presence of helium was ques- 

 tionable, but 1.08 c.c. of carbon dioxide was 

 found. At the next examination, on March 

 30, 1908, there was distinct evidence of a 

 helium spectrum, and the gas contained 1.209 

 c.c. of carbon dioxide. It was then thought 

 possible that the carbon dioxide had been pro- 

 duced from the grease of the stopcock, and 

 therefore a little mercury was introduced into 

 the capillary tube leading to the stopcock so 

 that the latter was protected from contact with 

 the thorium solution. After 310 days the gas 

 was again withdrawn. Instead of 3 c.c. or 

 4 c.c. no less than 180 c.c. were collected; it 

 was almost pure nitrogen, but in all 0.622 c.c. 

 of carbon dioxide was separated from it. 

 These experiments. Sir William Eamsay said, 

 rendered it at least probable that thorium 

 engendered carbon dioxide, or, in other words, 

 that carbon was one of its degradation pro- 

 ducts. Experiments futher indicated that the 

 action of radium emanation on thorium ni- 

 trate solutions was also attended with the 

 formation of carbon dioxide, and the same was 

 the case with an acid solution of zireoniimi 

 nitrate. An experiment with lead chlorate 

 proved blank, but with bismuth perchlorate 

 the formation of carbon dioxide appeared cer- 

 tain. In conclusion Sir William Eamsay, 

 after mentioning that every precaution which 

 could be thought of was taken to exclude for- 

 eign gas, said that while these were the facts 

 no one was better aware than he how insuffi- 

 cient was the proof, and that many other 

 experiments must ba made before it could be 

 confidently asserted that certain elements, 

 when exposed to " concentrated energy," un- 

 derwent degradation into carbon. 



POISONOUS EMANATIONS FROM FERRO- 

 SILICON 



Last December five Eussian immigrants, 

 the only steerage passengers on the steamer 

 Ashion from Antwerp to Grimsby, were found 

 dead on the arrival of the vessel at the latter 

 port. Owing to bad weather the steerage ac- 



