138 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIV. No. 1389 



soluble fillers whiei give almost no ions are 

 still less effective. Their chief effect is to weaken 

 the paper as do calcium chloride and sodium car- 

 bonate. Explanations for these various phenomena 

 are given based on the modern concepts of colloid 

 chemistry. 



The solubility of cellulose acetate m chlorinated 

 hydrocarbons: Gustavus J. Esselen, Je. The 

 present paper offers an explanation of the fact 

 that cellulose acetate is soluble in certain chlori- 

 nated hydrocarbons but not in others, as for ex- 

 ample, in chloroform but not in carbon tetrachlo- 

 ride. The internal pressures of the chlorinated 

 derivatives of methane and ethane have been cal- 

 culated and it is shown that the corresponding sol- 

 vent action on cellulose acetate is in general what 

 is to be expected from the relative values of the 

 internal pressures. The fact that the addition of 

 a little alcohol increases the solvent action of cer- 

 tain of the solvents in question is also shown to 

 be in accord with what is to be expected from the 

 accompanying change in the polar environment. 



The action of dry hydrobromic acid on cellulose 

 and related derivatives: Harold Hibbeet and 

 Harold S. Hill. The authors have reinvestigated 

 the action of dry hydrobromic acid in chloroform 

 solution on cellulose, viscose, dextrose, a methyl 

 glucoside, sucrose and certain other derivatives. 

 Higher yields of brom-methyl furfuraldehyde were 

 obtained in the case of cellulose and viscose, while 

 with dextrose as much as 12-15 per cent, of the 

 crystalline product was obtained. Good yields 

 were also obtained in. the case of a methyl glucoside 

 and other derivatives. The evidence would seem 

 to prove that the formation of brom-methyl fur- 

 furaldehyde is no longer to be associated with the 

 presence of a free carbonyl (keto) group in the 

 cellulose molecule. 



The oxidation of cellulose: W. S. Holzbergek. 



European practise in cellulose acetate and dopes 

 during the war: Philip Drinker. (1) Cellulose 

 acetate developments from commercial and sci- 

 entific aspects. (2) Cellulose acetate solvents, 

 non-solvents, plastics, high-boilers, etc., as devel- 

 oped for airplane dopes. (3) Various dope for- 

 mula as shown by their historical development as 

 the war progressed, the "standard forms" ulti- 

 mately decided upon, etc. (4) The effect of sun- 

 light and other agents on fabrics and means of pre- 

 venting said effects with account of researches 

 on these subjects. (5) Eecovery of solvents in 

 doping and recovery of cellulose acetate from dis- 

 carded airplane fabrics. 



The influence of temperature on hemi-cellulose 

 production: W. E. Totttngham. Red clover and 

 buckwheat plants grown at temperatures of about 

 15° to 18° in one case and 20° to 23° in another, 

 in the latter case with the evaporating power of 

 the air kept nearly the same for the two tempera- 

 ture ranges, have shown an increase of acid hy- 

 drolyzable material at the lower temperatures. 

 This difference amoimted to about 5 per cent, of 

 the total dry tissue of the plant. No evidence has 

 been obtained as yet of definite variations of the 

 fundamental cellulose with temperature differ- 

 ences attending growth. It appears that the hemi- 

 cellulose which would be included in the acid 

 hydrolyzable material may form an important 

 carbohydrate reserve in the plant economy. It 

 is suggested that the depression of respiration in 

 proportion to photo-synthesis at the lower tempera- 

 tures may favor the accumulations of hemi-cellu- 

 lose observed. 



The chemical changes involved during infection 

 and decay of viood and wood pulp: Mark W. 

 Brat and Joseph A. Staidl. The results and 

 significance of the determination of various con- 

 stants are given on a niunber of samples of sound 

 and decayed spruce woods, pulps and waterleaf 

 papers made from them by the groundwood, sul- 

 phite and soda processes. It was found that the 

 water soluble materials, the alkali soluble sub- 

 stances, the copper numbers, and the beta cellulose, 

 increase, while the alpha and gamma cellulose con- 

 stants decrease with the progress of decay, in all 

 the woods, pulps, and papers studied. The lignin 

 content shows an apparent percentage increase 

 in decayed wood. If the calculations are based 

 on the original weights of the sound wood, how- 

 ever, there is a slight decrease in this constant. 

 The data given show the relation of the lignin 

 or non-cellulose encrusting material of sound and 

 decayed woods and pulps. Certain organisms of 

 decay have a selective action on the constitutents 

 of wood and wood pulp, attacking the cellulose in 

 preference to the non-cellulose encrusting sub- 

 stances. Gamma cellulose is so unstable that a 

 very small percentage was obtained in decayed 

 woods and pulps. The losses sustained by tie 

 paper industry as a result of the use of decayed 

 woods and pulps are pointed out. 



The chemical constitution of soda and sulfite 

 pulvs from coniferous woods and their bleaching 

 q-tuUities: Sidney D. Wells. 



Charles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



