256 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIV. No. 1394 



Viscosity — temperature curves of fractions of 

 typical American crude oils: E. W. Dean and F. 

 W. Lane. 



Iodine numbers of unsaturated hydrocarhons 

 and cracTced gasolines: W. F. Fakaghee, F. H. 

 Garner and W. A. Gkuse. 



The reclamation of used motor oils: William 

 F. Parish. The disposal of used motor oils is 

 becoming a serious problem. The chief reason 

 for their poor quality, as recovered from the 

 motor, is the dilution with approximately 30 per 

 cent, of heavy ends from motor fuel. By washing 

 with a water solution of soda ash and distilling 

 off the diluent, airplane motor oils were recovered 

 ten times and more at one aviation camp during 

 the war and gave better service than new oils. 

 The improvement in recovered oils is due to the 

 removal of low boiling constituents. 



Total heats and condensation points of Tcero- 

 sene-air mixtures: Egbert E. Wilson and D. 

 P. Babnard. 



A new method of color measurement for oiU: 

 Leon W. Parsons and Robert E. Wilson. 



Catalytic oxidation of petroleum oils: C. E. 

 Waters. 



Viscosities of motor oils at high temperatures: 

 L. B. LOCKHART. (By title.) 



division op WATER, SEWERAGE AND SANITATION 



W. P. Mason, chairman 

 W. W. Skinner, secretary 



Beactions in the Dorr-Peclc tanTc: A. M. Bus- 

 well. 



Definition of alkalinity and temporary hardness: 



A. M. BUSWELL. 



Notes on the analysis of mine drainage water: 

 Joseph A. Shaw and N. A. Bailey. 



Method for the determination of free and com- 

 lii7ied carbon dioxide: Joseph A. Shaw. 



Sadioactivity of miscellaneous waters examined 

 in the Bureau of Chemistry: W. W. Skinner and 

 J. W. Sale. Analyses of radioactivity of eleven 

 spring waters collected at source by a representa- 

 tive of the Bureau of Chemistry, of eight river, 

 lake and ocean waters, of fifteen commercial do- 

 mestic bottled waters, and of twelve imported 

 bottled waters, are tabulated. The significance 

 of the data depends on the fact that no com- 

 mercial bottled water of natural origin has been 

 found to contain sufficient radioactivity, either tem- 

 porary or permanent, to warrant its purchase by 



consumers because of its content of radioactivity. 

 In order to obtain the minimum daily dose of ema- 

 nation from the most radioactive sample esamined, 

 it would be necessary to consume 2,810 gallons of 

 water daily, and to obtain the minimum daily dose 

 of radioactive salt from the most radioactive sam- 

 ple examined, it would be necessary to consume 

 2,935 gallons of water daily. To obtain the maxi- 

 mum doses, it would be necessary to consume daily 

 at least ten times these amounts, or 28,100 and 

 29,350 gallons of water respectively. It is con- 

 cluded, therefore, that shippers of bottled waters 

 are not justified in making any statments on the 

 labels which will induce prospective consumers to 

 purchase the articles because of their radioactivity. 

 A comparison of some miscellaneous samples of 

 ocean, bay and lake waters: W. W. Skinner and 

 W. E. Shaefer. In considering the composition 

 of a water, two things must be borne in mind, (1) 

 the amount of dissolved mineral matter per unit 

 volume which may be termed the concentration of 

 the water, and (2) the character or composition 

 of this dissolved mineral matter. The waters of 

 Chesapeake Bay near Chesapeake Beach, of the 

 Gulf of Mexico off Galveston, Texas, of the At- 

 lantic Ocean off Boston, and of the Pacific Ocean 

 off San Francisco, while varying in concentration, 

 are shown to contain the same constituents in al- 

 most exactly the same relative proportions. There- 

 fore, the mineral matter dissolved in the rivers 

 flowing into Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of 

 Mexico does not materially affect the composition 

 of those waters. Although the concentration of 

 the sea water is greater at rising tide than at 

 falling tide, yet the percentage composition of the 

 dissolved mineral matter in the water remains 

 practically unaffected by the inflow and outflow 

 of the tide. The mineral matter dissolved in 

 certain North Dakota and Utah lakes is somewhat 

 similar in composition to the mineral matter dis- 

 solved in Atlantic Ocean water. However, the 

 difference in calcium content between these 

 North Dakota and Utah lakes is noteworthy. The 

 dissolved mineral matter in the three North Da- 

 kota lakes contains 4.54 per cent, calcium, while 

 that in the six Utah lakes contains only 0.92 per 

 cent, calcium. These lakes are from one fifteenth 

 to two and three quarters times as concentrated as 

 Atlantic Ocean water. 

 The present status of chlorination of public water 

 S. T. Powell. 



Charles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



