Decembek 7, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



553 



Whatever explanation is accepted for 

 the double bond isomerism, the same expla- 

 nation will apply to the isomerism of the 

 platinum compounds. "Werner considers 

 that the explanation of the spatial configu- 

 ration applies to both. On the other hand, 

 if the double bond isomerism is due to the 

 directions of the valences which is the 

 same as the distribution of the negative 

 electrons in the acids, then the explanation 

 of the isomerism of the platinum com- 

 pounds should be based upon the distribu- 

 tion of the electrons in the platinum atom. 

 There is, however, only one atom involved 

 here, so that it appears as if this isomerism 

 would furnish a method for showing the 

 distribution or arrangement of the electrons 

 in an atom, or perhaps the spatial configu- 

 ration of the atom, different arrangements 

 of electrons giving rise to possibilities of 

 the existence of isomeric compounds. It is 

 even possible, and perhaps very probable, 

 that the different arrangements of the elec- 

 trons might control the spatial positions of 

 the combined groups. The spatial configu- 

 rations deduced by "Werner and others, then 

 would exist, but would actually be an effect 

 of the arrangement of the electrons. The 

 positions of the combined atoms therefore 

 would be a result of the isomerism and not 

 its cause. 



These platinum and similar metal com- 

 pounds would then belong to the class of 

 electromeric substances. Since this expla- 

 nation means that the spatial arrangement 

 of atoms or groups around a central atom 

 depends primarily upon the spatial ar- 

 rangement of the valence and also other 

 electrons of that central atom, a further 

 logical deduction would include all optically 

 active isomers in organic and inorganic 

 chemistry in the group of electromers. The 

 spatial arrangements of the atoms or groups 

 here would also be governed or controlled 

 primarily by the arrangement of the elec- 



trons of the atom showing the optical ac- 

 tivity. 



K. George Falk, 

 J. M. Nelson 

 Harriman Research Laboratory, 

 Roosevelt Hospital, 

 Columbia TJNivERsirY 



POSSIBILITY OF USING GRAVITY 



ANOMALIES IN THE SEARCH 



FOR SALT-DOME OIL AND 



GAS POOLS 



The immense masses of common salt that 

 have forced their way up t»ward the surface of 

 the earth in Louisiana, Texas and other low 

 plains regions where there is no hard rock 

 within several thousand feet of the surface, 

 seem to afford all the fascination and baffling 

 questions that can be desired by the structural 

 geologist, though thrilling encounters with 

 such questions are usually sought in moun- 

 tainous regions. Recorded and available notes 

 on experiences in the sinking of the thousands 

 of wells that have been put down on salt domes 

 in the search for oil is dishearteningly scant, 

 and yet sufficient to give a fair idea of the 

 common extents, positions and shapes of the 

 upper portions of the salt cores. If as much 

 were known concerning their lower portions it 

 might not only be possible to determine their 

 cause and mode of growth with a fair degree 

 of certainty, but to devise means of discover- 

 ing by gravity observations, hidden domes, for 

 some are scarcely evident from the surface, 

 and perhaps many unsuspected ones with val- 

 uable oil and gas pwols are scattered through 

 the coastal portions of Louisiana, Texas and 

 other regions. 



Are the salt domes due to some process re- 

 lated to volcanic action? The domed form of 

 the strata, which is much more commonly seen 

 than the core itself, is such as might have been 

 produced by a rising plug of igneous rock and 

 even the masses of salt and associated second- 

 ary deposits might apparently have been pro- 

 duced indirectly by intrusions. On the other 

 hand, though many very deep wells have been 

 drilled in salt domes, igneous rock has rarely 

 if ever been touched. Since there are numer- 

 ous varieties of salt domes — some making a 



