Januaey 6, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



25 



of Hatcher and Eggleston, is recommended by 

 the author. 



The toxicity of Bensyl alcohol and its liomo- 

 logues: Oliver Kamm. The acute toxicities to- 

 wards paramecia of homologues of benzyl alco- 

 hol agree well with the values predicted on the 

 basis of experimental results obtained with ali- 

 phatic alcohols. Given the experimental value 

 for one straight-chain aliphatic alcohol, the toxici- 

 ties of the remaining members may be calculated 

 by means of the ' ' rule of thirds. ' ' The common 

 branehed-ehain members also fit into the prediction 

 scheme, two methyl groups in the form of side- 

 chains being equivalent to one additional carbon 

 atom in a straight-chain. To predict toxicities 

 in the benzyl series it is simply necessary to apply 

 in addition the previous presented "molecular 

 volume relationship. ' ' Illustrative examples are 

 presented. 



Pharmacological examination of isopropyl alco- 

 hol : David I. Macht. Acute toxicity of isopro- 

 pyl alcohol on intravenous injection in cats is 

 greater than that of isopropyl alcohol; but is 

 somewliat less than that of the normal propyl 

 alcohol. The toxicity by mouth gives figures 

 which run parallel to those for intravenous in- 

 jection. Administration of small doses of isopro- 

 pyl alcohol (2 ee per kilo) through stomach tube 

 to dogs produced no marked permanent dele- 

 terious effects even when continued repeatedly 

 over a number of days. Bats exposed to the 

 fumes of isopropyl alcohol for a series of days 

 showed no signs of poisoning. A large number 

 of experiments performed for the purpose of as- 

 certaining whether isopropyl alcohol would pro- 

 duce toxie symptoms after repeated applications 

 to the skin yielded negative results. In com- 

 mon with other alcohols of the fatty acid series 

 both normal and isopropyl alcohols are toxic for 

 the isolated heart and excised muscle tissues. 

 The effect on circulation is not much depressant 

 in the intact animal when the drug is admin- 

 istered in smaller doses. Death after lethal doses 

 is due in most cases to paralysis of the respiratory 

 center but smaller doses produce no dangerous 

 depression of the respiration. 



SECTION OF SUGAR CHEMISTRY 



C. A. Browne, chairman. 

 Frederick Bates, secretary. 

 Modified sulfate methods for ash in sugar and 

 .molasses: E. H. Adkins and J. R. Withrow. 



Some studies on decolorizing chars : C. ' E. 

 Coates. a study was made of the possibility of 

 making a decolorizing char for use in the cane 



industry from cane bagasse. The material was 

 charred boiled with caustic soda and washed with 

 hydrochloric acid and heated to 850 degrees. An 

 excellent carbon was obtained by this method. 

 Certain observations are given concerning meth- 

 ods for color comparisons with various types of 

 tintometers and colorimeters. 



The comparison of various carlions upon the 

 American market: Chb. E. G. Porst and John 

 M. Krno. The decolorizing value of various car- 

 bons on the market was determined. By the use 

 of steam activation and leaching and other 

 means, carbons were produced from lignite, saw- 

 dust, spent boneblack and other materials. These 

 were equal, and in some cases superior, as re- 

 gards their decolorizing value, to those on the 

 market. A method of grading the carbon was 

 suggested. 



Absorption isotherms of some decolorizing car- 

 bons : F. W. Zerban and S. BtaLL. Isotherms 

 have been determined for the decolorization by 

 six different decolorizing carbons of molasses so- 

 lutions of varying concentration, and it has been 

 found that, while for one carbon and one con- 

 centration the logarithmic curves closely approxi- 

 mate straight lines, there is a marked difference 

 in the constants of the adsorption formula for 

 one carbon at varying initial concentrations of 

 molasses solution, and for the same initial con- 

 centration, using different carbons. 



Mechanical clarification of cane sugar liquors: 

 A. S. Elsenbast. Cane sugar liquors are clari- 

 fied and filtered without the use of chemical de- 

 fecants by means of the specially prepared filter- 

 ing medium, Filter-Cel. Details are given for 

 operating with plantation white sugar, plantation 

 white sugar by lime sulphur process, cane and 

 sorghum syrups, raw sugar and standard granu- 

 lated white sugar in eane sugar refineries. 



Decolorizing carbons: H. H. Peters and F. P. 

 Phelps. Twenty different carbons have been 

 used, under identical conditions, for the decolor- 

 ization of one quality raw sugar, and some of 

 them on the affined sugar and the raw wash re- 

 sulting from the affination process. The effect 

 is shown on the basis of speetrophotometric 

 analysis which establishes new standards for a 

 correct judgment, far more rigorous than at 

 present accepted by technical colorimetric meth- 

 ods. The names of the carbons are withheld at 

 this time. Not only does the quality of some 

 carbons vary, but new equipment had to be or- 

 dered for a systematic and complete inquirj' into 

 the nature of the coloring bodies. 



