January 20, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



81 



well in combination witli the other well known 

 solvents and non-solvents, and is a pure sub- 

 stance which evaporates without residue and at a 

 uniform rate, giving rise thereby to homogeneous 

 films. By a very important property it possesses 

 of forming various constant boiling mixtures 

 (especially one with water) more volatile than 

 itself it combines with the advantages of its low 

 boiling point the ability to act as the high boiling 

 solvents in overcoming the evil effects of water 

 absorption. 



Eequirements of a T]rief, critical monograpli on 

 the chemistry of cellulose: Louis E. Wise. The 

 article outlines the type of material and data 

 that should be incorporated into a monograph on 

 cellulose. Many of the older terms that still 

 appear in the cellulose literature should be deleted 

 or redefined. Proper weight should be given to 

 carefully selected fundamental data and to the 

 work of critical investigators. All hypotheses 

 dealing with the constitution of cellulose or its 

 derivatives should be subjected to close scrutiny, 

 and those based on good experimental data 

 should receive emphasis. Eeeent work on the 

 colloidal properties of cellulose should be included. 

 The monograph besides being critical should be 

 suggestively written so as to stimulate research. 

 A brief volume with a good bibliography' appears 

 to be more desirable than a series of monographs. 

 Section op Petroleum Chemistry 

 T. G. Delbridge, chairman. 

 "W. A. Gruse, secretary. 



An unusual type of oasinghead gasoline: C. E. 

 CoATES AND B. Y. TiMS. The Terrebonne gas 

 field, which is situated about twenty miles below 

 Houma, Louisiana, gives gas and a pressure of 

 about 1,200 pounds per square inch. This gas is 

 piped to Houma and supplies the town and 

 vicinity with fuel. The pipes are provided with 

 drips which fill up rather frequently and are 

 pumped out. As the condensate did not seem to 

 be like ordinary gasoline either in odor or boiling 

 point a sample was investigated with the follow- 

 ing results: Boiling began at 195° C. The frac- 

 tions first obtained were refractionated and even- 

 tually obtained with fairty constant boiling 

 points. The lowest fraction had a formula 

 C H,^^. The higher fraction seemed to belong 

 to the same series. The condensate contained 

 no members of the parafine series at all, but 

 ijrobably is made up of dicyclopentyl and its 

 liomologues. 



Some observations on the polymerization of 

 amylene: Thos. Midgley, Jr., and G. W. Hank. 



The action of dilute and concentrated sulfuric 

 acid and of heat on the polymerization of amylene 

 has been studied in some detail, and a chart of 

 polymerisation reactions is presented. It is sug- 

 gested that di- and tri-amylene have cyclic struc- 

 tures. The subject is of interest in connection 

 with the gumming of cracked gasolines. 



The iodine and hromine values of petroleum 

 products: E. M. Johansen. A number of 

 petroleum products were examined, the results 

 being recorded in numerous tables. It was shown 

 that the total iodine or bromine values do not 

 correspond to the relative unsaturation of petro- 

 leum products, as only a part of the absorbed 

 halogen is combined by addition. As the Hanus 

 solution does not permit the separate determina- 

 tion of this part, solutions of bromine or bromine 

 and iodine in carbon tetrachloride were used, by 

 aid of which the desired addition values were 

 obtained. The influence of varying experimental 

 conditions upon the reactions were studied. It 

 appears that the absorption of bromine is less 

 affected by the variations than that of iodine. A 

 bibliography of the literature on the subject was 

 compiled. 



Specific heats and heats of vaporization of 

 motor fuels: Robert E. Wilson and D. P. Bar- 

 nard, 4th. The authors present the results of a 

 series of observations on the total sensible heats 

 of completely vaporized motor fuels. These, 

 combined with critically compiled data from the 

 literature on heats of vaporization of motor fuels, 

 make it possible to draw accurate total heat 

 curves over the whole range of temperatures up to 

 500° C. and derive fairly accurate values for the 

 specific heats of the hydrocarbon vapors. Com- 

 binations of this with vapor pressure data make 

 it possible to determine just how hot the air or 

 the fuel must be preheated in order to completely 

 vaporize the motor fuel in a carburetor. 



Further observations on the value of the B. E. 

 test: C. H. Osmond and T. G. Delbridge. Data 

 are given showing that the E. E. test distin- 

 guislies between some oils which give the same 

 results by other emulsification tests. Criticisms 

 of the method as published in the A. S. T. M. 

 Proceedings for 1920 have led to minor changes 

 in the method and particularly in the interpreta- 

 tion of the readings. Further precautions are 

 given, also explanations of some of the pro- 

 cedure. Modification of the test for application 

 to oils of very low viscosity is also given. 



The inversion of phases in oil-water emulsions: 

 Leon W. Parsons. A broad survey has been 



