JUNE 7, 1901.] 
teoric origin. 
the Cid Iron. 
‘Ulsch-Street Method modified to in- 
clude Organic Nitrogen in Samples contain- 
ing Nitrates and Chlorides, by W. M. ALLEN. 
The author recommends the following: 
Place 0.7 gram sample in 250 ce. Kjel- 
dahl digesting flask. Add about 1 gram of 
reduced iron, 30 cc. water and 10 ce. dilute 
sulphuric acid (1 to 1). Shake well and 
let stand 15 or 20 minutes. Heat slowly, 
so that solution will boil gently for 10 or 15 
minutes, then briskly, until two-thirds of 
water has boiled off. Cool slightly, add 25 
ec. sulphuric acid and 0.7 gram mercuric 
oxide. Digest and distill, as in Kjeldahl 
method. In samples of pure nitrate, add 
0.5 gram of ferric chloride to the water to 
dissolve first nitric oxide set free, and di- 
gest only for the nitric nitrogen. The pres- 
ence of large amounts of iron salts must be 
guarded against or else violent bumping 
will give trouble in distillation. 
‘The Nature of Pentosoids and their 
Determination,’ by G. S. Fraps. 
The author divides pentosoids into water- 
soluble, acid-soluble, soluble in cold caustic 
soda solution (‘wood gum’) and difficultly 
soluble, Members of the first three classes 
have been hydrolized to pentose, and are 
called pentosans. The last class includes 
lignocelluloses, oxycelluloses, ete., and 
have not been hydrolized to pentoses. The 
crude furfural from vegetable materials ob- 
tained’ in the pentosan determination was 
found to contain a body which is precipi- 
tated by phloroglucol and destroyed by 
distillation with hydrochloric acid. Its 
occurrence, distribution and digestibility 
were discussed and the effect of its pres- 
ence on the pentosan determination. 
‘An Automatic Filter-Washer,’ by J. M. 
PICKEL. 
This apparatus consists of (1) a reser- 
voir for water with which to wash; (2) a 
rubber tube, provided with thumb-screw 
The name proposed for it is 
SCIENCE. 
901 
clamps, leading from the reservoir to the (3) 
delivery vessel, which, by means of a small 
siphon, delivers the water intermittently on 
to the filter ; (4) a funnel containing the 
filter and, set in this funnel, a smaller in- 
verted funnel; (5) means for disposing of 
the washings. When once set going the ap- 
paratus needs no further attention, and is 
especially applicable in determining water- 
soluble nitrogen in fertilizers and also 
water-soluble phosphoric acid (although 
not yet in use for this latter purpose). 
‘Notes on the Latent Heat of Vaporiza- 
tion of Liquids,’ by J. EH. Mixts. 
‘Notes on the Determination of Insoluble 
Phosphoric Acid,’ by C. D. Harris. 
Mr. Harris exhibited an arrangement 
which had proved, in his hands, very satis- 
factory in filtering and washing citrate-in- 
soluble phosphoric acid. He substitutes a 
carbon filter in the bottom of which is a 
porcelain dise covered with asbestos, for 
the slow and hazardous method of using a 
funnel and hardened filter paper. 
‘Contribution to the Chemistry of Tho- 
rium ; Evidence pointing to the Existence 
of a New Element, Carolinium,’ by Cus. 
BASKERVILLE. 
The author has obtained thorium salts 
from five different sourcesand purified them. 
By the action of sulphur dioxide on the 
neutral chlorides and by fractioning the cit- 
rates, oxides are eventually obtained which 
indicate the complexity of thorium. The 
pure oxide has a specific gravity of 9.8, ac- 
cording to some authorities, and 10.2, ac- 
cording to others. The purified oxide 
mentioned had a specific gravity of 10.1 ; 
after fractioning, one had a specific gravity 
of 9.4 and the other 10.37; intermediate 
fractions gave 9.6 and 10.4. Although 
atomie weight determinations have not 
been made, there is much evidence in favor 
of the existence of a new element, which 
the author would name ‘Carolinium.’ To 
avoid criticism the author stated his ex- 
