Mat 1, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



685 



discloses the slipshod clock-watcher, while 

 it rewards the earnest and worthy. 



UNIFOEM REAGENTS 



To bring about uniformity in the use of 

 chemicals throughout the laboratory, where 

 it is possible, reagents are made up in bulk 

 according to a standard, which has a nor- 

 mal basis. These reagents, on requisition 

 to the main stores, are distributed in proper 

 vessels and charged to the respective labo- 

 ratories to which they are issued. As the 

 instruction in one laboratory is as a rule 

 limited to a particular kind, and as several 

 laboratories are carrying on the same kind 

 of instruction, it is comparatively easy at 

 the end of the semester to determine the 

 consideration given to economy by the in- 

 structor in charge. Parsimony may not 

 be a desirable quality in a man, but econ- 

 omy is not a bad habit. 



REAGENT BOTTLES 



The missing reagent bottle has been the 

 source of unending worry to instructors 

 and the cause for much useless delay to 

 the student in his work. When the num- 

 ber of reagent bottles goes beyond ten 

 thousand, the problem is serious and 

 the exasperation resulting is likely to be 

 beyond words. It may be solved in large 

 part by burning numbers indicating the 

 floor, room and desk in with the label. The 

 number of the stopper and bottle is cut by 

 a diamond or etched. A glance shows the 

 completeness of a set of reagents or the 

 location of a misplaced bottle, for bottles 

 will be misplaced as long as human beings 

 use laboratories. There is only one system 

 which will prevent that, and it is not 

 allowed by the law. I mean the shotgun 

 system. 



LOCK SYSTEM 



In order to hold a student responsible 

 for the apparatus with which he is charged, 



he must be provided with locked cupboards 

 and drawei's. These in some laboratories 

 have combination locks. They get out of 

 order and are wasteful of the instructor's 

 time in the semestral cleaning up and re- 

 fitting. Therefore, we adopted the sepa- 

 rate key system, the instructor being sup- 

 plied with a master-key. To avoid the fre- 

 quent excuse of leaving keys at home, they 

 are kept upon numbered hooks within a 

 cupboard, provided with a clear glass 

 front, next the bulletin board, which is 

 conveniently placed in each laboratory by 

 the entrance door. The cupboard is 

 opened only by the instructor's master- 

 key. A glance indicates absences and pre- 

 vents the use of the laboratory by students 

 out of hours without a special permit. 



The key system adopted for the entire 

 department may be of interest. The stock- 

 room system (six rooms) are under one 

 key. Each stock-keeper has one. All 

 students' laboratories, lecture and quiz 

 rooms, the key cupboards, students' desks, 

 toilets, janitor's closets, switch boxes for 

 lighting, library and doors to the building 

 are opened by one master key. Each mem- 

 ber of the staff has one of these. The 

 toilets, janitor's closets, and laboratories 

 are imder one key for the cleaners. The 

 suite of executive rooms, including the 

 private laboratory of the director, is under 

 one key. The director's secretary, private 

 and lecture assistants have one. Each 

 private laboratory is under a separate key, 

 that of the chief of the division of physical 

 chemistry controlling the switchboard, 

 storage battery and electric furnace rooms. 

 The director is provided with a grand 

 master key which opens every lock in the 

 building except the private desk of each 

 member of the staff. 



ELECTRIC CURRENT SYSTEM 



In pursuing the pedagogic policy to 

 which reference has been made, it is neces- 



