972 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 704 



osmium bases stands to-day tmfiiiislied. 

 Woleott Gibbs opened the door. Who will 

 enter and reap the rich harvest apparen|; 

 there ? 



But it was not only in the field of 

 analysis or in synthetic inorganic chem- 

 istry that your first professor was busy, 

 for under date of October 27, 1857, we 

 find him writing from the Free Academy 

 in New York "On the Rational Constitu- 

 tion of Certain Organic Compounds" and 

 concluding with this observation: "I con- 

 clude with the expression of my convic- 

 tion that every complex molecule is built 

 up, not directly of the elements which it 

 contains, but of simpler organic molecules, 

 which are more or less perfectly fused 

 together but which may yet in the majority 

 be distinctly traced in the complex whole. ' ' 

 And then he called attention to the prepa- 

 ration of methyl and ethyl derivatives of 

 silicon, as well as to the theoretic interest 

 attaching to their vapor density determina- 

 tion. Though of historic value alone at 

 this moment his study of the "Molecular 

 Structure of Uric Acid and its Deriva- 

 tives" reveals a deep appreciation of the 

 intricacies of that great problem, the solu- 

 tion of which has only been made possible 

 by such efforts as he and others put forth 

 for its realization. 



Woleott Gibbs is the father of electro- 

 analysis, that branch of gravimetric prac- 

 tise which to-day is widening its applica- 

 tions and winning for itself a distinct and 

 permangnt place in the great domain of 

 analytical chemistry. But the great 

 crowning study, perhaps, of your first pro- 

 fessor of chemistry was that relating to 

 complex inorganic acids— compounds in 

 which several acid radicals unite to form a 

 nucleus with functions like a single 

 radical. Such derivatives have been 

 greatly increased in number in recent 

 years. They offer stupendous analytical 

 problems. Their constitution is barely 



known. Here and there hints have been 

 obtained as to the same. The future must 

 disclose the methods to be pursued in un- 

 raveling their enigmatical structure, and 

 when that is once accomplished perhaps 

 then the constitution of the great host of 

 silicates will also be made clear. 



And now I must pause. Inadequately, 

 superficially have I traced the activities of 

 your first professor of chemistry. Time 

 forbids anything more elaborate, more ex- 

 haustive. But reflect for a moment upon 

 the cobaltamines— the amines of the 

 platinum metals— the beginnings of elec- 

 tro-chemistry—the beginning and de- 

 velopment of complex inorganic acids — 

 and aU that these represent in the way of 

 philosophic treatment and generalization, 

 and I think you will agree with me that it 

 is the work of a master mind. And yet 

 some years ago when discussing these mat- 

 ters with our honored and beloved Nestor 

 of chemical research in America, he said, 

 "I have only been a pioneer in this work, 

 nothing more!" He has indeed been a 

 pioneer, but better still, he inspired hosts 

 of young men to enter these fields of in- 

 quiry and rich indeed has been their 

 reward. 



And now in conclusion let me express 

 the wish that under the guidance and in- 

 spiration of the present occupant of the 

 chair of chemistry, there may be trained in 

 this palatial laboratory many young men 

 who will pursue not only the science of 

 chemistry, but all other sciences, in the 

 spirit of Woleott Gibbs, the pioneer, and 

 like him serve well their day and genera- 

 tion. 



The following letter from Professor 

 Gibbs was then read: 



Gibbs Avenue, Newport, R. I., ' 

 My dear Mr. Baskerville: April 6, 1908. 



I received with pleasure your kind letter of 

 March 28 and it gratifies me very much to have 

 the library named after me. 



