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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXII. No. 828 



gates. The attendance at this congress was 

 large, and it showed the necessity of a close 

 alliance between pure and applied science. 

 Among the most important papers pre- 

 sented were those by Moissan on the elec- 

 tric furnace, which induced a highly im- 

 portant discussion on electrolytic problems 

 and methods; Joly, on the applications of 

 electro-chemistry; Grandeau, on the as- 

 similability of the phosphates; Lippmann, 

 on color photography; Kjeldahl, on the 

 methods of determining nitrogen ; Boroma, 

 on the employment of aluminum in the 

 construction of iitensils ; and Fernbach, on 

 the utilization of the carbon dioxide aris- 

 ing from fermentation. Among the many 

 interesting and important discussions may 

 be mentioned those on the official gradua- 

 tion of instruments of precision, those on 

 urine analysis, and those on food analysis. 

 Nearly 2,000 members were present at the 

 Paris meeting, and it required five large 

 volumes to contain the report of the pro- 

 ceedings. 



The third International Congress of Ap- 

 plied Chemistry was held in Vienna in 

 1898. The work was divided into twelve 

 sections, and one of the chief questions 

 before the congress was the adoption of 

 uniform methods of analysis for commer- 

 cial products and raw materials. 



The fourth congress was held in Paris in 

 1900, and Moissan had charge of the selec- 

 tion of the committee of organization. This 

 congress was held at the time of the Grand 

 Exposition. 



The fifth congress was held in Berlin in 

 June, 1903. The imperial government had 

 notified foreign governments officially of 

 the meeting. Over 2,500 chemists attended 

 and about 500 papers were presented for 

 discussion. Several German societies held 

 their meetings in conjunction with the con- 

 gress, which was the most important and 

 successful of all held up to that time. 



The sixth International Congress of Ap- 

 plied Chemistry was opened at Rome in 

 April, 1906. Its work was divided into 

 eleven sections, and in each section an ex- 

 tensive program was arranged. Ramsay 

 gave an address on the purification of sew- 

 age ; Moissan lectured on the distillation of 

 metals, and Frank on the direct utilization 

 of atmospheric nitrogen. About 580 con- 

 tributions were published in the "Atti" of 

 the congress, occupying five large volumes. 



The seventh congress was held in London 

 from May 27 to June 2, 1909. The annual 

 meeting of the Society of Chemical In- 

 dustry was arranged at the same time, as 

 well as several international organizations 

 which dealt with special subdivisions of 

 chemistry. As is well known on account 

 of its recent occurrence, this congress was 

 a worthy successor to the six preceding 

 ones. It was divided into eleven sections 

 with several subsections, making a total 

 of seventeen in actuality, and was under 

 the presidency of Roscoe and Ramsay. A 

 characteristic feature of the London con- 

 gress was the extension of the idea of the 

 establishment of international commissions 

 to recommend uniform standards of mate- 

 rials and methods for determining them. 



The eighth congress is to be held in the 

 United States under the presidency of 

 Morley and Nichols. It is our good for- 

 tune to have Dr. W. H. Nichols, a charter 

 member of the American Chemical Society 

 and the active president of the congress, 

 with us. This captain of American ap- 

 plied chemistry will tell us something of 

 the aims and plans as far as determined 

 for the next congress. 



APPENDIX I 



A sliort aocount of the Carlsruhe Congress of 

 1860 will no doubt be interesting. 



Boussingault, who presided on the opening day 

 (September 4), presented the following questions 

 for discussion: 



