40 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XX. No. 497. 



Preparation of homologous alkyl isoureas. 

 Ionization constants of phenolphthalein, 

 and its use as an indicator. Relation of 

 radium to uranium. 



Johns Hopkins University. — Phenylsul- 

 phone-orthocarboxylic acid. Effect on 

 zinc of dry hydrochloric acid dissolved 

 in benzene. Clay mixtures and the burn- 

 ing of porous cells. Preparation of cells 

 for osmotic pressure work. Electric 

 combustion furnace. Depression of the 

 freezing point in concentrated aqueous 

 solutions. Conductivity of electrolytes in 

 mixtures of alcohol and water. Decom- 

 position products of sodamide ; also its re- 

 actions with phosphorus pentachloride and 

 with yellow phosphorus. Temperature 

 coefficients of conductivity from 40° to 

 — 40°. Decompositions of nitroso com- 

 pounds. A step toward the synthesis of 

 camphoric acid. 



University of Wisconsin. — InfliTence of 

 chemical reaction upon weight. Coloring 

 matters of plants. Soap solutions. Phe- 

 noxozone compounds (effect of substitution 

 on the ease of formation of condensation 

 products). Effect of oxidizing agents 

 upon the solubility of gold in various re- 

 agents. Formation of alkaline and silver 

 tellurates, of chromium ammonium per- 

 oxides, etc. Atomic weight of selenium. 

 Osmosis with solvents other than water and 

 with various membranes. 



Leland Stanford University. — Purifica- 

 tion of feed waters, especially in arid re- 

 gions. Spectroscopic study of some rare 

 elements. Methyl amine as a solvent. Re- 

 actions in ammonia. Hydrochloric acid 

 addition products of stannous chloride. 

 Modification of freezing-point method for 

 molecular weight determinations. Meta- 

 stability in the case of sodium thiosulphate ; 

 also solubilities of ihe different forms. 



University of North Oarolt-Ha..— Investi- 

 gations on thorium and certain of the rare 

 earths: carolinium. Radio-active constitu- 



ents of monazite sands. Action of radium 

 emanations on minerals. New organic 

 salts of neodymium. Strontium malate. 

 The methoxy group in certain lignocellu- 

 loses. Action of bromine on trichlorethyli- 

 dene diparanitrophenamine. 



Verbal reports were also made by Pro- 

 fessor Bancroft, representing Cornell Uni- 

 versity, and Professor Johnson, represent- 

 ing the University of Michigan. 



PAPERS. 



The following papers were read before 

 the society: 



The Ratio of Badium to Uranium in Min- 

 erals: Bertram B. Boltwood. 

 The investigation of a series of nine 

 uranium minerals has led to the conclusion 

 that the amount of radium present in any 

 given mineral is proportional to the uran- 

 ium content. This would seem to offer 

 strong evidence of the truth of Ruther- 

 ford's suggestion that radium is formed by 

 the decomposition of uranium. The method 

 employed for the quantitative determina- 

 tion of the radium depends on the measure- 

 ment of the maximum or equilibrium 

 quantity of emanation formed from the 

 radium salts present. 



The Qualitative Separation and Detection 

 of the Group of Elements whose Oxides 

 are Insoluble in Nitric Acid: Arthur 



A. NOYES. 



An account of this work, which is not 

 yet in final form, will be published later in 

 the year. 

 Note on the Amount of Moisture ivhich 



Phosphorus Pentoxide Leaves in a Gas: 



Edward W. Morley. 



The author formerly found that the sum 

 of the moisture left, and the phosphorus 

 pentoxide absorbed, in a gas, is not more 

 than a milligram in 45,000 liters. He now 

 finds the phosphorus pentoxide alone to be 

 one milligram in 45,000 liters. To the de- 

 gree of approximation so far attained, 



