486 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 352. 



atomic weight between 260 and 280. As 

 the original material came from the mona- 

 zite sands of the Carolinas, the author de- 

 sires, in case the element is ever sepa- 

 rated in a pure form, and the indications 

 are most favorable, to have it known as 

 Carolinium. 



This paper will be published in full in the 

 Journal of the American Chemical Society. 



15. ' Some New Laboratory Furniture ' : 

 Arthur Lachman. 



The author described a drawer for stor- 

 ing glass tubing (and showed a photograph). 

 The drawer is open on one end and pivoted 

 at the other. When closed it looks like an 

 ordinary drawer, and does not extend be- 

 yond the drawercase. Upon opening, it 

 swings out at an angle, the open end per- 

 mits the inspection and withdrawal of any 

 piece of tubing. 



A special laboratory sink was described. It 

 is 18 inches wide, 30 inches long and 4 inches 

 deep. It is cast of iron, f inch thick. The 

 inner surface drains towards the center from 

 all points. The straining plate consists of a 

 perforated plate of lead which is hammered 

 into a flange provided in the sink. The 

 waste pipe is screwed on to a projecting 

 pipe by means of a flange, the projecting 

 pipe being cast into the sink. In this way 

 no screws or other obstructions present 

 themselves in the sink proper and the life 

 of the sink is greatly prolonged. The sinks 

 were cast to order, weigh about 100 pounds 

 and cost about $5.00. 



A convenient and cheap air-bath was also 

 described. This is merely an asbestos-cov- 

 ered oven, such as is used for gasoline 

 stoves. Such ovens have been in use in the 

 author's laboratories for over three years 

 with excellent results. They measure about 

 20 by 14 inches on bottom and are about 20 

 inches high. A single Bunsen burner can 

 heat them to 170° C. They will hold over 

 sixty funnels for drying purposes. They 

 cost only $2.80 (in Chicago). 



16. ' Recent Developments in Organic 

 Chemistry ' : Arthur Lachman. 



The following is a brief summary of some 

 of the topics considered : The Richter sys- 

 tem of registration ; direct nitration of 

 parafiins ; graphitic acid ; Friedel-Crafts 

 reaction ; diazo compounds ; the uric-acid 

 group ; some curious nitrogen compounds 

 and reactions ; some artificial substitutes 

 for cocaine ; the odorous ingredients of the 

 jasmine and the orange blossom (methyl 

 anthranilate and indol) ; the odor of the 

 mercaptans ; the increasing importance of 

 physical chemistry for the purposes of or- 

 ganic chemistry ; catalysis in organic reac- 

 tions ; the two forms of acetylene di-iodide ; 

 the chemical nature of alcoholic fermenta- 

 tion ; trivalent carbon ; the commercial 

 manufacture of artificial indigo. A num- 

 ber of details and calculations are given in 

 this instance. Tautomerism is defined and 

 illustrated in its various forms. The for- 

 mation of acetpacetic ether. Molecular 

 rearrangements. The stereochemistry of 

 nitrogen, of sulphur, of tin and of iodine — 

 the three first mentioned form optically ac- 

 tive compounds. Some new mercury de- 

 rivatives of organic compounds. Auto-oxi- 

 dation. Some new organic derivatives of 

 hj^drogen peroxide. Quadrivalent oxygen 

 in dimethylpyrone. Is oxygen really acid 

 forming? Thiele's theory of unsaturated 

 compounds and the benzene ring. ISTef's 

 methylene theory. Michael's theory of or- 

 ganic reactions. Conclusion : the unity of 

 organic research work. 



The complete paper will be printed in the 

 Journal of the American Chemical Society. 



17. 'The Electrolj^sis of Certain Pro- 

 teids ' : Mary Engle Pennington. 



A solution of edestin, a globulin from 

 hemp seed, dissolved in 0.6 per cent, or- 

 thophosphoric acid and subjected in a par- 

 titioned cell to the action of a current of 

 E".D.joo = 0.2-0.4 ampere and 6-18 volts, 

 gives a heavy white precipitate in the cath- 



