856 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 361. 



that above 860° the sulfur molecule consists of 

 two atoms, S^. More recently by boiling point 

 and freezing point methods the molecule of 

 sulfur in solution has been found to contain 

 eight atoms, Sg, and it has been inferred that 

 the same molecule exists in sulfur vapor just 

 above its boiling point. In the Berichte of the 

 German Chemical Society, Biltz goes over the 

 whole ground, especially examining the density 

 of the vapor under diminished pressure at the 

 boiling point. The greatest density he could 

 obtain corresponded to the molecule S7, but 

 this was not found to be a constant point. The 

 conclusion he draws is that two molecules only 

 of sulfur exist, one Sg and the other S2, and 

 that at the boiling point the molecule with eight 

 atoms begins to decompose into molecules of 

 two atoms. This decomposition is progressive, 

 until at 850° it is complete, the gas at this tem- 

 perature consisting wholly of the molecules Sg. 



A PATENT has recently been taken out by the 

 Clayton Aniline Company, limited, of Man- 

 chester, for the continuous concentration of sul- 

 furic acid, which involves the use of cast-iron 

 vessels in the place of platinum. The dilute 

 acid is allowed to flow in a continuous stream 

 on to the surface of a large mass of hot concen- 

 trated acid contained in a large cast-iron pan. 

 The concentrated acid must be of a strength 

 not less than ninety to ninety-three per cent. 

 From the bottom of the pan the concentrated 

 acid is drawn off at such a rate as to keep the 

 level of the acid in the pan constant. The 

 great advantages claimed for the process are 

 the simplicity and the cheapness of the plant, 

 and it has already been shown that for most 

 uses the acid concentrated in iron pans is satis- 

 factory. 



About a year ago an article appeared in the 

 Comptes Bendus by Gautier, in which the posi- 

 tion was taken that arsenic in minute quantities 

 is a normal constituent of the human body. 

 By a new and very delicate method the author 

 found and determined quantitatively arsenic in 

 numerous organs of the body, notably in the 

 pancreas, brain, thymus gland and skin. Since, 

 after digestion of the pancreas with pepsin, the 

 arsenic remained in the nuclein residue, the 

 existence of an arsenic-nuclein was assumed. 



In the last number of the Zeitschrift fur Physio- 

 logische Chemie there is a paper by Hodlmoser, 

 combating Gautier in every point. In eighteen 

 cases the pancreas and liver were examined by 

 Gautier's method, and in fifteen other cases the 

 same organs were examined by a method, pro- 

 nounced by the author even more delicate, and 

 in no case was any trace of arsenic found. 

 Numerous other experiments were carried out, 

 carefully following the work of Gautier, but 

 always with negative results. No explanation 

 is offered of the great discrepancy between the 

 author's results and those of Gautier, but one 

 is promised. 



The subject of the toxic action of boric acid 

 is brought up anew by a description in the 

 Therapeutic Gazette, by Dr. J. F. Einehart, of 

 two cases, occurring in his practice, of poisoning 

 by boric acid. Each was after the administra- 

 tion of the acid in five-grain doses every four 

 hours. The symptoms of poisoning appeared 

 after several days and consisted chiefly of an 

 erythematous eruption over the body, accom- 

 panied by extreme weakness. The patients 

 recovered slowly on ceasing to administer the 

 drug. The conclusion drawn by Dr. Einehart 

 is that "any use of boric acid as a preservative 

 of foods should be prohibited by law, as the poi- 

 sonous effect of any quantity suflBcient to preserve 

 food would appear to be proven." This con- 

 clusion would, however, seem to be somewhat 

 overdrawn, as it is hardly probable that any 

 such quantities of the acid as were administered 

 in the above cases would ever be ingested from 

 foods in which it was used as a preservative. 

 The chief danger to be apprehended from the 

 indiscriminate use of boric acid in foods, as was 

 recently noticed in this column, is in the case 

 of young children, where they are fed on milk 

 preserved by borax. Here danger may well be 

 apprehended. In any case food preserved by 

 boric acid should be distinctly so labeled. 



J. L. H. 



CURRENT NOTES ON PHYSIOGRAPHY. 

 THE RIVER SYSTEM OF CONNECTICUT. 



The discovery of numerous parallel faults 

 arranged in several systems in the small Tri- 

 assic area of the Pomperaug valley in western 

 Connecticut, and the coincidence of many 



