■622 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 277. 



the most elevated ideal of any university in the 

 world ; and I believe it to be so much the better 

 for the individual students. At any rate, I can 

 only record my personal observation in two 

 visits, after having endeavored at many univer- 

 sities to learn to appreciate the atmospheres of 

 such places, that there is a sweetness and a 

 strength there quite exceptional. I am far 

 from regretting that the institution has been 

 through tribulations, and has purged itself of 

 every element alien to its idea. To-day the 

 good seed has germinated, so that it can no longer 

 be cholied by lower motives if it now only re- 

 ceives what is necessary to its continuance. It 

 is earnestly to be hoped that it may speedily 

 find its Constantine or its Helena. If not, one 

 can but pity the family of its founder, which 

 will have missed so narrowly a crown of high 

 distinction. In that case, one must believe 

 that among the American people, so apprecia- 

 tive of broad ideas, there may be found some 

 thousands of persons, who whether they are 

 quite sure of the immeasurable superioritj' of 

 the aims of Clark or not, will at any rate feel 

 that one institution of this peculiar kind ought 

 to exist in the land, and will come forward with 

 annual subscriptions to enable it to tide over a 

 prolongation of its period of trial, and to wait 

 for the rescue that sooner or later, from some 

 quarter or another, is sure to come. The vol- 

 ume before us affords indisputable proof of the 

 extraordinary interest and respect which this 

 small institution commands from every genuine 

 man of science the whole world over. Mr. 

 Clark has, at any rate, drawn the eyes of all 

 Europe with expectation upon the city of Wor- 

 cester. To allow the university, after this, to 

 sink into nothingness would be to make a nasty 

 smirch upon the scutcheon of America, that 

 would long remain an offence to all our eyes. 

 C. S. Peiece. 



Analysis of While Paints. A Collection of Notes 

 on the Chemical Analysis of White and Tinted 

 Paints. By George H. Ellis, B.Sc, Ana- 

 lytical Chemist and Assayer. Late Chemist 

 Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Eailway 

 Company. The Technical Press, Evanston, 

 111. Pp. 61 + vi. 

 This little book is a reprint of a series of 



papers originally published in the Paint, Oil and 

 Drug Review, and their aim is to give a detailed 

 description of the best methods of analysis of 

 white and tinted paints. The book is intended 

 not only as a reference book for experienced 

 chemists, but also as a complete manual for the 

 use of those who have little knowledge of chem- 

 istry. Thus a full description is given of the 

 analysis of clay. It is a lamentable fact that 

 so many manufacturers who are just coming to 

 feel the need of a chemist in their works, do not 

 recognize the desirability of having as chemist 

 one who has at least a moderately thorough 

 knowledge of chemistry. A book like the one 

 before us will be of great value to the inexperi- 

 enced paint-chemist, and will not come amiss to 

 others. It will be of most value, however, to 

 those chemists into whose hands there comes 

 only occasionally a sample of paint for analysis. 

 Chapter 1 is on preparing samples for analysis. 

 Chapter 2 describes the different white pig- 

 ments, and their qualitative and quantitative 

 analysis, with specimen analyses by the 

 author. The pigments considered are calcium 

 carbonate, gypsum, china clay, silica, barium 

 sulfate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sili- 

 cate, zinc oxid, and white lead. Chapters pre- 

 sents schemes for the analysis of mixed paints, 

 a problem often difficult owing to the presence 

 of several different pigments as well as perhaps 

 adulterants. The methods given are excel- 

 lent and are described with clearness. The use 

 of barium carbonate as a white pigment is re- 

 ferred to only in a brief note, where it is stated 

 to be little used in American paints. I do not 

 recall having seen any mention elsewhere of its 

 use, but a highly praised paint came into my 

 hands lately, which consisted of nearly equal 

 parts barium carbonate and zinc oxid. 



An appendix gives a brief scheme for the 

 estimation of turpentine, benzin and water, a 

 list of the principal pigments with their trade 

 names, atomic weight table, and metric conver- 

 sion table. The book has a full index. It is to 

 be hoped that the author will supplement this 

 book by a similar one on colored pigments and 

 tints and their analysis. 



Jas. Lewis Howe. 



The Befraciion of the Eye, Including a Complete 

 Treatise on Ophthalmometry. A Clinical Text- 



