394 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SOIENCE. 



while the contact of lead oxide with sulphurous oxide in the presence of free 

 oxygen is favorable to the formation of lead sulphate. The brick chamber above 

 described also plays an important part. It helps to maintain a high temperature 

 until the whole of the carbonaceous matter is completely oxydized, thus prevent- 

 ing the passage of soot into the " whiting room." 



This, then, is the one and only difference between the Joplin City^white lead 

 and other white lead of commerce. The one is the sulphate of lead, the other is 

 the carbonate. 



As before stated, the white lead alone is an actual saving of about $250,000 

 per year. This is the only establishment of the kind in the world. Within the 

 last few months Mr. Mofifit has refused a miUion dollars for his works. He could 

 find no better investment for his money, and why should he sell ? He holds the 

 right to establish other works at such high figures that none have thought it pru- 

 dent to invest. 



I believe Mr. Mofifit has never carefully considered the great wrong he is 

 doing the world by withholding a process by which so much might be saved, not 

 made, but saved from actual loss. At horse-racing and at cards money is not lost, 

 but only passes from one hand to another. The same is true of many ««neces- 

 saries of hfe. But here there is an actual loss. The fumes of sulphur and of lead 

 that pass up the chimney can never be regathered. At the other smelter at Jop- 

 lin City and the one at Short Creek alone, this loss amounts to more than $1,000 

 per day; enough to feed all the hungry and clothe all the poor in the States of 

 Missouri and Kansas. In other lead mining regions the loss is proportionally 

 great. One thousand establishments of this kind would save enough to bear all 

 the expenses of our government. 



SIMPLE TESTS FOR WATER. 



The following simple directions, by means of which any sample can be ex- 

 amined as to its suitability for use or otherwise, are from Napier's Art of Dyeing : 



To ASCERTAIN IF WATER IS HARD OR SOFT. — Procurc a Small quantity of soap 

 dissolved in alcohol (soap solution for this purpose can be obtained from any 

 operative chemist), and let a few drops of it fall into a glass of the water to be 

 tested. If the water becomes milky it is hard, but if little or no milkiness results, 

 the water may be said to be soft. 



Test for acid. — Take a piece of blue litmus paper (unsized paper stained 

 with litmus), or paper stained with syrup of violets or scrapings of radishes, and 

 immerse it in the water to be examined. If any free (uncombined) acid is pres- 

 ent in the water the paper will become red. If a little lime water, added to the 

 sample causes a white precipitate to take place, the acid is carbonic acid. If 

 dark blue paper, such as is wrapped around loaves of sugar, be converted to red 

 by imrnersion in the water, the acid is a mineral acid. 



