458 Scientific Intelligence. 



nation and giving an abnormal atomic heat, 7 "31 6. It burns in 

 air, and the average heat of combustion was found to be 1958*7 

 cal. — Zeitschr. anorgan, Chem., lxv, 248. h. l. w. 



2. The Gas-volumetric Determination of Hydrogen. — Hereto- 

 fore no liquid reagent has been known for the absorption of 

 hydrogen in gas analysis, but Paal and Haetmann have found 

 such a reagent which can be used with accuracy in technical gas 

 analysis, and which can be employed also for removing hydrogen 

 from certain gases in preparative work. The reagent is a solu- 

 tion of colloidal palladium and sodium picrate. The metallic 

 palladium first absorbs the hydrogen, then immediately acts as a 

 catalytic agent by transferring the hydrogen to the sodium 

 picrate and reducing the latter to triamidophenol : 



C 6 H 2 (K0 2 ) 3 OH4-18H = C 6 H 2 (NH 2 ) 3 OH + 6H 2 0. 



The absorption requires a little time, depending upon the amount 

 of palladium present in the liquid. Experiments with various 

 mixtures showed that accurate results could be obtained by the 

 method. Since the reagent effects the combination of hydrogen 

 with oxygen if both are present, and as it also causes the combi- 

 nation of hydrogen Avith unsaturated hydrocarbons, the procedure 

 required in ordinary gas analysis is the application of the reagent 

 after the carbon dioxide, unsaturated hydrocarbons, oxygen and 

 carbon monoxide have been removed by the usual methods. — 

 Berichte, xliv, 243. h. l. w. 



3. Theoretical Principles of the Methods of Analytical Chem- 

 istry ; by M. G. Chesneau, translated by A. T. Lincoln and D. H. 

 Carnahan. 8vo, pp. 184. New York, 1910 (The Macmillan 

 Company). — In its general object this book is similar to Ost- 

 wald's well-known work on the subject, but instead of advocating 

 the theory of ions, the present author employs what he calls a cal- 

 orimetric method for explaining certain reactions. He admits 

 that Ostwald's plan is certainly more attractive d priori than the 

 calorimetric method, but he objects to the electrolytic theory, and 

 gives an extensive discussion of the objections, based chiefly on 

 the work of Kahlenberg. Teachers of analytical chemistry, as 

 well as advanced students, will doubtless find much that is sug- 

 gestive and interesting in the book, particularly if they prefer 

 the mathematical form of discussion. h. l. w. 



4. Analyse Volum'etrique ; par Louis Dtjpakc et Maeio Basa- 

 donna. 8vo, pp. 170. Geneva and Paris, 1910 (Kiindig, Geneva; 

 Felix Alcan, Paris). — This theoretical and practical manual of 

 volumetric analysis has been prepared particularly for the pur- 

 poses of laboratory instruction, but it is intended to be useful 

 also to the practical analyst. It contains concise and clear 

 descriptions of many of the best known and most frequently em- 

 ployed methods, including a number of special technical processes. 

 Although it is not an exhaustive treatise on volumetric analysis, 

 it will be found useful and suggestive in regard to some of the 

 methods described. It has the fault of many French books in 



