32 HENRY DEANE. 



include further researches as to the nature of the newly-discovered 

 substances helium and argon. Olszewski has attempted the 

 liquefaction of helium obtained from cleveite, and although the 

 low temperature of - 220° was attained, yet no sign of liquefaction 

 appeared. Experiments by Ramsay and Travers fail to prove 

 that the new gases are truly elementary bodies after all. Helium 

 may consist of a pair of elements like nickel and cobalt. Sir 

 Norman Lockyer considers it to be a mixture on spectroscopic 

 observations of certain distant stars. The chemists base their 

 experiments on fractional diffusion and although the work proves 

 to be both complex and difficult, further research is needed in 

 order to place helium and argon in their proper niche in the 

 periodic system of elements. 



The examination of a number of commonly recurring minerals 

 by Hartley has led to the discovery of the fact that many of the 

 rare elements, such as gallium, rubidium and thallium exist in 

 iron ores and saline minerals hitherto passed unexamined. 



Some remarkable facts have been brought to light by Professor 

 Liversidge, who finds small quantities of the metal gold in unsus- 

 pected form of matter ; over a grain of gold per ton was found in 

 rock salt, kainite and Chilian nitre. Small quantities of gold were 

 found in sea water and in certain sea-weed, kelp, etc. 



* A novel use of the telephone has been suggested by Erdmann, 

 who proposes to apply the instrument to the chemical analysis of 

 milk, wine, beer and salts in solution. Perhaps the most remark- 

 able chemical event of the year was the liquefaction of fluorine 

 by Moissan and Dewar. The gas becomes liquid at - 185°, and 

 in this state, strange to say, has no action on glass. 



In New South Wales the most notable work in organic chemistry 

 was the separation of and discovery of eudesmol and myrticolorin 

 by Messrs. Baker and Smith, of the Sydney Technological Museum 

 which have been duly described in papers read before this Society. 

 The labours of these gentlemen, which are now specially directed to 

 the investigation of the exudations and products of the Australian 

 vegetation, are of the highest value. 



