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IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vol. XXIV, 1917 
tion of the distillate passing over between 64.9° and 65.1° (un- 
con*.) was retained. 
Lithium Chloride.— Kahlbaum’s best grade of lithium chloride 
was recrystallized four times by passing pure hydrogen chloride 
gas into a saturated solution of the salt in conductivity water. 
The crystals were filtered on a Buchner funnel and sucked dry. 
They were then heated in a platinum dish in an electric oven in 
which the temperature was gradually raised to 150 c . Finally, 
the dry salt was finely powdered in an agate mortar and trans- 
ferred to porcelain boats; these were placed in a combustion 
tube and heated for several hours at 160° in a rapid stream 
of dry hydrogen chloride gas. All traces of the latter were then 
removed by a stream of dry hydrogen gas, after which the boats 
were quickly transferred to large glass-stoppered weighing tubes. 
Solutions . — All of the solutions used were prepared by first 
dissolving an amount of the salt in excess of that desired for 
the highest concentration. The chloride content was then de- 
termined in at least three separate samples by the Drechsel 12 
modification of the Yolharcl method. All of the various con- 
centrations in any given solvent were made by the proper dilu- 
tion of this solution. All measuring apparatus was certified 
and the solutions were made rip to Volume at 25°, care being 
taken to avoid undue exposure of the alcohols to the air. 
Lithium Amalgam , — This was prepared by the electrolysis of 
a saturated solution of lithium chloride in pyridine, usng pure 
redistilled mercury as cathode. It was then washed in absolute 
alcohol, quickly dried by reduced pressure, and then filtered 
through a capillary tube into a sealed, glass container from which 
the air had previously been displaced by dry hydrogen. 
Electrodes :- — The silver chloride electrodes consisted of short, 
thick pieces of pure silver wire fused into the ends of glass 
tubes. To the ends within the tubes were soldered long copper 
wires, which were of such length that they could be bent into 
small mercury cups, thus making contact with the wire leads. 
Twelve or fifteen of the electrodes thus prepared were first 
grouped as cathodes about a single pure silver anode immersed 
in a solution of potassium-silver-cyanide. After a dense, white 
coating of silver had been formed they were removed, rinsed, 
and then inserted as anodes in a 1.0 N hydrochloric acid solution 
12 Z. anal. Chem., 16, 351, 1877. 
