716 
ON THE FUNCTIONS OF NUCLEI WITH RESPECT TO 
Mr. Tate next described the process lately invented by M. Ludwig Mond, which, he 
stated, was now working very successfully on a large scale in three or four of the most 
extensive alkali works in the kingdom. He had seen it in active operation at the works 
of Messrs. Hutchinson and Co., at Widnes, and considered that it would not only prove 
remunerative to the manufacturers, but would also do away with the great nuisance 
now caused by throwing away the ordinary soda waste. The process is exceedingly 
simple, requires very little labour, and a very inexpensive plant. About one-half of the 
sulphur contained in the waste is recovered at a cost which leaves to the manufacturer, 
at present prices of sulphur, a profit of from £3 to £4 per ton. There is also another 
advantage, and that is, that the waste, after removal of the recoverable sulphur, can 
actually be employed in making fresh black ash. Very good results have already been 
obtained, and by further experiment it is expected that these results may be improved. 
The paper was illustrated by a number of plans, drawings, and specimens, kindly 
supplied to Mr. Tate by Mr. Henry Brunner, of Widnes, manager of Messrs Hutchin¬ 
son and Co.’s alkali works, who has for some time superintended the sulphur-recovery 
process at those works. 
Mr. Kynaston said that M. Mond’s process was most ingenious, and certainly did 
succeed so far as the recovery of the sulphur was concerned; but he feared that, in a 
pecuniary point of view, it would not recompense the manufacturer for the loss of the 
hydrochloric acid, which could be more profitably employed in making bleaching- 
powder. * 
The Secretary offered some remarks, and, after a vote of thanks to Mr. Tate for his 
interesting paper, the meeting closed. 
THE NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Fourth ordinary Meeting of this Society was held at the Exchange Rooms, on 
Friday evening, May 14th ; Mr. Atherton, the President, in the chair. 
The following papers were read:— 
“The Result of Examination of some Samples of Tincture of Opium,” by Mr. May- 
field. 
“ Botany in Relation to Pharmacy,” by Mr. Rayner. 
This was the last meeting of the Session. 
ORIGINAL AND EXTRACTED ARTICLES. 
ON THE FUNCTIONS OF NUCLEI WITH RESPECT TO 
GASEOUS, SALINE, AND VAPOROUS SOLUTIONS * 
BY CHARLES TOMLINSON, F.R.S., F.C.S., ETC. 
As every one here present is engaged in conducting processes in chemistry 
and pharmacy, all will, I am sure, be interested in some new experiments con¬ 
nected with the solution of gases, crystallization, ebullition, and distillation 
which I shall have the honour of performing before you. 
You know that when a bottle of soda water is emptied into a glass, there is 
not only an escape of gas from the surface of the liquid, but innumerable bub¬ 
bles become attached to the inner surface of the glass. A crumb of bread 
thrown into the soda water produces a lively effervescence, and if we put into it 
the finger, a strip of paper, a rod of glass, of metal, or of wood, it immediately 
becomes covered with gas. In fact any solid acts as a nucleus in separating 
gas from solution ; and I would define a nucleus as a body that has a stronger 
adhesion for the gas of a solution than for the water which holds the gas in 
sol ution. 
Let us now take a glass that has been made chemically clean by being washed 
* Substance of a lecture delivered at 17, Bloomsbury Square, on the 19th of May. 
