6i4 
Current  Literature. 
i  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
*■    December,  19 17. 
this  industry,  says  Chemical  Trade  Journal,  61  (1917),  26,  is  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that  some  of  the  largest  firms  in  Germany,  such  as 
the  Konsortium  fur  Elektrochemische  Industrie  of  Nurnberg,  the 
Elektrotech.  Werke  of  Bitterfeld,  the  Farbenfab.  of  Bayer  &  Co., 
Griesheim,  and  others,  have  been  occupied  with  this  problem  for 
some  years.  There  are  firms  in  Germany  producing  10  to  50  tons 
of  carbide  per  day  in  order  to  convert  the  acetylene  into  acetic  acid 
and  acetone,  the  latter  being  intended  chiefly  for  the  production  of 
synthetic  rubber. 
This  new  industry  should  be  of  special  interest  to  Switzerland, 
since  the  necessary  carbide  will  in  the  future  be  available  in  large 
quantities  in  that  country.  After  the  war,  the  export  of  carbide 
will  be  considerably  reduced  and  this  product  will,  therefore,  be- 
come much  cheaper.  On  the  other  hand,  the  price  of  rubber  will 
remain  high  for  several  years.  (From  The  Journal  of  Industrial 
and  Engineering  Chemistry.) 
Potash  and  Other  Chemicals  in  Japan's  Trade. — Consul- 
General  George  H.  Scidmore,  Yokohama,  reports  that  Japanese 
exports  of  potassium  chlorate  to  American  and  other  destinations 
are  increasing  at  a  remarkable  rate.  The  Japan  Advertiser  states 
that  this  trade  development  is  regarded  as  a  sign  of  the  country's 
industrial  progress.  The  article  was  principally  imported  from 
Europe  before  the  war,  to  meet  the  increasing  demand  from  match 
manufacturers.  When  the  war  broke  out  and  shipments  from 
France  stopped,  Japan's  total  supply  was  only  500  barrels  a  month. 
The  production  in  this  country  now  far  exceeds  consumption. 
A  dealer  in  chemicals  is  quoted  by  the  Advertiser  as  saying  that  the 
total  shipments  from  Yokohama  for  the  first  six  months  of  the  year 
were  valued  at  $280,812,  the  principal  destinations  being  China, 
British  India,  the  Dutch  East  Indies,  Russia,  America,  and  Great 
Britain.    (From  Commerce  Reports.) 
Japanese  Production  and  Exports  of  Sulphuric  Acid. — 
Since  the  beginning  of  the  year  the  price  of  sulphuric  acid  in  Japan 
has  been  steadily  advancing,  owing  to  increased  exports  to  Russia 
and  China,  and  also  to  the  Allies  for  war  purposes.  As  a  result, 
some  of  the  artificial-fertilizer  companies  have  reduced  the  output 
of  fertilizers  and  devoted  their  energies  to  the  manufacture  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  while  a  number  of  companies  have  been  established  ex- 
