Report of the chemical section, Franklin Institute, 1888

Report of the chemical section, Franklin Institute, 1888

128 Chem,cal Section. [ J. F. I.. Notice was ~iven by the President proposing an a m e n d m e n t to the ByLaws, m a k i n g the a n n u a l dues...

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128

Chem,cal

Section.

[ J. F. I..

Notice was ~iven by the President proposing an a m e n d m e n t to the ByLaws, m a k i n g the a n n u a l dues $2 per year instead of St as heretofore. T h e President appointed Drs. Greene, H o o k e r a n d Hall m e m b e r s of a Committee on Abstracts, the duty of the committee to consist in selecting from the various chemical journals articles to be abstracted, a n d in assigning such articles to the various m e m b e r s of a volunteer committee, by whom they are to be abstracted for the JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE. Dr. W a h l a n n o u n c e d the purchase of a complete set of the ]ahresberickr for the Library of the INSTITUTE. Dr. H o o k e r showed several specimens of the pyrrol, indol a n d carbazol groups, a n d spoke briefly on the relations of these c o m p o u n d s to each other. T h e " fir-wood " reaction was strikingly shown with pyrrol, phenyl-pyrrol a n d carbazol, a n d the best way of m a k i n g it explained. Dr. Hooker calledl attention to the fact that pine was slowly colored bright green by c o n c e n trated hydrochloric acid. This he believed h a d not b e e n previously observed. A pine splinter, moistened with an alcoholic solution of furfural, was also shown to turn intensely green when exposed to the action of hydrochloric acid gas, but this could be readily distinguished from the action of hydrochloric acid alone. Adjourned. WM. C. DAY, Secretary.

[Erratum.--In list of n o m i n a t i o n s for m e m b e r s h i p in D e c e m b e r Proceedings, for H e n r y C., read, M. Carey Lea.] R E P O R T oF a'ttE C H E M I C A L S E C T I O N , F R A N K L I N I N S T I T U T E , ~888. Mk. JOSEPH M. WILSON, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN INSTITUTE : SIR :--I h a v e the h o n o r to submit the following report of the proceedings. of the Chemical Section for the year I888 : The work of the Section was carried on with the aid of the following OFFICE [(S :

iDresidenZ--Mr. J. H. Eastwick. Vicc-Presidcn/s--Profl S. P. Sadtler, Mr. H. Pemberton, Jr. Secretary--T. C. Pahner. Treasurer--Mr. Chas. Bullock. ~bnservator--Dr. Win. H. W a h l . Stated meetings were held on the second or third Tuesdays of F e b r u a r y , May, June, September, October, N o v e m b e r a n d December, a n d special meetings were held on April 24th a n d June 4th, m a k i n g in all nine meetings during the year. T h e r e has been a growing interest in the affairs of the Section on the part of m e m b e r s , a n d at the present time the indications of future d e v e l o p m e n t a n d increasing usefulness a n d importance are very marked. T h e net increase of m e m b e r s h i p during the twelve m o n t h s is nine, mak-ing a total of sixty-four m e m b e r s .

Feb., 1889.1

Chemical Section.

I2 9

Several matters of importance have claimed the attention of the Section during the past year. T h r e e subjects were submitted by the Committee on Science a n d the Arts, a n d reported upon by committees of the Section, to wit : T h e reopened question of the Hyatt Pure W a t e r C o m p a n y ' s filtering apparatus, referred b a c k on account of a protest against the award of the Scott Legacy Medal a n d Premium thereto ; the Sodium Process of Mr. Hamilton Y. Castner, the H y d r o g e n Process for Preserving Iron a n d Steel. These reports were forwarded to the Committee on Science a n d the Arts, a n d are now filed a m o n g their papers. T h e further proceedings of the Section are given in abstract in the following record : An a r r a n g e m e n t h a s been made, whereby the proceedings of the Section shall be published in full, in successive n u m b e r s of the JOURNAL OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE,a n d the minutes of the D e c e m b e r meeting, together with several papers, h a v e already a p p e a r e d in the previous impression. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, I 8 S 8 .

Stated Meeting, February/4tk.--Dr. E. H. Keiser gave a n account of his work on the estimation of the atomic weight of oxygen. T h e method followed was the b u r n i n g of hydrogen occluded by palladium, a n d weighing of resulting water. Results showed O ( i5"9 6. Adjourned. S~ecial Meeting, Aibrit241h.--The Treasurer's report for I887 was read. Bills were ordered to be paid. Resignations of Dr. J. B. Lober a n d Mr. Bruno T e r n e were accepted. Nominations of four g e n t l e m e n to m e m b e r s h i p were made. The deferred election of officers took place. T h e President a n n o u n c e d the following committees: ( r ) O n the Castner Sodium Process, Dr. E. H. Keiser, Messrs. Weikel a n d Palmer. (2) On the Hydrogen Processfi~r Preserving Iron and Steel, Dr. W m . C. Day, Messrs. Matos a n d Chase. A m e n d m e n t s to By-laws were announced. Dr. E. H. Keiser spoke further of his work on the atomic weight of oxygen. Further results h a d shown the probable correctness of the usually accepted number, I 5 9 6. Adjourned. St~ted Meeting, May zSth.--The resignation as m e m b e r of the Section of Mr. L. W. Moody was accepted. T h e committees appointed at last meeting reported progress, a n d were continued. Mr. Victor de Balas, Dr. D. K. Tuttle, Dr. Samuel C. Hooker, a n d Mr. Geo. C. Webster were elected to m e m b e r s h i p . T h e protest of Prof. A. R. Leeds against the report of a committee of this Section, on the H y a t t Pure W a t e r System, together with said report a n d correspondence concerning the subject, was read, and, on motion, the matter was m a d e a special order for an appointed meeting of the Section. Adjourned. Slkecial Meeting, June 4lb.--The protest of Prof. A. R. Leeds against the favorable report of the Committee on the H y a t t Pure W a t e r System, was read ; also, the report in question, a n d various letters a n d documents bearing on the matter. After a very full discussion, it was Resolved, T h a t the Secretary be instructed to inform the Committee on WHOLE NO, VOL. CXXVII.--(THIRD SERIES, Vol. xcvii.)

9

I30

Chemical Section.

[ J . F. I.~

Science a n d the Arts, that the Chemical Section, acting as Committee of t h e Whole, h a s carefully considered the protest of Prof. A. R. Leeds against t h e award of the Scott Legacy P r e m i u m a n d M e d a l to the Hyatt Pure W a t e r Company, a n d does not deem the evidence submitted of sufficient importance to warrant it in r e c o m m e n d i n g a re-opening of the question. Dr. E. H. Keiser read the report of the Committee on the Castner Sodium Process. T h e report concludes with the following : "It appears, from all t h e evidence submitted to us, that, through the efforts of Mr. Castner, an a d v a n c e step h a s b e e n t a k e n in the manufacture of sodium, which c a n n o t help h a v i n g a beneficial effect on industry." T h e report was adopted. Dr. W m . C. Day read the report of the Committee on the H y d r o g e n Process for Preserving Iron a n d Steel. This report contained a description of the process, but stated that the committee h a d been u n a b l e to obtain a n y e v i d e n c e of its successful working. Accepted. Adjourned.

Stated Meeting, June I9th.--Bills for printing were ordered to be" paid. Dr. H. W. Jayne read a paper on " Coal T a r Products." ' T h e p a p e r was illustrated by n u m e r o u s specimens a n d drawings. T h e lecturer spoke particularly of the present state of m a n u f a c t u r e a n d various uses of n a p h t h a lin, giving m a n y facts a n d circumstances of great interest. On motion of Prof. N. W . T h o m a s , a vote of t h a n k s was t e n d e r e d Dr. J a y n e for h i s unusually interesting paper. Adjourned. Stated Meeting, SwiOtemberzSth.--Routine business a n d general discussion. Adjourned.

Staled MeetinLr, October 16lb.--Dr. Samuel C. H o o k e r read a p a p e r on " Estimation of Nitrates in Natural Waters, a n d Some New Reactions of Carbazol." A general discussion of the paper followed. A d j o u r n e d . Stated Meclin~, November 2oth.--Two g e n t l e m e n were n o m i n a t e d for m e m b e r s h i p in the Section. T r e a s u r e r was authorized to receive subscriptions to JOU~tNALS for the year.I889. N o m i n a t i o n s of officers for the year I889 were made. Mr. H. Pemberton, Jr., spoke of a constant error found by him in a line of burettes m a d e by Greiner, of New York, due to the graduation h a v i n g b e e n m a d e with the aid of mercury, the meniscus of which is different from that of water. Dr. J a y n e described the extensive color works at Basle, a n d laboratories connected with them ; spoke also of the vast extent of the color m a r k e t in C h i n a a n d Japan, due to the practice of h o u s e h o l d dyeing. T h e commercial peculiarities of the color trade of Europe were also described. Miscellaneous discussion. Adjourned. Slated Meeting, December 18th.--Two g e n t l e m e n Were elected m e m b e r s of the Section, a n d seven nominated. T h e following were elected officers for 1889 : President--Mr. H. Pemberton, Jr., I947 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Vice-Presidents-- ~ Dr. S. C. Hooker, F r a n k l i n Sugar Refinery, Phila. ( Mr. T. C. Palmer, 22 North Front Street, P h i l a d e l p h i a . Secretary--Dr. W m . C. Day, Swarthmore College, Delaware County, Pa. Treasurer--Dr. H. W. Jayne, B e r m u d a Street, Frankford, Philadelphia. Conservator--Dr. W m . H. W a h l , FRANKLIN INSTITUTE,Philadelphia.

Feb.,

1B89.]

6"/wmical

Section.

i3!

Mr. Pemberton presented a communication from Dr. Wahl, concerning the publishing of papers of the Section. Committee to confer with Dr. Wahl, Mr. Pemberton, Jr., Dr. S. C. Hooker. Committee to revise By-laws and membership l i s t : Mr. T. C. Palmer, Dr. H. W. Jayne, Prof. R. L. Chase. Mr. Liithy exhibited and remarked on the mineral eudialyte. Prof. Chase and Dr. Jayne discussed the film of the Welsbach gas burner. Dr. Hooker showed samples of so-called electrically refined sugar. Mr. Luthy agreed with him in his estimate of the alleged electric process. Mr. Macfarlane exhibited a souvenir of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the color works of Meister, Lucius & Bruening. Dr. Hooker showed a sample of saccharin and described the most reliable test for it. Discussion of the wholesomeness of saccharin, by Dr. Hooker, Dr. Jayne, Dr. Hall. Adjourned. Respectfully, T . C . PALMER, Secretary.

ON THE A S H OF T I L L A N D S I A

USNEOIDES.

BY T. C. PALMER.

[To be read before the CTlemical Section, FRANKLIN INSTITUTE,~'brt:ary :9, i88o. I

A t the s u g g e s t i o n of Prof. H. Trimble, I h a v e m a d e an analysis of the ash of Florida long moss, w i t h results t h a t are p e r h a p s w o r t h y of publication. A b o u t the y e a r t835, A v e q u i n of N e w Orleans, published ~ an analysis of this ash, in the following t e r m s : 1,ooo g r a m m e s of moss g a v e 32"35 g r a m m e s ash. [Ash = 3"235 per cent.] Composed o f - Grammes.

5airs of potash (phosphate, sulphate, carbonate, chloride), Lime, partly as carbonate, . . . . . . . . . . . . Phosphates of lime and magnesia . . . . . . . . . . Silica containing a little iron and manganese . . . . . .

I 1"47 5'96 9'26 5"66

J

32"35

This s e e m e d to be the only analysis hitherto m a d e of t h e ash, and it is v e r y incomplete. T h e results o b t a i n e d b y me are given as the a v e r a g e of two e o n c u r r i n g analyses, and are as follows: ~ Journa[ de Pharm. el Chimie, iii, "~,5, 95.