2126
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION Old way:
SEPTBMBBR. 1930
o +2 + H(CI) +Ch + (Mn)CL.. . . -7~ +I* n K(Mn)04 + H(CI) +CI2 + (Mn:CL. . . . . +7
1
K(Mn)O,
-2.
New way:
It becomes a t once clear that manganese has lost electrons to chlorine. These few examples will serve not only to indicate the ready usefulness of recording valence and ions in terms of electrons, but to show that it is a more logical procedure in that i t expresses the theory as we now accept it. With this view, the term valence would have little use. It might still be retained as a general term expressing combining power, but different terms for the strongly electropositive and electronegative elements ought to be used. These new terms should he as descriptive as possible of the condition of the atom when ionized, so that they could be easily applied by the beginning chemistry student. Several terms have already been suggested, that is hypo- and hyper-electronic, but these are rather lengthy ones. A criticism might also be made in that the method of always writing r in designating valence is somewhat burdensome, but this would be necessary at present to differentiate the expression from that of positive and negative charges now in textbooks. Later the r might be dropped and -2 would then indicate - 2 c while +2 would indicate +2r. To summarize, it should be emphasized that this method of recording valence and ions in terms of electrons would more accurately express the accepted theory, shorten and simplify the use of the electronic conception, and consequently be more useful to a first-year chemistry student.
Blistering War Gas Made from Corncobs. A blistering compound, or vesicant, very similar in its properties and action to the much-feared mustard gas of war-time fame has been prepared from corncobs b y Dr. Henry Gilman and A. P. Hewlett of Iowa State College. It has also been shown that charcoal made from corncobs may find application as an absorbent in defensive gas masks. The full chemical title of the newly prepared blistering chemical is beta-chlorethyl-2-furfuryl-sulfide.I t was not prepared in the first place with any idea of using it in war. The two chemists were looking for something that would put an unerasable mark on the hide of a hog, to identify it during its path of sorrow through the packing plant, preparatory to its metamorphosis into hams and side~meat. It seems t o he very satisfactory for this purpose. I t does not raise blisters on the porcine rind as i t does on human skin, but merely makes red marks that will remain unchanged for a t least twelve hours before killing. None of the original compound remains on the marks, so t h a t i t is safe for packinp house employes to handle the hog. And just as the corncob charcoal could find use in war, so does it have a possible peace-time application with these same hogs. Pcd to swine, it improves their digestion, possibly by absorbing troublesome interns1 gases. Dr. Gilman and his associates have been carrying on a long series of experiments to find new uses for all parts of the corn plant. I n thc o u r s c of their researches they have evolved a great variety of substances of possible commercial value, including drugs, perfumes, flavoring extracts, and a compound sweeter than saccharin-Srience Setmice ~
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