VOL.8, No. 11
REACTION CHARTS
2253
The sulfur reactions analogous to those of KCIO* and HC103 are
+ NasSO, HsSOX= HzS04+ S + H20 NarSOa = NanS
and
The compounds of phosphorus act similarly to the halogen compounds and sodium sulfite. An attempt is made in the chart for oxidation-reduction processes with sulfuric and nitric acids to show the effect of the various reducing agents. It should be pointed out that HzS, for example, is not the sole reduction product of KI and concentrated HzS04. Some SOpand free sulfur are also likely to be present. The inset for iron and nitric acid shows the proportions of the various reduction products of nitric acid for the different concentrations of the acid used (1). Literature Cited ( I ) B n o m , J. G., J. Phys. Chern., 25, 431 (1921).
Brazilian Wood Causes Poisoning Like Ivy. Cases of skin poisoning among woodworkers, similar in many respects t o the effects of poison ivy or poison oak, have been investigated by the U. S. Public Health Service, which has just reported its findings. The trouble has been due to a hardwood imported from Brazil. In its native Land, the wood is known as "embuia"; in America it is given the trade name of Brazilian walnut, though i t is not a true walnut but a relative of the laurel. It is highly prized as a material for fine woodwork in Brazil. "Patch tests" given by applying sawdust from the wood t o selected skin areas on human volunteers definitely determined its guilt. Not all persons are susceptible, however, and susceptible persons often acquire immunity. During the war, Brazilian walnut was imported to some extent for use in rifle stocks. but a t that time no trouhle w a s reported.-Science Service New Source of Rare Metal Found. A new source of the recently discovered metal rhenium, which contains up t o one per cent of rhenium, has been announced hv its discoverers, Dr. Walter ~ o d d a c and k his wife, Dr. Ida Noddack. Previously the best ore from which the new metal could be obtained contained only one part of the metal in 660.000 of the are. Dr. Walter Noddack has been seekmg a more plentiful source of the metal for several years. Rhenium, number 75 in the order of the elements, which was discovered a few years ago, is chemically similar to the common element manganese with which i t often occurs in minerals. Several thousands of tons of rhenium and rhenium compounds have been distributed among scientists throughout the world. They will study the properties of the new element on a larger scale than hitherto.-Scime Service Find Zinc in Drinking Water. As much zinc as 50 parts per million of water is found in natural waters of the Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma zinc district. Animals and humans are drinking it. Zinc in that proportion in the form of zinc sulfate had no bad effect when tried on rats. The problem was discussed before the American Chemical Society meeting a t Buffalo by Prof. Edward Bartow of the University of Iowa. If pure zinc is used in galvanizing iron pipes for drinking water, less zinc will be dissolved, he said.-Scince Seruice ~
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