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Contemporary News in Science and Education
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PENNSnVANIA HIGH SCHOOL NAMED FOR EDGAR FAHS SMITH The memory of EDGARFAHSSMITH. past president of the American Chemical Society and former provost of the University of Pennsylvania, was honored by the dedication of the new Edgar Fahs Smith Junior High School, in York, l'enna., on November 1, according t o the News Edition of Indzistrial and Engineering Chemistry At the same time a bronze sculptured bust of Dr. Smith,
An interesting feature of the occasion was the presentation of Dr. Smith's Phi Beta Kappa key to the school by MRS.SM~TH. The building contains twenty-six classrooms; metal and woodworking shop; cooking and sewing rooms; a large gymnasium, partitioned into two rooms for boys' and girls' classes; boys' and girls' locker rooms, each equipped with showers; two rooms equipped as science
TABLETCOMMEMORATING DR. EDGAR FAHSSM~H'SSERVICES TO SCIENCE A N D T O EDUCATION PRESENTED BY THE YORKCOUNTY ALUMNIASSOCIATION with a tablet cotn~~lemorating his services laboratories; an art room; music room: and an excellent library starting with to sciencc and to education, was presented t o the school by the York County Alumni 2300 volumes. The space provided for a future cafeteria will be utilized for Association, University of Pennsylvania. The presentation address was made by study-hall purposes. Classrooms are in a former stu- close contact with the main office a t all CHARLESH. EHRENFELD, dent of Dr. Smith's, and the tablet times by means of a house 'phone system. The Edgar Fahs Smith Junior High was unveiled by Dr. Smith's grcat-niece, SUSAN SMITH. The principal address School will open with an instructional was made by Pnovosr JOSIAH H. PENNI- staff of 27 and an enrolment of approxiMAN of the University of Pennsylvania. mately 600 pupils. 764
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FINAL PROGRAM, D M S I O N OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION, N E W ORLEANS MEETING OF TRE A. C. S. March 28 to April 1, 1932 All details of the general and divisional programs will appear in the March 20 Nnvs Edition of Indlrstrial and Engineering Chemistry. Monday will be given aver t o the Council meeting in the morning, a general program of papers in the afternoon, and an entertainment in the evening. Tuesday and Wednesday will be devoted to divisional programs and activities, with general entmtainments in the evening, while on Thursday and Friday opportunity will be given to visit the environs of New Orleans. The program of papers for the ~ i v i s i o hof Chemical Education will be confined to two half-day sessions an Tuesday and two on Wednesday, as follows: TUESDAY, MARCH 29 OWENL. SHINN,"Are Chemists Teaching Chemistry?" F. R. GEORGIA,"The Rollins College Experiment." B. P. CALDWELL, "Industrial CoBperation in the Education of Chemists." H. W. MOSELEY and R. J. LANDRY, "The Presentation of the Concept of Valence in General Chemistry." 10:20 A.M. G. FREDERICK SMITHand V. R. SULLIVAN, "A New and Simplified Colorimeter, Especially Designed for the Colorimetric Estimation of Manganese by the Periodate Method." 10:30 A.M. Intermission. 10:40 A.M. A~DAM. DOYLE,"Visual Aids in Chemical Education: The Museum." 11:00 A.M. OTTO M. SMITH."Orzanization of Freshman Chemistrv Classes a t Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College." 11:20 A.M. C. J. ENCELDERand W. SCH~LLER,'"ASystem of Micro Qualitative Analysis." C Ross A. B A ~ R"Pyrophoric , Lead as a Demonstration Material." Luncheon. La Louisiane Restaurant. Brief responses by the president and president-elect of the A. C. S., the and Lea@, Superchairman of the division, the editors of the JOURNAL intendent Bauer of the New Orleans Public Schools, and Professor DeMilt of Newcomh College. Round-Table Discussion. The Thirty-First Yearbook on "A Program for Teaching Science." EARL0 x 0 , "What a Chemist Saw a t Low Cost in a Summer European Trip." JR., "Along the Trails of the Rocky Mountain National ROBERT COLLIER, Park." 9:00 A.M. 9:15 A.M. 9:40 A.M. 10:00 A.M.
WEDNESDAY. MARCH30 Joint Meeting of the Divisions of Biological Chemistry, Chemical Education, and Medicinal Chemistry. SIDNEYBLISS,presiding. "Some Recent Developments in Biochemistry." 9:10 A.M. R. A. DUTCHER, "Some ObservaG. B. WALDEN,and G. H. A. CLOWES, 9:55 A.M. E. D. CAMPBELL, tions on Insulin." OI-IVERKAMM,"Chemistry and the Quest for Health." JACKP. MONTGOMERY, "Premedical Requirements in Chemistry." 765
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION P.M. P.M.
APRIL, 19'32
Meeting of the Senate of Chemical Education. Business Meeting of the Division of Chemical Education.
As announced in the preliminary program, the Executive Committee of the Division will meet Monday a t 7:30 A.M. and 1 2 3 5 P.M. and the editors of the J O ~ N A Land Leafit will mcet a t 5:00 P.M.Tuesday. The editors' dinner will be held a t 6:00 P.M. a t Galatoire's Restaurant. Any last-minute requests for information or assistance should he directed to the Local Secretary, WALTERG. ALLEE,Isidore Newman School, R . A. BAKER,secrelary New Orleans, La. NEW SCIENCE BUILDING AT THE PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY
The departments of physics and of chemistry of T h e Phillips Exeter Academy have recently moved into a new building
physics lecture room. On the rear is a students' entrance t o the basement and a ramp entrance for delivery of supplies. Two stair wells extend from basement to top floor with minimum wastage of floor space. The floors throughout the building are nine-inch-souare mastic tile. The walls of the laboratories, stockrooms, and stair wells are finished in special, chemical resistant, glazed, hollow brick of restful, pleasing color. All plumbing and piping is exposed or put in paneled-wall compartments for ease in making rcpairs. Spccial anti-glare electric light fixtures are used throughout the building. Plumbing fixtures in the chemical laboratories are or dull nickel; in the remainder of the building they arc of chromium plate. Since the building is heated from the central heating plant, the two chimneys
from the two separate buildings which have housed these departments for the past forty years. This new building is the gift of thc late CDL.WILLIAMB. THOMPSON of Yonkers, New York, a graduate of the Academy in 1890, and donor of several other buildings, notably the new administration building and thc gymnasium and associated buildings. Thenrw building, called the "Thompson Science Building," consists of a central unit, approximately 75 by (illfeet, of three stories and an attic, and two wings each of two stories and about 36 by 50 feet. A basernentextends under the entire building. RLEXENTARY CHEMISIRYROOM The building is of brick with white exterior trim. Two entrances on the front facc the new quadrangle being are dummy chimneys starting from the developed in the "Yard." An entrance attic floor level and serving simply as on the south opens directly into the exits for the ventilation ducts.
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THOMPSON SCIENCE BUILDING. THE PHILLIPSI ~ x E T B RACADEMY Thc first floor is devoted entirely t o physics, the second and third to chemistry, while the basement is shared by both departments. The first floor comprises a large laboratory. a lecture room, a commodious stockroom, two small classrooms, preparation room, shop, coat room, and three offices, one having an adjoining private laboratory for instructor's use. The physics laboratory is supplied with eight working tables, amply equipped, with electric current and other appliances including sliding blackboards and apparatus cases. The lecture room seats 140 students, has sloping floor, stationary chairs, fully equipped demonstration table, sliding blackboards, screen and lantern equipment, and celoter ceiling for sound deadening. The stockroom, generously supplied with apparatus eases, adjustable shelving and sink, is in the center of the building between the laboratory and corridor. The basement contains a large examination room for physics, coat room, toilets for students, janitor's room, aroom for the student organization called the "Scientific Society," a photographic dark room, a
stockroom for surplus physics apparatus, a similar one for chemistry, besides rooms for storage batteries, motor-generator. ventilation fans, compressed air pump, etc. The actd room is equipped with ledges to hold carboys*, shelves ior bottles, compressed air forcmptyingcarboys, sink with hot, cold, and distilled water, flush faucet for cmcrgency use, and floor drain. Accommodations for 192 students in elementary chemistry and 20 second-year students are supplied on the two upper floors. An "clcmcntary chemistry unit" consists of a combination class and laboratory room with demonstration tablc, movable-tablet armchairs lor twelve stttdents, two rows of laboratory tables, sliding blackboard, stationary blackboards, and wall shelves. A ceramic wall sink with alberene drain board and with hot, cold, and distilled water is for general use. Steam radiators, a univcnt, and exhaust wall grills take care of heating and ordinary ventilation. I n the ceiling above the demonstration table are flood-lights for illuminating exhibits on the table. The laboratory tables have been specially designed and embody several
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attractive features. They are built in units of eightlo~kers~four oil aside. Three of thesc double units with large ceramic
, \ ~ v a x c r nC i r ~ n r i s r ~Roaw u rinks reaching the full depth of the double units form a row. This row is supplied with alberene reagent shelf, with gas, cold water, and conduits for electric outlets running the full length. Compressed air is piped to one end of the row. Lockers are of wood; tops of alherene. The room contains two of these rows, thus accommodating four sections of twelve students each. Each student has four running feet of tablc top on which to work, but his apparatus is stored in a space below the table top taking not aver one running foot of top. This is accomplished by an ingenious arrangement of four drawers covcrcd by a single panel door equipped with a acmhhintion master-key lock. There are no wall hoods. Each unit has a transit" T-shaped hood equipped with dampers for heavy and for light gases and with hinged windows for protection against spattering. Transite ducts, one for each hood, carry the fumes straight down through the floor into metallic chemical-proof ducts running in channels in the ceiling of the room below t o the vertical ccramic flues, whence the gases are carried to the fans in the attic. Wall switchce with red pilot lights control the hoods. There are four of these "elementary chemistrv unitsH--two on the second floor
APRIL, 1932
and two on the third: these enable four teachcrs to be conducting work a t the same time, each independently of the other three. The unit for the second-year chemistry is in one wing and consists essentially of the same equipment as the elementary unit, except that the lockers are larger, and each student has two lockers and more elaborate shelving for reagents. The table tops in this room are of wood with acid-resistant treatment. Each of the five chemistry laboratories is equipped with a fire blanket and a recessed shower bath for use in case of accident. Distilled water is distributed to all the laboratories t h r o u. ~ hblock tin . uioe . from a 50-gallon-tank, gas-operated still located on the third floor. A storeroom for distribution of chemical supplies is located in the center of the second floor adjacent to the laboratories and corridors. A similar storeroom supplies the third floor. Elevator service connects all three storerooms with the basement stockrooms. Both departments are supplied with wall panels for adjusting the voltage of the Aectric current supplied to the various students and demonstration tables. The walls of the corridors on the second and third floors are lined with thirty-three
Pnuwcs LABORATDRY exhibition cases for the Academy's wellknown chemical collection. T h e shelves are adjustable and of glass. The doors,
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four by six feet in size, are glazed with one entire sheet of glass. Frosted cylinder bulbs illuminate the interior of the cases. The chemistry department is further
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equipped with a large lecture room similar t o the physics lecture room, a preparation ~. room, two balance rooms, and live offices for instructors, one with a private laboratory. ~
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GEORGE L. C O n E , S.J. The announcement by Georgetown Uni- received the Ph.D. degrec from Woodv m i t y of the death of the REVEREND stock College, Md. In 1907 his second GEORGEL. COVLE,S.J., eminent educator, Ph.D. degree was conferred upon him scientist, and priest who died suddenly by GBttingen College, Germany, where in New York, on January 16, came as a he had spent two years in research. Returning home he was awarded a third Ph.D. degree by Georgetown University in 1908. He was appointed to Holy Cross College a< head of the chemistry department and remained there until 1923. He was then assigned to Georgetown TJniversitv as -professor of organic chemistry and director of the chemistry department and held this position until his death. Few men have enacted their r61e in life more honorably or left behind a more revered and cherished memory than this exemplary man. He was highly esteemed for his simplicity, ready wit, keen mind, sincerity of purpose, and boundless affection for his fellow-beings. As an cdJcatar he was kindly, genial, patient, sclf-sacrificing, and will live long in the affectionate remembrance of the thousands of students whose characters he helped to mold, many of whom are now leaders in the social, political, business, and religious fields. As a scientist he was indefatigable, thorongli shock to cvcry onc who was evcr favored by his association and profound acute, thorough, and to the end was intensely interested in the progress of friendship. He was for the past eight years head of the department of chemistry science in general and of chemistry in of Georgetown and has been widely ac- particular. We find evidence of his claimed for his institution of the Chemo- especial interest in this subject manifested Medical Research program of the uni- by the Chemistry Academies he established and fostered for the purpose of further versity. enlightening the students and instilling in Father Coyle was horn in Philadelphia, their minds a respect and love for the December 11, 1869, and was graduated from LaSalle College of that city in 1886, profession of chemistry. His interest is receiving an A.B. degree. During the further shown by the research he performed and the books he wrote and edited. next year he entered the Society of Jesus I t was during his stay a t Georgetown and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 1903. I n the year 3904 Fr. Coyle University that he recognized, in the ~
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Last year, the prize was awarded jointly to DR. GEORGE H. WHIPPLE,of the University of Rochester, and DR. GEORGER. MINOT, of Harvard University, in recognition of their discovery and development of a cure for pernicious anemia. [See J. C ~ M EDUC., . 8, 396 (Feb., 1931).] Scientists throughout the country espressed deep gratification when it becamc known that Dr. Langmuir had been selected for the distinction this year hy the twenty-two prominent men of science constituting the Committee of Award. [For the personnel of this committec, see Pop. Sci. Mo.. 120, 2(i (Apr.. 1932).1. . .
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department of scientific endeavor, were submitted. The Committee then began the prodigious task of investigating each claim. This work was carried out with the utmost care, until the number of contenders was reduced to eighty-three. The final choice was made from this group. Dr. Langmuir's distinguished service in the cause of science covers a period of a quarter century. Today, he stands in the forefront of American physicists. I n scientific circles the world over, he is famed for his contributions to the knowledge of atomic structure; the theory of the single molecular layer; the heat of atomic hydrogen and its application to elcctric arc welding; the effects of gases on electrically heated filaments as applied to gas-filled tungsten lamps, and the lawn of electron emiseioll as applied to radio and other vacuum tubes. The fruits of this formidable series of studies and experiments were not permitted to remain in the laboratory, but have been translated into improvements that add to thc comfort and pleasure of virtuaMy every man, woman, and child in this counhy. Dr. Langmu~r's outstanding achievement from the practical point of view is his invention of the nitrogen-filled incandescent clcctric light bulb. He was the first t o apply argon and nitrogen to tungsten lamps. This improvement has reduced by fifty per cent. the cost of more than half the electric current bought in the United States for lighting purposes. I n terms of actual cash, i t saves the American public more than a million dollars a night on its billion-a-year electric light bill. The gas-filled lamp is only one of several practical results of Dr. Langmuir's extensive researches. He has carried out successful work on the vacuum lamp and on radio tubes. His long study of atomic hydrogen led him t o the atomic hydrogen flame, the use of which in welding is expanding rapidly. Before Dr. Langmuir became associated
* .
Thc Committec lcft no stone unturned in its effort to fiud the candidate most deserving of the honor. The entire American field of science was covered thoroughly. Evcry university and college in the country, all of thc scientific societies, every industrial research organization, and various department5 of the United States Government, nearly 1800 organizations in all, cooperated in the search. Shortly after the prize had been awarded for the first time a year ago, these bodies were requested to nominate men in their own or any other field whose work they deemed worthy of the distinction. I n the ensuing months, the names of hundreds of candidates, representing virtually every
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with the General Electric Laboratories more than twenty years ago, electrical experts, from Edison down, had tried t o improve the vacuum of the incandescent lamp. In his vacuum studies, Langmuir exhausted empty lamp bulbs and bulbs containing filaments a t all possible temperatures. For days he operated lamps under liquid air, and he devised a method of exhausting lamp bulbs heated close t o their melting paint. With his co-workers, he literally spent years doing such work. They conducted extensive experiments in which the slightest traces of various gases were put into the most perfectly evacuated bulbs, and their reactions, absorptions, and distributions were studied. This work ha3 never really stopped, and the original apparatus, still in use, may be destined to contribute further to the science of atomic and electronic physics. La-uir's discovery of the atomic welding are, in 1927, also was a product of gradual growth and patient, persistent research. By means of this remarkable device, hitherto unweldable metals can he melted and fuscd without a trace of oxidation, and in some cases welding can be performed on paper-thin metal sheets. The secret of the process lies in the passage of a stream of hydrogen through the arc between two electrodes. The heat of the arc breaks the hydrogen molecules up into atoms. These atoms recombine a short distance beyond the arc into molecules of the gas, and this process liberates a n enormous amount of heat, so that more effective temperatures can be obtained than with ordinary welding methods. For fifteen years prior t o this invention, Langmuir experimented with incandescent filaments in hydrogen gas. In the course of these studies, he discovered evidence indicating the splitting of hydrogen atoms, a process that absorbed a tremendous amount of heat. His conclusion that their recombination would liberate an equally great amount of heat led him to his invention.
APRIL,1932
While conducting these and other researches, he published articles on the dissociation, or splitting, of hydrogen in 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915, and 1916 The atomic-hydrogen arc-welding process was completed in 192fi, and perfected for practical use a year later. During the last twenty years, his published researches on fundamental physical and chemical subjects have averaged seven each year, all of them original work. They cover such widely different fields as chemical reactions a t low pressurps; conduction, convection, and radiation of heat; vapor pressures of metals; new vacuum pumps and vacuum gages; crystal and atomic structure; electronic and ionic currents; high-power vacuum tubes, and theories of absorption and evaporation. Born in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1881, Langmuir was graduated from the School of Mines of Columbia University in 1903. He continued his studies a t the University of Gdttingen, in Germany, where he received his Master's degree and his Doctorate of Philosophy. Returning t o this country, he served the Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N. J., as instructor of chemistry from 1900 to 1909, after which he became connected with the research laboratories of the General Electric Company. Dr. Langmuir has been the recipient of a number of honorary degrees and other distinctions. Northwestern University conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Science in 1921, and in the same year Edinburgh University, Scotland, conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. H e received the degree of Doctor of Science from Union University, Jackson, Tenn., in 1923, from Columbia University in 1925, and from Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, in 1927. Twice Dr. Langmuir was awarded the Nichols Medal by the New York Section of the American Chemical Society; in 1915 for his work on chemical reactions a t low pressures, and in 1920 for work on atomic structure. In 1918, the Royal Society of
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London bestowed upon him the Hughes Medal for his researches in molecular physics; and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 1920, awarded him its Rumford Medal for his themionic researches and his gas-filled lamp. I n 1925, he was the recipient of the Cannizzaro Prize from the Royal Academy of Lincei, in Rome, Italy, and in 1928 of the Perkin Medal.
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of hakelite, speaks on "Chemistry and Civilization"; DR. WILLIAMH. WELCH. The Johns Hopkins University, talks on of the Dis"The Fiftieth Anni-ary covery of the Tubercle Bacillus"; DR. WILLIAMM. MANN,director, National Zo6logical Park, talks on "Our Animal Friends": and DR. KARLT. COMPTON. president, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses "Science and Enpi. neering." SCIENCE TALKS FOR SCHOOLS With each phonograph record the AVAILABLE ON PHONOGRAPH teacher will be furnished a beautiful RECORDS gravure process portrait of the speaker for A novel aid t o science education was display when the record is played to the made available recently when Science class. As Science SewiU is an endowed Service, the institution for the populariza- educational and scientific institution not tion of science, introduced to the school operated for profit, the set of seven records world a n experimental series of science and portraits will be made available a t the addresses recorded phonographically by very nominal cost of only $3 for the set. Since the Science Sernn'ce phonograph seven eminent scientists. How the science classes of American records can be used a t any time a t the discretion of the teacher, it is believed schools will have the opportunity of meeting eminent scientists through the that they will be more adaptable to the medium of these new Sciace Sem'ce classroom than radio instruction. Since phonograph records was demonstrated a t the Science Senrice phonograph records are the exhibition of the National Education inexpensive, they will prove more widely available than motion pictures. Surveys Association recently held in Washington. ~ practically all schools A new type of long-playing durium have s h o that phonograph record, playable on any own or have access to phonographs on ordinary phonograph, is used. The cost which the records can be played. Chemical science made possible the of the records is so low that they should be low-eost production of the Science Service used widely as a new teaching tool. "The Sciace Seroice phonograph records long-playing phonograph records. The durium record used consists of a thin layer will not usurp the place of the teacher," WATSON DAVIS,managing editor of Science of a synthetic resin applied to a piece of pressboard. The strength of this manSernn'ce, explained today. "It will be just as though Dr. Millikan and the other six made resin allows the sound grooves to he scientists we have recorded were to visit placed very close together, nearly doubling the teacher's classroom and deliver short the time of playing. The durium resin also assures long life and faithful reprotalks to the pupils." Seven of America's leading scientists duction of the sound. have moperated with Sciespw Service in S c k Sen& has its offices in the this educational experiment. DR. ROBERT building of the National Academy of A. MILLIKAN,Nobel prize physicist, talks Sciences and the National Research on "The Rise of Physics"; DR. JOHNC. Council in Washington, D. C., and it MERRIAM, president, Carnegie Institution functions under the control and auspices of Washington, tells of "The Record of the of the leading scientific organizations of Prince- America. DR.J. MCKEENCATTELL, Rocks"; DR. EDWING. CONKLIN, psychologist, is president and DR. W. H. ton University, taUts on "The Mystery of Life"; DR. L. H. BAEKELAND, inventor HOWELL, physiologist, is vice-president
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and chairman of its executive committee. I t s trustees indude such eminent scientists, educators, and public men as: DR. BURTONE. LIVINGSTON, The Johns Hopkins University; DR. RAYMOND PEARL. The Johns Hopkins University; DR. R. A. MILLIKAN, California Institute of Technology; DR. DAVIDWHITE,U. S. Geological Survey; DR. VERNON KELLOGG. secretary emeritus, National Research Council; DR. C. G. ABBOT, secretary, Smithsonian Institution; DR. H. E. HOWE, editor, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry; DR. JOHN H. FINLEY,associateeditor, New York Times;MARLENE. PEW. editor of Edilor and Publisher; MARK S U L ~ A Nwriter, , Washington, D. C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; HARRYL. SMITHTON. ROBERT P. SCRIPPS, Scripps-Howard Newspapers; and THOMAS L. SIDLO,Cleveland, Ohio. Science SerPn'ce publishes the weekly summary of current science, the Science Nevs LeNer. and furnishes authoritative news reports on science to coriperating newspapers. The Science Sem'ce phonograph records are produced with the manufacturing cooperation of Durium Products, Inc.. Net4 York City, who developed the process for the long-playing inexpensive durium record.-Science Sem'ce
APRIL,1932
U. S. CONTINUES SUPPORT OF
$2000 for the American International Institute for the Protection of Childhwd. The Committee on Appropriations, however, refused to grant any money for U. S. participation in the International Council of Scientific Unions, and reported t h a t since this was not a treaty obligation, the United States should withdraw. WILBURJ. CARR,Assistant Secretary of State, told the House committee that it was vitally important to American radio interests t h a t we should participate in the Madrid conference this year, and have a sufficient number of delegates there, so that the United States could be represented on mostof the committees. Other witnesses told the House group that radio frequencies are becoming scarce; that the United States now has fifty per cent. of the radio frequencies, and "at the present time nobody knows exactly what right flows from the fact that we got on those frequencies first, but we are sitting pretty a t the present time, and it is imperative that we be very careful to look out for our position . ." Irvin Stewart of the State Department said: "On my desk a t the present time are sirteen interference complaints that the Secretary of the Navy has sent over complaining about interference with Navy stations by Japanese stations and others." -Science Service
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE DESPITE DEPRESSION
SCIENTISTS OF WORLD COOPERATE IN ATTACK ON HEART O F MATTER
International scientific conferences and bureaus this year will in most cases continue to receive co6peration from the U. S. government, despite the world depression. I n the State Department appropriation bill reported to the House, provision is made for $29.986 for the Pan-American sanitary bureau; a little over $30W for the International Office of Public Health; the sum of $90,000 for U. S. participation in the 1932 International Radiotelegraph Convention a t Madrid, and $5790 for participation in the work of the International Hydrographic Bureau; likewise
At a time when efforts to achieve international c&peration often seem futile, scientists of all countries continue to work harmoniously together. Scientists have probably been the most cosmopolitan of any group of people. Far the past hundred years they have visited freely with fellow scientists of different nationalities, exchanging ideas that have advanced knowledge. War alone has retarded their progress. A problem on which there has been unusual international codperation is that of learning more about the ultimate constitution of matter and tapping the energy
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of the atom itself. During 1931, for example, scientists of Germany, England, and the United States greatly advanced knowledge in this field. In view of recent tremendous achievements and the fact that cMperation among scientists is succeeding while it is apparently failing among nations, it is of special interest t o summarize advances on which present knowledge of the atom care is based. Science Service has prepared a summary of twenty-five outstanding achievements since 1816 when the first step toward understanding the nucleus of the atom was taken in the form of a suggestion that all elements are made up of hydrogen atoms. The list, with dates and countries in which the discoveries were made, follows:
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substances are high-speed helium nuclei, Y ,SODDY, it was shown by W. ~ M S A F. E. R ~ H G R F O Rand O , T. R. BOYDS. England 1911-The theory of the "nuclear" atom. holding that nearly all the weight and all the positive charge are concentrated in a small central nucleus was proposed England by E. R U ~ E R F O R D . 1911-The number of negative electrons on the outside of the atom was found by C. G. BARKLAfrom a study of the England scattering of X-rays. 1912-The possibility of isotopes, that is, that atoms of differenf nuclear weights might have exactly the same chemical properties. was suggested by F. SODDY. England 1912-The rare gas neon actually has nuclei of two different weights, J. J. THOMSON showed. England
1 8 1 6 A l l elements are made up of hydrogen atoms, WILLIAMPROUTsug1913-Laws of atomic disintegration gested. England which tell how the nucleus changes in the radioactive breakdown of an element 1871-The elements were arranged in were discovered by F. SODDY.K. order of the weights of their atoms by FAJ~NS and , A. S. RusseLL. England D. MENDEL%BPP and LoTrun MEYER to form the periodic table. 1913-N1~1.s BOHRannounced his famous Russia, Gcrrrmny theory of'the atom which combined 1895-X-rays were discovered by W. K. Rutherford's "nuclear" atom with the R~NTGEN Germany ideas of the quantum theory and measDenmark urements of spectra. 1 8 9 6 T h e nucleus of the element uranium gives off radioactive rays (alpha, beta, 19l&How to locate a n atom in the and gamma) which penetrate all mateperiodic table from a study of X-ray found. France rials, A. H. BECQUEREL wave-lengths was learned by H. MoseLEY. England 1897-The negative electron which with the proton, the positive "electron" (or 1919-An element was transmuted artihydrogen atom core), makes up all ficially for the first time when E. atoms, was discovered by J J. THOMSON. RUTHERFORD knocked the hydrogen nuEngland cleus out of nitrogen nuclei with fast 189%--Radium, whose nucleus is conalpha rays, which are speeding helium England stantly breaking up or disintegrating by nuclei. emitting alpha and beta particles, was 1919-32-Weights of the isotopes of isolated by PIERREand MARIECURIE. most of the chemical elements were France measured by F. W. ASTONwho thus 1 9 G F o u n d a t i o n s of the quantum theshowed that PROUThad been nearly ory, which is based on the idea that right in thinking (in 1816) that the energy is in lumps or quanta, were laid weight of any atom is an exact multiple Germany by MAXPLANCK. of the weight of the hydrogen atom. England l9OPO%Alpha rays from radioactive
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APRIL.1932
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Palmer Physical Laboratory of Princeton 1922-Boron, fluorine, sodium, aluminum. and phosphorus were artificially dis- University, confirm the recent discovery integrated by E. RUTHERFORD and of the new isotopes a t Calurhbia University J. C. CHADWICK. England [see J. Cmm. EDUC.,9,390 (Feb., 1932)] 1925-The new quantum mechanics of the and establish its atomic weight as two. Dr. Bleakney, for these experiments, atom to replace Bohr's simple theory was set up by W. HEISENBERG,E. borrowed the tube of hydrogen specially SCHR~DINGER, P. A. M. DIRAC (En- concentrated by DR. F. G. BRICKWEDDE in the low-temperature laboratory of the gland), and P. JORDAN. U. S. Bureau of Standards, in which the Germany, England heavy new isotope was actually dis1929-A high wall of force wai pictured by G. GAMOWsurrounding the atom covered hy PROP.HAROLDC. UREYand Germany DR. G. M. MURPHYby analysi~in their nucleus. spectroscope a t Columbia. 1931-Energy of the nucleus, as well as The mass-spectrograph, which weighs that of the outer shell of the atom, is in individual atoms, chief instrument used in lumps or quanta, J. C. CHADWICK, J. E. R. CONSTABLE, andE. C. POLLARD the discovery of chemical isotopes, had not been used before t o test for the doubleshowed. England weight hydrogen isotope because scientists 1931-The table of atom nuclei was believed that the compound of hydrogen systematized and unknown isotopes, atomic weight two with an ordinary some of which have since been found, hydrogen atom of atomic weight one could were predicted by W. M. LATIMER, not be distinguished from the triple ion H. C. UREY, H. L. JOHNSON,R. T . consisting of three ordinary hydrogen Bmoe. and D. H. MENZEL. atoms, each having atomic weight one. United SlnUs Changes in the pressure of the hydrogen, 1931-32-The existence of a doubje however, Dr. Bleakney deduced, should weight hydrogen isotope was shown by distinguish between these two kinds of F. G. BRICKWEDDE. H. C. UREY, G. M. Mple-weight particles. His experiments MURPHY,F. ALLISON, and W. BLEAK- confirming this prediction, the existence of NEY. United Stele$ the new double-weight isotope was again 1932--Some atom nuclei appear to vibrate established. in step with an approaching alpha parOne atom of double-weight hydrogen t o ticle, H. POSEand G HOFFMANshowed. every 1100 ordinary atoms was found in Germany this concentrated sample, or one part in 1932-Energy of the atom nucleus was 550 by weight, as estimated roughly by tapped for the first time when W. BOTHE Prof. Urey. Simultaneously a new and more precise produced artificial cosmic rays by bombarding the metal beryllium with alpha twa-ton mass spectrograph t o weigh the Germany new hydrogen isotope more accurately particles. has just been completed by DR. KENNETH -Science Service T. BAINBRSDGE a t the Bartol Research Foundation of The Franklin Institute in DOWLE WEIGHT HYDROGEN Swarthmore, Penna. With this apparatus ATOMS PROVED BY NEW TEST Dr. Bainbridge hopes t o find the slight Newly discovered hydrogen atoms are difference in weight between the new really twice as heavy as those of ordinary double hydrogen atom and the ordinary hydrogen. Direct electromagnetic weigh- hydrogen molecule condsting of two singleing of the new double-weight atoms carried weight hydrogen atoms. From this out a t Princeton by DR. WALKERBLEAK- measurement scientists will calculate the NEX,, in his mass-spectrograph a t the "packing fraction" for the new isotope ~
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which will give important information about the constitution of all atom cores.Science Se& APPARENT BLUNDER LED TO NEW ELEMENT DISCOVERIES The chemical method that enabled the finding of the last two chemical elements, virginium and alabamine, was itself discovered by following up an apparent experimental blunder, F'ROPESSORFRED ALLISON of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, the inventor, told the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers meeting recently in New York. At first scientists doubted its power to detect one part of a chemical substance in a hundred billion of water which contained numerous other substances in solution. But now the magneto-optic apparatus, perfected from an accidental beginning, has proved itself completely successful. Prof. Allison claimed. Besides enabling him to discover the most elusive elements, numbers 85 and 87, i t has proved the existence of the new double-weight hydrogen isotope and has discovered far a first time new isotopic atoms of seven heavy metals, including gold and platinum. The four models of the apparatus in operation a t Auburn have given completely concordant results in the hands of competent observers even when the amounts of substance were too small to he found by any other method of analysis. An improved form of the apparatus a t Emory University, Atlanta. Georgia, has been used by PROP.J. L. MCGHEEand MARGARETLAWRENZto verify Prof. Allison's analvses and t o refute criticisms of the method. Industrial chemical analvsts and seentific researchers, Prof. Allison claimed, will soon find wide applications for the magneto-optic apparatus, which depends on the time lag in the effect observed when a beam of polarized light passes through a magnetized column of the liquid to be analyzed. Not only will the method detect eatremely small amounts but i t can tell ~
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~
how much is present. The magnetooptic method has the advantages that the analysis can be carried out in the presence of other substances and that the sample itself is not affected by the process as in a routine chemical analysis.--Science Senice ISOLATION OF VITAMIN B FOLLOWED NEW LINE OF RESEARCH The isolation in pure form of the antineuritic vitamin B is the result of a new line of research developed a t Gottingen by of the University of PROF.ADOLFWINDAUS Giittingen. I n reporting-his isolation of this vitamin to the German scientific journal, Za'tschrift jdr l'hysiologische Chemie, Prof. Windaus described his method. In the early stages of his work Prof. Windaus followed the lines tried by other investigators in an effort to obtain the vitamin, but later he struck out on a line of his o m . He isolated the gold salt of a crystalline substance thought t o contain vitamin B. These yellow crystals were then &composed with hydrogen sulfide. After further chemical procedures, Prof. Windaus o b t h e d a substance he believes t o be the vitamin itself, which he found t o have the chemical formula of Ct2H17NaOS. Other studies showed that i t is a base. Prof. Windaus found a way of combining the vitamin with hydrochloric acid to form the hydrochloride. He also investigated its absorption spectrum t o check up on its chemical composition, and he performed tests with the vitamin on pigeons. He found his -preparation nearly four times as powerful as crystalline material isolated by earlier investigators who thought they had obtained the vitamin in pure form. Vitamin B is now thought to be a complex substance made up of several vitamins. The one investigated by Prof. Windaus, called Bt by some investigators, is the one which protects pigeons and other non-human animals against the disease known as polyneuritis and man against beri-beri. Some authorities believe that ~
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rheumatism may he due t o insufficiency of this vitamin in the diet. I t is found in many foods, among them milk, egg-yolk, fruits, and nuts, but is particularly prevalent in yeast and the germs of cereals. Another part of the vitamin B complex is the factor thought t o protect man against the disease pellagra, and called vitamin G by American scientists.Science Service
APRIL, 1932
WARNING FOLLOWS FATAL MISTAKE OF BICHLORIDE TABLETS FOR ASPIRIN
A man died recently in Philadelphia as s result of mistaking bichloride of mercury tablets for aspirin. This fatal accident might not have occurred if the poison tablets had conformed in shape and color t o the requirements of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, E. FULLERTONCOOK. VITAMIN C DERIVED FROM POISON chairman of the committee on revision of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, points out in a FOUND IN OPIUM warning just issued t o manufacturers, The parent substance of the life-essential wholesalers, and retailers of drugs throughscurvy-preventing vitamin C is none other out the country. then the poison narcotinc, investigations of The tablets in this case were white and DR. OTTO RYGH,his wife, DR. AAGOT disk-shaped like aspirin tablets. They RYGH,and DR. PER LALAND of Oslo have wem marked "Poison" in raised letters. shown. Narcotine is one of the alkaloid This, however, could easily have been poisons found in opium and is related to overlooked, especially as aspirin tablets morphine, but in spite of its name does not also carry a raised lettering, Mr. Cook have any narcotic effect. It is transpointed out. formed into vitamin C during the ripening In accordance with the U. S. Pharof fruits and vegetables. macopmia, bichloride of mercury tablets, The isolation of vitamin C and discovery also called corrosive mercuric chloride and of its parent substance came as a result of corrosive sublimate tablets, should be of an studies of the occurrence of the vitamin'in angular shape, not flat and circular, or various fruits and vegetables, such as Biscoid. They should also be colored blue oranges, Lemons, tomatoes, whitecahhages, and should have the word "Poison" and and potatoes. The Norwegian scientists the skull and cross bones design distinctly found that narcotine was present in the stamped on them They should be unripe fruits but gradually disappeared as dispensed in securely stoppered glass the ripening proceeded and the ripe containers having on the outside a red products contained the vitamin hut no lahel bearing the word "Poison" and a narcotine. statement indicating that the tablets conGuinea-pigs were then fed on a diet con^ tain the required amount of corrosive taining narcotine and on a diet containing mercuric chloride. narcotine that had been exposed to ultraAn epidemic-like wave of similar acviolet light; both groups of guinea-pigs cidents occurred a number of years ago. died a t the same time, but the group that It was following these accidents that the had been fed on the solarized product showed no signs of scurvy while the other mesent safety requirements were incorporated into theU.S. Pharmacopreia, which is group was severely affected with it. the officialstandard far drum . in the United It was next found that mcthylnorStates. narcotine, derived from narcotine, could Mr. Cook cautioned all distributors of prevent or relieve scurvy. It was also hichloride tablets immediately to check found that narcotine was converted into an anti-scorbutic by suhmitting i t t o the their stock and t o withdraw from sale every package which offers a white or action of germinating seeds.-Science discoid tablet-Science Service scrvicc ~
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!ARY NEWS INFERIOR GLASS RECLAIMABLE THROUGH HEAT TREATMENT The difference between valuable optical glass of the kind used for submarine periscopes or expensive binoculars and inferior glass is just a matter of a few degrees of temperature, it appears from a report of DR. A. Q. TOOL and L. W. TILTONof the U. S. Bureau of Standards made before the American Ceramic Society, recently meeting in Washington. These scientists have found that very exact control of temperature during the annealing process has much more to do with the quality of glass than has been previously thought. They have shown that an inferior piece of optical glass may possibly be reclaimed by reannealing, or tempering, with heat a t exactly the proper temperature. When glass is annealed, i t is heated to a high temperature and allowed t o cool as rapidly as is poseiblewithout causing cracks or strains. The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures which optical glass experiences in the annealing process is about 50 degrees, the investigators reported. Glass heated t o a temperatme a t one end of this range has properties differing from those of the glass which is heated to a temperature a t the opposite end of the range and consequently must serve a different purpose. How much the property of refraction, or deviating light rays, of a piece of glass changes with a rise or fall in the annealing temperature has been determined by these scientists for six or seven kinds of glass. This information will enable a glass manufacturer t o learn a t what temperature to reanneal in order t o make inferior glass suit a better purpose. That glass itself is not a supercooled liqdd, as is generally accepted. was advanced during the meeting in a paper prepared by E. BERG== of Jena, Germany. At the ordinary annealing temperature, Mr. Berger said, gkss becomes a brittle solid correqponding to a fourth state of matter. This change is analogous to that which takes place when a
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liquid changes t o a crystalline solid: the properties are altered and heat is evolved. This revolutionary viewpoint of the constitution of glass was given impetus by the work done a t the U. S. Bureau of Standards by Dr. Tool, and strengthens the possibility of varying the properties of glass through heat treatment.-Science
sm.u SILVER FILTER P W I E S WATER A new type of filter, with interstices covered with silver, has been tested a t the Pasteur Institute of Paris by DR.NIcn0LAs METALNIROY. and found t o confer upon the filtered water the power t o destroy living bacteria. The filter is made by adding chloride of silver t o the molding clay and baking a t a high temperature of 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. According t o its inthe water ventor. GEORGESLAKHOVSKY, which passes through the filter does not containany silver and isperfectly harmless; yet it retains for several days the power to destroy resistant bacteria like the common Bacillus coli and Bacillus lyphosus, which causes typhoid fever. The haftericidal power of the water that has passed through the silvered filter is claimed t o be entirely due t o the ionization of the water, and i t disappears if the water is boiled for a few minutes. During its passage through the filter the water becomes slightly alkaline.-Science service
INVENTS TINY APPARATUS TO REGULATE RADIUM TREATMENT A tiny apparatus hardly larger than a pea, so that it can be introduced into most
cavities of the human body, has been devised by Dn. Lours MALLET,head of the laboratory of the anti-cancer center of Tenon Hospital in Paris, to help physicians measure the amount of radiation t h a t reaches various organs and p a N of the body during radium treatment. The apparatus was described in a report recently made t o the French Academy of Sciences.
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When ordinary medicines are used in treating diseases, the full dose can be introduced directly into the veins or stomach, for instance, but with radium i t is difficult t o know whether the full dosage of rays actually reaches the organ t o be treated or whether same of the rays are derlected to other parts of the body. For this reason a device like Dr. Mallet's would be very useful. His apparatus is called an ionization chamber. I t consists of a small metal knob the size of a pin head within a slightly larger metal enclosure. The air between the two does not conduct electricity under ordinary conditions, but becomes conducting under the influence of radium. These tiny chamhers are first screwed onto an apparatus which charges them t o about 160 volts. Then they are introduced into any part of the body, such as the throat, which is being exposed t o radium. After a given time the ionizing chambers are taken out and their loss of voltage measured. This gives a measure of the intensity of radiation t o which the chambers have been exposed in the body, and consequently t o the amount of radiation t o which that part of the body has been exposed in the given time. Dr. Mallet is already known for his invention of a similar device which is used in many hospitals far measuring indirectly the strength of radiation employed in cancer treatment. The advantage of the new method is that one or more of the ionizing chambers can be introduced directly into the body, and that they ran be sent out t o be used by physicians and afterward returned to a central laboratory for measurement.Science Smrice NEW RADIUM DISCOVERIES MADE IN CANADIAN NORTHWEST Two new rich radium-bearing ore veins were discovered a t Great Bear Lake, in northwest Canada, just hefore the winter freeze-up stopped further prospecting, HUGES. SPENC$.Canadian Department of Mines expert, revealed a t recent confer-
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APRIL, 1932
ences with Washington geologists. Mr Spence, as official visitor to the radium strike in Northwest Territories, himself aided in the discovery of the new bodies of pitchblende ore. Earlier reports of the rich finds of GILBEET LABINE,discoverer of the original radium ore deposits, were authenticated by Mr. Spence, who declared t o a Science Snvice representative: "Beyond any question the pitchblende deposits a t LaBine Point constitute a very valuable source of radium. At the present value of radium, the ore could easily meet the $400 per ton cost of shipment to the railroad." More and larger amounts of pitchblende than yet found, containing, at present ~rices,$6000 t o 58000 worth of radium t o the ton may yet remain t o be discovered, Mr. Spence predicted. Two of the veins have been traced for distances of 1400 and 2500 feet and all four seem t o run together like the fingers of an outspread hand. A still larger and more valuable deposit, he said. may lie a t the "wrist" somewhere t o the northeast of the present workings. Another new strike of the precious pitchblade, 12 miles distant from Echo Bay. where the first vein of LaBine's Eldorado Gold Mines, Limited, was located, has already been reported on the ground of the rival Northern Aerial Minerals Exploration Company. Planes were arriving during all the time of his stay a t LaBine Point on the Great Bear Lake, Mr. Spence said. These were carrying prospectors on the look-out for further silver deposits. LaBine's number two pitchblende vein interlaced with valuable native silver veins, the best so far discovered in the region, assaying some 9000 ounces t o the ton, had aroused the hopes of these adventurers Only two men are on the ground a t present because of the freeze-up, said Mr. Spence, but mining operations will he started again next month. Fourteen surface pits were being worked at the time of his visit last summer. The ore obtained from these by band picking averaged 50
VOL.9, No. 4
CONTEMP(IRARY NEWS
per cent. uranium oxide or about one gram of radium t o eight tons of ore.-Science
SG& A NEW PROTECTED METAL Aeeordii t o a recent research report a new protected by DR. A. W. COFPMAN, metal called "Robertson-Bonded Metal" (R-B-M) has been carried through the laboratory stages of development a t , Mdlon Institute of Industrial Research. Copies of this report, giving complete information concerning this new material, may be obtained by applying to Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh. Penua. Robertson-Bonded Metal is the result of extensive research that has led to the production of a laminated metal-felt material in which felted rrraterials are cemented to steel with heat and pressure. utilizing metals as adhesives. The composite laminated material, the outer surfaces of which are suitable felts, is then saturated with any desired saturant chosen with reference t o the corrosive condition to which the metal is to he exposed in service. Paint, lacquer, and resin film superimposed on the saturated felt give not only added protection hut also desired attractiveness of appearance in the finished product. Owing to the fact that it is possible t o choose between a number of felts and felt saturants t o stand against various corrosive conditions, this new protected metal promises flexibility in ~rovidina - mrrosion resistance. The ductile nature of the metal bond between felt and steel makes it possible to subject this material to forming operations such as shearinp, .bending, corrugating, rolling, and mild drawing without destroying adhesion between felt and steel. By selecting asbestos felt together with fireproof saturant a fireproof material results, while an increased insulating value over that of hare metal is obtained with any combination of felt and saturants. It is also claimed that this new material of construction has the strength of metal with none of the attendant "ring" and reverberation of hare metal.
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R-B-M is said to have a promising field of applicationnotonlyin th; buildingfield. but also in the manufacture of panelina for various ptuposes, pipe-line protection, novelties, etc. The m t , it is reported, will be commensurate with the degree of protection desired.
VOCATIONAL LECTURES FOR HIGHSCHOOL STUDENTS AT SYRACUSE -UNIVERSITY ~
The department of chemistry a t Syracuse University conducted a series of four lectures on chemistry fapics a t Bawne Hall on February 25. The lectures were given to selected high-school students of central New York. The topics selected were "Some Relationships between Chemistry and Health." "Chemical Warfare," "X-Rays." and "Chemical Mysteries." The speakers for the orrasion were members of the department of e h e m i s t ~a t Syracuse University: PROFBSSOR R. K. BREWER. PROFESSOR A. J. KING. C. C. SPENCER,PROFESSOR MR.]. M. H o c u ~ , a n d MW. ~ . K. SCHNEIDER. ' The program was in charge of PROFESSOR A. L. ELDER of the Syracuse chemistry department.
JOINT MEETING OF THE PHYSICS CLUB OF BEW YO= AND THE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS' CLUB OF NEW YORK
A joint meeting of The Physics Club of New York and The Chemistry Teachers' Club af New York was held a t the High School of Commerce, 155 West 65th Street, New York City, on Friday evening. February 26, 1932. The program was as follows: Ph.D., director of F. DEANMCCLUSEY, the Scarboraueh School and president of the National Academy of Visual Instfflction, addressed the meeting on "The Place of Visual Education in Modem Science Teaching.' MISS RITA HOCHHEIMER, assistant director of visual instruction for the
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Board of Education of the City of New York, explained how the Bureau of Visual Instruction may render assistance to the science teacher. of Franklin DR. EDNAR. HAMBURGER K. Lane High School, addressed the meeting on "Two Years of Chemistry Films a t Franklin K. Lane High School." Dr. Hamburger told of her work in selecting films which have a pedagogical value in chemistry instruction. The moving pictures "The Story of Steel" and "Beyond the Microscope" were shown. The next joint meeting will be held Saturday evening, April 23, a t the new Textile High School. The members of the chemistry department of Textile High School and other members of the club will give interesting demonstrations. A science luncheon was held Saturday, March 19. The speakers were DR. ANDREWS, DR. LOUISC. ROY CHAPMAN DAVIS,president JORDY, and DR. HARVEY of Stevens Institute of Technology. The officers of the Physics Club are M. L. WILSON,president, and IRVING MOSBACHER, secretary; of the Chemistry presiTeachers' Club, E. M. WASHBURN, secretary. dent, and E. C. BRUNNER,
APRIL, 1932
of SubMarch 7-"Stereochemistry stituted Diphenyls." DEANS. C. LIND, School of Chemistry. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Minn. March 22-"Chemical Action under Alpha Radiation." March 23-"Chemical Action in Electrical Discharge." MR. GEORGEW. MOREY,Geophysical Laboratory, Washington. D. C. April 19-"Transport of Material through a Vapor Phase." PROP. R. A: GORTNER,University of Minnesota, Department of Agriculture, University Farm, St. Paul. Minn. May 2--"Biochemistry and the World Today." May 3-"The Electrical Value of Forces a t Interfaces." MR. R. E. WILSON,Standard Oil Company, Chicago, Illinois. Mechanism of LubricaMay 17-"The tion." CHARLES AND JUL.lA HENRY FUND SUHOLARSHIPS FOR BRITISH AND AMERICAN STUDENTS
The Charles and Julia Henry Fund Scholarships, which will he offered annually t o four American students for study a t the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and t o four British students for The NON-RESIDENT LECTURESHIPIN study a t Harvard and Yale universities, CHEMISTRY a t Cornell University was eswill be available next year for the first tablished by MR. GEORGEFISHERBAKER time, according to an announcement in 1925. Up t o the present time the lecissued jointly by Harvard and Yale uniturers under this plan have been invited versities. These scholarships, each of from abroad, each of them remaining a t which will have an annual stipend of £500 the university for a full term. It is now sterling, were established by the bequest planned t o expand the program by inviting of Lady Julia Lewisohn Henry, "in the leading chemists of this country to give earnest hope and desire of cementing the one or two lectures before the department bonds of friendship between the British on the Baker Foundation, and acceptances Empire and the United States." have been received from the following Under the terms of the fund, four lecturers for the present university term: scholarships are offered to American PROPESS~R ROGER ADAMS, Dept. of students entering Oxford and Cambridge Chemistry, University of Illinois, Ur- as undergraduates, or for a postgraduate bana, Illinois. course, and similarly four scholarships NON-RESIDENT BAKER LECTURESHIP I N CHEMISTRY AT CORNELL EXPANDED
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CONTEMPORARY NEWS
are offered to British students entering Hsrvardand Yale. - Normally the scholarships will he awarded for a single year, but may, in exceptional cases, he extended for a second year. Appointments of the first American scholars will be made not later than April 18, and in February in subsequent years. The fund is administered by twelve trustees appointed hy Oxford, Cambridge. Harvard, and Yale. The trustees who will , select the American candidates are PREsrDENT A. LAWRENCE LOWELL, MR. FRANcrs W. HUNNEWELL, and DEANALPRED C. HANFORD. the Harvard . re~resentina . Corporation; and PRESIDENTJAMESROWLAND ANGELL. MR. GEORGE PARMLY DAY, representing and MR. CARLA. LOHMANN. the Yale Corporation. Candidates must present evidence that they are seriously interested in developing the opportunities offered and that they are persons of sufficient intellectual maturity to assure their ability to profit by the experience. Both men and women are eligible. Women may apply for appointment to any college or school which regularly admits women to departments of study in the universities mentioned. Applications from American candidates may he sent to the Office of the Secretary of Harvard University or the Office of the Secretary of Yale University by March 1, 1932. These two offices will, on request, furnish the necessary memoranda and application forms. Lady Henry, who was the widow of Sir Charles Henry, M.P., and a daughter of Leonard Lewisohn, of New York City, died a t her London residence on May 10. 1927. She was one of the leading political hostesses of the Liberal Party, and had many charitable interests. She was deeply interested in the movement to promote a better understanding between the country of her birth and the country of her.adoption. She founded the Charles and Julia Henry Fund Scholarships as a step toward the realization of this ideal.School & Society
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TWO GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 1932-33 AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS Two graduate assistantships for qualified students who wish to study in chemistry for the degree of Master of Arts are available for the year 1932-33. Applicants must have received, or must expect to receive. before September, 1932, a bachelor's degree. The service required of each assistant is fifteen to twenty hours a week during the academic session (September 20 to June 19). and includes assisting in the lahoratory and correcting papers. No classroom instructing is expected. Graduate assistants may register in each semester for courses not exceeding a total credit of nine semester hours. The stipend of each assistantship is $600. The regular charge for tuition in the graduate school is a t the rate of $12.50 per hour, but graduate assistants are granted a n exemption of one-half of this charge. No charge is made for laboratory fees, breakage, and research chemicals. Graduate assistants must register in the Boston Unhiersity Graduate School as candidates for the degree of Master of Arts and pay a registration fee of $10.00. The fee for promotion t o this degree is $10.00. Additional information and specific directions for making application may be obtained by writing to the undersigned. PROFESSOELYMAN C.NEWELL Boston University ti88 Boylston Street Boston. Mass. MADRID MEETING OF THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS FOR PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY POSTPONED After thoroughly investigating the possibilities as to attendance and the success of the proposed IXth International Congress of Pure and Applied Chemistry, announced t o be held in Madrid beginning April 3 [see J. CHEM.EDUC.,9, 598-9 (Mar., 1932)).
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the International Union of Chemistry recommended a postponement. The organization committee of the congress in Madrid concurred in the opinion that, because of the present world situation, it would be unwise t o attempt t o hold the
APRIL,1932
meeting a t the present time. Consequently i t has been announced by radiogram that neither the meeting of the congress nor of the union, scheduled to be held in Madrid in April, will take place.N m Ed., Ind.Enp. Cham.
Cosmic rays again shown like radium gamma rays. Further support of the theory that the mysterious cosmic rays are waves, is offered by Dr. R. A. Millikan and Dr. I . S. Bowen of the California Institute of Technology in a letter t o Nature (London). The lona - s t r u--~ ~tloeestablish the real nature of these penetrating.radiations from outer space has engaged physicists both in America and Germany. Dr. Millikan's faction has favored the theory that the effects are caused byimmaterial waves like light or radium gamma rays. His critics, led by Dr. Walther Bothe and Dr. Werner Kolhoerster in Germany, believe that the rays are corpuscles, probably electrons. A doubling of the signal strength was not found by D n . Millikan and Bowen when the air pressure in the recording electroscope was doubled contrary t o what might be expected. Radium gamma rays, however, they now find, show just this same behavior when they act on the electroscope. Thus changes of pressure in the electroscope affect the two radiations equally and support Dr. Millikan's idea that the rays are similar in nature. Lack of "saturation" in the currents flowing through the recorders is the cause of the observed absence of proportionality.-S&ce Service Potatoes that blacken detected by new test. If you have a Lot of potatoes that turn black when they are cooked, you can a t least partly overcome this troublesome tendency by putting a little vinegar in the water while they are being boiled. This practical household hint is a by-produtt of an investigation by Dr. C. K. Tinkler of King's College for Household and Social Science in London. His primary abjective was to work out a simple chemical test which would enable large-wale handlers of potatoes t o detect such tubers as possess this value-damaging defect. The test, as he finally developed it, is carried out as follows. A very thin slice of potato is peeled, placed in a porcelain dish and covered with sodium nitrite solution. About two cubic centimeters of dilute hydrochloric acid is added and the mixture is left for five minutes. I t is then poured off and the potato slice is covered with 16 per cent. sodium hydroxide. If a red color develops about five minutes afterward, the potatoes of this batch will blacken after cooking, and the deepness of the red coloration indicates the amount of blackening that will take place. It is probable that the hlackening is due to oxidation.-Science Service Scientists are forceful, skeptical, fair minded. "Ambitendence, anancasm, and paranoia." These formidable-sounding terms may be applied to the personality of the scientist. Dr. Eugene Kahn, of the Institute of Human Relations a t Yale University, told members of the National Academy of Sciences meeting recently in New Haven. The scientists were not angered, however, for the terms are not as uncomplimentary as they may sound. Quite the contrary. They mean that the scientist is able t o see fairly both sides of any question; that he has a forceful personality; and that he is skeptical or suspicious of circumstances that may go unquestioned by his less thoughtful neighbors.-Science Smn'ce
