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but he cannot trust the judgment of an experienced bar or saloon keeper. HOW WOOD ALCOHOL POISONS
“Now, as regards the question of the poisonous properties of wood alcohol,” added the expert: “It is inconceivable that any ordinarily intelligent person can now be in doubt on this subject, in view of the hundreds of cases of death and blindness resulting from its use. Twenty years ago when such cases first began to be reported there was some reason for a little uncertainty on this subject, not only on the part of the public, but of chemists and of those physicians who were not familiar with certain pharmacological experiments on dogs. The odor, taste, and other properties of pure wood alcohol are so like those of ordinary alcohol that chemists were inclined to attribute the bad effects from the former to the presence of impurities in the commercial samples. But none of the impurities in the latter are as poisonous or cause the same effzcts as the absolutely pure wood alcohol itself. Pharmacologists, moreover, from experiments on dogs, had, years before, shown that the action of wood alcohol upon the animal organism is fundamentally different from that of ordinary alcohol. This difference may be briefly summarized. When ordinary alcohol is taken into the body it is rapidly converted into water and carbonic acid gas which are harmless substances, always present in the body, and any excess of which is promptly eliminated by the kidneys and lungs. Wood alcohol, on the other hand, instead of being changed into harmless substances which are easily eliminateq, remains in the body as such for a considerable time and is thea slowly converted into another poison-formic acid-the acid which is found in ants. These poisons and perhaps a third formed from the wood alcohol, formaldehyde, attack the brain and other organs and cause death or blindness. “Poisonousness is an inherent quality of wood alcohol,” continued Dr. Hunt. “It is as impossible to prepare nonpoisonous wood alcohol as it is to prepare nonpoisonous prussic acid, HOW MUCH IS A FATAL EOSE
“Individuals vary considerably in their susceptibility to wood alcohol; some die or become blind from amounts which seem to do no harm to others. This is true, however, of all poisons. Death or blindness has resulted from two teaspoonfuls and from one or two tablespoonfuls of the poison. Sixty to seventy-five per cent of those taking four ounces, that is, a quarter of a pint or half a ‘glassful,’ have died or become permanently, blind. That wood alcohol is properly placed in the list of deadly poisons’ is evident from the fact that the mortality from arsenic poisoning is only fifty to seventy-five per cent and that from bichloride of mercury even less. Of a group of 130 men who drank a mixture of wood and grain alcohol all but 3 2 died or became blind. “At the present time when the manufacture and sale of genuine alcoholic beverages are illegal the only safe course to pursue is to refrain from buying, drinking, or dealing in anything purporting to be such a beverage.--[Bulletin 2511 ~
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a n d in purification of water (other than small glass laboratory stills), the person for whom such still is made will be required to submit to the Collector evidence under oath showing that the still is not to be used for the production of spirits and setting forth specifically the actual purposes for which i t is to be used.
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All stills set up, whether intended for use or not, must be registered with the Collector of the district on Form 26 in duplicate. This applies to all stills of whatever size or for whatever purpose intended, whether for distillation of spirits or for pharmaceutical or other purposes, except as to small glass laboratory stills. Copies of Form 26 may be obtained from the Collector of Internal Revenue for the district in which the stills are to be set up, and instructions will be given as to filling out such forms. Failure to register such still or distilling apparatus will be a violation of Section 3258 R. S.
EXTRACT FROM THE FEDERAL LAW RELATING TO T H E REMOVAL OF THE “COUNTRY OF ORIGIN” FROM IMPORTED ARTICLES UNITEDSTATES TARIFFACTOF 1913, SEC. 4, PAR.F, SUBSECTION 2
If any person shall fraudulently violate any of the provisions of this act relating to the marking, stamping, branding, or labeling of any imported articles or packages; or shall fraudulently deface, destroy, remove, alter, or obliterate any such marks, stamps, brands, or labels with intent to conceal the information given by or contained in such marks, stamps, brands, or labels, he shall upon conviction be fined in any sum not exceeding $5,000, or be imprisoned for any time not exceeding one year or both.
DlSAPPEARANCE OF DR. ARTHUR LACHMAN T h e disappearance, o n December 11, 1919,of D r . A r t h u r L a c h m a n , of S a n Francisco, was noted i n t h e last n u m b e r of THISJ O U R N A L . T h e causes suggested are foul p l a y or t e m p o r a r y dementia. T h e accompanying description a n d p h o t o g r a p h are printed here in t h e hope of developing some clue.
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REGISTRATION OF STILLS A question has been raised as to whether the law requiring registration of stills applies to distilling apparatus used in chemical work. A notice issued by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue reads in part as follows :
To Collectors of Internal Revenue, Revenue Agents, and Others Concerned:
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All persons, firms or corporations thus manufacturing a still or worm to be used in distilling are deemed manufacturers of stills. This applies to all stills capable of the production of distilled spirits but does not apply to small laboratory stills (usually glass) for legitimate laboratory purposes, or to water stills which are not capable of and intended for the production of distilled spirits. Ordinarily, laboratory stills are small, constructed of glass, and not adapted to the production of distilled spirits in commercial quantities, and many water stills are also of such construction that they are not adapted to the commercial production of distilled spirits. Any stills or worms adapted to the production of distilled spirits for commercial or beverage purposes are presumed to be intended for such use. * * * In order to remove such presumption in the case of stills and worms intended to be used in Che manufacture of essential oils, vinegar, and like products,
Vol.
ARTHURLACHMAN
ADDRESS: 358 Holbrook Building, San Francisco, Ca1.-Sutter 4653; 143-14th Avenue-Pacific 3926. HEIGHT: 5 f t . 7 in. WEIGHT: 170 lbs. COMPLEXION: Fair EYES: Light blue HAIR: Very bald-gray, Reddish mustache, turning gray GLASSES: Wore eye glasses CLOTHING:Gray-green suit, small plaid Black vici kid shoes Dark gray, knee-length overcoat Dark fedora hat EFFECTS: Pipe; curve cut old English tobacco Illinois watch Black silk vest chain, initial slide, letter “L” set in pearls Gold cuff buttons each set in one diamond and one ruby “Lefax” memorandum book
ADVANCED WORK FOR HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: From time to time articles have appeared in various chemical journals advocating more thorough training for men in chemical professions. A great deal has been said about chemists doing advanced work and in a number of instances provision has been
Feb., 1920
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made whereby men with certain companies have been provided with means for development along research lines. I feel that something should be said in regard to the teachers of chemistry in the various high schools over our country. A university professor of national reputation made the remark a t a scientific meeting not long ago that some of the best material available for replenishing the staffs of various universities was to be found in the men who are teaching in the high schools. If this is the case, why not give these men a chance to earn a doctor’s degree, which is now required to hold a position with most, if not all, of the foremost colleges and universities? Men in high schools who are heads of departments, especially in large cities, receive salaries ranging from $3,000 to $4,000 per year of IO mos. In most cases they have their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, have done graduate work beyond this, and very often keep in touch with the chemistry department of some good university. These men would like to go on and obtain the doctor’s degree, but such a thing is impossible under present conditions, unless the applicant for the degree resigns his position in his school and spends a year or more a t the university. Some compensation indeed may be obtained by instructing part time and devoting the remaining time to the problem a t hand, but they have assumed responsibilities for which such compensation is inadequate, and few are going to relinquish salaries of $3,000 a year and spend $2,000 more per year to keep their families, in order to obtain the degree. Why not offer some alternative? Permit them to use their spare time during the academic year in their own laboratories on some assigned problem, especially where library and laboratory facilities are quite complete, and then have them come to the university during the summer to continue the work and so on for the following years until all requirements for the degree are fulfilled. This suggestion, if followed, would eliminate some of the longer graduate courses, but certainly not all of the graduate courses. If this, or some other plan, be adopted it would enable these men to go into college or university work when the degree was obtained, and there is no reason to believe that they would fall short of what is expected of them. When, in this way, they have become eligible for positions in a university a t a salary even somewhat less than they are now receiving, the university would be able to replenish its corps with experienced teachers, instead of graduate students with no teaching experience. It is not necessary, however, that these men go into university work. They may remain where they are. It is a well-known fact that a great deal of research work has been done in other countries by men in secondary schools. Let it be so in this country. All that is needed is a little encouragement. Personally, I feel that the time is coming when universities will make provision for these science men. When they do it certainly will stimulate every red-blooded man to put forth the best that is in him and will open a field rich in scientific workers which a t present is practically inactive.
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the two substances were derived from different trees but to be certain I referred the query to Professor Harrison, who writes as follows: Balata and true gum chicle are not identical. Your impression that they are derived from different trees, the Mimusops balata and the Sapota zapotilla, respectively, is correct. But quite recently an export trade has arisen from Venezuela in what the Creoles call “white hya-hya” and the Venezuelans term “white balata,” the impissated latex of the “milk” tree. This is being used either directly as chewing gum or else as an adulterant of chicle. The latex of certain ficus trees termed locally douchalliballi and kumatraballi is probably also being used as adulterants of chicle. Balata and gum chicle are treated as synonymous terms in the Decennial Index of Chemical Abstracts, but as pointed out by Professor Harrison the two substances are not identical and they should, therefore, have been treated in the Index under separate headings. C. A. BROWNB NEW YORKSUGARTRADELABORATORY, INC. 80 SOUTHSTREET,NEW YORK,N. Y. January 6 , 1920
PLATINUM THEFT On Monday morning, December 2 2 , 1919, it was discovered that the vault of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry a t the University of Missouri had been entered and the entire. stock of platinum crucibles, amounting to some 2500 g., had been taken. .The following list is a fairly accurate inventory ’ of the material taken: Grams
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18 plain crucibl 6 J. Lawrence 1 1 Gooch crucibles. ........... 27 dishes., ....................................... Foil Wire .......................................... 5 small, flat, sugar dishes.. 17 Gooch crucible caps. ....
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780.38
1212.72 26 17 77 41.5 10.5 96
12.5 6.5 22.2
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FIRE CAUSED BY YELLOW PHOSPHORUS
In the rubbish from a fire which occurred in the chemical stock shelves of the Organic Research Laboratory, a can was found partly filled with yellow phosphorus. This had been in stock for approximately five years. The cover had been forced open about one-sixteenth of an inch, and the bottom had numerous pinholes. Presumably these had been formed by corrosion SOLDAN HIGHSCHOOL W. R. TEETERS with the result that the water leaked out, Very slowly. A slow ST. LOUIS,Mo. January 5 , 1920 oxidation of the phosphorus then took place, becoming more rapid as the temperature rose. Finally sufficient pressure was developed to force open the cover and the phosphorus then burst THE QUESTION OF THE IDENTITY OF BALATA AND into flames. A close watch should be kept on stocks of yellow GUM CHICLE phosphorus in cans, or else the contents transferred to glass bottles and covered with water, the bottles then being securely Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: stoppered. The manufacturers should attempt to find some With reference to my paper on “Industrial and Agricultural better method of packing the substance. Chemistry in British Guiana, with a Review of the Work of Prof. HARRYLEB. GRAY J. B. Harrison” [THIS JOURNAL, II (1919), 8741, I have received ORGANICRESEARCH LABORATORY several inquiries as to balata and whether or not it is the same EASTMAN KODAKCOMPANY, ROCHESTER, N. Y substance as gum chicle. My impression had always been that December 23, 1919
