senior will make quantitative analyses of several samples of the mineral; he will determine the extent of the deposit; he will investigate the market for mineral of that kind and quality; he will attempt to determine the cost of production of the mineral; and finally, he will attempt to develop a use for the mineral as a raw material for a chemical product. The last part of the problem will include laboratory work and rnst calculations. Winthrop College. On April 26th. DR. CHAS. E. MULLIN, professor of textile chemistry a t Clemson College. addressed several hundred students a t Winthrop College on "The Manufacture of Artificial Silk." The lecture was illustrated with samples of cloth from many countries. PROFESSOR G. G. NAWDAIN, of Winthrop College, will be a t New York University this summer. The new 5130,000 social and physical science building which has been erected was formally opened on May 17th. Central Texas Section, A. C. S. Th; annual meeting of the Central Texas Section of the A. C. S. was held in the chemistry lecture room of Baylor University, Saturday, April 19, 1930, a t 7.30 P.M., PRESIDENTJ. C. GODBEYin the chair. The following papers were presented: "Impressions of the Atlanta Meeting,"
C. C. HEDGBSand A. E. SCEAAR; "A Periodic Table of the Elements;, C. W. BURCXARD; "Some Misconceptions of Chemical Warfare." H. R. BRAYTON; "Certain Molecular Rearrangements of Hydrazones and Pyrazoliues," J. B. E N T R I ~ N "Nitrite ; Production in Soils," G. S. FrUps and A. J. SmncBs; "Some Characteristics of the Corrosion Cell: Iron -Aerated-Iron," H. L. LOCHTR. The fall meeting will be held a t Trinity University, Waxahachie, in October, and the next annual meeting in April in Warn. W. S. MAXLIE, of Fort Worth, was elected president. Cincinnati Section, A. C. S. A meeting of the Cincinnati Section of the A. C. S. was held on May 14th a t 8.00 P.M. in the chemistry building of the University of Cincinnati. P ~ o a z s s E. o ~M. CHAMOT, of Comell University, spoke on "The Microscope in the Chemical Laboratory." Pittsburgh Section, A. C. S. On June 6th, a meeting of the Pittsburgh Section of $.he A. C. S. was held in honor of the completion of 25 years' service a t the University of Pittsbur~hby PROFESSOR ALBXAND& SILVEF&N, head of the chemistry department. DR. HARRISON E H O G , editor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, spoke on "Twentyfive Years of Progress in Chemistry."
Effect of Water on Chemical Reactions. It has been known for some time that certain chemical reactions take place very slowly, if a t all, in the absence of traces of water. The earlier experiments of Dixon and of H. B. Baker provided several interesting examples of this phenomenon. For example, a well-dried mixture of carbon monoxide and oxygen does not explode with a weak electric spark, and dry ammonium chloride does not dissociate on heating. I n other cases, such as the union of mercury and chlorine, the presence of moisture has little effect. I n Science Progress for October there is an article on this subject by G. R. Gedye in which recent work is summarized, and the theories proposed t o explain the effects are discussed. It is concluded that effects of ionization and of the surface of the vessel may both play a part, although in some cases, such as the union of carbon monoxide and oxygen, there are special mechanisms of a chemical character.-Nature
