In order to teach the students inorganic chemistry, I believe that advantage should be taken of a young person's natural desire to make something. In my opinion the popularity of the extremely well-known book, "Creative Chemistry," is in no small measure due to the splendid way the creative side of this science is presented. Hence, I feel that experiments in the freshman year, certainly for those who have presented chemistry, should be of a preparative character. If an experiment requires more than one laboratory period, so much the better. This gives the individual a chance to concentrate for a considerable period of time on one important topic, and this is a great advantage over the so familiar test-tube type of experiment which students rush through in one period, usually without understanding it, and then forget. The dictionary is. a good book, but not the best reading because, as has been said, the subject changes so often. Preparative experiments (we run 16 in an ordinary college year) give the students continuity of subject and do not spatter the attention over too large a section of the science in a short space of time. The preparative experiments may be so varied as to permit teaching a great deal of laboratory technic, apparatus may be simple or complicated, purifications may be carried out to any desired extent. A reasonable amount of elementary analytical work, such as testing the purity of the sample either qualitatively or quantitatively, if desired, may be introduced to give the student an idea of the paths which he will subsequently follow. By calculating the amounts of reagents necessary and the cost of the chemicals used, also theoretical and percentagfyields, the student will be shown that problems are not mere mathematical exercises, seemingly thrown into a course in an othenvise attractive subject to make it tedious and difficult,but have a very real and practical use. There are available a few laboratory manuals, very few old ones and a somewhat larger number of new ones, which include preparative experiments. It is perhaps worthwhile to mention that the laboratory manuals, which accompany what I have termed "modern texts," include preparative work. Courses presenting laboratory work of the nature here recommended are already being given in a few institutions, and to my mind indicate the way the freshman course in college is developing.
Faradav Medal Awarded to Italian. The Council of the Institution of Electrical Ilngmwr. has tnadc tlw eiyhlll awnnl of the Farnday Medal to Signur Guido Setnews of Nilan. Thns mcdnl is awarded by thc Council of thc Inst~tutrmrither lor notahle scimtific or industrial achirwmcnt in electrical mginecrini: or lor cons~,icuottsserww rcndrred to the ndvancemrnl of rlectrial sctcncc. without restriction ns rewnls nntianality, country, residence, or membership of the Institution. ( Signor Semenza has for many years taken a leading part in the development of the applications of electricity.-Chem. N m ,138, 109 (Feh. 15, 1929).
