NEWS
10
Our Poets' Corner Chemical Cantos Sam put AgN0 3 in his ma's perfumery, Thinking he would make a hit if he strengthened it a bit. Now each morning little Sammy goes to greet his Coal Black Mammy. Johnny, feeling life a bore, drank some H 2 S0 4 ; So his father, an M.D., gave him CaC0 3 . Johnny's neutralized, it's true, but he's full of C0 2 . Maudie was delighted when she found a lump of KCN. "Daddy's fond of sweets," said she, as she dropped it in his tea. Father drank it; that is how Maud's mamma's a, widow now. Tommy, eager to explore, found some O1SO4. "Nice rock candy," Tommy cried as he jammed a lump inside. Doctor pumped him out, it's true, but Tommy still feels rather blue. Bobbie, in his careless glee, mixed some I with NH 3 . When the stuff was dry and thick, Bobbie h*t it with a brick. Robert's now in heaven they say; a t least he seemed to go that way. Auntie Jane gave Baby Sue a dose of HgCl2. Baby's with the angels now, and Auntie Jane is wond'ring how A single atom of CI can make such change in calomel. THOMAS STEPHENSON
T h e Turnover (A Contribution to Political Economy) In counting over the men we had hired, And trie number who left before they were fired, The annual turnover seemed all too high But then I thought of Mother's pie. Whenever Mother is making pies And trie dough is not of the proper size To cover both the bottom and top, She makes turnovers for Billy and Pop. So just when I got my garden shoes on I suddenly came to this conclusion. Whenever a large turnover is found It's because there's not enough dough to go round! WILLIAM BLUM
Wisconsin Section The Wisconsin Section brought to a close its activities for the past academic year on May 8, at which time the presentation of papers by K. B. Fred and W. H. Peterson, of the University of Wisconsin, was followed by the annual election of officers. The papers in question, "Microorganisms of Fermentation" and "The Chemistry of Fermentation," afforded a convincing illustration of the value of coordinated effort between bacteriology and chemistry. Accounts of other meetings of the section to the number of five which have not been recorded to date in these columns follow: On December 12 Karl P . Link, speaking on "Recent Advances in the Structural Study of the Carbohydrates/' presented a scholarly review of the latest developments in the field of carbo hydrate chemistry. J. W. Williams, on January 9, in a paper entitled "The Structure of Molecules as Revealed by Dielectric Constant Studies/' pointed out the significance of dielectric constant data in the study of the structure of certain types of molecules. Some of the interesting properties of monomolecular films were illustrated and discussed by A. Frumkin in a paper, "Some Properties of Surface Films/' which was presented on February 13. Two speakers shared the program on March 13. N . W. Bolyard gave the results of some original researches on local anesthetics under t h e title, "l-Alkyl-4-Piperidyl Benzoates and £-Amino Benzoates." Harry R. Dittmar, in his paper "The Decomposition of Triphenylacetic Acid by Sulfuric Acid," recorded the results of a quantitative study of this reaction, dur ing the course of which it developed that sulfuric acid does not in this instance act as a dehydrating agent, and that numerous solutes negatively catalyze this reaction. An answer to the question "What causes soil acidity?" was given by Bmil Truog on April 17 in his paper, "The Origin, Isolation, and Nature of the Kssential Aluminosilicate in Bentonite, 'Denver Mud/ and Acid Clays." That this acidity may be traced to the presence of an aluminosilicic acid was the information divulged, a dis
EDITION
Vol. 7, No. 15
covery by Professor Truog and his associates which bids fair to be of practical value in the solution of many of the soil problems that confront the agriculturist. The newly elected officers are: Chairman, W. B. Tottingham; Vice Chairman, J. W . Williams; Secretary-Treasurer, H. R. Dittmar; Councilors, J. H. Mathews and H. A. Schuette. The latter declined nomination as editor for a ninth consecutive term and I/. C. Hurd was elected to succeed him.
Western New York Section The organization of the section for the coming year is announced as follows: Chairman, R. B. MacMullin; Vice Chairman for Buffalo, R. J. Moore; Vice Chairman for Niagara Falls, W. J. Marsh; Secretary, C. A. Vincent-Daviss; Treasurer, E. L. Whitford; and Councilors, E. B. Benger, A. W. Burwell, and J. F. Williams. During the season just closed the membership committee has been active, with, the result that the regular membership shows a 25 per cent increase. The associate membership list has shown the remarkable increase of 270 per cent. The July number of the Double-Bond, published by the sec tion, contains a complete directory of the membership and also the revised constitution and by-laws. This number completes the first year of the Double-Bond. Greeted with enthusiastic reception from the first, this publication has grown and bettered with each issue, and has played a large part in the successful season of the section.
Chicago Section The Chicago Section has elected the following officers: Chair man, W. V. Kvans; First Vice Chairman, H. I. Schlesinger; Second Vice Chairman, Robert Calvert; Secretary, W. M . Hinman; Treasurer, A. B. Carter; Editor of Bulletin, David Klein; Man aging Editor of Bulletin, B. B. Schaar. Councilors, W. V. Kvans, D. K. French, Wm. HCoskins, David Klein, S. L- Redman, Β. Β. Schaar, Paul Van Cleef, B . H. Volwiler, H. G. Walker, and R. B. Wilson. Because of the far-reaching importance of the Willard Gibbs, award we also give trie following list of Willard Gibbs jurors: Term expiring 1930, A. D. little, S. W. Parr, L. M. Tolraan, and E. W. Washburn; Term expiring 1931, B. S. Hopkins, W. Lee Lewis, S. C. Lind, and J . Stieglitz; Term expiring 1932, Wilder D. Bancroft, George Borrowman, Otto Folin, and F . C. Whitmore. In addition, the section has fourteen committees, of which ten are standing committees.
Philadelphia Section The following officers have been elected for the year ending June 30, 1930: Chairman, K. C. Bertolet; Vice Chairman, L. M. Henderson; Secretary-Treasurer, L. L. Jenne; Reporter for the N E W S EDITION, J. M. Mcllvain.
Attention Agricultural and Food Chemists In the hope of building u p a list of members of the SOCIETY whose interests lie primarily in the activities and programs of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the executive corrrrnittee thereof requests ^ that those who desire to retain their affiliations with this division, or to be enumerated among its active, supporting members, send their names to the sec retary, H. A. Schuette, Chemistry Bldg., Madison, Wis. Present plans contemplate that, finances permitting, the members of the division will receive advance copies of abstracts of papers to be presented before it at the Minneapolis meeting.
C a l e n d a r of Meetings American Chemical Society—78th Meeting, Minneapolis, Minn., September 9 to 13, 1929. Regional Meeting—Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, October 25 to 26, 1929. Third Organic Symposium—Princeton University, Princeton, N. J., December 30, 19293 to January 1, 1930. American Electrochemical Society—Pittsburgh, Pa., September 19 to 21, 1929. American Institute of Chemical Engineers—Winter meeting, Asheville, N. C , December 2 to 4, 1929. Association of Dairy, Pood, and Drug Officials of the United States—33rd Annual Conference, Lincoln, Nebr., September 23 to 26, 1929. Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry—Rich mond, Va., September 24 to 26, 1929; Washington, D. C , September 27, 1929.
