460
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
worked out a program for making this work self-supporting. We have attempted to enrol those who were cooperating with us as members of the American Metric Association, and in return the A. M. A. has agreed to give us 90 per cent of the dues received. If our policy is followed there should in time be a considerable revenue from this resource. We have distributed some 20,000 stickers [to be affixed to letters sent to manUfacturers and dealers] and have had requests for more from several sources. Their use should bring about a considerable pressure upon those firms, such as the Grasselli Chemical Company, which refuse to supply goods in metric units. We have presented the metric cause before several bodies, such as the American Physical Society and the American Naturalists, and we have plans for a large amount of work of this sort before scientific educational bodies. The meeting on world standardization in New York was bell attended and produced good results. We desire to have another meeting in Pittsburgh of considerably larger scope. We would like to have the Council give us permission to invite representatives of all the principal scientific, medical, engineering, and educational societies to meet with us a t Pittsburgh to consider what steps can be taken advantageously to further the gradual adoption of the metric system in America and to investigate what the cost of the transition to the metric system may be and how the transition may be effected with the least inconvenience to the community. The question of cost is the one which is always mentioned by the opponents of the metric system. It appears probable from our experience in regard to chemicals that the argument is largely without foundation. If we could speak on this matter authoritatively after investigation, it would do much to promote the object which we have in view. Doctors and pharmacists are using metric units to a slight extent. This can be greatly increased. Some of our correspondents have begun giving talks to different bodies on the subject. We should have committees in every state to appear before our educational, scientific, and civic associations t o present the metric cause. It seems to me that here is an important opportunity for leadership for our great organization.
Vol. 14, KO,5
Meeting of Local Section Officials 4 meeting of Local Section officials took place a t 4 P.M. a t the Tutwiler, with W I,. Lewis presiding. Mr. E M. Billings of the Rochester Section acted as Secretary. The following subjects were discussed. (1) STANDARDIZATION OF SECTION BY-LAWS.A committee consisting of the chairman and secretary was appointed to study the present Section By-laws and recommend a uniform code embodying the best Features in the experience of the several sections (2) RELATIONST o THE NATIONALSOCIETY. The desirability of discussing National Association issues in the Local Sections, instructing and informing council-men, educating the members as to the national organization, candidates for national offices, etc., were freely discussed. (3) SECTIONPROGRANS.Under this caption such matters as securing national speakers, r6uting prominent chemists, keeping in each section a lot of available local speakers, etc., were discussed. ' Other matters considered were permanent employment bureau management work in the Sections, financing the Sections, interesting the young members, what to do with the ladies, and the desirability of educating chemists and employers to clear for positions through the college professors iibout 30 representatives of the several Local Sections were present a t the two-hour session of the Section. T h e k t e r e s t manifested demonstrated the need of and possible service through open discussions of this character. The Chairman reported a t some length on the Chicago plan of group meetings held simultaneously following the general talk of the monthly program, recommending it for consideratiox by the other larger sections which had not already developed something of the kind. It was generally agreed after this informal discussion, which demonstrated the proper subjects for consideration, that a t the next meeting more definite progress would be made by calling in advance for the preparation of papers along some of these specific lines above suggested.
EUGENE C. BINGHAX, Chairman
W. L. LEWIS,Chairman
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE Utrecht Meeting Editor of ahe Journal of Industrial and E%gineering Chemistry:
Determination of Arsenic by the Distillation Method
The following formal invitation has been issued to a chemical meeting a t Utrecht in June:
Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry:
UTRECHT, MARCFI 1922
DEARCOI,I,EAGUE: In June of last year Professors Biilmann, Bruni, Ernst Cohen, Donnan, Victor Henri, Kruyt, van Romburgh, Schenk, Walden and Wegscheider met in conference a t Utrecht, and agreed to hold there in 1922 a scientific chemical meeting, the date of which is now fixed for June 21, 22, and 23 of this year. The program will consist of several general papers, together with a number of shorter scientific communications. It would give us very great pleasure, dear Colleague, if you would take part in this meeting. Awaiting 3 reply a t your earliest convenience, and with best wishes, Yours very truly, ERNSTCOHEN H. R. KRUYT P. V A N ROMBURGH
The following American chemists are already planning to attend the conference: Drs. Edward Bartow, W. R. Whitney, L. W. Dennis, and W. A . Noyes. Other names will probably be added to the list later. W. A. NOYES UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA,ILL. March 25,1922
Messrs. J. J. T. Graham and C. M. Smith [THISJOURNAL, 14 (1922), 2071 recommend hydrazine sulfate and sodium bromide in the determination of arsenic by the distillation method. Hydrazine sulfate and hydrobromic acid have been used by the writer in the laboratory of the Coniagas Reduction Co., since 1911, and about 10,000 determinations of arsenic in cobalt ores and metallurgical products have been made in the above laboratory by means of these reagents. The writer made 2 kilos of hydrazine sulfate by the elegant method of Raschig [Ber., 40) (1907), 45871 during the latter part of the war, when this material could not be purchased on the open market. Among the many advantages of hydrazine sulfate over other reducing agents the writer would like to draw attention to the following points: The introduction of large amounts of fixed salts which are liable to cause bumping during the latter stages of the distillation is avoided. The residue from the distillation is readily available for the determination of other constituents after destroying the excess of the reagent with bromine water or hydrogen peroxide. C. A. KNITTEL 45 CHAPLIN AVE. ST. CATHBRINES, ONT., CANADA March 9, 1922
