corresponding elevation of continents (Arldt refrigerator cars being made under the direcand Enquist). 4. Intensive volcanic activity with accompanying soot clouds (Sarasin). 5. Slight eccentricity of the earth's orbit (Hildebrandt). 6. Passing of the solar system through regions of the universe in which there were no stars (Noelke). 7. Decreased heat radiation of the sun (Philippi). 8. Lesser inclinations of the ecliptic (Eckholm). 9. Decrease of carbon dioxide con tent in the air (Chamberlain and Salisbury). tion of Mr. H. J. Ramsay and Mr. V. W. Ridley then of the Bureau of Markets, the writer was able to make observations on the carbon dioxide and oxygen content of the air in refrigerator cars and the effect of ventilation on the accumulation of carbon dioxide. A brief summary of the results follows: The percentage of carbon dioxide and of oxygen was determined by means of a Accessory. commercial Orasatt apparatus-samples being 10. Distribution of land and sea according to Kerner's view. Pliothermal or warm interglacial periods occurred under the following circumstances: 1. Chiefly as a result of low flat continents, 2. Through absence of deep basins, 3. Rising of sea floor and depression of continents, 4. Volcanic inactivity, 5. Great eccentricity of the earth's orbit, 6. Passing of the solar system through regions of the universe abounding in stars, 7. Great radiation of heat from the sun, 8. Great inclination of the ecliptic, 9. Increase of the carbon dioxide content of the air. It is utterly improbable that the interior of the earth contributed to the climatic changes. Polar dislocations are also out of the question, so long as we can not prove that they followed any particular direction. All attempts, likewise, at explaining change in climate from one cause alone are futile. Although at first sight these theories may appear attractive, they can not stand the test of keener criticism. Moreover, nature is too complex to permit its being compressed into a single formula. CHESTER A. REEDS AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY SPECIAL ARTICLES OBSERVATIONS ON THE ACCUMULATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE FROM STRAWBERRIES IN REFRIGERATOR CARS DURING the years 1918 and 1919 and in connection with shipping tests of strawberries in drawn through lead tubing one end of which was placed in the part of the car from which it was desired to take samples and the other run out at one corner of the door. During transit analyses were made at icing stations and at other times when the train stopped long enough. Duplicate analyses were made when time permitted, and in all cases several hundred cubic centimeters were thrown away before the sample was drawn for analysis. The results of the analyses made during three of these tests are summarized in Table I. In the tests of 1918 the berries were loaded at a temperature of about 68° to 70° F. and one car was ventilated by raising the hatches at diagonal corners of the car. The berries loaded in the test of 1919 were at a temperature of 76°-78° F., one car being ventilated by raised hatches, and the other that reported in the last column of Table I., by two six-inch pipes, installed at opposite ends of the car. From the table it is apparent that there is no great accumulation of carbon dioxide in the air of the unventilated cars in transit. The maximum amount 2.5 per cent., was reached in a car loaded at Monett, Mo., seven hours after the doors were closed. When the car was re-iced the carbon dioxide content dropped to 0.7 per cent. From this it increased again to 1.3 per cent., but at the next icing it dropped to 0.6 per cent. and never exceeded this amount during the remainder of the trip. The accumulation of carbon dioxide in unventilated refrigerator cars loaded with strawberries has been found not to exceed 2.5 per 24 0.4 cars are standing after being loaded, become noarly or quite as great as in unventilated When the cars are moved it drops to 0.9 0.4 per cent, and rarely exceeds that amount. The accumulation of carbon dioxide in unventiated refrigerator cars is apparently not sufficient, with strawberries, to cause injury to the barrios, BURBAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, WASHINGTON, D. C. H. F. BERGMAN THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (Continued) The preparation and analysis of a cattle fand consisting of hydrolyzed sawdust; E. C. SHENNAND and G. W. BLANCO, Investigations carried out at 1 Immediately after re-leing 2 Car re-iced seven hours previous, the Forest Products Laboratory indicate th A comparison of wood cellulose and cotton that from cotton. The data show that wood cellulose most nearly corresponding to cotton, taking munition linters as a standard, is obtained by recooking "easy bleaching" sulphite pulp with soda and bleaching with two per cent. of bleaching powder. The practise of checking wood cellulose according to the specifications for cotton is a questionable procedure. Supply and preparation of wood for the manufacture of pulp: HUGH P. BAKER. Parchmentizing paper and the reaction of mordants: J. E. MINOR. The work of Schwalbe and Becker recently published confirms theories of the author as to the reactions which occur on the decomposition of cellulose during beating. The hydrolysis of cellulose forms dextrines which are mucilaginous, soluble in water and easily reduce Fehling solution. These dextrines are readily adsorbed by pure cellulose thus constituting the reactive, insoluble, colloidal hydrocellulose, and in this position they catalyze further cellulose hydrolysis. Complete hydrolysis leaves only soluble dextrines or sugars. For a mucilaginous accumulation as is desired for making parchment paper, the velocity of the initial reaction must be catalyzed, either by the hemi-celluloses of wood incrustation, or by acid treatment of pulp prior to beating. Acid treatment of pulp reduces the time required to beat to mucilage to one half or one tenth the original amount required, and increases the strength of the paper made from it. Pulp mucilage has a greater power of splitting salts and adsorbing metal ions than has cellulose and, therefore, assists in holding size, dye, coating, etc. Metal impregnation weakens paper strength. Is it feasible to form a section of cellulose chemistry? G. J. ESSELEN, JR. Solvents for phosgene: CHARLES BASKERVILLE. An impelling factor in causing the Germans to sign the Armistice was a knowledge of the rapid development of the stupendous poison gas program of the United States. One of the earliest gases, a real gas, used by the Germans, was phosgene. It had been manufactured on a small scale in Germany before the war. Small amounts were exported to the United States prior to 1914. It was being produced in this country for similar uses after the blockade had shut off the importation of chemicals in the manufacture of which the Germans had made a specialty. It was transported in small quantities liquefied in cylinders. When hostilities ceased we were producing the poison gas for war purposes at the rate of fifty tons a day, with a program nearly completed for a much larger production. Soon after the Armistice was signed restrictions were imposed which prevented railroad transportation of phosgene liquefied in cylinders. Uses for war gases in peace times have been sought. The author has found several solvents for the gaseous phosgene, among them gasoline, benzine and ethyl acetate, which dissolve an equal weight of the poison gas at ordinary temperatures. The solutions exert practically no pressure beyond atmospheric, so may be transported with safety within ordinary closed containers. On exposure to the air the liquid and dissolved gas evaporate. The solutions offer simple means for the use of a poison gas to exterminate rats and moles. On warming the solutions in suitable vessels the phosgene is liberated and may be used in a pure form in the manufacture of certain coal tar products of color or medicinal value. An electrometric method for detecting segregation of dissolved impurities in steel: E. G. MAHIN and R. E. BREWER. Previous work has shown that both non-metallic and metallic inclusions cause carbon segregation in steel and the hypothesis has been advanced that this is due to the steel acting to some extent as a solvent for the foreign material. If this is correct the electrode potential of the metal should be altered in the regions immediately surrounding the inclusion. It is not possible to determine this point by the usual method involving immersion of the specimen in an electrolyte but a method has been devised for exposing microscopic areas of metal surface to an electrolyte, so that the micro-electrode thus formed may be connected with a standard calomel halfelement and the E.M.F. of the system measured by the usual compensation method. This method has been applied to an investigation of the ferrite bands produced by heating steel in contact with metallic inclusions; it has been found possible thus to measure the potential of these micro-areas and to establish the fact that the ferrite of these segregated portions possesses a distinctly lower potential than the ferrite of the body of the steel. The work is being extended to include investigation of the potential of ferrite adjoining other metallic and non-metallic inclusions and it may be applied also to the detection of segregation of the constituents of non-ferrous alloys. Soda-lime for industrial purposes: R. E. WILSON. The work to be described in this paper was an 26 outgrowth of work done in the Chemical Warfare (2) The ammonia extract decomposes slow Comparative study of vibration absorbers: HOWARD. A simple instrument for obtainin ords of horizontal and vertical vibration in ings was constructed. Comparative measure of the vibration absorbing capacities of v materials and devices, such as cork, felt, r air-bags, rubber balls and suspensions were Corisin arrangements of rubber balls were to be very affective. qutulysis in the manufactu cher: It Go SCHLAPPER. Senderens' experi (Compies Sencies, Volume 151, page 392) scion of aluminum sulphate in the manuf of other were repeated in glass apparatu coudrmed. When the same experiments wer red out in a small other still constructed of no inference aroduction was observed be The meshed or procedure and the proc cumam sulphate. The author Senderens' theory of th double salt, inasmuch as not onì pare walica normally present in th Factory practise, but broken 424 600 g the same results as aluminu CHARLES L. PARSON Secra SCIENCE A Wookly Journal devoted to the Advancem Science, publishing the official netess and ceedings of the American Association to the Advancement of Science Published every Friday by THE SCIENCE PRES LANCASTER PA GARRISON NEW YORK NY NEW SERIES VOL. LIII, No. 1360 FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1921 SINGLE COPIES, 15 CTS. New York of all students. It is easy to get complete ctration on a Bausch & Lomb Balopticon The Perfect Stereopticon Balopticons project slides, opaque objects or both with remarkable Bausch & Lomb Optical @. 552 St. Paul Street ROCHESTER, N. Y. Washington San Francisco London Chicago |