232 SCHOOL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

COLLOIDAL COMMON SALT.

BY NICHOLAS KNIGHT,Cornell College,

In connection with the interesting papers on colloids in theNovember and December numbers of this Journal, by Dr. HarryN. Holmes, and in the January number, by Dr. TheodoreCohen, we thought it might be worth while to call atten-tion to the preparation of colloidal common salt. Colloidal chem-istry is rapidly growing in importance. Numerous books on thesubject have recently appeared, and’a journal is published in theinterest of this branch of chemical science. The time has doubt-less come when it should receive attention in every high schoolcourse in chemistry, and some colloidal experiments should bemade in the laboratory work.The experiment herein described was first made by Professor

Carl Paal, formerly of the University of Eriangen, but now aprofessor in the laboratory of applied chemistry of the Universityof Leipsic. His paper was published in the Berlchte, Band II,1906, page 1436.Two grams of sodium in small pieces are added to 100 grams

of benzene, and 30 grams are distilled off into a dry flask, reject-ing the first portion of the distillate. Then 5 grams o-f malonicethel ester are dissolved in this 30 grams of sodium-dried benzene,and 0.7 gram sodium in the form of fine wire is added. It iswarmed on the Water-bath with a perpendicular condenser at-tached to the flask, to complete the reaction. To the solution areadded 4 grams of chlor acetic ester, and the contents of the flaskare warmed. The orange-colored opalescent liquid is cooled andthen treated with five or six times its volume of low-boilingpetroleum ether. After the light colored, fine precipitate has set-tled, the liquid is poured off, and the residue is washed twice bydecantation with petroleum ether. The precipitate is filtered un-der a watch glass to exclude moisture from the air, washed withpetroleum ether, and dried in a vacuum desiccator. The amountof the colloidal salt should be 1.846 grams. Besides the salt,ethelyn tricarballylic acid ethel ester is formed in accordance withthe following:

/ONaC

CICH^. COOQH^+CH f ^O’CsH, _ QiH^O^NaCI �^COOCJ-L,

CgH^C.CH^.CH (COsCJIg) 3+NaCl

VENEREAL DISEASES 233

This experiment, we believe, can be carried out in the ordinaryhigh school laboratory. The sodium wire can be purchased of theusual dealers or the apparatus for making the wire can be im-ported duty-free for nine dollars.By a similar process we made colloidal potassium chloride, and

were proceeding to make other sodium and potassium halideswhen we found that Professor Paal had already attended to thesepreparations.

Further references: Berichte, Band III, 1906, page 2859, 2863 ;1909, Band I, page 277, 291.

ROYAL COMMISSION ON VENEREAL DISEASES.

The King of England has approved of the appointment of a royal com-mission to inquire into the subject of venereal diseases in the UnitedKingdom, their effects on the health of the community, and the means bywhich these effects can be alleviated or prevented, it being understood thatno return to the policy or provisions of the contagious diseases acts is tobe regarded as falling within the scope of the inquiry. These acts pro-vided for the compulsory examination and detention of prostitutes. Thepublic feeling aroused against them grew so much that their reintro-duction in any form is out of the question. According to the Londoncorrespondent of The Journal of the American Medical Association, theappointment of this commission may ,be traced to the resolution passed atthe International Medical Congress. It is composed of prominent publicmen and women, clergymen and a number of medical specialists (SirMalcolm Morris, Sir John Collie, Dr. Mott, Mr. Ernest Lane and Mrs.Scharlieb). For a long time attempts have been made to induce the gov-ernment to appoint this commission. In 1899 memorials were presented toLord Salisbury (then prime minister) by the royal colleges of surgeonsof England and Ireland and ithe British Medical Association, but thebreaking out of the Boer War caused the subject to be shelved. Inthe same year the International Congress on Venereal Diseases was heldat Brussels and resolutions were passed urging the various governmentsto appoint commissions of inquiry. The congress declared definitely againstanything in the nature of the contagious diseases acts. Next a discussionon the subject took place at the Royal Society of Medicine in 1912. InJune of this year Sir Malcolm Morris published an article in the Lanc’et,which received editorial support, asking for the appointment of a royalcommission and drawing attention to the grave dangers of venereal dis-ease being contracted innocently. Later a letter was published in theMorning Post asking for the appointment of a royal commission, signedby the presidents of the royal colleges of physicians and surgeons, theprofessors of medicine in the universities, and the presidents of themedical societies. This letter was endorsed by the representative meet-ing of the British Medical Association. A remarkable feature of thesituation is the open manner in which the lay press has discussed theproblem of venereal disease. During the meetings of the congress columnsof the leading journals, the Times and Morning Post in particular, weredevoted to discussions on syphilis. A few years ago these journals wouldscarcely dare to print the word and would use some periphrasis such as"a certain contagious disease."