amid is, I think, absolute proof that this amid is identical in constitution with glycocoll, i. e., amidoacetic acid. The ease with which the production of hippuric acid is brought about by the action of benzoyl chloride on the amid according to the equation C2H ̧COC1+ CH2NH,COOH= C,H,CONHCOOH + HCl, the purity of the hippuric acid obtained, and the ease with which it is separated, promise, I think, a simple and reliable method of estimating this amid in sugar-cane and its products. LABORATORY OF KOHALA SUGAR CO., CORRESPONDENCE. DECEMBER 27, 1897. To the Editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society : DEAR SIR: The great success of the Second International Congress of Applied Chemistry leads to the belief that the next one, which is to be held in Vienna in July, 1898, will also be numerously attended. Nearly 2,000 members were present at the Paris meeting, and it required five large volumes to contain the report of its proceedings. The undersigned have been appointed a committee in the United States, to promote the interests of the Third International Congress of Applied Chemistry, and beg leave to call the attention of the chemists of this country to that meeting, with the hope that many may be induced to attend. Those who subscribe and receive their membership cards will be entitled to all reductions in rates going to and coming from Vienna, which are arranged for members of the Congress. During the Paris meeting, the French line of steamers reduced its rates thirty-three per cent. to members of the Congress. It is hoped that an arrangement can be made with some of the steamship lines during the coming summer for a similar reduction, although the committee has not yet been informed of any arrangement of this kind. The opportunity of meeting distinguished chemists from all parts of the world should not be lost sight of, and will doubtless be appreciated by the American members. The scientific work of the Congress will be divided into the following sections: Section 1. General analytical chemistry and apparatus, Dr. George Vortmann, Wien, IV Schaumburgergasse 16, chairman. Section 2. Food, medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, Dr. Ernst Ludwig, Wien, XIX Bilrothstrasse 72, chairman. Section 3. Agricultural chemistry, Prof. E. Meissl, Wien, II Trummerstrasse 3, chairman. Section 4. Chemistry of the sugar industry, Prof. Friedrich Strohmer, Wien, IV/2 Schönburgstrasse 6, chairman. Section 5. Chemistry of the fermenting industries, Prof. F. Schwackhäfer, Wien, XIX Karl Ludwigstrasse 74, chairman. Section 6. Chemistry of wine-making, Dr. L. Rosler, Wien, Physiologische Versuchsstation, chairman. Section 7. Inorganic chemical industries (manufacture of sulphuric acid, soda, etc.), Herr Paul Seybel, Wien, III, Reissnerstrasse 50, chairman. Section 8. Metallurgy and explosives, Prof. Franz Kupelwieser, Wien, I Franzenring, chairman. Section 9. Organic chemical industries, Dr. Hugo Ritter von Perger, Wien, IV Gusshausstrasse 23, chairman. Section 10. Chemistry of the graphic industries (photo-chemistry, photography, etc.), Dr. Josef Maria Eder, Wien, VII West Cohnstrasse 25, chairman. Section II. Didactic chemistry, Prof. Franz Lafar, Wien, Technische Hochschule, chairman. Section 12. Electrochemistry, Dr. Karl Kellner, Hallein, Salsburg, chairman. All persons desiring to become members and wishing further information on the subject of the Congress can secure copies of the provisional reglement by addressing the chairman of the committee, Washington, D. C. Excursions, visits to localities of interest, banquets, etc., will be arranged for and definitely announced at a later period. Papers in German, French, and English will be accepted, and authors are requested to communicate with the several chairmen and send them titles of papers and subjects which they would like to have discussed. All persons intending to become members of the Congress may receive a membership card from the secretary, Dr. F. Strohmer, by sending twenty-one francs to his address, IV/2 Schönburg strasse, Nr. 6, Vienna, Austria. If preferred, members may send $4.30 to the chairman of the American committee, who will transmit the proper amount to Dr. Strohmer. The provisional officers of the Congress are as follows: President of Honor-Hofrath Prof. Dr. Alexander Bauer. Active President-Regierungsrath Dr. Hugo Ritter v. Perger. Professor in the Royal Imperial Technical High School of Vienna. Vice-President-Regierungsrath Dr. Josef Maria Eder, Director of the Royal Imperial Graphic School in Vienna. Secretary-Prof. Dr. F. Strohmer, Director of the Experiment Station for Beet-Sugar Industry, Vienna. Respectfully, H. W. WILEY, Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., Chairman. PETER T. AUSTEN, II Broadway, New York. C. F. CHANDLER, Columbia University, New York, N. Y. B. F. DAVENPORT, 161 Tremont St., Boston, Mass. C. A. DOREMUS, 17 Lexington Ave., New York, N. Y. W. L. DUDLEY, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. F. G. WIECHMANN, 771 West End Ave., New York, N. Y. OBITUARY.' CHARLES EDWARDS COLBY was born in Lawrence, Mass., October 18, 1855. He was a direct descendant of Anthony Colby, who came to this country from Beccles, England, with Governor Winthrop's company, in 1630; and was also closely related to Captain Valentine Bagley, the subject of Whittier's celebrated poem entitled "The Captain's Well. He early manifested an interest in electricity and chemistry, making a successful arc lamp, when only fourteen years old, 1 Read at the meeting of the New York Section, December 10, 1897. from the movement of an old clock; and constructing magic lanterns, spectroscopes, and other physical apparatus, from the crudest of materials. In 1868 he came to New York City, and entered Grammar School No. 35, in West 13th St., then under the charge of Dr. Hunter, from which he graduated in 1872, and soon after went to Germany to study, returning in time to take the entrance examinations for Columbia College in 1874. His energy and ambition are well shown by his attempt to carry on three courses at once-civil engineering, mining engineering, and chemistry,-a privilege then allowed by the college, and which would undoubtedly have been successful but for an attack of pneumonia in 1876, which compelled him to relinquish for a time his chemical studies, but permitted the completion of the two other courses, and, on graduation in 1877, he was awarded the degrees of C.E. and M.E. He then accepted the position of Private Assistant to Professor Chas. F. Chandler, and was engaged for several years, under Dr. Chandler's direction, in many important investigations, especially in the field of organic chemistry. Among these investigations should be mentioned that of artificial alizarine, in connection with several suits brought into this country under the Graebe and Liebermann patent by the representatives of the Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik, and which involved, first, the question of the identity of the artificial with the natural alizarine, and, later, the relations of flavopurpurine and anthrapurpurine to the original patent. There were also investigations upon the sulphanilic acid colors, naphthionic acid colors, thionin colors, the various sulpho acids of rosanilin, naphthol yellow, the composition of the archil imported into this country, the manufacture of chloroform from acetone, and many other similar subjects. The ability exhibited in these researches led to his appointment, on October 6, 1884, as a fellow in chemistry, and the separate instruction in organic chemistry was thereafter confided to him. On June 7, 1886, he was advanced to the grade of instructor in organic chemistry; and on March 3, 1890, the chair of adjunct professor in organic chemistry was created for him, and this position he held at the time of his decease on October 15, 1897. During these thirteen years of teaching and investigation, he has added very materially to our store of knowledge in his chosen sphere of activity, and many important researches have been carried on in the laboratory of organic chemistry either by him. personally, or under his immediate supervision. The production of the aromatic sulphoxides by the action of thionyl chloride and aluminum chloride upon the hydrocarbons of the benzene series; the preparation of aromatic nitriles from aromatic acids and fatty nitriles; the preparation of the imids of bibasic fatty acids by the interaction of the nitrile and the acid; the production of the corresponding imids of the bibasic aromatic acids. by heating together the acid and a fatty nitrile; these, and many other organic researches, might be recalled in this connection. Professor Colby was a man of most versatile attainments, being not only a chemist of exceptional ability, but also an expert in physics, mathematics, mechanical drawing, and music. As a teacher, he was most careful and painstaking, devoting his entire time to his students, and assisting and encouraging them by every means in his power. His lectures were models of concise classification, and his explanations were always lucid and full. A deep and analytical thinker, thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the true scientist, which forgets all else in the search for truth, he inspired his students with much of his own enthusiasm, and finally sacrificed his life in the pursuit of the science he loved so well. It was most unfortunate that his physical equipment was not at all in keeping with the urgings of his ambition, and for the last few years of his life his constantly increasing weakness, brought on largely by overwork, practically debarred him from all laboratory investigation. In spite of his illness and the distressing realization of the inability of the body longer to respond to the calls of the energetic and brilliant mind, he bore his sufferings with the most heroic and uncomplaining fortitude, and fought the battle bravely to the end. Columbia University, and the world of science, have suffered a very grievous loss in the death of this able and devoted scientist. MARSTON TAYLOR BOGERT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, DECEMBER, 1897. |