Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-17

CALLING TIE BODY foaErHER-rIS POISONING
IN CANNED aooDs-PRoF. wEBER's PAPER
CAUSES A GOOD DEAL OF DIscUssIoN-oTHER
PAPERS READ.
The American Chemical Society assembled
today in the large lecture hall Of Columbia
University for its third annual meeting and a
score or so Of members was present and the pa
pers read were Of an intricately technical char
acter. President George F. Barker, who is
professor of chemistry and physics in the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania made quite lengthy
opening address. He began by saying that in
science as well as socially man was
a gregarious animal. The best re-
sults in every direction were obtained
by community Of action. The world fondIy
looked forward to the day when all the people
Of the earth would form one great community.
The annihi!ation of time was the goal of all
effort. The great misfortune Of the human
race was, he said, the fact that existence
IL but a time function. Perhaps in q fu-
ture state we would be freed from all
these irksome restraints. The president re-
ferred to the movement for the inclusion Of
the various local chemical societies scattered
all over the country in the American society
as q central body, and expressed the hope that
the plan could be carried out United under
=
bers would be benefited by the larger circle Of
association and the society's strength would be
augmented.
THE FIRST PAPER READ.
The first paper read was Prof G. @. Caldwelrs
on "a New Form Of yollameter." He exhibited
o photograph and described the apparatus
which is used for electrical measurements.
After the paper was finished President Barker,
speaking Of the delicacy OF the instruments for
eel .trlc anita mt fho In If
respect shown by physicists for chemists
methods and conclusions would gradually dis
appear before improvements in methods such
as that described by Prof. Caldwell.
TIN IN CANNED GOODS.
Professor F. w. Clarke read a paper on IA
Theory Of the Mica and Chlorite Groups" and
then Professor H. A. Weber precipitated quite
a lengthy discussion by his paper on "The
Occurrence of Tin in Canned Goods" He told
induced to make by the severe poisoning of a
man and woman who had eaten pumpkin pie
made Of canned pumpkin. He had found as
much as seven maximum and fifty or
more minimum doses Of tin salts in
a pound of canned pumpkin and almost
equally large traces in canned fruits and
tomatoes. He had afterward learned Of several
other cases Of poisoning from eating timed
food, the symptoms nearly always resembling
those of lead poisoning. He had not learned
of any deaths caused in this way. In
all canned foods, he said, there were organic
| acids, and his Investigations had convinced
him that the tin used for preserving food was
always more or less easily corroded by them.
The paper was very generally discussed, and it
| was agreed that the subject was one that should
be Investigated.
SOME cHEsrNUrs.
Prof. William Frear next read q paper on
Composition OF American and European
Chestnuts," which dealt with the widely differ
emit chemical composition of the two almost
identical nuts. European chestnuts trans
planted to this country lost their peculiarities
in some degree, but American chest
nuts raised in different years often exhibited
wide chemical differences in different years.
After this paper was finished the society ad-
journed until tomorrow morning. The papers
and Anthony" by James L. Anderson; IAN
Acid Sulphate Of Lime" and "Gluten," by H.
Endemann.
SKETCH OF THE SOCIETY.
Though originally the American Chemical
Society was organized in New York and was Of
rather local character, its annual meetings
always being held there, it has recently set
itself about becoming moro national in its
scope. In order to induce local
chemical organizations to affiliate with
it the plan of holding semi-annual
country was adopted. In order to more
thoroughly perfect its organization confer
ence between representatives of some of
the local organizations that have never
affiliated with the American society and repre-
sentatives Of the latter will be held tonight
when it is hoped that some plan Of consolids-
ton may be agreed upon.
MEMBERS NOW PRESENT.
About half hundred members of the Ameri-
can Chemical Society are here in Washington.
Among them are Prof. G. G. Caldwell of Cor
New New York sisy; " Clarke ssoosi
cal survey, E. A. schweintz, Department
of Agriculture; Edw. Gudeman, Philadelphia:
H. b. Baldwin, Newark, N. j.; Walter H. Rent,
Polytechnic Institute. Brooklyn, n Y; A. H.
Sabin, Long Island City, n. Y; Charles I.
Pomeroy, Newark, N. j.; Durand Woodman,
New York; A. A. Breneman, New York; Charles
II. Winston, Richmond College, Richmond, Va. /;
Edes Of this city, H. H. Nicholson, director
State Experiment Station, Lincoln, Neb.; DR..
W. Simon, Baltimore; William +. Hillsbrand,
geological survey; Morris Loeb, New
York city; n. 7. L%pton, president Ala
Ss%s AsToulurai College G. EEaains
Washington and Lee Universities. Lexington,
Va; George F. Barker, University Of Pennsyl-
vania; Albert F. Prescott University Of Mich
igan; Edward 2. Harris, Amherst, Mass, G. b
North Carolina agricultural experiment station;
B. W. Kilgore. Raleigh. N. c.; w. A. Noyes,
president Polytechnic Institute, Tsrre Haute,
Ind; VIM. Frear, professor Of chemistry, Penn
sylvania State College; Gustavus Hinrichs,
81. Louis, Mo.
An Accident Insurance Company Sued.
Sidney H. Heller has by ]. H. Hopkins and
L B. Linton fled a suit against the Preferred
Mutual Accident Association OF New York to
recover 5000 on account of the death Of John
II. Heizer ON February last, which shs
claims resulted from decedent's foot being