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James Woodhouse and the Synthesis of Ammonia.--JAMES WOODHOUSE (1770--1809) was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania-in both arts (1787) and medicine (I792). He was elected professor of chemistry in the medical school of the University, when Joseph Priestley declined that honor in I795, and served until his death in I8O9. He had been a pupil of Benjamin Rush, and had among his pupils Robert Hare and Benjamin Silliman. He and his students made numerous contributions to theoretical, mineral, and biological chemistry.. C. A. BROWNE (.four. Chem. Ed., 1932, 1X, I744-I747) calls attention to an experiment, performed by Woodhouse, in which soot and pearl-ash were ignited in a covered crucible. After cooling, the mass was treated with water, and ammonia was detected among the products of the reaction. KATHARINE S. LOVE AND P. H. EMMETT (Jour. Chem. Ed., 1932, XI, 1748-175 o) have repeated Woodhouse's experiment. They offer the explanation that atmospheric nitrogen is fixed with the formation of potassium cyanide. On addition of water, the temperature is sufficient to hydrolyze some of the cyanide with the liberation of ammonia. The work of Woodhouse " seems to be an early illustration of the fixation of nitrogen by the cyanide process." J. S. H.
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## 776 CURRENT TOPICS. [l. F. I. was described as the unfailing remedy for laziness and a drowsy, tired, sleepy feeling. For indigestion, dizziness, sick headache, numbness, or chills, kidney or bladder troubles, weakness, stimulates and purifies the blood." The so-called remedy was found to consi
of the atmosphere for periods as great as 7 days. At the end of that time, the volume had decreased to 2 9 cc., and 46.27 per cent. of the alcohol and 6.6 per cent. of the iodine initially present had been lost. The iodine concentration in the residual liquid was considerably greater than the iodine