COLORFUL CHEMISTRY

The sodium salt of benzene azo-8-acetylanimo-napthol-disulphonic acid has been discovered by reputable chemists to be the exact equivalent of crimson. Delightful predictions have been made by the Boston Herald to the effect that the Harvard Crimson will now be titled the Daily Sodium Salt of the Daily Azo-8, the abbreviated terms being necessitated by the limitations of proof reading. The originality of these oracular murmuring is unimpeachable; their pertinence unexcelled. Without doubt the prophecies will stimulate profound and wide-spread reflection.

Every word of the extensive title is draught with relevant symbolism. Sodium obviously is to be taken as representative of activity righteous, of course, Salt implies well seasoned matter. The stability of the benzene nucleus is well known to chemists, as are the cleansing properties of the napthols. Then disulphonic acid is suggestive of fiery rebuke to iniquitous actions. However, in the abridged forms, proposed by the Herald, much of this significance is lost. Only the complete title does itself justice; and only the complete title attains to a sonorous dignity. This objection is not vital, but years of experience with proof readers, a certaia inherent modesty, and the force of long and powerful tradition preclude the possibilities of any immediate change.