more powerful solvent of metallic oxides than any other known flux. It will be afterwards described; but it has the disadvantage in analysis, referred to in par. 32, of being a salt.

40. The ruby colour bestowed by gold upon glass and fluxes would thus appear, by the experiment above detailed, to be due to an exact amount of oxidation. The oxides of tin and and antimony, added with it to colourglass under the name of " purple of Cassius," &c., seem not to have anything to do with the production of the colour.t

Silver.

41. The most infinitesimal trace of the oxide, or of a salt of silver, added to a bead of P, gives a copious yellow precipitate like cream, accompanied at first, if the bead be held in a P. P., as at 2 or 3, Fig. 1, by a very beautiful but very transient rose-colour. This is such a delicate reaction for silver that it will be at once obtained from most galenas; and although thus a most important test qualitatively, is too fine to admit of being used as a quantitative standard for the estimation of rich ores.

42. There are two ways of effecting this. First, for an ore supposed to contain only a small percentage of silver. If the slightly argentiferous glass be retained in the position 3, Fig. 1, the yellow precipitate soon disappears, and the glass becomes clear, highly refractive, and brilliant. On changing its position in the pyrocone to that of a, Fig. 1, at present called the "oxidising flame," the yellow precipitate immediately and copiously reappears; but there is no visible mark or signification by which the operator can thus judge of the quantity of silver oxide added. When, however, this amounts to 5 per cent of the whole glass, and the latter, rendered diaphanous by the first position, is suddenly and momentarily brought into the second one indicated above, or, better, to just the tip of the blue, from whence, however, it must be instantaneously removed, a very remarkable and very beautiful appearance results. It is that of an almost perfect imitation of a pearl, produced apparently by the reduction of the oxide near the surface to the metallic state, while a vitreous glaze or gloss is still retained upon the surface.

43. This, then, may be called the first standard of silver for ores containing that oxide up to 5 per cent, though of course it may be used for richer ones; but the following method is more rapid for a rich ore, provided there are no chromatic oxides present to interfere with the clearness of the glass.

44. Second, for rich argentiferous ores. If we continue adding oxide of silver to a weighed P glass, and dissolving it carefully as at 3, Fig. 1, we shall find the glass remains diaphanous until 20 per cent of the oxide has been added, when the yellow creamy precipitate again begins to appear, causing, for rich ores, 20 to be the standard of silver. Of course, in calculating results from these "standards," the ratio deducible from them must be of the inverse kind; that is, for instance, if we find an argentiferous ore requires to be added to the extent of 40 per cent in order to produce the yellow precipitate in a P. P., as at 3, Fig. 1, or just double the quantity of the pure oxide of silver to effect the same result, we take the proportion of Ag as just half of purity, or 50 per cent.

Mercury and the Volatilisable Metals in P.

45. If these oxides are taken upon the hot glass, and the mass inserted into a good H. P., as in Fig. 4, they are neither volatilised nor dissolved. The volatile oxides under such conditions form part of the metallic-looking crust or film, which is invariably formed over the surface, and can thus be added in large quantity with a very trifling loss. If the mass be now treated with a P. P., as at 3, fig. 1, these oxides are rapidly dissolved, all of them bestowing on the P glass a brilliant golden-yellow, espe

No metal, not even gold, has any tendency to alloy the platinumwire in this flux when kept under a P. P. (Phosphofluate of lime gives with gold oxide a bead as blue and brilliant as a sapphire.September 14th, 1872.1

cially arsenic acid, by which a glass is thus produced quite equalling in appearance the finest topaz.

46. If this glass be now returned to an O. P., as at a, Fig. 1, the oxide is immediately precipitated with a dim, and often an opaque grey or grey-black, appearance; and although mercuric oxide (for instance) is usually presumed to be of so volatile a nature that its reactions are not given in blowpipe tables, this mercurial oxide is so difficult to volatilise that the strongest O. P. will not clear the P bead from it, but only burn both slowly away. Sulphur.

47. If sulphur be added to a P bead, as described in of chromatic reactions exactly similar to those of copper, par. 45, and then treated with a P. P., the curious result i. c., green hot and blue cold, is produced. The addition of plumbic oxide heightens this effect; and the resulting blue bead is quite indistinguishable from a cupreous one placed alongside.

Nitrogen.

After a time these

48. If a P bead be constantly dipped in the strongest possible solution of ammonia or in concentrated nitric acid, and immersed as often in a H. P., as Fig. 4, numerous black specks will be found on the surface like carbon, but much more difficultly burned away appear to combine with the metallic-looking film which is formed by the H. P., and the substance is then by no means easily volatilised. The glass thus impregnated with nitrogen will be found to be clear hot, yellow and gelatinous on cooling, therein exactly differing from those of the alkalies, the volatilisable oxides, and some of the earths, which are yellow hot and clear cold.

Oxide of Copper in P.

and treat it with a P. P. (2, Fig. 1), we find that it takes 49. If we add pure cupric oxide to a weighed P bead, exactly 5 per cent of the whole bead to produce distinctly the peculiar blue of copper. The glass must be carefully held in the position indicated, as O. P. would leave it green:* 5 per cent, then, may be taken to represent the standard of copper for quantitative measurements, as where there is a chromatic interference of other oxides, described in par. 44; but in such cases as Cu pyrites, something more is necessary.

glass in sulphur to give it the cupreous blue appearance 50. It requires one-third more than the weight of a P referred to in par. 47; that is to say, a 50 mgrs. glass of requires 75 mgrs. of flour sulphur added by degrees for the flour sulphur, when it assumes the metallic appearance that purpose. But it is found that by treatment in H. P. referred to in par. 17, is reduced to one-fifth of its bulk; so that 75 mgrs. of flour sulphur only represent 15 mgrs. of the allotropic sulphur, and 15 therefore is taken as the standard of sulphur. It has also been ascertained that sulphurous P bead, cause it to remain green even after a 16 mgrs. per cent of oxide of copper, when added to this of the superfluous oxygen; 16, therefore, is taken as the P. P., probably on account of the disposal by the sulphur equivalent standard of copper to sulphur. If we now add oxide of lead to the green cupreo-sulphurous P bead thus produced, we shall find that, on the addition of 24 mgrs. per cent, the glass will again appear blue; 24, therefore, is taken as the equivalent standard of PbO to sulphur.

51. Copper pyrites dissolved in a P glass has a dirty green appearance, without any shade of blue in it, after a P. P. As an example, it took 571 mgrs. of PbO to azurise a green Cu pyrites P bead of 100 mgrs.

NEWS

phur, 34'9; copper, 346; iron, 30'5. The specimen treated was a rich one from Freiberg, in Saxony.*

52. With rich ores, as the red oxide, the method (par. 49) is so delicate, that an assay roasted through platinum foil gave 4 mgrs. more in the hundred than it did unroasted. The best and safest plan is to have an azure P glass coloured with 5 per cent of CuO as a pattern, and place the assay alongside of it on a sheet of white paper.

Titanium and Tin in P.

53. A diaphanous P glass having either of these oxides dissolved in it will, after being held a considerable time, as at 3, Fig. 1, show (apparently) crystals, yellow with Ti, and white with Sn, produced in it. This result cannot be effected with the mouth, but only with a table pyrogene.

Alumina and Silica in P.

54. Berzelius proposes (p. 86) to estimate silica pyrognostically in a mineral thus:-"Every substance of an earthy or mineral nature, which melts with soda with effervescence into a transparent glass which remains transparent on cooling, is either silica or a silicate in which the oxygen of the silica is at least double the quantity of that of the base." This ingenious discovery, which is strictly correct in cases where it is applicable, and in such cases therefore most useful, is unfortunately inapplicable to those silicates in which the estimation of the silica is of the most importance. The so-called "alkaline earths," especially lime, will not permit silica, though combined in any proportion, to yield a bead with soda transparent on cooling, and they seem also to prevent or cancel effervescence in the same.

55. After many comparatively futile attempts to separate and estimate alumina and silica in various ways, one of which is referred to in par. 18. which occupied the writer some years, the following plan, which ought from its simplicity to have suggested itself at first, has been followed with apparent success. Nearly every oxide or substance is more soluble pyrologically in P than alumina and silica, while alumina is far more soluble than silica is. The alkaline earths" are rapidly dissolved; and lime especially is not only dissolved, but forms a salt, referred to in par. 39, which will dissolve almost anything but silica.‡

66

56. It has been ascertained that alumina will dissolve to the extent of 20 per cent, and silica to that of only 6 per cent, in a P bead; and this result is not materially modified by lime. After those amounts respectively have been added, the undissolved alumina appears as white roundish fragments, like pieces of fat, the silica as a semitransparent mass like melting snow, so that they are thus distinguished without difficulty even in presence of lime or the alkaline earths. Six per cent is therefore taken as the standard of silica in quantitative calculations; but as 20, that of alumina, is inconveniently large, it is better to employ as the flux a P bead half saturated with 10 per cent of pure alumina, and to make Io the standard of that "earth."

57. A P glass saturated with silicic acid still dissolves a little alumina, but the converse is not the case; it is best, therefore, to test qualitatively for either earth with a P glass saturated with alumina.

(To be continued.)

Another mode of procedure with sulphides is to carefully add the roasted ore (which by a method of roasting to be hereafter described, invariably loses just 17 per cent), atom by atom, to the P bead, in a P.P. (when the CuO blue reaction will first appear), until the FeS begins to interfere with it; then deduct from the large amount of copper thus indicated the sulphur and iron as determined by roasting and protoxide of lead. +Such as are sold at Freiberg by "Herr Bergmekanikus Lingke," manufacturer to the Royal University of that place; vide Plattner's "Probirkunst mit dem Löthrohre," vierte Auflage (Leipzig, 1865), P. 31, note.

Borax dissolves silica pyrologically more completely than any known flux. The writer found that phosphoric and nitric acids, combined in about equal proportion, attacked and broke up the Borlin saucers in which they were boiled.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
Thursday, February 6th, 1873.

Dr. WILLIAMSON, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair.

AFTER the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed and the donations to the Society announced, the names of Messrs. James Walker Montgomery, Alexander Bottle, Richard Joseph Deely, and George Ainsworth, were read for the first time; for the third time, Messrs. Charles Lees, John Abigal Bower, Miles H. Smith, George Frederick Ochacht, Alfred J. Cownley, and Walter E. Koch, who were ballotted for and duly elected.

The first communication was from Dr. H. E. ARMSTRONG, "On the Action of Sodium on Aniline." The author said that he was induced to lay before the society the results of his experiments on this subject some years ago, as Messrs. Merz and Weith had recently stated that sodium had no action on aniline. This was correct for temperature below the boiling-point of aniline, but when the two substances are heated in a sealed tube to 200°, the sodium disappears, hydrogen is evolved, and a colophonium-like substance produced, which appears to be a mixture ofC6H5 N Na and NNa H Na

C6H5

The CHAIRMAN, after thanking Dr. Armstrong for that a

his interesting communication, announced paper "On Anthrapurpurine" would now be read by the author, Mr. W. H. PERKIN. After adverting to a paper in which he had mentioned the existence of another colouring matter, differing from alizarine, which was present in crude artificial alizarine, the author stated that he had endeavoured to extract it by repeated crystallisation of the alizarine from various solvents, but, although its solubility differs considerably from that of alizarine, he had been unsuccessful. The method of preparation ultimately adopted was to dissolve the crude colouring matter in a dilute solution of sodium carbonate, and agitate it with freshly precipitated alumina, which removes the alizarine in the form of a lake, and precipitate the impure anthrapurpurine from the filtered solution by hydrochloric acid. This product was purified by repeatedly boiling it with alcohol, crystallising the residue from glacial acetic acid, boiling it with alcoholic soda and decomposing the difficultly soluble sodium compound with barium chloride. The barium compound was lastly decomposed by sodic carbonate, and the resulting purple solution precipitated by hydrochloric acid. The product obtained, after being crystallised two or three times from glacial acetic acid, was found to have the composition C14H805. Anthrapurpurine sublimes with partial decomposition when heated, is difficultly soluble in alcohol and in ether, but soluble in hot glacial acetic acid, which deposits it in tufts of minute orange-coloured needles. When heated with acetic anhydride to 150° it dissolves, forming triacetyl-anthrapurpurine, C14H5(C2H3O)3O5=C20H1408, a substance crystallising in pale yellow glistening scales, which melt at 220°-222°. It is moderately soluble in glacial acetic acid, and is decomposed when heated with

are told by one authority that it is always present, and that the "variation in its amount is inappreciable," whilst another observer pronounces it "an element of the most fluctuating quantity." Some find it most plentiful during the prevalence of northerly, and others of southerly winds. At Versailles, it was observed to be most abundant in summer; at Strasburg, in spring, and elsewhere in winter. Prestel finds its yearly maxima at the equinoxes and its minima at the solstices.

Nor, if we turn to the consideration of its supposed sanitary effects, do we find much greater agreement. It is, indeed, generally admitted that the air of large cities contains little or no ozone, whilst in country districts, on the coasts, and out at sea, it is comparatively abundant. In hospitals, especially in the fever wards, it is almost entirely absent. From such circumstances, and from its admitted power of destroying unpleasant odours, it is ordinarily pronounced to be "nature's grand disinfectant," and its presence is considered a safeguard against the spread of zymotic disease. Thus, according to Dr. Moffat, the cattle-plague was found most prevalent in those parts of England where ozone is generally supposed to be least plentiful. But all this, as the author reminds us, is far from proved. Thus at Konigstadt, an unhealthy town, ozone was found as abundantly as upon the healthiest mountain. At Vienna, "a city noted for its lung-diseases and typhoid fevers," the indications of ozone were more decided than at Prague, “which is justly ranked with the healthiest towns." "We are not sure," says the author, "that ozone possesses the power of oxidising the materies morbi of any known affection."

Before these and kindred questions can be finally decided, our observations of the presence and quantity of ozone in the atmosphere must be freed from their discrepancies and contradictions. To do this our testmethods stand in need of a thorough verification. Into this part of the subject Dr. Fox enters at some length, pointing out the circumstances under which they become untrustworthy. For these precautions and for many valuable suggestions on the mode of observation, we must refer to the work itself.

Year-Book of Pharmacy, with the Transactions of the British Pharmaceutical Conference. London: J. and A. Churchill.

A valuable abstract of researches, novelties, and improvements, interesting to the pharmaceutical profession, arranged under the heads of materia medica, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy, and "notes and formula." The transactions of learned societies and the scientific journals, foreign as well as British, appear to have been carefully explored for useful and appropriate matter. The opening address of Mr. Brady, at the Brighton Pharmaceutical Conference, and the papers on pharmaceutical education read by Messrs. Attfield, Schweitzer, and Proctor, are of deep interest beyond the immediate boundaries of the pharmaceutical profession. We gladly hail the denunciation of "cram" and the admission that-"Examination per se never was, and probably never can be, a thorough test of competency," a dictum which ought to be inscribed in letters of gold over the door of every college in the land. But whilst congratulating our pharmaceutical friends on the advance they have made, and on their success in raising their status, we cannot help putting the question whether some corresponding movement cannot be made among "analytical and consulting chemists ?" Is it impossible for us to prevent the intrusion of incompetent persons from without, and to establish a code of professional ethics within? It is painful to hear of analytical chemists offering to perform investigations for fees which cannot cover the outlay for pure reagents, and asking a client the significant question, "whether he is buying or selling" the sample which he brings for analysis. We shall be glad to hear the opinions of our readers on this important subject.

Some Phosphuretted Combinations of Zinc and Cadmium. -B. Renault. In the introduction to this paper the author gives a brief resume of his former researches on this subject (Ann de Chimie et de Phys., 4th series, vol. ix.). The contents of this paper record more particularly the researches on the phosphurets of cadmium, of which two are mentioned, viz., Cd,Ph, a metallic-looking substance, soluble in dilute acids, and giving off phosphuretted hydrogen, detonates when struck by a hammer and mixed with oxidising substances. CdPh, a carmine-red coloured, silky-looking substance, which also yields phosphuretted hydrogen when treated with dilute acids. The chemical and physical properties of the phosphurets of cadmium are similar to those of the corresponding zinc compounds.

Synthesis of Organic Substances which have the Property of Optical Rotation. Production of Levo- and DextroRotating Tartaric Acids by Starting with Olefiant Gas.-E. Jungfleisch. This lengthy essay treats on a somewhat complicated method of converting first, olefiant gas into succinic acid and this, next, into tartaric and racemic acids. It appears that these acids thus artificially obtained are in every respect identical with the same bodies as are naturally formed. It also appears that the optical power of rotation can be produced without the intervention of life.

Description of a Meteoric Stone which fell in Southern Africa in 1862.-Observations on Enstatite or Chaldnite-L.

Smith.-A great portion of this paper is devoted to the account of the finding of this stone, and its being ultimately placed in the museum at Cape Town. The sp. gr. of this mineral is 7692; composition in 100 parts:-Iron, 88 83; nickel, 1014; cobalt, 0'53; copper, a trace; phosphorus, o 28. Enstatite, one of the lithoid components of meteoric stones, has the formula-RSi, MgSi; bronzite, RSi(MgFe)Si; olivine R,Si(MgFe(Si.

Journal für Praktische Chemie, Nos. 17 and 18 (double number), 1872. This number contains the following original papers and memoirs:On Coal-Tar Pitch.-Dr. E. A. Behrens.-The continuation and

end of a lengthy essay on this subject.

Technico-Chemical Gas Analysis. - Dr. C. Winkler. This

monograph, illustrated by woodcuts exhibiting apparatus devised by the author, is divided into the following sections:-Aqueous vapour, carbonic acid; nitrogen, sulphurous acid, oxygen, nitric oxide, and nitrous acid; chlorine; hydrochloric acid; ammonia; sulphuretted hydrogen; oxide of carbon.

Dextrine.-C. Barford.-The main gist of this essay may be summarised as follows:-The purity of dextrine; its freedom from grape sugar, can be tested by means of acetate of copper; pure dextrine can ferment when yeast is added to a solution of it, but the fermentation is slow; only carbonic acid is given off; the dextrine is not first converted into grape sugar.

chiefly on a salt spontaneously formed in a solution of ammoniacal On Molybdate of Ammonia.-L. Kaemmerer.-This paper treats molybdate, which had been used in the estimation of phosphoric acid. The percentical composition of the salt alluded to is:-Molybdic acid, 86-211; ammonia, 10 376; water, 3'357; formula, NH,O,,MOO+HO

Nature of the Gas used for Inhalation (Medicinally) in the Inselbad at Paderborn, Westphalia.- Dr. E. v. Meyer.-A series of tables exhibiting the composition of gases evolved from certain natural springs, and collected in gas-holders for medical use.

Some of the Nitrogen Compounds of Anthrachinon.-R. Boettger and Th. Petersen. The second instalment of a lengthy essay on this subject, divided into the following sections:-a-mononitro-anthrachinon, CH,(NO2)02. a-monoamido-anthrachinon, C,,H,(NH2)O2; a-diazo-anthrachinon-nitrate, CH,N2O.NO3; behaviour of a-mononitro-anthrachinon with concentrated sulphuric acid.

Cause of the Coagulation of Milk Casein by Rennet, and on the So-Called Amphoterous Reaction.-W. Heintz.

Formation of Metanitro-Benzoic Acid during the Nitration of Benzoic Acid.-P. Griess.-This paper treats on the method of separating metanitro-benzoic acid from nitro-benzoic acid.

Researches on the Gases Occluded in Saar Coals.-Dr. E. v. Meyer. This paper, chiefly a collection of tables exhibiting results of analysis, records researches on the gases occluded in the coals from Saarbrücken district, and on the composition of the air in the pits.

Bayerisches Industrie und Gewerbe-Blatt, January, 1873. This number does not contain any original papers relating to chemistry.

Polytechnisches Journal von Dr. E. M. Dingler, second number for January, 1873.

Estimation of the Alkali Contained in Beet-Root Juice.J. Vivien.-Illustrated by woodcuts.

Simplified Apparatus for the Estimation of the Value of Raw Sugar.-Dr. Schiebler.

Indelible Ink.-Dr. Bættger.-365 grms. of aniline black are rnbbed down in a porcelain mortar with 60 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid, and 22 grms. of alcohol. This solution is mixed with a hot solution of 182 grms. of gum-arabic in 85 grms. of hot water. This ink does not attack steel pens, and is not acted upon either by strong mineral acids or by alkalies. If the aniline black solution is diluted with shellac solution (21 grms. in 85 of alcohol), an aniline black lake is obtained, which is suited for colouring wood and leather.

Bulletin de la Société Chimique de Paris, February 5, 1873. This number contains the following original papers and memoirs:

On some Reactions of Pyruvic Acid.-P. de Clermont.-After briefly referring to the labours of Wislicenus and others on this subject, the author treats on dibromopyruvic acid obtained by the action of chlorine upon dibromolactic acid. The first-named acid is a solid crystalline body, fusion-point 93, formula C,H,Br2O; its formation is elucidated by the following formula:

CHBrO + Cl2
Dibromolactic
Acid.

When pyruvic acid is treated with hydrochloric acid at roof under pressure (sealed tube), the result is the formation of pyrotartaric acid; which, however, exhibits in this instance a somewhat higher fusionpoint, viz., 112. When sulphopyruvic acid and sulphopyruvate of baryta are treated at 100° with an aqueous solution of bromine (under pressure), there is formed a bromated sulphopyruvic acid, a liquid, and a crystalline bromated sulphopyruvate of baryta.

==

CHBrO + 2HCl.

Dibromopyruvic Acid.

Preparation of Propylenic and Butylenic Bromides.-L. Prunier. This essay treats exhaustively on the method of preparing the above-mentioned compounds, which are best obtained in crude state by first dissociating, by means of red heat, the vapours of the petroleum oils, boiling at from 60 to 90°. The fluids thus obtained are then submitted to fractional distillation, and lastly bromated. The petroleum oils alluded to yield ethylen, propylen, and butylen.

Bibliograpy. Under this heading we notice the following works:"Leçons de Chimie Elémentaire Appliquée aux Arts Industriels, par M. J. Girardin Recteur de l'Académie de Clermont, &c. Cinquième édition entièrement refondue, avec figures dans le texte: 5 vols. in 8vo. Three of these are published, and each volume may be had separately. This work is one of the best of the kind ever published, and contains very valuable historical notices. "Leçons de Chimie Agricole, études sur l'Atmosphère, le Sol, et les Engrais," par A. Bobierre, Professeur de Chimie à Nantes. Simples Notions sur l'achat et l'emploi de Engrais Commerciaux," par A. Bobierre. These works are highly spoken of, and are recommended to all interested in agricultural science. The above works are all published by G. Masson, Paris.

4

Revue Hebdomadaire de Chimie Scientifique et Industrielle, January 2, 1873.

This number contains nothing relating to chemistry, but we call attention to the two following papers:

Improved Steam-Boiler Provided with a Double Water Compartment (à Double Nappe d'eau).-M. Felix.-The description of a high-pressure steam boiler devised for the prevention of boiler incrustation, as well as deficiency of water.

Atmospheric Coal-Winding Machine.-Z. Blauchet.-The

last part of a detailed account of a mechanism contrived to supersede

the ordinary methods used for bringing to bank the coal wrought in pits. We learn from the statistics here given, that this atmospheric system saves a great deal of labour, and is far more effectual than the plans now in use.

Les Mondes, February 6, 1873.

No original matter relating to chemistry is contained in this number, but we call attention to the paper on

The Dry Fog (Callina of the Spainards; Hohenrauch or Haarruch of the Germans).-M. Collas.-This essay treats on a phenomenon known in Holland as "veendamp," a peculiar kind of fog; the cause of which, in North Western Germany, Holland, and adjacent countries, is in part due at least to the burning of peat-bog soil in early spring for the purpose of preparing the soil for buckwheat sowing; but in Spain, Mexico, and other countries, the author states that this fog is caused by cosmical influences.

The Flints of the Meudon Chalk and Boulder Stones with Impressions.-M. Choyer.-A geologico-geognostical essay.

Artificially made Stone.-L. Mignot.-This exhaustive paper is mainly published to prove that the author is the first who, by dissolving flints in caustic alkali, has applied this solution to the preparation of various kinds of artificial stones and other building materials. Among the preparations mentioned he quotes ceramic glue, which when applied to glass and dried adheres so tenaciously that the glass scales off when the glue is attempted to be removed.

Obituary. Under this heading we are informed of the death of M. Clerget, who for many years held the position of scientific adviser to the Administration des Douanes in France, and who introduced the optical saccharometer (Soleil's) for the purpose of ascertaining the value of raw sugar.

La Revue Scientifique de la France et de l'Etranger, February 1, 1873.

The only paper bearing upon chemistry is :

On the Cost of Manure, and on the Condition of Agricultural Property in France.-G. Ville.-A valuable paper on practical agriculture.

Le Moniteur Scientifique Quesneville, February, 1873. This number contains the following original papers and memoirs relating to chemistry:

Present Condition of Agricultural Science in France, and other Countries.-L. Mussa.-The first instalment of an agronomical monograph. This portion treats on phytophysiology.

Presence of Silver in Subnitrate of Bismuth.-Ch. Ekin.After observing that the preparation alluded to often contains silver, of which, however, no notice is taken in most works on pharmacy, the author states that having tested many samples for the purpose of detecting the presence of a silver compound (subchloride), he found some samples of the subnitrate (basic nitrate, bismuthum-hydiconitricum) to contain from 3'9 to 6'5 per cent of subchloride of silver; and in other samples he found some metallic silver in a finely divided state, but in a small quantity. It appears that these impurities are for the most part due to an imperfect method of preparing the subnitrate of bismuth. It is well known that metallic bismuth often contains silver.

MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK.

MONDAY, Feb. 17th.-Medical, 8.

London Institution, 4. TUESDAY, 18th.-Civil Engineers, 8.

Royal Institution, 3. Prof. Rutherford, "On Forces and Motions of the Body." Anthropological, 8. Zoological, 81. WEDNESDAY, 19th.-Society of Arts, 8. Meteorological, 7. THURSDAY, 20th.-Royal, S§.

Royal Society Club, 6.

9

Royal Institution, 3. Dr. Armstrong, "Formation of
Organic Substances."
Zoological, 4.
Chemical, 8.

THE Specially

R. S. Dale and Dr. C. Schorlemmer, "On Aurine." Dr. Gladstone and A. Tribe, "Researches on the Action of the Copper-Zinc Couple on Organic Bodies: I. On Iodide of Ethyl." Mr. Wills, Solidification of Nitrous Oxide." Dr. C. R. A. Wright, "Action of Hydrochloric Acid on Codeine."

FRIDAY, 21st.-Geological, 1. (Anniversary.)

Royal Institution, 9. Prof. Clerk Maxwell, "On Action at a Distance." SATURDAY, 22nd.-Royal Institution, 3. Dr. Edward A. Freeman, D.C.L., "On Comparative Politics."

LIVERPOOL

COLLEGE CHEMISTRY, 96, DUKE STREET, LIVERPOOL.

Devoted to the Study of CHEMISTRY, TECHNOLOGY,

and ASSAYING.

OF