The National Register.
London, England, 1817-10-27 00:00:00

CHEMICAL AMINEMENTS.

An extremely interesting little volume has just ap-
peared, under the above title, front the pen of Mr.
Arum, so well known for his talents as a Practical
Chemist. It particularis;!s upwards of one hundred
entertaining experiments, illustrative of the most strik-
ing facts, which the science of Chemistry has to otter.
And what renders it more valuable, the author has
tontine' himself to such experiments as may he per-
f ,r.a.:(l with ease and safety in the closet, and the exhi-
bition of which requires neither costly apparatus, nor
complicated instruments. To make it still more
acceptable to the young student in chemistry, an
explanation accompanies each individual process,
enabling the operator to contemplate the phenomena
with advantage, as particular objects of study.
We subjoin a specimen of the manner in which Mr.
Acorn has executed his task, referring our readers to
the book itself, from which, we doubt not, they will
derive much useful knowledge even without effecting
a single experiment.

EXPERINIE.NT XVII.

To MUC an invisible writing to lISTII me n block colour, by posting

oder it ;colourless fluid.

" Write on paper with a dilute solution of green sulphate of
iron; when the writing is dry, no letters are vi.ibtr ; but if
• feather, oi sponge, moistened with tincture of galls, be gia.s-
ed over the characters, the writing will instantly become vi-
sible, and assume t b'aek colour.
Ratiosule. —This effect is produced by virtue of the tan-
ning and g.illic acid of the tincture of galls, uniting with the
oxide of trots of the salt, and producing common writing
Ink."

•—•
EXPERIMENT XXIV.
ro render bodies !ominous in the dark, l 9 as to give a sullcient light
to sites the hoar on 14 dial of a ;oath, at night.

" If a four or sis ant: 0 ;0111.%:. I` :.ttaiii ii a few ounces of
liquiJ phosphorous, bo mistiliyed in darkness, the vacuous
spare in the bottle coii:s a sufficient high for spewing the
heur of the night, by uoldnig a pocket watch near it. When
the phial is again corked, the light vanishes, but rc.appears
instantly on opening it. In cold weathr, it is necessary to
warm the bottle in the hand, before the stopper is removed,
without this preewitiun, it will not emit light. Liquid phos.
phortis may likewise be used for forming luminous writings or
draWlags it .nay be smeared on the face cr hands, or any
warm •• ct•rt to render it luminous ; and this is iu nowise
hazer!, •. If tubbed ou the face, taking care to shut the
eves, C. .1111:eall'aflee is most hediously frightful: all the
parts ati• tear to lie covered with a luminous lambent Haute,
of a btu. colour, whilst the mouth and eyes sue de-
picted us ?DMA spot!.
" llatioiotte. --This luminous appearance is a real, though
slow, commistion of a very Winne portion of phosphorus pre-
sented to the air, which is partly wafted away in Minim:ins
vapoara,and partly converted into phosphoric acid."
EXPERIMENT LXV.
rit.A consstation of giro metals :o4cts bruaglit igto contpt with

rathuthcr.

" Mix a train or two of potassium with a like quantity of
so.;iiiin. This mixture will take place quietly ; tint it' the
alloy of these two bodies Ire brought into contact withal glo.
bole of quicksilver, the compound, when agitated, instantly
takes lire, aad horns vivitliy.
" Ratio/stk.—This combustion dewing combination, ap-
pears -to be analogous to the app.:rant combustion of copper
tiliiigs with sulphur ; fur neitbe.r of the constituents parts of
the cumpounil appoars to suffer oxidation. Fur this beau-
fol experiment I ant indebted to Mr. Edward Forster."