Litchfield enquirer., 1832-12-13


Interesting Philosophical Facts.=-The
change of properties which takes place
when chemical attraction scts, is not con-
fined 10 metals but is a general result in
every case where different bodies are
brought into this state Of combination or
chemical union. Frequently we find that
the properties Of each body are totally
changed: and that substances, from being
energetic and violent in their nature, be-
come inert and harmless, and vice Oersa.-
For instance, that useful and agreeable
substance, culinary salt, which is NOT only
harmless, but wholesome, and absolutely
necessary 10 the well being Of man, is COM
posed Of Two formidable ingredients, eth
er Of which taken into the stomach proves
fatal &c life; one Of these is ameial, and
the other an air; the former is called SO
dun the latter chlorine. When presents
ed 10 each other, the violence of their MAJ
turs is manifested by their immediately
bursting out into fame, and instantly they
are both deprived Of their viruience. Can
any thing be more striking than the change
ofproperties in this ease = and who could
have supposed that culinaryssalt is COM
posed OF ia metal united TO an air The
medicine called Glauber's salt is another
instance it is composed ofLwo caustic
poisons Of different kinds one called oil
Of virriol, and the other barilla or Soda
There are also two substances known TO
chemists which are disgustingly bitter Ii
qnids; one is called nitrate of silver, and
the other hydrosulphate of soda; when
mixed, they form. a compound ofconsider-
able sweetness. But the atmosphere which
We breathe is the most extraordinary of all
instances; il must be surprising, to those
who are nnacquainied with the fact, that
atmospheric air, indispensable as il is to
life, il composed Of the same ingredients
rs that most violent and destructive liquid
called aqua FORTS, or nitric acid. This
powerful acid. by being made to act upon
sugar, the sweetest Of ail things, produces
q substance intensely bitter to the TASTE
Charcoal Is Of all known Substances, the
most difficult to covert into vapor; SO
much SO, indeed, that The conversion has
never YET been decidedly effected: il is all
% j very solid substance; and diamond,
which is nothing but crys.Alized charcoal,
Is one Of the hardest bodies in nature.-
Sulphur, in the solid state, is also 4 hard
and to hold it in vapor, requires
! high temperature. But when these two
carbon and sulphur, are made
o c0mbinc chemically, 50 as to furm the
INSTANCE called bisnll,huret Of carbon,
lieir properties are s.rikinglyFchanged. -
instead ofthe compound being hard. it is
4 tilin liquid, and is not known 10 freeze or
30 iiquity at any degree Of cold that can be
produced. Instead of the compound being
difficult to evaporize, il is, Of all liquids,
pne ofthe most eyapurable. Charcoal is
the biackest substance with which we are I
acquainted; sulphur is Of the most lively
yellow hue but tho compound is as cob
0rless as water. A new smell and taste
are acquired, aud in a weird, there is no,
nne pnint of resemblance with the compo-
nrft. These facts are slrikingly llusira-
tive Of the change of properties which fol-
lows on The exertion of chemical attraction
between the ultimate particles nf bodies.
.4s.e.,ss ss5ssg III s... DoaOvaHs Chemistry.
,AsI should Be. Two farmers. from