Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-12
Science

PREPARATION of OxYGEN.-A new process
has been patented in France for obtaining
supply OF oxygen gas from common air by
means Of highly Cxygenated compounds such
rs chromate aud 0i-chromates, manganates
and peImangates. which, If deprived of q
portion of their oxygen by means Of steam,
have the power of absorbing oxygen again
when exposed to a curreut OF dry, heated
air The improvement consists in making
the action continuous by placing il retort
one OF the compounds mentioned, and pass
ing into the retoTS u current OF steam. A
current Of oxygen is carried off and collected
in a as-holCer, while the stea Is condensed
to water. " hen oxygen has ceased TO be
eliminated. current oi dry. heated air Is
forced into the retort The compound ab-
serbs portion of oxygen ,aud is again ready
toz the action of steam. Thus by the alter
maze actI0n OF air and steam. the same COM
round produces oxygen for an unlimited pc
riod. The process Is said 10 work with great
regularity, and may yet be Of considerable
importance IN metallurgy.
10 DETECT SULPaURIC ACD IN VINEGAR
i German journal publishes g neat process,
which may be thus briefly stated. Lotto the
vinegar 20 &c tested, put a small quantity of
starch, boil the solution down to hsii Its OH
ginaI measure, then drop into 1t q verg MI
mute pOEtion of iodine. If the vinegar Is pure
the usual blue INIT will be shown. but if it
be adu .teratsd with sulDhuric acid 10 such
coloration viii take place, because the action
OF ms acid upon starch converts it into glu-
cose or grape sugar.
OsMoT1C Process FOR SEPARATING SUaAR.-
Ii Fralce sugar has been ia'ely separated
lFom beet moi@sses by applying the osmose
principle. The membrane used is paper
Iarchment. Water is passed upwards and
molssSes downwaTds on the opposite sides OF
the membrane.
OzoNE.-Mr. q. P!ante, in a note to the
French Academy, states that fifty per cent
more ozone is produced In the electrolysis OF
water, when the poles are OF iead, than when
they are made Of platinum. He conjectures
the Increase IS the result of the secondary
action of g layer of oxygen on the electrode.
pound, recently found SO efficient as a dis
infectant, is now used for internal disinfec-
ton, in the form Of of q lozeDge.
PARAFFINE FOR PRESERVING MEAT.-During
the late meeting the British Association at
Nottingham, at one OF the soirees, specimens
of meat preserved in parafhna at a-tempera-
of 240 deg. F., long enough to effect con-
centration of the juices OF the meat and to
expel the air. Afterwards coating of par
afne is applied to exclude the air and prevent
decomposition.
SILICA IN CoRS-STALKs-M. Pierre, in a
Memoir to the French Academy of Sciences.
says some people have supposed that corn
becomes iaid beca use OF tie weakness OF The
stalk from the absence of silica, but chemical
snalyss does not show deficiency of silica.
Observing that corn poor land was rare
ly laid, he concludes that the sta ks IN gen.
eral give way IN consequence of al over de-
velopement Of leaves.
New EXPLOSIVE BUILKT.-M. Fertuset,
one of the French lon-hunters, has in
vented an explosive bullet. One of them
b,ew up strong wooden box divided into
three compartments, reducing If to small
splinters. The second penetrated through
target made OF strong boards joined together
side by aite by means of heavy nails, and
forming in the aggregate the thickness of
tho bulwarxs OF a fCigate. This target was
pierced, and at the same time blown to frag-
ments. The third shot was aimed at loaf
OF bread, which was blown to atoms.
4 NEw APPLICATION OF PHoToGRAPHY.-
The Baltimore Sun calls attention 20 new
application OF photography, producing the
effect OF sculpture, and known as the pho
tomedallion. By the use of the solar camera.
block of clay the lines being so firmly fixed
that the sculptor, TO whose hands the work
is afterwards confded, is enabled to produce
a perfect likeness OF the original. An intag-
lio is sunk, from " hich plaster casts are taken,
and all the varieties of bronze. Partisan
marble, etc., are produced. The effect is very
beautiful, and the portraits are singularly
life like.
The HARDNESS OF SILVBR.-M, Mathey as
saver at Locla, has shown that the hardnes,
of which carvers in silver sometimes COM
plain is not owing to the presence of tin
head, or any other metal, but is solely due to
the high temperature at which the silver is
cast. By letting the crucible cool, until a
slight solid crust is formed ON the surface of
the fused metal, and casting at that moment.
soft silver with brilliant cut is obtained.
A NEW Test FOR IoDINE.-M. Carey Lea
of Phiadelpbia has successfully used chro
mates in bringing about the starch reaction
in the presence OF iodine, in extremely small
quantities. For instance, in a solution of
| iodine of potassium, SO dilute that the addi-
tion Of nitre acid or starch produces no per-
ceptible effect, by the further addition of
single drop of dilute solution of the in
chronate of potash, instantly produces .the
well known change of COLOR