The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-02-24


The following extracts from a letter Of a
Junior at Amherst College, will interest stu
dents in chemistry:
THURSDAY, Jan, lith.-I expected to have
sent this on Monday, hut have not made ont,
There is a great deal Of work to do. 1 have
four studies this term, one extra. Latin and
! physics are required. take chemistry as an
] optional, and VIC have one OF two lectures a
week, and three days work in tie laboratory.
This, however, left me some spare time, and as
Prof Esty agreed to give, instead Of astrOnOmy,
a sort Of sketch Of the higher methods Of
mathematics, in the form Of lectures, chose
that Should like to have taken German, but
Prof N. thinks he can SIT an unlimited amount
of It into his pupils, say six or eight pages a
day. Nv ohum even, who is one Of the most
rapid learners in the class, has to put almost
all his spare time into 1t, and grumbles at be
ing pushed.
e The chemistry this term win he eSceedins-
" useful and Interesting. In the laboratory,
We are now analyzing mixed solutions and
acids; after that viii come analysis Of mine
rails by the blowpipe, Sc. Prof, Harris is Civ
ing us Lectures on chemical physics Just now
on heat, next on electricity, and last on the
SpearoSooPs with the use Of it in analysis. He
has been using Naloaey's Thermal Pile, which
shows the most delicate temperature, Form
stance, he will hold his hand three or four fee,
away from the exposed face Of the pile, and in
moment the needle will move from the heat
radiated by the hand at that distance.
Tomorrow he treats Of the condensation Of
gases, and proposes to liquity four, sulphurous
acid, ammonia, nitrous oxide, and carbonic
acid. For his electrical experiments he is get
ting Tyndall's apparatus.
FKDAT, lSih.-Had the promised lecture to-
day. Experiments went of magnifecnily. The
apparatus used cost some S9oe. The oarbonie d.
oxide apparatus SSoo the other condenser $50 the
Csrrv freezer $50 and smaller pieces Of apparatus
$50 The three gases, sulPburous seid cyanOccn
aud ammonia, were condensed alongside OF each
other. The carbon diOxide apparatus
is Professor says, one OF the best made, aud has
condensed more Of that gas than any other ono in I
the world 1t consists Of two small cannons as 1t 4
were, OF copper tin and iron alloy strongly band 4
ed and braced. Two pounds Of soda BIZ I
carbonate are irsi put into the generator with two
qOads Of water, s copper tube containing pint OF
strong sulphuric acid is let In right side up, the
thing is closed turned over and over on Its piyois
to mix all up, the connecting pipe screwed in, aud
stops opened. In about three minutes the stops
closed the tube taken of and the operation re-
peAted. This was done thirteen times this morning.
and good lot Of gas condensed. IL the lecture
room, Professor got of joke on himself: he
poured in his biear5onate screwed all tight revuly-
ed it carefully, listened, turned it over several
times, listened again: Says be, Working very
quietly; biggest forces don't always make most
noise least calculation, 400 lbs the square inch
now; matter, machine has seen that before. Mr.
Cross, Wen put on that tube now The boys were
all snickeriug, and the joke bad gone far enough
he bad left bis tube OF acid standing where he
would not notice 1t, but we could see It. Said T.
- Professor your acid is in the Tank "Rumph,'
says he, and grinned, while We all roared be put
in the tube OF acid aud repeated the operation bat
without the remarks.
BE showed Us some Of the liquid, transparent
mobile fluid like ether Then be let off the gas and
collected the solid csrbou dioxide beautiful snow
" bite substance, with much the consistency OF
packed snow. BE bad about 3 gallon Of it, with
which he froze about eight pounds of mercury TO q
ustrous solid with the consistency Of lead and then
iroze some water over an intense gas fame.
as there lot OF stuff eft be told US to take it
Ind handle II, as we did. We all duly burnt our
fingers with il Temperature said TO be-l50'-
Ed took piece the size OF pea in my mouth,
moving it round so not TO freeze any part OF my
mouth 1t was intensely cold; taste slightly acid.
wrapped s lump as large As nv fist in piece of
,aper, aud after the lecture gave it my chum to
,lay with. Examined it with microscope. There
S dense smokelike yaPor surrounding it, = = =
L keeps surprisingly long time After lecture l
lelped TO clean up and 10 doing had occasion 10
axe hold Of the receiver from which the fluid had
II been let of. It was intensely cold as I soon dis
Covered by sharp fiery pain 10 my hands which ,
ting yet aud as red though burnt, though
Ortunately not blistered So much for my expert
nee with co."