The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-11
sCrNr1LLArloNs OF SCIENCE.

During the first six months OF the
present year the rainfall about London,
England, amounted to 1870 inches, which
is greater than that of the corresponding
period of any year since 1918.
Mr.. Thomas Stevenson has devised an
instrument, consisting of a number Of
prisms arranged in series, for use in com
bination with his electric lamp, so that
dark cavities in surgical and dental work
may be easily examined.
The following method of testing petro-
leum is by Drs. Janke and Barth: The
temperature of the oil is raised to 1907 F.
in the water-bath in ten minutes. When
the temperature indicates 95' the oil is
stirred, and when it rises to 1902 fame
is applied.
Ficinus prepares pure tartaric acid in
this way: The crude tartar is saturated
with calcium carbonate; the calcium salt
is then digested with zinc chloride, and
the resulting zinc tartrate is treated with
sulphuretted hydrogen. After filtration
and evaporation, the product is pure tar
taric acid.
Prof. Victor Meyer has written DIR.
Endemmu the following letter, which
explains itself: "In reply to your favor
of September 18th, would state that the
communications in the English journals
concerning my investigations. which re-
port the separation of oxygen from chic
rine, have been published without my
knowledge and against my wishes, and
that the said communications are entirely
incorrect in essential particulars"
Very little is known about the hoang-
nan, vegetable substance considered
very efficacious in Cochin China, for the
treatment Of leprosy and rabies. Mr.
Dyer has collected some information
about it. The drug is the produce of a
plant-a sort of climber-which has
been identified by M. L. Pierce, the
Director of the Botanic Garden at Sal
gon, as new species of strychnos. The
active principle is contained in the bark.
DR.. w. Goebel has described method
of purifying gas which dispenses with
the lime or iron process. Ammonia is
introduced into the impure gas. The
mixture, after being cooled, is sent into
a coke scrubber, into which ammonia, at
a temberature of Is deg. to so deg. is also
introduced. In this scrubber water at 10
deg. and containing gypsum, falls con-
stantly, removing the carbonic acid, sui
phurelted hydrogen, cyanogen and bi-
sulphate of carbon.
The Nature says that in his recent re-
port on the trade of Newchwang, in
Southern Manchuri, Mr.. Consul Adkins
mentions that he has in his possession a
specimen of lead ore found in the neigh
borhood, which contains about ninety
per cent. of the metal, and also one of
copper from the same locality, which is
almost equally rich. An attempt is
making to get authority to work these
mines with foreign appliances. There is
an abundance Of excellent coal close to
the veins of metal, and were the mining
industry once fairly started, the pros
perity of Newchwang and the whole
province would, in Mr.. Adkins opinion,
become remarkable. .......
| Mr.. Kreisman, the United States Con-
sul-General at Berlin, reports a German
invention for preserving the dead. In
5000 grammes of boiling water there are
dissolved 100 grammes of alum, 25
grammes of cooking salt, II grammes of
saltpetre, 60 grammes of potash, and 10
grammes of arsenic acid. When the
mixture is cool it is filtered, and to every
10 litres Of it litres of glycerine and !
of methyic alcohol are added. Bodies
saturated and impregnated with this
liquid are said to resist decomposition
very well. Besides for embalming pur-
poses this new process will, it is thought,
be found serviceable for preserving sub
jects that may be required for dissection.
In paper on the galvanic oxidation Of
gold, M. Berthelot has confirmed the
statement of Grotthus, that gold wire
used az the positive pole in sulphuric acid
traversed by the current is dissolved
Even when the sulphuric acid is diluted
the gold is rapidly dissolved, and a por
tion of the metal is precipitated at the
| negative pole. Under similar conditions
. nitric acid had the same effect, but there
was no sensible dissolution of the gold
when phosphoric acid and potassa were
tried. Persulphuric acid had, likewise
8 no dissolving action, contrary to the sup
: position of Chevreul. The author holds
$ that the effect of sulphuric and nitric
8 acids upon gold is not due to ozone, since
e oxygen charged with ozone has no actor
upon gold in presence of water, whether
pure or mixed with sulphurie or nitric
acids. ' .... l
At late meeting of the Chemical So
ciety, London, q. Auerbach's paper OF
alizarine blue was submitted. Thh
, method Of preparing and purifying the
: blue was recommended: One part o1
: dry mono-nitro alizarine, five parts o.
! concentrated sulphuric acid, and one ant
! one-half parts Of giycerine, having tn,
, specific gravity 1852, are mixed ant
: heated gently. Reaction commences a
107' G, and the temperature is raised t.
/ 2O00 G. Much frothing takes place, witt
6 evolution Of sulphurous acid and aero
! leine. When the frothing ceases, th'
. whole mass is poured into water, boile(
mn and fftarad fhA residuA hn