392 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



and chlorine gases, &c. ; and M. Thenard has stated the following as 

 the results of his experiments : No gas, by itself, is rendered luminous 

 by pressure exerted in pistons in the usual manner j pressure by hand 

 cannot raise the temperature of a gas in a glass tube much above 

 4.00 Faht. ; powders which remain undecomposed at this tempera- 

 ture explode instantly in azote, hydrogen, or carbonic acid gas, 

 when compressed suddenly; wood and paper suddenly compressed 

 in oxygen inflame, and oiled paper in chlorine. Ann. de Chimie, 

 xliv.181. 



ACTION OF CHLORIDE OF BROMINE UPON WATER AND -ETHER. 



M. Serullas has found, that chloride of bromine, though perfectly 

 saturated with chlorine, does not decompose water; the formation 

 of muriatic acid, which occurs when it is agitated with aether, results 

 from the action of the chlorine upon the aether, and the same action 

 produces bromide of carbon. 



When chloride of bromine is agitated with aether and water, the 

 chlorine may be entirely separated in the form of muriatic acid, 

 before the bromine, which is isolated at the same time in the aether, 

 is converted into bromic acid and bromide of carbon ; the alka- 

 line chlorides and bromides, even in very small quantity, mixed 

 with oxide of manganese, slightly diluted sulphuric acid, and heat- 

 ed in a proper apparatus, give a chloride of bromine, which is col- 

 lected and treated as above with aether, to separate its elements ; 

 by this method the co-existence of chlorine and bromine may be 

 determined, how much soever either of them may predominate in 

 a saline mixture; taking care, when the chlorine is in excess, to 

 calcine the product of the saturation of the aqueous part, to reduce 

 the chlorate formed to the state of chloride, that all the chlorine 

 may be precipitated by a solution of nitrate of silver. 



By means of a spirituous solution of quina or cinchonia, either 

 free or combined, the instant that an aqueous and concentrated 

 solution of solid chloride of iodine is sufficiently dilute to decompose 

 water, it may be discovered; the acidulous iodate, which is precipi- 

 tated in this case, and which is not produced when it is concen- 

 trated, serves as an indication. Ibid. xlv. 202. 



CRYSTALLIZATION OF BISMUTH. 



The following process is given by M. Quesneville, jun. for pro- 

 ducingfine crystalsof bismuth: Fuse the metal in a crucible, adding 

 portions of nitre occasionally, and raising the heat so as to decom- 

 pose the nitre, and mix the whole well by stirring ; when the opera.' 

 tion has been continued for some hours the metal assumes green 

 and yellow colours, which remain even after it has cooled : if the 

 metal presents only rose, violet or indigo colours, and becomes co- 

 lourless when cold, good crystals will not be procured. When the 

 metal has acquired the proper colours, it is to be poured into a hot 

 ladle, and the surface should be prevented from cooling faster than 

 the bottom, by being covered, or having a hot iron held near it. The 

 cooling should be rather sudden, or otherwise the metal crystallizes 

 in layers: when a crust has formed at the surface, a hole should be 



made 



