INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. xci 



nothing but benzoic acid to which some foreign fatty sub- 

 stance, formed at the same time, obstinately adheres. When 

 oxidized by potassium permanganate, pure benzoic acid crys- 

 tallizes from the solution. 



Hartmann, following Kolbe's lead in proving that when 

 chlorsalylic (metacnlorbenzoic) acid was reduced with so- 

 dium amalgam, benzoic acid resulted, has reduced chlordra- 

 cylic (parachlorbenzoic) acid by the same means, and has 

 also obtained benzoic acid as the reduction product. 



Boussingault calls attention to the uncertainty of the gua- 

 iacum test for kirsch cordial. He states that the blue color 

 is not characteristic, since it is developed in zwetschen or 

 prune cordial, and does not always appear in genuine kirsch. 

 Upon investigation, he finds that the blue coloration is due 

 to the presence of copper, and asserts that any specimen of 

 kirsch which is blued by guaiacum will give with potassium 

 ferro-cyanide a red precipitate of copper ferro-cyanide. 



Weith has shown that, by the action of ammonium chlo- 

 ride on methyl alcohol, there is produced both tri-methyl- 

 amine and tetra-methyl-ammonium, the whole of the chloride 

 being thus converted. 



Drechsel has succeeded in forming trimethyl-phosphine 

 by heating together phosphonium iodide and carbon disul- 

 phide. 



Engel has discovered some new reactions of glycocoll. It 

 gives with ferric chloride an intense red color, and it devel- 

 ops a blue coloration when treated with a drop of phenol 

 and sodium hypochlorite is added. The author can not get 

 the blood-red coloration as observed by Horsford when gly- 

 cocoll is boiled with a solution of potassium or barium hy- 

 drate ; he hence supposes that Horsford's substance was not 

 pure. 



Baumann finds that Hallwachs's amido-dicyanic acid, by 

 heating with sulphuric acid, is converted into biuret. 



Engel has given evidence to show that taurin, generally 

 considered to be isethionamide, is really an amic acid. In 

 the first place, it forms salts, that with mercury having been 

 analyzed; and, secondly, treated with cyanamide in excess, 

 it yields a taurin-creatin. 



PonomarefT, by the action of persulphocyanogen upon am- 

 monia at 100, obtained two products : one the thiomelanuric 



