182 ANNUAL KECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



ACTION OF AMOEPHOUS RED PHOSPHORUS. 



According to Testini, amorphous red pliosphorus, under 

 the influence of solar heat in a barometric vacuum, has the 

 peculiarity, like porous charcoal, of absorbing various sub- 

 stances without acting chemically upon them. Thus rosani- 

 line, iodine, and sulphur are all absorbed to a sensible degree 

 by the phosphorus, and may be subsequently reclaimed by 

 proper methods. 3 B^June^ 1872, 309. 



ACTION OF OZONE ON VULCANIZED KUBBEE. 



Mr. Wright, in the American Journal of Science^ refers to 

 the action of ozone upon vulcanized rubber, his attention 

 having been called to it by the fact that the ebonite insula- 

 tors of Holtz's electro-machine became unusually hygroscopic 

 soon after the instrument had been used, with the attendant 

 production of ozone to such an extent, indeed, that the liquid 

 sometimes trickled down in drops. Examination showed that 

 this contained a considerable amount of free sulphuric acid, 

 which was supposed to result from the action of ozone upon 

 the sulphur of the India-rubber. 21 A^ December^ 1872, 1073. 



LIQUID CARBONIC ACID. 



In the description by Thilorier of the properties of liquid 

 carbonic acid, the conditions under which the experiments 

 were performed are not given. The following are the princi- 

 pal results of an investigation, made by Cailletet, of the be- 

 havior of liquid carbonic acid at ordinary temperatures. The 

 liquid is colorless, and very mobile ; it is a non-conductor of 

 electricity, and the current from three Bunsen cells will not 

 pass through a film 0.002 of an inch thick. The sparks of an 

 induction coil pass through without decomposing it, and are 

 white and brilliant. The number obtained, in numerous ex- 

 periments, for the coefficient of compressibility of the liquid 

 was not constant, doubtless by reason of the unavoidable 

 presence of non-condensable gases. Contrary to expectation, 

 from its analogy to wafer, it does not dissolve common salt, 

 sulphate of soda, nor chloride of calcium, and in contact with 

 carbonate of potash it forms bicarbonate, which remains un- 

 dissolved in the unabsorbed liquid. Carbonate of lime, as 

 calc-spar or dried chalk, is not attacked by it even after con- 



