438^ Miscellaneous Intelligence* 



stance that, in all those containing carbonic acid and lime, although 

 perfectly fluid at one temperature, a higher evolves the carbonic 

 acid, and then the mass becomes solid from the presence of lime, inca- 

 pable of combining. They may probably be obtained in the crystalline 

 form by slow cooling, and the abstraction of the fluid part when 

 one portion only has become solid. — Ann. de Chimie, xxxviii. 246. 



18. Two Sulphates of Manganese.— \^ h\?iC^ oxide of manganese 

 be digested with sulphuric acid and the solution be evaporated, 

 two proto-sulphates of manganese are obtained, distinct in their 

 physical properties and chemical characters. One crystallizes in 

 quadrilateral prisms, colourless, transparent, and terminated 

 obHquely at the extremities. It is composed of 28 parts of water, 

 28.06 sulphuric acid, and 43.34 protoxide of manganese. Car- 

 bonate of potash throws down a carbonate of manganese, which 

 becomes brown by exposure to air. The other salt is in the form 

 of rhomboids of a rose-colour, and consists of water, 44 parts ; 

 sulphuric acid, 32 parts, and protoxide of manganese, 24 parts. 

 This salt is not precipitated by subcarbonate of potash. — Pfaff- — 

 Jahrhuch der Chimie^ 1828, p. 121. 



19. Carbon in pig iron. — According to M. Karsten, white pig 

 iron contains more carbon than grey pig. The following are the 

 proportions of carbon per cent, in pig iron, according to several of 

 his experiments. — 



White pig iron. 

 Combined carbon 0.60 0.81 1.00 



Uncombined carbon 4.62 4.29 4.05 



4.60 4.65 3.90 3.15 3.65 

 Mem. de Berlin, Bull. Univ. A. x. 222. 



20. New Metal, Pluranium. — This new metal is described by 

 M. Osann, as one of those he has discovered in Russian platina. 

 The part of this native platina, insoluble in nitromuriatic acid, is to 

 be operated upon for osmium ; that is, treated with potash, evaporated 

 to dryness, the dry mass mixed with a few crystals of nitre fused, 

 and when cold, digested in water : the insoluble portion is to be 

 again acted upon in the same way, until the part left has no metal- 

 lic appearance, and then the various solutions so obtained with the 

 undissolved residue, are to be mixed together and nitric acid added 

 in slight excess ; a black precipitate is deposited, and the odour of 

 osmium disengaged. The liquid is then to be distilled for the pur- 

 pose of separating the osmium, and when reduced to one-half its 



