344 Miscellaneous Intelligence* 



13. Presence of Iodine in Sulphurous Mineral Waters. — In conse- 

 quence of the great advantage found from the use of the sulphu- 

 retted water of Castelnovo d'Asti, in the treatment of goitre, and 

 other disorders of the glandular system, Professor Cantu, of 

 Turin, was induced to search in it for iodine ; and though he failed 

 at first, yet encouraged by the results of M. Angelini, who found 

 that substance in the waters of Vogera and Sales, he renewed his 

 attempts, and succeeded in the following manner : — 



After having evaporated some of the water to dryness, he 

 treated the residue with alcohol, which dissolved the salt of iodine 

 and the deliquescent chlorides. The solution was evaporated, the 

 residue dissolved in a weak solution of starch and a little chlorine 

 added, the liquid acquired the same fine blue colour, produced by 

 adding to an aqueous solution of iodine, a few drops of solution of 

 starch. Instead of employing alcohol, the mother water left by 

 evaporating the water almost to dryness, may be treated directly 

 with starch and chlorine. M. Cantu is led to believe that iodine 

 exists in all the sulphurous waters which contain chlorides. When 

 present it is evidently in the state of iodide. 



Various mineral waters, not sulphurous, and particularly that 

 of Echaillon, in Savoy, which yields a twelfth its weight of com- 

 mon salt, and is considered a powerful remedy against goitre, 

 do not yield any trace of iodine.. — Ann. de Clwnie^ xxviii. 221. 



1 4. On the advantageous Preparation of Ammoniacal Compounds. — 

 Ammonia, carbonate of ammonia, and most, if not all ammoniacal 

 preparations, are obtained by treatment of the muriate of ammonia 

 in various ways with other substances. The editor of the Annates 

 de Chintie, observing on these processes, states upon the authority 

 of M. Pay en, that more economical processes may be adopted. 

 For this purpose crude sulphate of ammonia is to be highly dried, 

 so as to have one part of the contaminating empyreumatic oil vola- 

 tilized, and the other rendered insoluble by carbonization. When 

 the heat has been well managed and rendered very equable through- 

 out the mass, the sulphate is not sensibly altered, whilst not the 

 smallest quantity of soluble oily matter remains, so that the fil- 

 tered solution of this torrified sulphate is colourless ; but great 

 care must be taken that the heat be not too strong, or merely a 

 carbonaceous residue will be obtained. Sometimes from fear of 

 too much heat it is hardly raised enough ; the sulphate must then 

 be purified by making a hot solution, filtering and allowing it to 

 crystallize as it cools. The crystals when drained, washed, and 

 dried, may be employed in the same way as muriate of ammonia 

 for the preparation of ammonia or its carbonate. 



It is requisite for the success of these operations that the sul- 

 phate of ammonia, and the chalk or lime, should be pulverized as 

 finely as possible, and intimately mixed. A little water, or weak 



