182 J^scellaneous Intelligence, 



Br. WoUaston's discovery of the existence of muriate of potash 

 in sea-water, Dr. Vogel has been induced to search for it in 

 common salt, either from salt springs, or from its native beds. 

 Salt from Hallein and from Berchtesgaden, and the brine from 

 Rosenheim, all yielded a precipitate with the solution of plati- 

 num. The simple solution will in no case do this, but when 

 evaporated, until much of the salt has fallen down, then a 

 precipitate may be produced. In testing sea-water for potash, 

 it is also necessary to evaporate till almost all the salt has 

 fallen down, and then no difficulty occurs in detecting the 

 potash by muriate of platinum. 



10. Iodine in Marine Animals, — M. Chevreul, whilst engaged 

 in some experiments in animal chemistry, discovered the pre- 

 sence of iodine in the bones of the head of the crab, and of the 

 large lobster, (homard,) but could find none in those of the 

 common lobster. 



11. Fulminating Mercury. — Between 100 and 150 grains of 

 fulminating mercury, on a piece of paper, were lying on a 

 wooden waiter an inch and a half thick, and covered by a glass 

 jar, abundance of glass apparatus lying about. A small portion 

 of the same powder was fired at a few feet distance by a hot 

 coal, and burnt without explosion. By some unknown means, 

 that under the jar exploded \ it slightly raised the jar without 

 breaking it, but the jar broke in falling, and it disturbed none 

 of the apparatus around. The wood was perforated by a 

 hole as large as the hand. 



12. Test for Copper.— M. Pagenstecher of Berne has de- 

 scribed a very sensible test for the presence of copper. The 

 tests already possessed by chemists for this metal are very de- 

 licate, and not few ; but still every addition to this branch of 

 chemical knowledge is important. He says " if we drop into a 

 newly-prepared tincture of guaiacum wood, a concentrated 

 solution of a. salt of copper, the mixture instantly assumes a 

 blue colour. This effect does not take place when the solution 

 is very weak, as when there is not above half a grain of the 



