Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 141 



metal is oxidized, which very soon occurs ; whether this action is 

 occasioned by the decomposition of the aether, or of a little water 

 which it may contain, was not determined. 

 By analysis this aether yielded, nearly, 



Hydrogen 7*29 



Carbon 51-00 



Oxygen 41*71 



100- 

 If constituted of an equivalent of citric acid 58 and an equivalent 

 of aether 37, it would consist of 



Seven equivalents of Hydrogen . . 7 or 7*37 

 Eight equivalents of Carbon .... 48 „ 50*52 

 Five equivalents of Oxygen .... 40 „ 42*11 



95 100* 

 This agrees very nearly with Malaguti's analysis, and perfectly 

 with his symbolic representation of its constitution, the weights re- 

 presenting the equivalents varying slightly. 



Ann. de Ch. et de Phys., October 1836. 



ON THE COMBINATIONS OF AMMONIA WITH ANHYDROUS SALTS. 



M. Rose has examined a considerable number of the compounds 

 which dry ammonia forms with anhydrous salts, volatile metallic 

 chlorides, and oxacids, with the view of ascertaining the general 

 laws to which these combinations are subject. 



Their preparation is very simple, but requires time ; the ammonia 

 should be passed into a vessel containing caustic potash or lime, 

 and then through a tube filled with caustic potash in small lumps, 

 before it comes in contact with the salt, which is weighed before the 

 operation, the current of ammoniacalgas being continued as long as 

 the salt increases in weight. The combination is usually effected 

 in the cold, and if the substance becomes heated the current of 

 gas must be decreased. The absorption is at first very rapid, but 

 becomes slower by degrees, so much so, that even with those sub- 

 stances which absorb ammonia with avidity, the operation often re- 

 quires (wo days. We shall describe the general properties without 

 going into the details of all the compounds examined by M.Rose. 



The sulphates of manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, cad- 

 mium and silver, and the nitrate of the last metal, absorb ammonia; 

 on the contrary, the sulphates of magnesia, nitrates of soda and 

 barytes, phosphate of copper and bichromate of potash do not unite 

 with this alkali. Among the combinations of chlorine with the me- 

 tals whose oxides are basic, there are many which act with am- 

 monia in a precisely similar manner to the oxacid salts ; such are 

 the chlorides of calcium, strontium, copper, nickel, cobalt, lead, 

 silver, the proto- and perchloride of mercury, protochloride of 

 antimony, the perbromide, periodide, and cyanide of mercury. 

 The cyanuret of iron and potassium does not absorb ammonia, 



