554 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



blue colour of which disappears at 80°, and the decolorization com- 

 mences even at 50°. When a portion of this liquid is made to pass 

 into the spheroidal state in a platinum crucible strongly heated, it 

 does not become decolorized, and the spheroid retains its colour to 

 the end. According to M. de Luca, this experiment proves that 

 the temperature of water in the spheroidal state does not exceed 80°, 

 and is even below 50°. 



M. de Luca also states that a spheroid of albumen containing 

 twice its volume of water becomes opalescent on its surface only, 

 while the centre remains limpid and transparent, so that it can be 

 dissolved in water, coagulated by heat, and the albumen precipitated 

 by alcohol. 



The author (says M. Marignac) would probably have obtained 

 more desisive results by placing in suspension in water substances 

 fusible at fixed temperatures. The reactions to which he appeals 

 do not take place at perfectly distinct points ; they are possible 

 within considerable ranges of the thermometric scale, but are acce- 

 lerated by a higher temperature. Those who have had occasion to 

 exhibit the decolorization of iodized starch, must have seen that the 

 temperature reaches boiling before the colour disappears, and it is 

 only decolorized even after some time, although, as M. de Luca 

 says, when exposed for some time to 80° it is also decolorized. The 

 direct measurement of the temperature of the spheroidal state is un- 

 doubtedly liable to error from the influence of the radiant heat of 

 the sides of the incandescent crucible. But this affects the stem, 

 and not the bulb of the thermometer, and is therefore inconsiderable. 



The following simple experiment gives a method of determining 

 the real temperature of the spheroidal state, not in an absolutely exact 

 manner, but at any rate with a certain approximation, and with com- 

 plete security. 



For this purpose as large a quantity of water as possible is brought 

 into the spheroidal state, and without removing the lamp, the cru- 

 cible is inclined so that the water falls into a small thin platinum 

 crucible placed at its side, and containing a small thermometer. 

 Another experiment is then made in the same manner, but simply 

 with boiling water. 



The temperature of the crucible and the thermometer depend on 

 the mass of the water ; and as it would be difficult always to work 

 with the same quantity of water, a crucible should be taken small 

 enough to be completely filled with the water placed in it. 



This experiment was repeated several times, and the results have 

 not varied much. With water in the spheroidal state, the thermo- 

 meter rose to 86° or 87°; with boiling water it was 90°. These 

 experiments seem to prove that the temperature of water in the 

 spheroidal state is higher than that attributed to it by M. de Luca ; 

 they confirm, however, the number admitted by Boutigny. — Biblio- 

 tfuque Universelle, September 20, I860. 



