'470 Scientific Intelligence, [ J u N B , 



a great quantity of lulphurous acid vapour. They were, therefore, 

 obliged to put it into a cistern of water to granulate it, but by this 

 operation, instead of the copper assuming the form of solid grains, the 

 whole of it became in the form sent to you, and floated upon the water 

 like so many corks. What is the most probable explanation of this 

 phenomenon ? One of our refining men, during 40 years* experience 

 in the business, has never seen any thing similar.** 



To the above account, I have only to add, that the globules of copper 

 sent to me, although extremely light, had lost their property of floating 

 . in water, but they floated in sulphuric acid. I do not venture to offer 

 any explanation of the phenomenon. — Ed. 



IV. Analysis of Indian Corn, 



Dr. Gorham, of Harvard University, Cambridge, U. S. has analyzed 

 Indian corn. It appears to contain a peculiar vegetable substance, 

 which the discoverer has called Zeine. The results of the analysis are 

 as follow : 



Common state. Dry state. 



Water 9*0 



Starch 77*0 84-599 



Zeine 3*0 3-29G 



Albumen 25 2-747 



Gummy matter 1-75 , . . . 1*922 



' Saccharine matter . .. .. . l-4'5 1*593 



Extractive matter . 0-& ()-879 



Cuticle and ligneous fibre 30 3-296 



Phosp. carb. sul. of lime and loss 1*5 .... TG^S 



100-0 .... 99-980 

 (Institution Journal.) 



V. On the TodidCf Oxides^ and Chlorides of Gold, 



* According to M. Pelletier, who first obtained the iodide, gold is not 

 acted upon either by iodine or hydriodic acid ; but the hydriodic acid 

 containing iodine easily dissolves gold, and especially when a little 

 nitric acid is added: the iodide of gold then formed is a brilliant 

 yellow, and apparently a crystalline powder. Iodide of gold may also 



' be procured by causing hydriodic acid to act upon the oxide of gold, 

 or by adding hydriodate of potash to chloride of gold. The properties 

 of the iodide of gold are, that it is insoluble in cold water, and very 

 sparingly soluble in hot; when put into concentrated and boiling 

 nitric, muriatic, or sulphuric acid, it is decomposed, the iodine being 

 evolved, and the gold dissolved. It is also decomposed at a tempera- 

 ture of about 300° of Fahr. and by the alkalies in solution. It is 

 stated to be composed of 



Iodine 34 



Gold 06 



100 



The composition of the oxides and chlorides of gold is stated as 

 ' follows: 



