Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 391 



quantity of boiling water, and separates on cooling in brilliant plates, 



which lose neither weight nor splendour under the receiver of the 



air-pump. 



By heating in a porcelain crucible, 100 parts of benzoate of silver 



gave 47*03 of metallic silver: the composition of the salt is therefore, 



Benzoic acid 49*46 



Oxide of silver 50 54? 



100-00 

 The atom of the acid is thence 142*039. By analysis with oxide 

 of copper, 0600 gr. of benzoate of silver gave 0*797 of carbonic 

 acid and 0122 of water ; giving, as the composition of 100 parts 

 of the acid combined with a base, 



Carbon 74*378 



Hydrogen 4*567 



Oxygen 21*035 



Calculating according to the atomic weight, we have 



14 atoms of carbon 107*0118 74*43 



10 atoms of hydrogen ... . 6*2397 4*34 



3 atoms of oxygen .... 30*0000 21*23 



143*2515 100*00 



On comparing the crystallized acid with that contained in the salt 

 of silver, it will be seen that their difference consists in the first con- 

 taining an atom of water. 



Berzelius's results were obtained by analysing benzoate of lead, 

 and in this the acid retains the water, which it does not when com- 

 bined with oxide of silver, and this circumstance accounts for the 

 difference observed. 



MM. Wohler and Liebig state, that the analysis of Dumas, in 

 which the oxygen and hydrogen are said to be in the proportions 

 which form water, is incorrect. 



It is concluded by MM. Wohler and Liebig, that when the oil of 

 almonds becomes benzoic acid, by exposure either to the air or 

 oxygen gas, it is by mere oxidation, the oil taking two atoms of 

 oxygen gas. 



When benzoate of potash is formed by heating oil of almonds 

 with hydrate of potash, excluded from the air, the water of the hy- 

 drate supplies the oxygen, and its hydrogen is evolved. 



MM. Wohler and Liebig have called the radical of benzoic acid, 

 benzoyle, composed of C 14 H 10 O 2 , and consequently the pure oil of 

 bitter almonds is a hydruret of benzoyle, and benzoic acid will be- 

 come benzoylic acid. The authors, however, retain its ancient 

 name. 



Benzoyle combines with several elementary bodies besides oxy- 

 gen to form benzoic acid, and with hydrogen to form oil of almonds. 



Chloride of Benzoyle. — If dry chlorine gas be passed through hy- 

 druret of benzoyle (oil of almonds), heat is generated, chlorine is 

 absorbed, and muriatic acid gas evolved, but no other compound 

 indicating any other decomposition is formed. As soon as the for- 



