388 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



'o 



to occasion the abundant production of oil of wine and olefiant gas. 

 This alcohol is easily recovered after the rectification of the aether. 

 It may be proper to mention also that the mixture in the distillatory 

 vessel may be repeatedly suffered to cool, and again reheated with- 

 out injury. 



May 16. The following papers were then read : — 

 " On the Heat of Chlorine, Bromine and Iodine, developed during 

 the formation of the Metallic Compounds," by Thomas Andrews, 

 M.D., from the Author. 



82. "On Ferric Acid," by J. Denham Smith, Esq. 



83. " On the Action of Alkalies on Wax," by R. Warington and 

 Wm. Francis, Esqrs. 



84. " On the Action of Sulphuric Acid on the Ferrocyanide of Po- 

 tassium," by George Fownes, Ph.D. 



XLVIII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



ON A CHANGE PRODUCED BY EXPOSURE TO THE BEAMS OF 

 THE SUN, IN THE PROPERTIES OF AN ELEMENTARY SUB- 

 STANCE. BY PROF. DRAPER, OF NEW YORK. 



AT the recent meeting at Cork of the British Association, a paper 

 by Prof. Draper was read by Dr. Kane before Section A., Ma- 

 thematical and Physical Science, of which the following is an ab- 

 stract : — 



Prof. Draper's paper commenced with announcing that chlorine 

 gas which has been exposed to the daylight or to sunshine possesses 

 qualities which are not possessed by chlorine made and kept in the 

 dark. It acquires from that exposure the property of speedily uniting 

 with hydrogen gas. This new property of the chlorine arises from 

 its having absorbed tithonic rays, corresponding in refrangibility to 

 the indigo. The property thus acquired is not transient, like heat, 

 but permanent. A certain portion of the tithonic rays is absorbed 

 and becomes latent before any visible effect ensues. Light, in pro- 

 ducing a chemical effect, undergoes a change as well as the sub- 

 stance on which it acts ; it becomes detithonized. The chemical 

 force of the indigo ray is to that of the red as 66' 6 to 1. The 

 author remarked, that we are still imperfectly acquainted with the 

 constitution of elementary bodies, inasmuch as we know in general 

 only those properties which they possess after having been subjected 

 to the influence of light. 



ACCOUNT OF CLEGG'S DIFFERENTIAL DRY GAS-LIGHT METER. 

 BY PROFESSOR VIGNOLES, C.E. 



To those familiar with gas operations in general, there is no oc- 

 casion to enlarge on the advantages of a good dry meter. It has 

 been a desideratum ever since the use of a meter at all was first 

 duly appreciated, and has often attracted the attention of many 

 scientific and practical men, who have attempted to realize this 

 desirable object. 



This will doubtless be deemed quite a sufficient justification for 



