Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 15 



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too long a time in contact with acids, for the purpose of separating 

 the last traces of soda. 



When styracine is treated with the caustic alkalies, it combines 

 with them, and forms a solid mass consisting of agglomerated grains. 

 By the application of heat, styracone distils, and cinnamic acid is 

 obtained. Submitted to the action of chlorine, chlorinated styracine 

 is obtained. By distilling this compound under the influence of 

 chlorine, a volatile chlorinated liquid and a chlorinated crystalliza- 

 ble acid are procured; the latter very readily forms salts. With 

 nitric acid, styracone forms oil of bitter almonds, hydrocyanic and 

 nitrobenzoic acids ; with chromic acid it gives hydruret of benzoil, 

 benzoic acid and resin ; with concentrated sulphuric acid, it yields 

 cinnamic acid and a brown substance, soluble in water and insoluble 

 in aqueous saline solutions. — L'Institut, Juin 6, 1849. 



IDENTITY OF BROOKITE AND ARKANSITE. 



We learn by a note from Professor Miller, dated the 2nd of May, 

 that he has found an exact agreement between the forms and angles 

 of a mineral from the United States, lately described by Professor 

 Shepard, and named Arkansite, and the previously established species 

 Brookite ; and as both consist almost entirely of oxide of titanium, 

 they must, we conclude, be regarded as varieties only of the same 

 mineral. — En. 



ON THE ESTIMATION OF MOLYBDIC ACID. BY M. H. ROSE. 



Molybdic acid, MoO^, may be estimated in the state of sulphuret 

 by precipitating its sokitions, rendered acid, with sulphuretted hy- 

 drogen. This method possesses some inconveniences : on one 

 hand, the precipitation always takes place slowly, and the washings, 

 which have usually a blue colour, require to be heated with solution 

 of sulphuretted hydrogen to precipitate the last portions of molyb- 

 den : on the other hand, it is requisite to calcine the brown sulphu- 

 ret of molybden obtained, in order to convert it into gray sulphuret 

 MoS% the weight of which serves for calculating the quantity of 

 molybden. 



M. H. Rose finds it more correct and convenient to estimate the 

 molybdic acid by reducing it in a current of hydrogen gas to the 

 state of perfectly fixed oxide of molybden. He uses in this opera- 

 tion a platina crucible, which has a tubulated cover, by which the 

 hydrogen gas is conveyed. The heat of a spirit-lamp is to be era- 

 ployed, in order that the temperature may not be raised high enough 

 to reduce any of the oxide of molybden to the metallic state. The 

 weight of the oxide of molybden obtained serves for calculating 

 that of the molybden or the molybdic acid. — Joum. de Ph. et de Ch,, 

 Janvier 1849. 



ON GLAIRINE. BY M. BON JEAN. 

 This substance is a vegeto- animal matter produced at the sul- 

 phurous spring of Aix in Savoy. According to M. Duby, who has 

 examined it microscopically, it consists of extremely minute frag- 

 ments of a plant, of an extraordinarily fine, close, undulating tissue, 



