Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 1 55 



Urate of Strontia. — Uric acid diffused through water is to be added 

 to a boiling and saturated solution of strontia, taking care that the 

 acid is greatly in excess. The first portions of acid are entirely dis- 

 solved ; but by the addition of successive portions a salt separated, 

 ■which, examined by the microscope, appeared to be acicular and 

 grouped in stars. This urate of strontia contains C-^ N* H- O'^, Sr O^ 

 + 2aq. 



The two equivalents of water are expelled at 329° F. The salt 

 attracts moisture rapidly from the air, and decomposes at 338°. One 

 part of it is soluble in 4300 parts of cold, and 1790 parts of boiling 

 water. 



The acid salt is much more soluble : one part dissolves in 603 

 parts of cold, and 276 parts of boiling water. 



Neutral Urate of Barytes is obtained similarly to the neutral salt 

 of strontia. It contains C^ N^ H'^ 0-, BaO. One part of this salt 

 requires 7900 parts of cold, and 1790 parts of boiling water for so- 

 lution. 



Urate of Lead. — When a dilute solution of neutral urate of potash 

 is added, drop by drop, to a solution of nitrate of lead also dilute and 

 boiling, a yellow precipitate is at first obtained ; this is to be sepa- 

 rated by filtration, and a fresh portion of urate of soda [potash ?] 

 is to be added to the liquid. A heavy precipitate is thus obtained, 

 which is perfectly white and is easily washed. It is quite inso- 

 luble in water and alcohol. It may be heated to 320° F. without 

 decomposing; it appears to be an anhydrous salt composed of 

 C^N«H2 02PbO. 



The authors did not succeed in preparing any other neutral urates. 

 —Ibid. 



ON THE PRESENCE OF COPPER IN THE HUMAN BLOOD. 

 BY M. DESCHAMPS. 



The author observes, that when the numerous examinations of 

 the question of the existence of copper in human blood which have 

 been published are considered, it will be found that these experi- 

 ments cannot be adduced either to oppose or support the existence 

 of copper in organized beings, because many authors forget to de- 

 scribe their processes of analysis, neglect to examine the precipitate 

 which is formed in a liquid by hydrosulphuric acid, either gaseous 

 or liquid, do not state the length of time which the liquid, treated 

 with sulphuretted hydrogen, is allowed to deposit the precipitate, 

 and they do not state whether they have prepared their hydrochloric 

 acid, whether they have analysed their distilled water and acids, and 

 particularly the hydrochloric acid, for the pure hydrochloric acid of 

 commerce almost always contains copper. 



After considering the different processes which have been proposed 

 for the detection of metallic substances in the blood, M. Deschamps 

 followed a method analogous to that which he employed to extract 

 copper from vegetables. 



The acids and distilled water which be employed contained no 



