1.56 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



M. Matteuci found also, that when acetic acid, sulphuric acid, and 

 peroxide of manganese are mixed, no formic acid is produced, as when 

 some other vegetable acids are so treated ; and he considers carbonic 

 oxide as a compound analogous to cyanogen, and susceptible of form- 

 ing an acid by combining either with oxygen or with hydrogen. — 

 Bibliothequc Univ. June 1832. 



DELPHI A AND SOLAN1A. 



Mons. M. O. Henry gives the following as the experimental analysis 

 and theoretical constitution of these alkalies: 



Delphia. Experiment. Theory. 



Carbon. . . . 74-240 26 atoms 74*62 



Oxygen ..13*562 2>\ 13*14 



Hydrogen.. 8-870 38 8 90 



Azote .... 3-328 1 334 



100- 100- 



Solania. Experiment. Theory. 



Carbon 75-000 28 atoms 75*33 



Oxygen ..12*778 Z\ 1232 



Hydrogen.. 9*142 42 9*22 



Azote 3-080 1 3*13 



100* 100- 



Journal de Pharmacie, Dec. 1832. 



ON MECON1NE. 



Meconine was discovered in opium, by M. Couerbe in 1830. It is 

 contained in opium in but small quantity. To prepare it, opium cut 

 into thin slices is to be treated with cold water till it comes away 

 colourless j the solution is to be filtered and evaporated till its specific 

 gravity is about l'OtiO; then ammonia diluted with five or six times 

 its bulk of water is to be added till precipitation ceases : this pre- 

 cipitate contains much morphia, and a little narcotine. When this 

 precipitate has perfectly subsided, it is to be washed till the water 

 comes off nearly colourless : let this precipitate thus washed be set 

 aside, and add the washings to the ammoniacal liquor from which the 

 precipitate was thrown down, and evaporate the mixture with a 

 gentle heat till it has acquired the consistence of treacle ; then set it 

 aside for a fortnight in a cool place, and crystals will be formed. These 

 crystals are brownish, and consist of meconine, meconiates, and other 

 substances. — To separate the meconine they are to be boiled in alcohol 

 of specific gravity 0*837, till it ceases to dissolve, and the spirituous so- 

 lutions being mixed are to be distilled to about one third; by cooling, 

 crystals are obtained ; and by evaporating the solution a further quan- 

 tity is procured. These crystals are to be dissolved in water, to be 

 treated with animal charcoal, again to be crystallized, then dissolved 

 in boiling aether, and by spontaneous evaporation meconine is deposited. 



The properties of meconine are : that it is colourless and crystalline ; 

 the form of the crystal is a six-sided prism, two sides of which are 



