334 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



the lactate of lime formed immediately crystallizes in perfectly white 

 mammillated masses, and from this the lactic acid is procured by the 

 "well-known processes. 



It is evident, observe the authors, that lactic acid may be satu- 

 rated by other bases, and they state that a chemical manufacturer 

 has prepared this acid from the sour water of starch-makers, by satu- 

 rating it with carbonate of lime. — Journal de Pharmacie, xxvii. 341. 



PREPARATION OF FORMIC .ETHER. 



According to Wohler, the following process yields formic aether 

 in large quantity, and very readily : put into a retort ten parts of 

 starch and 37 parts of peroxide of manganese, intimately mixed in 

 very fine powder ; add to them a mixture of 30 parts of sulphuric 

 acid, 15 parts of highly rectified spirit of wine, and 15 parts of 

 water ; the mixture is to be gently boiled, and distillation continued 

 until the product contains no aether. In order to separate the water 

 and the alcohol, a sufficient quantity of chloride of calcium is to be 

 dissolved in the product, and distillation is to be performed in a 

 water-bath ; the purification is to be completed by a second rectifi- 

 cation in the same manner. 



M. Wohler states, that in the numerous experiments which M. 

 Kolbe made on this subject at his request, appearances presented 

 themselves which probably indicate the presence of a peculiar sub- 

 stance in this aether, requiring fresh experiments for elucidation : 

 when the fragments of fused chloride of calcium have been for some 

 time in contact with the aether which has been once rectified, and 

 are partly dissolved, it becomes of a deepish yellow colour, and de- 

 posits small, very fine colourless crystals on the sides of the vessel. 

 In general the colour disappears after a certain time ; it is probably 

 owing to chloride of iron ; and probably also the crystals are a com- 

 pound of chloride of calcium and alcohol, which are soluble in formic 

 aether, and may crystallize from it. — Journal de Pharmacie, torn, xxvii. 

 p. 91. 



PREPARATION OF IODATE OF POTASH. BY M. MELLON. 



When cold no action takes place between the above-named sub- 

 stances ; but if to chlorate of potash about three or four times its 

 weight of distilled water be added, and then heated to ebullition, 

 iodine added to the solution disappears in considerable quantity; the 

 liquor is colourless, and remains so until the equivalent of iodine 

 is exceeded ; after this the liquor becomes yellow and then brown ; 

 and, as a final result, there are obtained neutral iodate of potash 

 and chloride of iodine, with greater or less excess of the latter. If 

 the mixture be evaporated to dryness, the chloride of iodine is dis- 

 engaged, and the iodate of potash remains pure. 



If the action of the iodine on the chlorate be stopped before an 

 equivalent of the iodine is added, the liquor even then contains 

 iodate of potash, and also chlorate [chloride ?] of iodine, correspond- 

 ing" unquestionably to iodic acid ; for if the liquor be strongly heated, 



