Meteorological Observations, 14- 3 



M. Liebig heated several pounds of sour-crout with water to the 

 boiling point, and he added carbonate of zinc until no further eflPer- 

 vescence nor any acid reaction was perceptible. The liquor, de- 

 canted and filtered, deposited after evaporation to the consistence 

 of a syrup, a great quantity of crystals, which after decoloration by 

 charcoal were of a brilliant whiteness, and possessed all the pro- 

 perties of the purest lactate of zinc. On precipitating the mother- 

 waters by alcohol, a large quantity was also obtained ; no other or- 

 ganic acid but the lactic was obtained, without even any notable 

 quantity of acetic acid. Sour-crout contains acetic acid in so great 

 quantity, that it may be recommended as a very good substance for 

 its preparation. The lactate of zinc thus obtained has been ana- 

 lysed by M. Thomson with results which show its constitution 

 to be Carbon 24*72 



Hydrogen 541 



Oxygen .. .. 4.2-98 



Oxide of zinc 26*89 



The formula is . 



C6H16 O^ +ZnO = C6 H'oO^ + ZnO + 3Aq. 



It is extremely probable that the acid of sour turnips, cucum- 

 bers, &c., is merely lactic acid. 



There are many other plants in which peculiar acids have been 

 discovered, the composition of which is yet unknown ; it may be 

 maintained, with great probability, that if all these acids were ex- 

 amined according to their best characterized chemical relations, 

 they would be reduced to a very small number. M. Liebig invites 

 pharmacians to the investigation of the subject, calling to their re- 

 collection the fact that the acid of fruits changes according to the 

 period of maturation, for example, the fruit of the mountain-ash 

 contains in the first months tartaric acids, then tartaric and citric 

 acid, and lastly, malic acid alone. The preparation and examina- 

 tion of these acids in many fruits, would lead to the most interest- 

 ing conclusions respecting the connection of the organic acids. — 

 Journal de Pharmacie, Nov. 1837. 



« 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR NOVEMBER 1837. 



Chiswick. — Nov. 1. Stormy and wet. 2. Boisterous, with showers. 



.3. Overcast : clear with lightning at night. 4. Frosty : fine : clear and 



cold. 5. Overcast : fine. 6. Very clear : fine : slight fog. 7—9. Frosty 

 and foggy. 10. Hazy. 11. Cloudy and fine. 12. Fine. 13. Over- 

 cast: rain. 14.Fine: rain. 15. Clear and cold. 16.Fine. 17. Frosty: 

 fine. 18. Frosty : hazy : drizzly. 19. Overcast: rain. 20. Clear: 

 slight rain. 21. Cloudy. 22. Slight rain. 23. Densely overcast. 



24. Cloudy. 25. Clear : frosty. 26. Frosty : rain. 27. Very fine. 



28. Cloudy. 29. Clear and frosty. 30. Rain. 



Boston.— Nov. 1. Rain. 2. Cloudy. 3, 4. Fine. 5. Cloudy. 



6, 7. Fine. 8. Foggy. 9—11. Cloudy. 12, 13. Fine. 14. Rain. 

 15. Fine. 16. Cloudy : rain early a.m. 17. Fine. 18, 19. Cloudy. 

 20. Fine: rain p.m. 21. Fine. 22. Stormy : rain early a.m. 23. Stormy: 

 24. Cloudy. 25. Fine. 26. Cloudy : rain p.m. 27. Fine. 28. Cloudy. 



29. Fine. 30. Cloudy. 



