78 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



ganic matter, it is not, like the oxide of gold, soluble in hydrochloric 

 acid ; and the liquor remains violet, bluish violet, or brownish or 

 greenish violet, when there is great excess of chloride of gold. If, 

 however, the water contains a trace of any nitrate, and it be again 

 boiled, the gold becomes dissolved. 



It has been objected, that all organic matters do not possess equal 

 decomposing power with respect to the salt of gold. This objection 

 is, however, groundless, when it is considered that the process is 

 proposed for natural waters, the organic matter of which is always 

 of the nature of ulmin or gein, and evidently derived from the wash- 

 ing of vegetable or animal matter, more or less decomposed, and 

 frequently in the state of humus ; and that these occur in lands into 

 which rain-water filters, or in the soil of cities bathed by rivers which 

 supply their wells and fountains. Under all these circumstances, 

 and also in the cases of water which has filtered from cesspools, &c, 

 the organic matter resulting from the spontaneous decomposition of 

 animal and vegetable products, always decomposes the salt of gold. 



M. Dupasquier made numerous experiments with distilled water, 

 to which recent urine, gelatine, or crumb of bread had been added, 

 and also some other organic matters which had not been altered by 

 putrefaction. These substances generally decomposed the salt of 

 gold, after long-continued ebullition ; the effect was rapidly pro- 

 duced in water to which a small portion of peat or vegetable earth 

 had been added, a violet or bluish colour appearing very quickly. 

 Distilled waters which contain essential oils also decompose the chlo- 

 ride of gold. 



It follows, then, from comparative trials, that chloride of gold may 

 be decomposed by unaltered organic matter, but in general with 

 greater difficulty than by that which results from the spontaneous 

 decomposition of animal and vegetable remains, and consequently 

 analogous to the organic matter held in solution by common or 

 natural waters. — Journ. de Ph. et de Ch., Mars 1848. 



ANALYSIS OF THE ASHES OF TURNIP LEAVES. 



M. Namur states that, deducting accidental admixtures, the leaves 

 of the turnip (Brassica Rufa, L.) yielded 039 per cent, of ashes, con- 

 sisting of — 



Silica 6-144 



Sulphuric acid 4-003 



Phosphate of iron 1*332 



Magnesia 7'447 



Potash 29-529 



Soda 2-107 



Phosphoric acid 1T76 



Chloride of sodium .... 3-251 



Lime 25*510 



Carbonic acid 19*501 



100-000 

 Joum. de Pharm. et de Ch., Janvier 1848. 



