Scientific Intelligence — Chemistry. 185 



The total produce, therefore, of Russian gold in 1846 was 1722-746 

 poods, or about 62*792 lb. avoirdupois ; whilst, in the previous year 

 (1846) it was only 1371*800 poods, or 49-622 lb. avoirdupois. The 

 annual increase which had fallen in the last two years to 47 and 30 

 poods, has consequently risen to 361 poods, or 12*670 lb. avoirdu- 

 pois, which much surpasses any previous increase ; the largest for- 

 merly, or that between 1842 and 1843, being only 323*80 poods. — 

 {^American Journal of Science and Arts, Second Series, vol. vi., 

 p. 276.) 



7. Dimorphism of Zinc (Jour. Pharm. et Chem., xiii. 18). — 

 Noeggarath has described (Annales de Pogg., xxxix., 324) crystals 

 of pure zinc, of the form of hexagonal prisms. J. Nickles reports 

 that a specimen of zinc, prepared by M. Favre after Jacquelain's 

 process, was crystallized in pentagonal dodecahedrons, like those of 

 pyrites and grey cobalt. Zinc is therefore dimorphous. This is not 

 the only example of dimorphism among metals. Miller has shewn 

 that tin crystallizes in square prisms (dimetric system), and Fran- 

 kenheim has observed it in cubes. G. Rose (Annales de Pogg., 

 xlv., 319) has announced that palladium and iridium are isodimor- 

 phous, crystalling both in the rhombohedral and tesseral systems. — 

 (American Journal of Science and Arts, Second Series, vol. vi., 

 No. 17, p. 265.) 



CHEMISTRY. 



8. Chemist to the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society. — 

 We have pleasure in announcing that our accomplished young friend, 

 Dr Thomas Anderson of Leitli — an eleve of Berzelius and Liebig, 

 author of Memoirs on Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, has been 

 appointed to the lucrative office of Chemist to the Royal Highland 

 and Agricultural Society of Scotland. 



9. Purifying Liquids by Galvanism (Patent Office Rep., issued 

 in 1848, p. 41). — A patent has been granted for an interesting pro- 

 cess by which a feeble galvanic power is employed to separate salts, 

 acids, or alkalies from water or other liquids. Two porous vessels 

 containing water are partly immersed in the liquid to be purified, 

 and a zinc plate placed in one vessel, and an iron plate in the other 

 vessel. Other metals would answer, but the inventor prefers the 

 above. The zinc and copper plate being connected by a wire, galvanic 

 action is established, and the salts and other soluble matters are 

 carried through into the porous cups, and these accumulate in one 

 or the other, according to electrical relations of the impurities.— 

 {American Journal of Science and Arts, Second Series, vol. vi., 

 No. 17, p. 260.) 



10. On the Radiating Power of Substances. By A. Masson and 

 L. Courtepee (Comptes Rendus, December 20, 1847.) In the ex- 



