Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 421 



phosphoric, sulphurous, liydrosulphuric, arsenic, acetic, oxalic, tar- 

 taric, paratartaric, and malic acids. But the nitric, sulphuric, hydro- 

 chloric, hydriodic, and gallic acid are not capable of dissolving it. 

 It is soluble in the cold solutions of potash, soda, ammonia, and 

 lime. These solutions, after some days, yield a deposit of finely 

 divided mercury. M. Lassaigne is of opinion that the alkali gives 

 rise to a chloride or an alkaline hydrochlorate and peroxide of mer- 

 cury, which ctissolves with the albumen in the excess of alkali over 

 that which produces the alkaline chloride or hydrochlorate. 



M. Lassaigne thinks that in the precipitation of the albumen by 

 the bichloride of mercury, the two bodies combine integrally, as 

 supposed, but not proved by M. Chantourelle. 



The following, among others, are two facts upon which this opi- 

 nion is founded : 1st. If a proper quantity of protochloride of tin 

 be added to a solution of the albuminous precipitate in water satu- 

 rated with common salt, a white precipitate of protochloride of 

 mercury is formed ; this is precisely the result obtained, as is well 

 known to chemists, from a mixture of protochloride of tin and bi- 

 chloride of mercury ; the excess of chlorine over that which forms 

 a protochloride of mercury, converts the protochloride of tin into 

 bichloride, provided always that that protochloride of tin is not in 

 too great excess, in which case metallic mercury is procured. 



2nd. If Eether be agitated with the solution of precipitated albu- 

 men in water saturated with chloride of sodium, and if the aethereal 

 fluid be separated when it has become clear, there is obtained on 

 evaporating it a residue of bichloride of mercury and chloride of 

 sodium. 



In order to justify the conclusion which M. Lassaigne draws from 

 this fact he adds : 



a. That aether which is put in contact with protochloride of mer- 

 cury, not only does not dissolve it, but does not convert it into 

 mercury and bichloride, by the aflfinity which it might possess for 

 the latter. 



b. That the solution of the albuminous mercurial compound in 

 chloride of sodium, having the property of coagulating, like a con- 

 centrated aqueous solution of albumen. The corrosive sublimate is 

 found in the water which remains after the coagulation of the ori- 

 ginal solution ; but the author remarks that the greater part of the 

 bichloride remains combined with the coagulated albumen. 



c. That even the most finely divided protochloride of mercury 

 does not combine with albumen dissolved in water. M. Lassaigne 

 has made numerous other observations on the mutual action of 

 albumen, of bichloride of mercury, and of chloride of sodium. For 

 example, he has found : 



(«.) That a solution of two atoms of bichloride of mercury and 

 three of chloride of sodium does not precipitate a solution of al- 

 bumen ; 



(h.) That albumen which is precipitated cold by bichloride of 



