CHEMISTRY. 405 



Determinations of the atomic weight of the element, conducted in 

 several ways, lead to the value 239.02. (Ann. Chem., ccxxxii, 273.) 



Neic Compounds of Vanadium^ by J. T. Brierley. — By mixing a blue 

 solution of hypovanadium sulphate with a colorless one of an alkaline 

 metavanadate the author has obtained the following series of new com- 

 pounds : 



A soluble sodium salt, 2Y,0^, V2O5. 2Na20 + I3H2O. 



A soluble potassium salt,2V204, V2O5, 2K.2O + GH2O. 



An insoluble potassium salt, 2V2O4, 4V.2O5, 5K2O +H2O. 



A soluble ammonium salt, 2V2O.,, 2V2O5, (NH4)20 -f I4H2 O. 



An insoluble ammonium salt, SViO^, 4V2O5, 3(NH4)2 +G H2O. 



The first named crystallizes well in hexagonal plates of considerable 

 size, and black color. The last named is a precipitate insoluble in hot 

 water. (Ann. Chem., ccxxxii, 359.) 



N on- existence of Silver Siihchloride, by Spencer B. Newbury. — The 

 author has obtained the product called silver subchloride (AgzCl?) by 

 tlie three methods of Cavillier, Wetzlar, and Wohler, and after careful 

 examination and analysis, huds that there is no evidence whatever of 

 the existence of such a compound, and believes the substances supposed 

 to be silver subchloride are nothing but simple mixtures of silver and 

 silver chloride. He also rejects the existence of the silver subcitrate 

 obtained by Wohler and von Bibra, claiming that the loss of weight on 

 heating silver citrate in hydrogen, the formation of carbon dioxide, and 

 residue of metallic silver iudicate the decomposition of citric acid and 

 separation of silver rather than the formation of silver subcitrate. 

 (Am. Chem. J., viii, 19G.) 



On BerthoUefs Fulminating Silver, by F. Easchig. — Although this, 

 substance was discovered by Berthollet nearly one hundred years ago, 

 it has not been since closely studied, and its constitution has been un- 

 certain. Berthollet obtained it by the action of ammonia on silver ox- 

 ide. Raschig prepares it as follows : A solution of silver nitrate is pre- 

 cipitated with sodium hydroxide, and the silver oxide is washed by 

 decantation in the beaker and then transferred to a small flask. For 

 each gram of silver nitrate used 2 c. c. of an ammouia solution, contain- 

 ing 25 per cent, of NH3, is added to the oxide, which dissolves easily 

 with very slight residue. The solution of fulminating silver thus ob- 

 tained is divided into several portions, and each dish is covered with 

 a watch glass and allowed to stand sixteen to twenty hours. The 

 ammonia evaporates, leaving the fulminating silver as a black crystal- 

 line mass. After washing it was analyzed by digesting with very di- 

 lute sulphuric acid, which usually leaves a residue of metallic silver. 

 The dissolved silver was precipitated with hydrochloric acid, and the 

 ammonia determined in the filtrate as platinic chloride. The results 



