Chemical Science. — 163 
the atmosphere ; but the light from the spiral is said to be so vivid 
and distinct, that once seen its dissimilarity from the former must 
be instantly evident. He has, therefore, called it electromagnetic 
light, because of its relation to the magnetic state of the spiral, 
thinks that it might be made continuous if a sufficiently powerful 
yoltaic battery were used, and has little doubt but that the aurora 
borealis is such a light elicited by the magnetic state of the earth, 
—Bib. Univ. xxy. 38. 
10. Connexion of Phosphorescence with Electricity.—The sul- 
phate of quina was shewn by M. Callaud d’Annecy some time 
since to become highly phosphorescent when rubbed at a tempe- 
rature of 212°. MM. Dumas and Pelletier have ascertained 
that it becomes highly negatively electrical when rubbed on 
woollen cloth, and hence were led to the verification of a suspicion 
they had long entertained that phosphorescence was an electrical 
phenomenon. About two or three ounces of sulphate of quina 
were introduced into a glass flask, and heated for half an hour in 
a water bath at 2120 F., it then by friction gave out a suffi- 
ciently intense light. ‘The flask was closed by a cork, through 
which passed a wire pointed at the inner extremity, and termi- 
nated by a ball at the external end; on approaching this ball, two 
or three times to the knob of a voltaic electrometer furnished with 
its condenser, having taken care to shake the flask before each 
contact, the leaves became so electrical as to diverge as much 
as the instrument would admit of, the electricity being constantly 
positive. 
The sulphate of cinchona, which is phosphorescent like the 
sulphate of quina, though less so, also became electrical in the 
same manner. Its electricity, though of the same kind, was not 
so strong as that of the preparation of quina.—Ann. de Chim. 
xxiy. 171. 
11. Phosphorescence of Acetate of Lime.—Dissolve any quantity 
of acetate of lime in water, and place it on a sand-heat in a Wedge- 
‘wood ware dish, evaporate to dryness without disturbing it. When 
quite dry, let the bulb of a thermometer be rested on the bottom 
of the dish, and when the temperature has attained 250° F., the 
lime will be found to adhere very firmly. If light be now ex- 
eluded, and the acetate be strongly rubbed with a stiff spatula, it 
nd become highly luminous. Mr. N. Mills. —Ann. Phil. N.S. 
vii. 235. 
+12. Preparation of Sulphurous Acid Gas.—M. Berthier has 
shewn that this gas may be obtained very pure and abundantly, 
heating a mixture of twelve or fourteen parts of sublimed sul- 
phur, and a hundred parts of peroxide of manganese in a glass 
M 2 
