88 Chronicles of Science. | Jan., 
to a bright red heat, and the mixture of gases is exploded. The 
explosion reduces the temperature of the spiral for a moment, but 
the action proceeding, the wire is again made red hot, and another 
explosion is produced; and so on as long as the experimenter 
wishes. By introducing a very rapid stream of oxygen near the 
level of the ammonia, and close to the spiral, a continuous com- 
bustion may be kept up, producing the long-drawn sound which is 
heard when a jet of hydrogen is burned in a vessel of oxygen. 
In the first stage of this reaction before the ammonia is made 
hot, Kraut shows that the ammoniacal vapours are oxidized, and 
nitrous acid produced, which combines with undecomposed ammonia 
to form the nitrite. 
Very recently* Wohler has stated that nitrous acid is also formed 
when ammonia is oxidized by means of permanganate of potash. 
The decolorized solution filtered from the precipitated hydrated 
peroxide of manganese and evaporated, yields a mixture of carbonate 
and nitrite of potash, the latter shown by the evolution of red va- 
pours on the addition of an acid. 
Mitscherlich and Diacon have discovered simultaneously a means 
of detecting chlorine, bromine, and iodine in the presence of each 
other, by the aid of the spectroscope. Their observations will be 
found described in a subsequent place; but we may state here that 
the first-named author announces that his experiments have led 
him to the conclusion that nearly all the metalloids are compound 
bodies. At present, however, he brings no observations in support 
of the statement. | 
In the department of purely organic chemistry, the synthetical 
researches of Messrs. Frankland and Duppa on Ethers, deserve the 
first mention. In their last communication to the Royal Society, 
these gentlemen described the action of sodium and iodide of ethyl 
on acetic ether, and explained the formation of ethylic diacetone 
carbonate, and ethylic acetone carbonate, colourless transparent 
fragrant liquids, which treated with caustic baryta yield—the first, 
diethylated acetone; the second, ethylated acetone. The former of 
these has a powerful odour of camphor ; the latter possesses a 
powerful and agreeable smell, in which the odour of camphor is 
slightly perceptible. We look on these bodies as objects of great 
interest, and it is perhaps among such that a liquid will one day 
be discovered possessing all the advantages, but free from the 
dangers of chloroform. In the same paper the authors describe 
the action of sodium and iodide of methyl upon acetic ether, by 
which a series of bodies completely homologous with the above is 
obtained. 
* © Annalin des Chemie und Pharmacie,’ November, 1865, p. 296. 
