146 Progress of Fdreign Science. 



which then oxidize on their surface. This phenomenon was no- 

 ticed first by Klaproth. Mr. Serullas states that the great in- 

 flammability of this alloy renders it difficult to transfer it from 

 a crucible into a phial ; and even dangerous, for, on breaking 

 the mass with an iron rod, the wiiole is apt to explode with 

 great violence. He accordingly prefers the following process. 

 He introduces into a luted phial the tartar emetic, closes it 

 with a stopper of chalk, and heats it moderately till the flame 

 from the combustion of the carburetted hydrogen has ceased to 

 ap]«ear round the stopper. He then withdraws the phial, 

 breaks it when it is cool, pulverizes its contents, which he puts 

 into another phial, the chalk stopper of which he lutes with a 

 mixture of sand and clay, and exposes it to a stronger heat 

 than in the first operation. When the flame of the oxide of 

 carbon disappears, the process is completed. After the phial 

 becomes cool, a cork replaces the chalk stopper *. 



Pkosphorescence of Sulphate of Quinina. — It appears from 

 the observations of M. Callaude, apothecary at Annecy, that 

 sulphate of quinina, exposed to a gentle heat, becomes highly 

 luminous. M. Pelletier has since found, that sulphate of cin- 

 chonina, as well as these two salts mixed, when exposed in a 

 capsule to the steam of boiling water, becomes luminous ; but 

 that neither quinina or cinchonina by themselves, nor their ace- 

 tates, possess the phosphorescent quality t. 



ni. We have not perceived since our last, in the foreign depart- 

 ment, any thing of interest on the class of Simple Bodies. Nor 

 can we observe many important new facts on the class of Com- 

 pounds. M. Vogel read to the Royal Academy of Sciences at 

 Munich, a memoir on the action of sulphuric acid on the mu- 

 riates, from wliich we have extracted the following particulars. 

 When we pour concentrated sulphuric acid on the hydrated 

 deuto-muriate of copper, this salt loses instantly its green co- 

 lour, and becomes brown, because the acid has abstracted its 

 ■water ; but no muriatic acid gas is disengaged, nor do we per- 

 ceive any sign of effervescence. After preserving the mixture 

 for some days in a close vessel, we can decant off the sulphuric 

 acid, which is perfectly colourless, and does not contain a 

 trace of copper, the muriate of copper remaining quite unde- 

 composed at the bottom of the vessel. On exposing this salt to 

 moist air, or on sprinkling on it a few drops of water, it resumes 

 its green colour. On heating the above mixture, muriatic acid 

 gas is readily disengaged, and sulphate of copper is formed. Ca- 

 lomel is not aftec>,ed in the cold by sulphuric acid, but at a boil- 



f Journ. de Phnrtn. Sept. 1821. 

 I Journ. lie P/ioin. Dec. 1821. 



