Chemistry. — 117 
The author goes on to give the calculated and observed boiling 
points for a great variety of substances, and with those whose composi- 
tion is fully understood, the results corroborate throughout his most 
remarkable deductions. 
28. Contraction of Ice in Cooling, (Ann. de Chim. et de Phys., 3d 
series, xiv, 1845, p. 369.) —M. Brunner, by a series of experiments, 
has shown that, contrary to the observations of M. PstzHoxpr, ice con- 
tracts by cold. He obtained the following as the amount of linear con- 
traction for 1 degree of Centigrade, by three methods—-0000416, 
‘0000315, -0000395 ; from which is deduced the mean ‘0000375 or 
sstoo- This is equivalent to 00002083 for a degree of FauRENHEIT. 
The contraction of ice consequent upon a diminution of temperature, 
is greater than that of any other solid body hitherto examined. The 
following table gives the density at different Centigrade temperatures. 
Density Density ie 
|Temperature.| of Temperature. of Temperature. 
Ice Ice ce, 
0°C. | 0-91800 | — 7°C. | 091879 —14°C.| 0:91957 
coal 091812 | —8 ‘91890 | —I15 0-91968 
—2 091823 | —9 0°91901 —16 0:91980 
—3 091834 | —10 0:91912 —17 0°91991 
—t 091845 | —11 0:91924 —I18 92002 
5 091856 | —12 091935 | —19 092013 
—é6 091868 | —13 091946 | —20 0:92025 
Just the reverse is the case with water, which continues to dilate by 
increase of cold, as shown by M. Desprerz, whose experiments were 
carried to —20° C., (—4° F. 
29. Triniaareuns of Quicksilver, (L’Institut, No. 605, p. 279.)—M. 
Metsens has found that quicksilver in minute globules is transparent 
and transmits a blue light, slightly tinged with violet. These globules 
are formed whena fine stream of water is dropped on a mercury bath ; the 
drops of water, in consequence of falling with some force, become cover- 
ed with a thin pellicle of mercury, which present the fact here stated. 
= result has been verified by Araco. 
y Wax ; by M. B. Lewy, (extracted from M. Lewvy’s memoir, 
hen de Chim. et de Phys. xiii, 1845, p. 438.) —Beeswax is changed com- 
pletely into a soluble soap when treated with a very concentrated solu- 
tion of potash. 
Treating wax with boiling alcohol, dissolves out the cerine, which on 
cooling is deposited in fine needles. On evaporating the alcohol after 
filtration, another compound is obtained, called ceroleine. Ceroleine ” 
is very soft, melts at 83°5° F., is very soluble in cold alcohol and sane 
it constitutes 4 to 5 per cent. of the wax. 
From the soap obtained with potash, muriatic acid separates an acid 
named cerinic acid ; it is white and crystallizable. 
