4G0 Recent Improvements in Science. 



gaged the carbonic acid by means of sulphuric acid, in a 

 matrass, supplied with a tube. A thermometer was placed 

 at the end of the tube. The temperature of the chalk, 

 sulphuric acid, and air, before the experiment, was from 

 53° to 54§°. When the sulphuric acid was poured on the 

 chalk, the thermometer rose to 86°. Bischof was induced 

 to make these experiments, for the purpose of determining 

 certain points connected with the state of the earth. Some 

 philosophers attribute the heat of acidulated mineral wa- 

 ters to the carbonic acid, which these waters absorb at 

 a great depth ; and consider that the developement of this 

 gas is the result of the decomposition of masses of lime- 

 stone, produced by a strong heat in the centre of the earth. 

 These experiments, however, show, that the greater part 

 of this heat, which the decomposition of the carbonate of 

 lime requires, is absorbed by the carbonate, to form carbo- 

 nic acid gas. — {Poggendorjfs Ann. No. 5, 1835.) 



Temperature of thermal waters. — Some recent observa- 

 tions had tended to shew, that the temperature of hot 

 springs might vary. Legrand has found that, in reference 

 to the springs of the Eastern Pyrenees, observations of 

 80 years correspond with those of recent date. In 1754, 

 Carera found the temperature of the basin which supplies 

 the bath at Aries, 156-8, which, when corrected by the ta- 

 bles of Deluc, is 1424/\ Now, this is precisely what M. 

 Anglada found it in 1820. M. Lemonnier has obtained the 

 same results, with regard to the hot springs of Mont-Dore. 

 — (L'Institut. 150.) 



CAPILLARY ATTRACTION. 



1. Dutrochet, some years ago observed, that when two 

 distinct fluids in a tube, are separated from each other by a 

 partition having capillary pores, the liquid soon begin to pass 

 in currents through the dividing medium ; but the quantity 

 of liquid in each is not the same ; so that one of the fluids 

 acquires a greater volume than the other. The stronger 

 stream Dutrochet terms endosmose, and the weaker current 

 exosrnose. Some have supposed, that the difference in the 

 adhesion of the particles of different liquors, was the cause 

 of this phenomenon ; and that the endosmuse always took 

 place from the side of the less glutinous fluid. But when 



