178 F»rmation of muriatic Acid hj Gdhanism» 



us from Madrid: hitherto, however, his sugar has neither, 

 the whiteness nor the hardness, and has not entirely the taste 

 of the sugar made from the sugar cane. 



According to recent intelhgence from Germany, the pro- 

 cess of M. Achard has heen there much simplified; and 

 this problem, so interesting in the present state of society, 

 and which can scarcely fail to change the state of nations^ 

 is not far from being solved. 



M. de Cosslguy, a correspondent, has endeavoured to 

 get more directly to this result. He is of opinion that the 

 sugar cane might be cultivated in the southern provinces of 

 France. It has, indeed, been cultivated at Nice for some, 

 time without producing sugar; but he asserts that this was 

 owing to the juice being extracted too late, and to its hav- 

 ing already undergone fermentation when boiled. He made 

 very good sugar from canes cultivated in the Jardin des 

 Planter, but in a hot-house. 



We have already spoken several times of the labours of 

 M. Seguin in rcgiu^d to the chemical arts and medical che- 

 mistry. He has continued them this year, and treated three 

 important branches. 



He first employed himself on the analysis of opium, in 

 order to determine which of its component principles it is 

 that gives it its medical properties. Thu' celebrated juice- 

 exhibited three very distinct substances : a little acetous 

 acid ; another acid, which may be only the acetous or malic 

 modified ; a crystalline matter which appears to be new ; an. 

 extract soluble in water and in alcohol ; another extract sp- 

 luble only in alcohol, acids, and alkalies ; a vegetable oil a 

 little concrete, and a sort of starch. Nothing remains but 

 to try separately each of these substances, and to determine 

 their respective effects on the animal body. M. Seguin is. 

 employed on this at present, and he has promised that he 

 will soon communicate to us the result of iiis observations. 



[To be continued.] 



XXVIII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



FOIIMATION OF MURIATIC ACID BY GALVANISM. 



After that pan. of our present Number which contains 



the article respecting Mr. Peel's experiments was at press, 



vvf received Number III. of the Edinburgh Medical and 



7 " Surjrical 



