240 A'l-w Puilieathns- 



porcclain. 2. Iron mineralized, augmenteil in voUiiue to thrice, its former bulk; cryftal- 

 lized within in grains or plates, fome of them three lines in length, with the argentine 

 brilliancy, other portions in red rofcttcs of fpecular iron ore, more or lefs participating of 

 the nature of fulphate of iron. 3. Silver coin fufed in the fame degree of heat which 

 copper money lefidcd. 4. A candleflick of brafs (chandelier de laiton) entirely me-' 

 t.imorphofed, the outfidc cryftallized into blende, intermixed with o£lahedrons of copper, 

 more or L'fs red : the fra£lure of the candlel'tick towards the centre prefents very fine 

 » cubes of red copper. 5. Lead converted in fome inftances to lithar^fi and in others to 

 nainium, which is folid, compaft, and of the mod beautiful red colour. — PiClet, Bibllo- 

 theque Britannique. 



An Inaugural Diflertation on the Chemical and Mcelical Hiftory of Scpton, or Azote 

 By Winthorp Saltonflall. 0<n:.'iV0. New York, 1 796. 

 1 find this work announced in the 22d volume of the Annals of Chcmiftry, No. 64, 

 for lad April, with the following obfervations : 



It is known that azotic gas forms 73 parts out of 100 in the atmofphere. Cavcndlfli 

 made the important difcovery, tliat 68 parts of oxygene, with 32 of azote, produced nitrous 

 gas. Berthollet has proved that 6 parts of azote and I of Iiydrogene form ammoniac. 

 Deimann and Van Trooftwyk have lately proved that 37 parts of oxygene, chemically united 

 to 63 of azote, form that gafeous oxide called dephlogiRicated nitrous air by Prieftley, 

 which has the fingular property of fupporting combudion, though it deftroys the life of 

 animals which refpire it. So that we know of four degrees of oxidation or combudion of 

 azote: I. The dephlogiflicated nitrous air of Priedley, called by the modern chemifts 

 oxide of azote, i. Nitrous gas. 3. Nitrous acid gas. .4. Nitric acid. 



This author thinks that the putrefa£lion of animal fubftances has an epocha in which 

 the azote, at the indant of its difengagement, coming into contadl: with oxygene, may com- 

 bine with It without requiring a very elevated temperature. The oxide of azote thus 

 formed may become a very aftive poifon ; and the cancer, with the whole family of cor- 

 roding ulcers, has probably no other origin. The exhalations of azotic fubdances which 

 putrefy in mardies, in prifons, and in damp hot countries, form, according to the hypothefis 

 of the author, a certain chemical combination of azote with oxygene, which becomes the 

 caufe of contagion, and of various endemic and epidemic diforders. This dcdru£live oxide . 

 may introduce itfelf into the animal fydem by the lungs, and produce putrid fevers 

 and afthmatic fymptoms -, it may penetrate with the aliments into the ftomach, and become 

 the leaven of epidemic bilious diforders. Does not the yellow fever of America depend on 

 the fame morbific gas, fmce we know that it is azote which gives the more or lefs 

 intenfe orange colour to wool, fdk or fkin, when it is abundantly contained in thofe fub- 

 ftances, and combined with a fmall portion of oxygene ? Ladly, The oxide of azote may 

 aft on the abforbent veflels of the animal, and produce pedilenlial bubos and fores. 



Here, fay the editors, are conjectures not entirely without fome appearance of truth ; but 

 which require many experiments and obfervations before they can be admitted in the extenfive 

 degree propofed by this author. For example, it is fo far from being dcmondrated, as the 

 author thinks, that the orange colour of wool, &c. is owing to azote, that it rather appears 

 to arife from an cxcefs of carbone. The fame may be remarked of the oxide of fepton of 

 this author, or dephlogidicated nitrous acid. This gas appears to be nitrous vapour mixed 

 with oxygene gas, which h(l does not unite with the furplus of nitrous gas in the acid. 



