French KdUonal Infatuii. 8^ 



warkable things : they difcovcred in it a particular fub{lance» 

 to which urine is indebted for its colour, its tafte, its odour, 

 and, in a word, all its characleriltic qualities. This fub- 

 llance, to which they have given the name of uree, has lin- 

 gular properties: by the aftion of fire it is changed entirely 

 into carbonat of ammonia ; it cryftallifes either alone or in 

 union with the nitric acid ; it is exceedingly foluble ; but 

 the Itranff^rt phenomenon is, that ni -irine fait, which generally 

 crydallifes in cubes, is changed into oftaedra ; and that fal- 

 amnioniac, which cryftallifes in oclaedra, is changed into 

 cubes when mixed with this fubftance. C. Fourcroy antj 

 Vauqueiin having remarked, in their analyfis of urer, that 

 it contains an extraordinary quantity of azote; that is to 

 fay, of that non-refpirable part of our atmofphere which 

 enters as an e'Tcntial part into all animal fubflances; and, if 

 1 may be allowed the exprcflion, that it was a matter too 

 much animalifcd ; have concluded that urine is chiefly def- 

 tiucd to carry off the fnperfluous portion of this azotic prin- 

 ciple which is fonnd in the human body. Thus each of the . 

 flcments of which the body is compofed, is conveyed from 

 it in a particular mannsr; the lungs free it from carbon in 

 refpi ration, the liver from hydrogen in the produiSlion of 

 bile, and the reins from azote in that of urine, 



C Chaptal has defcribed tlie art of the fcowerer, which, 

 thou'.rh dcfpifcd bccauie not lucrative, is, however, founded 

 on knowledge and a multitude of fafts which can be learned 

 only from the hioher branches of chcmiftry. (See Phil. Mag. 

 Vol. V. p. 43.) 



C. ChauHicr has been fo fortunate as to difcovcr a nc^v 

 chemical production, and, at the fame time, a ufeful remedy 

 in various difeafcs : — it i< a coH)l)ination of fulphur with al- 

 kalies, in wliich the turnier is more abundant than in the 

 ufiiid hvdro-fnifurc-!, coumionly called liver of fulphur, 

 without being, however, in the ilate of an acid. The union 

 i^ more intiniaie than in the hydro-fulfures ; and this com- 

 bination, winch C. Cljauffier calls fulphuratcd hydro-fulfurc, 

 has not the I'mell ()t liver of hi!j)hur. The fulphurated hydro- 

 fuliuic- of foda is formed on a large fcale, when Glauber's fait, 

 01 litlphat of foda, is dccoinpoled by carbon. This fub'iance 

 Jiits been employed with i'uccJs in fome chronic ddealos, 

 8 and. 



