Improved Mode of making Bread. — Fan Mons's InteUigejice. 467 



" I understand a number in Cork and in the neighbourhood 

 have been induced to repeat my experiments ; and they have, for 

 the most part, been attended with great success. If there should 

 be any instances of faihire, it would not be proper hastily to refer 

 them to a defect in the method, but to impute them rather to ft 

 want of attention to those circumstances necessary to insure suc- 

 cess, 



*' I conceive not the slightest danger can be apprehended from 

 the use of such an innocent substance, as the carbonate of mag- 

 nesia, in such small proportion as is necessary to improve bread 

 from the new flour. It is well known to be administered with 

 perfect safety, even to infants. In order to try the effect of bread 

 made with this substance on myself, I have used it exclusively for 

 the last five weeks, without the least inconvenience, in the jjro- 

 portion of sixty, eighty, and even one hundred grains, to a pound 

 of flour, 



" A pound of carbonate of magnesia would be sufficient to mix 

 with two hundred and fifty-six pounds of the new flour, at the 

 rate of thirty grains to the pound. And supposing a pound of 

 carbonate of magnesia to costhalf-a-crown, the additional expense 

 would be only lialf a farthing in the pound of flour. 



" I am not quite satisfied as to the peculiar agency of the car- 

 bonate of magnesia, in correcting the bad qualify of new flour. 

 It is an extremely light substance, and may probably tend to im- 

 prove the texture of the bread. The new ilour, too, in the pro- 

 cess of baking, may perhaps be disposed to undergo tiie acetous 

 fermentation, aiitt the carbonate of magnesia, being slightly al- 

 kaline, may correct the tendency of the fermented dough to aci- 

 dity. On "this part of the subject, however, the experiments I 

 am now pursuing will, 1 trust, throw some light. 

 I am, dear sir, yours truly, 



" Curk Institution, Dec. 3, 1816. EdmUND DaVY." 



Continitat'wii of M. Van Mons's Intelligence. 



I kive learnt from Me:s:,rs. Gay Lussac and Arrago, that the 

 system of chemistry and the names of substances are exjieriencing 

 a new revolution, and that in a short time there will not rcniaiu 

 one stone upon another of the existing edifice. 



M. Dulonghas made some expeiiments upon nitric acid, which 

 fully confirm what 1 long since made known, that the fuming ni- 

 tric acid is simply nitric aci<l with nitric va;)our interposed, in the_ 

 same matnier as the fuming sulphuric acid consists of sulphuric 

 acid witii sulphuric vapour interposed. This vapour when set 

 apart becomes crystulliiied : Dulong has found that the nitric va- 

 G g 2 pour 



