462 New Liquid —W avelite—Sulphurin Acid. 
imbibed, is scarcely ever eradicated. It grows with the progress 
of refinement, and is often conspicuous in those who are most di- 
stinguished in active and social life. It affords security against 
ignorance, superstition, and vice. It helps to open and enlarge 
the mind, cures it of little partialities and narrow prejudices, and 
gives it a generous, liberal, and manly way of thinking. 
Chemistry is not an abstract study, terminating in barren and 
empty speculations; but a practical science, designed to increase 
the sum ef human happiness, and intended solely for the occa- 
sions and uses of life. As chemistry is eminently conversant with 
Nature, in her slow and silent as well as in her magnificent and 
terrible operations, we cannot turn our attention to it without 
feeling an expanse of thought, and a conscious elevation of mind. 
We cannot behold this wonderful system of things, with its mutual 
adaptations and subserviencies, without admiring the wisdom and 
power and goodness of our beneficent Creator, so eminently dis- 
played in the perfection and majesty of his works. 
LXXV. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 
NEW LIQUID. 
A NEW compound consisting of two atoms of oxygen, and one 
of hydrogen, was discovered by M. Thenard when prosecuting 
his experiments on the oxygenized acids, detailed in the preced- 
ing pages of this volume. This liquid is less volatile than water, 
in which it is soluble in any proportion. It may be obtained al- 
most free from water by placing the solution under the receiver 
of an air-pump with sulphuric acid. When thus concentrated as 
much as possible, its specific gravity is 1417. It has the property 
of destroying or of whitening all organic substances, A drop let 
fall on oxide of silver decomposes the latter, with explosion, at- 
tended frequently with an emission of light. 
WAVELLITE—A SUBPHOSPHATE OF ALUMINA, 
Berzelius has discovered, by a careful analysis, that wavellite 
contains phosphoric acid. This mineral yields by analysis : alu- 
mina 35°35 ; phosphoric acid 33-40 ; fluoric acid 2°06; lime 
0:50; oxides of iron and manganese I: 25; water 26:90. 
SULPHURIN ACID. 
This new acid, discovered by M.Gay-Lussac and M. Welther, 
is, as its name expresses, a combination of sulphur and oxygen, 
intermediate hetween salphurous and sulphuric acid as regarding 
the dose of oxygen taken into combination. It is obtained by 
passing a stream of sulphurous acid gas over black. oxide of 
manganese. 
a 
