liQT/al Soclehj. 293 



No. 48 of the Mineral Ccr.clwlogy of Great Britain, by Mr. 

 James Sowerby, b;is appeared ; and a monthly publication is novv 

 intended, in order to make up for the time unfortunatelyiost, since 

 the less fretjuent publication was suspended in June las>t. 



LXVIII. Frocccd'mgs of Learned Societies. 



. ROYAI, SOCIETY. 



April 5. — ri. vaper was read " On the mean Density of t!ie 

 Earth," by Charles Button, LL.D. 



Also, a paper " On the Separation of Iron from other Metals," 

 by J. F. W. Kerschcl, Esq. To separate iron from the metals not 

 precipitated bv sulphuretted hydrogen, which it most usually con- 

 taniinates(manganese, cerium, liickel, and cobalt), Mr. H. proposes 

 to take advantage of a peculiarity in the peroxide of iron, in virtue 

 of which it is incapable of s'lbsisting in a neutral solution at the 

 boiling ten;perature. if a solution of this peroxide i)e neutral- 

 ized when cold, and then heated, a portion is deposited in the 

 state of a subsalt, and the liquid becomes acid. If allowed to 

 cool, and again neutralized, a fresli portion of the metallic con- 

 tents separates on re- applying the heat, and so on, till the.quan- 

 tity held in solution is no longer sensible to the most delicate re- 

 agents. If, on the other hand, the neutralizaticn be performed 

 tolvile nctvaUy Iniimg, we attain this limit at one operation. 

 Hence Mr. Herschel recomwuuids the following process: Having 

 peroxidized, by means of nitric acid, a solution containing iron 

 and any of the above-mentioned metals, drop into it, ti liile boil- 

 ing, carbonate of ammonia, till the acid reaction is entirely de- 

 stroyed, and even i^oing u little bay mid Ike poin( oj" exact neu- 

 tralization The whole of the iron to the last atom is separated, 

 while the liquid retains in solution the other metallic oxides, as 

 well a<! the mi/it/lc portion of their carbonates due to a trifling 

 excess of the alluilrne precipitant. In the cases of cobalt and 

 cerium, the alkaline carhonatc may !)e added in considerable ex- 

 cess, without sej-iarating any of those metals ; and their solution, 

 so freed from iron, is then a most delicate /cs/ of the presence of 

 the latter metal. 



April 12 — A pajjer was read " On the Restoration of a Part 

 of the Urethra in the Perin.Tum." By H. Earle, Esq. Communi- 

 cated by the President Sir Humphry Davy. 



May 3. — "Observations on the Vr.riation of local Heat made 

 amongst the Garrow Hills," by D. Scott, Esq., in a letter to 

 W. T. iJrandc, Est]. Sec. R.S., were read. On the srmic evening 

 a paper was read " On some subterraneous Trees discovered at 

 the Foot of the Cliffy about a Mile to the Eastward of Mundslcy.'' 

 By Lieut. Jefr.-rson Miles, R.N. In a letter to W. T. Brande,Esq. 

 Sec. R.S. Also, " The Case of a diseased Enlargement of the 

 (ilands of the Neck." By John Ilowship, Esq. 



Vol. 57. No.277. il% l'^-!- ^P ^T.RQ^ 



