Notices respecting Ncvo Books. 383 



there its composition is not given, nor has Dr. Fyfe stated the quan- 

 tities of acid and base which constitute carbonate of lime. 



With respect to Muriatic Acid, treated of at p. 133, the mode of 

 preparation is omitted, as in the cases already noticed ; it is however 

 supplied when Muriate of Soda is described. But shall we obtain 

 credit when we mention that Dr. Fyfe has not, cither when treating 

 of its properties or preparation, mentioned that muriatic acid is con- 

 stituted of chlorine and hydrogen, or even that it is a compound 

 substance ? 



To proceed from acids to salts : the first that attracts our notice is 

 Super-oximuriate of Potass. The account of this salt is at once 

 defective and redundant : it is deficient as to composition, prepara- 

 tion and properties, but redundant as to the account of its uses; 

 for space is uselessly allotted to an account of Forsyth's Detonating 

 Lock, which an account of the nature of the salt would have properly 

 occupied. So extremely defective, indeed, is the account of the salt in 

 question, that the name of Chlorate of Potash, — which perhaps, ex- 

 cept at Edinburgh, is now universally adopted,— is not even mentioned ; 

 nor, as far as we have searched, is such an acid as the Chloric described 

 in any part of the work. This salt is extremely interesting to the che- 

 mist, as affording him oxygen gas in the greatest purity : but of the 

 latter circumstance no notice whatever is taken by Dr. Fyfe. As, how- 

 ever, contrary to the received modes of proceeding, he describes nitric 

 acid when treating of the salt which yields it, it occurred to us that we 

 might meet with chlorate of potash under the head of Oxygen (Jas. We 

 accordingly referred back to p. 106, and there met with the following 

 passage : — " Oxigen gas is procured from compounds, into which it 

 enters as a component part. That generally used is the substance 

 sold under the name of Manganese. — See Manganese." — Determined 

 however not to be foiled, if success were attainable, we turned to 

 Manganese, but found nothing whatever about chlorate of potash. 



If it were possible, we should gladly seize any opportunity of 

 speaking well of the work before us. But what can we say for an au- 

 thor, who in treating of a very important salt, calls it by an obsolete 

 name, and does not mention its modern one, though in general use ? 

 who omits not only to state the composition of the salt in question, 

 but does not in any part of his work mention the nature of the acid 

 which it contains ? and lastly, takes scarcely any notice of the most 

 useful purpose to which it is applied ! 



In concluding, we would remark that even where facts are correctly 

 stated, and which frequently is not the case, the language in whiili 

 the information is contained is extremely loose and vague, and quite 

 unworthy of the subject. As an example, we take the following j)as- 

 .sage from p. 213: — 



"All the acids act easily on zinc, owing to its powerful attraction 

 for oxigen. The action between it and sulpluiric acid is interesting, 

 a.s it affords a melhod of procuring hydrogen in a state of purity, and 

 another substance also much employed in the arts, sulphate of zinc, or 

 white vitriol. For this purpose, having put an ounce of zinc into a 

 retort, pour on it an equal ([uantitv of oil of vitriol, diluted with five 



of 



