S88 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Aiiicles. 



tion of the hydrated orange sulphuret. If a current of hydrogen be 

 passed at a low red heat over kermes deprived of moisture by heat, 

 much water and sulphuretted hydrogen are obtained, and the anti. 

 monv is reduced ; but, as already observed, the residue possesses an 

 alkaline re-action. After these various experiments, it is unquestioti- 

 able that kermes contains oxide and sulphuret of antimony, and it 

 ought to be considered as an oxisulphuret. The quantity of water 

 obtained by decomposing it with hydrogen is variable ; but it may be 

 considered as composed of one proportion of protoxide of antimony 

 and two proportions of protosulphuret. In fact, I obtained 0-9 of the 

 proportion of protoxide ; and M. Henry by another process found 

 the difference still less. 



It is equally certain that kermes mineral precipitated from the al- 

 kaline sulphurets which lield it in solution, is an hydrate. It loses 

 water gradually as the temperature is raised, and appears black when 

 deprived of it ; but in my experiments I did not obtain a definite pro- 

 portion. 



When potash, soda, or their carbonates act upon black sulphuret of 

 antimony, their oxygen goes to the antimony, with which it forms 

 protoxide, and the sulphur of the antimony takes the place of the 

 oxygen of the alkali : thus it is that no kermes is obtained by boiling 

 sulphuret of antimony with sulphuret of potassium saturated with 

 sulphur; but by means of acid, a yellowish orange precipitate is 

 formed in the solution, which when heated yields sulphur and becomes 

 black. The golden sulphuret gives a similar result. — Ann. de Chim. et 

 Phys. tom. xlii. p. 88. 



THORINA AND THORINUM. BY BERZELIUS. 

 In the Phil. Mag. for November last, we noticed Berzelius's dis- 

 covery of a new earth or rather me.'allic oxide, to which he gave the 

 name of Thorina : we add the following particulars respecting it. 

 Thorina hardens in the fire, and it becomes difficult to powder it. Its 

 specific gravity is greater than that of any other earth, and almost 

 equal to that of oxide of lead, being 9--102. It is infusible and un- 

 alterable by the blowpipe ptr se. With borax it dissolves extremely 

 slowly and the resulting glass is not transparent, but it may be so 

 saturated as to become milky on cooling. It dissolves slowly with 

 salt of |)hospliorus, and carbonate of .soda does not dissolve it at all. 

 One hundred parts of thorina appear to consist of 



Thorina 88-16 



Oxygen 1 1-84 



and one hundred parts of hydrate of thorina of 



Thorina 88-2.5 



Water 11 -75 



The weight of its atom, according to Berzelius, is 884-9 ; hydrogen 

 being unity, we may perhaps a.ssume it to be 70. 



Thorina is distinguished from other earths principally by its com- 

 bination with sulphuric acid ; in this combination, heat precipitates a 

 salt, which by cooling slowly, but completely, redissolves. It is, how- 

 ever, to be observed with respect to this re-action, thdt it does not oc- 

 cur 



