190 Miscellanies. 
in an atmosphere of hydrogen, and in vacuo. The volatilization of 
phosphorus was so copious as to coat throughout the inner surface of - 
the glass receiver, with an opake film, in color resembling that of 
the oxide of phosphorus, generated by exposing this substance under 
hot water, to a current of oxygen. . 
The phosphuret at first contracted in bulk, and finally was for the 
most part volatilized. On the surface of the charcoal adjoining the 
cavity in which the phosphuret had been deflagrated, there was a 
light pulverulent matter, which, thrown into water, effervesced, and 
when rubbed upon a porcelain tile, appeared to contain metallic span- 
gles, which were oxidized by the consequent exposure to atmospheric 
oxygen. . 
In one of Dr. Hare’s experiments with the apparatus described, 
portions of the carbon forming the anode appeared to have undergone 
complete fusion, and to have dropped in globules upon the cathode. 
When rubbed, these globules had the color and lustre of plumbago 
and by friction on paper, left traces resembling those produced by 
that substance. They were susceptible of reaction with chlorohydri¢ 
or nitric acid, or with aqua regia. They were not, in the slightest 
degree, magnetic. 
About 1822, Professor Silliman had obtained globules which were 
by him considered as fused carbon, by others were deemed to be de- 
' positions of carbon carried from one electrode to the other. Profes- 
sor Silliman had at that time sent Dr. Hare several nodules for ex- 
~ amination, of which none, agreeably to his recollection, appeared 80 
much like products of fusion as those lately obtained. 
Formerly, plumbago had been considered as a carburet of iron, 
but latterly, agreeable to the high authority of Berzelius, should be 
viewed as carbon holding iron in a state of mixture, and not in that 
of chemical combination. It would not then be surprising, if the 
globules in question furnished an instance of the conversion of char- 
coal into plumbago. 
Since the above mentioned experiments were made, Dr. Hare has 
had reason to believe that the compound obtained as above described; 
by heating lime with bicyanide of mercury, contains fulminic acid, of 
an analogous substance. The compound being dissolved in acetie 
acid, and the filtered solution subjected to nitrate of mereury; @ copl- 
ous white precipitate resulted. This being desiccated, proves to be 
a fulminating powder. It explodes between a hammer and anvil like 
fulminating mercury, or rather with the sharp sound of fulminating 
iver. 
Sees Hays made a verbal communication of a case of the application 
of the catoptric method of examining the eye, by which be had de- 
