Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 71 



ing water: when treated with a boiling solution of potash it slowly 

 yields benzoate of potash and sulphuret of potassium. It is inflam- 

 mable and burns with a sooty flame, sulphurous acid being formed. 

 Alcohol does not decompose it, 



Cyanuret of Benzoyle. — Hydruret of benzoyle dissolves some 

 cyanogen and possesses its smell; but the cyanogen is expelled by 

 a gentle heat, without decomposing the benzoyle. The true com- 

 pound is obtained by distilling chloride of benzoyle and cyanuret 

 of mercury. It has an oily appearance and a golden yellow colour : 

 chloride of mercury remains in the retort. When fresh rectified and 

 pure it is a colourless liquid, but it soon becomes of a yellow colour. 

 Its smell is strong and penetrating and occasions tears. It bears a 

 distant resemblance to oil of cinnamon. Its taste is biting and 

 sweetish, and its after-taste like prussic acid. 



It is heavier than water, sinks in it like an oil, and is quickly 

 changed into benzoic and hydrocyanic acids. If a drop remains on 

 the surface of the water, it is found the next day converted into ra- 

 diating crystals of benzoic acid. Boiled in water it quickly becomes 

 benzoic and hydrocyanic acids, it is inflammable and burns with 

 a very sooty flame. 



Benzamide. — When dry ammoniacal gas is passed over pure chlo- 

 ride of benzoyle, heat is given out, gas is absorbed and the liquid 

 is converted into a white solid mass. It is composed of muriate of 

 ammonia and a new substance, benzamide, so called on account of 

 the analogy which exists between it and oxamide in their composi- 

 tion and reactions. 



It is difficult to saturate the chloride completely with ammo- 

 niacal gas, because the solid mass which is produced at the com- 

 mencement of the action prevents the remainder of the liquid from 

 coming into contact with the ammonia. It is necessary frequently 

 to withdraw the mass from the vessel to press it, and to submit it again 

 to the action of the gas. In order to separate the benzamide, the 

 white mass is first washed with cold water, and the remaining ben- 

 zamide is dissolved in hot water, and the solution is suffered to cry- 

 stallize. If the ammoniacal gas is not perfectly dried, benzoate of 

 ammonia is procured, and the formation of benzamide proportionally 

 prevented. When a boiling solution of benzamide is suddenly 

 cooled, it crystallizes in brilliant crystals, like chloride of potash ; 

 but if it be slowly cooled, the crystals are needle formed, and have a 

 silky lustre, like those of caffein: after a day or more, great cavities 

 are formed in the crystalline mass, in which there are formed well 

 determined crystals, into which the silky crystals have been changed : 

 this change takes place gradually throughout the mass. 



The form of the crystals is a right rhombic prism, subject to vari- 

 ation ; they are transparent, of a pearly lustre, and float upon water 

 as if they were unctuous ; slightly soluble in cold water, the solu- 

 tion has but little taste; they are very readily soluble in alcohol ; 

 boiling aether also dissolves them, and the solution yields regular 

 crystals. At 239° Fahr., benzamide melts into a limpid liquid, 

 which on cooling becomes a coarsely-foliated crystalline mass. 



