Chemical Soctety. $21 
gave 0:053 of the black substance, and when burnt 0°31 of platina, 
affording in the one case 0°15, in the other 0°2U per cent. as nitro- 
gen. ‘The sugar, to ensure purity, had been crystallized twice out 
of an aqueous solution, again dissolved and thrown down by alcohol, 
collected and recrystallized out of water. A small quantity of it 
heated with some of the alkaline mixture in a test-tube, afforded 
vapours which did not affect the red colour of litmus paper. Fre~ . 
quently in analyses by this method, especially when the organic 
substance is very rich in carbon, fluid carburetted hydrogens distil 
over, which remain behind on evaporation, forming a black residue. 
This is not wholly dissolved on edulcorating with ether and alcohol, 
and goes to increase the weight of platinum salt, if there be any. The 
residue remaining on the filter after edulcoration with alcohol and 
zether in the second experiment, did not exhibit under the microscope 
the least trace of the yellow crystalline salt, but was of a blackish 
brown amorphous appearance. It appears, therefore, that the sub- 
stance calculated above as ammonio-chloride of platinum was most 
probably platinum which had been reduced by these carburetted 
hydrogens during evaporation. 
An analysis of oxamide by the new process gave an excellent 
result, the per-centage of nitrogen falling just below the theoretical 
quantity. 
61. “On the Sugar of the Eucalyptus,” by James F. W. John- 
ston, Esq., F.R.S., will shortly appear in our pages. 
62. “On the probable existence of Nitrogen combined with Sili- 
con in Soils and other Substances,” by W. H. Balmain, Esq. 
The stability of the compounds of boron and silicon with nitrogen, 
and the facility with which such compounds are produced when or- 
ganic matter is strongly heated with a borate or silicate, seemed to 
render it probable that such bodies might occasionally exist in un- 
expected circumstances, as in soils or minerals for example, and ex- 
periments were made with a view of directly ascertaining whether 
this was the case. 
Samples of several varieties of soil were boiled for some time with 
a mixture of dilute sulphuric and nitric acids, then washed and dried 
and subjected to the action of hydrate of potash at a high tempera- 
ture ; ammonia was in all cases abundantly disengaged, even after 
the purified soil had been heated to redness. In one instance the 
sample of soil was boiled with strong nitric acid as long as nitrous 
acid vapours were generated, then submitted to the action of di- 
lute sulphuric acid, washed again, boiled with strong solution 
of caustic potash, washed, and then agitated with chlorine gas; 
yet on being heated with hydrate of potash it gave off ammonia 
abundantly. 
It was inferred by the author, that the nitrogen ultimately found 
was in combination with silicon, and in that condition had resisted 
the action of the various agents employed for its removal. 
_January 3, 1843.—The following communications were read :— 
63. “ On Palladium, its Extractionand Alloys,” by W.J. Cock, Esq. 
64. “ On the Formation of Fat in the Animal Body,” by Justus 
Liebig, M.D. 
Phil. Mag. 8. 3. Vol. 22, No. 145. April 1843. i 
