Inlelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 75 



by the addition of water. It has a penetrating odour of fruit and 

 of valerian ; it is colourless; its specific gravity is 0-894 ; its boiling 

 point is 272° Fahr. ; it is scarcely soluble in water, but dissolves 

 very readily in alcohol, sether, and oils. 



The results of the analysis with oxide of co])per were 



Hydrogen 10-736 10-851 



Carbon 64-723 64-963 



Oxygen 24-341 24-186 



100- 100- 



Which indicate the annexed theoretical composition, 



28 eqs. hydrogen 174-713 10-623 



14 carbon 1070090 65-056 



4 oxygen 400-000 24-321 



1644-803 100. 



According to these results, this sether is formed of 



1 eq. valerianic acid 10 C+ 18 H4-3 O 



1 ffither 4C + 10H+1 O 



14C + 28H + 4 O 

 The other properties of this agther are similar to those already 

 known. — Journal de Pharmacie, vol. xxiv. p. 365. 



ACTION OF SULPHATE OF AMMONIA ON GLASS. BY 

 M. MARCHAND. 

 A mixture of hydrochlorate and nitrate of ammonia attacks glass 

 very strongly, especially when it contains lead ; and the same is the 

 case with sulphate of ammonia. This salt, as is well known, if 

 neutral, is converted by the action of heat into an acid salt, giving out 

 ammonia ; it may therefore be considered, under these circumstances, 

 as an acid salt. If it be heated in a glass vessel, it begins to fuse 

 at about 284° Fahr.; up to 536° it suffers no alteration, but at this 

 temperature it gives out ammonia, and sulphuric acid and sulphite 

 of ammonia sublime, and then it may be observed that the glass is 

 strongly attacked. All the interior surface becomes dull, because com- 

 bination takes i)lace between the sulphuric acid and the potash of the 

 glass, and temporarily, probably, between the ammonia and the sili- 

 cic &cid. Most commonly the vessel, which is frequently acted upon 

 to the middle of the glass, breaks, and from the fissures there jjro- 

 ceeds a sort of saline fixed white mass, difficultly soluble, and which 

 is easily found by the Ijlowpipe to be sulphate of potash. M. Mar- 

 chand states, that lie has also freciuently observed that watch glasses 

 containing lead, which he employs to dry substances in vacuo over 

 sulphuric acid, are covered, after a certain time (about two to 

 four weeks) with numerous cracks, and from which he has easily 

 detached sm'.dl fragments. It was impossible, however, to deter- 

 mine that loss of weight occurred in tliis case : this phienomcnon 

 could not therefore be derived from a diaeugagcmeut of inclosed air, 



