154- Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



And if reduced to 100 parts according to the formula C^o H'^, ac- 

 cording to this new atomic weight, we should have 



Cw 1520-0 93-8 



H"= 100-0 6-2 



1620- 100- 



M. Dumas observes, that according to this hypothesis, the old 

 formula for napththalin will remain correct, the atomic weight of 

 carbon, inferred from the density of carbonic acid and that of oxygen 

 gas, would however be incorrect. 



It will be remembered by chemists, that some years since Ber- 

 zelius represented the atomic weight of carbon by 75'33, which, 

 from the results obtained in the analyses of organic substances, he 

 raised to 76'52. More lately a ft-esh modification has brought it to 

 76'44, which is the number adopted by many chemists. It is im- 

 possible, observes M. Dumas, according to the analysis of naphthalin, 

 that this last atomic weight can be correct, unless it be supposed 

 that an error which much exceeds all probability can be attributed to 

 hydrogen, hence it would be equal to about one-sixth of its weight; 

 added to this, every thing indicates that there is no error in the 

 atomic weight of hydrogen. It follows, therefore, that the atomic 

 weight of carbon must be inaccurate ; for 100 of naphthedin always 

 o-ive 6'2 of hydrogen, and 94-9, or at least 94'2 of carbon, which 

 makes an excess of y()%o, and even of ^hho- 



From these results will be seen the necessity of reducing the ato- 

 mic weight of carbon to 76'0, or even 75-9, which last appears to be 

 the most probable. — Journal de Pharmacie, vol. xxiv. p. 393. 



[It will be observed that hydrogen =1, the atomic weight of 

 carbon will be 6-07, which comes very near to the number hypothe- 

 tically adopted by Dr. Prout, and admitted by Dr. Thomson, Dr. 

 Henry, Mr. Brande, and most English chemists, — R. P.] 



COMPOSITION OF WAX. 

 It having been supposed that wax contained margaric acid and 

 peculiar compounds which were termed cerain and cerin, M. Hess 

 has undertaken a fresh examination of this substance ; he commenced 

 by treating yellow wax with cold aether, which decolorises it in 

 great part, and divides it into very delicate small scales ; these were 

 put in a filter and suffered to drain, and the coloured solution having 

 run through, a fresh quantity of aether was added. The wax which 

 remained undissolved by this second operation was separated, and 

 twice melted with water; it was then white, hard, brittle, and 

 melted at about 150° Fahr. Two analyses gave, 



Hydrogen. . . 13-21 13-22 



Carbon 80-79 80-84. 



Oxygen. . . . 6-00 5-94 



100- 100- 

 The portion of wax dissolved by the first quantity of aether was 

 separated from it by distillation with water. This, the more soluble 



