478 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



carbonic acid gas are abundant in this water. There are several 

 springs of different dimensions, the bathing basins of which are 

 at distances varying from ten to fifteen yards from each other. 

 At half-past five p.m., the temperature of the air in the shade 

 being 71° F., tlie water in the centre of the largest basin (where 

 the bubbles are thrown up by the gas to an elevation of 6 or 8 

 inches above the surrounding surface) was at 82° — the average 

 of the tem]jerature of the other springs near by. 



On the left bank of the Laur a small bubbling spring of water, 

 similar to those last mentioned, had a temperature of 86° F. These 

 tepid mineral springs lying to the eastward of Aske, do not appear 

 to be affected by the intervention of the deep and rocky bed of the 

 Laur. To the westward of Aske, at the distance of about \\ mile, 

 on the left bank of the river, and not more than 150 feet above its 

 bed, is a fine cold chalybeate spring : besides iron, this probably con- 

 tains carbonic acid gas and a small portion of sulphur. Its tempe- 

 rature was found to be .50° F., that of the atmosphere being 73° F. 

 It is not disagreeable to the taste, and in some complaints is found 

 very strengthening and efficacious. 



In conclusion, the author referred to the undeveloped riches of the 

 Elburz — its coal, iron, copper, silver, sulphur, marble, and other 

 mineral treasures. 



LIV. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



OBSERYATIONS ON MR. COUPER^S NEW CHEMICAL THEORY. 

 BY M. A. KEKULK. 



AT the meeting of the 14th of June, Mr. Couper presented to the 

 Academy of Sciences a " Note on a New Chemical Theory*," in 

 which I find several ideas so nearly identical with others published 

 by me a short time since, that I think it my duty to submit some 

 observations on the subject. In fact, in two memoirs which have 

 appeared in Liebig's Annalen, one " On Copulated Compounds, and 

 the Theory of the Polyatomic Radicals " (November 1857), and the 

 other " On the Constitution and Metamorphoses of Chemical Com- 

 pounds, and the Chemical Nature of Carbon " (dated March 16, and 

 published May 19, 1858), I have put forward different views, which, 

 in my opinion, should furnish a clearer insight into the constitution 

 of chemical compounds. 



Mr. Couper commences his memoir with these words: — " I ascend 

 to the elements themselves, of which I study the mutual affinities. 

 This study is sufficient, in my opinion, for the exj^lanation of all 

 chemical combinations." 



Now in my second memoir, at page 136, there is the following 

 phrase : — " I think it necessary for the explanation of the properties 

 of chemical compounds, to ascend to the elements themselves of 

 which these are composed." 



Further on, in speaking of carbon, Mr. Couper says, " The high- 

 est known power of combination for carbon is that of the second 

 * See also p. 104 of the present volume of this Journal. 



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