312 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



Silica from 1 to 3 parts 



Lead 1 to 5 



Copper 0*5 to 2'5 . . 



Manganese 10 to 24 . . 



After this determination, so easily effected, it became a curious sub- 

 ject of inquiry, whether the copper and the lead are disseminated 

 throughout the whole mass of the blood, or if, as happens with the 

 iron, tliey are confined to the red particles. 



Experience has left no doubt on this subject. One kilogramme 

 of the clot, carefully separated from the serum of many bleedings, 

 yielded O'OSS gr. of lead and copper ; one kilogramme of serum se- 

 parated from the preceding clot yielded only 0-003 gr. of these two 

 metals. These three milligrammes of lead and copper contained in 

 the serum, ought undoubtedly to be attributed to the red globules 

 dissolved or suspended in the lymph. 



It appears, then, that the copper and the lead are not diffused 

 throughout the blood, but are fixed with the iron in the globules ; 

 and everything leads to the conclusion that they contribute, as it 

 does, to organization and to life. Do they exert a decided influ- 

 ence on the health ? Does chlorosis exist on account of deficiency 

 of copper, lead and manganese ? or is their excess the secret cause 

 of any obscure and disordered affection ? Therapeutics ought to 

 answer these questions, and enlighten us in its turn. Legal medi- 

 cine, on its part, will perhaps draw up useful hints as to the per- 

 manent presence of these metallic poisons, and with respect to their 

 enormous variations, even in the midst of life. — Comptes Rendus, 

 Janvier 10, 1848. 



ON THE AllTIFICIAL FORMATION OF CRYSTALLIZED MINERAES. 

 BY M. EBELMEN. 



The author observes, that hitherto only two methods have been 

 employed to obtain crystallized and definite combinations in the dry 

 way. One consists in submitting to igneous fusion bodies, either 

 simple or compound, alone or mixed with each other in certain pro- 

 portions proper to constitute definite compounds. It often happens, 

 in this case, that crystals are formed and are isolated throughout 

 the fused mass during its cooling. It is in this way that various 

 compounds which have been isolated, have been found in the pro- 

 ducts of glass-houses, and in the scoriae of metallurgic processes, 

 which M. Mitscherlich has found perfectly to resemble the products 

 of the mineral kingdom. It is by the same method that M. Berthier 

 has prepared a certain number of crystallized borates and silicates. 

 It has as yet been applied only to compounds which are fusible at 

 the temperature of the furnaces to which the mixture of substances 

 is exposed. 



The second method can only be employed with compounds which 

 are distillable or volatile. It has long been known to chemists by 

 the name of sublimation. 



The process which M. Ebelmen has employed is perfectly new. 



