1814.] Sdenii/ic IntelUgence, fi 



Article X. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGKNCB; AND NOTICES OF SUBJECTS 

 CONNECTED WITH SCIENCE. 



I. Lectures. 



Mr. Singer will commence his Lectures on the Experimental 

 Sciences, to a limited number of subscribers, on Tuesday, the 18th 

 of January. 



Dr. Clarke and Mr. Clarke will begin their ncKt Course of 

 Lectures on Midwifery and the Diseases of Women and Children, 

 on Monday, January the 24tii, 1814. The Lectures are read at the 

 house of Mr. Clarke, No. 10, Upper John-street, Golden-square, 

 every morning, from a quarter past ten to a quarter past eleven, for 

 the convenience of students attending the Hospitals. 



Dr. Merriman, Pliysician-Accouchcur to the Middlesex Hospital, 

 &c. will begin a new Course ot Lectures, on the Theory and Prac- 

 tice of Midwifery, and the Diseases of Women and Children, at 

 the above Hospital, on Monday, January the 21th, at half-past ten 

 o'clock. 



IL Singular new discovered Body^ 



About a fortnight ago Sir Joseph Banks received a letter from 

 Sir Humphry Davy, who is at present in Paris, mentioning a newly 

 discovered violet coloured gas, which had lately attracted the notice 

 of men of science : but no particulars are given of its nature op 

 production. 



In the Journal de Paris for the .Sd of December, it is stated, 

 that a memoir on this suljstance, by Clement and Desormes, liad 

 been read before the French Listilute, and the following circum- 

 stances respecting it are stated. It was discovered by M. Courtois, 

 and was obtained from kelp. When heated to 158°, it is converted 

 into a gaseous substance of a strong violet colour. It is not acted 

 on by oxygen, charcoal, or a red heat. With hydrogen and with 

 phosphorus it produces muriatic acid. It combines with the metals 

 without efi'crvescence. It combines also with the metallic oxides, 

 and forms compounds soluble in water. With ammonia it forms a 

 detonating compound. 



This notice is rather enigmatical ; but it would appear from it 

 that the substance in question has many properties in common with 

 chbrinc. Hence it is probably a compound of chlorine and some 

 other body. What is meant by saying, that with phosphorus it 

 forms muriatic acid, I do not understand. A few weeks will pro- 

 bably put us in possession of the mode of preparing this substance, 

 and of course enable us to examine it. 



When aminoniacal gas comes in contact with the oxymuriatc of 

 sulphur, it assumes a violet colour of great intensity and beauty. 



