w 



334 Miscellanies. 



an acid, latterly known in Germany under the name of acid of Vosges, 



(Voghesen-Laure) he found that it had the same composition and the 

 same atomic weight as tartaric acid. Its characters, however, and the 

 crystalline forms of its compounds, are different from those of tartaric 

 acid and the tartrates. The two kinds of salts, taking the same num- 

 ber of atoms of water, and the same species, being heteromorphous, it 

 is proved that bodies composed of the same number of elements, in 

 the same proportions, may have different chemical properties, and be 

 heteromorphous. This it may be perceived is the reverse of the iso- 

 morphism of compounds formed from different elements in the same 

 proportions. There are several known examples, analogous to that of 

 the true tartaric acids, both of organic and inorganic compounds. 

 Such are the old phosphoric acid, and the calcined phosphoric acid ; 

 the two stannic oxides ; fluid albumine, and coagulated albumine. 

 Berzelius proposes to give the name of isomeres to those compounds 

 whose properties arc different and composition identical, and to distin- 

 guish these isomaternal compounds from each other, to precede the 



eposition irapa. Thus we 



should say phosphoric acid, para-phosphoric acid, &c. 

 Aout. 1830. 



name 



Re 



29. Bitter Almonds. — An able memoir on the constituents of this 



substance, by Robiquet and Boutron Charlard, was favorably noticed 



in the French Academy on the 23d of August, by Thenard and Serul- 



las. The authors prove, 1st, that the volatile oil of bitter almonds is 



not all formed in the fruit ; that water is necessary to its production ; 



2d, that Benzoic acid is not precipitated in the volatile oil, but that 



the latter is susceptible of being entirely converted into Benzoic acid 



by the absorption of oxygen ; 3d, that there exists in bitter almonds a 



peculiar crystalline matter, white, inodorous, unalterable by air, of a 



bitter taste, very soluble in alcohol, and crystallizable by cooling in 



radiant needles ; susceptible of being disengaged from ammonia, when 



heated with a solution of caustic potash : that this substance, Avhich 



the authors name amygdaline, may be the only cause of the bitterness 



of this fruit, and one of the elements of its essential oil, in which they 



are induced to admit the existence of a benzoic radical. — Idem. 



NATVRAL msTORY, 



1. Meteoric Iron in Bohewia.—The locality where this mass of 

 meteoric iron was found, is the slope of a hill near the castle oi Bo- 

 humilitz, in the circle of Prachin in Bohemia, the estate of Baron 



