PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 763 



A New Hydeocaraon. 

 Messrs. Friedel and Ladenbiirs; have succeeded^in preparing a 

 new hydrocarbon, isomeric with the hydride of jenanthyl, {eecJiel) 

 which they represent by the formuhi expressing a comliination of 

 one atom of carbon with two atomoids of methyl and two atomoids 

 of ethyh 



Cow-Pox. 

 Mr. A. Cheuvcau has shown that what is called spontaneous 

 cow or horse-pox can be produced at will by simply introducing 

 virus into the lymphatics, instead of into the blood-vessels. Eight 

 horses were experimented upon l)y him, confirming this view, and 

 he therefore concludes the power of the vaccine scab is suspended 

 in the air, from whence it is introduced into the lungs of cattle. 



Improvement in Projioting Fermentation. 

 Sulphuric acid has been extensively used by distillers of molasses 

 for converting the mash much quicker into vinous fermentation ; 

 this process has been improved by the addition of phosphoric acid, 

 according to the suggestion first made by the French chemist 

 Pasteur, who, regarding yeast as a plant containing phosphorus, 

 believed the process of fermentation might be stimulated by that 

 element. Practical results have proved the correctness of this 

 theory, and many distillers now use the phosphate of soda. 



Borax. 

 The discovery of immense beds of borax in the Cascade moun- 

 tains has become of more importance from the fact that this com- 

 pound, which is a borate of soda, is now extensively used in 

 Holland and Belgium by washerwomen, instead of soda. By usino- 

 a large handful of powdered borax to every ten gallons of Avater 

 a saving of about fifty per cent of soap is eftected. Borax being 

 a neutral salt, does not injure the texture of fabrics. Borax has 

 long been used for cleansing the hair, also as a dentifrice. As 

 good tea cannot be made from hard water The Medical and, Surgi- 

 cal Journal recommends the use of a teaspoonful of borax to an 

 ordinary sized kettle of such water in which it should boil. The 

 saving in the quantity of tea used will be at least one-fifth. Pure 

 borax is the biborate of soda with ten atoms of water. 



