718 Traxsactioks of the American Institute. 



of a very large audience. Prof. Tillman then read the following 

 notes on science. 



New Electoral Phehtomenon. 

 H. Poggendorff has described a new experiment made by him with 

 a Iloltz machine for generating electricity. A glass tube, from which 

 the air had been exhausted as completely as possible, is partly filled 

 with mercury. The ends of the tube, being previously coated with 

 tin-foil, are bent at right angles, so that wlien the main part of the 

 tube, about a foot in length, is horizontal, the platinum wire entering 

 at each end will not come in contact witli the mercury. Thus pre- 

 pared, the tube is hung between the electrodes of the machines, so as 

 to be perfectly horizontal ; when the machine is set in motion, the 

 mercury thus isolated in the tube is seen to travel from the negative 

 to the positive pole. The thread of mercury was about four inches 

 in length, and moved over a space of eight inches in from two to 

 three seconds, elongating itself during the action about one inch. 

 The quantity of mercury used was about one ounce ; a smaller amount 

 of metal could not be made to move. 



A Feageant Substance feom Resin. 

 ^Mr. "W. Skey has published the following: Common resin, lac or 

 Kauri gum, in a state of powder, is gently heated with dilute nitric 

 acid for a few hours ; the mixture, or solution, as the case may be, is 

 then evaporated to dryness, or nearly so, and treated with an excess 

 of a strong solution of common soda, caustic potash, and lime in 

 water ; the resulting liquid is tlien transferred to a retort and distilled. 

 At first the distillate has an odor of garlic, but this gradually gives 

 way to an odor decidedly fragrant. On redistilling the portion last 

 drawn over from concentrated sulphuric acid, a strong aqueous solu- 

 tion of this odorous substance is obtained, the solution itself has a 

 warm aromatic flavor, and odor assimilates to that of peppermint 

 mixed with lavender. Bichromate of potash with sulphuric acid 

 also, may be used for the oxydation resin employed. 



OXYDATION OF AmyLIC AlcOHOL. 



The following statement is made by A. Clans. Amylic alcohol, 

 nitric acid having a specific gravity of 1.5, and water, were placed in 

 a cylinder without being mixed. After the lapse of four months the 

 smell of alcohol disappeared, that of amjdic valerianate being substi- 



