Chemistry and Physics. 283 
tallic mercury and boiling hot water. The mass from brittle becomes 
soft and plastic when enough mercury is taken up. The excess o 
mercury should be pressed out, and the cake allowed to haiden: which 
ap more time, than after the iain sofiening. G.-C S, 
nzole; by C. B. MansFiE.p, (Chem. Gaz., June, 9.) 
: asefi ‘escent of coal sent which is mainly benzo le, was noticed 
p. 
for obtaining pure benzole in large re from coal tar. The -— 
the head of which is surrounded b nae rising to 212° and no 
higher, suffers the volatile. Saas of higher boiling point to p" 3 
back into the vessel, while the more volatile benzole passes over a wil 
condensed as usual. By a eee rectificalign, keeping the still heal 
ata temperature of 176°, the benzole is obtained still purer. [tis next 
agitated with one-tenth its bulk of strong nitric acid, poured off and 
again agitated with sulphuric acid. When redistilled, it may be further 
purified by cooling to 4° F. ; the crystals prema and afterwards treuted 
with chlorid of calcium, furnish a pure article. 
As benzole dissolves India rubber, gutta percha and most —— it 
may be valuable for these purposes, for which, however, the rude 
coal naphtha is generally used. Its solvent power renders it, font 
ing to the author, a cheap and less volatile substitute for ether in the 
ca 
_ labo ‘alory. 
ier, number of most interesting compounds, aniline, nitraniline, 
i: o ts Ba - obtained from this substance in great quan arte 
: oO 
das Separation LA Phosphoric Acid from ee, ; 1 H. 
Rowe ike der K. P. . Wissensch. zu Berlin, 1849, 220; 
Chem. Gaz.; No. 173. ste author —? published a method* upon 
Separating Whosphoric acid from bases by means of mercury, whic 
admits of the en one acid being separated from most of the bases 
in such a manner, that not onl its uantity can be determined with 
great accuracy, “a that after its separation the bases can be dimen 
examined and accurately estimated, without being contaminated by 1 
he pr ne Ae 
esa heed for separating the phosphoric acid. 
etho 
modification ; but with the presence of cies the abou increase 
to such = extent that the method becomes inapplicable. 
It is however often of importance to be able to aikimine the phos- 
era hoses with accuracy in complex compounds which also contain 
alumina. In several rocks, especially in the basalts, salts of phospho- 
ric esis occur, principally apatite ; and undoubtedly the great fertility 
of a soil consisting of decomposed basalt is owing to the a 
apati Ite 
When basalt is treated in the pulverized state with a dilute acid, 
dissolves the apatite, together with the con nstituents of the decomposed 
: zeolitic mineral soluble in acids, among which alumina is almost always 
’ present. Now by means of the molybdate of ammonia, the acid solu- 
acerca Si lca 
* See this Journal, viii, 181, Sept. 1549. 
