Chemistry and Physics. 273 



nia, which together with the nicotine and their salts, give the snuff the 

 power of exciting the mucous membrane of the nose. 



The following per-centages of nicotine in several French and 

 American tobaccos, were determined by the above mentioned 

 method. 



Lot, 



Lot Garrone, 

 Nord, - 



He et Vilaine, 

 Pasde Calais, 

 Alsatia, - 

 Virginia, 

 Kentucky, 

 Maryland, 



796 per cent, of nicotine in the dry tobacco. 



734 

 658 

 629 

 4-94 

 3-21 

 6-87 

 6 09 



229 



Havana, less than 200 



44 44 M 



44 (i 44 



41 44 <■<■ 



44 44 M 



44 i< « 



41 44 44 



44 44 44 



44 44 44 



G. C. S. 



16. On the influence of Ammonia upon the Nutrition of Animals; 

 by Fred. Kuhlmann, (Comptes Rendus, Feb., 1847.)— While engaged 

 in the researches of which we have already made mention, M. Kuhl- 

 mann was led to doubt the commonly received opinion that ammonia is 

 injurious to animal life. He had observed the growth of large numbers of 

 freshwater shells in a ditch which received the washings of animal black 

 at his establishment. This water was found to hold in solution bicar- 

 bonate of ammonia and carbonate of lime. Insects too are often pro- 

 duced in vast numbers amid ammonia exhalations. In order to test the 

 direct effects of this substance, the author determined to try the exper- 

 iment of mixing ammonia with the food, and the carbonate was chosen 

 as being less modified in its effects than any other salt, by the action of 

 its acid. 



Two pigs of nearly equal weight were fed with the same kind and 

 quantity of food, with this exception, that one took 100 grammes of car- 

 bonate of ammonia in solution, each day. This diet was continued for 

 l «o months, during which time the health of the animal receiving this 

 angular treatment seemed not in the least affected. Repeated weigh- 

 ■ngs showed no very great difference in their increase, and at the end 

 of the two months, the animal fed in the usual manner had gained 3* 

 kilogrammes on 78, while the other had gained 1 kiL on 76, although 

 lh * latter had consumed more than 6 kil. (over 13 pounds) of carbon- 

 ate of ammonia. . ' r 



. The most curious effect of this diet was upon the urine ; that irom 

 °°th animals was acid when fresh, but after fermentation the urine from 

 th e ammoniacal diet contained one-fifth more of carbonate of ammonia 

 $>»» the other— showing the presence of an increased quantity oJ urea, 

 /he author suggests that other changes in the digestion must have at- 

 tended the transformation of the carbonate into urea, and proposes a 

 urther investigation of the subject. 



1 he experiment is certainly curious, and deserves repetition under a 

 Var *ty of conditions ; but we cannot deny that the results are sus- 

 Ce Ptible of quite a different interpretation from that given by the 

 author. 



G. C S. 



6 



C0 *d S*ri ES) Vol. IV, No. 11.— Sept., 1847. 



36 



