118 Scientific Intelligence. 
phosphate of soda PO, (Na, H). By a on of a . is converted 
into a salt analogous to the pyrophosphate An of ammonia 
in the cold produces an insoluble yellowish a wliteh “yielded on anal- 
ysis 4PbO, NO,, 
[As phosphorus and arsenic are metaleptic with nitrogen, and sul- 
phur with oxygen, we may arrange the tribasic nitrates, the triphos- 
phates, the sulphophosphates, the arseniates, sulphoxyarseniates and 
ig pagans urets of Berzelius in the same group. Representing - 
n equivalent of hydrogen or a metal we have— 
rehele nitrates, i ; 5 ;  INOe MM, 
Tribasic phosphates, : a : 
Sulphophosphates, . ‘ : ; ‘ P(O, s)M, 
Arseniates, ‘ 3 ; ; AsO, M, 
Sulphoxyarseniates, ‘ ; é : . As(O,8)M, 
Triarsenio-persulphurets, : s8,] 
The history of the arseniates is yet imperfect, atid the monobasic and 
bibasic salts are pap uehee but the arsenio-sulphurets which Berzelius 
has described as compounds of the persulphuret with one, two an 
three equivalents of sulphuret of potassium, correspond perfectly to the 
three classes of phosphates. T. 3. ae 
On the Products of the Decomposition of Gelatine i Aas | 
A. Scuirerer, (Liebig’s An nn., vol. lix, p, 1.)— f. Mar- 
in the w water, is mixed with the acid din ‘the pulverized bichromate, 
and carefully distilled until the residue grows thick. The nas 
acid and turbid with an odor of prussic acid; it is mixed w 
mercury and redistilled ; the first portions contain the voldiila oily pro- 
ducts and are collected apart. The distillation being continued, a 
strongly acid liquid passes over, which was neutralized with carbonate 
of soda. The soda salts decomposed by dilute sulphuric, afford c 
talline benzoic acid and a mixture of acetic and va ler erianic acids Be. 
sides these, a large sari A us prussic acid is formed which rests as 
a cyanid of mercury in the r 
The oily products were nurified by repeated rectification, first alone. 
and then with chlorid of calcium; they were finally separated by t the 
difference in their boiling points. Valeronitrile, the less volatile oil, 
is colorless, ers i: slightly soluble in water, and readily in alcohol and 
ether. It has an acid aromatic taste, ar an odor like the oil of bitter 
almonds or sitee | ; aig neutral, and boils at 257° F., it burns 
with a white flame. The composition of this Foxes & is C,, H, N; am- 
monia, nitric and bjdrochilbri acids, have no action upon it, but sul- 
phuric os en it, evolving yates acid and forming sul- 
a 
re. ammon ia 
© es this Seorall, eb, Ga 
oe ee 
ak eee ene Re ee en i 
