Ammonia in Rain-water. 265 
occasion of a memoir of M. Mourier on this subject. It is known too 
that according to Magendie’s experiment, dogs could live on bran bread, 
whilst they died when kept on white bread. This fact which appeared 
so singular, is explained through the researches in question. 
. 
e inner surface of bran is covered with azotized principles which 
ra 
that the bran acts as a ferment in fermentation, and consequently in 
a similar manner in digestion. 
the Ammonia contained in Rain-water.—M. Boussincautt has 
continued at his country seat at Liebfrauenberg (Lower Rhine) his re- 
searches mentioned in the November number of this Journal. From 
fn ammonia. € proportions, by several trials, were 6 milligrams 
to the litre ; but the amount is reduced to 1-02 a day. On 
Monia, that the water had an alkaline reaction; a litre of the water 
contained about 2 decigrams of carbonate of mmonia. Seventy-five 
rains (including the dew and mist) examined by Boussingault between 
the 26th of May and the 8th of November, contained, as a mean, half 
@ milligram of ammonia. The great quantity of ammonia contained 
in the mist appears interesting in its bearing on vegetable pathology: 
n fact, although ammonia in small quantity is favorable to vegetation, 
a large proportion would be injurious, and would show its effects espe- 
hese physicists admit that both currents traverse the joining wire, that 
they neutralize one another in one case, and add to one another in the 
. et; and as the development of heat is regarded as due to the reun- 
10n of the two fluids, nothing prevents that the four equal streams should 
©°mbine two and two in the common part of the current, and produce 
in all cases an elevation of temperature alike whatever may be the di- 
Tection of one of the currents. ait 
Stcowp Serms, Vol, XVII; No. 50.—March, 1854. 34 
