SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



[1853. 



On th'. Preparation of Liquid Ohtc. — All chemists are aware, that 

 •n-heu a solutiua of glue (gelatine) is heated aud cooled several times 

 iu coutact with the air, it loses the property of forniiug a jelly. JI. 

 Graelin observed that a soliitioii of isiuglass, euclosed lu a sealed glass 

 tube and kept iu a state of ebullition ou the water-bath for several 

 days, presented the same plieuomenou— that is to say, the glue 

 remained tiuid, aud did uot firm a jelly. The change thus produced 

 is one of the problems most difficult of solution iu organic chemistry. 

 It may be supposed, however, that, in the alteration which the glue 

 tmdergnes, the oxygen of the air or of the water plays a principal part ; 

 what leads me to "think this, is the effect producecl upon glue by a 

 small quantity of uitiic acid. It is well known that by treating gela- 

 tine with an excess of this acid, it is converted by heat into malic aud 

 oxalic acids, fatty matter, tannin, etc. But it is uot thus when the glue 

 is treated with its weight of water aud with a small quantity of nitric 

 acid ; by this means a glue is obtaiued which preserves nearly all its 

 primitive qualities, but which has uo longer the power of forming a 

 jelly. XJpou this process, which I communicated, is founded the 

 iParisian manufacture of tlie glue which is sold in France under the 

 title of •' colic liquids d inalterable." This glue being very convenient 

 to cabinet-makers, joiners, pasteboard-workers, toy-makers, and otiiers, 

 as it is applied cold. I think it my duty, in order to increase its manu- 

 facture, to pubHsh the process : — It consists iu taking 1 kilog. of glue, 

 and dissolving it iu 1 litre of water in a glazed pot over a gentle tire, 

 or. what is better, in the water-bath, stirrmg it from time to time. 

 When all the glue is melted, 200 grms. of nitric acid (.=pec. grav. 1-.32) 

 are to be poured iu, in small quantities at a time. This addition pro- 

 duces an effervescence, owing to the disengagement of hyjjouiti-ous 

 acid. When all the acid is added, the vessel is to be taken from the 

 five, and left to cool. I have kept the glue, thus prepared iu an open 

 vessel during more than two years, without its undergoing any change. 

 It is very convenient in chemical operations ; I nse it with advautage 

 in my laboratory for the preservation of various gases, by covering 

 strips of linen w'ith it. — il. S. Dumoulin : Compics Rendus, Sept. 27. 



On the composilion and microscopic structure of certain Basaltic and 

 Mdamorphic Rocks, hy Do. Axdkews.— By exammiug a thin splinter 

 of basalt under the microscope. Dr. Andrews has succeeded in detect- 

 ing the presence of the following minerals : 1st, a colourless glassy 

 mineral, probably some variety of Zeolite ; 2nd, Augite : 3rd, Magnetic 

 oxide iron ; 4th," Iron Pviitcs. By examining the metamorphic rock 

 of Poitrush, an indurated' clay coutainiug the characteristic fossils of 

 the lias formation, an immense immber of very minute crystals of 

 iron pyrites were discovered, andou reducing it to powder and touch- 

 ino- witli a magnet, a quantity of magnetic oxide of iron was extracted. 

 This mineral seems to be much more universally diffused than is 

 generally supposed, it having been detected by Dr. Andrews, in various 

 specimens of basalt, granite, primitive limestone, h.ardened chalk, mag- 

 nesiau limestone, and many metamorphio rocks. In coofing slate, 

 serpentine and marble, only a doubtful n-ace could be detected. 



Dr. Andrews has also succeeded in detecting the presence of metallic 

 iron in various bas.tlts. Pure or uncombined iron exists iu meteoric 

 stones, which are very similar in many respects to basalt, but the 

 instances of its having teen found as a miue.-al, are very few, and not 

 in every case well auUienticated. Tlie grains of iron in the Uralian 

 gold and platinum sands, have been proved by Rose, to arrive from 

 the iron vessels employed iu the washing, and Dr. Andrews expreses 

 some doubt as to the iron of Canaan, iu Connecticut. The method of 

 detecting the metallic iron, is to reduce the mineral to powder, to 

 extract the magnetic particles by means of a maguet, aud having 

 ■brought them into the tield of the microscope, to moisten them with 

 an aAd solution of sulphate of copper ; a deposit of red metallic cop- 

 per then takes plice. If dilute sulphuric acid be employed alone, au 

 effervesceucc will be observed from various points, which ceases imme- 

 diately on the addition of the copper solution, a red precipitatiou being 

 produced. Dr. Andrews has selected the iron in several basalts, iu the 

 indurated lias slate of Portrush, and in the trachyte of Auvergne. 



The effect might possibly be produced by nickel .ind cobnlt, instead 

 of iron, but the presence of either oftlieso mctnls, is exceediugly im- 

 probable. Dr. Andrews seems iuclined to ascribe the origin of the 

 mclallic iron, to the rednciug ageucy of such gases as hydrogen or 

 carliiiuic oxide, while the basaltic rock was still iu a state of iguitiou. — 

 British Association, Bcfast, Sept. 2nd. 1852. 



Mr. LettsDm h;is also dis^.overed the presence of metallic iron in 

 fossil wood. — Philosophical Mayazinc, Novanber, 1852. 



CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



ANXIAL C0XVKnS.\Z10XE. — XOTICF. TO COlXTttV MEMBERS. 



On Saturday, March 26tli, tlie Annual Conver-sazioue of tlio 

 Canadian Institute will bo held in the Hall of the Legislative 

 ABSonibly, Toronto. 



It is confidently anticipated, that before the close of the pre- 

 sent Ses.sion, the number of Members of the Institute will exceed 

 three hundred ; and as there are many country members residing 

 within a few miles of the city of Toronto who may wish to attend 

 the Annual Convei'sazione, we take this early opportunity of 

 announcing the day on which it will take place. 



OBITUARY. 



De.^tii of Seaes C. Walker. — The death of this eminent mathema- 

 tician and astronomer took place on the 30tli of Jauuai'v, at the resi- 

 dence of his brother, Judge Walker, at East Walnut Hills, near 

 Cincinnati. Mr. Walker was bom at Wilmington, Mass., iu 1805 ; 

 graduated at Cambridge in 1825. After his graduation at Cambridge, 

 he constantly devoted, as an amateur, much of his lime to his favourite 

 science, but for some j-ears past he was connected with the Coast 

 Survey. 



About eighteen months ago he was attacked, in this vicinity, by 

 severe illness, from which, although induced by his zeal to attempt to 

 resume his scientific labours, he never, but partially, recovered. 



The researches of Mr. Walker, especially those respectiug the motions 

 and the elemenls of the planet Neptune, gaiued him a high reputation 

 in Europe, and some years since the Royal Astronomical Society of 

 London elected him a member. 



Mr. Walker, as a theoretical and practical astronomer, was equalled 

 b)' few, and probably not excelled by any one in the United States. 



De.\th of Gre.^t Graxd-Childrex or BvRxs. — We find the following 

 melancholy amiouncement in the Dumfries Courier of Tuesday last : — 

 " Died, at sea, on board the ship Chance, from Liverpool to Port PhUip, 

 on the 7th of September last, Arabella Ann ; on the 8th September, 

 Robert Burns ; on the 18th Septembei', Aj-thur A'incent, the only 

 children of Mr. Berkeley W. Hutchinson, surgeon, government medical 

 officer of the Chance, and great grand children of Robert Bums." Mrs. 

 Hutchinson is the daughter of Major James Glencairn Burns, and was 

 educated in Dumfries, under the care of her grandmother, "Bonnie 

 Jean." 



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