Miscellanies. 393 
to the action of chlorine or bromine, the hydruret of salicyle which it 
contains is converted into chloride and bromide of salicyle; these pro- 
ducts combining with the sugar give rise to chlorohelicine and bromohe- 
licine. 
Lastly, all these combinations of saligenine, or its derivatives with sugar, 
are rapidly decomposed by contact with acids and by synaptase.—Chem. 
Giaz., August, 1845, p. 328. 
14. Composition of Fungi; by Dr. F. Scutossprrerr and Dr. O. 
Dorrrinc.—Fungi have been known to be remarkable for the nitrogen 
they contain, and their nutritive qualities have been attributed partly 
thereto. Drs. Schlossberger and Doepping have found, by analysis of 
several species, that many contain, dried at 212° F., two or thee times as 
much nitrogen as wheat, (some 77 per. cent.,) and a considerable propor- 
tion of phosphates. In nearly all the species they examined, they detect- 
ed mannite or fermentable sugar, and many of the succulent fungi (A. 
russula, cantharellus, emeticus) when preserved for some days in a bottle 
with a narrow neck, but not closed, passed spontaneously into spirituous 
fermentation, emitting at the same time an agreeable odor like musk, and 
yielding alcohol afterwards on distillation. 'The substratum of the fungi 
consists mainly of cellulose. No amylum was detected by the iodine 
test. 
15. Action of Animal Charcoal; by R. Warrineton.—Beer or ale, 
and the solutions or decoctions of various astringent bitter substances, as 
oak bark, Peruvian bark, strychnia, lose their bitter taste when passed 
through charcoal. 12 grains of animal charcoal were found sufficient by 
Mr. R. Warrington, to remove the bitter flavor of 2 grains of disulphate 
of quina dissolved in two ounces of distilled water. A large quantity of 
sulphate of magnesia was removed from its solution by the same means, 
and also chloride of barium, sulphate of soda and other salts. ‘This sub- 
ject, the action of animal charcoal on metallic salts, is under investigation 
by M. Chevallier— Proceed. Chem. Soc., part 13, p. 326. 
16. Thomaite; a new mineral species.—This name is given by Mayer 
to a carbonate of iron found in the Siebengebirge, having the same crys- 
talline form with Junkerite, but having the specific gravity 3°10, a pearly 
lustre, and granular fracture. After exposure to the air for two days the 
color changes to a pale honey yellow, and the mineral becomes dry and 
compact. It consists of protoxyd of iron 53°72, silica 6°04, alumina 4°25, 
lime 1°52, magnesia 0°43, protoxyd of manganese 0°65, carbonic acid 
33°39=100. (Leonhard’s Jahrbuch, 1845. Heft. 2, p. 200.)—Jame- 
son’s Jour., July, 1845, p. 196. 
