174 Scientific Intelligence. 



has further determined that this substance, when brought into cou" 

 tact with hydrate of lead, produces an insoluble salt, hitherto un- 

 known : and having separated the base of this salt by sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, he obtained a new acid, to which he has given the name 

 of Aspartic. 



Properties. — It crystallizes in water in a brilliant powder, which 

 examined by a microscope, appears to be composed of long prisms 

 of four sides with a dihedral summit, transparent and colorless. It 

 is inodorous, gives a slightly acid taste, and reddens litmus, dissolves 

 in 128 times its weight of water at 8^° cent. ; sp. gr. 1.874 ; decom- 

 poses by heat, producing ammonia, prussic acid, fee. 



It forms salts. Aspartates, which are decomposed by the action of 

 heat ; those of a mineral alkaline base are transformed into ammonia, 

 hydro-cyanic acid, metaUic cyanuret, &c. All those which are so- 

 luble, have a remarkable taste of meat gravy, which becomes one of 

 their principal characteristics. In the neutral salts with alkalijit or 

 earthy bases, this taste is distinct and free, in those with meiailic 

 bases, it is followed by stypticity, and in those of vegetable, it is com- 

 pletely disguised by bitterness. 



The memoir of the author exhibits other properties of individual 

 salts. — Ann. de Chim. Mars, 1829. 



12. Extrication of gas from mushrooms. — jP. Marcet of Geneva, 

 has shevi^n that mushrooms exposed under water to the sun's rays, 

 liberate a quantity of air, which consists almost entirely of hydrogen 

 and azote ', the former in general being the predominant volume. In 

 the dark, little or no gas is set free. While growing in the open air, 

 the only gas which appeared to be set free, was a small quantity of 

 carbonic acid. — Idem. 



13. Antidote to Prussic acid. — M. Dauvergne, in a letter to J\I. 

 Gay Lussac, dated Paris, April 25th, 1829, stales, that M. Simeon, 

 apothecary to the hospital Saint-Louis, poisoned a cat with hydro- 

 cyanic acid, by placing two drops in the corner of his eye ; the ani- 

 mal was violently affected, and when to all appearance past recov- 

 ery, a large quantity of chlorine was diffused in his throat, which 

 very soon alleviated the symptoms, and when able to raise his head, 

 which before he could not do, he appeared to take pleasure in smel- 

 ling the chlorine, from the relief which it afforded. In an hour he 

 rose on his feet, and in the course of two hours more, scarcely any 



