184 Quarterly Abstract of European Chemistry. 



The Combinations of Phosphorus and Hydrogen, by P. Thenard, 

 (Compt. Rend. April, 1844, p. 652.) — In this research the chief thing 

 worthy of notice is the discovery of a new compound of hydrogen and 

 phosphorus, which is liquid at 10° C. (50° Fah.) and spontaneously inflam- 

 mable in the highest degree. The smallest quantity of it imparts to hy- 

 drogen and phosphate of hydrogen not spontaneously inflammable, the 

 property of igniting immediately upon being brought in contact with the 

 air. M. Thenard concludes that the so-called spontaneously inflamma- 

 ble phosphate of hydrogen is not a distinct gas, but the other gaseous 

 phosphate of hydrogen holding in suspense a small quantity of this 

 fluid. It can be obtained by passing the ordinary inflammable phosphate 

 of hydrogen through U tubes kept at 20° below 0° C, (=-2° Fah.) when 

 it will be found to separate itself from the gas in the form of a limpid 

 fluid. Composition Ph FP. The discovery of this compound tends to 

 clear up all obscurity connected with the history of phosphuretted hy- 

 drogen, and explains the cause of the want of uniformity in the analy- 

 sis of this gas by various chemists. 



Partial Reduction of the Binoxide of Copper ly Heat, by Favre 

 and Maumene, (Compt. Rend. April, 1844.) — The binoxide of copper, 

 when heated to the temperature of melting copper, loses eight tenths 

 of its oxygen, and is transformed into Cu^ O^. This points out the 

 necessity of observing some precaution in mineral analysis where the 

 copper is estimated as the binoxide. 



Albumen — its Solubility, by A. Wurtz, (Compt. Rend. April, 1844, 

 p. 700.) — It has been generally supposed that albumen owes its solu- 

 bility in water to alkalies or certain salts present in the fluids gene- 

 rally containing it. Wurtz has proved that perfectly pure albumen 

 is soluble in distilled water ; and to procure the substance perfectly 

 pure, he proceeded as follows. The white of eggs mixed with twice 

 its volume of water is passed through a piece of linen to break the cells, 

 to this a little subacetate of lead is added, which determines an abundant 

 precipitate ; (care must be taken not to add an excess of the salt of lead, 

 as the precipitate might be redissolved.) The precipitate is washed and 

 suspended in water, through which a current of carbonic acid gas is 

 made to pass. The albuminate of lead is thus decomposed, the albu- 

 men being dissolved by the water. The filtered solution still contains 

 a little lead, which may be got rid of by adding a few drops of hydro- 

 sulphuric acid, then heating with precaution to 60° C. so as to coagulate 

 a little albumen, which will carry down with it the sulphuret of lead 

 formed. Evaporate at a temperature of 50° C, and the residue will be 

 pure albumen, which has a slight acid reaction, decomposing the car- 

 bonate and bicarbonate of soda, with the disengagement of carbonic 

 acid, and the formation of a neutral salt. 



