CHEMISTRY. 521 



fiant gas, propylene, butylene, amylene, benzine, and napthaline, and in order 

 to remove any objection that might be raised to the employment in his experi- 

 ments of carbon derived from animals or vegetables, and -which might therefore 

 be supposed to retain to a certain extent its organic structure, he prepared the 

 carbonic oxide, which forms the starting point in his investigations, from car- 

 bonate of baryta and iron. 



Water being made to act upon this gaseous oxide of carbon, at a temperature of 

 100° C, and in presence of potassa, formate of potassa was produced. From this 

 formic acid and formate of baryta were prepared. By the action of heat, this salt 

 was decomposed, and furnished among other products, marsh gas, C^H'*, olefiant 

 gas C^H-*, and propylene C«H6. 



The olefiant gas was combined with sulphuric acid, and from this sulphovinic 

 acid, and by decomposition, alcohol were formed. From the alcohol, all the com- 

 pounds of the Ethyle series could be obtained. 

 Marsh and olefiant gas may also be produced from bisulphide of carbon. 

 Butylene may be formed by the distillation of acetate of soda, the acetic acid 

 produced by the oxidation of the alcohol generated in the manner described. 



Fapthaline has been formed by means of sulphide of carbon, and benzine by 

 alcohol and acetic acid. Methylic alcohol can be produced from marsh gas C^H'*, 

 by replacing one equivalent of hydrogen by chlorine, whereby chloride of methylc 

 is obtained C^H*, CI, which by decomposition yields the alcohol, 



Propylic alcohol from the sulphuric compound of propylene obtained as above. 

 From the hydrocarbons the hydracid ethers can be obtained by direct union, (? 

 under pressure) and from these the alcohols. 



Sulphate of Baryta. — Kuhlmann has succeeded in decomposing this native 

 salt by acting on it with charcoal and the residue from the preparation of chlorine, 

 viz : crude chloride of manganese. 



From the chloride of barium so obtained, he prepares the artificial sulphate by 

 precipitation, and this kept in a moist state possesses all the properties of white 

 lead, and is not so objectionable, being unalterable by ordinary re-agents. 



(The sulphate of baryta occurs in Canada in considerable quantities and 

 apparently in a very pure state, associated with galena. H. C.) 



Formation of Sugar. — As is well known, cellulose the most important con- 

 stituent of vegetables is readily converted into sugar. The principle contained ia 

 the organic part of the skeleton of the invertebrata differs materially from that 

 contained in the vertebrata, and has the same composition as cellulose. Although 

 this substance strongly resists the action of the most powerful chemical re-agents, 

 Berthelot has succeeded in producing sugar or glucose from it, similar to that 

 produced from cellulose. 



He operated upon the substance which he called tunicine, obtained from the 

 envelopes of an ascidia, and also upon chitine prepared from the shell of the 

 Spiny Lobster. 



These results form a new and intimate bond, founded on a definite chemical 

 transformation, between the immediate principles contained in the envelopes of 

 the invertebrata, and those which form the tissues of vegetables. H, C. 



VOL. III. H- 



