18B Foreign Literature and Science. 



The regularly increasing ratio, which the tables present, 

 authorize the opinion of a sensible amelioration in the vitaUty 

 of our population, and even in our morality, for in reality, 

 among the causes of this amelioration, may be reckoned the 

 perfection of physical and moral education, which has in a 

 great measure expelled the vices and excess to which an ig- 

 norant population is ever prone. To this must be added the 

 increase of wealth and ease which is favorable to a more 

 wholesome style of living, and contributes to that tranquility 

 of mind which has a powerful influence on the health. The 

 progress of Medicine and Hygiene, especially by the intro- 

 duction of inoculation and vaccination has done much to 

 promote longevity. — Ibid. 



39. A simple process for discovering and separating anti- 

 mony from lead, brass, and other metals soluble in nitric acid j 

 by M. BussoLiN, — If an alloy which contains no antimony 

 be dissolved in sulphuric acid, all will be dissolved, except 

 the tin, the white oxide of which will be precipitated ; but if 

 the alloy contain a very small quantity of antimony, the 

 oxide of tin will become of a yellowish hue. Besides, the 

 tin has the property of drawing away all the antimony by 

 its precipitation in the nitric acid. These two facts have 

 been usefully employed by the author, for the discovery of 

 antimony, and the separation of it from the lead. — Ferru- 

 sac's Bull. Jan. 1828. 



40. Note vpon the spontaneous combustion of Cobalt ; by 

 M. BorLLAY. — Very recently, some cobalt, pulverised by 

 mechanical means, became so strongly heated as to take fire. 

 The combustion slow at first, and was not perceived till the end 

 of two or three days ; it was then very hot and luminous, if 

 ever so little stirred. It was covered and set to cool. Some 

 days after, tM'cnty pounds of it, were packed up without any 

 renewal of the combustion, and nevertheless, on the follow- 

 ing night, the package of cobalt set fire to the objects with 

 which it was in contact, and afterwards to the warehouse. 

 The fire was extinguished. — Ibid. 



41. Note upon the lodurct of Lead; by M. Berthenot. 

 ■ — Iron and zinc decompose the ioduret of lead, by simple 

 ebullition in water ; the carbonates of soda, barytes, stron- 

 tian, lime and magnesia, as well as the oxides, have also the 

 property of decomposing the ioduret of lead. — Ibid. 



