434 Proceedings. 



tlie whole, of the ether solution is passed through the U-shaped tube, uncon- 

 taminated with any of the heavier saline fluid beneath. By regulating or 

 cutting of£ the supply of mercury, it is easy to take determinate quantities 

 of ether, measured if desired by drops, as discharged from the delivery 

 tube. The object of having the mercury tube narrow is, that the ether may 

 be forced along with the rest, on the principle of the mercurial air pump. 

 The author illustrated this paper by experiments. 



11. " On the Solubility of the Alkaloids generally in certain Hydrocar- 

 bons, and the proposed Substitution of Benzol for Ether in the Separation 

 of certain of the Alkaloids," by W. Skey. 



Absteact. 

 "When strychnia or veratria is wai'med for a short time with benzol, 

 kerosine, or turj)entine, it dissolves to a large extent, but only a small 

 deposit of the alkaloid takes place when the solution is cooled. "When an 

 aqueous solution of strychnia and chloride of calcium, or hydrate of potash, 

 is agitated with benzol or kerosine, it seems entirely to attach itself to the 

 oil. To obtain these results it appears necessary to employ heat in the one case, 

 and powerful affinities of some foreign substance in the other — affinities 

 which, of course, must not extend to the alkaloid itself. Nicotina is also 

 extracted from an aqueous alkaline solution by benzol or benzine, and, 

 analogically, it may reasonably be assumed that the greater part of the 

 remaining alkaloids are also soluble therein, under certain conditions. The 

 alkaloids mentioned can be completely removed from the several solvents by 

 re-agitation with hydrochloric or sulphuric acids, &c. The solubility of 

 these alkaloids in benzol, Mr. Skey proposes to turn to account, by sub- 

 stituting the latter for ether in those methods of analysis where ether or 

 ethereal solutions are in use as mediums for their separation from organic 

 matter. The great advantage to be gained by the substitution would be 

 derived from the fact that water has no chemical affinities foi benzol, while 

 for ether it has sufficient affinity to interfere with its use. 



12. " Notes on the proposed Substitution of Cyanide of Potassium for 

 Sodium, in certain amalgamating Processes for the Extraction of Grold from 

 metallic Sulphides, &c.," by W. Skey. 



Abstract. 

 The results of some experiments (not, however, fully completed), made 

 by Mr. Skey, for the purpose of ascertaining the value of cyanide of potas- 

 sium as a preventive of the flouring of mercury iised for the extraction of 

 gold, shows that cyanide of potassium does certainly prevent the sickening 

 and floiiriug of mercury, or its tarnishing and granulation ; but as cyanogen 

 appears capable of dissolving metallic mercury, and is certain to be liberated 

 from cyanide of potassium by carbonic acid, always present, it is question* 



