OBSERVATIONS ON BENZOIN. g£ 



affinities appear to be as follows:* — White oxide of arfenic, Its affinities, 

 potafs, foda, ammonia, barytes, lime, magnefia, alumina. 



Properties of the Oil of Benzoin. 



The oil obtained by the diftillation of benzoin poffeffes a 

 flrong empyreumatic odour; but when rectified by a fecond 

 diftillation, itsfmell is exceedingly fragrant and pleafant. Its Smell and tafte, 

 tafte is acrimonious and very difagreeable. 



When diftilled with water, it imparts fome of its tafte to imparted to 

 that fluid. It is perfectly foluble in alcohol, the folution be- wate r« 

 coming turbid when water is added. alcohol. 



Sulphuric acid decomposes it in part, when the mixture is Action offul- 

 heated. Nitric acid acts on it as on the eflential oils in gene- P nu «c acid, 

 ral, converting it into a refinous fubftance. It is not afFefted of muriatic acid 

 by muriatic acid, but is partially foiuble in acetic acid. It a "d the alcalies. 

 finks in water j and forms faponaceous compounds with the 

 alcalies. 



Such are the general properties of the acid, and oil of ben- 

 zoin, much more might undoubtedly be faid concerning them ; 

 but as the foregoing experiments, were not made with a view 

 or inveftigatjng their properties, it would be unneceflary to 

 give a long account of them in this place. It mud be obferved 

 that the pureft benzoin has been made ufe of throughout; and 

 iaftly, that no traces of alcali, were fojjnd in the coal which 

 remains after diftillation. 



Arlington-Street. 



IV. 



On the Devitrification of Glafs and the Phenomena which hap- 

 pen during its Cryjlallization. By Dartigve&. 



(Concluded from Page 64O 



VV HEN clear glades contain a certain quantity of a neutral Imperfect 

 fait which the fire has not had time or force to diffipate, it S 

 often happens, during flow cooling, that the appearances 

 called greafe, threads, bubbles, and fpecks, are fpontaneoufly 

 and fuddenly formed. 



* This table of affinities was formed according to the experiments 

 of Tromfdorff. Vide Thornton's Syftems of Chemiftry, Vol. II. 

 p<ige 126. 2nd edition. 



Thefe 



