238 SCIENTIFrC NEWS. 



XVI. 



Letter from Mr. Roloff, of Magdebourghy on the fetid 

 Reiin of Sulphur*. 



Fetid resin of J[ lately had an opportunity of detecting Mr. Westrumb's 

 sulphur fetid lesin of sulphur f in an unexpected manner, 



obtained in Mr. Michaelis, after having precipitated the golden sul» 



making golden phur of antimony from the hidroguretted sulphuret of an- 

 sulplmr of an- timoniated potash by means of sulphuric acid, evaporated 

 timony. ^j^^ supernatant liquor, which held the sulphate of potash 



in solution. 

 Heated smells VVhen the solution began to be Concentrated, a vapour 

 like biimiug arose, l)y which the artist who was stirring it was singularly 

 asafcetida incomrrioded. At the same time an insufferable stench was 



emitted, resembling that of burning asafoetida. 



The saline mass, ])eing evaporated to dryness, was of a 



gray colour, and had the remarkable smell just mentioned. 

 Gives to a!co- Being digested with alcohol, it imparted to it the smell 

 hoi the taste & and taste of garlic. 

 smell of garlic. The alcoholic solution, left to evaporate spontaneously, 



yielded a gray, glutinous mass, having a similar taste and 



smell. 

 Easily procura- ^ ^'^^ desirous to impart the knowledge of this fact, as I 

 ble in quantity, know not whether Mr. Westrumb be acquainted with the 



formation of a large quantity of the fetid resin, which may 



easily be procured by this process. 

 Formed inde- Since the smell displays itself before any alcohol is add- 

 pendently of ed, we may conclude with Mr. Westrumb, that the alcohol 

 alcohol. does not contribute to its formation. 



SClENriFIC NEWS. 



Wernerian Natural History Society. 

 At thela^tmeetingof theWernerian Natural History Society, June the 

 ciety "" "" ^ '' ^'^ ^J"" Thomas Thompson, one of the Vice-Presidents, read a very in- 



teresting; and valuable jjaper on the chemical nature of Huor-spar. Cnp- 

 taia l.a'.key also lead a paper on the pinna ingens of Pennant : from his 

 observations, it appears, that the pmna ingens of Monta^^ui-, pinna corea- 

 lisof Stewait, and jjir.na ingens of ihe Limaean Transactions, are thesame 

 species, and identical with the pinna ingens of Pennant. At thesame 

 r'^r,rrnr,cv ^f mcftijie, Charles Anderjon, Esq., read some observations on the geognosy 



Wernerian So- 



Pinna ingens. 



Inch-Kci.h, 



of ihe island of Inch Keith, in tiie Fiith of Forth. It appears from the 

 interesting details which he comnianicated, that the whole island is com- 

 posed of rocks belonging to tlie independent coal formation ; and that the 

 gr ensti.ne,which thereoccnrs, is traversed by true veinsfill jd with quartz, 

 chalc doiiy , calcspar, &c , and also contains numerous contemporaneous 

 veins of differ int kinds. Mr. Anderson intimated his intention of laying 

 before the So':ie;y, at a future meeting, a more particular desciiption of 

 the island^ illustrated by drawings and a series of specimens. 



* Extracted from Gchlen's new Chemical Journal. Anvales de Cki- 

 mit, vol. LXIl, p. 190. t S'^^c Journal, vol. XVlll, p. 41. 



TWO 



