% 
Catalysis and Contact Actions. 411 
enon urges us to study the spectra of the stars—for if soem 5 the 
same ray were there found, stellary ire woul 
e recall in fact, that ‘relying on their own otnorvatiot ett B. 
and K. have admitted the presence of sola and soda in the sunbeam, 
(Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie, May, 1860, and this Journal, xxix, p. 
424.) in os >for account they lately gave in Poggendorff’s Annals, 
T. exl, p. 1 ese savans have shown how Sead vm characteristic 
is that even | ania traces of potassa, soda and lithia can be recog- 
nized in the rays they produce and these iiarscinciaiel continue even 
when the bases are reunite 
e will not dwell further hare this ae Saat which is 
elsewhere presented in this : but we should point out another 
direction of these researches, “that which jolts to the eels of new 
simple bodies. Messrs. Bunsen and Kirchhoff made known lately the 
probable existence of a fourth alkaline metal, placed in relation to the 
rays of its spectrum immediately after lithium and ecard: strontium. 
It is thought that this process will determine the existence of the new 
metal dianium announced by M. Kobell (this volume, July, 1860, p. 
123) and whose Prep is contested b H. Rose. 
above, has been enriched by the discoveries of H. Loewel,* nae re- 
searches have remained hitherto too little known, but whie h demand 
attention from the very original facts enn ee brought to light; which 
are the fruits of several years of observ 
His researches on su rsaturat ted sa ine sblut tions.—It is well known 
a 
is li i j iti sis published 
of his life, and which are the subject of a critical analysis pul 
by Hirn, a pupil of Loewel, who is well known by his interesting re- 
fa 
Hirn’s mr} sis of his teacher’s results has rather the character ©: 
dissertation ai with new facts, which although they may have been dis- 
e first time. As the research is 
lves with citations from it. 
* Poggendorff’s Biographical Dictionary speaks of nie ogres: a sobs 
Henri, Director of the chemical works at Choisy-Le- hots te ei 
then colorist at Miinster (U Gaim neigh born shat, the — o von 
omen wt A nr ea preaggraaed a0 Chim. ou Php. (Ser. iii, T. xiv, 1845.) 
Upon aa ehlorids of chromiuin (ib. xy, | ‘i oe 1850, xxxii, 1861, xxxvi, 1868, 
a aes dice a i ie Ra upon the solution of the salts of sesquioxyd of 
args Ceili ce 3 carbonate of soda (ib. gf iting i 
omptes Rendus, xx 
a eta aad te ids je ‘ Longing 4 "Chimie which has as abtished 
these memoirs, a little earlier than the dates above quote 
