136 Scientific Intelligence. 
New Coal-tar Hydrocarbons.—Yiirie read before the Ger- 
man Naturalists’ Association at Leipzig last summer, a brief notice 
of a new coal-tar hydrocarbon, which he then considered to have 
the composition O,,H,,, and to be phenyl-naphthalin, C,H,C,, 
H,, which fused at 98-99°, and had a higher boiling pomt than 
anthracene. 
On 
and the same which Graebe had received from Glaser. But as 
the points of fusion of the hydrocarbon, 97-99° and of its quinone 
198°, are 6-8° lower than Graebe found, it is perhaps possible 
that the results belong to two distinct substances. Ostermayer and 
Fittig obtained by treating their quinone with chromic acid, a 
new dicarbon acid rye ; C a 0 which they term diphenic 
acid. This acid ignited with excess of quick lime yields dipheny- 
lene-ketone, A. > CO which on fusion with potassium hy- 
tts 
¢ 
droxide, gives the acid Gets - COOH 
¢,H, 
su 
anthracene, forms thin brilliant plates, manifests blue-violet fiuo- 
rescence and fuses at 247°, or 34° higher than on anthracene. This 
ilsomere also appears when the red mononitro-anthracene 1s heated 
to sublimation between watch-glasses, together with a yellow abe 
stance probably dinitro-anthracene. te Hey 
12. New Platform Balance-—Messrs. Becker & Sons have te 
cently constructed a new platform balance which has so many 
a low rectangular box of mahogany, containing the mechanism, 
very simply and durably nanan. and through 4 inch holes 12 
