408 Scientific Intelligence. 
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
I, PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY. 
of carbon as observed in various flames containing this element, and in 
the light of the electrie spark passed through dilute carbonic oxyd and 
bisulphid of carbon, Swan observed in 1856 that all hydrocarbon flames 
give four groups of rays, which are respectively faint yellow, light green, 
spectrum of cyanogen gave—as stated long since by Draper—a splendid 
series of bands which became still more distinct and brilliant on feeding 
rm the spectrum of carbon, and as the blue band is the brightest, he 
explains in this manner the blue color of many flames. The “ blue heat 
of a Deville’s furnace is doubtless a case in point.—Journal of Chem. 
Soc., [2], i, 97. W. G 
2. On the optical distinction between hypermanganie acid and com 
nds of sesquioryd of manganese.—Horpe-Szyuer bas found that & 
solution of hypermanganic acid exerts a powerful absorption upon greet 
and green-yellow rays. A solution of phosphate of sesquioxyd of man 
ganese exhibits the same action. If, however, the solution of this salt is 
diluted more and more, tl he spectra 
gresnally disappears without. the appearance of definite bands, W 
ilute solutions of hypermanganic acid exhibit five distinct absorption 
3. On the action of light upon nitro-prussid of sodium.—Rovssin has 
proposed a method of determining the chemical intensity of light which 
18 based upon the decomposition produced in a solution of nitro-p 
