412 Scientific Intelligence. 
arkable manner by the spectral line referred to. Its physical and 
chemical Amcor eps are not i described.— Chemical News, May, 1861. 
e Thalium is preoccupied, having been proposed by Dr. D, 
D. Suen “(this Journal, [2], xiii, 420, 1852) for a supposed new metal 
found by him in Thalite, a greenish hydrous silicate from the north shore 
of Lake Superior.—Eps. 
4, Reduction of Sulphuric Acid by Nascent Hydrogen.—Kowse has 
observed that adtphydrie: acid gas is always set free in perceptible — 
by the action of concentrated sulphuric acid upon metallic zine. 
the sulphuric acid is previously diluted with twice its volume of “ae 
sane pure sro is obtained; the addition of concentrated acid 
diately produced the odor of sulphydric acid. The hotter the liquid 
aad the stronger the acid, the greater will be the quantity of sulphydrie 
Kolbe remarks that this fact is important in judicial i in- 
vestigations, since if concentrated sulphuric acid be used in Marsh’s a 
paratus a part or perhaps the whole of the arsenic present might be con- 
verted into eeu and thus escape detection.—Zeitschrift fiir Chemie, 
iv, Se 
5. On certain inate Acids:—Malic acid by the action of heat yields, 
as is well known, fumaric and maleic acids. Perkin and Duppa and 
Kekulé have shown that malic and tartaric acids ma A repared from 
succinic aeid, and Kekulé now finds that fumaric and maleic acids may 
be readily converted into succinic acid or a derivative of this. 
_ fumarie acid is heated for a few soccer in a water-bath with bromine 
and water, the bromine oes Ae and on cooling white crystals of bi- 
bromosueeinic acid separ The sinion is apron, Sr by the equation 
C i, 6 inte 0, H,Br,0,, 
and consists not in a substitution but in a simple * dition of bromine. 
the action of nascent hydrogen upon fumaric acid, succinic acid 
may be directly produced, a simple addition of H2 taking place. 
all attention to the fact that this made of formation by additio 
hitherto been un peeedory in the case of the organic acids, and only rarely 
in the case of other organic bodies. of 
Maleic acid in like manner forms bibromosuccinic acid by the action 
ain but another acid is formed at ge same time which has not yet 
Suceinie acid, Cs HeOs—H2= Cs H1 Os, Fumaric acid. 
Propyl alcohol, Cs Hs O2—H2 = Ce He Os, AilyLaleohol 
a aldehyd, Cs He Oa — Ha = Co Ha Os, Acrolein. 
onic acid, Cs He O4— H2= Co Ha Os, Acrylic acid. 
Stearic acid, C36 Has Os— Ha = Cas Has 04, Oleic acid. 
h gas, C1 He — H2 = Ca Ha, Olefiant gas. 
‘Alobhol Cs He O2— 2HO = Ca Ha, 
Malic acid, Cs He O10 2HO = Ca Ha ms Fumaric acid. 
§ Ethylene, Ca Ha + 2Br= Ca Ha. Bra, Bromid of ethylene. ay 
Fumaric acid, Cs Ha Os -+ 2Br= Cs Ha Bro Os, Bibromsuecinic 
-§ Ethylene, Os Hs + BrH = Cs HBr, Bromid of ethyl |g 
( Fumaric acid, Cs Hs Os+-BrH=Cs Hs BrOs, Monobromsuccinic 
