Foreign Literature and Science. 171 



animal decomposition, drives the chlorine from its combina- 

 tions, and as this action takes place slowly, the chlorine is 

 less susceptible of acting on the animal economy, but de- 

 composes easily the putrid miasmata; it then becomes a 

 true fumigation of chlorine only less strong and much longer 

 in operation. — Ann. de Ch. and de Phys. Nov. 1826. 

 Paris, October 28, 1826. 



13. Magnetism by the Solar Rays. — It appears from the 

 experiments of A. Baumgartner, Professor of Philosophy at 

 Vienna, that if an iron wire of the size of a common knitting 

 needle, is exposed to the direct white light of the sun, while 

 its surface is partly oxydized, it acquires magnetism. This 

 effect did not ensue when the surface was wholly covered with 

 oxide, nor when' perfectly polished. Having heated a steel 

 wire of the size of a knitting needle, so as to cover it entire- 

 ly with black oxide, he removed, by means of an oiled stone 

 and chalk, portions of the oxid in zones of two or three lines 

 in length, and exposed it to the sun. After some time it was 

 found that the polished places had become so many North 

 poles, while corresponding South poles existed in the unpol- 

 ished portions. A wire polished at one of its extremities only, 

 acquires North polarity at that extremity, and South at the 

 other. If the middle only be polished, each extremity be- 

 comes South, and the middle North. In this manner any 

 number of poles may be developed which the length will ad- 

 mit. A wire 8 inches long will furnish as many distinct poles 

 as inches in length, but of unequal intensity. — Idem. 



14. Metallic Refrigerating mixture. — It is stated by Bob- 

 ereiner, that if 207 grains of lead, 1 1 8 grains of tin, 284 grains 

 of bismuth, and 1617 grains of mercury be mixed together at 

 the temperature of 1 7.5 centigrade, (63.5 Fah.) the thermome- 

 ter descends to — 10 cent. (14 Fah.) — Ann. de Ch. June, 1826. 



1 5. fJhinese paper, of which so much use is now made in 

 Europe,chiefly for copper-plate impressions, is distinguished by 

 its homogeneous texture, its smooth and silky surface, its soft- 

 ness and extreme fineness. It is sold in very large sheets, 

 some of which are 4 or 5 yards long and a yard wide. 



The Chinese fabricate their paper from different materials. 

 In the province of Se-Tschuen it is made of hempen rags, 

 like the paper of Europe ; that of Fo-Kien, is made of the 



