Dr. Beck on the Chlorides of Soda, Lime, fyc. 25 1 



remunerate the state of North Carolina for the comparative- 

 ly trifling expense of this survey; and whether so great suc- 

 cess, attending the efforts of an individual, who was obliged 

 at the same time to execute the duties of an arduous profes- 

 sorship, does not strongly recommend that this example be 

 followed by the other states of the union ? It ought to be 

 remembered, that no state was supposed to be more desti- 

 tute of mineral riches than this; so that a distinguished min- 

 eralogist, a few years since, said to a traveller passing that 

 way, that, " he would find nothing there of any interest. 1 ' 

 Yet now, what portion of the union exceeds, or even equals 

 that state, in its mineralogy ? And we believe that similar 

 ■disclosures would, to a greater or less extent, attend every 

 similar effort conducted judiciously and perseveringly. 



In conclusion, we take the opportunity to express our grat- 

 ification, that although Prof. Olmsted is now removed to an- 

 other, though a kindred sphere of action, he does not forget, 

 as the pages of this Journal testify, those branches of science 

 which for years he was called to teach, and which he cultiva- 

 ted so assiduously and successfully. 



Art. IV. — On the Nature of the Bleaching- and Disinfecting 

 Compounds, denominated Chlorides of Soda, Lime, &c. ; 

 by Lewis C. Beck, M. D. Professor of Chemistry, &c. in 

 the Vermont Academy of Medicine. 



The chief design of the following communication is to en- 

 quire into the nature of those compounds which have been 

 called, as I conceive improperly, Chlorides or Chlorurets of 

 Soda, Lime, &c. As tributary to this object, I shall also 

 notice the manner in which these compounds are obtained, 

 and their mode of operation as disinfecting agents. 



Preparation. — There is nothing peculiar in the prepara- 

 tion of the compounds under consideration. All that is ne- 

 cessary is to subject the hydrates or solutions of potassa, 

 soda, lime, and indeed of any of the fixed alkalies or earths, 

 to the action of a current of chlorine gas. If instead of these, 

 we pass a stream of the gas through solutions of the carbo- 

 nated alkalies, equally efficient compounds are produced : 



