308 M. Tichanowitsch on Electrolysis of Organic Bodies. 



clized to antimonic acid by bichromate of potash, the number 

 found was 122-34. 



In a third case, a double determination of terchloride of anti- 

 mony was made, by oxidation to pentachloride, and by directly 

 determining the quantity of chlorine in the ordinary way. This 

 gave the number 122"37 for the equivalent of antimony. 



The mean of these results obtained by different methods is 

 122-29; they furnish a remarkable confirmation of the excellent 

 determinations of Dexter. The method employed by this che- 

 mist was that originally used by Berzelius, and consisted in the 

 direct oxidation of pure antimony to antimoniatc of oxide of 

 antimony, SbO 4 . 13y numerous very careful experiments he 

 obtained the mean number 122*33. 



In the above scries of experiments Kcssler obtained the num- 



De Luca describes* the following method of preparing oxygen 

 which he has used for some time; it only differs in manipula- 

 tory details from that of Dcville and Debrayf. A tubulated 

 retort is filled three-quarters full with pumice and concentrated 

 sulphuric acid, and luted on to a porcelain tube by means of a 

 mixture of asbestos and clay. The tube also contains pumice ; 

 it is heated to redness, and the vapour of sulphuric acid passed 

 over it. The oxygen is disengaged with regularity, and is easily 

 purified ; in one operation 2 ounces of acid furnished about a 

 gallon and a quarter of gas. The process is analogous to that 

 in which hydrogen is prepared by decomposing water by iron ; 

 and it is not more difficult. 



Lapschin and Tichanowitsch % have made a series of experi- 

 ments on the electrolysis of organic and other substances, in 

 which they had at their disposal a battery of 1000 elements. 



Salicine is decomposed by the battery ; the first stage appeared 

 to be its decomposition into grape-sugar and saligeniue. On the 

 zinc pole gases were disengaged which were not collected ; the 

 next stage appeared to be that the saligeuine was oxidized suc- 

 cessively to hydride of salicyle and to salicylic acid. 



The action of a battery of 900 elements produced in crystal- 

 lized acetic acid a rapid disengagement of gas at the carbon pole, 

 consisting of carbonic acid and carbonic oxide. A very slight 

 quantity of gas was disengaged at the zinc pole, which, however, 

 was lost ; at the same time an amorphous mass of carbon was 

 deposited. 



* Comptcs Rcndus, July 22. 



t Phil. Mag. vol. xxi. p. 295. 



X Bulletin de I'Academie de St. Peter sbourg, vol. iv. p. 80. 



