Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 303 



of zinc prepared by fusion. The alkaline oxides, especially in the 

 state of hydrate, are converted by arsenic into hydrogen, metallic ar- 

 seniuret, and into arseniate or arsenite. The deposit formed by the 

 slow action of the air, or that of chlorine on arseniuretted hydrogen, 

 is not hydruret of arsenic as has been supposed, but metallic arsenic ; 

 when the arseniurets of tin and zinc are treated with acids, no hydru- 

 ret of arsenic is formed, but they leave a residue of super-arseniuret, 

 unattackable by acid. — Journal de Pharmacie, June 1830. 



PREPARATION OF BICARBONATE OF SODA. 



M. Creuzberg has found a ready mode for the manufacture of this 

 salt, in the circumstance that the dry alkalies absorb carbonic acid 

 much more quickly than when in solution. Carbonate of soda is there- 

 fore deprived of much of its water by efflorescence, and is then sub- 

 jected to a current of carbonic acid gas until the bicarbonate is formed ; 

 the time when this takes place is rendered evident by the evolution of 

 heat, and the exhalation of water, which is deposited in drops upon 

 the interior of the vessel. — Bibl. Univ., Roy. Inst. Journ. 



ANALYSIS OF MUSTARD-SEED. BY M. PELOUZE. 



Beaume, and after him MM. Deyeux and Thiberge, has stated the 

 existence of sulphur in the essential oil of mustard. MM. Henry 

 jun. and Garot found among other principles a peculiar acid, which 

 they called sulpha- sinapic acid. 



After showing that the substance upon which these chemists ope- 

 rated, could not be pure on account of some atomic discordances 

 in the compounds it is stated to have formed with various bases, 

 M. Pelouze maintains that the acid is merely the hydrosulphocyanic 

 existing in the state of sulphocyanuret of calcium : it appears, however, 

 that the sulphur which the seed contains does not exist entirely in this 

 state, but also uncombined ; for when the seed is boiled with potash, 

 acetate of lead shows the presence of sulphuret of potassium. 



Hydrosulphocyanic acid (or rather sulphocyanic acid) may be ob- 

 tained from the seed by the direct action of dilute sulphuric acid upon 

 strong decoctions of it, but the quantity is small. The following is 

 given by M. Pelouze, as the composition of mustard seed : 



Volatile oil. Yellow colouring matter. 



Fixed oil. Albumen. 



Crystallizeable white colouring matter. — Discovered by MM. 



Henry and Garot. 

 Bimalate of lime. Sulphocyanuret of calcium. 



Citrate of lime. Uncombined sulphur. 



Ann.deChimie, June 1830. 



ON SALICINE. BY MM. PELOUZE AND JULES GAY-LUSSAC. 



Salicine, a peculiar vegetable compound obtained from the bark of 

 the willow, is a perfectly white body which crystallizes in acicular 

 prisms. Its taste is very bitter, and partakes of the aroma of the bark 

 itself. One hundred parts of water at 68° Fahr. dissolve 5-6 parts. In 



hot 



