314 Scientific Intelligence. 



solution containing equivalent quantities of both chlorides. 

 Finally it was observed that the new oxide was soluble in fused 

 caustic alkali, in which cobalt and nickel oxides are insoluble ; and 

 thus it was obtained pure, 50 grams nickel oxide yielding about 

 one gram of the white oxide. Its properties are as follows : The 

 acid chloride solution is not precipitable by hydrogen sulphide, 

 but ammonium sulphide produces in neutral solutions a blackish 

 sulphide. Ammonia throws down a voluminous white flocculent 

 precipitate, not soluble in excess. Potassium hydrate acts sim- 

 ilarly. On igniting the oxide moistened with cobalt solution, 

 only a weak brown color results. Even alter strong ignition, 

 the oxide is soluble in the cold in a 27 per cent hydrogen chlo- 

 ride solution. With excess of acid, the chloride is green, but the 

 neutral chloride is white and gives with water a colorless solu- 

 tion. The oxide does not change its weight when ignited in 

 hydrogen. The metal can be obtained, however, by electrolyzing 

 the chloride solution or by reducing the chloride in a current 

 of hydrogen. It is black, brownish-black in thin layers, dissolves 

 readily in acids when produced electrolytically, more difficultly 

 when produced at a high temperature. Further researches on the 

 new metal are in progress by the authors. — Ber. JBerl. Chem. 

 Ges., xxii, 11., January, 1889. • g. f. b. 



2. On the Atomic Mass of Tin. — Bongartz and Classen 

 have undertaken a redetermination of the atomic mass of tin. 

 For this purpose they employed four methods : 1st, the oxida- 

 tion of the tin to stannic oxide ; 2d, the electrolysis of ammonium 

 stannic chloride, SnCl 4 (NH 4 Cl) 2 ; 3d, the electrolysis of potas- 

 sium-stannic chloride ; and 4th, the electrolysis of stannic bro- 

 mide. The mean of eleven experiments by the first method gave 

 the value 118"7606 for the atomic mass of tin; the difference be- 

 tween the maximum and the minimum values being - 459. The 

 mean of sixteen experiments by the second method was 118'8093, 

 the difference between the greatest and least value being 0*228. 

 The mean of ten experiments by the third method was 118 , 7975, 1 

 the difference between the extreme values being - 163. And the 

 mean of ten experiments by the fourth method was 118"7309, the 

 difference being 0"144. The final mean of the 47 experiments 

 was 1 18*7745 ; or taking the 26 experiments in which the differ- 

 ence between maximum and minimum was least, 11 8*8034 ; taking 

 oxygen at 15*96. — Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., xxi, 2900, October, 



1888. G. F. B. 



3. Studies from the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, 

 Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University for the years 1887- 

 88. Volume III. Edited by R. H. Chittenden, Ph.D. 157 pp. 

 8vo. New Haven, January, 1889. — The present volume of this 

 series, like those already issued (noticed in vols, xxxii and xxxiii 

 of this Journal) contains a series of important papers upon dif- 

 ferent subjects in physiological chemistry. They embody the 

 results of work done in the Sheffield Laboratory and show the 

 high position that it occupies as a school of research as well as 

 one of training:. 



