234: Scientific Intelligence. 



niiim chloride was deposited about it. Four separate samples 

 gave nearly the same results as far as the chief constituents were 

 concerned, and one of the samples more fully examined gave the 

 following results: 



Carbon dioxide ._ 15*38 



Oxygen.. 13-67 



Nitrogen . . 54*94 



Argon . . _ . *71 



Carbon monoxide 1*60 



Methane . _ 5'46 



Hydrogen .__ 8*12 



The gas as it was emitted was mixed with much steam. It 

 contained also traces of hydrochloric acid and sulphur vapor, but 

 hydrogen sulphide, acetylene and ethylene were absent and no 

 helium was found. The gas is peculiar when compared with gases 

 described from other volcanic eruptions, in containing a consider- 

 able quantity of the combustible gases, hydrogen, carbon monox- 

 ide and methane. Moissan calls attention to the poisonous nature 

 of the gas, due to the carbon monoxide in it, and he suggests 

 that many of the victims of the eruption may have died Irom 

 breathing it. No comment is made in regard to the presence of 

 large amounts of oxygen with combustible gases, but it seems 

 incredible that such a mixture could have existed in the incan- 

 descent regions of the volcano, and hence it appears to be cer- 

 tain that the combustible gases, whatever their origin may have 

 been, were mixed with atmospheric air at a comparatively low 

 temperature. — Gomptes Hendus, cxxxv, 1085. h. l. w. 



3. A New Reaction for Certain Oxidizing Agents. — L. L. 

 de Koninck has found that when one or two drops of nitric acid 

 of sp.gr. 1*35-1*40 are added to a boiling solution of a manganese 

 salt in fuming hydrochloric acid, the color of the liquid changes 

 to a very dark green with a tinge of yellow, owing to the forma- 

 tion of manganese tetrachloride or some similar compound. The 

 color is very stable while the acid is concentrated, but it disap- 

 pears upon dilution. The test is made with a solution of 0*00 1 8 

 of manganous chloride in l cc . Besides nitric acid, nitrates, 

 chlorates, hypochlorites, chromates, and lead dioxide give this 

 reaction, while sodium bromate, potassium perchlorate, sodium 

 peroxide, bromine, potassium persulphate, red lead and sodium 

 nitrite do not give it. It is remarkable that sodium bromate 

 and potassium nitrite do not give the reaction, and it is evident 

 that they do not liberate chlorine when treated with hot, concen- 

 trated hydrochloric acid. The opposite behavior of lead dioxide 

 and red lead is also very peculiar. — Chem. Centralbl., 1902, ii, 14. 



h. l. w. 



4. Synthesis of Anhydrous Hydrosulphites. — By the action of 

 gaseous sulphur dioxide upon the metallic hydrides which have 

 been recently described by him, Moissan has prepared the hydro- 

 sulphites of potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, and strontium. 

 The reaction in most cases is very energetic, so that it is neces- 



