SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
205 
previously weighed filter, aud dried at 100°. The quantity obtained weighed 
0*097 grm., losing by ignition a quantity of 0*042 grm., which amounts to 
3*86 per cent, of carbon. The residue of the ignition was tested for the 
presence of iron and copper by dissolving it in nitro-hvdrochloric acid ( aqua 
regia). Both metals, to the amount of 1 centigrm., were found to be present ; 
the remaining silica was still found to contain a small quantity of carbon. — 
See also the fi Chemical News.” 
An Occasional Origin of Nitrates in Water. — Mr. Charles Ekin has 
(Chemical Society, January 19) found considerable quantities of nitric acid 
in spring water, for which he could not account by supposing it to come 
from some sewage contamination. Closer examination showed that the 
water in question had passed through a fossiliferous stratum. This obser- 
vation necessitates a modification of the 11 previous sewage contamination 
theory.” 
A New Alkaloid from Cinchona Bark. — Mr. D. Howard, in a paper read 
before the Chemical Society on January 20, said that, in experimenting upon 
impure crystallisations of salts of quinine obtained from the mother-liquors 
of the manufacture of sulphate of quinine, he has occasionally been perplexed 
by an unusual loss in re-crystallising, which the mechanically adhering 
mother-liquor did not seem to account for. A more careful examination of 
some of these substances shows that the cause, in some cases at least, is the 
presence of an alkaloid hitherto undescribed, the extreme solubility of the 
salts of which both distinguishes it at once from the cinchona alkaloids 
already known, and renders it very difficult to separate from the uncrystal- 
lisable quinoidin. The most convenient method of obtaining it is to purify 
the alkaloids contained in the mother-liquor from the re-crystallisation of 
such impure products as he has mentioned by solution in ether, and, after 
evaporation of the ether, to dissolve with oxalic acid in as small a quantity 
of water as possible, and to allow it to crystallise. The oxalate thus ob- 
tained may be purified by re-crystallisation from water with the addition of 
animal charcoal, but he has never been able to free it entirely from a yellow 
colour. 
Chair of Chemistry at the London Institution. — Dr. Henry E. Armstrong 
has been appointed Professor of Chemistry, an office once held by Mr. W. 
R. Grove, Q.C., and subsequently by Mr. J. Alfred Wanklyn. Dr. Arm- 
strong studied chemistry under Professors Hofmann, Prankland, and Kolbe, 
and has been associated with Dr. Frankland and the late Dr. Matthiessen 
in original researches. 
The Discovery of Chloralum. — This does not appear to rest with Professor 
Gamgee, as was supposed at first. Mr. J. Carter Bell, writing to the “ Chemical 
News” (February 3, 1871), says: “With regard to the much-vaunted 
1 Chloralum,’ I see Professor Gamgee says, in his letter of January 13, 
‘ The agent (chloralum) had never been thought of in therapeutics until 
last January ; ’ again, in his letter of the 27th, * since I first thought of the 
chloride as an antiseptic just a year ago.’ In Ure’s 1 Dictionary,’ 1863, 
Article 1 Disinfectants,’ chloride of aluminium is mentioned as an antiseptic ; 
it says , 1 Meat, if well packed, cleaned, and washed with a solution of chlo- 
ride of aluminium, will keep three months.’ After that I hardly think 
Professor Gamgee can lay claim to the discovery of the antiseptic and 
