SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
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undertaken by M. Schewrez-Kestner. The author points out and proves 
that chemical analysis can decide the question of the respective ages of 
bones of various animals found mixed up together, and thus prove that 
these beings have not necessarily been contemporaneous with each other. 
The paper contains a large number of tabulated results of analysis made 
with the special view to careful estimation of the organic matter contained 
in the various bones. The following are examples of analysis in 100 parts : — 
Parietal human bone — Ordinary osseine, 3T ; osseine, soluble in dilute 
HC1, 12-3 ; water, 6-0 ; silica, 3-5 ; bone-earth (phosphate and carbonate of 
lime), 4*47. Fossil-horse — Ordinary osseine, 3’9 ; soluble osseine, 3.9 ; 
water, 6*8 ; silica, 03 ; bone-earth, 79*3. Mammoth bones — Ordinary os- 
seine, 2*8; soluble osseine, 8'9; water, 5-7 ; silica, 12*4; bone-earth, 70T. 
These bones were found in the Lehm, near Colmar, Bas-Rhin. 
New Reactions of Alcohols. — Mr. Chapman communicated an interesting 
paper to the Chemical Society (Feb. 3rd.) Amylic alcohol, as commonly 
obtained, consists of two liquids, one rotating a ray of polarised light, the 
other not. The two may be separated by distilling the mixture from soda 
calcic chloride, &c. The non-rotating alcohol is retained ; the rotating 
distils over. But, by repeated distillations, it was found that the rotating 
alcohol is converted into the non-rotating by the very treatment employed 
to separate the two. No difference in the physical properties of the two 
alcohols is perceptible. The compounds of the non-rotating liquid do not 
turn the ray of polarised light ; those of the rotating do, and that in an 
opposite direction to the original alcohol. These facts seem to indicate that 
the internal structure of organic compounds is not so permanent as we are 
in the habit of thinking. Another observation Mr. Chapman made whilst 
pursuing these experiments was that caustic soda is not merely unable to 
dry alcohol, but that it actually hydrates it. On proper investigation, it 
turned out that the sodium replaces the hydrogen of the alcohol, whilst the 
displaced hydrogen takes the place of the sodium in the caustic soda, and 
thus produces water. 
Action of Shellac on Aniline Colours. — A paper published in the Moniteur 
Scientifique of Jan. 15, by M. Labouret, is thus abstracted from the Chemical 
News. When a salt of rosaniline is added to a solution of any resin, that 
solution is red- coloured, if the salt of aniline is soluble in the solvent used 
to dissolve the resin ; the colour has, however, a tendency to turn violet as 
soon as the solution is heated or evaporated to dryness. An alcoholic solu- 
tion of shellac, to which fuchsine has been added, turns, on evaporation, 
to a most magnificent blue colour. This material is insoluble in ether, 
but soluble in alcohol and acetic acid, the solutions exhibiting a blue 
colour. The product is, however, very unstable ; and the only use this re- 
action could be turned to is, according to the author, the detection of shellac 
among other resins, since a very minute quantity of the last-named resin 
may by this means be detected. 
A Chemical M. P. — In addition to Dr. Lyon Playfair the House of Com- 
mons can now count another chemical member in Mr. U. C. J. Kay-Shuttle- 
worth, the representative of Hastings. This gentleman’s excellent little 
work was some time since reviewed in these pages, and we need not say that 
it shows its author to be an able supporter of modern philosophical doctrines. 
