496 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
plant, floating on top. This is limpid and mobile when recent, has a sweet 
odour, and hot aromatic taste. It boils at about 350° Fahr. Its specific 
gravity is 980° at 55° Fahr. It is oxidized by the air, becomes thick and 
heavier than water ; when recent it remains fluid at 49° Fahr., but the old 
oils deposit silky needles when cooled. Further investigation found this 
body to be a result of oxidation, and to be an acid, and the oil itself to yield, 
by the action of weak nitric acid, a hydruret of a compound radical parallel 
with benzyl, which the author calls “ crithmyle,” and which forms combina- 
tions with chlorine, bromine, and iodine. The acid by oxidation is crithmic 
acid. The fixed oil of the fruit is siccative, of an orange-yellow colour, and 
oxidizes readily in the air to a brown soft solid. — Vide Journal de Pharmacie. 
The Montpelier Spring at Harrogate. — The mineral springs of Harrogate 
seem to possess a composition different from those of other localities, and 
appear to be undergoing a gradual change of constitution. Dr. Sheridan 
Muspratt states, in a communication to the Chemical News, that though 
Hofmann’s analysis in 1854 did not indicate the presence of chloride of iron, 
that substance has since been found in them by himself. Sulphates have 
disappeared from the springs, and chlorides seem to have taken their place. 
In the Kissingen water Dr. Hofmann found nearly forty-two grains of 
carbon of magnesia and no carbonate of lime ; now it contains about half a 
grain of the magnesian carbonate and sixteen grains of the lime. The 
following is the composition, as from the latest analysis : — 
Iron carbonate 
Grains in Imperial gallon. 
3106 
Baryta „ 
*517 
Lime „ 
16*262 
Magnesia „ 
-497 
Calcium chloride 
124T12 
Magnesium „ 
56-074 
Potassium „ 
5-408 
Sodium „ 
650-409 
Strontium, lithium, &c. 
... ... Traces. 
856-385 
Simple Process for obtaining Soda from, Salt. — An ingenious and cheap 
process for this purpose has been devised by Mr. Walter Weldon. It consists 
in placing within a vessel capable of resisting the necessary pressure, common 
salt and carbonate of magnesia, with a small quantity of water ; and then, 
by pumping into the vessel, the carbonic acid formed by causing atmospheric 
air to traverse coal in a state of ignition. The carbonate thus becomes bicar- 
bonate of magnesia, which dissolves in the water, and then decomposes the 
chloride of sodium, chloride of magnesium, which remains in solution, and 
bicarbonate of soda, which precipitates, being formed. The whole process 
lasts but a quarter of an hour at most, and the cost is only that of the coal 
used in forming the carbonic acid. A moderate heat drives off the second 
atom of carbonic acid from the bicarbonate of soda, changing it into car- 
bonate ; and the magnesia may be recovered from the chloride by evaporating 
the solution containing it to dryness, and raising the residue to a temperature 
below redness. 
