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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
the absence of nauseous taste and offensive smell it is calculated to be of 
service in cases where, owing to the existence of a weak stomach or 
natural idiosyncrasies, other drugs cannot be administered. As a 
medicine, it equals kino and catechu in its effects ; and has been found 
extremely useful in cases of diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera infantum, 
haemorrhages, gleet, leucorrhoea, &c. Its active principle is called 
geranin ; there are also the following preparations : resinoid extract, 
decoction, infusion, tincture, and powder of the rhizome, the dose of the 
latter being from twenty to forty grains. The rhizome appears to have 
been always employed by the Indians as an astringent agent. — Vide 
“ Pharmaceutical Journal,” vol. v. No. 1. 
Compounds of Iron with Albumen. — It is strange that medicines of this 
description were not devised long since, inasmuch as the composition of 
the blood and tissues seems to indicate that such compounds as the above 
would be useful as restorative haematics. Mr. E. R. Smith has at last 
supplied the want, and publishes three formulae for the preparation of 
as many salts, viz. : albuminate of iron and soda, albuminate of iron 
and potassa, and albuminate of iron, soda and potassa. — (“ Journal of 
Pharmacy.”) 
METALLURGY, MINERALOGY, AND MINING. 
METALLURGY AND MINING. 
Manufacture of Magnesium . — A series of improvements in the processes 
for the preparation of magnesium has been patented by Mr. Edward 
Sonstadt. The modifications which he proposes relate chiefly to the 
method of preparing the magnesia from which the metal is to be obtained ; 
to the preparation of an anhydrous compound containing magnesium, 
sodium, and chlorine ; and to the employment of iron vessels for the 
reduction of the metal. There is not so much originality in Mr. Son- 
stadt’s “ improvements ” as his specification would lead one to suppose, 
and in consequence of this, there has been some controversy upon the 
subject, in the chemical journals. The method he adopts may be thus 
described. Pure magnesia is first prepared by precipitating the sulphate, 
with carbonate of soda, and repeatedly washing in boiling water and 
drying the precipitate till the washings give no perceptible reaction with 
chloride of barium. To the magnesia thus obtained hydrochloric acid 
(free from sulphuric) is added till a small quantity of magnesia is left 
undissolved. After boiling and filtering, chloride of sodium is added to 
the solution, in the proportion of 0*55 lb. to every pound of the acid, of 
sp. gr. 1T52, and the mixture is evaporated to dryness in a silver dish. 
The dried residue is then placed in a platinum crucible, loosely covered, 
and heated to redness. When fully fused, it is poured out on a clean cold 
iron plate, and the cooled mass is then termed “material” by the 
inventor. This material is next placed with sodium in an iron crucible 
and heated to full redness, the cover of the vessel not being removed till 
the latter is quite cold. The cooled mass is then washed with water to 
