SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
201 
granulated silver or any other granulated metal in a stout glass bottle, and 
this vessel vigorously shaken, electric sparks are seen inside the bottle j 
when, while this phenomenon is observed, water is poured on the bottle, 
the appearance of the sparks ceases immediately, but the phenomenon is 
observed again when the shaking is continued. By being exposed for 
several months to strong sunlight in a sealed tube, pure sulphide of carbon 
appears to become decomposed, giving rise to a solid, flocculent, red-coloured 
matter and a peculiar kind of gas, but the author has not yet been able to 
test the nature of these products. 
Tests for Detecting Strychnia. — Dr. Eilhol has a paper on this subject in 
the u Journal dePharmacie et de Chimie ” for January 1872. After having 
reviewed the various tests described in works of chemistry, the author con- 
cludes that as regards the sure detection of this alkaloid in cases of poison- 
ing it should be obtained in a solid state j the alkalinity of its solution should 
be ascertained as well as its intensely bitter taste j its behaviour with 
chlorine, and its blue colouration under the influence of sulphuric acid and 
oxidising substances, should also be seen j while, lastly, as a very delicate 
reaction, the author quotes that, with chloride of gold, strychnia (in solu- 
tion) yields immediately a crystalline precipitate, which, although slowly, 
is yet formed in solutions containing l-10th of a milligrm. of the alkaloid. 
This precipitate, and that formed by chlorine, are at once dissolved by con- 
centrated sulphuric acid, and, chromic acid being added, the well-known 
blue colouration that strychnia yields with this last reagent is produced. 
The presence of alcohol in liquids to be tested for strychnia should be 
avoided. 
Paralbumen in Serous Exudations . — In the 11 Chemical News,” March 1, 
1872, Dr. Hilger states*, that by paralbumen he means a modification of 
serum-albumen, the alcoholic precipitate of which is soluble in water, and 
only partially coagulated by the addition of small quantities of acetic acid ; 
this paralbumen has been hitherto only found in the hydropsical ovarian 
cysts, but the author has recently found it also in the fluid abnormally 
secreted in ascites. 
A Prize for best Essay on Sugar-making is offered by the East Bohemian 
Association of Sugar Manufacturers. It is 507 in value. The work must 
consist of two sections. The first section, chemico-technical, to contain — 
(a) Well-made and complete researches and analysis of all the raw materials 
used in the process of sugar manufacture ; (6) complete analysis of all the 
products obtained in this manufacture ; ( c ) a succinct and explanatory de- 
scription of the chemico-technical operations required in the sugar manufac- 
turing process \ ( d ) a complete collection of all the tabulated forms required 
to assist the making of calculations for the various manipulations ; (e) a 
brief, yet complete, description of the sugar manufacturing process, begin- 
ning with the washing of the beet-roots and ending with the refined pro- 
duce. The second section, mechanico-technical, should treat, in full details, 
on the plant and machinery required, on the management of the operations, 
and on the means to be employed for keeping the plant and machinery in 
good repair. Competitors should send their essays to Herrn Fr. B. Goller, 
Manager of Sugar Works, at Podebrad, in Bohemia. The essays ought not 
to contain the names of the authors, which should be sent in a sealed note, 
