296 
SCIENCE. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
A General Description oe the State of Indiana, 
extracted from the First Annual Report of the Bureau 
of Statistics and Geology for 1879, re-published by 
authority of his excellency, James D. Williams, Gov- 
ernor. 
This is a small pamphlet of 16 pages, containing 
information of an industrial rather than of scientific 
character. A map of Indiana is given, the typographi- 
cal imperfections of which render it a useless addition. 
The Scientific English Reader. Englisches Nat- 
urwissenschafltich-Technisches Lesebuch fur hohere 
technische lehranstalten und zum selfstudium fur 
studirende, lehrer, techniker, industrielle. Mit 
sprachlichen und sachlichen erlauterungen. Von 
Dr. F. J. Wershoven : I. Theil — Physik, Chemie, 
Chemische Technologie, by F. A. Brockhaus, Leip- 
zig, 1881. 
This work is intended to place before the German 
student specimens of the best literary productions of 
English scientists. The present volume, treating of 
Physics and Chemistry, gives selections from the works of 
Lardner, Maxwell, Roscoe, Lockyer, Wilson, Smiles, 
Grover, Ure, and others who have treated on technical 
subjects within range of the present work. 
To aid those who desire to make translations from this 
book to the German lauguage, an appendix of German 
equivalents of English technical words has been given at 
the end of the work. 
Dr. Wershoven’s work will also be useful to the Eng- 
lish student, “who desires readings in Science.” The se- 
lections are made with good judgment, and they will be 
read with profit by those who desire a general idea of 
English scientific literature, carried well up to date. 
The Student. — A Monthly Journal devoted to the inter- 
ests of Education.. — Haverford College, Montgomery 
County, Pa., $1 per annum, 10 cents single number. 
The number of periodicals devoted to education is in- 
creasing rapidly. “ The Student,” published by Haver- 
ford College, and edited by Professor Isaac Sharpless and 
Professor Watson W. Dewees, appears to advocate a re- 
turn to what the editors term old-fashioned studies— 
classics and mathematics — believing they have made 
many a sturdy man in the past, and that their influence 
is as potent for the future as ever. A strictly practical 
education, meaning such an one as can be directly used 
in business, the editors consider extremely limited and 
fruitless of disciplinary value. 
If Professor Sharpless has no faith in a “ practical edu- 
cation,” he appears to believe in making “The Student ” 
a practical educational journal, and we are agreeably sur- 
prised to find the subject handled in such an attractive 
manner. 
Griffen’s Chart of Animal Classification — 
adapted to Steele’s Zoology. By A. B. Griffen, 
641 Broad street, Newark, N. J. Price, 15 cents. 
This Chart shows, in an admirable manner, the rela- 
tions of the various divisions of the Animal Kingdom. 
The six great sub-kingdoms, Vertebrata. Articulate, Mol- 
lusca, Echinodermata, Coelenterata, are represented as 
the trunks of as many “ Zoological trees,” whose branches 
and twigs are the Classes, Orders, Families, etc. It is of 
quarto size, and so arranged that it may be folded con- 
veniently and without injury. As a systematic synopsis 
for convenience of reference we heartily recommend it to 
the students of Zoology- 
CHEMICAL NOTES. 
Characteristic Distinctions between Human Blood 
and that of other Animals. — Dr. Vincenzo Peset y Cer- 
vera has found that on mixing the blood of different ani- 
mals with a little bile there are formed in the mass, crystals 
not exceeding 0.003 metre in size. These crystals may be 
distinguished thus : — Those of man are right rectangular 
prisms ; those of the horse, cubes ; of the ox, rhombohed- 
10ns ; of the sheep, rhombohedric tablets ; those of the 
dog, rectangular prisms; those of the rabbit, tetrahedrons; 
of the squirrel, hexagonal tables ; of the mouse, octahed- 
rons ; of common poultry, cubes modified at their angles, 
&c. 
On some Causes which Hinder or Facilitate the 
Precipitation of Manganese Hydrate by Ammonia. — 
Giulio Puliti finds that the precipitation of manganese from 
its solution b)'- means of ammonia may be partially or to- 
tally hindered by sal-ammoniac. Heat renders the sal- 
ammoniac more efficacious. In hot liquids the precipita- 
tation of manganese may be completely prevented if the 
metal meets with this reagent in the proportion of 1 : 150. 
He also finds that iron, aluminium, and chromium facilitate 
the precipitation of manganese. 
Behavior of Carbonic Acid with Nessler’s Reagent 
and Ammonia. — A solution of acid ammonium carbonate 
or a dilute solution of sal-ammoniac mixed with water con- 
taining carbonic acid or with sodium bicarbonate, if mixed 
drop by drop with Nessler’s reagent gives a yellow precipi- 
tate, which disappears on agitation without imparting the 
slightest coloration to the liquid. Not until the free car- 
bonic acid has been saturated by the addition of caustic 
potassa or of an excess of the reagent, is a permanent yel- 
low coloration produced. — Th. Salzer. Bui. de la Soc. Chim. 
Perforation of Zinc Cisterns and Corrosion of Lead 
Pipes by Water. — X. Rocques has observed that the plates 
of zinc cisterns are corroded, not uniformly, but in certain 
well-defined places. The cause of this inequality is the 
electric current, which is set up between the purer portions 
of the metal and those more alloyed. Zinc, lead, and cop- 
per are attacked very slowly by ordinary water and by 
saline solutions in general (chlorides, bicarbonates). The 
corrosion is more rapid if there are several metals in con- 
tact. The presence of nitrogenous matters and ammonia 
accelerates the action, especially in case of zinc. The 
phenomena display their greatest activity in presence of 
oxygen. This is the case at the surface where the metal is 
alternately in contact with water and air. The deposits 
formed are chiefly silicates and carbonates of lead, zinc and 
copper. 
Detection oe Picric Acid in Beer. — Dr. H. Fleck evap- 
orates 500 c.c. of the beer to a syrup, mixes with ten times 
its volume of absolute alcohol, filters off the precipitate, 
washing it as well as possible, and evaporating the alco- 
holic filtrate to dryness. The residue is extracted with 
water at the boiling point as often as the liquid becomes 
colored, evaporates to dryness, and extracts the residue 
with ether. The ethereal extract contains the picric acid 
almost pure. 
Determination of Theine in Aea. — Fifteen grms. tea 
are repeatedly extracted with boiling water till completely 
exhausted ; the liquid is filtered, evaporated to the consis- 
tence of an extract, mixed with 2 grms. calcined magnesia 
and 5 grms. powdered glass and completely dried. 
Use of Bromine in the Analysis of Sulphides. — Bro- 
mine oxidizes sulphur and sulphides very rapidly. Iron 
pyrites require to be very finely pulverized and a prolonged 
action is required. Copper pyrites are dissolved very rap- 
idly if an excess of bromine is used, which is easily ex- 
pelled by a gentle heat. The sample is placed in a small 
flask, covered with a little water, and the bromine is added. 
A gentle heat is sometimes necessary towards the end. 
One part of sulphur requires about 15 parts of bromine. 
Bromine water is especially adapted for destroying sulphur 
etted hydrogen and dissolving recently precipitated sul 
phides. — E. Reichardt. 
