i90 
EXISTENCE AND FORMATION OF SALTS. 
For 6 grammes of this hydrated oxide there should be 6 
or 8 grammes of glycerin, 50 grammes of water, and 56 
grammes of soda solution of the strength above mentioned. 
This mixture is then diluted as may be requisite. The author 
prefers this solution to the other. It does not become turbid 
with alcohol. 
The solutions will not bear considerable dilution without 
depositing hydrated oxide of copper, but this may be pre¬ 
vented by increasing the proportion of glycerin or of soda.— 
J. Loewe, Zeitschriftfur analytische Chemie . 
THE EXISTENCE AND FORMATION OF SALTS OF NITROUS 
OXIDE. 
E. D ivers, M.D., says—Metallic sodium thrown on a 
solution of an alkaline nitrate, was found by Schonbein to re¬ 
duce it to nitrite. By using the sodium in the form of amal¬ 
gam, the complete reduction of the nitrate to nitrite can be 
readily effected, and silver nitrite freely precipitated from the 
solution by first neutralising it with acid, and then adding 
silver nitrate. 
But as soon as nitrite is thus formed by the sodium, it itself 
begins to suffer reduct ion, as well as the remaining nitrate, by 
the action of more sodium. This reduction of the nitrite is 
rendered evident by the effervescence which attends it, the 
gas given off consisting of pure nitrous oxide. If excess of 
sodium amalgam be gradually added to the nitrate solution, 
and its action moderated by keeping the vessel containing 
the mixture in a stream of cold water, the effervescence only 
becomes very lively -when the sodium added has nearly 
reached the proportion of two atoms to one of the nitrate 
used. When four atoms of sodium have been oxydised by 
the solution, the further addition of it is without effect; no 
more effervescence takes place, and the sodium remains un¬ 
changed in the mercury. 
The very alkaline liquid which is left by the reaction con¬ 
tains a new salt, though in relatively small quantity, the salt 
of nitrous oxide, NaNO. The reaction occurring may be 
thus expressed: 
NaN0 3 + Na 2 = NaN0 2 4 Na 2 0. 
Nitrate. Nitrite. 
NaNO, + Na 2 = NaNO + Na 2 0. 
Nitrite. New salt. 
After neutralising the alkaline liquid by acetic acid, it gives 
