472 
OXYGENATED  SALINE  WATERS. 
experiment  a  considerable  quantity  of  formic  acid  at  55°.  5.  From 
a  theoretical  point  of  view  the  use  of  sulphuric  acid  as  an 
absorbent  of  aqueous  vapor,  is  of  some  interest.  I  have  opera- 
ted on  formic  acid  at  57  "5  in  the  months  of  November  and  De- 
cember, at  the  ordinary  temperature  of  the  laboratory  ;  by  once 
in  every  three  days  weighing  and  taking  the  standard,  always  at 
the  same  hour,  I  was  enabled  carefully  to  follow  the  phenomenon. 
Water  is  always  absorbed  more  rapidly  than  the  acid,  and  the 
standard  rises  to  63 ;  the  relation  between  the  acid  and  water 
converges,  and  remains  at  about  the  limit  1*7.  This  relation, 
which  differs  a  little  from  |f  —  1-704,  seems  to  indicate,  under 
these  conditions,  the  existence  of  a  hydrate  of  formic  acid,  cor- 
responding to  the  formula — 
C2  H2  04  3HO 
Renewing  the  boiled  sulphuric  does  not  sensibly  alter  this  rela- 
tion. 6.  The  easier  preparation  of  formamide,  and  especially 
that  of  pure  carbonic  oxide  by  formic  and  sulphuric  acids,  is 
another  result  of  these  researches. — London  Chemical  News, 
Sept.  29,  1865. 
OXYGENATED  SALINE  WATERS. 
BY  B.  W.   RICHARDSON,   M.  A.,  M.D.,  LONDON. 
Dr.  Richardson  laid  before  the  British  Medical  Association 
specimens  of  oxygenated  saline  waters.  In  these  solutions  he 
had  succeeded  in  combining  peroxide  of  hydrogen  (containing 
ten  volumes  of  active  oxygen)  with  various  saline  substances, 
and  especially  with  salts  of  iron.  The  waters,  when  properly 
diluted,  were  almost  tasteless,  the  taste  being  so  unobjectionable 
that  children  could  take  them,  and  adults  could  drink  them  at 
meals  in  place  of  common  water  or  other  fluid.  The  solutions 
presented  were  a  diuretic  water,  carrying  nitrate  of  potassa,  and 
spirit  of  nitric  ether ;  a  simple  aperient  water,  conveying  sul- 
phate of  potassa  ;  and  two  chalybeate  saline  waters,  one  con- 
taining phosphate,  the  other  persulphate,  of  iron,  with  a  little 
free  oxide  of  iron.  The  waters  were  all  mildly  aperient.  They 
were  used  for  adults  in  proportions  of  two  ounces  for  a  dose, 
ordinary  water  being  added,  so  as  to  fill  a  tumbler.  Specimens 
were  diluted  in  this  way,  and  handed  to  the  members.  Dr. 
