POTASSIUM AND SODIUM. 
277 
portant element of judgment in ascertaining the purity of 
castor ; that which has been treated by M. Muller and in 
which the proportion of carbonate of line surpasses that of 
other analyses, was very dry and hard, so as to be easily 
reduced to powder; its colour, form and odour would not 
admit of its being confounded with the castor of Canada. 
The enormous proportion of carbonate of lime, and the 
small quantity of celular tissue also would distinguish it from 
ordinary Siberian castor. Probably the organic substances 
had disappeared for the most part, owing to a patholo- 
gical condition, and they have been replaced by carbonate 
of lime; a fact which has often been observed in the morbid 
secretions of the animal organism. 
This examination shows what differences sometimes oc- 
cur in the composition of certain medicines, and which are 
the causes of the want of accordance in the results of che- 
mists. — Jour, de Pharrn. el de Chim., from Jlrchiv. der 
Pharm. 
ART LXL— IMPROVEMENTS IN MAKING THE CYANIDES AND 
FERROCYANIDES OF POTASSIUM AND SODIUM. 
By James Laming. 
The patentee, before describing the invention as commu- 
nicated to him from abroad, has, for the better understand- 
ing of the improvement, detailed the chemical facts or prin- 
ciples upon which they are founded; these are as follows: 
1. When animal matter, which contains nitrogen as well 
as hydrogen and carbon, is exposed to a high temperature, 
not exceeding low red, an equivalent of nitrogen combines 
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